[Rob Babcock]

Yippee!   It's only a Wally-World Magnovox model but I just saw a BluRay player priced at $298 today.   The software is still pretty high but hopefully we'll see more affordable machines come along soon.

[ajzepp]

I'm still waiting for one that 1) internally decodes all the new high-rez formats, 2) has 5.1 analog outs, and 3) doesn't suck.

Hoping those new Pioneer models hit the stores soon...

[mcullinan]

Linky to magnavox...?
Mike

[Alwayswantmore]

I'm still waiting for one that 1) internally decodes all the new high-rez formats, 2) has 5.1 analog outs, and 3) doesn't suck.

Hoping those new Pioneer models hit the stores soon...

I think the new Panasonic meets these standards too. List $700, may hit the streets around 6/1.

[giantsteps]

Linky to magnavox...?
Mike

Have'nt come up with much...still Googlin'....http://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=48943&highlight=funai


 Frank

[mcrespo71]

Yippee!   It's only a Wally-World Magnovox model but I just saw a BluRay player priced at $298 today.   The software is still pretty high but hopefully we'll see more affordable machines come along soon.

Just buy a PS3   

[zybar]

Yippee!   It's only a Wally-World Magnovox model but I just saw a BluRay player priced at $298 today.   The software is still pretty high but hopefully we'll see more affordable machines come along soon.

I paid less than $300 for my Samsung BD-P1400 around Christmas + BluRay discs were so much cheaper...

George

[Big Red Machine]

I'm still waiting for one that 1) internally decodes all the new high-rez formats, 2) has 5.1 analog outs, and 3) doesn't suck.

Hoping those new Pioneer models hit the stores soon...

The Panny BD30K at $500 already does all this.  It does not suck.

[ajzepp]

Are you SURE it does all those things? It decodes ALL the new high rez formats and passes them over 5.1 or 7.1 analog outs? I crossed this one off my list for some reason...I just don't recall why.

EDIT: According to the threads at AVS, you would have to bitstream to a newer receiver with internal decoders for all the new formats...the Panny doesn't have internal decoders for all of them itself.

[low.pfile]

Nope, the BD30 cannot decode TrueHD or DTS-HD MA. The receiver or prepro needs to have that capability.
the Yet-to-be-released BD50 will be able to decode and has analog outs.

[samplesj]

A PS3 will decode them all internally.  I wonder if you can buy a breakout converter if you don't have hdmi input?

[ajzepp]

A PS3 will decode them all internally.  I wonder if you can buy a breakout converter if you don't have hdmi input?

I don't mind waiting another month or two...As long as ONE of these new BD players hits the market soon Ill be happy. I bought a 1080p projector back in February and was very excited about HD-DVD at the time until BD matured a bit...well, a week after I bought the pj, I bought a Toshiba A30. A week after THAT, d-day hit, Toshiba dropped the technology, and Netflix stopped carrying HD-DVDs    HDTV looks plenty fine, but I want a damn 1080p source up in here! lol

[Rob Babcock]

It would be great to have all the formats covered via internal decoding.  On some level it's absurd to sell one that doesn't do this- that should be a basic standard.  But that's not how it works.   Even so, $300 players will probably help market penetration.  It would be sucky to finally have a "winner" in the format war only to have it die of consumer neglect.  I haven't got an HD PJ yet, maybe in the fall.  No point until there's something to watch...

[WerTicus]

ps3 is a very good answer as an all round HTPC..

just get a decent quality dac and it will make a fine, music, movie, media, netstreaming server, decodes every single format out there with the use of a second storage computer and tversity.

[ajzepp]

It would be great to have all the formats covered via internal decoding.  On some level it's absurd to sell one that doesn't do this- that should be a basic standard.  But that's not how it works.  

I totally agree. If you're going to go out of your way to knock the competing format down and out, at least have a viable option for people in the other camp to turn to. As I've said in another post, when the BDA itself says that the only player worth a damn is a gaming console, then something isn't right. It will be a moot issue when Panasonic or Pioneer releases their next gen players here shortly, but every day that goes by until then is another day where my 1080p projector that I was so excited to buy sits around with no 1080 source 

[Bob in St. Louis]

when the BDA itself says that the only player worth a damn is a gaming console, then something isn't right.

The way I see it, this should FORCE the manufacturers to have a badass stand alone BD player that will be low enough in price and high enough in specifications that it'll be a 'no-brainer' to buy their product and NOT a PS3.
The BD player manufacturers that build and sell a unit that's the same price (or more) as a PS3 are pissing into the wind if they think anyone's going to buy them. I realise audio/videophiles don't like the idea of having to buy a gaming console to watch BD, but we're such a small niche in the market place we won't make much difference in their decision.

Bob

[ajzepp]

when the BDA itself says that the only player worth a damn is a gaming console, then something isn't right.

The way I see it, this should FORCE the manufacturers to have a badass stand alone BD player that will be low enough in price and high enough in specifications that it'll be a 'no-brainer' to buy their product and NOT a PS3.
The BD player manufacturers that build and sell a unit that's the same price (or more) as a PS3 are pissing into the wind if they think anyone's going to buy them. I realise audio/videophiles don't like the idea of having to buy a gaming console to watch BD, but we're such a small niche in the market place we won't make much difference in their decision.

Bob

I totally agree, Bob. And heck, I'd even buy a PS3 if it did what I needed it to, namely internal decoding of all formats with at least 5.1 analog outs. That's what drives me nuts is that this player does this, but not that...another player does that, but not this...I feel like what I need is something very simple, yet I end up ruling out nearly every current player because of one shortcoming or another. Hopefully these newer players will be great and it'll be a moot point from then on, but until that happens it's really frustrating.

[Bob in St. Louis]

That's what drives me nuts is that this player does this, but not that...another player does that, but not this...I feel like what I need is something very simple, yet I end up ruling out nearly every current player because of one shortcoming or another. Hopefully these newer players will be great and it'll be a moot point from then on, but until that happens it's really frustrating.

I couldn't have said it better myself.
I know EXACTLY what you mean, I'm sure most of us agree 100% with you.
Very frustrating indeed.

Bob

[Doublej]

ps3 is a very good answer as an all round HTPC..

just get a decent quality dac and it will make a fine, music, movie, media, netstreaming server, decodes every single format out there with the use of a second storage computer and tversity.

But it can't record OTA so in my book it's not an HTPC.

[Mag]

I'm getting excited about Blu-ray. The Sony is under $300 in a recent flyer. Yamaha is coming out with a model which I'll be interested in getting.
Plus concert videos are starting to appear and they are in DTS-HD. As well as a number of good movies.
Concerts is what I'm mainly interested in, they'll sound awesome on my MC/HT system. Some of the movies I already have that I watch upscaled, so I probably wouldn't buy them again.
I will probably jump on the bandwagon sometime next year. My budget is still recovering from my last upgrades.