I never owned a DVD player, except on my laptop & feel
I am ready to own one. Which one in your opinion
gives the highest performance? Can Canada DVD players
work in the U.S.?

Here is what I narrowed my choices down to:

1. Pioneer Upconverting HDMI DVD Player With 1080P and
DivX (DV-400V-K)Regular Price:$129.99 On Sale:
$119.99:Best Buy


2. Sony 1080p HDMI DVD Player (DVPNS78H)Regular Price:
$129.99 On Sale: $119.99:Best Buy

3. Panasonic Upconversion DVD Player Model #: PAN
DVDS97S Reg: $299.99 You pay: $249.99: J& R


4. Plays any Blu-Ray or HD DVD, even upconverts standard
DVD to 1080p!! Samsung BD-UP5000 Blu-ray and HD DVD Player
Price: $799.99;Circuit City

I'd go with option #1 or 2. Don't bother with HDDVD or BR. They're both dead-ends and offer no real improvement over the DVD format, IMHO.

...I hate when people say stupid Blot about things they have little knowledge of.

Right now, it's too soon to tell if Blu-Ray or HD-DVD will win the format "war". If you're afraid of buying a piece of hardware that will be useless a few years from now, wait. Nobody but HD-DVD-Blu-Ray fanboys will blame you.

I'd go with options #1 or 2 - they're pretty equally matched, I think.

While I haven't used the Samsung model you list, my experience with other HD/Blu-ray combo players is that they don't play either format properly: you'll get the movie just fine but navigating your menus and bonus content on either format suffers, and some options won't be accessible at all.

I've actually got that Sony. It's hooked up via HDMI to my 42" LCD, and its fantastic. DVDs look great, especially newer things like "The Sopranos" and "Friday Night Lights." And things made in the digital realm, like "Episode III" look freakin' awesome. And "Transformers" looked pretty good too...

And yeah, Canadian DVD players will work in the US.

I wouldn't sweat BluRay or HD-DVD right now, gonna be awhile until one is punked and the other is the new accepted format (c'mon HD-DVD!). Just make sure if you get an upconvert DVD player that you have the HDMI input on your TV set. Otherwise, the Upconvert feature is useless. If you have an older set, or one without an HDMI input, you're better off paying $50 less for a standard DVD player.

Was also considering PS3 60GB b/c it plays also plays all PS2 & PS1 games & has 4USB ports...anyone know if it has HDMI 1.3?

That is the newest connection for HD.

Hell, the PS3 was one of the first, if not THE first devices to launch with HDMI 1.3.

Careful there, that "plays all PS2 & PS1 games" thing is a bit of a fallacy. It's my understanding that the new 40 gig PS3's do not play PS2 games AT ALL, so be careful what you buy if you go that route.

He did say 60gig. I wonder how many upset people there were this christmas when they got their 40gig PS3 and couldn't play their PS2 games? However I did here that for backward compatibility Sony was going to do it through a download.

Me I want the 80gig but I'm waiting till they start shipping with the new controller (with rumble).

My bad, I missed the 60 gig bit. I see that many abbreviations in one sentence and I kind of go cross-eyed. But yeah, if you're going to get a PS3 60 or 80 gigs is def the way to go.

I'd say go with the Pioneer DVD Player. I've had trouble with the drives going out on Sony players in the past, never had any problems with anything from Pioneer though.

I say go with the sony player. i have 3 sony players in my house and one of them is from 1999 and still plays like brand new. my current player hooked to my tv in my bedroom is a toshiba A2-HD HD-DVD player that i got for less than a 100 bucks. the only downside to that player is it only goes up to 1080i instead of p. but from what i read that unless you get a tv bigger than 40" you cannot really tell a dvd playing in I or P . my tv in my room will be a 32-36" .

I don't see the point of the 80 GB PS3, when you can upgrade the Hard Drive yourself, & since it doesn't play all PS2 games. How good of an upconverter is the PS3?

I vote for the Sony. Upconvert is crap. If you want to play HD-DVD or Bluray, get a PS3 of 360.

The 360 needs an add-on to play HD-DVDs.

The only thing is the PS3 is so big, heavy & gets too hot. I wish they would make a smaller lighter version. Does anyone know how well it upconverts standard dvds?

Is it bigger than the PS2?

ok, so I take it your not just looking to buy some generic out of box dvd player, right. because if that's the case, it doesn't even matter what kind you get, because at that level there all pretty much the same.
but as for the question of Blue-Ray vs HD-DVD, the answer is simple. Blue-Ray is unquestionably the superior product. & that's not my opion talking, that's fact. when I 1st heard of blue-ray I was like "bule what???". so I did some diging & found out about the facts conserning the two different formats.
its been a while sence I've read the specs on these these players so i'll speak in general terms. ok here's what I learned: standared dvd operates w/a red laser that has a light wave leanth of about 1200 or so.
HD-DVD also uses a red laser but operates at a much shorter wave leanth frequancy, about 604 or so. which means much more data can be compressed & stored & then re-converted back to make the HD pic its so famous for.
ok, now Blue-Ray uses a blue laser (ergo the name "blue-ray"), & operates at an even shorted wave leanth frequency, about 402. which basicly means it does what the HD-dvd does, just way way better. also the article said something about the color of the blue "LASER" (hehehe, just then I felt like Dr. Evil from Austin Powers, hehe), also contributing to make a more supeior pictuer.
so there you have it good sicence. oh by the way if memory serves me corect I found the info over at blueray.com

http://www.cdfreaks.com/reviews/Blu-ray-vs_-HD-DVD

In short, you are teh wrongs about the laser.

DON'T BUY SONY! They are a b!tch to region hack! (very important if you want to watch DVDs from other regions, like the official Japanese G1 DVDs which are available from Metrodome (UK Region 2) or Madman (Australia Region 4) - I recommend the Metrodome set).

I recently bought a Sony and I've repeatedly tried to Google for a region hack code for the remote control but haven't been able to find anything and from what everyone is telling me and from what I'm reading from Google, Sonys seem to be a nightmare to region hack.

So I'm going to bring it back to the store today and exchange it for another DVD player... currently tossing up between Pioneer, Toshiba, Philips or TEAC (apparently the cheaper brands are much easier to region hack).

I think I'll get the PS3 60GB, I was told it is one of the best Blu-Ray players on the market. I just wisht it wasn't so big. I really like the SONY XBR4.



Region 2 players can be bought dirt cheap:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=120205090664

I think you are wrong about this device having HDMI 1.3

Galvatron 1: I need region 0. My Japanese DVDs are Region 3 and all my other normal Australian DVDs are region 4. I need region 0 which can play all regions.

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/06/23/playstat...pport-hdmi-1-3/

I watched an upconverted Star Wars DVD on my friend's PS3/HDTV, then watched a Blu-Ray of the 300 and couldn't tell any difference in the film quality. Would someone with sharper eyes care to explain what I'm missing?

well you can ride the fence all you like, but I'm certin blue-ray is gonna mop the floor w/hd-dvd. the specs speak for them self. your own link proved me right.

Why go 60 when you can get the 80gig unit, game and extra controller for the same price? Both are currently $499.99 unless they dropped the price of the 60gig by $50.

you know what. while I was thinking, I started to wonder about a 3rd possiable ending to the whole "blue ray vs hd dvd" war. if this war rages on for much longer, or the longer & longer is goes on, the more it becomes possible a 3rd more advanced format that'll put both to shame could come along.
the problem IMO, is that even tho they might not admit it, there are still a lot of tech fans out there who chose the wrong format WAY BACK in the late 70ies when beta vs vhs was just getting kicked off.
& then of corse later in the 90ies laser dis vs dvd came along (we all know how that turned out). & let's face it! thoes laser dis players were by no means cheap! I'm more than sure there are people out there who still got the bitter taste of betrayel in their mouths from the out come.
so now in the latest of the format wars consumers (especialy in these f*cked up financial times), don't have the loot to bolw on a gamble like this. & remember its not just the player. imagin haveing bought thousands in blue ray or hd dvd only to later start hearing sales people saying things like "im sorry, but we don't carry that format any more". or "that title is'nt available in that format only this format".
so like I say, if a winner doesn't emerge soon, don't be surprised if a 3rd & unexpected victor crosses the finish lane leaveing the other two behind still dukeing it out on the race way after long after the crowds have gone home (preferable w/the new tech)!!!

Depends on the quality of the HDTV. A higher end one you'd easily be able to tell the difference.

...All I said was you're wrong about the laser. I said NOTHING about which one is better. Hell, I think Blu-Ray is better too.

I'd stick with a $25 walmart DVD player till the war for HD DVD vs. Blu Ray is over.

I'd at least make certain to get a DVD player better than that. Most of the Wal-Mart specials don't support DTS, and a lot don't support burned DVDs(Not an issue for me, but is for a whole lot of people.).

Its hit or mis on which model will play burns, my kids never get their grubby disc scratching mits on original DVDs if I can help it because any disc that goes in their rooms inevitably gets so scratched it can't be used without skipping or getting stuck.

did any of you guyz get a chance to read the news boards? apparently my lil prediction is making an attempt at comeing true, just call me Ms. Cleo (late night U.S. info-comericial joke).
basicly they were talking about Michel Bay believeing Microsoft is part of a conspiracy to get blue ray & hd dvd dead-locked in to a no win war, all the while Mircosoft is devloping a new DL tech to offer consumers a 3rd alternative.
in other words, its just as I predicted.

Just to put my 2pence worth in, I bought a toshiba HD DVD player this week at a very good discount, with an offer to get 5 free films. I watched a few upscaled dvds on it, and was impressed, although some dark scenes were a bit grainy (before the fanboys jump down my throat, the ps3 suffers from this on it's upscaling too!). I got my HD copy of Transformers through today, and it is just amazing. Very clear, and a huge jump up from the normal version, IMO. As for the BR/HDDVD war, if BR wins, I still have a good upscaling player at a decent price. Have a look at the Toshiba "A" range of players. They are at a decent price (from about $200), have upgradeable firmware, and 1080p upscaling. The only gripe I have so far is the s-l-o-w power up time.

That could just be a rumor. I have not seen HDMI 1.3 listed as an output specification from any authorized sony dealer for the PS3. It seems to be HDMI.

I just bought a Dell 24" HD Monitor last night, its sick!!! 1920x1200 Native Resolution!! Unfortunately it has no HDMI, only DVI-D, and I kind of got my eye on this new 3rd generation panasonic HDMI 1.3B Blu-Ray Player:

Panasonic DMP-BD30

Do all PS3 60BG have the "Emotion Chip" built in?

Nope, just the older (think launch-era) models. The newer ones sport inferior software-based emulation. I'm not sure how to tell them apart, so it's probably going to be a crapshoot.

...Again, you speak without knowing what you're talking about.

All US 60 GB PS3s have the Emotion Engine chip in them. It's the 80 GB models that do not. They have the GS chip, however. The 40 GB models are missing all PS2 backwards compatibility parts/software.

Galvatron, re-read that link. That was a direct confirmation from Sony. Regardless, here's two links: http://gear.ign.com/articles/715/715311p1.html http://reviews.cnet.com/consoles/sony-play...7-31355103.html

My mistake. They did include the Emotion Engine, but they're no longer in production. In any case you're still going to have to find an older model if you want to go 60 gig. What else did I get wrong?

Nothing.

Sorry about my acting like a dick. I always get pissed off when I see people saying things about tech-related stuff that isbn't true... I should do better.

It's my bad. I used to be a video game fanatic, but I've had a hard time keeping up since MS and Sony started churning out the multiple SKU's with different components and features. I could tell you exactly how to hook up a 32X, though (hint: it's harder than one would assume)

My dad bought one of those for our Genesis... Never saw how it hooked up.

BTW, I don't know if anybody remembers this, but one of the advertising points was it couldn't be disconnected.

Well WB is going BR exclusive soon: http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/04/warner-...-ray-exclusive/

Now if Paramount would wake the f'ck up and get on board.

WB titles are 40% of the entire HD market, and now 75% of the studios are with Blu-ray. HD-DVD will be dead by the end of the year, and Paramount will be putting out Blu-ray as soon as the timeline of their 18 month deal is up.

HD-DVD is dead, long live Blu-ray!

I wouldn't say end of this year... WB titles are going to be released until May, and I imagine they'll keep printing already made ones until they get Blu-Ray versions out the door.

It'll last until some time next year. How long, I dunno...

It will be dead for all intents and purposes. While Microsoft and the other companies invested in HD may not call it quits this year, before 2008 ends HD supporters will know what a TFan felt like when trying to find the Titanium G1 Ultra Magnus in that month or two before Hasbro officially announced the cancellation of the line.

The point is, Blu-ray has won.

The real reason why Warner went blu?



Boy I was sooo tempted to buy one of those xbox360 HD-DVD drives when they dropped to $130 but I'm glad I decided not to. As soon as I get enough scratch together, here I come PS3.

I'm shocked that the superior format might actually win out for once.

New Line confirms Blu-ray exclusivity

Wonder how long till Paramount starts feeling stupid?

I decided to get the PS3 40gb w/ Spiderman 3 in the box & 5 mail-in Blu-Rays that I'll get in 10 weeks from Best Buy @ $399.99. Does anyone know if Sony is planning a price drop anytime soon?