Gbcue Premium Member join:2001-09-30 Santa Rosa, CA |
Gbcue
Premium Member
2012-Apr-9 2:20 pm
Best Budget Blu-Ray PlayerAs much as I hate Blu-Ray, I need to get a player that doesn't break the bank (under $100). I don't need fancy features like WiFi (I have ethernet everywher) or the ability to access Netflix, that's what my WD TV Live Plus HD box does.
I want to stick with known name brands (Panasonic, Toshiba) and NO SONY equipment.
What's the best? Available on Amazon a plus.
Thanks! |
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thegeek Premium Member join:2008-02-21 right here |
thegeek
Premium Member
2012-Apr-9 2:57 pm
I wish there was a Let Me Amazon That For You site like lmgtfy.com. » www.amazon.com/LG-BD630- ··· 4&sr=1-1 |
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Gbcue Premium Member join:2001-09-30 Santa Rosa, CA |
Gbcue
Premium Member
2012-Apr-9 3:30 pm
That only has 3.5 stars! Looks like firmware updating is borked. |
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thegeek Premium Member join:2008-02-21 right here |
thegeek
Premium Member
2012-Apr-9 3:59 pm
Do you seriously need to update the firmware? As you said, you won't be using the Netflix, etc crap. You just need a basic player. Personally, I'd just spend a little extra and get a PS3. That way you can play games too. |
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1 recommendation |
to Gbcue
What do you expect when you want something cheap? The words 'Best' and 'under $100' bucks don't even belong in the same post.
if you want the best BD player, I'd suggest the Sony BDP-CX7000ES megachanger. But then again you seem to have something against one of the worlds leading CE manufactures. I wouldn't do business with Toshiba just for the fact they were behind that inferior failure called HD DVD. If they were willing to back such an inferior format, Id wonder what else is inferior about them. |
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tcope Premium Member join:2003-05-07 Sandy, UT |
to Gbcue
Whiloe not what you asked for (but dollar for dollar it might be), something to consider is a PS3. I bought it as I wanted a BR player and for an extra $150 or so I got the game console. Since Sony "is" BR (Sony Entertainment, etc.), the PS3 is always being updated with the latest firmware.
But I understand you many not have any interest in this... just throwing it out there as you get 2 machines in one. |
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BlitzenZeusBurnt Out Cynic Premium Member join:2000-01-13 |
to thegeek
You have to update the firmware every time they update the drm. |
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Gbcue Premium Member join:2001-09-30 Santa Rosa, CA |
to tcope
Yeah, I have no interest in a PS3. I thought of it in the beginning, but didn't like the inability to integrate with my Harmony remote easily and the large vertical footprint. |
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BlitzenZeusBurnt Out Cynic Premium Member join:2000-01-13
1 recommendation |
to Happydude32
HD DVD wasn't inferior, the drm with blu-ray was the big reason the studios wanted it, and came with it the need for firmware updates to players to play the newest disks when they change the drm. They do have more capacity, but Sony has never been known for being consumer friendly with drm. Remember the cd audio rootkit scandal where they installed a rootkit without user permission, or intervention? All of those cds were recalled, and felt like they had the right to install software on computers without the users permission.
I won't buy a blu-ray player, and won't support a media where a manufacturer can brick a player from playing the latest media because of a lack/delay in a firmware update, this is why you want a name brand. In the software world they will charge you for these updates, and the hardware players might end up doing the same also. |
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Like you said, any big name manufacture provide updates and thus will not brick a BD player, so that's why you stick with the big guys. If you don't want to worry about the very minute risk for not being able to play a title, just stick with the names you know from companies you know will be around when you wake up tomorrow morning. Don't worry about not supporting Blu Ray, Ill be buying another player soon, and I'll make the purchase in honor of you . I love my Sony S770, but it's approaching a year and a half old and its getting a bit long in the tooth, when the new S790 comes out, I'm going to get one. Whatever negative thing you said about Sony, Ill ignore. In December of 2010, I spent $7,000 on Sony electronics, just bought another $1000 Sony ES A/V Receiver last month, a $330 Walkman last week, and like I said when the new Blu Ray player comes out Ill snatch that up. Id also have a $3,000 Vaio laptop if I didnt send it back due to its retarded design. |
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gar187erI DID this for a living join:2006-06-24 Seattle, WA |
to Gbcue
large vertical footprint??!?!? its a PS3, not a toaster oven!! since when is 2.25" a large vertical footprint? |
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Gbcue Premium Member join:2001-09-30 Santa Rosa, CA |
Gbcue
Premium Member
2012-Apr-9 6:26 pm
said by gar187er:large vertical footprint??!?!? its a PS3, not a toaster oven!! since when is 2.25" a large vertical footprint? There's a 2.25" version? Doesn't matter. It's a Sony product so it's on my NG list. |
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1 edit
1 recommendation |
to gar187er
said by gar187er:large vertical footprint??!?!? its a PS3, not a toaster oven!! since when is 2.25" a large vertical footprint? For some reason, I've seen a lot of people stand their gaming consoles, be it Playstation or XBox, vertically. I like mine laying flat. |
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Retired6 Premium Member join:2002-11-09 Earth |
to Happydude32
said by Happydude32:What do you expect when you want something cheap? The words 'Best' and 'under $100' bucks don't even belong in the same post.
if you want the best BD player, I'd suggest the Sony BDP-CX7000ES megachanger. But then again you seem to have something against one of the worlds leading CE manufactures. I wouldn't do business with Toshiba just for the fact they were behind that inferior failure called HD DVD. If they were willing to back such an inferior format, Id wonder what else is inferior about them. BINGO ! :+) |
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dvd536as Mr. Pink as they come Premium Member join:2001-04-27 Phoenix, AZ |
to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:As much as I hate Blu-Ray, I need to get a player that doesn't break the bank (under $100). I don't need fancy features like WiFi (I have ethernet everywher) or the ability to access Netflix, that's what my WD TV Live Plus HD box does.
I want to stick with known name brands (Panasonic, Toshiba) and NO SONY equipment.
What's the best? Available on Amazon a plus.
Thanks! no sony? guess you like the thought of having a broken title waiting for that bargain basement manufacturer to update the drm in their firmware. |
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jabarnutLight Years Away Premium Member join:2005-01-22 Galaxy M31 |
to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:.... It's a Sony product so it's on my NG list. Since nobody else has, may I be so bold as to ask why no Sony products? Was it the CD 'rootkit fiasco' several years back? Are you friends with a particular Sony executive that you can't stand? Sorry, curiosity got the best of me. I own many Sony products (Including a Sony Blu-Ray Player), and they've been great Oh, and I also agree that: "the words 'Best' and 'under $100' bucks don't even belong in the same post". Anyway, good luck. |
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Gbcue Premium Member join:2001-09-30 Santa Rosa, CA |
Gbcue
Premium Member
2012-Apr-10 10:23 am
It's the accumulation of public failures by Sony (rootkit included, laptop batteries, PSN hacking, stupid standards (MiniDisc, Betamax, Memory Stick)) and personal experiences with their stuff breaking. Their stuff would be breaking back in the 90's, when supposedly products were made to last. |
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ArgyleDSLCute and Cuddly Premium Member join:2002-07-04 Flushing, NY |
to Gbcue
OP stated Netfliz streaming isnt need, but I ll give another reason not to get a Sony player (or tv). Horrendous buffering when watching Netflix. It appears netflix traffic goes through Sony servers. I ended up getting a roku to stream netflix. |
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Anonymous_Anonymous Premium Member join:2004-06-21 127.0.0.1 1 edit |
to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:It's the accumulation of public failures by Sony (rootkit included, laptop batteries, PSN hacking, stupid standards (MiniDisc, Betamax, Memory Stick)) and personal experiences with their stuff breaking. Their stuff would be breaking back in the 90's, when supposedly products were made to last. Betamax's are worth a pretty penny. Sony betamax will run from $300 to $600 HD-DVD players will run about $200 VHS to DVD-r burners run about $300-350 |
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WK2 Premium Member join:2006-12-28 united state |
WK2 to Gbcue
Premium Member
2012-Apr-12 2:05 am
to Gbcue
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dvd536as Mr. Pink as they come Premium Member join:2001-04-27 Phoenix, AZ |
dvd536
Premium Member
2012-Apr-12 7:18 am
Gbcue is an above average intelligence guy. he won't fall for a fad of which 3D is. |
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1 recommendation |
to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:It's the accumulation of public failures by Sony (rootkit included, laptop batteries, PSN hacking, stupid standards (MiniDisc, Betamax, Memory Stick)) and personal experiences with their stuff breaking. Their stuff would be breaking back in the 90's, when supposedly products were made to last. Is it safe to say consumers are generally idiots? Both formats, Beta and Mini Disk failed in the consumer market, but held their niche in the professional world and theyre still being used today. And the formats have been around forever. The last Betamax hardware didnt roll off the assembly line until I believe 2002 or 03, and Im pretty sure MD stuff is still being produced in limited quantities for the professional market. For those that used portable CD players, you can thank Sonys Mini Disk format for the buffer and anti skip technology. And while I have never seen content on beta, I have seen U-matic and Laserdisk though, everything Ive ever read gives the picture quality nod to Betamax. I was so glad that the studios had the ultimate say in the Blu Ray/HD DVD war, not the consumer. At CES when WB announced that they were going to go with BD exclusively, I knew it would take a miracle for HD DVD to survive. Shortly after that a bunch of HD DVD related events at CES were scrapped. When I read that, I started chanting to myself out loud Red is dead, red is dead, RED IS DEAD!!!. Watching the various studios and retailers like Walmart jump from the sinking ship called HD DVD was like the week leading up to Christmas and February 19 2008 was my Christmas morning. The death of HD DVD. Not sure why no one likes the Memory Stick. The original Memory Stick was a hell of a lot better size-wise then Compact Flash and Smart Media. Some people say it was expensive, but I think I paid like $18 bucks for my 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo last year for my camera. The problem with Sony, is outside of their Sony Computer Entertainment division which handles Playstation, they have zero marketing. The innovation that comes from Sony is astounding, a lot of technology we have today can be traced back to Sony. Sony is top notch quality all around. Back in the day the Trinitron as big of a beast as it was, as the benchmark of video quality. Now the Bravia XBR takes care of that. My Sony DB500 2.1 PC speaker set up produces better sound quality then my Klipsch THX Certified system did. My latest toy, my Walkman Z is just phenomenal. I did not think mobile audio could sound that good. If you have the money to spend, theyre Elevated Series home theater gear is top notch and feature rich. Sony is not afraid to experiment. There have been some successes, there have been some failures and there have been some things that just faded away. But all in all we are all better off because of the innovations from Sony. What was the iPods grandfather? The Sony Walkman. |
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Happydude32 |
to dvd536
said by dvd536:Gbcue is an above average intelligence guy. he won't fall for a fad of which 3D is. His loss. I'm getting quite the amount of enjoyment out of my 3D set up. 3D adds a whole new dimension to content, pun intended, and allows you to truly immerse yourself into the content. When I watch a movie or event in 3D the world is dead to me. Absolutely no regrets here about going 100% 3D. |
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Gbcue Premium Member join:2001-09-30 Santa Rosa, CA |
to dvd536
said by dvd536:Gbcue is an above average intelligence guy. he won't fall for a fad of which 3D is. Yeah, 3D sucks. For those who wear glasses, who wants to wear two pairs of glasses? Not me. |
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I wear prescription glasses, and have no problem with wearing 3D glasses. Not sure what the big deal is. |
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Hayward0 K A R - 1 2 0 C Premium Member join:2000-07-13 Key West, FL |
to jabarnut
said by jabarnut:Since nobody else has, may I be so bold as to ask why no Sony products? Let me count the ways 1 The abandoned the superior quality Betamax long before the end of the VCR era. When they said they wouldn't. 2 They are proprietary everything from batteries to the rediculous chewing gum stick memory. 3 Obscene restrictive licensing costs which is why no one ever adopts their crap like the gum stick. Or for that matter the Betamax. 4 Little respect for the consumer only their own interests. 5 No longer innovators... just overpriced as if they were. 6 Trinitron TVs almost always turned green after a few years. 7 VIAO the only laptop ever owned that had a not user accessible hard drive. It also didn't last long, and poor connectivity options. I could go on many more... there is good reason they have posted major losses last couple of years, the world has wised up to them... and they are just not at all what they once were, just among the most expensive and restrictive of a large group of equals or better. |
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Hayward0 |
to Gbcue
said by Gbcue:It's the accumulation of public failures by Sony and stupid standards (MiniDisc, Betamax, Memory Stick)) and personal experiences with their stuff breaking. I'll give you the gum stick, but silly to say Betamax as it was the original and only for a couple of years, and always had the better picture quality. MiniDisc for it time was not bad, especially as it was recordable and with good mics and environment could make surprisingly good recordings. There were no portable CD recorders. Batamax's failure was SONY's as always restrictive licensing and poor marketing. The only partners they ever gained was Zenith and Sanyo. |
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Hayward0 |
to Gbcue
To get back on topic though (while agreeing I'd never buy a SONY one) lately I have seen several in the $50+ range from the second string majors like Magnavox, some even with WiFi but not having one yet can't really speak to them qualitatively. |
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jabarnutLight Years Away Premium Member join:2005-01-22 Galaxy M31 |
jabarnut
Premium Member
2012-Apr-13 6:17 am
But, but...if it's a Magnavox, you can't say: "It's a Sony!" Seriously? A $50 Magnavox? Sounds awesome! |
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Hayward0 K A R - 1 2 0 C Premium Member join:2000-07-13 Key West, FL |
Hayward0
Premium Member
2012-Apr-13 6:24 am
said by jabarnut:But, but...if it's a Magnavox, you can't say: "It's a Sony!" Seriously? A $50 Magnavox? Sounds awesome! Yeah, and with WiFi And I forget where I saw them...but it was searching through Pricegrabber, NexTag, or one of those, and actually a sub reference once I got somewhere I think. Could have been Amazon but I don't think so. Likely were refurbished too, but if so as I recall full price was still under or around $100 |
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