Blu-Ray Player

[gbeirn]

What Blu-Ray player box would you get? I have a HTPC with a BR-RW drive hooked up to my 55" LG LED TV using XBMC.

I want something that is easier to use. Blu-Ray playback on PCs is a PITA in it's current state. I tried AnyDVD and PowerDVD, etc. At this point if I am going to being shelling out $100 or so for software I'd rather just buy a set top box and be done with it.

I can futz around with the PC and get the discs playing but I'd rather have something simple, like just popping the disc in for the GF and her son.

I don't need any 'smart' functions, the TV and my Wii-u already have that. I don't need anything that can play other media, MKVs, etc....I have a laptop I can hook up to HDMI for that rare occasion.

The TV is a 3D 55" LG that is wall mounted hooked up to a 5.1" Vizio Soundbar system that is hooked up optically to the TV.

Price isn't a huge concern since I consider this an investment that I will have for quite a while. Picture quality is the most important and maybe something that can be controlled from an iPhone or iPad.

I was looking at the Oppo players on Amazon, are they worth the price? Lets say $600 is the upper limit, what would you get or recommend?

 

[purbeast0]

i was debating getting an oppo when i got a standalone for my ht, but i couldn't justify the price difference between that and the sony one i got. i got the s5100, but the newer version is out now and is the s5200.

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-BDPS5200-...sony+bdp-s5100

i simply could not justify the difference of about $400 for features i didn't even know what they did, or didn't care for.

 

[s44]

$600!? This isn't 2009. Any commodity 3D player from Samsung, Sony, LG, or Panasonic will be perfectly fine. I've had good experiences with the Samsung F5900 (last year's model... this year's still hasn't gotten all the bugs out).

 

[poofyhairguy]

I was looking at the Oppo players on Amazon, are they worth the price? Lets say $600 is the upper limit, what would you get or recommend?

Woah that is a high upper limit.

The only player I would pay more than $200 for is a Darbee Oppo:

http://www.amazon.com/OPPO-BDP-103D-.../dp/B00GPFM106

Here is a good review of it:

http://hometheaterreview.com/oppo-bdp-103d-darbee-edition-universal-disc-player-reviewed/

 

[gbeirn]

Woah that is a high upper limit.

The only player I would pay more than $200 for is a Darbee Oppo:

http://www.amazon.com/OPPO-BDP-103D-.../dp/B00GPFM106

Here is a good review of it:

http://hometheaterreview.com/oppo-bdp-103d-darbee-edition-universal-disc-player-reviewed/

Well that's why I listed $600 for an upper limit. Is the extra processing worth the $$? I would plan on keeping it pretty much forever, hopefully they last a while. I repair PCs for a living and the el-cheapo ones break within a year or two. If I have to buy a new one every two years I'd rather spend a bit more and get something that is going to last.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Well that's why I listed $600 for an upper limit. Is the extra processing worth the $$?

Maybe not by itself, but Oppos are the best players and if you are going to spend that much why not get the newest one with the best tech?

 

[gbeirn]

Maybe not by itself, but Oppos are the best players and if you are going to spend that much why not get the newest one with the best tech?

Good point and the screenshots in that review you linked did have a noticeable difference. I do like the 4K up-scaling as hopefully that is somewhat future proof.

 

[richardycc]

Those Oppo players are nice, but they are just too expensive and I doubt that you can see any diff in picture quality between an Oppo 103 and a Sony S6200, especially on a 55" screen. I have a stand alone Darbee unit, and I am not even using it anymore. no A/V equipment is an investment, stop talking yourself into spending more than you have to.

I actually just got a Sony S6200 on sale for $148 at BestBuy today. It is replacing my S790, as its 2nd hdmi port is not working. I needed the 2nd hdmi port for 3D with my non-3D ready receiver, but I rarely watch 3D anymore, so one hdmi port will work for me, and once I upgraded my receiver to something newer, it will be a non-issue. None of this year Sony players has dual hdmi ports, even the S7200 only has one hdmi. my advice is just get a Sony S6200 and save your money. you can buy 3 Sony players for one Oppo.

 

[s44]

Maybe not by itself, but Oppos are the best players and if you are going to spend that much why not get the newest one with the best tech?

Because there's no such thing as future-proof.

If he spends $100 now and $100+ when he actually gets a 4K set, he'll end up with much better quality than if he throws a ton of money at the vain prospect of getting one device now that will last well into the future.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Because there's no such thing as future-proof.

If he spends $100 now and $100+ when he actually gets a 4K set, he'll end up with much better quality than if he throws a ton of money at the vain prospect of getting one device now that will last well into the future.

Can't argue with that!!!!!

 

[purbeast0]

is there an hdmi 2.0 standard yet for 4k sets? and do the bluray players have that? if not, i wouldn't bother spending a ton on one right now to be honest. in general, i wouldn't spend a ton on a bluray player now because when 4k discs come out, you will probably need a new player. and the fact that you are looking at an oppo probably means your setup is good enough that 4k will make a difference over bluray.

 

[DesiPower]

I agree, wait for a real 4k upscaling with HDMI 2.0. If you really want one for now, get a cheap one from walmart or look in cowboom...

 

[Raincity]

I don't think 4k will ever be released in a disc format. Pretty sure all the studios will move towards cloud base streaming.

 

[LoveMachine]

I don't think 4k will ever be released in a disc format. Pretty sure all the studios will move towards cloud base streaming.

Let's hope not. Despite h265, I doubt highly compressed, low bitrate content will be great, even if it is 4k. I'd rather have good quality 1080p over marginal 4k.

I'll join the consensus. Get a cheapish BD player now, and don't worry about future features that may not materialize.

 

[DesiPower]

I don't think 4k will ever be released in a disc format. Pretty sure all the studios will move towards cloud base streaming.

Not viable until Google fiber blankets the entire country.

4k TV will become the norm soon and once they come with HDMI 2.0 it will the well worth it if you have 60" + screen size. Now if your player could upscale BRD over HDMI 2.0 on a 70" screen, it should make significant difference. Just like it a DVD upscaling was a necessity once full HD TVs with 50+ inch screens came out

my 2 cents...

 

[poofyhairguy]

Meh, I would rather watch 1080p content on a 1080p screen every day of the week. Always best to watch content at closest to native resolution as possible.

Without 4k content, 4k TVs are a nonstarter.

 

[purbeast0]

I don't think 4k will ever be released in a disc format. Pretty sure all the studios will move towards cloud base streaming.

we aren't even close to being able to stream 1080p video with hd sound right now. i doubt 4k streaming will be coming any time in the next decade.

 

[gbeirn]

Ok, thanks for the suggestions everyone. Is there a decent BLu-Ray player around the $100 mark? I see the Sony was mentioned.

Is there a player that can be controlled via an iPad? Right now I use my iPad to control the Hue ligthbulbs and the lightstrip behind my TV, the Nest for heating and cooling and the LG TV. Basically, what I am getting at is I don't really want another remote, just to be able to use the iPad.

 

[Raincity]

Sony has been taking a bath on blu ray for the last two years. The studios are loosing faith in physical formats. Both Netlix and Amazon Video are starting to stream in 4K. The studio execs are banging their drums and saying we are moving to cloud based streaming.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Is there a player that can be controlled via an iPad?

Like this?

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/remote-tv-guide-tv-sideview/id594171390?mt=8

 

[alkemyst]

OP, I'd stick with a Sony player as they have great load times and work well. Amazon has them dirt cheap as well on sale at times.

Also if you have an interest in a console, then that can kill two birds with one stone.

Those that tend to buy Oppo's and the like also upgrade just like those that buy cheaper players. I'd not buy an Oppo with the belief that you are future-proofing your investment.

 

[Fallen Kell]

Sony has been taking a bath on blu ray for the last two years. The studios are loosing faith in physical formats. Both Netlix and Amazon Video are starting to stream in 4K. The studio execs are banging their drums and saying we are moving to cloud based streaming.

They aren't streaming 4k at any quality. Sure the overall resolution is a 4K resolution, but when you only get 1/8 of the pixels needed to fill the frame at 30 fps can you really call it 4k streaming?

 

[Raincity]

Yep the people who buy Oppos want the very best in up-scaling or using a pre HDMI AVR and trying to get some more life out of it by using the multi channel analog output in the player.

 

[Phanuel]

They aren't streaming 4k at any quality. Sure the overall resolution is a 4K resolution, but when you only get 1/8 of the pixels needed to fill the frame at 30 fps can you really call it 4k streaming?

That's what I don't get. We can't even stream 720p to be honest. Most people streaming don't care that what they're getting is actually subpar because it's convenient. But if you put an HD stream up against a physical BD disk, the difference is there.

And if you then argue that the difference is too tiny to notice, what ground do you then have to stand on to say that 4k will be noticeable over current options if people can't tell apart what we have now?

 

[Raincity]

They aren't streaming 4k at any quality. Sure the overall resolution is a 4K resolution, but when you only get 1/8 of the pixels needed to fill the frame at 30 fps can you really call it 4k streaming?

All the studios need to do is develop there own unique encryption and web app to access there own cloud based system, For those who want full 4K content with losses audio. A storage media player or the tv with its smart functions will store the content locally after its completely downloaded. Now the studios do not have to pay blu licensing to Sony. Samsung, Panasonic, Sony will now have to pay the studios for the encryption and web app licensing. Vudu was laughed at when it first came to market.