12 comments

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  Bryan Peretto

  11 months ago

  Yeah, a good deal if you have HD Audio Decoding on your receiver. But c'mon, if you don't have a bluray player, more than likely you're not going to have a receiver capable of decoding.
  
  When it comes down to it, you'll still be paying as much as or more than a PS3.
  
  People who "don't want a gaming console" are out of touch. I'm not a gamer, but the PS3 so much more than for game: A media center (I stream music and pictures from my NAS or Windows Media Player), a Web Browser, with the eye toy, it can be used for video conferencing. Obviously it's a DVD and BR player. Eventually it'll be a DVR. And ya, it even plays games, too. It's also solidly built unlike anything I've seen Sylvania manufacture.
  
  This is an instance where you'll get what you pay for.
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  Atane

  11 months ago

  Thanks for the response Bryan. However, I respectfully disagree with your comment regarding people who have a receiver capable of HD Audio Decoding, yet don't have a blu-ray player. There are tons of them, chiefly HD DVD supporters. Many people just had HD DVD players. The Toshiba HD A2 could be had for as little as $99 if you looked hard enough. Even though it is now dead, the good thing about Toshiba HD DVD players was that all their players, including their entry level ones had on board Dolby True HD decoding.
  
  Also, entry level receivers from Onkyo like the 605 and 606 had on board decoding and were cheaper than the PS3. So quite a few people have receivers capable of decoding the HD codecs who don't have blu-ray.
  
  Regarding people who are out of touch. I think the people who are out of touch are those who don't realize that many people don't want a player that doubles as a streaming device, a media center, DVR, web browser or video conference device. They just want to watch movies. It's like touting the benefits of a smart phone to someone who only wants a phone for the simple ability of, you know....making phonecalls. We need to accept that there are different segments, and they all don't want the same thing.
  
  Don't get me wrong. I think the PS3 is a great machine, but I don't think it is for everyone. I realize that, maybe we all should.
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  Timbre4

  11 months ago

  Well.... I bought a Samsung BD-P1400 for $279 last year (no tax and free shipping) and it does Dolby TrueHD. Granted it has drifted back above the $300 mark, but there are specials.
  
  I'd think at this stage of the game, a truly entry level player with this feature set should be about $200-$225. Maybe this will get serious again in the 4th quarter when the big AV firms want to place units this holday season.
  
  I don't do any gaming so the PS3 doesn't phase me.
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  Atane

  11 months ago

  Timbre, I absolutely agree. The price of the players must come down if mass adoption is the ultimate goal. In time they will, but when companies like Marantz and Denon release $2,000 players that are not even profile 2.0 yet, it really makes you wonder.
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  R. Bruce Erwin

  10 months ago

  Blue Ray does not enhance content within the DVD. It's not the price of the players that prevents me from switching over to BRay, it's the ridiculous prices they ask for the disks . Besides, nowadays I'm downloading most movies onto our Apple TV. The picture quality may not be 1080, but sufficient. That way I don't pay a small fortune for movies which may turn out to have so-so content despite the hype they get from the media. This seems to be the future on in-home movies the resolution of which is sure to be upgraded.
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  Atane

  10 months ago

  I agree Bruce. Blu-ray media is very expensive right now. DVD when it first came out was quite pricey as well. I remember when the Matrix first came out on DVD, it was $40. I think in due time the prices will come down for blu-ray media.
  
  I can't fault you for sticking with the Apple TV. I just got one recently, and it's been fantastic so far.
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  Woody

  10 months ago

  stupid of you to put in an add and have no price -- do not have time to search and guess.
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  Captain Obvious

  10 months ago

  Why don't you actually click the link to view the price? It's even highlighted in blue.
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  Timbre4

  10 months ago

  If you're just walking into a Target store and looking at what they charge everyday that's pretty useless. Stop whining and shop harder.
  
  There are AMAZING Blu-Ray disc specials in my email all the time! I'm built a collection pretty fast. Here's a few recent BD purchases:
  
  Across the Universe $15.99, Kung Fu Hustle $10.99, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within $10.99, 20 Million Miles to Earth $10.99, Bruce Springsteen with the Sessions Band - Live in Dublin $10.99, David Gilmour - Remember That Night - Live at the Royal Albert Hall $14.99, Reservoir Dogs $10.99, Total Recall $7.99, Stargate, $7.99, Reds, $14.95, BBC Planet Earth box $49.95
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  jmk

  7 months ago

  This device works as well as more expensive models. It plays commercial Hollywood Blu-rays and discs burned from output of HDV and AVCHD consumer videocams. It plays BD and AVCHD discs burned with Pinnacle Studio 12.1 and Nerovision 9 software. The menus work. It also includes an SD slot. Unlike the "upscale to 1080p" standard DVD players, it delivers real high definition. The price beats the other BD player models.
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• 

  Buy 1080p Blu-Ray Player

  6 months ago

  I totally agree with you JMK. I bought this player about a couple months ago and I have to say, this blu-ray outperforms my friends and he paid an extra $200.
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• 

  Blu Ray Player

  5 months ago

  I DO think this is a good, affordable option for many people who don't buy the PS3.....still think the PS3 is better. lol
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