Looking for info - Blu-Ray

[Channel Hopper]

It seems I may have to move up a notch sooner rather than later

Can anyone recommend a Bluray player, or even player/recorder for my desktop ?

Currently I do have the monitor output as both SVGA and DVI, but I have adapters to convert an HDMI back to either if this is needed. I do not have an HDMI TV (well not one that works, but that may change in the near future)

Doesn't have to be anything fancy, but reliability has to be good.

Can be internal or external.

 

[Channel Hopper]

Well, I got one at the weekend - a Samsung BD-P1580, £40 delivered.

_http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-BD-P1580-Blu-Ray-Player-Black/dp/B002TLT93C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323692721&sr=8-1

Everything works and the unit goes through all the motions as it should (even upgraded to latest firmware via the USB stick). Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a way to make it multi-region on the DVD side, which is a shame.

The only question is, what use is the ethernet connection on the back for the Blu-ray player ? Does it provide additional content, or is it for upgrades and verification of licensing (in whch case I'd better not connect it)

 

[PaulR]

I would've answered only I'mm looking for one myself. I'm gravitating to a Panasonic BDT110 or one of the Philips' offerings when I find the review I'm looking for!

The ethernet may be for online updating as you said. The BDT110 can access YouTube and has DLNA capabilities for playing files off other devices on the house network - perhaps the Samsung is the same?

 

[Channel Hopper]

No manual in the box, and a 30 minute search at the weekend went nowhere productive.

edit

_http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/content/UM/200912/20091226172150875/01815A-BD-P1580-XEU-ENG-0408-BM[1].pdf

Somat called BD-Live

BD-LiVE
You can use a Blu-ray Disc supporting BD-LIVE through network connection to enjoy various contents provided by the disc manufacturer.

 

[Huevos]

online updating [...] YouTube [...] DLNA capabilities for playing files off other devices on the house network

Well I've got a Samsung television with a LAN port and it does all those things you mentioned.

 

[Channel Hopper]

From Wiki

BD-Live features have included Internet chats, scheduled chats with the director, Internet games, downloadable featurettes, downloadable quizzes, and downloadable movie trailers

Zzzzzzzz.

 

[Chris_Lucid]

Well I've got a Samsung television with a LAN port and it does all those things you mentioned.

Sorry, but the presence of a LAN socket doesn't automatically mean you get YouTube and stuff. It depends entirely on the feature set enabled on the product.


An internet connection with BD players is pretty essential. You don't need to be connected all the time, but occasionally discs come out that don't play properly. That's because BD players (and to some extent even DVD players) are like mini computers. You can think of the disc as the program. Sometimes the player's firmware needs to be updated. That's when you really need the internet connection.

The rest of the time it's for the 'net enabled bonus features which Channel Hopper so succinctly summarised as Zzzzzzzzzz lol

 

[Lazarus]

I've not seen the need to go to Blu-Ray as yet, although no doubt the time will come.

But Products no longer seem to cater for simpletons any more.

Virtually all the kit I've got (and like most middle-aged men it's an unnecessarily large inventory!) has more "connectivity" and "features" than one could wave the proverbial stick at - and much of it is unused. Ever.

 

[Lazarus]

Whoops - pushed the wrong button and accidentally closed an interesting discussion.

Back to normal in a jiffy .................

 

[Huevos]

Sorry, but the presence of a LAN socket doesn't automatically mean you get YouTube and stuff.

I didn't say it did. I said my Samsung TV has those features. We were trying to second guess what features a Samsung Blu-Ray might use the LAN socket for (without consulting the manual).

I've not seen the need to go to Blu-Ray as yet

Me neither, and with all the films the missus is recording (in HD) on the Vu+ Duo I wouldn't have time to use it nor the inclination to buy discs.

 

[sonnetpete]

I've not seen the need to go to Blu-Ray as yet, although no doubt the time will come.

But Products no longer seem to cater for simpletons any more.

Virtually all the kit I've got (and like most middle-aged men it's an unnecessarily large inventory!) has more "connectivity" and "features" than one could wave the proverbial stick at - and much of it is unused. Ever.

I agree, the internet connectivity of my BluRay player remains untried. However, I'm a true convert to the high quality of the finished article. You would do well to take note of reviews of the movies which are available though. Some have not transferred well and can be overdigitised with a 'halo' like sharpness. Other older movies, (I can cite 'Zulu' and 'West Side Story' as examples purchased this year) transfer really well. The downside being that the revealed detail exposes the quality of special effects and makeup which was then perfectly acceptable. Fake blood on Zulu looks just like that, 'fake'. The attempt to make George Chakiris look Puerto Rican with makeup, also looks very false. It doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the movie though.

IMHO, there's little to beat putting on a good BluRay, setting the TV to 'theatre mode' and settling back for a couple of hours.......just a shame there isn't a young lady on standby with a tray full of choc-ices!!

 

[Channel Hopper]

Me neither, and with all the films the missus is recording (in HD) on the Vu+ Duo I wouldn't have time to use it nor the inclination to buy discs.

My purchase is not to further my collection of discs as I have enough already and the local charity shop has been selling almost any format at £1 each. This was (despite it not being mentioned in the opening post) to verify some discs bought at a local car boot sale, approximately 100 off, most on Mitsui gold medium - 100 year longevity claim - but alas I have yet to find out what is on the ten or so recorded ones as they do not play within the Bluray, the multi system DVD, the Applemac, nor the PC.

My last entry in the computer section mentions the various types of format used for optical discs, and I've exhaused the majority of them.

 

[PaulR]

Well now I'VE taken the plunge. I've ordered the Panasonic BDT210 as mentioned above. A quite reasonable price of £91.99 (it'll be our Christmas present to each other) and with a bit of luck delivery before Christmas.

Plus points are DLNA connectivity so it can act as a media player (it supports MKV and DivX so that's me happy), USB & SD card slots and YouTube built in. I can also claim a triple BluRay pack of Star Wars IV, V and VI which is definite bonus.

Minuses are Viera Cast instead of Viera Connect so no BBC iPlayer but I've got that on the Humax HDR. Some might want wireless connection but I prefer to connect by cable wherever possible anyway.

All in all I hope that it'll serve my needs for a while and it may be that I won't need to buy a separate media player at all. Now just a NAS is needed I think. Might have to wait until the hard disc prices come back down though.

_http://www.trustedreviews.com/panasonic-dmp-bdt210_Blu-ray-Player_review

VERY LATE EDIT

Whoops. not the BDT210 but the BDT110. So we do without the no-touch disc drawer release and a few of the sound processing options. It still has the chroma processing and media centre capabilities so that's all right.

_http://www.techradar.com/reviews/audio-visual/blu-ray-players/panasonic-dmp-bdt110-954903/review

 

[Chris_Lucid]

I didn't say it did. I said my Samsung TV has those features. We were trying to second guess what features a Samsung Blu-Ray might use the LAN socket for (without consulting the manual).

Not being funny or anything, but it didn't read the way you intended. This is why it made me laugh so much.

I still don't see much of a point guessing at features when the manuals are available online.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[Channel Hopper]

Well now I'VE taken the plunge. I've ordered the Panasonic - BDT110 - as mentioned above. A quite reasonable price of £91.99 (it'll be our Christmas present to each other) and with a bit of luck delivery before Christmas.

Does it allow multi region capability (on DVD anyway) though ?

One reason I'm going to pass in the LG is that it doesn't have any code to play the region 1 discs I've got, and so I am still reliant on an 8 year old Yelo player to do that.

 

[PaulR]

Does it allow? Apparently it can be made region free for DVDs but it's only region 2 out of the box. It's not an issue for me but you've prompted me to go looking.

I've found that there is enhanced formware available. I'm not sure if it's actually region free but it certainly seems to be region switchable.

_http://www.firmwareinfo.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=94

MUCH LATER EDIT

I've been reading a VERY long thread on AVforums about dealing with that company and I'm definitely not going down that route. However, I have found that it is possible to turn the DVD playing into region free by using a programmable remote control such, as One-for-All, and a series of codes.

 

[PaulR]

It's arrived!

Roused from my bed at 9:15 this morning I dspatched the other half to open the door. After breakfast I opened the parcel and was surprised by how shallow it was front to back. It's as slim as I thought and really quite light.

Unfortunately I have been banned from playing with it until I've finished laying the carpets in the hall, landing, stairs and front room. All to be done before Christmas of course! And just to make things even more exciting I've just had a phone call asking if I can pick a friend up from the airport tomorrow as his previously arranged lift has fallen through!

Ho hum...

 

[Vipersan]

Just to inform ..
2012 will see the introduction of Blu Ray version 3 ..
Not sure of all the implications as yet ..as information on this new format is scarce ..
What I do know is ..that version 3 will employ hardware embeded in newer players ..which may be present already in some players ..but inactive..
The embeded hardware will read a digital 'watermark' on commercial discs ..and If not present ..will shut down or at the very least mute the audio stream if it is not seen ..when playing a version 3 disc..
This is the latest attempt to stamp down on piracy ..and may well achieve it.
Hopefully it wont affect older discs and players as this could present a problem..and lead to forcing the consumer to dump their older bluray player ..and buy new ..just to play their existing collection..
..or more likely ..newer bought discs on older players
Do I smell a class action suit brewing ..if they haven't considered all the angles...
rgds
VS

 

[wod]

That doesn't sound good, I use a ps3 to view bluray and hoped it would be able to play future discs.

anyone know if bluray drives in pc can be firmware flashed to multiregion ?

 

[Chris_Lucid]

It's extremely unlikely that any new player with refuse to play an older legitimate Blu-ray movie. This is a move to prevent pirated BD discs from being played, not legitimate BD discs.

There have been issues with certain discs not playing right because of the authoring. These hiccups are going to happen, but they are usually fixed by a player update.