No love anymore for Fox Blu-Rays (1 Viewer)

[Edwin-S]

I thought this thread was supposed to be about the problems that some players have with playing Fox discs, not a debate about standalones versus the PS3?

That being said, however, all of these players have advantages and disadvantages. The PS3s biggest advantage (so far) is relatively few problems with playing discs. I attribute this to a pretty speedy firmware updating process from Sony. The biggest disadvantage is lack of Analog outs. The big annoyance is the lack of stackability in a home theater set up, due to its funky appearance.

The biggest problem I see with the standalones is that a lot of the manufacturers, outside of Sony, seem to have firmware updating processes that leave a lot to be desired. As a result, a lot of people are being frustrated with disc playing problems. The issues plaguing a lot of these standalones is a sad commentary on the policy that the BDA adopted when setting standards for the format. The standards were too open ended and now it is causing problems.

 

[Brent M]

While I understand that some people need analog outputs because they don't want to upgrade their receiver/pre-pro I decided to get an HDMI capable Pioneer Elite receiver last year and I've never been happier. I had the multi-channel analog setup on my previous Elite and it's so much simpler now with one HDMI cable for audio and video. Like I said, I know it's not for everyone, but for me it's the perfect solution and I'd never go back..........and I still wouldn't have any other Blu-Ray player than a PS3 at this stage in the game.

 

[PaulDA]

NO ONE said the PS3 is "perfect for all" (some have said it is "perfect for ME"--a quite different matter). MOST stable is not the same as PERFECTLY stable. And such presumption on your part. No one is being told "don't bother with what you chose". Someone asked a question about compatibility with a particular disc and some people offered the PS3 as ONE possible solution--not the ONLY solution (perhaps you should try re-reading some posts before going off half-cocked). Naturally, if you respond to those who have a PS3 and find it satisfactory with a rant about how annoying and overbearing we all are, you might not get a 'soft and fuzzy' response. And it is not anyone in here's fault that, by and large, the PS3 IS the best performing machine on the market (despite its shortcomings) at any price point in the majority of performance characteristics.

I consider it rather sad too that the PS3 remains the best machine for most people this far into the format cycle. I suspect the Oppo (if past experience is any judge) will at least rival it seriously in performance while also providing the kinds of things you are looking for (which, in my opinion, would make it the new "king of the hill"--though the proof will be in the pudding).

For now, though, the best bet for either glitch-free (or quickly fixed glitch) playback remains, like it or not, the PS3. Until that fact changes, I wouldn't expect too much in the way of diminishing recommendations for it. C'est la vie.

 

[Sanjay Gupta]

I have had the PS3 for over a year now and have recently bought the Panasonic BD-55, the so called do it all of BD players. Yes, the only reason I bought the BD-55, was for the 7.1/5.1 analog outputs. But after having lived with the BD-55 for almost two weeks now, I regret having bought it. For as good as the HD sound is, I still find myself preferring to use my PS3 for most of my movie watching. The only time I now use the BD-55 is when I watch a big action movie like 'Iron Man' for the HD sound. But for most other movies I prefer the PS3. Oh! Did I mention that I have yet to come across a disc that the PS3 would not play or had any issues whatsoever with and do keep in mind I watch a lot of movies, like on an average atleast 4 movies a week. By the way and this is a genuine question, what kind of racks are people referring to when they say that it won't fit in there? My PS3 lies horizontally in my rack without any issues. The only issue I can forsee is that you could not place another piece of equipment on top the PS3, but it can certainly be placed on top of something else.

PS: The PS3 Bluetooth remote is one of the main complaints that people have against the PS3. Personally I love the PS3 remote and prefer using it to my Philips Pronto NG and the Philips - TSU9200 universal remotes. If only all other A/V equipment had bluetooth remotes is what I keep wishing. Love the fact that I do not have to worry about what position or direction the PS3 remote is in, it simply works, even from another floor.

 

[PaulDA]

I have to concur about bluetooth remote technology. It should be the standard going forward for remotes. There is one characteristic about my PS3 that I do find irksome (though from what I've read, it is mostly particular to my SACD-capable 80gb model--not the more recent ones). Its fan can get loud (especially noticeable in my smallish HT room). Thanks to bluetooth tech, it is not a problem at all. I got a 30ft HDMI cable from Blue Jean and put the PS3 in the other room. Now I have noise-free playback with full remote functionality AND I have it connected in its basic fashion (composite video/analogue 2 channel audio) to the SD TV in the other room so the kids can watch BDs without having to fire up the HT or, on rare occasions, play the kiddie game I got for them. It is quite possible that I would have traded it back for the non-SACD unit (or gone with something else altogether) if it weren't for bluetooth (which would have been disappointing, as I wanted the SACD feature), but bluetooth came to the rescue.

 

[RickER]

You know, my Sony 350 plays like a champ. Really, my old 300 does pretty damn good too. all i have to do is keep up with the firmware updates. Hell the PS3 has firmware updates too!
Its not that hard, cause Sony, at least, is on the ball with updates. I know some of the other companies need to get them out a little faster.

The heart of the matter is, studios need to lay off all the JAVA, or whatever it is thats gumming up the works. Then we wouldnt have a problem.

And i know no one asked, but the way some wording reads, its kinda harsh. It may not be intended that way. I mean, id just say, "the PS3 isnt for me, i read alot about it, but i am a stand alone kind of guy. Thanks anyway."
Yea, thats how id say it.

 

[Edwin-S]

Some people may use a slide in type of racking, rather than a shelf. A PS3 would not work too well in that type of rack. It would look funny, due to the rounded top. Regardless of the rack, a lot of people just like to maintain a uniform look to their equipment. The PS3, with its elliptical shape can look out of place if all of your other equipment is black and rectangular.

 

[Sam Posten]

I gave my sister my old (free to me from the BluRay party in vegas) deck tonight, brought over Casino Royale to break it in, and it broke the deck =( Locked it up, had to pull power. We watched Shoot em Up insted...

 

[Cees Alons]

That's the industry standard 19" rack. Used for more than 30 years in railroad environments, computer rooms (and other equipment), and grown to be a standard in HT environments as well.
Apparently the PS3 doesn't have the rails, and probably not the proper measures anyway.


Cees

 

[Adam Gregorich]

I am not a fan of the PS3 for all the reasons mentioned in this thread, but I also understand it is a great solution for most people. I have a built in Middle Atlantic rack with custum cut faceplates which the PS3 would look goofy in. I also have a combination of universal remotes and Crestron control systems, neither of which place nice with the PS3. It would be great it they could come out with a "PS3 Pro" model with a standard form factor and IR of RS232 control. In the absence of that I have been using the BD30 and BD50 from Panasonic and have not run into any discs that they are unable to play.

 

[RobertR]

Add analog outs and I would have been sold. As it is, so far my BD55 has had no problems.

 

[Sanjay Gupta]

Although, your suggestion for a 'PS3 Pro' model would be great, I don't think there is any real incentive for Sony to do so anymore. It was one thing, when they were fighting HD-DVD, to promote the PS3 as a Blu-Ray player, but I am sure that is not the priority anymore. They would much rather market standalone models with much heftier price tags.

 

[Sanjay Gupta]

Now that's what i'd love to have, a PS3 with analog outs. The problem is, such a model at the $399 price point, would make it really difficult for the standalone players to compete with.

 

[Douglas Monce]

From what I've been hearing from my friends that watch industry trends for a living, its likely that the PS3 will be the last game platform that Sony will release. The game division is bleeding like a siv, and Sony as a whole is not doing well at all. There is talk of a bankruptcy reorganization, if not being bought up by a larger corporation.

Doug

 

[Keith Paynter]

...and that's when I bought at BDP-S550 (today), which has $$olved my original problem out of the box.

"And now you know...the rest of the story."

CoPOTA's original cut on BD is disturbing, yet far better than I anticipated. Bravo!

Futurama: Bender's Game is amazingly clean and sharp in BD.

 

[RobertR]

Sounds like a good ending to me.

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

I have to wonder how much your friends actually know about "industry trends", seeing as how (a) the corporation as a whole brought in almost $3.7B in profits this year, (b) the games division is doing no worse than, say, MSFT's X-Box division was until 2006 (6 years after it was released), and (c) PS3 sales are following the same track in terms of sales-to-date as the 360, which came out earlier and cheaper. Of course, I've been seeing a lot of people who suddenly have friends who know "industry trends" make this argument since January.

If Beta and the first couple years of the PS2's massive money loss didn't kill Sony, why would Blu-ray and the PS3 be able to?

 

[Douglas Monce]

I honestly don't know much about it. The subject of Sony came up in a conversation with some friends who analyze large corporations for an investment firm. From what I could gather Sony seems to have a good deal of outstanding debt that doesn't show up on a yearly balance sheet. Its more than just the game division, it's the company as a whole.

Don't get me wrong I'm not bashing Sony at all. I own a good number of their products and have had very good luck with them.

Doug