While we still think the Sony Playstation 3 offers one of the best Blu-ray players around (plus you get the added bonus of rad game playing) there are those who don't really care enough about gaming to spend the cash on one. So, are all Blu-ray players built the same. Digital Trends informs us that they aren't and there are a few specs you won't want to overlook when shopping.
In their comprehensive breakdown of what to look for in a Blu-ray player, Digital Trends makes some great points for stuff to look for before you commit to buy. Here are a few we found especially informative and helpful.
While all Blu-ray players hold the same basic guts, some improve digital performance through proprietary technology. While some are just gimmicks, some upgrades do make a difference. Read reviews to find out which are worth the extra cost and which are for cinephiles only.
In the past, there were two Blu-ray profiles -- 1.1 and 2.0. The former won't let you take advantage of extra features, such as additional content streamed via the web, that are available on Blu-ray 2.0 discs. While all new players are now 2.0 compatible, there are still 1.1 players on store shelves. Check out a player's specs to make sure it supports BD-Live before buying.
While Blu-ray players can play DVDs, CDs, and obviously Blu-ray discs, not all can play other formats such as DivX rips or stream media content from sites like Netflix or Hulu. If you want these added features in your player, make sure to check the model's spec sheet. Digital Trends reports that DivX, Roxio's CinemaNow, Pandora, and Netflix all list what players are compatible with their tech on their respective Web sites.
Lastly, Digital Trends warns us of one seldom talked about compatibility issues -- CEC, or Consumer Electronics Control.
This rarely-discussed standard allows the remote for one piece of equipment -- like your TV -- to control another piece of equipment -- like your Blu-ray player -- via the HDMI connection between them. Unfortunately, every manufacturer has its own name for the same technology (Samsung Anynet, Sony Bravia Sync, Panasonic Viera Link, etc.) and most of them aren’t compatible with one another. Check your HDTV to see if it offers CEC and consider buying a Blu-ray player of the same brand if it does.
Check out Digital Trends' full tutorial on their site.
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Comments (8)
Here is a tip on buying BR: Don't buy one. The technology is already outdated. Purchase movies as files. This is why Macs dont support BR.
That's a bad suggestion.
Bitrates on downloaded HD content are much lower than Blu-ray versions. Where's the extra content on downloaded movies?
Macs don't support Blu-ray because Apple's trying to push their own biz model. Period.
I have to agree with kais. I think there's a market for downloads and there's a market for Blu-Ray. There are just some movies you want to see and hear at their best and digital downloads just can't offer that right now.
In Dec., I bought an Insignia (Best Buy's brand) blu ray player that streams Netflix movies. It was on sale from $179.00 to $99.00 and I had a $50.00 BB gift card, so it was kind of a no brainer. I wasn't that excited about blu ray, I was into the Netflix streaming. Blu ray is really a step up with newer movies. UP and District 9 were amazingly sharp/crisp and the audio is really amazing (we have a basic surround sound set up). The Netflix streaming is the best part. We hadn't watched LOST and decided to start from season 1, since all 5 seasons are available. We have gotten our money's worth 10 fold! 60 episodes done and no waiting for a DVD in the mail.
Apple doesn't support BR because Sony requires a hefty licensing fee and Uncle Steve refuses to pay.
Macs don't offer Blu Ray because Steve Jobs doesn't think Blu Ray has quite hit 'prime time' so to speak. So it's not that Blu Ray is obsolete ... if anything, in the eyes of Apple, it's so new that it's unproven (in the eyes of everyone else, it's the newest HD video disc standard).
And besides, I can't watch iTunes movies on my television unless I hook the TV to a computer, something I'm not interested in doing.
Yeah, I can stream my 1080HD files to my TV,
but nothing beats the experience of the BR player.
subs, languages, interaction, art, etc etc etc.
Scoot, you can watch iTunes movies on your television via an Apple TV. (You can also output HD video from an iPod via the video dock, although the Apple TV offers more TV-specific features.) The movies are in HD and encoded in 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Kais, many of these movies now include the extras and an interactive splash screen identical to what you'd find on a Blu-Ray disc.
I strongly suspect that those saying streaming video can't compete with Blu-Ray haven't recently seen streaming video from a provider like Apple or Netflix. On my 42" LED Samsung and very high-end sound system, the Apple TV performs indistinguishably with my Blu-Ray player.
I don't mean to suggest Blu-Ray is irrelevant for all purposes. It's very possible that someone with a TV larger than mine might see a difference. But Blu-Ray is not necessarily the clear or only choice for quality-minded viewers.