Ok, I have a HDDVD player and now that it is obsolete I now need to convince the love of my life that we need to spend $400 on another DVD player. Now.....should I spend it on a standalone or buy the PS3 gaming system ( already have the 360 and Wii ). Are there any real differences between the the Blu-ray playing specs?
It seems that if all things all equal, wouldn't having the gaming console be a plus?
My apologies if this was brought up before...I did a search and didn't see it.

 

Article in latest Home Theater stated that you were silly to buy a standalone BR player when the PS3 was cheaper and offered you the gaming option to boot.

 

Not sure if there are any BR 2.0 players out now...but if not, the PS3 would be the smartest if for nothing more then firmware upgradability.

 

The only disadvantage to ps3 vs. standalone is the lack of an infrared port, but that can be remedied with a usb infrared adapter. Also, I don't know if this still stands true, but when bluray first came out, ps3s had much quicker load times for movies than standalone players.

 

I think the only disadvantage to the PS3 is that you can't bitstream TrueHD and DTS-HD. You just watch them as PCM. It's still uncompressed audio so it's no biggie but you need a receiver that accepts HDMI through video AND audio to even hear this. If you have no idea what I'm talking about then avsforum.com will clarify and this one small thing won't be much of a factor in your decision.

 

The PS3 is obviously the most flexible route. That said, I just spent a solid 2-3 weeks researching BDPs and receivers. The PS3 was the only player mentioned as having problems in any of the receiver threads I read through on AVS.

As Doom78 mentioned, be aware that at it's current firmware level, the PS3 cannot bitstream any of the high def audio formats. It decodes them all internally and sends them as LPCM. Technically speaking, this should make next to zero difference in most people's setups. You'll never see "TrueHD" or "Master Audio" displayed on your receiver though.

Ultimately, I chose to go with a standalone player (Panny BD30) mostly beacuse I didn't want a game console more so than any potential problems I might face. And yes, I knew the BDLive players (2.0) are right around the corner. After looking at the additional cost and what it would get me, I decided that a profile 2.0 player wasn't worth it.

 

Sony BDP-S350 FTW, less than $400 and it is 2.0 and offers BD-Live, I am waiting until september when the S550 comes out....

 

What's the problem there? It's bluetooth!

(Oddly enough I always aim my PS3 BR remote at it even though I don't need to)

Get the PS3! I got mine @ Christmas from *coughwalmart* for $499.. but it came with 15 movies so avg br movie = $30; roughly $450 in free movies!

 

He means if you want to have just one remote for all the electronics. You have to get an IR adapter plugged into the USB because no other remote outside of Sony's uses Bluetooth. I have the BT remote as well but it's sort of a pain to have to use it everytime my daughter wants to watch Go Diego Go!.

 

Exactly. I love my Harmony remote, and would rather use it over any remote that comes with my components.

 

The only downsides to the PS3 are: Bluetooth remote, which means universals are out unless you go with a clunk aftermarket solution, and the fan when it gets hot (it's kind of loud). Other than that, the PS3, IMO, is the best option out there.

 

I would go PS3 all the way. That was the main reason I got mine.

I think there is an adaptor the plugs in to allow you to use a typical IR type remote like the Harmony.

As for the over heating issue....unless you keep in fully enclosed, it should not be a problem. My fans only got louder when it was shut in my cabinet. Once it's opened, I have never had a problem.

For the gaming option, online capability and storage and media sharing features as well as the fact that I got a $100 gift card when I got mine for $399, it was a no-brainer for me.

 

I think the IR PS3 remote the Blu Wave is a reliable remote to use. Just toss the remote and use your universal with its sensor.

 

the PS3 remote works pretty good, costs $25 though

 

Yeah I like my PS3 remote. Only reason I got it was that Amazon had a sale for like $15 or $20 shipped. I already have a universal with my Comcast remote but it's not as customizable as a Logitech that is on sale for like $50 now. Had I known, I would've waited.

 

i also bought my ps3 mostly for movies, but i've been gaming more than watching movies.

 

I bought it thinking I would play games, but I hardly play games on it. I mostly game on my PC.