hi folks,

i want a simple and reliable blu-ray player that will integrate into a Bv4-1080p and beosystem 3 and be fully controllable by my Beo5 remote.

i really don't want the sony ps3 as i have and never will have the desire to play any games.

i've heard up of slow load times for discs, poor memory meaning picture problems and lip-sync issues in a number of players so what do you recommend?

 

I can recommend the Pioneer BDP-LX91. Controllable with Beo5, had no problem with any BR or DVD, perfect sound, amazing picture. Load times are higher than PS3 and price though.

 

http://whathifi.com/Review/Sony-BDP-S760/

Panasonic DMP BD80, superb: robust, versatile (USB, SD CARD, plays all video formats...) and 100% Beo4/5 compatible

The OPPO BDP-83 is probably the best Blu-ray player out there. Unfortunately, I don't know if it's in the PUC list for B&O.

I, too, have no desire to play games on the PS3. However, the PS3 is a great blu-ray player as far as functionality and ease and frequency of support updates. It also serves as a media server access point to play divx files. I find that the touch-sensitive power button reminds me very much of the Beosystem 4500 and has that tactile B&O sense of magic.

Hi,

I tested several players last spring: Sony, Philips, LG, Pioneer, Samsung - each for several weeks. Aim was to find the one with excellent picture and audio quality with Blu-Ray and good control with the PUC of the BS3. I could not get my hands on a Panasonic device to do the extended home testing so I had to rely on second opinion on that. Oppo was not available that time.

Pioneer was absolutely too slow and very big. BDR picture and audio are digital so I did not see or hear any difference between any of the drives. I also draw a conclusion that BDRs are still evolving and therefore it would not make sense to invest heavily to a product with an estimated life span for two years. Therefore I ended to do the selection based on price/performance. For me that was Sony 550 for 229€. Hidden in a cabinet and decent control via PUC.

thanks, that is useful.

i have had trouble locating a panasonic one so have settled on this which i hear is a remarkable machine for £160 (it's also multi-region for standard def DVDs):

http://www.buyblurayplayers.com/sony-bdp-s360-review-3473

 

does anyone know if the sony bdp-s760 works with the beo5 ??

I would assume so, it seems as if all BDP's from Sony use the same IR commands - that goes for the s300/s350/s550 at least.

Also, please note that the BeoSystem 3 will not decode DTS High def or Dolby's high def sound format. Buy a BR player that will decode them and pass them on as PCM multichannel (so buying the Sony S350 is not wise if used with BS3, but the S550 will work just fine).

Roger

thanks roger,  very helpful reply indeed.

think i might go for the bdp-s760. it has an amazing review and gets high praise everywhere.

The BDPs shae a core set of IR commands. I have a BDP-S350 which shares the same remote control with the BDP-S550.

B&O offers a PUC definition for the BDP-S300 and a definition called BDPxxx. So you can control the players from your BV4.

The BDPS300 definition works for the basic functions. The BDPxxx seems to be derived from the BDP-S300 definition, but is worse in a couple of ways. I just wrote myself a PUC definition file for my BDP-S350, which supports almost all of the native remote's codes (beside open/close and Sony's TV control codes on that remote). I will have my definition installed on my BV9 within the next two weeks, when my B&O dealer comes along to make a firmware upgrade to the BV9 and other improvements to my B&O installation.

If you go for a Sony Bluray Player and have intrest in my definition file, please let me know. If my definition file works ok, or after fixing any bugs I introduced, I will send you a copy. You will need the Service Tool or your B&O dealer to install it.

 

msinn

The best Blu-Rays:

Marantz UD9004

Denon DVD-A1UD

I’ve had the PS3 for 2 years now with my BV7-40 III. I'm planning to move it to the children’s playroom, and buy a dedicated blu-ray player for the living room. But two things must work, otherwise there’s no reason for doing it: full Beo4/Beo5 control, and DTS HD master and Dolby True HD decoding. Reading the specs. for Sony BDP-S550 and 360 it seems that the only difference in the sound is that the 550 has 8ch multichannel analogue out, and the 360 does not. Both have PCM HDMI output. I’m lost here – can anyone tell me if the 360 will do the job??? Here in Denmark it can be bought at DKK 2.000 (Euro 266) including 20 Warner blu-ray discs. Thanks...

Danny

 

I have a bog-standard samsung BD-1600 and though a bit noisy and a tad slow, performs excellent. I paid 195$ now over a year ago.
BD-technologie is still developing so I don't see the point in buying an expensive one just yet.  Also have no need (yet) for DTS-HD or Dolby true HD. 
Sound is already very good on many BD player and I doubt the HD audio formats will add that much to the overall experience. I have a standard 5.1 setup which works excellent and don't want to be surround by a gazillion speakers all around me either as I don't have a dedicated home theater room.

Prices should drop considerably in europe next year. Here we see already sony 360's and equal LG and Samsung BD players as low as 150$. They are really pushing these players now in all major stores. Also the quantity of available BD disks for sale or rent is increasing. Most movies are available in both formats now.  Slowly the regular dvd will be phased out in the long term, I suppose as it cannot keep up with audio and visual requirements.

 

There is a dramatic difference between DTS 5.1 and DTS-HD audio (/Dolby TrueHD).

BeoSystem 3 can not decode DTS-HD or TrueHD. But BeoSystem 3 will accept multi channel PCM, so all you need to do is make sure that your bluray player will do the decoding and pass on the sound as multi channel PCM. The S550 will do the decoding of the HD sound formats, but the not the S350. The S550 will pass on the multi channel PCM through the HDMI cable, so you do not need additional cables.

Roger