Blue Ray Players.... Talk to me.

[Technonotice]

Since sky has been so st recently I have been buying/renting a few dvd's.

My DVD player is pretty old and doesn't seem to produce high quality pictures.

As My TV has HDMI inputs, Blue Ray is the logical next step. I also have a Sony 5.1 receiver, it doesn't have HDMI but has digital and analogue inputs

What's a good budget player?

I have seen them for £120 upwards in curry's

And what's the best way to run it?

Blue ray player > hdmi > tv > digital out > sony receiver

or

Blue Ray player > HDMI > tv
+
Blue ray player > digital out > sony receiver


Thanks for your time!

[Goochie]

Technonotice said:

Blue Ray player > HDMI > tv
+
Blue ray player > digital out > sony receiver

This way.

I believe the Sony PS3 is actually a very good entry level BluRay player

[Technonotice]

Goochie said:

Technonotice said:

Blue Ray player > HDMI > tv
+
Blue ray player > digital out > sony receiver

This way.

I believe the Sony PS3 is actually a very good entry level BluRay player

I don't play computer games enough(actually I never play them) to warrant going the whole hog with a PS3, thanks for the advice though.

[OldSkoolRS]

I can highly recommend the now discontinued SOny BDP-S350 available from Richer Sounds (and other places) for around £120. I use mine to feed a projector on a 10' wide screen and think the picture quality is fantastic. Once calibrated there is little difference in picture quality between players, only how good their DVD upscaling is. The 'S350 is quite acceptable at this BTW, only bettered by my external video processor (which when new cost 10 x the player's price so that's fair enough).

http://www.richersounds.com/showclearanceproduct/S...


I notice that these are clearance now so might be available in your local branch.

[FunkyGibbon]

Technonotice said:

I don't play computer games enough(actually I never play them) to warrant going the whole hog with a PS3, thanks for the advice though.

Even if you don't play games (which I don't either - but I still went and got one) the PS3 is an awesome bit of kit.

The DVD up-scaling is (IMHO) superb, so your legacy DVDs will look fantastic. It also is DLNA compliant and has wireless networking built in, so you can link to any media server you may have (e.g. Windows Media player on a PC) to stream video, music and pictures. It has internet browser so you can surf PH too.

Oh yes, I believe it can play games - not really tried that out yet

edited to add that the PS3 has HDMI and optical so you could do (as you suggested):

Blue Ray player > HDMI > tv
+
Blue ray player > digital out > sony receiver

Edited by FunkyGibbon on Saturday 24th October 10:03

[RizzoTheRat]

Despite not expecting to use it as a games console, I'm thinking of going down the PS3 route having taken a look at a mates setup the other day. He's running a script on his computer that downloads any new episodes of stuff he's tagged on iPlayer, and then uses the PS3 to stream it to his telly. The PS3 is quite happy streaming HD video from the computer, and he can also use it to stream music from the computer to his amp. £200 doesn't put it much more expensive than a reasonable quality blueray player, and you get the streaming ability as well.

Of course that's of no benefit to you if you don't want to stream stuff from your computer to your TV.

[MasterKush]

RizzoTheRat said:

He's running a script on his computer that downloads any new episodes of stuff he's tagged on iPlayer, and then uses the PS3 to stream it to his telly

But the PS3 has iPlayer built in anyway.

although streaming HD download from PC to your PS3 to watch on your TV is an excellent feature!
having said that you wont be able to stream full quality video and audio wirelessly i believe as its too much info? [Dolby TrueHD], so possibly no good if youve spent a bit of money on a nice surround sound system i doubt (....i await to be proven wrong!)

I would also recommend the PS3 aswell to the OP as a worthy BluRay player. I dont use mine much for gaming (as i have a 360 elite for most my gaming) but i wouldnt be without my PS3.
- the internet browser is a nice touch too that comes on the PS3 -> and works with all websites ive tried - youtube clips etc are certainly still watchable blown up full screen on your tv.

[Adam B]

OldSkoolRS said:

I can highly recommend the now discontinued Sony BDP-S350 available from Richer Sounds (and other places) for around £120 (

+1

[bonsai]

FunkyGibbon said:

Even if you don't play games (which I don't either - but I still went and got one) the PS3 is an awesome bit of kit.

Seems a bit of a waste to have a great console there and not use it for its primary purpose. The PS3 doesn't have a plethora of games, but of the ones it does have, a lot are excellent, and I maintain that there is a game for everyone from a 5 year old to an octagenarian. I'm sure you could find something that appealed.

[FunkyGibbon]

bonsai said:

FunkyGibbon said:

Even if you don't play games (which I don't either - but I still went and got one) the PS3 is an awesome bit of kit.

Seems a bit of a waste to have a great console there and not use it for its primary purpose. The PS3 doesn't have a plethora of games, but of the ones it does have, a lot are excellent, and I maintain that there is a game for everyone from a 5 year old to an octagenarian. I'm sure you could find something that appealed.

Actually you are right - I have got hold of a few games (Call of Duty 4, Gran Turismo 5 Prelude) and it is rather good at the games things as well. All in all a fantastic piece of kit for the price.

[Tiggsy]

Another here with a PS3 for non-games (got two xboxes for that)

Best bit with a PS3 is....get US TV shows on bitorrent use VUZE, which converts them to a PS3 happy format....copy them to the PS3 in seconds then watch at my leisure.....i've got more TV to watch on the PS3 than the Sky HD box!