Sentinel
Premium
join:2001-02-07
Florida |  BluRay player - does brand matter?
I am getting a BluRay player (finally) and I see that there is some (slight) competition amongst brands. So of course my question is does brand matter?
I was thinking of getting a Samsung player. Are they as good as Sony? |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| I think you need to compare features. Try reading some reviews. Cnet is good for that. Some of the cheaper players are slower to load and also some of the cheaper ones are not profle 2.0. Some for those can be upgraded to profile 2.0 with a firmware upgrade some can't. That's if profile 2.0 is important to you. It's not to me, but that's me. |
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Sentinel
Premium
join:2001-02-07
Florida
| No 2.0 is not important to me. But what I am most concerned about is picture quality. Both for BluRay DVD's and for SD DVD upconverting. I am wondering if brands other than Sony have the same quality image in both Bluray and upconvert output.
Other things like features concern me less. Those kinds of differences you always find in all electronics. But I would hate to get a Samsung BR player and find out that the Sony has a better image processor or something like that Or that it's upconverting chip is superior because most of my current DVDs are SD. |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | Maybe this will help
»reviews.cnet.com/home-video-revi···nArea1.0 |
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Traxless
Premium
join:2005-02-16
USA | reply to Sentinel
The link BF69 references one of the best Blu-Ray players, which might surprise many. Did you seen the hint in one of the reviews ... Playstation 3.
And so it goes. |
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stet
Volitar Prime
join:2002-03-08
Warren, MI
| reply to Sentinel
Brand does matter when it comes to needed firmware updates to support new titles. I have a Samsung player and am beginning to regret it. My player hasn't had a firmware update since May and there are now a handful of movies that just won't play on my machine and won't until they get around to releasing a fix. Sony seems to be much quicker at responding to these kinds of compatibility issues. The latest incompatibility issues are with the latest batch of James Bond movies, some of which won't play on many different players from different manufactures. So far Sony is the only manufacture that has responded saying that they are working on a fix (not sure if they have it out yet or not).
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01011001 |
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Korro
join:2008-03-15
Pittsburgh, PA | reply to Sentinel
This is all actually pretty funny. If Sony killed HD movies...why is it that Many movies will not play on a Sony. Did HD DVD have these kind of issues as well?
You would think the manufactures of Blue Ray discs would use the correct codecs. |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
 ·WOW Internet and C..
| said by Korro  :Did HD DVD have these kind of issues as well? There hasn't been a disc that my Toshiba HD-DVD couldn't play. But there were some problems that I read about before buying mine, and a firmware update fixed them, and they were quick about it. Now the Xbox 360 add-on has had a fair amount of issues, some took a while to resolve, others were quick.
Sony has to update the PS3 fast since that is what's driving BR. If they don't get the bugs fixed in the console, they'll screw themselves over and people will stop buying their stuff. |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to BF69
said by BF69 :I think you need to compare features. Try reading some reviews. Cnet is good for that. Some of the cheaper players are slower to load and also some of the cheaper ones are not profle 2.0. Some for those can be upgraded to profile 2.0 with a firmware upgrade some can't. That's if profile 2.0 is important to you. It's not to me, but that's me. I have a Sony that wasn't cheap and loads hella slow. but for fast firmware fixes, you can't beat sony.
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When I gez aju zavateh na nalechoo more new yonooz tonigh molinigh - Ken Lee |
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BF69
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN
| said by dvd536 :said by BF69 :I think you need to compare features. Try reading some reviews. Cnet is good for that. Some of the cheaper players are slower to load and also some of the cheaper ones are not profle 2.0. Some for those can be upgraded to profile 2.0 with a firmware upgrade some can't. That's if profile 2.0 is important to you. It's not to me, but that's me. I have a Sony that wasn't cheap and loads hella slow. but for fast firmware fixes, you can't beat sony. I wasn't advocating any particular brand. I wasn't merely putting up a link for reviews. It up to each person to decide which is best for them. It depends on which features you feel are the most important. If you go into the store and they ave some on display they should have any issues with you testing them out. If they do I would not shop there. |
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Sentinel
Premium
join:2001-02-07
Florida
1 edit | reply to stet
I was thinking about the Samsung BD-P2500 or the 2550. They *appear* to have pretty good specs but not a lot of reviews. I think they are too new I guess. |
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tigrzeye
Control4 Certified Installer
join:2007-07-18
LHV, PA
| I have both a Toshiba HD-DVD player and a Samsung (BD-P1400) Blu-Ray player. I don't see an appreciable difference in HD picture quality from either. Both seem to do an equal job on SD DVD's as well in up scaling them.
I have had no problems updating either to new firmware as available via the Ethernet connections both have.
That said I have had more "quirks" with the Samsung and playing Blu-ray movies. IE: no start, lock up, etc. None with the HD-DVD's. Blu-Ray discs seem to take a lot longer to start up as well on a general basis.
Is it the player? Or do Blu-Ray movies in general have more "quirks"? Can't say for sure, but love the PQ from both of them.
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If you don't know ask. I ask a lot, know a little. |
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booger
join:2008-10-15
| Months ago now, when I bought my Panasonic unit, my research continued to turn-up low(er) ratings for the Samsung unit .. mostly based on lengthy load times.
Whether they've corrected this now, I don't know.
Just recently, I purchased a PS3 and I'm very happy with it's player .. certainly, I consider it to be just as good as my Panasonic unit. Too, what an amazing value! If you're not already streaming media to your system .. the PS3 is a great streamer! Course, it's a mighty fine game machine too. An advanced computer in it's own right, capable of adopting the Linux or Windows OS. The 80 gig drive too small? Right now (have only checked NewEgg pricing), and in 15 minutes total time start to finish (longer if brain damaged), you can throw a WD 500 gig 2.5 drive into it for $150.00.
Anyway, the point being .. the PS3 is a damn good Blu-ray player AND .. for (about) the same money as a stand-alone player.
If my PS3 excitement is showing .. I just can't help myself.
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It's a sticky proposition. |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
 ·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to stet
said by stet : Sony seems to be much quicker at responding to these kinds of compatibility issues. Remember, Sony is also in the movie business of this game too, so their interest in compatibility is much more important. |
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Hall
Premium,MVM
join:2000-04-28
Dayton, OH
·EarthLink
·AT&T Midwest
·Earthlink Cable Mo..
| reply to Sentinel
said by Sentinel :I was thinking about the Samsung BD-P2500 or the 2550. They *appear* to have pretty good specs but not a lot of reviews. I think they are too new I guess. Go to AVS Forums. There seem to be people there with more money than they know what to do with and are constantly "upgrading" their equipment to the latest versions or models of everything !
Here is their thread on the two models you mentioned, »www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthre···=1058811 |
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Sentinel
Premium
join:2001-02-07
Florida |  Thanks. That seems like the place to be  |
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Dustyn
Premium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN | reply to imrf
Funny how some of the first consumer DVD players ever produced don't need all these stupid firmware updates. Even today my old Pioneer Elite DVD/LD combo plays todays latest DVD releases without issue. |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI | You're lucky. Many first release DVD players had problems with dual layer discs. Many couldn't handle the layer switchover. Most needed a firmware update, others were paper weights. |
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Dustyn
Premium
join:2003-02-26
Ontario, CAN
| said by imrf :You're lucky. Many first release DVD players had problems with dual layer discs. Many couldn't handle the layer switchover. Most needed a firmware update, others were paper weights. Really?
I wouldn't even know how to go about performing a firmware upgrade on an ancient DVD/LD unit (if one was available). There are no special ports for such a procedure? |
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imrf
Premium
join:2002-06-06
Utica, MI
·WOW Internet and C..
| You download and ISO, burn it to disc, usually a DVD, and put it in like a movie. It runs special code and updates it. My Panasonic RP-91K used to get updates. They would tweak out things, such as speeding up layer changes, or fixing glitches from those New Line Cinema Infinifilm DVDs. |
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