Best budget blu-ray player?

[Serendipity]

Looking for a blu-ray player in the $249 to $299 range.

Is the Sony BDP-S360 a good deal? Or should I use my HTPC and add a blu-ray drive / buy a Playstation 3?

Thanks in advance!

[Keiko]

PS3 gets my vote.

[Serendipity]

Is there going to be a price drop on the PS3?

[FittyFieFo]

Is there going to be a price drop on the PS3?

Supposedly there's a rumor going on that there will be a price drop ($100) mid-August...when Madden '10 comes out. I really hope this is true, I'll be picking one up if it does go down $100.

[Serendipity]

Supposedly there's a rumor going on that there will be a price drop ($100) mid-August...when Madden '10 comes out. I really hope this is true, I'll be picking one up if it does go down $100.

If that's the case then I will wait till August to pick up a PS3.

[FittyFieFo]

If that's the case then I will wait till August to pick up a PS3.

I'm just hoping the rumor is true. There has been rumors alot earlier about PS3 price drop, and it didn't happen. So cross your fingers, and hope theres a price drop mid-August :)

[Serendipity]

I really hope there is going to be a price drop :)

[McLoki]

if you have the PC ready to go with sound - this one is hard to beat for the price...

eWiz has Lite-On 4x Serial ATA Blu-ray ROM Drive (http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=IHOS104-06&src=DC&sid=u0t0f0fp22577c0s1056) for $62 - $5 coupon SUPERSTEAL5 = $57 with free shipping.

[Serendipity]

The PC is a HP Digital Entertainment Center z560. It does output DVD sound over HDMI, with no issues whatsoever.

[FittyFieFo]

Also, I would wait for other people to put their input about other blu-ray players. Not sure if PS3 is still the best one out there (seems like it is), but technology is only getting better.

I'm in the same position as you. Weighing my options, I'm not really a gamer, but I do like the fact you can browse the internet and stream music wirelessly with the PS3 from your computer. (still reading on how to do that).

I've also read that, if you don't like the browser, you can install another partition and put Ubuntu or some other program.."Yellow Dog" I think it was called? So you can do everything a normal computer does. :)

[wutadumsn23]

Another vote for the PS3, not just as a stand alone Blu-Ray player (which of course it is not) but for all the other things it does it is IMHO the best option for the price. I know not many people will agree with me on that statement, but it does have one of (if not) the fastest load times of any BD player on the market. A web browser, wireless capabilities, networking to your home PC, can be used as a media center and for storage, oh and it is a gaming console too, lol. I have had one for awhile now and while I have had no other Blu-Ray player to compare it too, I am still happy none the less. If it drops another $100, it would def. be the best option out there for Blu-Ray players, IMO. I have yet to try the Yellow Dog (Ubuntu) partition, but there are videos on You Tube on how to accomplish this. I have Ubuntu on my home PC and the only time I use my Windows partition is for my Zune.

[danz1906]

Panasonic dmp-bd60

[ViperZ]

Panasonic DMP-BD55 and Sony BDP-S550, even if you get them used.

Both players are profile 2.0 and offer superior picture. Check the reviews: these panny and sony are much preferred to the current latest models.