Need a new Blu-ray / DVD player with 5.1 output

[GuinnessMK]

We bought a Samsung home cinema system a few years back, which is a combined Bluray / DVD player and amp for a 5.1 surround system. It's stopped playing discs and I can't figure out what is wrong with it.

I can find new Bluray players online, but they don't seem to have the outputs to drive the surround sound system (which still works).

I could buy a new stand alone player and just link it up via HDMI, but that's another black box under the telly and another remote to loose.

Or can anyone recommend a replacement unit which will play DVD / Bluray and drive the speakers?

[OldSkoolRS]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking here. You can still buy a replacement ' All in one Home cinema system' (AIO) that plays BluRays and has a built in amp with speakers:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/home-cinema-sy...

I doubt you can buy just the player/amp section if this is what you mean though. But you could buy a player and a 5.1 amp, however if your subwoofer is passive (ie driven by your existing player/amp) then you'd have t buy an active subwoofer as well. So it's not very cost effective just to keep the existing speakers from the AIO system.

Cheapest option would be to buy a separate BluRay player and connect it to the TV via HDMI and if your existing AIO has an optical/coax input then use that (make sure you buy a player with the right one to match your AIO). Sure you'll only get Dolby Digital/DTS 5.1 but I'd argue that with an AIO you wouldn't tell the difference between HD soundtracks and standard DD (different mixes aside).

Later on you could replace the AIO amp (and sub) and upgrade the whole system gradually rather than buying another AIO in future, so it leaves you with an upgrade path rather than wholesale replacement.

EDIT: Meant to add that a cheap universal remote will solve the two remotes issue, I got one for about £20 for my conservatory set up and it's so good it's ended up in my living room.

Edited by OldSkoolRS on Thursday 11th September 09:19

[Cheib]

Oppo 103 has 7.1 outs....£500 new but it's been out a while so you can probably pick one up second hand. It's a great piece of kit!

[GuinnessMK]

Spent £65 on a new 3D Bluray player that is wired into the internet, so I can watch youtube, netflix and bbci player. Was just plug & play so no stress on the install.

This way, if the TV goes, we can buy a 3D one!

[clived]

Cheib said:

Oppo 103 has 7.1 outs....£500 new but it's been out a while so you can probably pick one up second hand. It's a great piece of kit!

And the 105 has upgraded analogue audio out if you're looking for the best sound quality.

[OldSkoolRS]

However, non of the Oppos have a powered 5.1 output (ie that you can connect speakers to directly) which is what I thought the OP was asking for in beginning of this thread. Just incase someone comes across this thread and thinks that they can put an Oppo in place of their broken all in one system.

I'm still using an Oppo BDP93 myself since I finally 'upgraded' to a HDMI equiped receiver. In hindsight I think I'd have been better off sticking to using it's 7.1 analogue outputs into my 'old school' Arcam AV9 processor. Mainly as I ended up removing the extra pair of speakers the new amp allowed and now using 'just' 7.2 again; lesson learnt I suppose. Equally I won't be rushing out to buy an 'Atmos' amp for the same reason in future as 7 very good speakers isn't necessarily improved by adding more cheaper ones...