Nice writeup on the different BD profiles

[Lyme]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080118-new-nlu-ray-2-0-spec-makes-ps3-the-most-future-proof-player.html

Discusses the differences between the profiles, and the impact on the BD players currently in the market.

It is also interesting to consider the numbers that they quote "At CES, the Blu-ray Disc Association announced that 3.5 million Blu-ray players had been sold to date. Of those, 3 million were PlayStation 3s". Which tells us that only 1/2 a million BD players that have been sold are the stand-alone type.

[S.I.N]

Mods delete this thread before Evilchris sees that article because it might kill him.(lee)

Interesting. First time actually reading up on the 2.0 player profile.

[mullet]

Ok so basically Blu-Ray is now up to speed with HD DVD that was setup right from the beginning thats cheaper and doesn't leave there early adopters out in the cold? Oh and buy a PS3 for the best viewing quality? I am not the smartest on this subject this is just my limited take on this.

[Lyme]

Pretty much Mullet.

[mullet]

Pretty much Mullet.

Thanks for the article, at least it looks like there headed in the right direction. I also found this, I understand some of it but looks good if true.


http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=10385

By rninneman on 1/18/2008 10:30:44 PM , Rating: 5
The reason why the PS3 is generally regarded as the best SA player is for the following reasons:

1. Currently Profile 1.1
2. Upgradeable to 2.0
3. Upgradeable via ethernet
4. Extremely fast boot and load times
5. Exceptional DVD up-scaling (Scores perfect in all but the noise reduction category on the Silicon Optix HQV Benchmark (The NR weakness could even be fixed with a firmware update.)
6. Integrated Dolby TrueHD decoding and upgradeable to DTS HD-MA decoding
7. Starts at $399
8. Also happens to play games and works as a pretty cool media center

The main gripes with the PS3 are relatively minor.
1. It has no internal IR sensor.
Although a one may be purchased for less than $20, it still cannot turn it on and off with the remote. That is no big deal really because you have to be physically at the player to put a disc in anyway.

2. It currently does not decode DTS HD-MA since every Fox title includes this format.
When that is added in future firmware, it becomes a none issue. (Who knows, the power on/off IR issue may be resolved with firmware too.)

Common knocks against the PS3 that are baseless:
1. No bitstream output of HD audio formats
Bitstream output will be useless when discs begin being authored in advanced mode and require be done in the player. This brings me to #2.

2. The PS3 has poor audio compared to standalone players
While I would agree if we were talking about the analog output (which is stereo anyway) or the fiber optic output, over HDMI, it makes no difference. Decoding TrueHD and DTS HD-MA is like decoding a ZIP file. It doesn't matter what decodes it, it's the same data in the end anyway. Do you argue that WinRAR decodes archives better than WinZIP?

3. The PS3 has poor image quality compared to SA players
In fact the PS3 has better image quality than most SA players. It is one of the few players that actually can decode and output 1080p directly. Most decode to 1080i and then deinterlace back to 1080p. On both the standard def (as of firmware 1.80 or later) and BR HQV Benchmark, the PS3 scores perfect except noise reduction. Hopefully Sony will fix the noise reduction in future firmware.

As you can see, all but one issue can be resolved with firmware. I'd say Sony did a damn good job at thinking ahead when they designed the PS3. If I missed complaints though, let me know so I can address that as well.

I don't believe the PS3 is perfect for everyone as a BR player just like not everyone needs a regular DVD player that has progressive-scan, HDMI, Divx support, JPEG support, digital output, recording capability, etc. I don't understand why people call Blu-Ray a half-baked format when regular DVD has changed a lot since its introduction yet older players still work just fine for the majority of viewers.

[S.I.N]

I think its just crazy some would not consider the PS3 after reading those two articles. They both make very good cases. Even if you have the latest and the greatest LCD and speaker setup I still think its a good choice for now. And if anything it can be sold at near its value when new and better standalone players come on the scene.

Also I have no beef with the audio but I do prefer winrar.:o

[NaitoSan]

good articles. makes me even happier to be a ps3 owner. :D

[Lyme]

I'd expect those who own a ps3 to be happy, those stats are true.. pretty much all the BD players are PS3's. All the stand alone's have been royally screwed.

[Peoples-Agent]

...Until you actually see a standalone in action, next to the same set and a PS3 to compare it too.

The Sony BDPS300B infact.

[Ruined]

Right now the Panasonic BD30 is quite an attractive standalone option so long as you have a receiver that can decode TrueHD/DTS-HDMA. It has stunning video quality and is almost as fast as the PS3 in loading, plus it can do profile 1.1 and the nextgen audio codecs bitstream.

Only downsides are no BD-Live and also no lossless audio when PiP is enabled.

[Lyme]

So how can you be happy with the ps3 as a BD player, and yet not, over supporting upgrades but poor quality. Or be happy with a stand alone, and yet not, for the superior quality but limited upgrades?

Some of you BD guys fail to make sense.

[Apollo 13]

Are you guys trying to say the PS3 has poor PQ compared to a standalone? because if so that's news to me and never seen anyone mention that on the AVS forums and I trusts what they say over there or any hidef forum site.

[MowTin]

Am I missing something?

I just watch Blu-ray movies on the PS3. I don't usually mess with any features and extras. I tend not to care.

Why would I use Picture-in-Picture? What are some cool things worth doing with profile 2.0 or any of the previous profiles?

[mezkal]

"I don't understand why people call Blu-Ray a half-baked format when regular DVD has changed a lot since its introduction yet older players still work just fine for the majority of viewers"

eh? DVD's features haven't changed at all since its consumer release. DTS was there right from the beginning, just not all movies came out in 5.1 AC3 DD or DTS on their first runs and some encodes were just awful (The Crow for example) and many were in 4:3.

[S.I.N]

So how can you be happy with the ps3 as a BD player, and yet not, over supporting upgrades but poor quality. Or be happy with a stand alone, and yet not, for the superior quality but limited upgrades?

Some of you BD guys fail to make sense.

Get a PS3, watch a blu-ray movie on it on a good TV, then you can bitch about the quality.

[nekrosoft13]

Am I missing something?

I just watch Blu-ray movies on the PS3. I don't usually mess with any features and extras. I tend not to care.

Why would I use Picture-in-Picture? What are some cool things worth doing with profile 2.0 or any of the previous profiles?

I really don't see the point of picture in picture either.

[Buckeye]

Picture in Picture lets you have a movie playing and then a window were a regular TV channel can be played ?

If that is true...

I have several friends who are major Football nuts who would love that feature. Watch one game on main picture and have several picture in picture windows with other games on. Now if you can record each one and then burn the games later. I gues that requires several tunners installed to do that.

[Mr. Hunt]

Picture in Picture lets you have a movie playing and then a window were a regular TV channel can be played ?

If that is true...

I have several friends who are major Football nuts who would love that feature. Watch one game on main picture and have several picture in picture windows with other games on. Now if you can record each one and then burn the games later. I gues that requires several tunners installed to do that.

Lol no... think commentary... but where you can see people taking up 1/4th of your screen and talking to you, rather than just hearing them.

[Apollo 13]

My first DVD player didn't have progressive scan neither.