# PPV vs. Blu-Ray Netflix - Opinions



## Sander (Jun 3, 2007)

I have been toying with the idea of quitting HD PPV purchases in favor of investing in a new Blu-Ray player and a NetFlix subscription. Two recent changes in the way DirecTV offers PPV-HD movies and the cost of today's players prompts me to consider this alternative.

Downloaded PPV movies only viewable for 24 hrs - not a DirecTV decision, I know, but still troubling.
HD-PPV movies from DirecTV now $5.99 each, while Netflix charges only $18/month for up to 3 blu-ray discs at a time, with unlimited views as long as I have the disc.
Blu-Ray players now available for ca. $260 from several sources (e.g., EBay.)

I currently download three or four HD PPV movies a month. I hate that I can only view them for 24 hrs. I also see that DirecTV has failed, so far, to start offering 1080p movies. Rumor has it that, when they do offer 1080p, they will only be available over broadband Internet, not satellite.

What are you folks doing about PPV vs. NetFlix these days?


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

It's rare but we do occasionally use PPV.

I have the movie channels so there us usually something there for us to watch.

Mike


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

One distinct advantage of the Blu-ray model is that if your sound system supports it, you can go beyond DD5.1 audio.

Most Blu-ray titles also offer extra material that might be of interest.


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## crasmus22 (Jan 12, 2009)

I refuse to pay $5.99 for a PPV. 
I really like Netflix and they now have the Roku player with growing number of movies streamed in 720p.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

$5.99 for HD PPV's is too much for me, I just use Netflix with the two at a time plan.


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## flynn337 (Feb 27, 2009)

crasmus22 said:


> I really like Netflix and they now have the Roku player with growing number of movies streamed in 720p.


I thought the streaming movies were all old movies, but then again I never heard that they started streaming in 720p. Are the new HD streaming movies old ones or new ones? Any pattern to which movies they're supporting?


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## mauijiminar (Oct 11, 2007)

Sander said:


> I have been toying with the idea of quitting HD PPV purchases in favor of investing in a new Blu-Ray player and a NetFlix subscription. Two recent changes in the way DirecTV offers PPV-HD movies and the cost of today's players prompts me to consider this alternative.
> 
> Downloaded PPV movies only viewable for 24 hrs - not a DirecTV decision, I know, but still troubling.
> HD-PPV movies from DirecTV now $5.99 each, while Netflix charges only $18/month for up to 3 blu-ray discs at a time, with unlimited views as long as I have the disc.
> ...


I always just rent Blu Ray movies thru Netflix and Blockbuster. Remember that with blu ray you can get 5.1 DD True HD sound or DTS-HD sound with blu ray if you have the right equipment. Some Blu Ray movie even have 7.1 which is kick a##! I know PPV can't get that sound! The only problem with Netflix and Blockbuster is their inventory of Blu Ray movies is low, so it may be a week before you can get one it the mail.


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## Sander (Jun 3, 2007)

crasmus22 said:


> I refuse to pay $5.99 for a PPV.
> I really like Netflix and they now have the Roku player with growing number of movies streamed in 720p.


Have you tried PlayOn Digital Media Server? Only $40 and directly compatable with the HR2x series STB's. See http://www.themediamall.com/playon. Streams not only NetFlix, but Hulu, YouTube, CBS and more.


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## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

For me it is/was a fairly simple decision:

DirecTV PPV is 4.99/5.99 per movie and the 24 hr. rule applies to each. 8 movies per month at an average of $40 and no viewing flexibility.

Netflix: I get 5 movies at a time with a Blu-Ray subscription for $31 per month. In a typical month I get 7 turns or 35 movies. Most will be HD. In addition, I have excellent access to the Netflix Streaming Library, small now but constantly growing.

You have to factor in the cost of the Blu Ray player as well, which for me was the Samsung BD-P2500, which I bought for $269 during the holidays. The Blu Ray player provided me with access to the streaming service from Netflix as well.

As Amazon is approaching the roll out of their rental/streaming service, I expect these options to continue to grow and improve. 

Frankly, for some DirecTV may be a better option especially if you are only an occasional movie watcher. If you watch a lot of movies, DirecTV isn't even worth considering.


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## Extreme2KEclipse (May 29, 2007)

I've never paid for a PPV Movie. I have the blockbuster 3 out at a time plan with unlimited store exchange and love it. I normally get at least 6 Blue Ray or regular DVD's to watch per week. (Note, I'm on the old $2o plan plan, otherwise I would look at Netflix with their streaming capabilities).


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

I don't yet have br player, but I do a lot of netflix. ppv to me is a huge waste, I'd rather pay less and have more options to watch it as I want.
for occasional movie I could understand ppv, but for what I watch its not the best option.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Download....never!

Rent Blu Ray....never.....(if I like a movie well enough...I'll buy the BD).

PPV (only in HD, and rarely).

I see PPV in HD as my only option if I don't want to spend the $$$ at a commercial theater for a newer release.


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## bsprague (Feb 24, 2007)

I stopped using PPV when the 24 hour rule came to be. Now I'm on the Netflix Blue Ray one at a time plan. The turn around for me is about 3 or 4 days so I can watch a new movie every weekend. A major feature for me is the superior movie selection process at Netflix.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

*It's a no brainer. Netflix wins by a colossal landslide*

*Blu-ray:*

Outstanding sound quality.
Outstanding picture quality.
Get to keep more than 24 hours.
Includes extras and feature you cannot get on PPV.
Much higher bit rate than PPV. Fast moving & dark scenes look much better on Blu-ray than PPV.

*Two DIRECTV PPVHD movies cost = $11.98

Unlimited Blu-ray movies from Netflix (basic package w/Blu-ray) = $ 10.71 (tax included)*

Also, with your Netflix membership you get unlimited free streaming movies. Over 12,000 titles. Far more than DIRECTV on DEMAND.

I love my DIRECTV. However, now that I'm with Netflix I'll never order a PPV again.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

Neither was my vote.
I haven't rented a movie in about 5 years, from any source.
I still watch current movies at home all of the time, but that's something we can't go into here.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

I use Netflix. It makes sense in so many ways. Money, selection and BluRay availability. Rent a BluRay now, if I like it, I'll buy it later when the price has tumbled.

PPV's only saving grace is that it is simple to use and instant. Good video, OK audio and it is ready right now to watch, no drive, no mail, just push a button. But a hell of a premium for that service.


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## cygnusloop (Jan 26, 2007)

Blu-ray without question. Whether you prefer to buy or rent.

On larger displays, DIRECTV just cannot compete with the high bitrate of Blu.

Lossless audio (if you are so equipped) is fantastic. 

While the cost and flexibility of Netflix/Blockbuster win easily, for me it's the significant (IMO) uptick in quality that makes this a no-brainer.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

I tend to purchase Blu-Ray rather than rental. I can justify the purchase price if I don't see the movie in the theater. A trip for two to the movies with snacks and drinks is about $30 here, and as long as the Blu-Ray is under $25 it's a bargain. When I do rent or PPV, I tend to do whatever is available. The local rental opportunities aren't bad, but sometimes DIRECTV PPV is available before I can get it on hard media. 

I don't have a netflix account as I've read that they're slow in getting Blu-Ray to people, and I agree there's a pronounced quality difference between Blu-Ray and DIRECTV PPV.


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## Ken S (Feb 13, 2007)

We have NetFlix and either watch Blu Ray or upscaled DVDs or their streamed movies. Far less expensive and better selection than what DirecTV offers.


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## Sartori (Nov 15, 2008)

You guys are missing something, why not just had one of the movie channels.....

Yes, you'll have to wait a bit for alot of the current movies to show up there but they are all in HD, 5.1, and you can record them whenever you want and they stay on there without expiring in 24 hours....


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

Stuart Sweet said:


> I don't have a netflix account as I've read that they're slow in getting Blu-Ray to people, and I agree there's a pronounced quality difference between Blu-Ray and DIRECTV PPV.


I've been off and on with Netflix over the years and almost never had an issue with getting BluRay disks. Sure it occasionally happens, but it really is a rarity.

I had Blockbuster Online before that because of the local swap feature. I had way more problems just getting newer movies in a reasonable timespan, and BluRay was even more spotty. When they raised their prices, coupled with the no BluRay at my local BlockBuster (even to this very day), I switched over to Netflix.

Netflix will even send movies from other locations on occasion, Blockbuster never would. Makes the definition of 'available' two entirely different things at Blockbuster vs Netflix. With Blockbuster, 'available' means it is somewhere in their system, but if it isn't at your local distribution point, you won't get it and there is no way to tell.


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## Extreme2KEclipse (May 29, 2007)

Sartori said:


> You guys are missing something, why not just had one of the movie channels.....
> 
> Yes, you'll have to wait a bit for alot of the current movies to show up there but they are all in HD, 5.1, and you can record them whenever you want and they stay on there without expiring in 24 hours....


Adding a premium channel is going to cost you $11-$15 per month, might as well look into a monthly subscription with Blockbuster or Netflix and get the movies you want to see when you want.

And it comes back to getting 7.1 audio and the extras you receive on BlueRay.


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

Sander said:


> Have you tried PlayOn Digital Media Server? Only $40 and directly compatable with the HR2x series STB's. See http://www.themediamall.com/playon. Streams not only NetFlix, but Hulu, YouTube, CBS and more.


Playon is pretty cool, and I have subscribed to it, but it is not HD like the ROKU players, etc.


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## recorder (Nov 1, 2008)

I've been w/ Netflix since 2001.
Here is the key to getting the BD, or DVD new releases on the release date:

Hold your previous week's movies until Saturday. 
Mail them in on Sat.
Place the New Releases at the top of your queue Sat.
Netflix gets them Monday, and opens your queue.
You get your disks on Tuesday!

PPV? Fuggedaboudit!


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## Sartori (Nov 15, 2008)

Extreme2KEclipse said:


> Adding a premium channel is going to cost you $11-$15 per month, might as well look into a monthly subscription with Blockbuster or Netflix and get the movies you want to see when you want.
> 
> And it comes back to getting 7.1 audio and the extras you receive on BlueRay.


Sorry am not going to get a new receiver just to do 7.1


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## dave29 (Feb 18, 2007)

recorder said:


> I've been w/ Netflix since 2001.
> Here is the key to getting the BD, or DVD new releases on the release date:
> 
> Hold your previous week's movies until Saturday.
> ...


Same thing I do


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## dcowboy7 (May 23, 2008)

neither:

1. ppv doesnt show movies in OAR so would never order it.
2. not a blu-ray renter either....dont want "dirty" disks in my player.


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## MadManNBama (Jan 31, 2008)

I say Blu Ray over PPV anytime. I have the Panny BD35 which only cost me $200, and it is reviewed very well. The updated version is even better. $6 per PPV is outragious. I have Netflix (disks not dirty and can be cleaned) 3 at a time for only $19 a month and I average 6-9 Blu rays each month. You can't beat a deal like that, very cost effective. 

I won't spring for a newer receiver in this economy, so my Onkyo TXSR702 will have to due. The Blu disk audio is encoded at a higher bitrate than DVD, so even without lossless you get great rumbling sound and clear vocals. Besides, until American broadband catches up and averages at least 20 mbps like with FIOS or UVERSE, then Blu is the way to go, at least for the next 3-5 years.


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## t_h (Mar 7, 2008)

recorder said:


> I've been w/ Netflix since 2001.
> Here is the key to getting the BD, or DVD new releases on the release date:
> 
> Hold your previous week's movies until Saturday.
> ...


No kidding? I thought they sent them out in the order of who had the movie in their queue the longest. I put them into my queue the minute the movie is announced and I always get them on the first day they're available.


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## klramp (Dec 2, 2006)

I am not that worried about HD movies currently. I have the single movie plan with Netflix and stream movies from them. If I am in a rush to get a movie I get it from Redbox for a $1 per night. The convenience of PPV is nice but not work $4.99 and $5.99 per day in my opinion.

I would like the to be competitive, say $2.00 for a 24-hour rental and $3-$4 for an extended rental.

This would but them in line with Redbox and Netflix. I would love to not have to buy a Blu-Ray player when I am ready to make the jump to HD movies/rentals, but I do think $5.99 for 24hours is a little pricey.


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## t_h (Mar 7, 2008)

I liked it when they gave you a coupon for a free one in your bill every month.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

I dont really do either. Have not done a PPV for a long time, just to expensive IMO and have yet to invest in a bluray player.

Do have the HD Extra pack though and tend to find a lot of movies on there.


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## djrobx (Jan 27, 2009)

BluRay wins in terms of quality. BluRay is capable of very high bitrates. It's not even close. So the netflix solution is the way to go if you're looking for the best quality.

PPV wins convenience. Selected with remote. No mail, small or no wait. Personally, I think PPV HD needs to come way, way down in price. Down to $3 or so. 

I've learned to be patient and wait for movies to show up on movie channels. I tend to like the variety of stuff available on them (comedy specials, orignal series) so the channels have more value than being strictly for movies. I also like being able to catch movies while surfing that I wouldn't have thought to pick.

Over the years I've become less enamored with bonus features. A lot of the time if they're worth anything movie channels will actually run them. I've stopped trying to own/collect movies too. I can't believe the money I've wasted on buying DVDs and VHS tapes before that.


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## wilbur_the_goose (Aug 16, 2006)

Techically, BluRay is best.

But $9/month is too much in today's economy. (my wife is now unemployed with zero prospects).


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## Michael D'Angelo (Oct 21, 2006)

I have been using Netflix for about 5 years now. I normally receive new releases the day the release. Once in a while though I will not and it normally takes a week or more to get which sucks.

I have only ordered a had full of PPV's ever.


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## JerryElbow (Jun 14, 2007)

RAD said:


> $5.99 for HD PPV's is too much for me, I just use Netflix with the two at a time plan.


That's what I do as well. Man, Blu-Ray 1080p video and lossless audio are hard to beat! The only downside is the wait to get the movies you want. PPV let's you watch pretty much whenever, providing they're showing what you want to watch.


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## Sander (Jun 3, 2007)

Thanks for all of your input. Yesterday, I bought a Samsung DB1500 BluRay for only $165 on EBay. As soon as it arrives, I'll start my Netflix subscription. Goodbye overpriced PPV's.


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## crasmus22 (Jan 12, 2009)

flynn337 said:


> I thought the streaming movies were all old movies, but then again I never heard that they started streaming in 720p. Are the new HD streaming movies old ones or new ones? Any pattern to which movies they're supporting?


Check out the movies.....
http://instantwatcher.com/


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## baratono (Jan 19, 2009)

Netflix,.......unlimited movies per month for a lot less than DTV's PPV.

Plus,...my new Samsung BLu-Ray player has an ethernet port,...and the player has the ability to stream movies from Netflix. Quality depends on the speed and quality of the Internet connection,....with max being 720p. Not too shabby,.....for a lot less than DTV wants for their movies. If I get 2 PPV's in HD at $4.99 each,.....I'm past what I pay for Netflix with approximately 10-12 movies a month through the mail,....and unlimited streaming ability for free.

BTW,...there are no late fees with Netflix,...nor any hardwired return dates,....keep the movies as long as you want,...view as many times as you want.


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## TK1247 (Aug 28, 2008)

Netflix with the Roku Box is the way we go. We have two at a time unlimited. 

If we ever rent a movie it is through AppleTV, which we use mostly to watch our DVD's that we have put into digital format.

TK


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## Baldone (Sep 2, 2007)

Netflix also works/looks great streaming HD to my Xbox 360.


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## islesfan (Oct 18, 2006)

Once PPV jumped to $6 they lost me. I have HBO and I have found that I pick movies to watch based upon what's on HBO rather than trailers, reviews, etc. The few movies that I really don't want to miss I buy.


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## Janice805 (Nov 27, 2005)

I've never purchased PPV since I have the Premier Package. I just wait until those same movies hit SHOWTIME, HBO, etc. I have something like 31 premium movie channels. But now my bill is upwards of $145 x month.

I've been seriously considering stepping down to a lower HD/DVR package and dumping all my premium movie channels and saving about $35 a month and going with someone like Netflix or Red Box. I'm considering it not onlly due to the $$$ but also because there are very few premium "HD" channels. Direct TV never came through with the 11 HBO's, etc.

Note: I already have a Blu-Ray player.


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## braven (Apr 9, 2007)

We Netflix Blu-Ray's 100% of the time.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

rent or buy outright, no PPV because of the cost and the time limit, no VOD because of usage caps on the internet


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## deuce01 (Oct 11, 2006)

A question for those of you that stream Netflix; Can you pull those down to your PC and play them on the HR20 via Windows Media Center or do I have to buy PlayOn? I don't have a game console in my entertainment center so that's not an option.


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

If the only choices were Netflix Blu-ray or PPV, I'd probably choose Netflix too.

But there are too many movies I watch that aren't on Blu-ray, and probably never will be. Netflix cumbersome mail delivery method is a discouragement to some of us, too.

I record so many movies in the Premier package that I would never think to rent from Netflix, or wouldn't be worth the wait and trouble, that Premier plus the occasional PPV is the right route for me.


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

I voted neither, as I've always bought the movies I've wanted to watch. But decent deals on BR are getting too scarce, so I'm planning on starting up with Netflix. Neither streaming nor PPV are options to me due to the quality compromises (lower bitrate, no HD audio). I'll still buy some of the movies I really want, but plan to cut back significantly.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

Haven't bought a PPV in years. Just not worth it.

At $5.99 for PPV I could go one buck *cheaper* and go with Netflix 1 at a time, 2 a month. Which for me would actually work since we don't get that many movies but doesn't allow streaming.

But the plan we do is the $8.99 plan, so 3 bucks more, 1 at a time unlimited and streaming included. So we don't pay $45 for premium channels and don't buy PPV, save a TON of money and still get to watch the movies we want. Once we get Blu-ray I believe it's only an extra $1 a month for that.

I will never buy a PPV again.


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

In 6 years I have never receiver a free coupon for PPV ... maybe because I get my bills "electronically" and not mailed to me?


t_h said:


> I liked it when they gave you a coupon for a free one in your bill every month.


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## cmtar (Nov 16, 2005)

I use the netflix 1 at a time plan, its only $8 so we have a new Blu Ray movie to watch ever weekend.


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

Sander said:


> [*]Blu-Ray players now available for ca. $260 from several sources (e.g., EBay.)


I use NetFlix's 2 at a time plan and I just bought a _new _Sony BDP-BX1 Blu-ray player on MacMall.com for $209.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

I was fiddling around on the 'net today and looking at Apple. I use the Netflix Silverlight software for my Mac and am considering the Roku Netflix hardware, so I thought to look at the Apple TV.

While it doesn't hook to Netflix, I did notice that HD new releases on Apple TV are a buck less than DirecTV charges us with the same restrictions.

Unfortunately for me, neither Apple TV nor PS3 support Netflix, so it is either get the Roku box or just watch on the computer. Of course, one of the upsides to the Apple TV is that newer movies are available for download, whereas on Netflix that is not nearly so true.


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

lparsons21 said:


> neither Apple TV nor PS3 support Netflix


Which isn't surprising, since I'm sure they'd each rather you purchase their own respective streaming products.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

lparsons21 said:


> I was fiddling around on the 'net today and looking at Apple. I use the Netflix Silverlight software for my Mac and am considering the Roku Netflix hardware, so I thought to look at the Apple TV.
> 
> While it doesn't hook to Netflix, I did notice that HD new releases on Apple TV are a buck less than DirecTV charges us with the same restrictions.
> 
> Unfortunately for me, neither Apple TV nor PS3 support Netflix, so it is either get the Roku box or just watch on the computer. Of course, one of the upsides to the Apple TV is that newer movies are available for download, whereas on Netflix that is not nearly so true.


Netflix PS3 support in beta testing here

http://www.themediamall.com/blog/?p=45


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

wingrider01 said:


> Netflix PS3 support in beta testing here
> 
> http://www.themediamall.com/blog/?p=45


Thanks for that info and link. Unfortunately that requires a Windows box and I don't do windows! 

Actually I have one, but it is very old and not nearly enough machine to support PlayOn. Looks like the Roku box is most likely what I'll end up doing.


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## rabit ears (Nov 18, 2005)

Since we discovered that Red Box lets us reserve a movie, we've dropped NetFlix and never have used PPV.

The problem with NetFlix is that their business model isn't designed to meet demand for current movies. At one point I had five selections in the "very long wait" status and my complaint fell on deaf ears. I can only think of a couple of movies that I've ever watched more than once and I want a steady stream of new material. 

We have four stores within our local area that have Red Box kiosks and reserving early in the morning generally gets us what we want for about half the NetFlix cost.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

rabit ears said:


> The problem with NetFlix is that their business model isn't designed to meet demand for current movies. At one point I had five selections in the "very long wait" status and my complaint fell on deaf ears. I can only think of a couple of movies that I've ever watched more than once and I want a steady stream of new material.


Ya know, I've read others say that but I've never had to wait for a newly released movie for more then a few days after release. Maybe I don't watch the same movies but no biggy for us so far.


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## deltafowler (Aug 28, 2007)

I'm not knocking those who do it, but I've never understood buying movies.
I have some concert stuff on disks, but that's more for the music content than anything else.
I'm just not the type to watch a movie I've already seen, when there's so much new stuff out there.
The two exceptions I can think of are "Monty Python & The Holy Grail" and "Pulp Fiction".

But to have a vast library of disk after disk of mediocre movies? I just don't get it.


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## bonscott87 (Jan 21, 2003)

deltafowler said:


> I'm not knocking those who do it, but I've never understood buying movies.
> I have some concert stuff on disks, but that's more for the music content than anything else.
> I'm just not the type to watch a movie I've already seen, when there's so much new stuff out there.
> The two exceptions I can think of are "Monty Python & The Holy Grail" and "Pulp Fiction".
> ...


I used to be that way until I looked at over 100 discs of purchased movies I had only watched once and would probably never want to watch again. What the heck am I doing wasting all that money! Since that epiphany I think we've bought maybe 1-2 movies a year, if that, and rent everything else. I agree with you. But there are movie buffs out there that would watch them a lot.


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

deltafowler said:


> I'm not knocking those who do it, but I've never understood buying movies. ... But to have a vast library of disk after disk of mediocre movies? I just don't get it.


We have over 1,000 titles, so I guess we fall into this category. And honestly, there isn't a good logical explanation.  I justify it when I buy them by saying that I never know when I'll have the time to watch it, but when I have the time to watch it, I want it right then (which is true), and I may want to re-watch it again soon with friends (which is sometimes true), and that I can always turn around and re-sell it on amazon for not much more loss than what I would have spent renting (which is true in theory). But in the end, I _never_ re-sell them, even if I ended up thinking they were crappy. It's a combination of laziness, and a bit of a collector's mentality. Kind of like people collecting little porcelain figurines, or model cars, or whatever. There's no logical reason to do it, but people do it anyway. My partner is even worse this way than I am. I had bought Transporter, which I think is a great movie, and I've watched it several times. I had heard that Transporter 2 was horrible, so I never bothered buying it, but did eventually catch it on one of the premium channels (and agreed that it was horrible). But my partner, who hasn't (still) watched either one of them, decided we needed the second one to "complete the set" (so I expect we'll eventually end up with the 3rd one that's about to come out).

I think the only good answer is: we're stupid. :bang :imwith:


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## l8er (Jun 18, 2004)

PPVs are and have always been overpriced. Netflix (either 1 or 2 at a time) along with streaming ability for 12,000+ titles is the way to go. Where I'm at I receive Blu-rays/DVDs the day after they ship and they get them back the day after I drop them in a mailbox to send back.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

Stuart Sweet said:


> I tend to purchase Blu-Ray rather than rental. I can justify the purchase price if I don't see the movie in the theater. A trip for two to the movies with snacks and drinks is about $30 here, and as long as the Blu-Ray is under $25 it's a bargain.


Ditto! One thing I will mention is that I don't buy all my movies on BD. I still buy some titles on DVD. A lot depends on the film itself. For example, "Planet Earth" was a BD no-brainer, but for SWMBO's copy of "Nights in Rodanthe", that was DVD. And I have replaced very few of my existing DVD's with BD. A few exceptions have been "Planet Earth". "March of the Penguins", and the available Pixar titles.



deltafowler said:


> I'm not knocking those who do it, but I've never understood buying movies.
> I have some concert stuff on disks, but that's more for the music content than anything else.
> I'm just not the type to watch a movie I've already seen, when there's so much new stuff out there.
> The two exceptions I can think of are "Monty Python & The Holy Grail" and "Pulp Fiction".
> ...


Hey, I have a library of really *great* movies! Seriously, I know I have some mediocre titles and even a few stinkers ("Hancock" is a recent one that comes to mind), but overall, I have movies I like to watch and many that I like to watch again and again. Also, having the library gives me the opportunity to swap with friends and family. We don't always have the same tastes, so we often swap things that the other would not have bought. Sometimes we actually end up with a new appreciation.



DarinC said:


> We have over 1,000 titles, so I guess we fall into this category. And honestly, there isn't a good logical explanation.  I justify it when I buy them by saying that I never know when I'll have the time to watch it, but when I have the time to watch it, I want it right then (which is true),


Hey, that's me, too!



> and I may want to re-watch it again soon with friends (which is sometimes true),


Yep!



> and that I can always turn around and re-sell it on amazon for not much more loss than what I would have spent renting (which is true in theory).


For title I end up not liking, I tend to just give them away - either to friends who want them or the local library.



> Kind of like people collecting little porcelain figurines, or model cars, or whatever. There's no logical reason to do it, but people do it anyway.


Ditto, again. Some of my movies are "collections". I'm a big Disney nut, so I have all the "Treasures" series, plus all their animated movies. They are my little piece of "history". While I don't watch them regularly, it's nice to know that any time I want, I can pull one out and not worry about a waiting list, late fees, expirations, etc.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

I had to vote "other". I use a Sony 1080p upscaling DVD player and have been considering getting a BR player. Be interesting to see how the BR player stacks up against my upscaler. Should be better, no? 

I never get PPV movies or events. I do use Netflix infrequently. I have all the movie channels and if I have a little patience, I get to see all of them on those channels. I have heard some good arguments about canceling the movie channels and just using Netflix, but they were from people who don't watch nearly as much TV as I do.

Rich


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

rich584 said:


> Be interesting to see how the BR player stacks up against my upscaler.


There are a lot of interesting threads at AVS comparing captures from upscaled DVD vs. Blu-ray (or HD-DVD). There are some cases where upscaled DVD does a lot better than you'd expect in the side by side comparisons. But strangely, I've found in real life, watching moving video, the blu-ray advantage is much more apparent. Go to the Blu-ray software forums over there and search for threads with "comparison" in the title. Sometimes they are comparing Blu-ray to HD-DVD releases, and sometimes to SD DVD, and sometimes all three. Sometimes the difference is huge, and sometimes it's hardly noticeable.


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## CJTE (Sep 18, 2007)

With the cost of PPVs recently going up (again), Netflix got me as a new subscriber. 8 bucks a month is 2 SD PPVs IIRC...


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

lparsons21 said:


> [I'm] considering the Roku Netflix hardware


I have the Roku NetFlix player and it's great! Even the SD movies look pretty good.


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

rich584 said:


> I use a Sony 1080p upscaling DVD player and have been considering getting a BR player. Be interesting to see how the BR player stacks up against my upscaler.
> Rich


I have the Sony 400 disc DVD player with upscaling to 1080i and my Blu-ray player with Blu-ray discs looks much, much better. There's just a lot more information there. The only way that I can watch a standard def DVD anymore is if that's the first thing that I watch when I sit down. Otherwise I'm too distracted by the video quality.


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## Hutchinshouse (Sep 28, 2006)

deuce01 said:


> A question for those of you that stream Netflix; Can you pull those down to your PC and play them on the HR20 via Windows Media Center or do I have to buy PlayOn? I don't have a game console in my entertainment center so that's not an option.


You can watch them on your PC.

This works great too: http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/...type=blu_raydiscplayers&model_cd=BD-P2500/XAA

The BD-P2550 also supports Pandora too.  LG supports Netflix streaming too.


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> Download....never!
> 
> Rent Blu Ray....never.....(if I like a movie well enough...I'll buy the BD).
> 
> ...


Why wouldn't you Rent BluRay DVDs and if you really like them and want to OWN it then you buy it. Seems cheaper in the long run but some people have more money than they can spend in a lifetime. :lol:


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## scottchez (Feb 4, 2003)

If PPV were say $2.99 for an HD rental I would do it all the time. 

NO way would when I can do Netflix at a fraction of the price assuming I rent one movie a week.

Or comparing to Red box at $1 a DAY.

I cant wait for the new LG Blue Ray blue with streaming Netflix and You Tube built in. model LG BD370


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## Richierich (Jan 10, 2008)

Also, if a PPV has less Audio & Video Quality and you had a nice Home Entertainment System then why settle for less AQ & PQ when you don't have to for less money but you just have to anticipate what you want to see and wait for it to be delivered which is never a problem for me.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

richierich said:


> Why wouldn't you Rent BluRay DVDs and if you really like them and want to OWN it then you buy it. Seems cheaper in the long run but some people have more money than they can spend in a lifetime. :lol:


To me...Netflix is too unreliable, in terms of the quality of the disks they send out - especially Blu Ray...and you are at their mercy as to when you get them. PPV (in HD) lets you see what you want when you want it.

Both are precursors to potentially figuring out if you like a movie enought to see it more than once - if so...then buy it.


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## Thaedron (Jun 29, 2007)

While we have d/l PPV, that was once, over a year ago, before the 24 limit was added. No more PPV for our household. 

We also don't (yet) have a blu-ray player. Have been waiting for the Oppo BD to come out and can afford to wait since with two very young kids, the # of opportunities to truly enjoy a BD player are limited.


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## redsoxfan26 (Dec 7, 2007)

I buy the Blu ray instead of renting.


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## gsslug (Sep 13, 2006)

Over time I had problems with PPV so I didn't use it much. Maybe once or twice a month. Recently got NetFlix with the Blu-Ray option. One at a time max 2/mo. I think it costs $5.99/mo. So I guess I'm getting one free each month compared to PPV.

I signed up in early Feb and got my first DVD a few days later. Watched it about 10 days later. Returned it and received the next one a couple of days later. It's still waiting to be watched. Since it arrived in Feb and I won't return it until Mar I wonder how it will be credited? As the second DVD for Feb or the first for Mar? 

BTW I got my Sony Blu-Ray for $199 from Amazon on Black Friday last year. The only thing I don't like is the lack of controls on the front. You have to use the remote to open and close the tray which really bugs me.


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## CJTE (Sep 18, 2007)

gsslug said:


> BTW I got my Sony Blu-Ray for $199 from Amazon on Black Friday last year. The only thing I don't like is the lack of controls on the front. You have to use the remote to open and close the tray which really bugs me.


Taking a blind guess here, I bet if you look near the tray you'll see a pin-hole you can stick a paper clip in. Thats the force eject... I dont recommend you use it unless you need too, but if it bothers you that much.

FWIW, I carry a paperclip on my keyring... (Yea In know, total geekdom, right?), It actually comes in hand a lot for reset buttons, eject buttons, etc


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Reaper said:


> I have the Sony 400 disc DVD player with upscaling to 1080i and my Blu-ray player with Blu-ray discs looks much, much better. There's just a lot more information there. The only way that I can watch a standard def DVD anymore is if that's the first thing that I watch when I sit down. Otherwise I'm too distracted by the video quality.


That makes me want to buy a new BR. Haven't bought anything in a couple of weeks and the wife is leading in the buying race. Why do they make so much for women to buy and so little for men?

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

richierich said:


> Why wouldn't you Rent BluRay DVDs and if you really like them and want to OWN it then you buy it. Seems cheaper in the long run but some people have more money than they can spend in a lifetime. :lol:


I'll probably change my mind about this, but as of today, I have no intention of buying anymore prerecorded media. I just dumped all my prerecorded VHS movies a year or so ago for nothing. Gave them to a friend who can't afford satellite service, much less Hi Def. Gave him a couple Sony VCRs to play them on. There went a couple two, three thousand bucks.

I have racks of DVDs and I know if I buy a BR player, I'll be giving them away too.

I'd rather go the Netflix route. I just "know" that if I were to start buying BR discs, a new way to view movies would almost immediately pop up and the cycle would begin again.

Not a matter of money, I'm one of the those folks that has been fortunate in that regard, but wasting it on the maddening, ever changing technology seem foolish.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

CJTE said:


> Taking a blind guess here, I bet if you look near the tray you'll see a pin-hole you can stick a paper clip in. Thats the force eject... I dont recommend you use it unless you need too, but if it bothers you that much.
> 
> FWIW, I carry a paperclip on my keyring... (Yea In know, total geekdom, right?), It actually comes in hand a lot for reset buttons, eject buttons, etc


Macs used to have a pinhole in the front to force an eject of the floppy (that was a while ago) and everyone at work had a customized paper clip hanging on the CPU box for that purpose.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

DarinC said:


> There are a lot of interesting threads at AVS comparing captures from upscaled DVD vs. Blu-ray (or HD-DVD). There are some cases where upscaled DVD does a lot better than you'd expect in the side by side comparisons. But strangely, I've found in real life, watching moving video, the blu-ray advantage is much more apparent. Go to the Blu-ray software forums over there and search for threads with "comparison" in the title. Sometimes they are comparing Blu-ray to HD-DVD releases, and sometimes to SD DVD, and sometimes all three. Sometimes the difference is huge, and sometimes it's hardly noticeable.


Thanx, I'll try that forum. Never been on it. Guess a Google search for "AVS" will turn it up?

Rich


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## gizzorge (Jul 31, 2007)

Since I joined DirecTV, I think I've watched two PPV movies. One was free.

When my free year of movie channels expired, I went with Netflix.

I have DVD, Blu-ray, and a Roku player. There is always something to watch. And it's great because unlike premium channels or PPV, I get to pick what I watch.


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## NOLANSKI (Apr 4, 2007)

RAD said:


> $5.99 for HD PPV's is too much for me, I just use Netflix with the two at a time plan.


^^^^^+1


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

rich584 said:


> Thanx, I'll try that forum. Never been on it. Guess a Google search for "AVS" will turn it up?


Sorry, I guess since they are a partner with DBSTalk, and (I believe) the biggest home theater forum, I assume people here are familiar with them. This link should take you straight to the Blu-ray software forum. But you may have to register to use the search page, I'm not sure.


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## bidger (Nov 19, 2005)

Other. No PPV and no Blu-ray. Netflix one-at-a-time unlimited monthly.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

DarinC said:


> Sorry, I guess since they are a partner with DBSTalk, and (I believe) the biggest home theater forum, I assume people here are familiar with them. This link should take you straight to the Blu-ray software forum. But you may have to register to use the search page, I'm not sure.


Turns out I registered in '06. Don't remember doing that. Kinda confusing forum. Probably why I never went back. But thanx for reminding me about it, I will try to make some sense out of it.

I didn't see any thread or posts comparing upscalers to BR players and I think I'll just buy a BR player and test it myself against the upscalers.

Thanx,

Rich


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> To me...Netflix is too unreliable, in terms of the quality of the disks they send out - especially Blu Ray...and you are at their mercy as to when you get them.


I was a Netflix early adopter - so much so that initially my postal carrier would not pick up the pre-paid return envelopes because they had "discs in them". In all those years I've received 2 bad discs (including BD), and probably had to wait one week for only a couple of movies to become available.

As to how long it takes to receive new discs, I drop one in the mail on Monday and get a new one on Wednesday.

The Netflix service is fantastic; if you don't think so then you haven't tried it.


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

rich584 said:


> I didn't see any thread or posts comparing upscalers to BR players and I think I'll just buy a BR player and test it myself against the upscalers.


Yes, testing yourself with your own set up is by far the best way to determine how much value it may have to _you_. But just in case you're curious, go here, type in "comparison" in the keyword box, change the drop-down to "search titles only", and in the "search in forums" box scroll down to almost half way and select "blu-ray software". You should get a lot of threads returned that have comparison screenshots of blu-ray to DVD and/or HD-DVD. In the cases where they include DVD, those are upscaled already. As I mentioned before, my results in home, with live moving video, seem to show a greater advantage for blu-ray than some of those stills indicate. And of course, this doesn't account for the audio advantage that most Blu-rays contain. But it's still interesting to look at the differences, if for no other reason than to see how much care went into the transfer.


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## trdrjeff (Dec 3, 2007)

Does Blockbuster charge more for BR? I used to have it before I got a BR player and was pretty happy with the service (especially since they did not charge me for the first 12 mos or so) 

We don't watch a ton of movies to begin with, but I'd prefer to see them in BR if available


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## Araxen (Dec 18, 2005)

I rent from Netflix and *never* buy movies from PPV(especially now that you only have 24 hours) so I selected Other.


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

Araxen said:


> I rent from Netflix and *never* buy movies from PPV(especially now that you only have 24 hours) so I selected Other.


Wouldn't the more appropriate response have been: "I rent Blu-Ray discs and rarely, if ever d/l movies from PPV"?


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

DarinC said:


> Yes, testing yourself with your own set up is by far the best way to determine how much value it may have to _you_. But just in case you're curious, go here, type in "comparison" in the keyword box, change the drop-down to "search titles only", and in the "search in forums" box scroll down to almost half way and select "blu-ray software". You should get a lot of threads returned that have comparison screenshots of blu-ray to DVD and/or HD-DVD. In the cases where they include DVD, those are upscaled already. As I mentioned before, my results in home, with live moving video, seem to show a greater advantage for blu-ray than some of those stills indicate. And of course, this doesn't account for the audio advantage that most Blu-rays contain. But it's still interesting to look at the differences, if for no other reason than to see how much care went into the transfer.


Followed your instructions and got "no returns". I must be doing something wrong.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

DarinC said:


> Yes, testing yourself with your own set up is by far the best way to determine how much value it may have to _you_. But just in case you're curious, go here, type in "comparison" in the keyword box, change the drop-down to "search titles only", and in the "search in forums" box scroll down to almost half way and select "blu-ray software". You should get a lot of threads returned that have comparison screenshots of blu-ray to DVD and/or HD-DVD. In the cases where they include DVD, those are upscaled already. As I mentioned before, my results in home, with live moving video, seem to show a greater advantage for blu-ray than some of those stills indicate. And of course, this doesn't account for the audio advantage that most Blu-rays contain. But it's still interesting to look at the differences, if for no other reason than to see how much care went into the transfer.


Just did it again and no joy. I did find some forums, but none that compared BR to upscalers. I'll just buy a BR player and see what I think. Thanx.

Rich


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## cartrivision (Jul 25, 2007)

The 24 hour expiration and the current price structure makes DirecTV PPV a complete non-starter. The "instant purchase" aspect of PPV is too small a factor to overcome the 24 hour expiration roadblock and non-competitive pricing. Now if PPV was 99 cents/24 hours and it offered a catalog as deep as Netflix, DirecTV would get a substantial amount of PPV business from me vs. $0 of PPV in the last 10 years.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

RAD said:


> $5.99 for HD PPV's is too much for me, I just use Netflix with the two at a time plan.


+1. Too much!


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## SteveHas (Feb 7, 2007)

I had been getting blu-rays from Netflix
PQ is priority 1 for me
but since my employer cut my pay, we are now doing HD-PPV on a limited basis


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

rich584 said:


> Just did it again and no joy. I did find some forums, but none that compared BR to upscalers. I'll just buy a BR player and see what I think.


Ok... depending on how big your display is, I don't think you'll be dissapointed.  But just to close the search issue you're having, you should be getting search results that show a bunch of threads, each thread titled with the name of the movie, and "comparison *PIX*". They aren't comparing hardware, they contain screen caps of upscaled DVD and Blu-ray. Here's a direct link to the Wall*E thread. The DVD/Blu-ray images are generally side by side, you you have to scroll left/right to see them both. There are similar threads there for tons of movies.


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## Extreme2KEclipse (May 29, 2007)

trdrjeff said:


> Does Blockbuster charge more for BR? I used to have it before I got a BR player and was pretty happy with the service (especially since they did not charge me for the first 12 mos or so)
> 
> We don't watch a ton of movies to begin with, but I'd prefer to see them in BR if available


No additional charge. You just have to set it as your preferred preference in your online account.

You can also exchange online DVD/BR discs instore for blueray at no extra charge as well (# of exchanges instore may be limited by the plan you have)


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## ebockelman (Aug 16, 2006)

rabit ears said:


> Since we discovered that Red Box lets us reserve a movie, we've dropped NetFlix and never have used PPV.
> 
> The problem with NetFlix is that their business model isn't designed to meet demand for current movies. At one point I had five selections in the "very long wait" status and my complaint fell on deaf ears. I can only think of a couple of movies that I've ever watched more than once and I want a steady stream of new material.
> 
> We have four stores within our local area that have Red Box kiosks and reserving early in the morning generally gets us what we want for about half the NetFlix cost.


I agree with your take on Netflix. It's just not worth it when I can get a Blu-Ray from RedBox for $1. I get to see movies the week they are released, while my friends who have kept Netflix end up waiting weeks or just getting them from RedBox themselves.


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## recorder (Nov 1, 2008)

ebockelman said:


> I agree with your take on Netflix. It's just not worth it when I can get a Blu-Ray from RedBox for $1. I get to see movies the week they are released, while my friends who have kept Netflix end up waiting weeks or just getting them from RedBox themselves.


Check out my post on page 1 of this thread on how to get the new releases from Netflix:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2017002#post2017002


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## recorder (Nov 1, 2008)

rich584 said:


> Just did it again and no joy. I did find some forums, but none that compared BR to upscalers. I'll just buy a BR player and see what I think. Thanx.
> 
> Rich





DarinC said:


> Ok... depending on how big your display is, I don't think you'll be dissapointed.  But just to close the search issue you're having, you should be getting search results that show a bunch of threads, each thread titled with the name of the movie, and "comparison *PIX*". They aren't comparing hardware, they contain screen caps of upscaled DVD and Blu-ray. Here's a direct link to the Wall*E thread. The DVD/Blu-ray images are generally side by side, you you have to scroll left/right to see them both. There are similar threads there for tons of movies.


Most current Blu-Ray players do a great job of upscaling SD DVD's.
My Panasonic BD30 (now you can get a newer model for far less$$) does SD so well that friends have asked if they are Blu-ray movies.

So, your decision is sound. Buy a Blu-Ray player, and you'll get excellent upscaling.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

recorder said:


> Most current Blu-Ray players do a great job of upscaling SD DVD's.
> My Panasonic BD30 (now you can get a newer model for far less$$) does SD so well that friends have asked if they are Blu-ray movies.
> 
> So, your decision is sound. Buy a Blu-Ray player, and you'll get excellent upscaling.


Ah, that's the response I was looking for. Thanx.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

DarinC said:


> Ok... depending on how big your display is, I don't think you'll be dissapointed.  But just to close the search issue you're having, you should be getting search results that show a bunch of threads, each thread titled with the name of the movie, and "comparison *PIX*". They aren't comparing hardware, they contain screen caps of upscaled DVD and Blu-ray. Here's a direct link to the Wall*E thread. The DVD/Blu-ray images are generally side by side, you you have to scroll left/right to see them both. There are similar threads there for tons of movies.


Thanx, I don't know what I was doing wrong yesterday. The comparison pictures are between DVD and BR. I am assuming that they weren't taken from an upscaling DVD player. Wonder if I'm correct? I gotta figure out how to use that forum.

Rich


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## ASAOG (Oct 7, 2008)

I also own the Panny BD30 and consider the upconversion to be very good to excellent on most of my standard DVDs. Upconversion is good enough that I am very picky about which Blu-ray DVDs I shell out $$ for. I view the upconverted dvd's at about 13-14 feet distance on a 67" 1080p DLP. It's not blu-ray quality, but it's darn good.


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## recorder (Nov 1, 2008)

rich584 said:


> Thanx, I don't know what I was doing wrong yesterday. The comparison pictures are between DVD and BR. I am assuming that they weren't taken from an upscaling DVD player. Wonder if I'm correct? I gotta figure out how to use that forum.
> 
> Rich


Rich,
Looking at the post, the DVD was compared to the Blu-Ray on the same player.
It was recorded at 480p, but he doesn't specify whether he upscales thru the BD player or his AVR.

With mine, I let the player upscale, and send it out HDMI to my AVR.
The AVR will not transcode, or attempt to manipulate a 1080p incoming signal, so it just sends it to the HDTV as is.

As I said b4, the results are compelling.
As ASAOG states, the further away you sit from the screen, the better it looks.
Yes, bigger IS better

I'm running my Panny BD30 thru a Denon AVR988 to a Samsung LN52A650 LCD.


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

rich584 said:


> I am assuming that they weren't taken from an upscaling DVD player.


To the best of my knowledge, those are all direct extractions done on a PC. Therefore I would expect the scaling done on the DVD captures to be equal to or (more likely) better than good one chip scalers built in to most upscaling players. Those threads are more for "pixel peaping" to see how good the content itself is, but it can give you an idea of how good a Blu-ray is vs. the same movie on DVD played back on a good scaler.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

I happen to have the same movie on both DVD and Blu-Ray, so I decided to compare the quality. I have a Philips DVDR3506 1080p upscaling DVD player and a Panasonic BD35 Blu-Ray player. I connected both to my 50" 1080p Panasonic Plasma via HDMI. I synchronized playback of the movies and then started switching back and forth.

What I discovered was that the Philips did a darned good job of upscaling! I had to get within 5 feet of the screen to tell the difference. At my normal viewing distance of about 12-15 feet, I could not tell any difference. Even close up, the difference was mainly in artifacts around high contract areas. It looked like cross-hatch patterns on the DVD where the BD was perfectly clear. Now, when I changed the DVD player to 480p mode, the difference was night and day.

My next test was to compare each player's upconvert capabilities. I borrowed a friend's copy of Wall-E on DVD and found no visible difference between the two players. If I had to choose, I would say the BD player was better, with less grain and cross-hatching around the contrast lines, but that's at one foot from the screen. Anything from two feet or further and I just could not tell a difference.


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

rudeney said:


> I connected both to my 50" 1080p Panasonic Plasma ... I had to get within 5 feet of the screen to tell the difference. At my normal viewing distance of about 12-15 feet, I could not tell any difference.


That's not _too _surprising. Based on charts available that link 20/20 visual acuity with display size and resolution (like this one, for 12-15 feet you'd need something around a 100" screen to be able to fully resolve 1080p. Although honestly, I would have guessed that you'd be able to see a difference before 5'. I'm typically about 10-11' from a 73" display, and the difference is very apparent to me. But obviously, that's going to also be very dependent on the content. That's the point behind those AVS threads... some Blu-rays just _aren't_ a significant upgrade over upscaled DVD.

But even if your viewing distance does limit your visual appreciation, hopefully there's something in it for the audio upgrade.


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## Jason Whiddon (Aug 17, 2006)

I've been blu for a couple of years now, tried the whole VOD and Vudu thing. As far as Im concerned, Netflix and bluray gives you better PQ, AQ at a better price. Blu players are cheap now, so jump in. The price for a HD PPV movie is ridiculous.


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## Jason Whiddon (Aug 17, 2006)

rudeney said:


> I happen to have the same movie on both DVD and Blu-Ray, so I decided to compare the quality. I have a Philips DVDR3506 1080p upscaling DVD player and a Panasonic BD35 Blu-Ray player. I connected both to my 50" 1080p Panasonic Plasma via HDMI. I synchronized playback of the movies and then started switching back and forth.
> 
> What I discovered was that the Philips did a darned good job of upscaling! I had to get within 5 feet of the screen to tell the difference. At my normal viewing distance of about 12-15 feet, I could not tell any difference. Even close up, the difference was mainly in artifacts around high contract areas. It looked like cross-hatch patterns on the DVD where the BD was perfectly clear. Now, when I changed the DVD player to 480p mode, the difference was night and day.
> 
> My next test was to compare each player's upconvert capabilities. I borrowed a friend's copy of Wall-E on DVD and found no visible difference between the two players. If I had to choose, I would say the BD player was better, with less grain and cross-hatching around the contrast lines, but that's at one foot from the screen. Anything from two feet or further and I just could not tell a difference.


This wins "funny post of the week". After watching bluray for so long, I can EASILY tell the difference at 9ft on my 50". Just like its EASY to tell the difference between a 1080p D* VOD and a 1080i. Also easy to tell the difference between Vudu HD and HDX formats.

I really hate it when people make posts like this because they can be misleading to someone that doesnt know any better. Overall, even with a 42" 720p tv, Bluray will give you the best AV movie enjoyment you can get, period.


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## 87vert (Aug 31, 2008)

I used to do some PPV when they were like 1.99 then I did the netflix xbox360 deal. Then I sold the xbox and bought a ps3 and now enjoy my movies in blu-ray


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## HDTVFreak07 (Sep 12, 2007)

I neither download nor rent. I buy blu-ray DVD's.


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## Prince Oz (Jan 15, 2009)

HDTVFreak07 said:


> I neither download nor rent. I buy blu-ray DVD's.


+1


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

elwaylite said:


> This wins "funny post of the week". After watching bluray for so long, I can EASILY tell the difference at 9ft on my 50". Just like its EASY to tell the difference between a 1080p D* VOD and a 1080i. Also easy to tell the difference between Vudu HD and HDX formats.


Hmm, maybe I have a crappy HT system that does such a poor job at 1080p it doesn't really look much better than 480p DVD. Or, maybe I have a really good system that does such an excellent job deinterlacing and upscaling that even 480p DVD content looks darned good. It could also be that as I rapidly approach the half-century mark, my eyesight is not what it used to be. I'm not going to dispute that you can tell these difference, but I'd also expect the same courtesy in return.



> I really hate it when people make posts like this because they can be misleading to someone that doesnt know any better. Overall, even with a 42" 720p tv, Bluray will give you the best AV movie enjoyment you can get, period.


I'm not trying to mislead anyone. I'm simply relating my personal observations. I agree that Blu-Ray offers a better picture over DVD, but sometimes the degree of "better" as experienced in the real world might be so marginal as not to be worth the extra cost to all people.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

DarinC said:


> That's not _too _surprising. Based on charts available that link 20/20 visual acuity with display size and resolution (like this one, for 12-15 feet you'd need something around a 100" screen to be able to fully resolve 1080p. Although honestly, I would have guessed that you'd be able to see a difference before 5'. I'm typically about 10-11' from a 73" display, and the difference is very apparent to me. But obviously, that's going to also be very dependent on the content. That's the point behind those AVS threads... some Blu-rays just _aren't_ a significant upgrade over upscaled DVD.
> 
> But even if your viewing distance does limit your visual appreciation, hopefully there's something in it for the audio upgrade.


I gotta say that I'm not all that thrilled with my Sony upscaler. A lot of the movies I've been watching are older and a bit "beat" and the upscaler seems to have a problem with them, but I put "I Robot" in and the PQ was superb. Put in "Hancock" and it was disappointing.

I spent an hour or so reading the blu-ray threads on AVS forum and it would seem as if the Pannys are well thought of. Some people rave about the Sammys. I've never had a good experience with any Samsung product and I have no idea who those posters are. I feel more comfortable on this forum where I have some idea who the folks are and the degree of knowledge they have.

I think I'll purchase a Panny this weekend and give it a shot. I've always wondered what the Viera "link" was and with a Panasonic TV and Panny blu-ray, at least I'll finally get to see how that works.

Or would you recommend waiting until the new Pannys come out in April? More expensive I would imagine, but will they be worth waiting for? Or the same thing in a new package? I have several different Panny plasmas and see no difference between them.

Rich


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## t_h (Mar 7, 2008)

rudeney said:


> I'm not trying to mislead anyone. I'm simply relating my personal observations. I agree that Blu-Ray offers a better picture over DVD, but sometimes the degree of "better" as experienced in the real world might be so marginal as not to be worth the extra cost to all people.


Thanks for your post Rodney. As another ~ 50 year old with a decent but unspectacular tv, I want a blu-ray to replace my upscaling dvd player but felt that I wouldnt really get much out of it to offset the cost. Your experience helped me continue to save a couple of hundred bucks.

A very well measured response, by the way. Much better than was deserved.


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## t_h (Mar 7, 2008)

rich584 said:


> Put in "Hancock" and it was disappointing.


Are you sure that had something to do with the scaler?


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## ASAOG (Oct 7, 2008)

rudeney said:


> I'm not trying to mislead anyone. I'm simply relating my personal observations. I agree that Blu-Ray offers a better picture over DVD, but sometimes the degree of "better" as experienced in the real world might be so marginal as not to be worth the extra cost to all people.


+1 . I have seen from previous comments on this and other forums that the upconversion PQ is truly a very subjective thing. Good, excellent, outstanding, and superb PQ are all in the eyes (and wallet) of the beholder


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

rich584 said:


> Or would you recommend waiting until the new Pannys come out in April?


To be honest, I'm one of those people who will research things like crazy when I'm looking to buy, but I'm later happy to fall back out of touch once I've made my purchase. When I got mine towards the end of '07, The PS3 was the best choice, so that's what I did. At that point in time, stand alone players were almost as expensive, but not nearly as good. I know they've come down a lot in price since then, and I have to _assume_ they've improved as well. But the differences between them at this point in time are completely lost on me.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

rudeney said:


> Hmm, maybe I have a crappy HT system that does such a poor job at 1080p it doesn't really look much better than 480p DVD. Or, maybe I have a really good system that does such an excellent job deinterlacing and upscaling that even 480p DVD content looks darned good.


I'd vote for the former. Any decent HDTV shouldn't even need an upscaling DVD player, because the display will upconvert to 1080p automatically. So, when you said that the difference was night and day when changing the DVD player to 480p, that leads me to believe that your display either isn't calibrated correctly or isn't very good. OR, perhaps you just happened to pic a Blu Ray that wasn't that great.

It's true that everyone's eyesight is different, but from the appropriate distance (15' on a 50" display is not appropriate, but 8' - 10' is), the difference between SD (upconverted or not) and HD (especially BD) should be immediately noticeable, especially when you consider that most people without good eyesight wear glasses to correct that so theoretically they should be able to see just as well.

Here's a couple of actual screenshots (credit to Xylon). The first is the upscaled DVD and the second is the Blu Ray (The Dark Knight). The difference should be noticeable from any reasonable distance.


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## ASAOG (Oct 7, 2008)

spartanstew said:


> Here's a couple of actual screenshots (credit to Xylon). The first is the upscaled DVD and the second is the Blu Ray (The Dark Knight). The difference should be noticeable from any reasonable distance.


The upscaled DVD version looks pretty much the same as my TNT-HD channel.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

First of all, my upconverted DVD's do not have all those JPEG artifacts from your photo (i.e. those square blocks). That actually looks more like low bitrate (lower than standard DVD). Like I said, where I can see artifacts from the upconversion, they appear as crosshatched patterns along contrast lines. 

Second, not all TV's do a true "upconvert", but all have to do some sort of "scaling". Scaling is simply taking each frame from the source (which may be 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i or 1080p) and converting it to the TV's native resolution (768p or 1080p). The best upconverting DVD (or BD) players use complex algorithms that interpolate not just pixels on each frame, but between frames.


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## joed32 (Jul 27, 2006)

rudeney said:


> First of all, my upconverted DVD's do not have all those JPEG artifacts from your photo (i.e. those square blocks). That actually looks more like low bitrate (lower than standard DVD). Like I said, where I can see artifacts from the upconversion, they appear as crosshatched patterns along contrast lines.
> 
> Second, not all TV's do a true "upconvert", but all have to do some sort of "scaling". Scaling is simply taking each frame from the source (which may be 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i or 1080p) and converting it to the TV's native resolution (768p or 1080p). The best upconverting DVD (or BD) players use complex algorithms that interpolate not just pixels on each frame, but between frames.


You are probably correct but I have always heard that it was the other way around. That scaling was attempting to improve the image while upconverting was just enabling the image to be viewed on a higer res TV.


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## DarinC (Aug 31, 2004)

rudeney said:


> First of all, my upconverted DVD's do not have all those JPEG artifacts from your photo


I would bet they would if you paused that particular scene at that particular moment. What you're seeing there is not an issue of the "upconverting", but rather, just too much compression. The Dark Knight is a long movie, and therefore requires more compression that average to fit on a single disc. Blu-ray has more breathing room when you compare apples to apples, and can handle long movies a little more gracefully.



> Second, not all TV's do a true "upconvert", but all have to do some sort of "scaling". Scaling is simply taking each frame from the source (which may be 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i or 1080p) and converting it to the TV's native resolution (768p or 1080p). The best upconverting DVD (or BD) players use complex algorithms that interpolate not just pixels on each frame, but between frames.


There's really no difference between what a display must do, and what an "upconverting" dvd player must do. Different ones will do it better than others, but they are performing the same functions. Scaling from one resolution to another doesn't require interpolation between frames, but deinterlacing can be improved by doing that. In a sense, scaling and deinterlacing are two different components of "upconverting", but displays _must_ be able to do both. Virtually all displays available today have a single fixed resolution and scanning type (almost always progressive these days), so they must all be able to convert what they are fed to whatever their native resolution is.

Some are better than others, and some even have various types of noise reduction, and in some cases, even some specifically designed to reduce macroblocking like what's visible in that DVD shot. But there's generally no free lunch; NR usually also has some negative side effects (usually reduced detail).


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

DarinC said:


> I would bet they would if you paused that particular scene at that particular moment. What you're seeing there is not an issue of the "upconverting", but rather, just too much compression. The Dark Knight is a long movie, and therefore requires more compression that average to fit on a single disc. Blu-ray has more breathing room when you compare apples to apples, and can handle long movies a little more gracefully.


I thought about the pausing issue, and that is one area where I can clearly see a marked improvement in Blur-Ray over DVD. Paused Blu-Ray frames look much clearer, like a photograph, where paused DVD frames do often have artifacts and clearly lower resolution.



> There's really no difference between what a display must do, and what an "upconverting" dvd player must do. Different ones will do it better than others, but they are performing the same functions. Scaling from one resolution to another doesn't require interpolation between frames, but deinterlacing can be improved by doing that. In a sense, scaling and deinterlacing are two different components of "upconverting", but displays _must_ be able to do both. Virtually all displays available today have a single fixed resolution and scanning type (almost always progressive these days), so they must all be able to convert what they are fed to whatever their native resolution is.


There is a difference between what most TV's do to scale an incoming image to match their native resolution vs. what an upconverting DVD player does. It's the difference between taking a photo and zooming in on a specific part via Photoshop, and using the type of equipment that "CSI" pretends to use. While I know the photo enhancement they pretend to do on CSI isn't real, there are real-world applications that can do a job many times better than Photoshop. The difference is in how many frames you have to interpolate from and how much computing power you have to do the interpolation. Although there are some that do interframe interpolation, most TV's do single-frame "scaling". The upconverting DVD players that do the best job are doing interframe and have more powerful processors and algorithms that make the difference.



> Some are better than others, and some even have various types of noise reduction, and in some cases, even some specifically designed to reduce macroblocking like what's visible in that DVD shot. But there's generally no free lunch; NR usually also has some negative side effects (usually reduced detail).


Yeah, I turned of all the NR features on my TV. I decided that most of them just made the picture look less resolute or muddier.


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## Starchild (Sep 4, 2007)

I buy blu rays and occasionally get them thru netflix. I also have a Roku box to watch movies from netflix. I know it isn't 1080p but it looks good just the same.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

DarinC said:


> To be honest, I'm one of those people who will research things like crazy when I'm looking to buy, but I'm later happy to fall back out of touch once I've made my purchase. When I got mine towards the end of '07, The PS3 was the best choice, so that's what I did. At that point in time, stand alone players were almost as expensive, but not nearly as good. I know they've come down a lot in price since then, and I have to _assume_ they've improved as well. But the differences between them at this point in time are completely lost on me.


That's the way I am too. I let this whole technology get past me. I got a great deal on a 50" Panny 1080p a month or so ago, something I'd been putting off due to lack of content. Suddenly, I have an urge to watch 1080p. No free content.

So, I'll try a Panny BD (after reading the other forum, it seems they call Blu-Ray players "BDs") and at least find out what a Viera Link is. If I don't like that, I guess I'll try the Samsung and probably end up with a Sony. I tried to make sense of the threads on AVS (I figured out how to navigate around), and only got more confused.

Rich


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## recorder (Nov 1, 2008)

rich584 said:


> That's the way I am too. I let this whole technology get past me. I got a great deal on a 50" Panny 1080p a month or so ago, something I'd been putting off due to lack of content. Suddenly, I have an urge to watch 1080p. No free content.
> 
> So, I'll try a Panny BD (after reading the other forum, it seems they call Blu-Ray players "BDs") and at least find out what a Viera Link is. If I don't like that, I guess I'll try the Samsung and probably end up with a Sony. I tried to make sense of the threads on AVS (I figured out how to navigate around), and only got more confused.
> 
> Rich


Rich,

Try this link:
http://www.consumersearch.com/blu-ray-players

Check the models that look good to you, and read customer reviews on Amazon.com, too.

I think you'll be able to make a good choice based on the info you see.

All the manufacturers have a term for a "dedicated" link between products.
Panny uses Viera Link.
So if you have a Panny Plasma + Blu-Ray+ AVR, you can connect the together with a dedicated connection, and use one remote for all.

But why make it simple?

Go out & spend more of your hard earned $$, and get a Universal Remote :lol:
Home entertainment is a bottomless money pit!!


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

recorder said:


> Rich,
> 
> Try this link:
> http://www.consumersearch.com/blu-ray-players
> ...


Thanx for the link. 6th Avenue has the Pioneer BDP51FD on sale for $248 until Tuesday. And yet the reviews seem to be mixed. And 6th Ave is a PITA to return anything to.

More research to do. Might start a thread. Money's not an issue, but I don't want to spend $800 for a DVD player. Still live in a world (in my mind) where you can buy a really nice car for $3000 and a really nice house for $15,000. Where did that world go? 

Rich


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## NOLANSKI (Apr 4, 2007)

My DTV account is suspended (cost cutting) right now.
We have Blu-ray and Netflix plus we also have Netflix streaming $6.00 is way too high for PPV in our view.


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## t_h (Mar 7, 2008)

Hey Rich, what does Costco in your area have? Cant beat the return policy. I thought I'd seen Sony, Samsung and Panasonic blu-rays in mine.

Another option is to wait just a little bit. My understanding is that Sony is likely to drop the price on the PS3 to $299 around April 1. That may be a great blu-ray player option, plus you could use it as a game console, a Playon/netflix/amazon VOD client, and all the other interesting things it can do. For just a few bucks more than a standalone blu-ray.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

t_h said:


> Hey Rich, what does Costco in your area have? Cant beat the return policy. I thought I'd seen Sony, Samsung and Panasonic blu-rays in mine.
> 
> Another option is to wait just a little bit. My understanding is that Sony is likely to drop the price on the PS3 to $299 around April 1. That may be a great blu-ray player option, plus you could use it as a game console, a Playon/netflix/amazon VOD client, and all the other interesting things it can do. For just a few bucks more than a standalone blu-ray.


Don't know what Costco has, gotta get over there. If I'm gonna torture a retailer, I'd rather torture Best Buy and with their 30 day guarantee, that gives me enough time to decide which is best.

My son is horribly addicted to X-Box games, so much so that people all over the country recognize him. Not a marketable skill. He'd love to have the PS3, but then he'd be using one of my TVs (if I wanted to use it as a BD player). That's not gonna happen. That damnable X-Box consumes him as badly as some drug addicts that I've known and my wife keeps giving him money to buy games with. Kinda like giving a heroin addict just enough dope to keep him hooked. No more game systems in this home.

I've spent hours researching BD players on the Net and I can't figure out which one is the best. I read all the reviews and still can't make up my mind. Getting to the point where I'm getting kind of sick of it. You have an opinion? Seems like the big three are Sony, Panny and Sammy, and I'm not a big fan of Samsung products.

I gotta admit I'm thoroughly confused.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

NOLANSKI said:


> My DTV account is suspended (cost cutting) right now.
> We have Blu-ray and Netflix plus we also have Netflix streaming $6.00 is way too high for PPV in our view.


Way too high for something you can't keep. Sorry you're having problems. First post of that sort I've seen. Hope everything gets better for you.

Rich


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## Skooz (Jul 20, 2007)

The new policy concerning PPV caused me to stop using it altogether and open a Netflix account.

Glad I did.


No Blu-Ray for me yet, but that's coming. Probably by summer.


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## recorder (Nov 1, 2008)

rich584 said:


> Don't know what Costco has, gotta get over there. If I'm gonna torture a retailer, I'd rather torture Best Buy and with their 30 day guarantee, that gives me enough time to decide which is best.
> 
> My son is horribly addicted to X-Box games, so much so that people all over the country recognize him. Not a marketable skill. He'd love to have the PS3, but then he'd be using one of my TVs (if I wanted to use it as a BD player). That's not gonna happen. That damnable X-Box consumes him as badly as some drug addicts that I've known and my wife keeps giving him money to buy games with. Kinda like giving a heroin addict just enough dope to keep him hooked. No more game systems in this home.
> 
> ...


There are only 2 on costco's website. They may have more in the store.
1 is a Samsung:lol:
My HDTV is Samsung, and my PC monitor, too. Both great products.

I really like my Panasonic Blu-Ray player. They are extremely responsive to updating firmware, and keeping things current.
I think the BD35 is the updated version of the BD30 (my model), and it is a great player.
Any of the big 3 should do, but I discourage people from buying Sony products, because of the root kit fiasco they pulled.:nono2:


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## t_h (Mar 7, 2008)

recorder said:


> There are only 2 on costco's website. They may have more in the store.


What costco has online and in-store (and for that matter, between stores) is pretty different.

I didnt look at specific models, but mine has a whole row of bd players hooked up to tv's. I saw a sony on the end cap. I remember around xmas time they were selling a samsung for $199 with an in-store coupon. I went in around 10am and they had a pile the size of a small mountain. The next day they had none.


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## Crypter (Jun 21, 2007)

I never view any PPV. I have a BD collection of over 100 discs now and I also have a Netflix account for movies that I do not want to own. But I have a very high end 7.1 Audio System and a 65" 1080p Display so Blu-Ray blows out anything DirecTV can offer. 

If you have a high end home theater BLU-RAY is the ONLY way to watch movies.


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

rich584 said:


> I've spent hours researching BD players on the Net and I can't figure out which one is the best. I read all the reviews and still can't make up my mind. Getting to the point where I'm getting kind of sick of it. You have an opinion? Seems like the big three are Sony, Panny and Sammy, and I'm not a big fan of Samsung products.


Rich, I have a Panny TV and their BD35K player. I have a HT remote (Pronto) so I don't use the Panny remotes with Viera link, but I did play with them and they work very well. The TV will automatically switch to the BD35K's HDMI input when it powers up if you enable the link.

I chose the BD35K based on got good reviews for DVD upconvert quality plus and startup time among the fastest. In fact, it really isn't much slower than my Philips DVD-R unit. Discs with BD-Live content can take a minute longer to load, though.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

recorder said:


> There are only 2 on costco's website. They may have more in the store.
> 1 is a Samsung:lol:
> My HDTV is Samsung, and my PC monitor, too. Both great products.
> 
> ...


What I'm more concerned about is the upscaling of the old DVDs. I have a couple of Sammy upscalers sitting in my "electronics" room with all the old TiVos and am using the Sony 1080p upscalers that work pretty well on good DVDs, not so hot on older, more used DVDs.

So, how's your Panny BD work on upscaling? I've read mixed reviews.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

t_h said:


> What costco has online and in-store (and for that matter, between stores) is pretty different.
> 
> I didnt look at specific models, but mine has a whole row of bd players hooked up to tv's. I saw a sony on the end cap. I remember around xmas time they were selling a samsung for $199 with an in-store coupon. I went in around 10am and they had a pile the size of a small mountain. The next day they had none.


Haven't made my way over there yet. I do find it strange how much the inventory varies between costco.com and the B&M stores, but it's always been that way.

I hate the thought of ending up with a Sammy.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Crypter said:


> I never view any PPV. I have a BD collection of over 100 discs now and I also have a Netflix account for movies that I do not want to own. But I have a very high end 7.1 Audio System and a 65" 1080p Display so Blu-Ray blows out anything DirecTV can offer.
> 
> If you have a high end home theater BLU-RAY is the ONLY way to watch movies.


So, what kind of BD do you have?

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

rudeney said:


> Rich, I have a Panny TV and their BD35K player. I have a HT remote (Pronto) so I don't use the Panny remotes with Viera link, but I did play with them and they work very well. The TV will automatically switch to the BD35K's HDMI input when it powers up if you enable the link.
> 
> I chose the BD35K based on got good reviews for DVD upconvert quality plus and startup time among the fastest. In fact, it really isn't much slower than my Philips DVD-R unit. Discs with BD-Live content can take a minute longer to load, though.


Thanx, Rodney. That's the way I'm leaning too. If Costco sells them. So the upscaling is good, that's what I want to hear. I've got so many DVDs and have no intention of building another library of what will be outmoded technology in a year or two. I can live with Netflix.

Rich


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## rudeney (May 28, 2007)

rich584 said:


> Thanx, Rodney. That's the way I'm leaning too. If Costco sells them. So the upscaling is good, that's what I want to hear. I've got so many DVDs and have no intention of building another library of what will be outmoded technology in a year or two. I can live with Netflix.


I can't remember if Costco carries the BD35K or not. I bought mine at HH Gregg. It was a "Black Friday" special offered online the Wednesday before for $199. I have heard that this model is being discontinued. Even so, this has been a popular model and there doesn't seem to be much discounting to clear them out. Still, anything under $200 would be a good price.


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## BlueEos (Mar 5, 2009)

I'm not a big home viewer of movies since I'm old fashion and like to watch the few that I do see on the BIG SILVER SCREEN the way they were meant to be viewed.

However, I do have Apple TV (which is a download service for those who may never have heard of it). There, movies are generally $3.99 for SD and $4.99 for HD. There is a 24 hour viewing window, but there is also a 30 day viewing period. Once I start actually watching the movie, the 24 hour rule kicks in.

I just setup VOD on my DTV. However, at a buck more and ONLY 24 hours to watch, I'm probably not going to buy into that deal very often.

I like the idea of Netflix, but sometimes a couple of months go by without watching a movie on my TV and then the subscription costs start jacking up the price per view.

There are just TOO many choices for me. VOD, Apple TV, HBO, Tivo/Amazon, AMC, Hula, local Blockbuster store, etc. Did I mention the real movie theater with "movie popcorn?" Sorry Netflix, just not time for you as I'm really a sport junky.


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## cover (Feb 11, 2007)

lparsons21 said:


> I've been off and on with Netflix over the years and almost never had an issue with getting BluRay disks. Sure it occasionally happens, but it really is a rarity.
> 
> I had Blockbuster Online before that because of the local swap feature. I had way more problems just getting newer movies in a reasonable timespan, and BluRay was even more spotty. When they raised their prices, coupled with the no BluRay at my local BlockBuster (even to this very day), I switched over to Netflix.
> 
> Netflix will even send movies from other locations on occasion, Blockbuster never would. Makes the definition of 'available' two entirely different things at Blockbuster vs Netflix. With Blockbuster, 'available' means it is somewhere in their system, but if it isn't at your local distribution point, you won't get it and there is no way to tell.


+1


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

Rich,

The Panny 35 is the best current Blu Ray player (under $1000) for Blu Ray and SD DVD's. 

However, the upcoming Oppo Blu Ray player will be THE player to get if you want the very best SD upconversion (and all the other things this universal player will offer). It'll probably be out by the beginning of April and will cost about $500.

Additionally, Panasonic, Pioneer and Sony are all coming out with new players in the next 2 months. Right now, I wouldn't buy any player.


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## Crypter (Jun 21, 2007)

rich584 said:


> So, what kind of BD do you have?
> 
> Rich


Right now I am using a PS3 as my primary Blu-Ray player. Connected via HDMI to my Denon AVR-3808 Receiver


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

BlueEos said:


> However, I do have Apple TV (which is a download service for those who may never have heard of it). There, movies are generally $3.99 for SD and $4.99 for HD. There is a 24 hour viewing window, but there is also a 30 day viewing period. Once I start actually watching the movie, the 24 hour rule kicks in.


The 24 hour rule kicks in once you view a movie from DirecTV PPV, also, not when you record it.


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## FogCutter (Nov 6, 2006)

Exactly right. DTS Master Audio rocks!


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

spartanstew said:


> Rich,
> 
> The Panny 35 is the best current Blu Ray player (under $1000) for Blu Ray and SD DVD's.
> 
> ...


Gotta agree. Think I'll wait until May when all the new BD players will be out. Went to Costco yesterday and all they had was Sammy 1500s. $229, I think. Don't have a whole lot of good things to say about my Sammy experiences and passed on that one.

About the Oppo, about five years ago (might have been longer), I was at an independent installers shop and he had the first (I think) of the Oppo upscalers and was raving about them. He had a projection setup and showed me how the Oppo worked. I wasn't that impressed, but went home and bought one online and returned it within a week. My $79 Sony upscalers work better than that Oppo did. I've pretty much ignored them since. I would imagine they've improved since then.

I think I will try the new Oppo when it comes out. My birthday is in April and my wife always despairs when trying to find something I want. Perhaps I will give it a try if I can find it at a retailer that has a decent return policy.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

rudeney said:


> I can't remember if Costco carries the BD35K or not. I bought mine at HH Gregg. It was a "Black Friday" special offered online the Wednesday before for $199. I have heard that this model is being discontinued. Even so, this has been a popular model and there doesn't seem to be much discounting to clear them out. Still, anything under $200 would be a good price.


Costco has nothing but Sammys and is waiting until April and May to restock with newer models. I've looked all over the place for the BD35K and no B&M stores around me have them.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

t_h said:


> What costco has online and in-store (and for that matter, between stores) is pretty different.
> 
> I didnt look at specific models, but mine has a whole row of bd players hooked up to tv's. I saw a sony on the end cap. I remember around xmas time they were selling a samsung for $199 with an in-store coupon. I went in around 10am and they had a pile the size of a small mountain. The next day they had none.


Tried Costco yesterday and nothing but Sammy 1500s. I just finished reading PC magazine's reviews of BD players and I've come to the conclusion that all the reviews are very subjective. Nobody seems to agree on that one BD player that does it all very well. Too much stress, I'll wait until the new models come out.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Just saw the prices for the new Panny BD players. Only $300-$400 MSRP. Here's a link:

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blu-ray-disc/panasonic-2009-blu-ray-players-connectivity-14985

Rich


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

Those aren't the new Panny Blu Ray players. Those are the new Panny HTIB's that include a Blu Ray player.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

spartanstew said:


> Those aren't the new Panny Blu Ray players. Those are the new Panny HTIB's that include a Blu Ray player.


Damn! Another blunder. Fixed post. Just scanned the first link and saw the prices for the home theater + BD player, thought I was looking at the new player's costs. Thanx for catching that.

Rich


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

rich584 said:


> Only $300-$400 MSRP.


Right, which means they should street for $250 - $350 and there's a good chance you'll be able to get the BD60 for under $200 on occasion.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

spartanstew said:


> Right, which means they should street for $250 - $350 and there's a good chance you'll be able to get the BD60 for under $200 on occasion.


The story of my blunder doesn't end with the editing of my post. Before I saw your post, I bid on a 35 on eBay. Fortunately, I didn't win it. I'll wait and read the reviews for the new ones, again. And try to make a decision. Wish I hadn't bought that 1080p TV. Altho it does have a good picture and finally allowed me to put a TV in the master bedroom.

Rich


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