Blu-ray Player Under $300

[Bebop]

I missed the news, maybe some of you did too.

http://myblurayplanet.com/blu-ray-players/blu-ray-hits-the-300-mark-with-magnavox-nb500mg9

[Ralph Kramden]

Still way too expensive.

[gparris]

At this price, you could get the PS3 with a SonyCard and it is a way-better BD machine, as well as a gaming, internet access and so on the PS3, including the way it "morphs" into the more advanced BD features now available:
Something this player lacks-Profile 2.0 and DTS-HD MA output.
OR....
Save your money and find a way to get a open box BD player like a friend of mine got from BB (under $300) or even the Sony 300 model from the Sony Outlet Center in Kenosha for under $270, fully warranted and refurbished.

[Bebop]

I think this is a 2.0 player for $50 more.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/05/13/samsungs-bd-p1500-blu-ray-player-in-stock-in-the-wild

[gparris]

It is my understanding that Samsung, as is usual (?) with them, requires an update with this new model before the 2.0 is available, including DTS-HD MA with this...right?:blush:t

[vegasvic]

Hopefully they fall below $200 by the holidays.  Personally I couldn't care less about BD-Live.  I just want to watch movies in HD.  Give me the best picture and sound and forget the other bells & whistles.  And get the disc prices down as well.

[klwillis45]

Hopefully they fall below $200 by the holidays.  Personally I couldn't care less about BD-Live.  I just want to watch movies in HD.  Give me the best picture and sound and forget the other bells & whistles.  And get the disc prices down as well.

Exactly how I feel.

[Ralph Kramden]

I won't buy one until they're below $150. I paid $129 for my HD-A2. And I agree the movie prices are still too expensive.

[Matt Heebner]

Agreed.
They are going to seriously drop prices considerably for me to even think about getting a BR player. And movie prices are going to have drop to DVD prices for me to consider buying favorites.
I can wait for now.....

[Bebop]

I won't buy one until they're below $150. I paid $129 for my HD-A2. And I agree the movie prices are still too expensive.

There was a reason HD-A2 was so cheap. We are not going to get a quality player like that so cheap anytime soon. Other than few reference quality movies, I rent all my movies. The price of movies has never been an issue.

I'll probably end up getting a PS3.

[SRW1000]

There was a reason HD-A2 was so cheap. We are not going to get a quality player like that so cheap anytime soon. Other than few reference quality movies, I rent all my movies. The price of movies has never been an issue.

I'll probably end up getting a PS3.

There's a rumor going around that if you buy a PS3 at Walmart from 6/1-6/6, they'll throw in a $100 Blu-ray gift card.  It's uncertain if it's just a gift card with Blu-ray advertising on it (most likely), or if you have to use it on Blu-ray stuff.

If analog output isn't important, or you have any interest in PS3 games, that's not a half-bad price.

It would be real nice to see a mainstream-priced BD player, though.

Scott

[Bebop]

There's a rumor going around that if you buy a PS3 at Walmart from 6/1-6/6, they'll throw in a $100 Blu-ray gift card.  It's uncertain if it's just a gift card with Blu-ray advertising on it (most likely), or if you have to use it on Blu-ray stuff.

If analog output isn't important, or you have any interest in PS3 games, that's not a half-bad price.

It would be real nice to see a mainstream-priced BD player, though.

Scott

I seen that ad (if it's real) and along with the $100 from the Sony card it's not a bad deal.

[OlsonNet]

Walmart.com has both the PS3 and the $299 Magnavox Blu-ray player w/ the free $100 gift card this week.

[gparris]

The Sony  Outlet at the Prime Outlet mall in Pleasant Prairie (Kenosha) has had the BDP-S300  Sony BD player for $258 for some time and from what I have heard from buyers, a decent player unless you want Dolby TRUEHD/DTSHDMA playback.
For those with AVRs that do not have HDMI or advanced decoding features, the picture playback is great and it does send out LPCM 5.1 audio.

[Bebop]

PS3 is an excellent BR player in the one week I have had it. It outputs 1080 24p which my TV has no problem accepting.  It loads very fast.

If you still have an old 5.1 audio, the optical out works fine.

On the rental front. BB now has a distribution center in Milwaukee. The turn around is as fast as Netflix. It's also nice to exchange up to 2 movies at your local store.