Blu-ray DVD's

1318 Views 22 Replies 12 Participants Last post by grants, Dec 20, 2006

grants

Discussion Starter · Dec 13, 2006

I borrowed a Blu-ray DVD player yesterday and was disappointed with its performance

Has anyone else got/tried one, I'd be interested in other views

Summary of my system

1920*1080 plasma panel
HDMI switching AV amp (1080p compatible)
High end DVD player with 1080i upscaling
Good quality cables
Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player, c£900 retail, plus 3 discs

Terminator 2
SWAT
Jazz compilation

With T2 I was able to do an almost in sync, with conventional disc, comparison. Picture quality on the menus, computer generated, and on slow moving/static scenes were excellent. The bulk of the film was no better than a conventional DVD

SWAT, very similar to T2. I didn't watch much of it

Jazz disc, very good although a bit quirky on audio selection menus

The player was extremely slow to perform basic functions: 45sec to open disc drawer, seemingly forever to change between disc menus (you even get a bar graph on screen showing progress) eventually

I should have a Panasonic DMP-BD10 to play with tomorrow and in the new year a loan/demo Pioneer player

I'll update this thread in due course

My advice, today, is to wait until second generation players come on the market which should have compatibility with HD sound tracks (HDMI v1.3) This also applies to AV amps

Grant

PS
The Samsung is region coded for traditional DVD's

See less See more

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

#96

· #2 · Dec 13, 2006

Thanks mate

Really appreciate your post, its not until you've gone and blown your hard earned on the"latest thing" only to find out its toss.

Look forward to your reviews of the others

RGDS
#96

gpa

· #3 · Dec 14, 2006

You seem to be confirming some recent tests done by one of the mags, they did not have much to say about both the samsung or the panny. Try and get hold the new tosh HD player, seems there are some very very good reports comming in.

Cheers

Grant

evo400

· #4 · Dec 14, 2006

Wait for SONY to release a proper version !!!

Dave

What did it sound like ?????

Raj_UK

· #5 · Dec 14, 2006

the prices I have seen mean it's cheaper to buy a PS3 than a standalone Blu-ray player

seemed strange to me

grants

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 14, 2006

Just a quick update

I have been "playing" with the Panasonic DMP-BD10 this evening, initial impressions are that it is better. Not a lot

Then I actually "RTFM" and discovered that there is a firmware update from 1/11/06. All 32MB now loading

Not impressed, as the unit was only delivered today (direct from Panasonic UK) :moon:

Grant

PS

I'll revisit the Samsung and check for updates

See less See more

grants

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 14, 2006

It still works after the update

More to follow

To answer earlier posts:

#96 - follow this thread

Grant - I'm trying, Tosh ordered at the same time as the Samsung. they can't even deliver some of their DVD players :moon: I HATE manufacturers who do not support independent dealers

Dave - So Sony products are equivalent to Evo400 ones. Over hyped and over here

The sound is no better than DVD, at this time. Should be very good when "HD" sound is available on disc and supporting hardware

raj - I'm sure PS3 will play the disc's. I'm equally sure that the construction/connectivity of PS3 will be inadequate in a high end (real world) AV system

Grant

See less See more

grants

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 17, 2006

Sorry not forgotten

will update soon

been a bit busy

And after an email 1/2hour ago

from Pioneer GB the chance to play with their US version on Wednesday :coolsm:

Anyone care to recommend any BD's

Grant

Adamantium.

· #9 · Dec 18, 2006

which 1080p plasma do you have?

I thought the 5000EX was the only one out, but at £6000 it isn't too common.

Adamantium.

· #10 · Dec 18, 2006

ps. wait for pioneer to release a proper version, then get the 2nd gen.

TurboTom

· #11 · Dec 18, 2006

I was watching a Pioneer Plasma earlier today, tbh i was very impressed. Never normally a Pioneer fan but this was impressive.

So, which do we think will sucssed, Blu-Ray or HD DVD ??

FoZzY

· #12 · Dec 18, 2006

TurboTom said:
I was watching a Pioneer Plasma earlier today, tbh i was very impressed. Never normally a Pioneer fan but this was impressive.

So, which do we think will sucssed, Blu-Ray or HD DVD ??

Everybody is going for HD-DVD at the moment, but i think that maybe because of the 360 HD DVD, in the house now i have King Kong, Unforgiven HD DVD and Serenity HD DVD, and Xmen 3 Blu-Ray and Ultraviolet, can say there is much of a difference between the two, i guess it comes down to choice i guess, get the two then you wont miss out, im wondering if anybody will bring a player out that does the two.

TurboTom

· #13 · Dec 18, 2006

FoZzY said:
Everybody is going for HD-DVD at the moment, but i think that maybe because of the 360 HD DVD, in the house now i have King Kong, Unforgiven HD DVD and Serenity HD DVD, and Xmen 3 Blu-Ray and Ultraviolet, can say there is much of a difference between the two, i guess it comes down to choice i guess, get the two then you wont miss out, im wondering if anybody will bring a player out that does the two.

Was gonna get both tbh, get the extra plug in drive for the 360 and then a panasonic (probably) Blu-Ray player .

Dunno, i'll see if anyone can come up with a 'hack' for the blu-ray player (or visaversa) so they'll play either. Would be nice to get a Yamaha one to match my AV Amp

Adamantium.

· #14 · Dec 18, 2006

I am hoping its bluray.

All but one studio behind bluray.

It annoys me, especially since it is technically superior, that bluray isn't the automatic winner.

But then its betamax versus VHS all over again.

FoZzY

· #15 · Dec 18, 2006

TurboTom said:
Was gonna get both tbh, get the extra plug in drive for the 360 and then a panasonic (probably) Blu-Ray player .

Dunno, i'll see if anyone can come up with a 'hack' for the blu-ray player (or visaversa) so they'll play either. Would be nice to get a Yamaha one to match my AV Amp

get a PS3 then you have a system that has a web browser card reader's, blue-tooth games machine and of course a blu-ray player.

I didnt mean a hack, i ment a player with two drives, one for HD DVD and the other for Blu-ray.

TurboTom

· #16 · Dec 18, 2006

FoZzY said:
get a PS3 then you have a system that has a web browser card reader's, blue-tooth games machine and of course a blu-ray player.

I didnt mean a hack, i ment a player with two drives, one for HD DVD and the other for Blu-ray.

I got bored waiting for the UK PS3, so i bought the Xbox360. I will end up with a PS3 next year though

I know you didn;t mean a Hack, but i did as it'd be my preference

grants

Discussion Starter · #17 · Dec 18, 2006

An update on the Panasonic BD player

I think the picture is better, I wasn't able to do a side by side comparison

It's still incredibly slow, 40sec from disc drawer close to play. Menus and remote are much more "user friendly". Disc audio options seemed to work

At £1200 (high street), is it worth the extra £300. And they're no free discs

Reverting back to the Samsung and something I didn't mention previously, in case it was related to my system - it's not. When switching from DVD HDMI input to BD input large bars of "snow" appeared on screen, only eliminated by pausing play and then restarting

General comments on Blu-ray (BD) discs;

Fast forward, is a joke. A bit like the first DVD players, just jumps a few frames at a time and shows a still image

Region coding, there are three: A - USA, B - Europe, C - Oceania. At this time A & B discs will play on an EU spec player

Most of the discs currently available are re-releases of "old" movies. I guess the masters leave something to be desired

Other comments

Yes, I have a PDP5000EX :coolsm: As one of their top ten plasma dealers I did get a favorable deal (c50% off)

Which format will succeed, I wish i knew? But with HD-DVD players at sub a £500 price it's almost no contest. In the longer term I'm not sure, anybody got a crystal ball

In theory the Pioneer BDP-HD1 player is recordable, it uses their PC Blu-ray drive. Just lacks a LOT of electronics

I am told that the best picture will only be provided by a player/screen combination that will handle 1080p at 24 fps (original film rate). Guess which one does

I'll try and answer any questions

brg

Grant

See less See more

adamgt

· #18 · Dec 18, 2006

I use my pc to play them linked to the Tv , have to say spot on

Get a Nvidia 8800gtx

Cohagen

· #19 · Dec 18, 2006

To say they are only slightly better then DVD is quite sad.

HD difference to DVD is very significant and you should see it with these new players. I heard somewhere the samsung had problems. PS3 player is supposed to be pretty good. Don't knock it until you try it... lot of horsepower in that machine.

dessimpson

· #20 · Dec 18, 2006

adamgt said:
I use my pc to play them linked to the Tv , have to say spot on

Get a Nvidia 8800gtx

Then bump up the volume to drown out the noise of the fans?

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.