Newbie/non-xxxPhile looking for a clue

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Hi forum,

I've been reading all the threads on stand alone players vs. the PS3 but I think I just don't understand enough to make a smart choice for my limited ambitions.

I have an old Vizio 30" 720p capable LCD TV with no HDMI on the TV itself. It does have component in and a DVI connection which I plan to use for the video. In addition, I have an old set of Altec Lansing THX certified set of 4.1 speakers with an S/PIDF input (no AV receiver or EQ) which for a non-audiophile like me is still plenty better than the TV speakers. I have no idea what I should be looking for in a Blu Ray player to best match it to my vintage and missing Home Theater EQ.

My confusion is mostly on what will best match my audio limitations and the DVD upconversion capability of the player. I have tried to educate myself about the different profiles available as well as the audio format/decoding soup but still think I don't get it. I'm not so worried about getting something with 2.0 profile since I most likely will not be using the features much but I figure anything worth getting will at least be upgradeable to it. I just want a great looking and nice sounding movie experience at home.

Also, I am looking to spend as little as possible (no use pulling punches you know?) and have no plans to invest in any other EQ upgrades right now. That said, I don't usually just choose the cheapest thing out there since if I do decide to get some real HT EQ, I would want to try and reuse anything I can.

I have been looking at the Sony S350, Panasonic BD35K and of course the PS3 but I'm still unsure what my best choice is.

I have an HDMI to DVI cable for the video and from what I can tell, if I went with the S350 I could use a coax cable for the audio and that's all I would need. If I went with the BD35K or PS3, I would have to get a TosLink cable, a coax cable and a converter box in between them to make the connection to my speakers. Oh yeah, one more thing, the gaming aspect is a non-factor to me since I rarely play games.

Help?

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