To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 738
aficionado
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OP
aficionado
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 738 |
Ok, I need some advice here, your help is appreciated.
I have a dedicated HT room with a Panasonic projector PT-AE900u that will do 1080i / 720p. I also have a non up-converting Pioneer DVD player I bought for around $200 about 4 years ago. Over the past year I have been planning to purchase an Oppo 981 to replace the Pioneer. I never did get around to it. I now see Oppo has come out with a newer model but with a heftier price tag ($399) although with better picture so the reviews say.
Now that the format war is over and I have noticed my local video rental store is now stocking blu-ray discs, and the prices of players are starting to drop (Sony BDPS300 at Futureshop for $299). Maybe I should be considering a blu-ray player.
Here is the question. I have an extensive SD DVD collection that I will not be converting to blu-ray anytime soon, if ever. How is the up-converting on blu-ray players in comparison to the Oppo? Has anybody done any comparisons? Remember, I am still limited to 1080i / 720p. Will I notice a sig. difference between an SD upconverted image on a blu-ray player compared to my SD Poineer player.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks
pn
paul
Axiom M80, VP180, Qs8, EP500 Epson 3020 Rotel RB-880 Denon AVR-990
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,877
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 4,877 |
Without being familiar with the exact model my gut instinct says that you will not notice a difference in the upconversion of standard DVD's with a bluray player. I would say buy a bluray player for blurays, not for upconversion.
However, I use a Toshiba HD-DVD player as an upconverting player for my standard DVD's, because it seems to work better than my 360 and I don't have another upconverting player. (actually I just got a PS3 but I haven't watched any SD DVD's on it.)
I would reccomend getting a netflix account if you plan on renting any more than 2 blurays per month.
-David
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 868
aficionado
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aficionado
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 868 |
I think you will notice an inprovement with an upconverting player vs your present player.
Dave
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,955 |
I also noticed a considerable difference in quality with my Toshiba HD player. HD may be dead but I'll be keeping it around for it's up-scaling abilities for quiet some time, I think.
I have never compared it back and forth to the PS3 I also have now.
With great power comes Awesome irresponsibility.
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,488 Likes: 9
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,488 Likes: 9 |
I have quite a few HD-capable devices. It order of upscaling capabilities, I would rank them as follows:
1-2) Panasonic BD-30 and Toshiba A-30 equally good, distinctively better than the rest
3) LG DVD player (forgot the number).
4) Popcorn Hour media streamer
5) Oppo 980.
6) Reserved for any new device
7) PS3
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,422
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,422 |
I am wondering a bit about this as well.
So the PS3 doesn't upconvert well? Although I have been so anti-Blu-Ray, I have been toying with a Blu-Ray purchase this Christmas. I had my HD-A2 for HD-DVD, but a lot of those HD-DVDs that I have I don't care if I keep or not. I'd like to have just 1 player in my theater, so my goal was to possibly get a PS3 and use it for Blu-Ray and SD movies, but if the PS3 is worse at upconverting than my HD-A2 (or even my good ol' Panasoniv S97 upconverting SD-DVD player) then I will need to look at other options....
I am using a Sanyo Z3 (720p) projector as well. I do see a difference in SD vs. HD even when the SD is upconverted, but the upconverted image is nice.
Farewell - June 4, 2020
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,301
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 3,301 |
Now that the format war is over I think Blu-ray is the only way to go. I will always rent Blu-ray movies over SD, I use my HDXA2 for up conversion but Imo its no match in PQ for some of the new Blu-ray offerings. It's not only the picture, the new HD sound formats are very impressive also. I think the PS3 is still the best value out right now for its features.
A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kick boxing.
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 738
aficionado
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OP
aficionado
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 738 |
Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't belive Netfix is available in Canada.
I live in a small town where the local video store is now stocking Blu-ray discs, however, they only have one wall and only one disc per new release. The chances of me getting the Blu-ray disk vs the SD DVD are probabaly about 50/50. Probably better during the week than on the weekends. Ofcoarse they are charging a dollar more per rental for blu-ray.
So SD DVD is still important, for then next year of two, until Blu-ray becomes more popular (if it ever does).
My brother bought a blu-ray player last week and the picture was great, really great, but what I also noticed was the improvment in sound. He has just a mid buget Mirage speaker set-up. No where near the quality of my M80's, VP150 and EP500. I think the imporvment in sound is a reason to move to Blu-ray alone.
pn
paul
Axiom M80, VP180, Qs8, EP500 Epson 3020 Rotel RB-880 Denon AVR-990
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Jul 2006
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Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
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Founder, Axiom Upgrade Club shareholder in the making
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,077 Likes: 7 |
I think they must have improved the PS3's upconversion with their firmware updates. I remember being very unimpressed initially, but now I find it pretty close to my Toshiba HD-A35. It could just be a trick of the mind, but I don't think so.
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Re: To Blu-ray... Or not to Blu-ray
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,488 Likes: 9
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 3,488 Likes: 9 |
I bought my PS3 end of July and I have the latest firmware. If it improved, it must have been pretty bad!
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