Pioneer 51fd or Panasonic BD-60 - Blu-ray Forum

Fors · 04-16-2009, 04:03 AM

Hey guys, new poster here and new to HDTV since yesterday. I recieved my first HDTV yesterday, a panasonic P50X1. I watched my first blu-ray last night on my PS3 and thought it was just awesome. I want to get a stand alone BR player and I have done some reading and decided on either the 51fd or the BD-60. Which one would be best? I can get either for about the same price. Any problems with either of them that I should be aware of? I know the panasonic can do BR live or whatever, but I really dont care about that. I will be watching SOME dvds probably so will be doing some upconverting, but not much at all, as after watching the blu-ray last nite, I dont think i want to watch DVD anymore unless I just have too heh. Do they both put out the same BR picture quality? Or is one better than the other? Thanks for the help.

I should also mention that I have the Sony CT100 soundbar for sound if that matters.

un4gvn94538 · 04-16-2009, 04:30 AM

i believe the pioneers are the first lower cost ones theyre releasing and i dont think theyre out yet so i cannot comment on the playback quality. but the panny bd60 is much like the bd35. the bd35 is praised for its quality and im betting that the bd60 will be too. i have the bd60 and its excellent.

edit: i looked up the pioneer. the price might have lowered due to new models comming. but i have no experience with them.

funnymanbing · 04-16-2009, 04:51 AM

If you can, I'd wait until May when the new Pioneers come out.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U3Y5TI/...R&linkCode=asn

funnymanbing · 04-16-2009, 04:57 AM

And oh yeah, welcome to the site.

Fors · 04-16-2009, 05:03 AM

Thanks, yeah I read some about the new pioneers but after buying the new plasma, and the surround sound, power conditioner and new entertainement center the wife is not liking the money Ive spent lol. I can get the pioneer 51fd for about 260 shipped and the bd-60 for about the same. I told her a standalone BR was gonna cost around 250, I dont think I could get her to agree to a 400$ one.

Pondosinatra · 04-16-2009, 05:07 AM

Ya, ya, there's always something around the corner.

But as of right now, the Pioneer is the best in terms of quality. Hands down.

henryjk · 04-16-2009, 05:32 AM

I've had the Pioneer 51fd for over a month. Played about 14 different movies and concerts on it. The picture and sound quality is fantastic. It's slow to load, but when it loads you are in for a treat. You have to update the firmware to 1.25a via download or request CD from Pioneer.

Fors · 04-16-2009, 06:08 AM

When you say slow to load, how slow do you mean? On average how long does it take to load a BR?

therobmancometh · 04-16-2009, 09:10 AM

I have and use the 51FD and have nothing but good things to say about it. I used to use the ps3 to play blu's but when i got my new kuro i got the free bd player with it. As far as bd live goes... the 51fd doesnt have it, but personally i dont use it, if youre desperate for it you can still use the ps3.

Load times are not that much more than the ps3, infact i dont even notice the difference between the 51fd and the ps3. at least with the pioneer bd player you get true hd

dougalast · 04-16-2009, 12:02 PM

FWIW, I just picked up a 51fd on clearance at BB and Im loving it so far. Picture seems much better than my Samsung 1500. The load times aren't that bad, the power on time is a little longer though. Not bad enough for me to not recommend it.

gekke henkie · 04-17-2009, 02:20 AM

When both comparable players are about the same price, there is no 'true winner' I think. The Pioneers are very well built, and the Panasonics have (averagely) the best quality components inside, as also the Panasonics are currently the only players with correct 'Chroma' (see Spears & Munsill for that) at 4:2:2 AFAIK.

So, both are great and your decision might as well be based on other factors like, for instance, that you have a Panasonic display (and probably can use one remote for both), or that you like the slow motion feature of that player (I'm sorry, I don't know the features of the Pioneer). Maybe you like the look of one better than the other, but in the end, you can't go wrong with any of these two. Anyway, please share with us what you decided, okay? Good luck!

paulyg · 04-17-2009, 12:59 PM

My wife got me the 51fd for the bedroom, the load times are a little slow compared to my ps3 but the build quality and the pq are great. I'm considering putting the ps3 in the bedroom and the 51fd as the main player. The pq was better on the 51fd than the ps3

robertc88 · 04-20-2009, 07:05 PM

Looking for a standalone and the Pioneer caught my eye at the price of $299 at Best Buy. Built like a tank and has the audio ouputs I can use to connect to my non-HDMI Denon amp. I'm going to try it with BB return policy so no reason not to.

shoc08 · 05-13-2009, 03:18 PM

What about comparing between the Panasonic BD-60 and the Sony BDP-S350? Similar in upconversion quality? Features?

04-16-2009, 04:03 AM	#1
Fors Member Member since:Apr 2009	Pioneer 51fd or Panasonic BD-60 Hey guys, new poster here and new to HDTV since yesterday. I recieved my first HDTV yesterday, a panasonic P50X1. I watched my first blu-ray last night on my PS3 and thought it was just awesome. I want to get a stand alone BR player and I have done some reading and decided on either the 51fd or the BD-60. Which one would be best? I can get either for about the same price. Any problems with either of them that I should be aware of? I know the panasonic can do BR live or whatever, but I really dont care about that. I will be watching SOME dvds probably so will be doing some upconverting, but not much at all, as after watching the blu-ray last nite, I dont think i want to watch DVD anymore unless I just have too heh. Do they both put out the same BR picture quality? Or is one better than the other? Thanks for the help. I should also mention that I have the Sony CT100 soundbar for sound if that matters.

04-16-2009, 04:30 AM	#2
un4gvn94538 Blu-ray Knight Top contributor Member since:Dec 2007 Location:Limbo (Bakersfield, Ca.) 4K collection:143 Blu-ray collection:811 DVD collection:54 Digital collection:1494 Trading Score:277	i believe the pioneers are the first lower cost ones theyre releasing and i dont think theyre out yet so i cannot comment on the playback quality. but the panny bd60 is much like the bd35. the bd35 is praised for its quality and im betting that the bd60 will be too. i have the bd60 and its excellent. edit: i looked up the pioneer. the price might have lowered due to new models comming. but i have no experience with them. Last edited by un4gvn94538; 04-16-2009 at 04:37 AM.

04-16-2009, 05:32 AM	#7
henryjk New Member Member since:Apr 2009	Pioneer 51fd I've had the Pioneer 51fd for over a month. Played about 14 different movies and concerts on it. The picture and sound quality is fantastic. It's slow to load, but when it loads you are in for a treat. You have to update the firmware to 1.25a via download or request CD from Pioneer.

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04-16-2009, 04:51 AM	#3
funnymanbing Active Member Member since:Jan 2007	If you can, I'd wait until May when the new Pioneers come out. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001U3Y5TI/...R&linkCode=asn

04-16-2009, 04:57 AM	#4
funnymanbing Active Member Member since:Jan 2007	And oh yeah, welcome to the site.

04-16-2009, 05:03 AM	#5
Fors Member Member since:Apr 2009	Thanks, yeah I read some about the new pioneers but after buying the new plasma, and the surround sound, power conditioner and new entertainement center the wife is not liking the money Ive spent lol. I can get the pioneer 51fd for about 260 shipped and the bd-60 for about the same. I told her a standalone BR was gonna cost around 250, I dont think I could get her to agree to a 400$ one.

04-16-2009, 05:07 AM	#6
Pondosinatra Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Jun 2008 Location:Calgary, Alberta Home Theater Gallery:45 Trading Score:2	Ya, ya, there's always something around the corner. But as of right now, the Pioneer is the best in terms of quality. Hands down.

04-16-2009, 06:08 AM	#8
Fors Member Member since:Apr 2009	When you say slow to load, how slow do you mean? On average how long does it take to load a BR?

04-16-2009, 09:10 AM	#9
therobmancometh Member Member since:Jan 2009 Location:Townsville, Queensland, Australia Home Theater Gallery:30 Blu-ray collection:117	I have and use the 51FD and have nothing but good things to say about it. I used to use the ps3 to play blu's but when i got my new kuro i got the free bd player with it. As far as bd live goes... the 51fd doesnt have it, but personally i dont use it, if youre desperate for it you can still use the ps3. Load times are not that much more than the ps3, infact i dont even notice the difference between the 51fd and the ps3. at least with the pioneer bd player you get true hd

04-16-2009, 12:02 PM	#10
dougalast Active Member Member since:Jan 2009 Home Theater Gallery:6 4K collection:26 Blu-ray collection:190 Trading Score:33	FWIW, I just picked up a 51fd on clearance at BB and Im loving it so far. Picture seems much better than my Samsung 1500. The load times aren't that bad, the power on time is a little longer though. Not bad enough for me to not recommend it.

04-17-2009, 02:20 AM	#11
gekke henkie Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Aug 2008	When both comparable players are about the same price, there is no 'true winner' I think. The Pioneers are very well built, and the Panasonics have (averagely) the best quality components inside, as also the Panasonics are currently the only players with correct 'Chroma' (see Spears & Munsill for that) at 4:2:2 AFAIK. So, both are great and your decision might as well be based on other factors like, for instance, that you have a Panasonic display (and probably can use one remote for both), or that you like the slow motion feature of that player (I'm sorry, I don't know the features of the Pioneer). Maybe you like the look of one better than the other, but in the end, you can't go wrong with any of these two. Anyway, please share with us what you decided, okay? Good luck!

04-17-2009, 12:59 PM	#12
paulyg Active Member Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Sep 2007 Location:Indiana Home Theater Gallery:17 Blu-ray collection:268	My wife got me the 51fd for the bedroom, the load times are a little slow compared to my ps3 but the build quality and the pq are great. I'm considering putting the ps3 in the bedroom and the 51fd as the main player. The pq was better on the 51fd than the ps3

04-20-2009, 07:05 PM	#13
robertc88 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Sep 2007	Looking for a standalone and the Pioneer caught my eye at the price of $299 at Best Buy. Built like a tank and has the audio ouputs I can use to connect to my non-HDMI Denon amp. I'm going to try it with BB return policy so no reason not to.

05-13-2009, 03:18 PM	#14
shoc08 New Member Member since:May 2009	What about comparing between the Panasonic BD-60 and the Sony BDP-S350? Similar in upconversion quality? Features?

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