BD player recommendations

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › BD player recommendations

cyril7

9073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2499

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#69545 10-Oct-2010 22:06

Hi, I have for a long time held off getting a BD player, but now is the time, and more importantly the CFO who normally rejects all communication on such frivolous spending has ok'd it, but the budget is around the $300-350 mark and if it can be done with the masses of flybuys we have all the better.

Things I want, obviously all the normal BD playing ability, but most importantly online ability, so a wired ethernet port (wireless is on no interest) youtube access is good, and DLNA would be good, but preferably a clean ability to connect to SMB shares on my home NAS.

My shortlist would be Pana 65, Sony 370 and Sammy C5500. comments on the replay reliabiltiy (mainly thinking laser pickup reliablity to play any condition disc here) and network flexibility in particual youtube and SMB share ability is the primary focus for me, from reading specs and manuals of each all three do much the same for all the basic features, so how do they compare on the above.

Cheers in advance

Cyril

1 | 2 | 3

532 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 28

#391132 12-Oct-2010 23:45

I recently got a Sony 370 Cyril. I can't add much as we don't have it online as no ethernet port nearby in the room (firmware updates can be downloaded from Sony NZ with PC onto CD and run in the player). But at least what I can will keep your thread alive.

Works fine with BD/DVD/Audio CD/AVI/DivX and as is pretty usual seems to be multiregion DVD out of the box.

Only possible gremlin I have found is the 2 or 3 shrunk DVD movie copies I have tried all started ok but part way through returned to the movie's menu and impossible to navigate out of that menu. They run fine on a DVD player though. Don't know if relevant but these were probably all DVDShrink ones.

I believe I live in the same area as you, so can add that local HN sold it to me for considerably less than your lower budget figure but that was with quite a bit of audio stuff I bought at the same time.

cyril7

9073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2499

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#391162 13-Oct-2010 08:01

Thanks John, was beginning to feel left out (sob), but thanks for taking the time.

I think the 370 is where I am heading after looking at various reviews. It would seem none other than the LG's will stream off SMB shares so I will need to provide DLNA service.

I would probably go the Sammy way except for a previous bad experience with Sammy DVD drives just not cutting the mustard on even good condition discs, and it would appear that the Sammy has very dodgy DLNA support.

Cyril

grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 159

#391487 13-Oct-2010 19:28

I am enjoying using the BDP-S370 + USB WiFi. As I type we are listening to music on it via DLNA. :-)

cyril7

9073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2499

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#391488 13-Oct-2010 19:29

Cool, I think its the go, pity flybuys dont currently list it

Cheers
Cyril

alisam

878 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 83

#393344 18-Oct-2010 21:28

cyril7: Cool, I think its the go, pity flybuys dont currently list it

Cheers
Cyril

Have you purchased it or still thinking?

PC: Dell Inspiron 16 5640 (Windows 11 Home), Dell Inspiron 7591 2n1 (Windows 11 Pro), HP ProBook 470G1 (Windows 10 Pro), Intel NUC7I5BNH (Zorin)
Net: Grandstream 1 x GWN7062 Router, 1 x GWN7665 Access Point
Storage: Synology DS216play NAS, 2 x 6TB
Media: 3 x Amazon FireTV. Echo, Dot, Spot
TV: 2 x Samsung H6400 55" LED TV, Panasonic TH-P50G10Z 50" Plasma TV
Mobile: Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
Wearable: Gear S3 Frontier

cyril7

9073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2499

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#393424 19-Oct-2010 06:45

Hi, was waiting till this weekend, but unless you have something in mind it will most likely be the 370

Cyril

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

alisam

878 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 83

#393724 19-Oct-2010 18:30

No nothing in mind.
I am still trying to make my mind up about buying a BD player, and I wanted see which way you would go.

cyril7

9073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2499

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#393740 19-Oct-2010 19:22

Well, conclusion I have come to is that all the players have issues, none can happily act as a media client (for no reason other than bad firmware unless you run a DLNA server which is ok). Samsung seems to have issues with playing ball with a good variety of DLNA servers, plus past bad laser performance with Sammy709 DVDs want me to steer clear.

This leaves the sony370 and the pana65, both do Youtube other than thats its a mixed bag. Both will do DLNA so thats good. Both seem to have a good BD compatibility (compared to LG and Sammy) with all discs out there, and for me the clincher is the Sony has RCA coax SPDIF which is not a ball breaker but much more convenient for what setup I have.

And yes well aware that with SPDIF I am limited to core DD/DTS rather than the extended versions BD offers, but to be honest that is not an issue for me.

I think sometime down the track along with whatever BD player I will need a media client that lets me take stuff offline, contenders are WD HD media player or maybe even the new AppleTV, currently a lot of our stuff comes off itunes, so maybe appleTV is a good way to go and only $170.

Anyway just to say whatever BD player I go for its my 49th birthday gift, so thats that real sad side, Im an old bugger, but thats life :)

Cyril

alisam

878 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 83

#393795 19-Oct-2010 21:12

I think sometime down the track along with whatever BD player I will need a media client that lets me take stuff offline, contenders are WD HD media player or maybe even the new AppleTV, currently a lot of our stuff comes off itunes, so maybe appleTV is a good way to go and only $170.
Cyril

I use a PlayonHD Mini (no internal hardisk, like the appleTV) with a 640gb 2.5" USB Drive. The rest of the movies are streamed wirelessly ('g') from a NAS box. In conjunction I use YAMFOE and YAMJ. It's not perfect by any means. I think (the latest?) NZ PC World gave the PlayonHD Mini a good write up and from what comments I have seen, some people prefer it to the WD Media Player.

robjg63

4161 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1425

Subscriber

#393800 19-Oct-2010 21:43

I have got a playon HD mini as well - stream movies/audio whatever from my PCs (via wifi).

It seems to play anything I have chucked at it - and up scales well. They seem a bit slow on firmware releases at the moment though - the interface is a bit plain - but works well enough. If you have an Ethernet port near your TV they are quite cheap - the USB wifi is an extra and the box without it is pretty cheap.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

chiefie

I iz your trusted friend
5877 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 151

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#393801 19-Oct-2010 21:44

What about PS3 as BD Player with great DLNA. And with 3.50 firmware, it is also BluRay 3D supported. (And not to forget all the PS3 games you have access to)

Internet is my backyard...

«Geekzone blog: Tech 'n Chips Takeaway» «Personal blog: And then...»

Please read the Geekzone's FUG

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

cyril7

9073 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2499

ID Verified

Trusted

Subscriber

#393848 20-Oct-2010 07:43

Hi Thanks guys, I will checkout the playon some more, looks the go.

Chiefie, only thing about the PS3 is cost, otherwise yes you are probably right.

Cyril

chiefie

I iz your trusted friend
5877 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 151

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#393858 20-Oct-2010 08:58

PS3 isn't as much expensive when you look at the mid-high range of today's BD players, especially when you compared to the BD 3D Players out there... Honestly, it is a much better choice.

Internet is my backyard...

«Geekzone blog: Tech 'n Chips Takeaway» «Personal blog: And then...»

Please read the Geekzone's FUG

wreck90

780 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

#393861 20-Oct-2010 09:01

Looked at the Sony 370 bluray, but, DLNA support is not well documented -the official specs seem to indicate significant limitations on streaming formats. Sony Movies/Music are intent on hobbling sony hardware. I thought Sony had moved past this problem but obviously not.

So, I'd rather buy a bluray player for it's bluray capabilities, and get an apple tv for streaming. Apple TV is so tiny you will not even see it. And, surely the apple tv GUI is best of breed .

ToPGuNZ

Topgunz
399 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 142

Lifetime subscriber

#393862 20-Oct-2010 09:02

Hi Cyril

Dick Smiths is advertising the 370 for $249, online and today only so likely to be plus delivery.

Just in case that is a good price and you were interested. http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/en/product/GH7125

1 | 2 | 3