the classic PS3 vs. Blueray players [Archive]

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pablo_rodz

12-15-2008, 03:14 PM

I know this topic has been beaten down for ever. But I would like to have your opinion, considering the latest offerings out there...

I will be getting for X-mass a Blueray player..

I don't do any gaming at all...

I've heard and read that for the $$$ the PS3 is the best blueray player out there. How accurate is that statement?

Can I find a good or better BR player than the PS3 for a comparable amout?

Let's say I have a Budget of $400 what would you get?

Thanks in Advance!

Conradicles

12-15-2008, 03:29 PM

If you do not do any gaming, I would consider something other than the PS3.
I have a PS3 and love it. I still hear it is the fastest and most reliable on the market.

You may get one of the Pioneer blu-ray players to match your system, but I have heard mixed reviews of the Pioneer players.

AsSiMiLaTeD

12-15-2008, 03:33 PM

the only downside if the PS3 as a Blu Ray player is the bluetooth remote, so your universal remote won't work with the PS3 unless you use a workaround.

brettw22

12-15-2008, 03:34 PM

Get the Sony S550 for $400 (sales on them quite often).

I don't game at all, and recently used a PS3 that annoyed the hell out of me with how it was constantly defaulting to 2 channel movie watching mode if you stopped/started a movie or changed scenes.

The ONLY reason to get the PS3 is if you gamed and could double dip on the purchase, but otherwise the 550 will do everything the PS3 can, as well as 7 channel analog out.

MikeC78

12-15-2008, 03:36 PM

I don't game at all, and recently used a PS3 that annoyed the hell out of me with how it was constantly defaulting to 2 channel movie watching mode if you stopped/started a movie or changed scenes.

:confused:Never heard of or had that problem, I got two of them.

nebborjk

12-15-2008, 03:38 PM

The yet to be released Oppo BDP 83 is supposed to be as good or better than the PS3 in all areas that pertain to Blu-Ray, plus it will have outstanding standard dvd capabilities, SACD and DVD-Audio support as well. There are several threads over at AVS that discuss this unit. Unfortunately, this unit is only in the hands of the "early adopter" programmers and is not yet for sale. It is estimated to have a retail price of $500-$600.

pablo_rodz

12-15-2008, 03:40 PM

Thanks for the comments.. another thing is that I would like to get into the SACD...

Does the 80gb PS3 plays SACD?

How good is the SQ?

How about the Panasonic DMP-BD55 ??? I've seen good reviews.

brettw22

12-15-2008, 03:43 PM

I think the earlier versions played SACD,but not the newer ones. I dont' know what/when the cutoff point was........

Conradicles

12-15-2008, 03:45 PM

the only downside if the PS3 as a Blu Ray player is the bluetooth remote, so your universal remote won't work with the PS3 unless you use a workaround.

Totally agreed. Bluetooth stinks. :(

pablo_rodz

12-15-2008, 03:50 PM

Pioneer only has one player, Pioneer Elite has two, but they are $899 & $999 ;-/

thsmith

12-15-2008, 03:51 PM

I think the earlier versions played SACD,but not the newer ones. I dont' know what/when the cutoff point was........

60g has it and some early 80g just make sure it says SACD on the box.

Blue tooth is an easy cheap work around for universal (I have a Harmony 1)

mutelight

12-15-2008, 03:58 PM

With more players hitting the market the PS3 is no longer the best deal out there. The performance is great on them but for non-gamers it is overkill.

For a standalone player give the Panasonic DMP-BD35K (http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-BD35K-1080p-Blu-ray-Player/dp/B001GAOYCS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1229374655&sr=8-1) a look. Fantastic player and for a great price.

I don't game at all, and recently used a PS3 that annoyed the hell out of me with how it was constantly defaulting to 2 channel movie watching mode if you stopped/started a movie or changed scenes.

:confused:Never heard of or had that problem, I got two of them.

I have never once heard of it or had that issue either.

AndyGwis

12-15-2008, 04:08 PM

I have a PS3 and love it! Older 80gb version that has all the bells and whistles for BluRay playback, updateable via firmware downloads, SACD playback is nice, and gaming is just a plus.

I don't game, per se, but I have picked up a couple titles here and there. The blue tooth remote is downer due to universals not working, but having blue tooth as a great technology for controllers, etc. so I understand why they went with it.

Fongolio

12-15-2008, 04:22 PM

Erik Tracy

12-15-2008, 04:23 PM

Just stirring the pot...cuz I like to... ;)

In general the PS3 seems to load faster than other BD players.

Also - check the AVS forum for possible problems with your BD player choices to see if that model has had problems loading current releases.

Seems like with every new BD title release, someone someplace has a problem playing the discs in their BD player which requires a firmware fix from the manufacturer.

So far, the PS3 seems to have the least amount of problems in this regard.

fwiw,

bigred7078

12-15-2008, 04:41 PM

I don't game at all, and recently used a PS3 that annoyed the hell out of me with how it was constantly defaulting to 2 channel movie watching mode if you stopped/started a movie or changed scenes.

.

I think you had some settings wrong. I have yet to see this problem anywhere else.

comfortablycurt

12-15-2008, 04:48 PM

Personally I'd go with a standalone component BD player. The PS3 is nice, but if you're not a game, there's really not a need for it. You can get a decent Blu-ray player for about 280-300 dollars now, and if you spend a bit more you can get a really nice one for about 350-400.

I like my components to serve one purpose. With all older consoles that have been designed to play DVD's or CD's or whatever, it's been proven to degrade the system over time. Xbox's for instance tend to crap out after a few years if you're using them as your DVD player, because it's putting more stress on the system than playing a game would be. I could imagine seeing the same things happening to the PS3 eventually. I could be wrong, but in my experience you're better off with a component that is designed to do one thing. There's less room for error that way.

Check out the Sony BDP-S350 or BDP-S550. The 350 can be had for about $250, and the 550 costs a bit more, at about $350, but it has a lot more high end features in it, and is really worth the extra cost.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=27898

Both of them can be found on ebay or amazon for less than that too.

polktiger

12-15-2008, 04:52 PM

What no one has mentioned here that what in my mind makes the PS3 the way to go is it's ability to work as a media server. Using a program like TVersity or Windows Media Player you can stream music, video, and pictures over a wireless network to the PS3 and play all those files on your AVR. A giant plus and why I pulled the trigger on PS3.

I think this point is noteworthy, and it is something I am currently working on.

I assume the newer ps3s are as good a blu-ray machine as the older models. Major thing lacking to we on the ps3 is the analog out option. But, if you use HDMI for audio this is not much of an issue. I don't like the layout of the ps3 remote. Too easy to mix-up "stop" "pause" and "play." But, there aren't many remotes I actually like either.

Upstatemax

12-15-2008, 04:54 PM

From the Sony PS3 site:

Playback only. NOTE: Super Audio CD playback only supported by PLAYSTATION 3 model numbers CECHA01, CECHB01, and CECHE01

I will look on my box and see if it's listed (new 80gb unit). It might be an old note that is not up to date...

I use my PS3 as my BD player and it's great. As others have mentioned, the PS3 offers much more than just gaming, it's an all around media power house. :cool:

bigred7078

12-15-2008, 04:58 PM

There are lots of pro's for the PS3, but obviously not everyone would use them. Only real cons i can think of is the fact that the internal fans can be noisey, although not everone has this issue if its properly ventilated.

Pros:
-Fastest loading player out there and has been for some time (Altough some stand alone players are getting close)

-Plays games

-BD profile 2.0

-Wireless network connectivity

-Prompts you for a firmware update, and downloads rather fast.

-Has an internal harddrive for storing pics, music, and movies. I store alot of my CD's on it, and also load the album artwork that i find off google, load it to a thumbdrive and attach the artwork to the CD's stored.

-Has streaming capability for music, movies and photos.

-Has an internet browser

-Playstation network allows you to rent movies in SD or HD and you can also purchase movies and store them on the HDD. I recently rented a movie from PSN because it was snowing outside and it worked great!

-Blue tooth for those that put it in a closet. Or if you have a harmony you can get several work arounds. I use the Nyko Blu Wave, only downfall is not being able to turn it on, although you can shut off the PS3. Otherwise works fantastic.

-Has a buddy list for your friends and family where you can communicate with them...realistically only gamers will use this lol.

-Sony is constantly adding new features to this unit! example: upconversion and profile 2.0 were not standard at first, but they were added for everyone in an update! Heck they even added DDTrueHd and DTS-MA internal de-coding so you could output it via PCM :cool:.

-basically this unit is a very basic HTPC for those that dont want to build one.

Sherardp

12-15-2008, 05:03 PM

PS3 is decent at best. Standalone player will deliver better PQ and upconversion of SD DVD. So far I think Panasonic players seem to have it down pretty well. Fast load times, excellent playback of BD and SD DVD. I would highly recommend the BD30 though if youre looking for the newer models the 35 and 55 awesome as well. I have a Sony, though its the S1, its rather slow on load times. There are quite a few of us here using Pansonic models. Happy hunting........

acsubie

12-15-2008, 05:22 PM

I've had my 60gb PS3 going on 2 years now..very reliable game console and BR player..I'm into gaming so its great that i get dual usage out of it..i have the itch to upgrade to a stand alone player but am waiting for an affordable one to come along that internally bitstreams DTS-MA and D-THD, until then i have ZERO complaints with my PS3 as a player

manman

12-15-2008, 05:44 PM

repeating what many have said, but as a ps3 owner I'll just give my 2 cents. I agree that now that there are cheaper stand alone players out there, there may be better options if ALL you will be using is the blu-ray functionality. But the PQ is outstanding, and I don't see any difference between that and the Panasonic DMP-BD35K. I also think that being able to stream audio/video from windows pc is a very useful function which makes it's price point even more attractive.

one thing I will say is that after owning it for about a year I did run into an issue where blu-ray movies stopped loading and I had to send it in for repair. It was under warranty and they had it back to me very quickly- good customer service, but that was a negative. I have several friends with ps3's though and I'm the only one that has had that problem so I might have just been unlucky.

AndyGwis

12-15-2008, 06:09 PM

What is the best / easiest way to put my PC music on the PS3?

Do you have to set up a little network to download/upload, or is there an easier way? Don't make me pull out the manual, please ;)

Oh, if anyone wants to respond, just PM me so we don't clutter this thread.

bigred7078

12-15-2008, 06:18 PM

danger boy

12-15-2008, 07:06 PM

bigred7078

12-15-2008, 08:58 PM

rdb2001

12-15-2008, 09:06 PM

I have both the ps3 and the sony bdp350. I think the ps3 beats it out. The ps3 has a quicker load time. It has a better picture. I think it the overall best player. I think to get a blu ray player to surpass the ps3 it will cost more than what the ps3 cost. Just my opinion. I have also seen the panny 35k. It has a nice pic also.

Sami

12-15-2008, 10:54 PM

The ONLY reason to get the PS3 is if you gamed

Brett, you're wrong on that one. It's a very capable media playback device (photos, videos, music). I have two and I use them all the time, but very rarely for gaming (I prefer PC for most games).

Rip your CD's on a PC (FLAC f.e.), install a media centre that transcodes on the fly and you have perfect CD library playback device in PS3 with no need to keep discs handy. Same for home videos and personal photos. Want to show firends YouTube videos? Just open the browser.

There are many features on the PS3 that make it a worthwhile purchase over a standalone unit. I am sure most would use the features on the PS3 once they find out what it can do.

manman

12-16-2008, 06:56 AM

I think with the recent release of the Sony BDP550 and the Panasonic BD55, they have reached or surpassed the level of the PS3. How can one DVD player in the same price range be "that" much better than the others?

seriously.. there is a lot of buzz for both the Sony 550 and the Panny 55. tons of output connections.. much more flexible than the PS3. The Sony and Panny will work with ANY receiver, new or old.

If I catch your meaning correctly here (how can ps3 be "that" much better than the others at around the same price), one thing to remember is that the ps3 like almost all consoles is subsidized and sold at a loss- making up for the loss in software sales. It's true that they have made the processor smaller and made a couple of other changes that drastically reduced the manufacturing cost, but I believe they are still being sold for less than they cost to manufacture- so in actuality they are more expensive than the competition that retail for the same price.

That said- I do still agree that there are more flexible options out there if playing blu-rays is your only concern. Still- being able to stream media (even wireless) to the PS3 is a big value-add for those who are not into games, but want to use it for entertainment in general as opposed to blu-ray only.

PS3 works with most old/new receivers too, doesn't it? There are several other cable options (although you would need to purchase separately). No multichannel analog out, but that's about it.

cheddar

12-16-2008, 08:53 AM

-Has a buddy list for your friends and family where you can communicate with them...realistically only gamers will use this lol.

Unless your family and friends are very techno-phobic, you can get something like the ps3 eye and have full video conferencing over a broadband network. A nice perk for those who want to share Christmas with far flung family members who also have one...

All those looking for SACD enabled ps3s, this question always comes up, but basically, all the newly manufactured consoles in the past half year or so don't do SACD anymore. There used to be actual differences between the ps3 flavors besides hard drive size. 60GB, 20GB, most of the 80GB out there (ones released before a half year ago). They differed in multimedia slot options, number of backwards compatible ps2 games, number of usb connections, etc.. But they all played SACD. Then they came out with the 40GB that doesn't do SACD or backwards compatibility with ps2 games, but does do pretty much everything else related to all the multimedia and blu-ray stuff people have mentioned. This is now the only configuration currently available. They just have differing hard drive sizes. 40GB, 80GB, 160GB. But since you can put a generic SATA laptop drive in the ps3, it's always more cost effective to just buy the cheapest version and add your own laptop drive with a screwdriver in 5mins (search youtube for plenty of how to videos). if you need more space for multimedia.

You won't be able to get an SACD enabled ps3 player anymore unless you do something like ebay an old model or find some seriously outdated stock somewhere (The last one released to have it was the Metal Gear Solid bundle IIRC). If you're buying at retail, this really isn't an option anymore.

And for people who do not have hdmi enabled receivers, the lack of analog out is a serious issue since they will need it to hear the lossless audio formats (TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, and uncompressed PCM). However, if they don't mind listening to a slightly improved (over DVD) DD or DTS soundtrack, all blu-rays come with them as an option if you're not lossless enabled...

bigred7078

12-16-2008, 10:15 AM

Unless your family and friends are very techno-phobic, you can get something like the ps3 eye and have full video conferencing over a broadband network. A nice perk for those who want to share Christmas with far flung family members who also have one...

All those looking for SACD enabled ps3s, this question always comes up, but basically, all the newly manufactured consoles in the past half year or so don't do SACD anymore. There used to be actual differences between the ps3 flavors besides hard drive size. 60GB, 20GB, most of the 80GB out there (ones released before a half year ago). They differed in multimedia slot options, number of backwards compatible ps2 games, number of usb connections, etc.. But they all played SACD. Then they came out with the 40GB that doesn't do SACD or backwards compatibility with ps2 games, but does do pretty much everything else related to all the multimedia and blu-ray stuff people have mentioned. This is now the only configuration currently available. They just have differing hard drive sizes. 40GB, 80GB, 160GB. But since you can put a generic SATA laptop drive in the ps3, it's always more cost effective to just buy the cheapest version and add your own laptop drive with a screwdriver in 5mins (search youtube for plenty of how to videos). if you need more space for multimedia.

You won't be able to get an SACD enabled ps3 player anymore unless you do something like ebay an old model or find some seriously outdated stock somewhere (The last one released to have it was the Metal Gear Solid bundle IIRC). If you're buying at retail, this really isn't an option anymore.

And for people who do not have hdmi enabled receivers, the lack of analog out is a serious issue since they will need it to hear the lossless audio formats (TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, and uncompressed PCM). However, if they don't mind listening to a slightly improved (over DVD) DD or DTS soundtrack, all blu-rays come with them as an option if you're not lossless enabled...

excellent points! I forgot about both those options of using the playstation eye (basically a webcam) and changing out the hdd (Alot of people use 300gb+ drives).

Now of course with most laptops having built in webcams the use of the playstation eye for talking to family is probably a moot point, but then again using it to talk to buddies before you play a game or something is kinda cool.

Another thing i read about awhile ago was the use of the PS3 eye and a PSP as a securty cam system. What i was reading said you can set up the PS3 eye and if you have wireless access the PSP can access your own PS3 over the web and you can view live footage on your PSP screen! Now THATS cool lol.

pablo_rodz

12-16-2008, 01:40 PM

Ok!!
So, if I decide to go with the PS3... I should look for a 60gb (to have SACD) and may be later upgrade the HD?

I would use the wireless conection to the web (feature that might make me go with the PS3), but I have an iMac..

Can I stream music, video etc. from a Mac to the PS3?

Do I need a special remote to use the PS3 as a BD player?

What type of keyboard or what do you use to surf the net from the PS3?

As far as analog audio I dont care about it, I would be using the HDMI.

BTW, Thanks for all the input, very informative...

Sami

12-16-2008, 02:27 PM

Can I stream music, video etc. from a Mac to the PS3?

Yes, you can. There is a standard called upnp that media servers implement and it's platform independent. Since the new Mac OS is a *nix clone, most open source software will run on it. For example fuppes (http://fuppes.ulrich-voelkel.de/documentation/installation/osx/) will compile and run on OSX.

Do I need a special remote to use the PS3 as a BD player?

No, you can use the controller that comes with PS3. Easy and I personally prefer bluetooth over IR because it transmits the signal much better (no direct line is required).

What type of keyboard or what do you use to surf the net from the PS3?

Just regular USB kbm would do. Wireless would be the best choice IMO.

Sami

12-16-2008, 02:31 PM

Another popular OSS mediaserver, MediaTomb, an article on how to configure it for Mac: http://www.applesource.com.au/how-to/soa/How-to-Stream-media-to-a-PS3-from-a-Mac/0,2000451082,339287550,00.htm

pablo_rodz

12-16-2008, 02:41 PM

Great!! Thanks Sami

bigred7078

12-16-2008, 03:10 PM

keep in mind though that the PS3 web interface is not super high tech. Its slower than traditional internet, and it can be clunky. Not all flash type players from different websites will work. Although i was finally able to go to CBS.com and watch some TV shows that you can play.

What i do like alot about the PS3 web connection is the ability to zoom in on the page. So if you need to read tiny letters just zoom in! or you can zoom in on pictures or wahtever. And the way you can view and slide through different windows is also very cool.

polktiger

12-16-2008, 04:49 PM

Ok!!
So, if I decide to go with the PS3... I should look for a 60gb (to have SACD) and may be later upgrade the HD?

Have you actually found one? If so where? I thought they stopped making these a year or so ago.

bigred7078

12-16-2008, 04:58 PM

Have you actually found one? If so where? I thought they stopped making these a year or so ago.

the wonders of ebay :)

pablo_rodz

12-16-2008, 05:56 PM

Yes, they are all over e-bay...

RutgersFTW

12-16-2008, 09:04 PM

I just got my first Blu-Ray player (though I had an HD-DVD player) today and this thing (Sony BMP-BX1 - I think it's a rebadged 350 with a backlit remote and bundled HDMI cable for Costco) is SNAPPY. I know I waited forever and a lot of people think the Panny rules the budget blu roost, but I'm very happy so far. :)

McLoki

12-16-2008, 09:36 PM

I was planning to get a PS3, but when Sony decided to sell their 350 for $150 I decided it was worth it to get into an inexpensive blu-ray player. In a year or two their will be cheaper ones out with better features and I can move the 350 to another TV in the house.

In the mean time - I have quite a bit of extra money to purchase Blu-Rays... :D

Michael

cheddar

12-17-2008, 08:29 AM

If you can do without SACD, sony's running a deal by applying for the playstation card.

$249.99...that's a lot of multimedia machine for that price.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=8198552921644604396&XID=A:1563982:10610388:0100q302ajd351:CJ

Conradicles

12-17-2008, 09:15 AM