Is it worth getting a Blu-Ray player?

[Stupidlikeafox]

OK, you'll have to excuse my lack of knowledge, I rarely venture into the world of AV, so be nice.

I'm toying with the idea of getting a Blu-Ray player, partly because watching DVDs on my Xbox360 is unbearable, and partly to see what all the fuss is about.

I'm not looking to spend shedloads, maybe around £150, but I wondered if its actually worth it? My TV is OK, it does the job, but I have neither the funds (well technically I do, but they can be put to better use!) or the space to upgrade at the moment.

I was thinking of this player: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-BDPS360B-Profile-Blu-...

And this is my TV: http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPF-Sharp-LC26AD5E

Any advice on what I should do?

Edited by Stupidlikeafox on Sunday 30th August 21:33

[gbbird]

Way i see it - you might as well, as they play DVDs anyway. They have come down in price and can be had for cheaper than some DVD players.

OK, you will not see the full benefit until you have a HD 1080p TV and surround sound set up, but at least you will already have the player should the time and funds come to upgrade your set up.

[headcase]

You really arnt gunna see much difference on a 26" screen m8, just a get a cheepo DVD player, blueray only really comes into its own on much larger screens.

[WeirdNeville]

Have you tried any of the HD film downloads from XBOX live? They're pretty good and in 720p which is close to the full resolution your TV can display.

I would agree that it's not worth getting a dedicated Blu-Ray player, BUT that's only because the PS3 has just dropped in price and gone all slim. For £100 more it's a bargain blu-ray player and console.

Blu-Ray comes into it's own with Full HD 1080p and Surround sound and stuff. It really is on a par with your own private cinema then, but it's a big investment.

Play with a couple of favorite films in HD from Xbox live and see if you like it enough to dig deeper. If not, you can still watch HD films at £3-£4 a pop as an when you fancy it.

[hairyben]

Yeah like said you're not gonna see anywhere near the full benefit on a 26 unless you're sat about 3 feet from it.

You won't benefit from the splendid PCM sound either unless you buy a multichannel amp capable of decoding said tracks.

But I would say- it depends on your long-term plans- if there's plans in the pipeline to upgrade to a bigger telly in the future, and a full blown speaker package, buying a blu-ray player now would make some sense as when you do so you'll already have a collection of blu-ray movies and not face the annoyance of re-buying so many movies you already have.

[Carl_Spackler]

http://www.avforums.com/forums/blu-ray-players/106...

SNAP!!

Do I get a prize?

[Evo]

Agree with most of the replies, Blueray excels on a large screen with a meaty surround sound system to take advantage of the improved soundtrack, but it does make a huge difference to the sound and picture quality compared to normal DVD.

[Graham E]

IMO, bay a good, normal DVD player for pennies. Avoid those horrid 20 quid supermarket jobs, and avoid buying into a format that is more hype than benefit at 26". Spend the savings on clint films, job done.

[Ecurie Ecosse]

Graham E said:

IMO, bay a good, normal DVD player for pennies. Avoid those horrid 20 quid supermarket jobs, and avoid buying into a format that is more hype than benefit at 26". Spend the savings on clint films, job done.

Although I did spot a decent Toshiba progressive DVD player in Tesco the other day for £26.