does anyone here actually have a standalone Bluray player?

[BlahBlahYouToo]

my ps3 gets more time playing bluray than ps3 games.

 

[zoiks]

I'd never think of buying the PS3 as a blu ray player.

 

[JackBurton]

I'm planning on picking up a Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD this fall, but I currently have a PS3. Why am I getting the 05FD? Because I'm awesome.

But seriously, I pretty much recommend a PS3 to just about any person interested in Blu-ray playback. Unless you're willing to dump some SERIOUS money into your A/V and speaker set up (which I am), the PS3 will do a fantastic job of Blu-ray playback. Not to mention it can do MUCH more.

 

[Muadib]

Originally posted by: zoiks
I'd never think of buying the PS3 as a blu ray player.

Why???

I have a PS3 & a standalone.

 

[Blayze]

I'm debating between the new Sony 350 player and the $399 PS3. If I get a PS3 it will be used mainly for Blu-rays, but there are a handful of games I might pickup.

 

[Amused]

Samsung BD-P1500 here.

 

[Baked]

I'm waiting for BR movie prices to come down or pick them up when on sale. $25 a pop is more than I'm willing to spend right now. Maybe when they're $15. Of course I can just rent BR movies.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: zoiks
I'd never think of buying the PS3 as a blu ray player.

Me either. Standalones only for me. I had a Samsung BD-P1200 which I sold when I bought my Samsung BD-UP5000. I just picked up a LG BH100 for $180 that I plan on giving to my dad.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: Baked
I'm waiting for BR movie prices to come down or pick them up when on sale. $25 a pop is more than I'm willing to spend right now. Maybe when they're $15. Of course I can just rent BR movies.

I've been getting a lot of used BD from Amazon for less than $20. Usually about $15-17. They have a scratch proof coating so I've never gotten a used one that had a scratch on it.

 

[abaez]

I have a combo HD-DVD player and BR player/burner in my pc.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Why not? PS3 supports pretty much every format Bluray has and it's much cheaper.

 

[Oyeve]

Not into BR yet. Waiting for BR, (IMO) worthy movies and for the PS3 to 1. Lower in price and 2. Get exclusive games that I would enjoy.

For now, upscaled DVDs on my 360 are good enough.

 

[Rio Rebel]

I bought a standalone player over a year ago, and recently bought a PS3.

I am very impressed with the PS3, and I would recommend it to anyone despite its drawbacks (no analog outs, no remote, odd shape for a rack). The fact that it can be used with streaming media is a huge consideration, and throws the value even higher.

That being said, it didn't replace my standalone. I don't intend to replace an outstanding receiver just to get HDMI audio capabilities, and the advanced audio (TrueHD, PCM uncompressed, etc.) is very important to me. If I were buying today from scratch, I'd get the PS3, But it is not a slam dunk decision for everyone.

 

[erwos]

Where's the "own a PS3 as an interim solution until BR-D mega changers arrive" option? I'm eagerly awaiting a < $1k BR-D mega changer solution that's feature competitive with the upcoming BDP-S550. They've already got a 200-disc changer in their HES line, but that's like $3500 and missing a lot of features.

The PS3 is a good BR-D player, not great. As others have mentioned, there are a few annoying limitations (can't bitstream DD+/DTS-HD HR, no IR control, no HDMI-CEC) which keep it from being a really amazing HT option, but you could certainly do worse for the money. IMHO, the only reason the PS3 is such a good option is because Sony isn't subsidizing their BR-D players at the same level as they subsidize the PS3.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: erwos
Where's the "own a PS3 as an interim solution until BR-D mega changers arrive" option? I'm eagerly awaiting a < $1k BR-D mega changer solution that's feature competitive with the upcoming BDP-S550. They've already got a 200-disc changer in their HES line, but that's like $3500 and missing a lot of features.

See this sh!t really annoys me. What, are we stepping back into the '90s? The only reason you are looking forward to that, is because that is all the MPAA is willing to let you have. DRM and the MPAA are like a freakin' boat anchor on technology. Why would you want a clunky 200 disc changer that takes forever to select your movie and then forever to play it. Wouldn't you want more of an instant on option? You want to watch a movie? Select your movie and BAM, it starts playing. No waiting on a junkie 1990s carousel arm to pick your movie and move it over to the BD player. Seriously, does that sound like 2008 tech to you? If it wasn't for DRM and the BS laws that were passed (DMCA), you'd be able to select your movies from a small WMS (Windows Media Server) you've ripped your BD to. You'd have a nice user interface (something like Apple's Cover Flow) and the movie would play immediately. No commercials, no previews, just the movie in its original pristine 1080p glory.

I REFUSE to buy a changer. Why? Because I'm not going to pay big money for 1990s tech.

 

[Schadenfroh]

I use my PS3 almost exclusively as a Blu-Ray, upscaled DvD, Divx / xVid / mpeg player. I really like being able to slap a usb flash drive in it and play movies off of it. I did purchase an IR adapter for it to use with my harmony, but I have become addicted to the first bluetooth dvd style remote. I do not even need to lift my arm anymore to point the remote at the AV center :thumbsup:

I did however put together a HTPC to watch NetFlix, Hulu, and Fancast on since it did not look like the PS3 was going to support them (or even update the built in web browser to the latest version of flash to play Hulu / fancast).

It was also nice watching my Blu-Ray player go from profile 1.0 to 1.1 to 2.0 via software updates with no hardware modifications.

I am happy with the PS3 as far as a media player goes, I would recommend it.

The games for it are a bit lacking, most of the games that I want to play / genre that I like (STALKER, The Witcher, NWN2 + mods) are PC exclusives. Resistance was a nice break from RPGs, controls were weak, but the game was amusing. Probably will rent Resistance 2 when it comes out (I never bought Resistance 1, it was a rental as well, got burned on the PS3 games that I did buy, so rentals only from now on).

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: JackBurton
I REFUSE to buy a changer. Why? Because I'm not going to pay big money for 1990s tech.

Here's the fatal flaw in your plan: let's say BR-Ms average about 37gb in size when ripped, and that the average changer holds about 300 discs. 300x37gb=11100gb. That's _11.1_ TB. More, if disc contents get bigger. Once you've factored in the cost of the back end server, the front end, and everything else, you're talking about some massive costs here, not to mention the hassle of administration. The storage alone is going to cost you more than a grand.

Would I love a seamless streaming solution? Sure. Wouldn't we all? I'm not convinced that said solution is available to the market yet, at least in a high quality form (eg, can actually use the menus and extras on the discs).

 

[AmpedSilence]

I have PS3, don't have single game for it. So far only DVDs and BluRay's have been in the system. Plus, the DiVX/XviD upscaling is FANTASTIC! The only game I have planned on purchasing is Big Little Planet. Nothing else interests me game wise.

 

[AmpedSilence]

Originally posted by: Shawn
I just picked up a LG BH100 for $180 that I plan on giving to my dad.

Where? Thats a fantastic deal! The X360 HD Add-no just doesn't cut it when it comes to the audio HD output!

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: AmpedSilence

Originally posted by: Shawn
I just picked up a LG BH100 for $180 that I plan on giving to my dad.

Where? Thats a fantastic deal! The X360 HD Add-no just doesn't cut it when it comes to the audio HD output!

ebay BIN. there was also a promotion going on that gave me an additional %10 off the BIN price. they usually go for around $250.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: erwos
Here's the fatal flaw in your plan: let's say BR-Ms average about 37gb in size when ripped, and that the average changer holds about 300 discs. 300x37gb=11100gb. That's _11.1_ TB. More, if disc contents get bigger. Once you've factored in the cost of the back end server, the front end, and everything else, you're talking about some massive costs here, not to mention the hassle of administration. The storage alone is going to cost you more than a grand.

I never said it was going to be cheap. I speced out an AWESOME server at <$5000. That's 10TB worth of storage in a RAID6 configuration, with the ability to expand to 20TB (12x1TB). Again, not cheap, but WAY more sophisticated. And as far as the administration piece, not much at all. Set it and forget it.

Would I love a seamless streaming solution? Sure. Wouldn't we all? I'm not convinced that said solution is available to the market yet, at least in a high quality form (eg, can actually use the menus and extras on the discs).

All I have to say to that is, .

 

[AmpedSilence]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: AmpedSilence

Originally posted by: Shawn
I just picked up a LG BH100 for $180 that I plan on giving to my dad.

Where? Thats a fantastic deal! The X360 HD Add-no just doesn't cut it when it comes to the audio HD output!

ebay BIN. there was also a promotion going on that gave me an additional %10 off the BIN price. they usually go for around $250.

<----- Totally Jealous

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
It was also nice watching my Blu-Ray player go from profile 1.0 to 1.1 to 2.0 via software updates with no hardware modifications.

when did 2.0 get released? does it come with the updates?
i can check in the XMB somewhere for the version right?

 

[destrekor]

My PS3 get's equal time with games and BD movies. Well... some weeks it goes mostly gaming, and other times I won't play it much but use it for watching BDs. I bought it for the use of games, but definitely had plans for BD use prior to buying the system, so really I bought it for both. At launch, that was also a way to make it seem like a better purchase.

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: JackBurton
I never said it was going to be cheap. I speced out an AWESOME server at <$5000. That's 10TB worth of storage in a RAID6 configuration, with the ability to expand to 20TB (12x1TB). Again, not cheap, but WAY more sophisticated. And as far as the administration piece, not much at all. Set it and forget it.

So, your grand solution would cost five times what the changer would, hold less, and require more work to keep up? There's always administration time needed - find me the server that's honestly fire and forget, and I could make tons of money selling it to my company.

And, again, the front-end portion of this is just as important as the storage. AFAIK, there's just nothing on the same level as WMC's DVD Library for Blu-Rays.

Gotta say, that 1990's technology sounds pretty good in comparison.