Christmas Bargains: DVD & Blu-Ray Players

swayzak

As a website championing the consumer, I'm a bit surprised that there appears to be this blanket enthusiasm for buying a BR player.

The improved definition (which is it's main raison d'etre) is only really noticeable on large HiDef screens.

I've convinced myself I can see a difference worth paying for on my Panasonic 37", but others think you need 40"+ to really get the benefit.

Conventional DVD would still be fine for anything less than 37".

bat400

swayzak wrote: »

As a website championing the consumer, I'm a bit surprised that there appears to be this blanket enthusiasm for buying a BR player.

The improved definition (which is it's main raison d'etre) is only really noticeable on large HiDef screens.

I've convinced myself I can see a difference worth paying for on my Panasonic 37", but others think you need 40"+ to really get the benefit.

Conventional DVD would still be fine for anything less than 37".

I have some sympathy with your view, but it depends on quite a few factors including eyesight etc. I have a 32" Full HD LCD and I sit about 10 feet away from it. I have the triple-play pack of Ice Age so I set up the DVD via RGB scart off a Sony DVD player and the Blu-Ray via HDMI off a Sony Blu-Ray player. The difference is noticeable, and if someone picks a source at random I can always tell which is which.

I can also pick up differences between DTS and DTS HD Master Audio when played through my home cinema receiver, but I accept that not everyone will - I can pick out FLAC uncompressed audio against 192k MP3 almost every time, but some people don't hear any difference at all.

What is interesting is how close an upscaled DVD player can get to BD quality - I don't know. I just thought that a BD player is not too much more than an upscaling DVD, and you can buy Tesco Basics HDMI cables for a fiver whereas we used to have to worry about gold-plating vacuum-sealed scart nonsense because of analogue connections.

Al

mb1735

I got my £50 multi region DVD from Charlton HMV today as per the MSE deals page. I have plugged it in but yet to input the code to upgrade to multi region. It works fine though.

Thanks MSE's

Mike
:money:

thurleigh5

Debenhams on-line look like they're sold out of Samsungs.

doodledoodle24

thurleigh5 wrote: »

Debenhams on-line look like they're sold out of Samsungs.

I wouldont worry, i bought 1 or these from debenhams, it was broken (out of sync) got it changed for another one, and had the same problem...after looking at some user reviews and speaking to samsung it seems im not the only one to have had this problem.

I have since bought the sony bdp s360 from M&S for the same price and its amazing! http://www.marksandspencer.com/Sony-BDP-S360-Blu-ray-trade-Player/dp/B002F7J692?ie=UTF8&qid=1263223450&categoryNodeID=&ref=sr_1_1&page=&node=42966030&sr=1-1&mnSBrand=core&rh= it also won bluray or the year for 2009 with what high fi sound and vision

Mr.Mulla

[FONT=&quot]A look at standalone Blu-ray players and recorders, Blu-ray PC drives, and the combo Blu-ray/HD-DVD devices available from Korean electronics company LG.[/FONT]

thurleigh5

Debenhams' Samsungs back in stock, after a few days with none available.
I went to Oxford Street store last evening and there weren't any on display. Nor did there appear to be much economic activity going on. Thought it's worth one last try on line.

boybeck

Wow, the Sony BDPS360 Blu Ray player is now down to £79.99 at Amazon. That's the cheapest I've ever seen it. Just bagged one. :j

onebitrocket

I'd been watching amazon for the deal on the sony BDP-S360

The price has fluctuated quite alot.

I managed to get the player for £80 when it was at it's lowest price on the 16th jan

It has now gone up to £129 on the 18th jan.

Certainly one to keep an eye on though.

If you're looking for a compatible surround sound kit the sony HT-SS360 would be a perfect companion to this player.

rosenthalaaron

I've found a multi-region DVD player for £15.32 on eBuyer - has anyone seen a new player cheaper than that?