Decided on Blu-Ray today (somewhat)

[BTBuck1]

So today I did some thinking. As an employee of Best Buy I can get the Sony Blu Ray for 5% over cost. Initially I was all Gung-Ho to buy it, but then I realized it's a "constrained" sku for the first 3 months and that I'll have to pay the full $999.99+tax if I want it on launch. Now, had it come out say "june" like it was originally slated...I may have went ahead and done it, And just chalked the $two hundred some odd dollars (almost 3) up on the board as a loss for being an early adopter. Now with the release dates pushed to October 25th I got to thinking, PS3 is like 3 weeks later...PS3 is getting purchased either way, and originally I thought i'd be able to afford to probably do both...(5 months between purchases) but with the delays & with the holidays comming & all, it's a bit steep and I don't think I want to make my family suffer on "living it up" for xmas just so I can get my BR fix on

example:
"Sorry we have to have top ramen and water for xmas dinner hun, but we can watch a movie in "HD" as long as the electricity doesnt get turned off today"

So i've decided to make things easier, practical and not emotional I will start off with the PS3. Now i probably won't be able to find one on launch day..But I finally got a 360 at Costco a couple weeks after and plan to do the same type of thing as I love their return policy.

Then after the holidays cool down, and the sku is more readily available and comes off constrainment I can then pick up the BDP-S1 as planned.
I'll still be able to enjoy Blu-Ray, My Holiday and still get the BDP-S1 at the discounted rate I intended to pay after x-mas when the dust settles and the bank account is back up. Not to mention i can get my game on too! W00t.

who knows, with the money i'm saving maybe i'll swoop an HDDVD drive for my 360 if it's reasonably priced (under $200) & a good performer
What do you guys think? good rational? what are you folks going to do?

[mainman]

I'll be buying a PS3. And a HDTV (waiting until a 32" 1080p comes out. early next year?)

So all and all, I expect to need about about 2200 euros. These purchasses will probably be on early next year. So no PS3 on launch day (unless my patience runs out).

And over a year or a year and a half , I'll buy a next-gen receiver, that can process Dolby trueHD and such.

[hmurchison]

Brian I think you definitely have more options by waiting just a wee bit longer. I'm soo tempted to buy a HD DVD player and hook it up to my roomates 30" CRT HDTV via component (no DVI on it) but
I just have to wait. By the time I purchase my own HDTV I'll have the option of looking at the PS3, 2nd Gen HD DVD and likely 2nd Gen Blu-Ray as well. Although seeing so many happy HD *****s is killing me.

[BTBuck1]

I plan to upgrade ALL of my equipment in about 3-4 years.

I will then buy a current gen BR player

1080p set

Receiver with Lossless audio decoders, HDMI switching

AND EVERYTHING BE HDMI 1.3 compatible.

For now though, I have what I have....2 3lcd 42" sony micro displays (rear projection) & I have a small 26" phillips LCD & a 30" Sony HDCRT.
none of my current tv's are 1080p, so buying new sets isnt an option, and quite frankly i'm really happy with the image i get off of HD cable, so i don't find it cost effective to run out and get 1080p sets. I need to get some usage out of the things i have for a while, so a player with built in Next gen audio Decoders (1st gen) will be useful, & HDMI 1.3 is useless as i own no devices that support it and wont for sometime (by then prices will drop alot) and i can upgrade then.

So thats the plan, doesnt mean it's 100% set in stone but a guideline. To further make things easier i've already begun buying movies (I have 7 titles so far) and will continue to buy the movies that get good reviews until I get my player. I'm also going to get the monoprice 5 hdmi switcher and have it hooked up and ready to go, as well as my 6 channel analog cables hooked up and labeled so when i get the player everything will be ready and I won't have to spend AS MUCH on the first day.

[phloyd]

I think I am waiting for the PS3.

The Samsung player and disc quality reports have stopped this early adopter in his tracks for now.

I got the first Sony DVD player at $999. BD has been the most highly anticipated technology since then - but my hopes have been deflated.

I might pick up a Tosh if I can get one for cheap. Otherwise I wait...

[BTBuck1]

Originally Posted by Brian@BBY

So thats the plan, doesnt mean it's 100% set in stone but a guideline.

Well, looks like its a good idea i said it's not 100% set in stone. Today I get a call from a co-worker (fellow poster here-provenflipper) The Sony BDP-S1 has finally showed up in the BBY inventory screens (not any actual product yet mind you) But details on when we are getting it, how much and how long the constrainment is active. Come to find out, we will get them the week of oct. 22nd. And the constrainment isn't on particular sku's but "Blu-Ray" category as a whole, starting with the samsung BD-p1000 from June, til October 15th. So when the BDP-S1 comes available in october I will be able to get this, with my discount on launch. This makes me pretty happy as i really wanted to start my BR experience off with a referance player. So, barring anything else happens...i'll be "sold ordering" this thing about a week before it launches and putting ps3 on backburner til after xmas (probably january or so).

Thanks FLip!

[Psiweaver]

i'll be waiting till the pioneer elite comes out and getting that and ps3.