Why would anyone buy a standalone blu-ray player?

dontwalkhand said:

I have gone through the picture gallery forums, and other forums on the internet, about AV, such as AVSforums or something like that, and have noticed that some people bought a standalone Blu-Ray Player for MORE THAN THE PRICE of a Playstation 3. Why would anyone spend more money, when a PS3 can do what you need and more?

Just wondering, that's all.

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presumably there are standalone players that are better quality than a PS3.

OP: Do you own a DVD player that is not a PS2?

If the answer if yes, then the question seems a bit odd.

i wouldn't....

Much Ado said:

OP: Do you own a DVD player that is not a PS2?

If the answer if yes, then the question seems a bit odd.

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no the Ps2 hasnt been the cheapest dvd player on the market for sometime....current the only people who should have stand alone blue ray player are people who wanted blue ray before ps3 was out.

zap2 said:

no the Ps2 hasnt been the cheapest dvd player on the market for sometime....current the only people who should have stand alone blue ray player are people who wanted blue ray before ps3 was out.

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or perhaps people who want a better quality player than the one found in the ps3...

Or, shock / horror, they have no need for the other capabilities of a PS3

The PS3 is subsidised, the standalone Bluray players are not. There's one reason it's cheaper.


People may prefer the looks of a standalone player for a stunning AV setup, over a curvy PS3.

Personally, I'd love a PS3, but if I was creating a serious AV room, there'd be no place for it, or any other console, for that matter.

The Blu-Ray quality of the PS3 is supposed to be poor to average (According to 'What Hi-Fi?' so its worth believing). Thats a good reason in its self.

PS3 still doesn't support the lossless HD Audio codecs (True HD / HD MA )

There's also an issue of a popping sound eminating from the PS3 when it changes chapters and a handful of other operations.

It also doesn't have an IR Remote, which is a major PITA with home theatre setups.

It runs hot if you don't give it enough air, and the fans become a distraction to the movie.

There's 4 reasons...

Up until recently, the PS3 was the best Blu-Ray player out there. Every BR player out there has some sort of issues though. There was supposed to be a bunch of new players in time for the Holidays, but a bunch of companies either canceled models or delayed shipping until after the Holidays.

Currently the Samsung BDP-1400 is the current leader because it can support the latest Audio codecs.

Dedicated Player

Same reason that people still buy CD players, they just do a better job.

Still don't like playing CD's on my Sony DVD player, would rather use my (older) Sony CD player - every DVD player i have ever used in almost 10 years of DVD ownership are just annoying "slow" to play/pause/fast forward etc a CD.

pilotError said:

It runs hot if you don't give it enough air, and the fans become a distraction to the movie.

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OH I HATE FANS.....grrr

Every year the new kit i get gets nosier and nosier.

Microsoft 360
Sony RP HD TV
Sony Freeview HDD

Grrrrr

I wouldn't buy a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player until a standard format is chosen. I remember all to well the VHS vs. Betamax fight.

if i ever bought a blu-ray player, it'd be a PS3. and i won't buy one of those until Gran Turimso 5 comes out

I was going to buy a 40 GB PS3 (when they are released) for Blu-Ray movies, but I decided to keep saving up for a future Apple Cinema Display instead.

The only advantage a standalone Blu-Ray player has is an actual remote, in my mind.

audiophiles also like the 5.1 analog output on the back of some standalone players

the PS3 is the absolute worst Blu Ray player. I don't have a blu ray player, but to tout the PS3 as a "great" blu ray player is absurd.

Standalone, because-
It's not some fussy computer that has more chance of breaking. Better audio output options. Hopefully quieter (haven't heard a standalone BlueRay player in a home).

Plus no use for the extra features of a PS3. And the media remote is a bit fugly.