The Blu-ray player thread

[MarcMorris]

OK, I thought I'd start a thread listing Blu-ray player bargains. I've said for ages that prices are likely to be significantly reduced toward Christmas (Black Friday is the day to watch) and it looks like it's going to happen. It's only a matter of time before those price reductions begin trickle to the UK...

So no UK listings just yet...

geek.com: On Black Friday, Wal-mart to sell Blu-ray player for $128

[MarcMorris]

An addendum to my last post:

Wal-Mart to sell world's cheapest Blu-ray player, Sony warns of 'dark cloud' for the format

Sony Home Entertainment president David Bishop warned that the economy is a ‘dark cloud’ for the hi-def format.

and this:

Economic crisis pushes BD projections downward

[Pecker]

Don't know if this has been posted elsewhere, but you can now buy a UK BD player for under £100.

Bush BD01 Blu Ray Disc Player

Steve W

[Pinback]

I recently read ( and stupidly discarded) an article about a Blu-ray DVD player coming out in April which will also enable the viewer to watch youtube for less than a £100. I've been searching the net since trying to track it down with no success. Does anyone know what make and model this is?

[MarcMorris]

LG Blu-ray player will support YouTube

Netflix and Samsung’s bring Blu-ray players to on-line

LG press release

This IMO is the future - but the player itself will be an all-in-one console which will handle movies, games, TV, etc. Everything. It will enable the browsing of online content as well as cable/satellite etc.

YouTube have been upping their quality of late and have switched from encoding clips in Flash to Apple's H.264 codec.

Major studios have started dumping their movies on there in their entirety as they don't want to lose out on whatever delivery medium will be hit the mainstream as the next viewing platform.

However much we like collecting physical product, if everything is one day available to watch whenever you want, will there be any point left in collecting? Already the majors are aware of this and are mastering most of their back catalogue libraries of ready for the onslaught of online delivery.

[AndyBlade]

I have no idea if this is any good - it looks a bit VHS-ish to me, but here's a Sharp Blu-Ray machine for £99 from Bargain Crazy

[Pecker]

The Sharp is a clunky old Profile 1.0 player that won't fully decode or bitstream DTS-MA. On the up side you can actually put the US firmware on it and it'll play as a US player.

There's a bit of a buzz about this at the moment:

Logik DV-BD1000 Blu-ray player

Only £129. Profile 1.1, but upgradeable to 2.0. 7.1 analogue outs.

And apparently Logik stuff can be okay.

Steve W

[bigandya]

However much we like collecting physical product, if everything is one day available to watch whenever you want, will there be any point left in collecting? Already the majors are aware of this and are mastering most of their back catalogue libraries of ready for the onslaught of online delivery.

Yes - I think so.

Already my step daughter has various full TV series downloadable via her Virgin+ box, and I could pop into her room and watch them. I download the latest Lost and 24 episodes because I cant wait to see them over here and I cant stand adverts, but I'll still buy the box sets as soon as they come out later this year..they are already on my must have lists.

I love to be surrounded by my collection. Entering my collecting room, being surrounded by the DVDs, the books, the tapes, the figures...its a feeling you just can't beat, and its one that could never be replaced by a library of downloads. I might download a film to watch, but then if I liked it, I'd go straight out and buy it for the collection

[MarcMorris]

Home Cinema Choice: Oppo BDP-831 - REVIEW

[viva la gore]

Seriously peeps with all the firmware upgrades that Sony have been chucking at the PS3 recently Including the recent BIG upgrade I don't see how you could go wrong with the dual gaming and Blu ray player in one?

Sony PlayStation 3 Slim: amazon.co.uk

[MarcMorris]

But it's still not multi-region hackable!

[viva la gore]

Very true but honestly the only Blu ray discs that I have wanted that are region A are American Psycho and Mr Brooks. Apparently the discs are nothing to write home about. I suppose you have to ask yourself what do you want out of a Blu ray player? If it's the ability to play region A etc then the Ps3 is out. Unless you bought two consoles, Pal and NTSC? That would be daft and a waste of money. Maybe?

[tarpot]

Home Cinema Choice: Oppo BDP-831 - REVIEW

I own the Oppo BDP-83, the US version of the one in the review. It's an amazing player. Although admittedly far from cheap.

It does everything and it's upscaling of SD-DVD is very impressive. I can't see how the what hi-fi review can put picture and sound in the against column.

It boots up near enough instantly too. As quick as my PS3 I'd say.

The build quality is superb.

Here's the Home Cinema Choice review.

[MarcMorris]

Home Cinema Choice: Oppo postpones BDP-831 universal Blu-ray deck indefinitely

Oppo Store UK

[tarpot]

Home Cinema Choice: Oppo postpones BDP-831 universal Blu-ray deck indefinitely

Oppo Store UK

That's a real shame. The BDP-83 I have is a cracking player. Mutli-region too.

I've just seen this looks to be the same as the Momitsu 799. So maybe multi-region by handset hack.

Either way, £99 for a blu-ray player isn't bad for those interested.

[tarpot]

That's a real shame. The BDP-83 I have is a cracking player. Mutli-region too.

I've just seen this looks to be the same as the Momitsu 799. So maybe multi-region by handset hack.

Either way, £99 for a blu-ray player isn't bad for those interested.

Confirmed multi-region via remote hack.

[WilsonBros]

I have a problem with my Sony 550, which I use with a Sony LCD TV.

Nearly every time I go to look at something, it always spends several seconds with a black screen, with only 720p-60 flashing up on the screen.

It used to do that now and again, but it seems to do it every bloody time - it's seriously getting on my tits. Anyone have any advice?

Kev W

[MarcMorris]

From a thread on the AV Forums:

HMV are selling the Limit BD-M100 Blu-ray player. It can be picked up in-store for under £50 and can also be made multi-region by entering a simple code.

When there is no disc in the tray and the tray is closed all you need to type in is '973500 then enter' It will then set the Blu-Ray to region "0".

It is multi-region for DVD out of the box, and will also play MKV and AVI files.

[the dude]

I'm going to sound stupid here but what are MKV and AVI files?

[claire]

Blimey. That sounds like a bargain. The user comments are mixed, but I'm seriously tempted at that price ...