[maxwalrath]

The video question is silly at it's face, but I'll heard and read very good things about the picture quality of the PS3.  Anyone have any opinions?

Also, I'm very happy with the audio quality of the Oppo 980 as a stand alone cdp.  Anyone know anything about the 980 vs the BDP-83 for redbook sound quality? 

[Phil A]

I have all 3 items you noted but they are in different systems.  My PS3 is in the secondary basement system, the 980 is in the secondary bedroom system and the BDP-83 (which I'm having modded for audio) is in the main system.  The PS3 is good.  I think much might depend on your display quality and size and sitting distance if you can detect Blu-Ray differences and I'd think they at best would be subtle.  The BDP-83 is going to do a better job of upscaling standard definition DVDs.  I don't think much of the analog outputs of the 980 for CD or SACD that within a couple of weeks of getting it (a couple of years back) when I had my old non-HDMI rec'r, I bought back up to the bedroom system my Sony 2000ES (which I now have for sale on Audiogon as I moved my Marantz DV9600 to the basement) as I couldn't live with the Oppo 980 even for the bedroom system.  The analog outs of the BDP-83 are better (I could live with them in the bedroom system). 

[maxwalrath]

Thanks for all the info Phil.  The viewing source for movies will be a Pioneer Kuro, 42", 720p tv that I picked up used a few months ago for $650. 

I need to go back and A/B the Oppo 980H with some other sources, but it's sounding very nice in my system...so much so that I wonder if some sort of system synergy is at work (Juicy Music Peach, modded Jolida 502, Reference Audio DeCapo-i speakers). 

[Phil A]

The 980 works better over HDMI.  I have it connected to a Marantz SR6300 rec'r in the bedroom system.  It's a very polite laid back sound.  I have a 42 inch 1080p LCD in the bedroom system (which I may replace soon and move that to the Kitchen as I want something a bit bigger and newer) and I sit perhaps 10-11 ft. away.  With that type of size and distance, I'd think that it may not be something you would notice tons of difference in with Blu-Ray players, especially at 720p.  I have not looked at the new PS3 models but the model I have has a proprietary cable for analog left and right and composite video.  The 980 seemed to make a decent transport for a DAC (I have an old Micromega Duo Pro I had in the bedroom system and now is in the basement system), although not as good as my Sony 2000ES with the Micromega.  It's hard to fault the 980 for all it does at $170.

[NagysAudio]

There is a reason why Criterion uses a PS3 over any other BluRay player on the market...

[low.pfile]

There is a reason why Criterion uses a PS3 over any other BluRay player on the market...

who is Criterion?

[NagysAudio]

http://www.criterion.com/

They consistently release the very best remastered films.

[low.pfile]

Ah, That Criterion. They released one of my all time favorite films: The Red Balloon!

[Phil A]

There is a reason why Criterion uses a PS3 over any other BluRay player on the market...

The probably like the fact of the firmware upgradability.  Not all machines offer it as much as the PS3.  Many stand alone player manuf. may issue a new model and may not provide adequate support for older models.

[coke]

The Oppo is a lot quieter than the PS3.  That was reason enough for me to replace the PS3 with an Oppo.

[NagysAudio]

PS3 Slim is very quiet. PS3 will also be able to do 3D BluRay films later this year via a firmware upgrade. Many stand alone players will not.

Not to forget, PS3's picture quality is absolutely superb.

[Phil A]

I have my PS3 in the basement system in a rack recessed into a wall that backs to an unfinished area (helps get to the system cabling).  While I'm sure it makes more noise than other players, I sit about 12 feet away and have never heard any noise from it.  I went with a different player in each of the systems for the variety they offer.  While I don't have a single game and have not used the hard drive yet (in 16 months), I like the fact it can do other things and doesn't get as dated as some other things.  I had a Rotel DVD-A/DVD-V player in the basement I sold about 6 months before I bought the PS3 (I waited for one price drop on the PS3 and I actually sold the Rotel for more than I bought the PS3 for) to get Blu-Ray down there (I got it before my other players) and the only thing I don't have is an HDMI rec'r down there (I have an old Marantz 7300 OSE).  I always debate whether to bring the PS3 into the bedroom system (perhaps when I upgrade the TV) and move the Samsung 2500 from the bedroom to the basement use its analog outs to get the new audio formats in each system.

[roscoeiii]

And to add more choices to the mix, Oppo just releases the BDP-80 yesterday. Just a shade under $300. Haven't come across any reviews or impressions just yet. But it looks like a great deal, especially as a transport.

[cmryan21]

I have the ps3 and the bdp-83 and I can say that for blu-rays, the picture quality between the two is either identical or too tiny to notice. The bdp-83 does upconvert dvd's slightly better but that's about the only advantage the bdp-83 has as far as I can tell.

The other differences are fairly obvious. The oppo is quieter but the ps3 has only bothered me once with it's fan in the 2+ years I've had it(though I sit 15ft from it). The ps3 offers so much more than the oppo but again this is to be expected. Even then the ps3 is a little frustrating because even with all it offers it is capable of so much more if sony would allow it with a simple firmware update(I'm referring to playing lossless codecs and certain video file types). Load speed is virtually the same on all but a handful of dvds and even then the difference is fairly small.

Sorry I can't offer any help with the 980 v. the bdp83.