Let's Discuss HD Combo Players!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 03 Feb 2008, 17:48

Woo hoo only 3 months until May and I can finally buy a HD Player. No doubt Samsung will stuff something up though

. Unless it's very flawed this time I'll still buy one though.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 03 Feb 2008, 17:53

I think we'll be onto the next format before you finally buy a player, Brad

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 03 Feb 2008, 18:13

I think so too

I just don't want a dud of a player and I want one that will last me years. I know it will be worth it in the long run.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 04 Feb 2008, 13:25

gasteropod wrote:

, and he can't play the region B locked ones, so what's your point??

this one went over my head and i've only just realised

Gasteropod i can play any Region B locked BD i want, so what's your point

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 15:47

You have two PS3's right? That's not exactly what Gasteropod meant, now is it

Why didn't you buy that EIV BD then?

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 04 Feb 2008, 16:06

Haha yeah, it's not what I meant. Yeah I forgot you have two players, fair enough

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 04 Feb 2008, 17:37

bradavon wrote:You have two PS3's right? That's not exactly what Gasteropod meant, now is it

Why didn't you buy that EIV BD then?

my point is i can happily play Region B BD's. what EIV disc are you on about?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 18:47

That one you tried to buy in the market remember? You said you didn't buy it as you couldn't play back Region B.

You can play HD-DVD, Region B BDs and Region A BDs using three Players. That's not my idea of ideal

. Besides you really can do without Region B, for the most part.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 04 Feb 2008, 19:13

bradavon wrote:That one you tried to buy in the market remember? You said you didn't buy it as you couldn't play back Region B.

oh yeah it was Next -see i think so little of Region B i forget i have the ability to play them (on my son's set up)

bradavon wrote:You can play HD-DVD, Region B BDs and Region A BDs using three Players. That's not my idea of ideal

your idea of ideal is to talk about HD a lot without actually buying into it

what's preferable Brad-1 buggy combo or 2 bug-free players?

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 19:34

saltysam wrote:What's preferable Brad-1 buggy combo or 2 bug-free players?

It's worth putting in context how buggy the Combos are. We're talking 20-30 Discs total (if I'm being kind, it's closer to 15) but correct the answer is neither:

1 Combo which works and I can wait

If I had to buy one today I'd take the Samsung Combo no contest. It gets absurd having as 2-3 Players just to watch movies.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 04 Feb 2008, 19:51

bradavon wrote: It's worth putting in context how buggy the Combos are. We're talking 20-30 Discs total

as opposed to 0 dodgy discs for my hd-dvd/ps3.that's a classic quote you've made there Brad,you sound like it's ok for samsung to release a buggy player for 100's of dollars that won't play multiple titles and maybe even more in the future

bradavon wrote:It gets absurd having as 2-3 Players just to watch movies.

that's another classic. if it's absurd to have 2 players i assume in 2013 when you get your combo you'll be doing away with your dvd recorder then? because if you aren't you'll be using the same amount of players as me to watch movies, 2 !

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 20:32

saltysam wrote:as opposed to 0 dodgy discs for my hd-dvd/ps3.that's a classic quote you've made there Brad,you sound like it's ok for samsung to release a buggy player for 100's of dollars that won't play multiple titles and maybe even more in the future.

That's not go round in circles again. You knew that's not what I mean. You asked me to pick so it's only right to put the problems in context and not blow them out of proportion.

The sheer fact I've not bought one clearly shows I agree with you.

saltysam wrote:That's another classic. if it's absurd to have 2 players i assume in 2013 when you get your combo you'll be doing away with your dvd recorder then? because if you aren't you'll be using the same amount of players as me to watch movies, 2 !

The Recorder has a second function. Try recording on your PS3 or HD-DVD Player

I meant 2 Players on top of a Recording device, two in my case.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 04 Feb 2008, 20:42

bradavon wrote:I meant 2 Players on top of a Recording device, two in my case.

my point still stands that you'll need two machines to play your movies. so your comment that it's absurd to have 2 players to watch movies is an absurd comment in itself. .my dvd recorder has long been retired to my daughter's bedroom. :

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 04 Feb 2008, 20:51

Okay fair enough but most need 3. Few HD Players are SD MR aren't they. Add that to a PVR and it's just too many for me.

I own a PVR which I need, I own a HDD/DVD Recorder Combo which I need. I don't want two more Players, one is okay.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 07 Feb 2008, 20:40

A very interesting update on the MovieTyme blog:

"After reading many reports of issues with this player we decided to test one for ourselves last night.

Now some may call us "picky" but we did discover a slight issue with this player.... errm.... it doesn't work very well.... errm at all... and as such we can report we have now removed this player from our website after many discs we tried simply did not work! Our machine was a January 2008 build too, which was one of the latest.
A simple test for issues is to see if you can actually get the Blu-ray version of Sunshine to play correctly, we managed 2.5 seconds! We didn't even get that far with The Bourne Ultimatum HD-DVD or the Blu-ray of 3:10 To Yuma. Also with a lack of regular firmware upgrades and reports this player is to be discontinued as early as May!

For the many customers that have purchased this from us, please email us if you would like to return the player (of course at no extra cost to you).

On a plus side though for the discs we did get to work this player has by far the best picture quality we have ever seen from all the players we have had."

Source: http://movietyme.blogspot.com/

The wait goes on.

I've decided to wait until May and no matter what pick up a 5000 or 5500. I really hope they get the firmware stable by then! I cannot wait forever and eventually just need to buy one. I've already wait over a year to get a HD Combo Player.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 11 Feb 2008, 13:37

New LG BH200 review:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hd-dvd ... -hero.html

It's a surprisingly positive review.

"and I encountered no machine freeze-ups or disc incompatibilities — another first."

It doesn't say if they tried any Fox discs, which seem to be particularly troublesome, or which discs they tried.

EDIT: The same guy (Al Griffin) also reviewed the Samsung BD-UP5000 and mentions it's problem playing Fox discs (amongst others) so you'd presume he tested those with the LG too:

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/hdtvs/ ... p5000.html

That said whilst the BH200 looks good the fact LG have gone all quiet over Profile 1.1, TrueHD 5.1 and DTS-HD (plus 24fps too) is worrying. At least Samsung have said recently at least one of their Combo Players will support it at some point.

That said LG do say a firmware upgrade is due early 2008, whatever that means!

I wonder how good the Qdeo upscaling chip is. This is what the LG BH200 seems to use compared with the much talked about HQV Reon upscaling chip found on the Samsung BD-UP5000.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 12 Feb 2008, 19:51

why don't you buy the LG then

amazed you are still waiting for a samsung combo, after the complete and utter screw up of their machine i wouldn't trust them to put the top back on a jar of coffee

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Feb 2008, 20:56

saltysam wrote:why don't you buy the LG then

When you bought your PS3 did Profile 1.1, Analogue outputs, DTS-HD or TrueHD 5.1 even enter your mind?

I doubt it (the same goes for your HD-DVD Player on the latter three).

I am more fussy when it comes to HD Players than you and want it to be right. The LG isn't it either. If LG had even a rough date when they'd be adding Profile 1.1, DTS-HD, TrueHD or to a lesser extent 24fps (which I could need in the future) then I'd consider one.

That and LG dropped Analogue outputs from the BH200 and I'm really unkeen to have to buy a new Amp when my existing one does the job nicely. With the LG BH200 I am going to have to buy a new Amp to get Lossless audio but with the Samsung BD-UP5000 I can in theory anyway keep my existing Amp. I say in theory as they've not added DTS-HD or TrueHD 5.1 either (although PCM 5.1 does work).

I'm already planning to upgrade my DVD Player to a HD Combo in May and my HDD/DVD Recorder to one with HDMI Upscaling (and a much better remote) also in May, when I upgrade the Recorder will depend upon when I upgrade my DVD Player.

Besides you know I'm skint so stop asking me why I've not bought one

. Regardless whether I can buy one I want to continue to provide up to date info on Combo Players.

Also don't forget both the LG BH200 and Samsung BD-UP5000 are very hard to actually get hold of (eBay is probably your best bet). So few USA e-tailors will ship them to The UK, and we both no it has to be Region A.

Right now I'm in the middle of hoping that Samsung eventually do good with the Samsung BD-UP5000 or lumping it and getting the Samsung BD-UP5500 and then later in the year upgrading to Lossless audio by means of a new Amp.

The LG BH200 will never have Analogue Outputs and no date has been given when it will support Profile 1.1, DTS-HD or TrueHD 5.1 so I doubt I'd get one of these. Although it's promising discs actually play on it.

I'm still confident my patience will pay off in the long run. When I do buy a HD Player I want it to last me years. I have waited long enough though so do expect I'll buy something in May

I'm not for example prepared to wait for the Samsung BD-UP6500 which has been mentioned as coming at the end of the year. This is said to have the HQ Upscaling chip from the 5000 added back in, Analogue Outputs should be back too, along with Profile 1.1 (possibly 2.0), DTS-HD and TrueHD 5.1.

I'm not particularly bothered about waiting for Profile 2.0 when the important stuff seems to be coming with 1.1. Certainly not over getting a Combo Player anyway.

I also consider the HQV Upscaling chip very much a bonus, when I'll be using my DVD Recorders and it's Upscaler for SD DVDs most of the time anyway. That and I doubt the HQV Upscaler is "that" much better to your average upscaler (if at all) anyway.

after the complete and utter screw up of their machine i wouldn't trust.

Don't forget LG didn't exactly get it right with their first Combo either. Let's wait to hear how good/bad the 5500 is before it's even released.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 12 Feb 2008, 21:09

bradavon wrote: When you bought your PS3 did Profile 1.1, Analogue outputs, DTS-HD or TrueHD 5.1 even enter your mind?

at least it plays discs flawlessly.

bradavon wrote:I doubt it. I am more fussy when it comes to HD Players than you

and as a result i've been watching hd discs for 14 months while you admire the cases

bradavon wrote:but with the Samsung BD-UP5000 I can in theory anyway keep my existing Amp.

keep your dvd player as well,as this machine will hardly play any hd discs

bradavon wrote:I'm already planning to upgrade my DVD Player to a HD Combo in May and my HDD/DVD Recorder to one with HDMI Upscaling (and a much better remote) also in May, when I upgrade the Recorder will depend upon when I upgrade my DVD Player.

you coming into money in may?

bradavon wrote:Although it's promising discs actually play on it.

a machine that plays discs?what will they think of next !

Wih hd-dvd a virtual dead duck it wouldn't shock me to see combos becoming extinct,like the dinosaur

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Feb 2008, 21:32

saltysam wrote:at least it plays discs flawlessly.

I know. I wasn't saying anything against the PS3. In theory it's easier to fix disc problems by firmware, you cannot add analogue outputs by firmware or Profile 1.1 if the hardware isn't there.

Besides it's a given any Player I buy will have to actually play discs. That goes without saying.

saltysam wrote:And as a result i've been watching hd discs for 14 months while you admire the cases.

Good. It was my decision to wait until I got the player right for me. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. 14 months after owning a Player for 3-5 years is nothing. I'm not planning to have to replace it any time soon.

bradavon wrote:keep your dvd player as well,as this machine will hardly play any hd discs.

It's problems are all firmware related, that can be fixed. I'm not saying Samsung will fix it but we don't know they won't either. Like I said I'd only buy a 5000 if Samsung actually fixed it.

saltysam wrote:you coming into money in may?

I'm not planning to be unemployed forever. I won't be buying anything until I'm employed. Whatever I buy it would cost to much.

saltysam wrote:Wih hd-dvd a virtual dead duck it wouldn't shock me to see combos becoming extinct,like the dinosaur

Me too but you still have your HD-DVD Player, why? Because it does what it does well and why stop supporting it when you don't have to, and content is still available for it.

A HD Combo Player with a dead HD-DVD format inside it doesn't lessen it's ability to play your existing discs or play new Blu-ray discs.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 12 Feb 2008, 21:37

yes i have my hd-dvd player, in fact i'm going to get another one as a back up in case this one ever conks out but that's because i have so many discs.if i was still getting splinters sitting on the fence it'd be (reluctantly) blu-ray all the way for me.

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 12 Feb 2008, 21:39

bradavon wrote:
A HD Combo Player with a dead HD-DVD format inside it doesn't lessen it's ability to play tour existing discs or play new Blu-ray discs.

unless it's made by samsung

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Feb 2008, 21:47

I don't think you need to buy a backup just yet. They're still readily available and aren't new models still coming?

I wouldn't support just BD. T2 is a fine example to stick with both!

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 12 Feb 2008, 22:01

bradavon wrote:
I wouldn't support just BD. T2 is a fine example to stick with both!

A top notch BD version cannot be far away.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 12 Feb 2008, 22:36

I'm not so sure, yes eventually but Lionsgate don't seem too bothered. It's going to be a USA BD when it does come. Besides a top notch HD-DVD is coming in March so I don't care.

BD and HD-DVD are like R1 and UK R2 DVDs to me.