Blue Ray: Is it worth it?
 

I'm buying a new TV and DVD player in the next couple weeks and thought maybe I should get a blue-ray player. I'll probably still watch more DVDs than blue-ray discs. Also the players seem pretty pricey. Buy blue-ray or just get a good DVD player?

no it is not.

unless you play video games. then get a ps3.

I have a PS3 that I have yet to play a game on. Bluray Discs look awesome though. I have a 40" Samsung 1080p set. If you buy from Bestbuy, they had a promotion when I bought my set last summer for $100 off the purchase of a bluray player (including the PS3) with purchase of a TV over $1000. They also gave you 3 free movies (50 First Dates, Night at the Museum, and Invincible were in the pack that I got). It was a good deal at the time, and I feel it was worth it.

My cousin says its totally worth it. He was even saying that regular dvds even look better thru the blue ray player. I did have to update his firmware though on it to make it play one movie. But that was easy.

I say no. I saw a spot on tv and they were sayin that we should expect movies to start coming on SD style memory cards within the next couple of years, so Im waiting for that. DVD's take up to much space and the Blue rays are pricey. Im much happier downloading all my movies for free.
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That's really my main concern. It doesn't seem like blue-ray is really taking off and I'd be bummed if it was replaced by another format in the near future. What about up-converting DVD players? Is that a gimmic or a good feature to have?

Up-converting DVD players do actually work really well. I dont really use it but I do have one. I play my movies off of my pc. Id say get one of those and call it a day. You should atleast have a way to play the movies you have now.
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I have the PS3 as well. I love the Bluray. It also functions as an upconverting DVD player as well, but I have not noticed any better quality watching regular DVDs. (42" 720p Panasonic).

DVD players are getting cheap enough that if you are buying a new one anyway, you may as well go for the upconverting, and try it for yourself.

Chuck

If you have to buy a player anyway, then yes I would absolutely get a BR player. The media is really coming down in price and it looks and sounds so much nicer than a dvd if you have the correct supporting equipment.

i think hard media of most types will be rendered pretty obsolete as more and more movies are offered online and streamed to your TV.

case in point: netflix for $8.99 a month gets you unlimited streaming movies. granted it doesn't include all the newest releases, but just you wait. and yes, some are in HD.

Useless unless you have a 1080p television... and the difference between 1080i and 1080p isn't THAT spectacular. Nothing like between 480i and 1080i.

Well I'm trying to talk the women into a Samsung 40a650 LCD. But I'll have to think on the blue-ray some more. It may be more worth my money to get surround sound, etc.

I highly recommend getting a PS3. With the proper audio equipment and TV, the difference is outstanding. If Blu-Ray ever goes out of fashion, you can stream Netflix to the PS3!

+1.

Only if you have the TV to support it.

If above 42" and 1080i or 1080p, go for it. Blu Ray really is amazing.

Imho they say streaming is the future though.

Yes you want it, and you want a player that support Profile 2.0 or something like that.
I would get a PS3, same money as a good dvd player and updates to accept new blue ray standards. The new samsung players, which are my favorite btw, also support updating via the internet. They do it on their own too, just plug it into your network for 5 min and it does it on its own.

As someone mentioned make sure you have a TV that does 1080P.

btw, PS3 browser (with updates) will let you get crazy on youtube. pretty badass.

Just don't try posting information about your coolant reroute using your PS3 ;)

PS3 here too, but I don't have any BR titles. :(