PS3 and HD Player VS. Samsung Combo Player

warren whit · 12-27-2007, 07:28 PM

As of now this is what my equipment looks like;
Sony Bravia 1080p Television
Denon 3808CI Receiver
40GB PS3 Updated with newest firmware
7 Polk Audio LSI speakers
SVS Dual 12 inch subwoofer

Now im wondering if i should buy the Samsung BD-UP5000 just get a seperate HD DVD player.

I'm not very familar with how the differnet sound technologies work (bitstream vs pcm, TRUE HD etc etc.). So basically Im wondering if my ps3 will be enough to give me the best sound possibly (running hdmi to receiver).

I've already spent over 10k on home theatre system, so spending more isn't a concern if i need to go with a better blu ray player, but if the ps3 will do the trick then i'll stick with that and purchase a HD DVD player this week. Thanks for any replies!

Earl Simpson · 12-28-2007, 07:04 AM

I bought one of each format but prefer my PS3 for everyday use. I think you will find that if you shop the sales you can get one of each cheaper and that will allow you to add a second BR/HD TV in another room. Working on my 3rd 1080P TV and I have the 46/2500 Sony as well as the Sharp 52". I may get the 40" Sony/40W 1080P model for the back room and my computer. Just a thought as you know you will buy another TV/LOL

PS/ hold off for a $100 A3 sale. When that happens you will need to jump. I got the A2 for $99 at Wal-Mart and have seen the A3 for as low as $100 (very rare at that price point/mostly around $180)

Shane Martin · 12-28-2007, 08:41 AM

I bought a PS3 and an HD player as my combo but if I had to do it now, I'd buy the Panasonic BD30 + a Toshiba A35. I'd take that combo anyday and twice on Sunday over a Samsung. Samsung's aren't exactly the mark of quality for quality electronics. Both the Bd30 and the A35 will output bitstream audio to your 3808 thus you take FULL ADVANTAGE of the lossless audio codecs. Both of those players output bitstream for EVERY CURRENT HD AUDIO Format.

A PS3 + HD combo will not. The PS3 won't be able to output bitstream audio.

Robert Crawford · 12-28-2007, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shane Martin

I bought a PS3 and an HD player as my combo but if I had to do it now, I'd buy the Panasonic BD30 + a Toshiba A35. I'd take that combo anyday and twice on Sunday over a Samsung. Samsung's aren't exactly the mark of quality for quality electronics. Both the Bd30 and the A35 will output bitstream audio to your 3808 thus you take FULL ADVANTAGE of the lossless audio codecs. Both of those players output bitstream for EVERY CURRENT HD AUDIO Format.

A PS3 + HD combo will not. The PS3 won't be able to output bitstream audio.

I think the Samsungs are getting a bad rap. The Samsung-1000 is a very good player that did a bang up job for a first generation player especially being the first one on the market for that format. I bought that player way back in May/June 2006 at the same time with the RCA 5000 HD DVD player. Within a couple of weeks, I returned the 5000 and then bought a XA1 player. Without question, I had fewer problems with the 1000 than the XA1. That's not to say that the XA1 was a bad player, but I had more lockups with that player than the Samsung. Of course, the Samsung has been having more problems earlier this year due to these newer discs with more stuff on them, but with the latest firmware update, it's still doing a great job for me just that it's a lot slower than these new players and can't pass these latest audio codecs.

Now, with that said, I received my 5th and 6th high-def players this week for Christmas. Both of them are BR players that I'm going to keep because their gifts from some loved ones. One of them is the Samsung-1400 that is going to replace the 1000 and be placed in my bedroom HT along with the XA1. The second one is the Panny-BD30 that is being paired in my main HT with the XA2 that I bought last Christmas season so that both formats are covered in each of my HT setups. The 1400 with the latest firmware update is still having a few problems with the newer discs so I expect another firmware update for that one very soon. The BD30 has exhibited no problems so far with the latest firmware and has impressed me very much so.

IMO, I think all of these players will have problems now and then due to the latest discs being loaded up with a bunch of techno crap. However, at this time, I decided to cancel my preorder of the Samsung-5000 combo player because of the obvious reasons of not really needing it right now. Chances are I will get another high end player sometime in the future, but I'm hoping we have a more definitive answer to the format war by then since that player will be a more significant investment.

Crawdaddy

RickER · 12-28-2007, 01:05 PM

Samsung as a brand does nothing for me. Its a step up from LG, hows that? I would buy Panasonic Blu-ray player, they make good stuff. I own the Sony BDS 300 Blu-ray player, and i love it. I had a Toshiba A2 HD player, and really didnt like the build of the machine, or the fact that it locked up on everything i played. That being said i like Toshiba as a brand. I own a Tosh Plasma, and it has a pleasing picture.

**HTF Ads**

Robert Crawford · 12-28-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickER

Samsung as a brand does nothing for me. Its a step up from LG, hows that? I would buy Panasonic Blu-ray player, they make good stuff. I own the Sony BDS 300 Blu-ray player, and i love it. I had a Toshiba A2 HD player, and really didnt like the build of the machine, or the fact that it locked up on everything i played. That being said i like Toshiba as a brand. I own a Tosh Plasma, and it has a pleasing picture.

Samsung makes some of the best televisions out on the market.

Earl Simpson · 12-28-2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shane Martin

I bought a PS3 and an HD player as my combo but if I had to do it now, I'd buy the Panasonic BD30 + a Toshiba A35. I'd take that combo anyday and twice on Sunday over a Samsung. Samsung's aren't exactly the mark of quality for quality electronics. Both the Bd30 and the A35 will output bitstream audio to your 3808 thus you take FULL ADVANTAGE of the lossless audio codecs. Both of those players output bitstream for EVERY CURRENT HD AUDIO Format.

////A PS3 + HD combo will not. The PS3 won't be able to output bitstream audio.////////////////

The PS3 does bitstream on all my DVDs and BRs. Are you talking about CDs? Have not tried a CD yet.

Shane Martin · 12-28-2007, 11:02 PM

Quote:

The PS3 does bitstream on all my DVDs and BRs

It doesn't bitstream lossless at all and won't. It can't.

Brent M · 12-29-2007, 02:57 AM

I've been following all the information about the Samsung 5000 since it was first announced and after planning for months to buy one, now that it's finally available I'm going to pass on the machine after all. The thing just has way too many issues(2-channel TrueHD only from both analog and HDMI, incompatible with a myriad of discs--HD-DVDs, Blu-Ray and standard DVDs, reported video issues, Samsung's questionable reliability after problems with their other Blu-Ray players, the list goes on and on). It's a shame because I really wanted a dual format player that did it all and I was prepared to plop down the cash if this thing lived up to the hype, but after reading about all the problems with it I wouldn't even consider buying one now. I'm just going to keep my A1 and buy a PS3 for Blu-Ray playback.

Earl Simpson · 12-29-2007, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shane Martin

It doesn't bitstream lossless at all and won't. It can't.

Hey, thats info that would be nice to have. Got a link man so I can read up. Thanks man. What is lost? I am getting all 6 channels. What am I missing?

Earl Simpson · 12-29-2007, 06:28 AM