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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 9:36 pm Post subject: HD DVD and Blu-Ray Product Choices (indecisions) |
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Toshiba $299 A2 or Xbox 360 Add-On Drive?
Sony $499 BD player or Sony PS3?
I will be buying a solution to play both formats this week.
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Moose
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
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Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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Considering the XBox 360 recall, this is a no brainer. Better upscaling of SD DVDs also.
For Blu-Ray, I have no opinion. I just wish used ones on Ebay wouldn't go for so close to their new price, especially the 20GB version. I thought nobody wanted this, yet it still gets nearly its list price.
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 12:08 am Post subject: |
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I should have stated that I wouldn't be using the Add-On drive with the 360, but rather with the new E6300 PC I built a couple of months back.
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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Hey,
For Blu Ray,.. I would recommend the PS3. It's still the best Blu Ray player.
You can get refurbished 20GB PS3's for about $350 or so..
-Brian
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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Brian, what would be the non-gaming incentives of the PS3 for Blu-ray playback (ahem, I do not do AV$) that are missed on the BDP-300? For instance, for analog I'd need a separate (but inexpensive) proprietary cable) video and remote remote (Bluetooth only), would need to be accommodated on the PS3, right?
Not shying away from the PS3, but letting my curious questioning out. 
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kal
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Joined: 06 Mar 2006
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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| WanMan wrote: | Brian, what would be the non-gaming incentives of the PS3 for Blu-ray playback (ahem, I do not do AV$) that are missed on the BDP-300? For instance, for analog I'd need a separate (but inexpensive) proprietary cable) video and remote remote (Bluetooth only), would need to be accommodated on the PS3, right?
Not shying away from the PS3, but letting my curious questioning out. |
I went through the same things...
My reasoning as to why it makes sense to buy the PS3 only as a BluRay player:
- The PS3 is the exact same price as the other BluRay players out there.
- The PS3 is the only one with 2-3 second load times (vs 30-90 second for the other players) and snappy remote response when skipping chapters, FF/REW, etc.
- Picture/Sound quality over HDMI is identical to the others out there.
- And the big one for me: Upgradability. The PS3 is currently the only Bluray player out there with the hardware required to do all of the audio formats (ex: DTS-HD MA) for the future. The set-top-box solutions are already going to be replaced this fall with newer versions that do more (ex: the new Sony S300 to be replaced by the S500 in the fall). I'm buying a new pre-amp soon to do lossless audio. I don't want to have to buy a new BluRay player in 6-12 months when Fox starts to roll out their DTS-HD MA discs. As well: Unlike the other players, the PS3 will also be upgrable to the new BD 1.1 profile as it has the required ethernet port and enough memory.
(No guarantee that Sony will actually offer the upgrades to do everything in the future, but unlike the other players out there, at least the PS3 has the harware to do it. No reason to think they won't issue upgrades however as they've been doing so all along).
- Resale cost. While I don't want to have to sell the PS3, if I do have to you can bet the resale value will be higher than a 2nd gen BD player as they're coming out with new versions of the standalone players every 4-6 months now. Take the Sony S300 that was just released. In Oct/Nov the S500 will replace it at the same price. Good luck selling the S300 for any reasonable return if you want the new features of the S500. In comparison the PS4 isn't likely to hit the market for many many years (they're talking 2012 I think).
For those of you interested in a BluRay player, stop thinking of the PS3 as a gaming machine. I was short-sighted enough to do this myself and am kicking myself now for not thinking openly. Funny enough, I didn't think I'd want to play any of the games, but after downloading a bunch of the free demo's from the Sony store (dead simple to do - you do it right through the PS3), I've actually ordered a couple of games off of Ebay.
As for the remote, get the $15 Nyko remote.
See my thread here:
https://www.curtpalme.com/forum_archived/viewtopic.php@t=5636.html
Kal
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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Kal, I certainly am not thinking of the PS3 as a gaming console (no interest there), but rather the potential limitations compared to traditional standalone players. Surprisingly, I found the BDP-301 at a Costco in the state of Georgia and its $449. I like Costco because of their return policy and the use of Amex. Unfortunately, buying the PS3 through Costco would be rather expensive $579, analog cable and remote not included.
But I am surprised no one mentions the PS3/online or PS3 media center-esque abilities in convincing their wives into that aspect. BTW, your point on resale value is a good one.
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kal
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Moose
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 788
Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | You can get refurbished 20GB PS3's for about $350 or so.. |
Other than Ebay, where might these be found?
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:32 am Post subject: |
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With the Nyko USB IR remote system, I suppose this can be integrated into my Home Theater Master. I only wish Costco sold an unbundled PS3--they believe its a gaming system only.
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kal
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Person99
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
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Location: Flower Mound, TX
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: HD DVD and Blu-Ray Product Choices (indecisions) |
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| WanMan wrote: |
Sony $499 BD player or Sony PS3?
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You may be different than me, but I have no desire to have an ugly game machine jerry rigged with an IR receiver as a disc player in my theater. That makes the PS3 a non-starter for me should I ever get strong armed into buying a player that is counter to my best interests.
But, if you have not outgrown the adolescent testosterone phase and still play video games, it might be the best choice.
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emdawgz1
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Posts: 7949
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:31 pm Post subject: Re: HD DVD and Blu-Ray Product Choices (indecisions) |
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| Person99 wrote: | | WanMan wrote: |
Sony $499 BD player or Sony PS3?
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But, if you have not outgrown the adolescent testosterone phase and still play video games, it might be the best choice. |
Personally, i'm not going to outgrow the Adolescent testosterone phase, until they load me in a box and throw dirt on me.
Now if you'll excuse me, C&C Tiberium Wars has been released and i have to run out and grab one 
http://www.ea.com/official/cc/cc3/us/release.jsp
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kal
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:36 pm Post subject: Re: HD DVD and Blu-Ray Product Choices (indecisions) |
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| Person99 wrote: | | WanMan wrote: |
Sony $499 BD player or Sony PS3?
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You may be different than me, but I have no desire to have an ugly game machine jerry rigged with an IR receiver as a disc player in my theater. That makes the PS3 a non-starter for me should I ever get strong armed into buying a player that is counter to my best interests. |
This was 100% my feeling too for the longest time. There was no way in hell I wanted something like this in my HT. I was dead set against it as I value ease of use and also how the thing looks in my HT very much. A game machine as the main source device in an HT? Gimme a break.
But then I saw how elegantly you could actually rack mount a PS3 and make it look like part of an HT rack (the strange shape actually fits ok - it only sticks out a couple of inches). The IR receiver dongle sits underneath and isn't seen.
| Quote: | | But, if you have not outgrown the adolescent testosterone phase and still play video games, it might be the best choice. |
Didn't think I'd enjoy any of the games myself (haven't played games in 20 years and I'm all thumbs with those controller) but since the demos are free and only take a couple of clicks to download/install I figured what the hell.
Turns out some of the demos are quite funny/fun even for a no-longer-a-gamer-don't-have-the-time-to-even-wipe-my-nose type guy like me. I'm nearing 40 years old and most of my friends have never touched games and would never consider buying something like a PS3 either let alone think they'd have fun playing it.
Turns out Sony was pretty smart to allow for free demo downloads right through the PS3 itself from the playstation store. Non-gamer friends and I have been having a riot playing demos like MotorStorm for a few minutes before the movie starts. They're hillarious on an 8' wide screen with good 5.1 sound.
The short demos are perfect for me. None of us want or need more than 10-15 minutes at a time.
Kal
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Person99
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
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Location: Flower Mound, TX
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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Kal, I see where you are coming from, but personally, even if I were to play games, I think those would be on the family room 60" RPTV, not the PJ! Wasting PJ hours on games? No way! 
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Dave
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah,
I've got to say the gaming stuff can be a problem. I had all but eliminated gaming from my lifestyle. I rid myself of games for PC and had my only other console (Dreamcast) boxed up in the basement and fogotten.
Along comes the PS3 and I'm thinking I will use it just for Blu Ray and upconverted DVD but then Sony gives away a free game on Dec 25 so I see it like a X-mass gift and feel compelled to Dl it. Then .. since they have all kinds of stuff do DL and it's simple as pie to do it .. before you know it all kinds of things are happening. (The upside to this is the Home Theater is a lot more fun and I appreciate my whole setup more.)
Now,.. turns out Ps3 plays games from Ps1 and PS2 and my local game store has Ps2 games that I love for $0.99 used, so I picked up a few of those. And suddenly, I find myself stopping at garage sales and looking for used video games uber cheap.
So yeah,.. the danger is real. The fact of the matter is I have no space in my life for video games and little desire to wreck my pj playing them. (I have practically no time for this site either realistically but somehow when I waste time playing video games it bites my back much harder.) (I've got 3 kids ages 6,4, and 2 and only the oldest one can play and I think video games are a rather bad form of stimulation for small children anyhow.)
All things considered though.. I still think the PS3 is the best current Blu Ray player. If you want to wait till November there may be something better.
Your Pal,
Brian
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kal
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Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Person99 wrote: | | Kal, I see where you are coming from, but personally, even if I were to play games, I think those would be on the family room 60" RPTV, not the PJ! Wasting PJ hours on games? No way! |
C'mon... we both know we'll both be replacing or projectors long before the tubes are worn out. My last one came in with minty tubes and went out 5 years later with the same minty tubes after 5K+ hours of use!
Kal
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scottap
Joined: 27 Mar 2007
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Location: Palo Alto, CA
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
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| Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:59 pm Post subject: Re: HD DVD and Blu-Ray Product Choices (indecisions) |
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| Person99 wrote: | | WanMan wrote: |
Sony $499 BD player or Sony PS3?
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But, if you have not outgrown the adolescent testosterone phase and still play video games, it might be the best choice. |
My doctor says I am progressing nicely now that I have found a more appropriate outlet for my need to shoot people. 
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redcorvette_85
Joined: 09 Apr 2006
Posts: 145
Location: Bothell, Washington
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| Posted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:10 am Post subject: |
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I also fully support the PS3 for home theater use. Does everything I want it to and more. The only draw back I see is the remote issue, but with the nyko remote it is almost a non issue. The thing I really like about it besides the casual game every once and awhile is it is like a mini htpc. The sony store has free HD movie trailers that can be downloaded, you can load up or stream mp3s and videos to it and you can even surf the web if you want. Its a fun little toy and with it matching the quality of all the other BD players, along with all its extra capabilities, possible updates and resale value it was an easy decision for me.
As for the costco bundle that was mentioned above, that is the route that I went with, yes its about $80 dollars more and the extra controller and game aren't really needed, its the costco warranty that sold me. You can return the thing in a couple years from now if it breaks and get a full refund, the other stuff is just a bonus. Maybe the xbox 360's problems have made me paranoid and I wanted to get one with a warranty and most of the other places that sell these want 100 plus dollars for a 2 year warranty.
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