Wanted: Blueray player that boots fast and AVCHD via SDHC cards

[Ge0]

I'd like to purchase my first blue ray player this fall. Looking for something that:

1.) Boots up quick and plays movies fast once the disc is loaded. Under 30 seconds for the combo would be nice.
2.) Gives me the ability to pop in my SDHC cards and view high def home video shot on my cannon.
3.) Excellent (but not necesarily perfect) video quality
4.) Does DVD upconversion well.
5.) Has built in decoder for the newest audio compression schemes and has a 6 channel analog ouput.
6.) Some feature like Pandora access would be groovy but not a show stopper.

Will be paired with an older Yamaha Dolby Digital RX-V995 receiver and a Pioneer 50" 1080i plasma display. Currently have a cheap Panasonic DVD player with HDMI output performing disc duties. Its video quality is OK, but takes roughly a full minute to boot and start playing a movie.

I read about a decent Panasonic BR player in last months Sound and Vision. However, time to start up and play a movie seemed a little on the high side. Is this normal or abnormal? Do I need to live with this?

Opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

Ge0

[mechman]

Playstation3? Unsure about 2, 5 and 6 though.

[Ge0]

27,000 people have viewed this thread yet only one has an opinion?

Thanks Mechman. Was considering the PS-3 route but I get sucked into gaming too easy. I'd waste half my life doing that....

Ge0

[tonyvdb]

I think you will find that almost all new BluRay players have the ability to do the items in the list above. Just dont go with the no name brands and you will be fine.

[Ge0]

tonyvdb wrote:

I think you will find that almost all new BluRay players have the ability to do the items in the list above. Just dont go with the no name brands and you will be fine.

That's what I thought at first. But, like always, players have a few of the desired options but not all. There is always a compromise. All options certainly exist on the gambit of players I have read articles about. However, every player has some show stopper. If they could standardize certain feature sets that would be great.

Starting to think that I should simply upgrade my HTPC for Blueray duties. This would require more $$$ in hardware than I could buy a dedicated player for but may be the better solution in the long run. The PC inherently covers a number of my requirements. The only severe non-conformance being boot time and movie load time. It is a Media Center PC after all...

The other downside to the HTPC is that my wife and kids are affraid of using it. Thus the search for a simple solution.

Thank you for taking the time to read and write!!!

Ge0

[recruit]

Yes a HTPC covers nearly all of your requirements, and the ability to play all formats is not an issue, even if you still own HD-DVD's by getting one of the LG drives installed, and now with the latest ATI cards, bitstream the HD audio codecs are possible under the single card solution...HDMI

With regards to a dedicated BD player the Oppo 83 covers nearly all of your questions raised bar number 2 and 6

[Lordoftherings]

Here's three very nice blu-ray players in no particular order:

* Oppo BDP-83 ($499 USA, no deal, it's already an amazing deal). --> This one also plays SACD, DVD Audio & HDCD discs. The VP (Video Processor) is by Anchor Bay, the ABT2010, excellent Video Processor chip (same video processing solution that's in DVDO's Edge processor that cost $700). The Audio Dacs are By Cirrus Logic; a single 8-Channel Dac for the multichannel analog output (CS4382A), and a dual channel Dac for the 2-Channel Stereo output (CS4398). It also has two USB ports (one in the front, and one in the rear). The BDP-83 can play a wide range of media files from the USB drive, including AVCHD and MKV files recorded onto discs or USB media. Oppo does offer a wireless system that you can purchase separately for $80. It's preconfigured for the player and creates a wireless bridge with your home router if you'd rather forgo the hard-wired Ethernet route. The player comes with the "Spears & Munsil High Definition Benchmark" Blu-ray Disc (included for free).
It has a Source Direct mode, that bypasses all the player's video processing, if you so wish. It is quick to load & navigate. It is a very reliable player, and is fully supported by the excellent customer service from Oppo (firmware updates, etc.).'The BDP-83 is a reference video and audio transport regardless of the format you throw at it.'
'And it's truly the most complete package of a Blu-ray player.'
* http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-83/blu-ray-BDP-83-Review.aspx

* Panasonic DMP-BD80 (good street price, below $249 USA). --> This one has an SD card slot for AVCHD and JPEG Images. The new Uniphier Processor combines Digital Audio & Video processing. And with P4HD (for Pixel Precision Progressive Processing). Also has the new PHL Reference Chroma Processor (Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory). And new AVCHD playback on SD and DVD media. And you can even have Transitions and Music with your Slide Show. The Audio Dac is by Texas Instruments; the Burr-Brown, B-B PCM-1681, a single 8-Channel D/A Convertor (DAC). It also utilises good quality capacitors by Enna & Rubycon. Good loading time & navigation.

* Samsung BD-P2550 (good street price, below $199 USA). --> This one has Pandora personalized Internet radio. It has the great HQV Reon-VX SXVX-50 Silicon Optix VP (Video Processor). The Audio Dac is the ESS Sabre32 Premier, a single 8-Channel Dac (ESS9006), great Dac. It also has Netflix HD movie streaming. And it plays AVCHD discs. Loads quite fast too.

))) Anyone of these three would do you good in your particular situation. But the Panny DMP-BD80 scores more in your favor, for its capability to play AVCHD through its SD card slot.
And they have all decoders for the new high res. audio codecs, that can be output through the multichannel analog audio outputs. And they all have a good analog section with good Dacs, for a great multichannel audio sound.

---> Just check in their respective web site for specs & features, and Google them for rave reviews.

Cheers,
Bob

[Blktre]

Nice post Lord......Thanks....

[Ge0]

Agreed, thanks a bunch.

I have a Blue Ray drive for the HTPC but still find myself compelled with a fixed function dedicated player. Perhaps because NOBODY besides me in my household has a clue how to manage the HTPC (windows media center and all)...

Ge0

[Lordoftherings]

Ge0 wrote:

Agreed, thanks a bunch.

I have a Blue Ray drive for the HTPC but still find myself compelled with a fixed function dedicated player. Perhaps because NOBODY besides me in my household has a clue how to manage the HTPC (windows media center and all)...

Ge0

I hear you. Nowadays you need to be a computer geek to operate properly your Blu-ray player, and also your A/V Receiver.

* There is so much processing now in the A/V receivers, that they will be putting multiple fans very soon,
just to cool off all that processing stuff.
And just wait, for the wireless A/V Receiver!...

Cheers,
Bob

P.S. By the way guys, I just re-edited my prior post (#7), by adding some more valuable info.