[TheMarchingMule]

Howdy everyone,
 
hopefully this won't drag out too long. I've been hunting for a proper Blu-Ray player (this one in my laptop is subpar thanks to the crappy screen attached to it) for ~$300. My friend recommended that a PS3 is the way to go, since getting updates to it would be a snap, and it could play games to boot. And for me, since I'm going to be at a place next year w/ "free" electricity (college dorms), I'll make it fold in its spare time.
 
But I'm wondering if there's a cheaper (~$100-$200) Blu-Ray player out there that can save me some moola. I don't care for any of the fancy stuff like WiFi, NetFlix enabled, DVD-A, or SACD, because either I have no use for them, or they'll just entice me to pay more when I'll only use it a handful of times. All I really care about is that it can output HDMI (which is pretty much a given anyway); I don't know much else about Blu-Ray equipment.

 
Thanks in advance!

 

[El_Doug]

oppo bdp-80, for sure!  the guys at audioholics just love the thing, and compare it favorably to the bigger brother bdp-83

 

[goober-george]

Here's a cheap one, can't comment on how good it is though, don't own it.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=390203719322#ht_2595wt_1139

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Thanks guys. This leads me to ask if there really is a difference between the cheaper and the more expensive Blu-Ray players. I'm assuming the more expensive ones have better algorithms and whatnot for better upconverting DVD results among other things?

 

[El_Doug]

better upconverting, better bass management, better filtering, better 24p support, better SOUND quality, just to name a few out of the dozens and dozens of benefits
 
if youre just looking to play some blurays on a 1080p, you can pretty much get anything

 

[plaidplatypus]

If you get a PS3, join the head-fi folding team: 35126

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

better upconverting, better bass management, better filtering, better 24p support, better SOUND quality, just to name a few out of the dozens and dozens of benefits
 
if youre just looking to play some blurays on a 1080p, you can pretty much get anything

Hm, that makes sense. I guess now I'm stuck between the Oppo BDP-80 or PS3. From what I'm reading on Google, they're a close match for the most part, and it all boils down to what features you'll use the most.
 
Quote:

If you get a PS3, join the head-fi folding team: 35126

I wasn't even aware Head-Fi had a folding team. It's a shame too, because I've already dedicated my C2Q rig to folding for OCN.

 

[kroem]

Not that I've owned, or tried one, but the LG players seems to have some nice features (playing mkv-files etc).
 
I have a PS3, to get my Singstar-on

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Well, I may be leaning away from a PS3 now, because I've read comments of how the fan (on both the original and Slim) can be rather audible, and that wouldn't really be any fun when quiet parts of the movie come up.

 

[feh1325]

Quote:

Well, I may be leaning away from a PS3 now, because I've read comments of how the fan (on both the original and Slim) can be rather audible, and that wouldn't really be any fun when quiet parts of the movie come up.

My roommate has an original PS3.  The fan on it is almost silent compared to the one in my xbox.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Quote:

My roommate has an original PS3.  The fan on it is almost silent compared to the one in my xbox.

Are you sure you aren't talking about the Xbox disc drive noise? Every time my roommate put a disc in his 360, I thought the damn thing was gonna sprout a helicopter blade and take off.

 

[hodgjy]

I have a Vizio blu-ray player (mine is the VBR-100) that cost me $150 about 6 months ago.  It is very good.  I use it solely as a transport over HDMI.  I don't care how good the onboard audio dac is because my home theater system does all the decoding.  I like it, and I also like the fact I saved a few bucks in the process.  The picture quality is very, very good if you ask me, and it upconverts DVDs very well, too.

 

[ninjowned]

Best Buy has bing cashback at 20%... if you do go the PS3 route now is the time as you can get it for $240 before tax. I just bought a lens for my camera because of the cashback

 
I'd recommend the PS3 if you have the money. My uncle even opted for it and he doesn't game.
 
Oh and I own a 60GB PS3 and I've never heard the fan, but I've also never tried to hear it.

 

[grokit]

Load time is very quick on PS3 and Oppo compared to most others.

 

[leftnose]

I would be tempted to buy a PS3 because of all its other media capabilities (plus games).  Its upconverting is pretty good, too.  I have a PS3 fat that's about two years old (with an upgraded 320 GB HD) and for movies, with the sound turned up to any moderate listening level, you don't hear the fan.