Blu-ray DVD Player
Updated: 02-15-2011
Now that Blu-ray won the High Definition DVD war, many people are asking whether they should upgrade to a Blu-ray DVD player? Here are some things to consider before buying a new Blu-ray DVD player.
First, you need to understand the difference between a regular DVD and a high definition DVD, which is now synonymous with "Blu-ray." A standard DVD is capable of producing 480 lines of screen content while a Blu-ray DVD is capable of producing 1080 lines content. In simple terms, a Blu-ray DVD has the ability to create a picture that is more than 2x the quality of a standard DVD. Think of it as comparing a picture from a 4 megapixel digital camera as compared to a 7 megapixel camera. Obviously, the 7 megapixel picture will be better, but it does not mean the 4 megapixel picture is bad. This is also true for standard versus a Blu-ray DVD. There is little reason to upgrade to Blu-ray technology if you are happy and satisfied with the quality of a normal DVD.
If you are finding yourself unsatisfied with standard DVD quality then an alternative to the "pricy" Blu-ray format would be an HDMI DVD Player which "up-converts" normal DVDs to take advantage of new HD Televisions. I personally find this a great in-between solution in taking advantage of an HDTV while saving some money!
Once you have tried (or ruled out) a HDMI DVD player, then it is time to buy a Blu-ray DVD player. Before buying a new DVD player consider buying a Sony Playstation 3 which is about $150 more than a stand alone Blu-ray DVD player and gives you both a Playstation and a Blu-ray DVD player. The Blu-ray player inside the Playstation gets great reviews from several consumer review sites. If you have no desire to play video games then you should purchase a stand alone Blu-ray DVD player.
I have asked friends who have bought a Blu-ray DVD player whether they are happy with their purchase and have heard mixed results. All of them say it is a better picture, but some of them wonder if it was worth the extra cost associated with both the DVD player and the Blu-ray DVDs. I personally believe that the price point is still not worth it to upgrade to Blu-ray. Once the Blu-ray DVDs are the same cost as normal DVDs, then it is time to switch. Currently Blu-ray DVDs between $5 to $10 more than standard DVDs.
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01-19-2012 by Herb, Delay Beach FL
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Question: I have a TV that is 11 years old. Should I buy a DVD player or a Bluray DVD player?
Answer: Herb, If your TV is 11 years old it is probably not an HDTV.Therefore you will not get the benefit from the Blu-ray DVD player with your old TV. However, if you are going to purchase a new DVD player a Blu-ray is a good option. They have come down in price and are not much more than a normal DVD player. A Blu-ray will work with your old TV, so if you don't mind paying a little more then you are all set once you upgrade your television to a newer HDTV.
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01-07-2012 by Ness, Washington
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Question: I have a non HD receiver and a Bluray DVD player. Can the sound still be projected through my receiver even though it is not HD?
Answer: Yes, you can connect the sound output of your Bluray player to your receiver. I would recommend using optical or digital out.
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11-26-2011 by Erik, Colby KS
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Question: I just bought an LG HDMI Blu-Ray player and am having trouble connecting it to my TV. It is an older television without any audio inputs. It only has a coaxial input. Can I buy an adapter so we can watch movies?
Answer: Yes you can buy and RF modulator to convert the signal to a coaxial input, but why would you want to do this! I strongly recommend buying a new HDTV and take full advantage of the HD technology.
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11-14-2011 by Celena, Richmond VA
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Question: I have a very old TV and I just brought a new Blu-ray DVD player for only $90 yesterday. It did not come with any cables. How do I connect it to my TV which does not have an HDMI input?
Answer: There is not much advantage to connecting a Blu-ray DVD player to a standard television because you will not get the benefit of the HD picture . However, there is a way to connect it if you have component video input on your television and if the Blu-ray player will output standard video (480 lines). You will have to look through the instruction manual of your DVD player to see if it is possible to switch to standard video. I personally would recommend buying a new HD Television to go with the new Blu-ray DVD player.
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09-28-2011 by Rachel, Atlanta GA
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Question: I have a HDTV and a PS3 game system. I am planning to get a DVD player to hook up my PS3 into it and output 5.1 sound with my 5.1 channel speakers. Is that possible?
Answer: There is no reason to get another DVD player as the PS3 has a built in Blu-ray DVD player. The PS3 also has 5.1 digital sound as well. So I recommend connecting the PS3 output to your speakers and then call it done.
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06-25-2011 by Fred, Honolulu Hawaii
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Question: I have an old Hitachi TV with S-video and no HDMI. I also have a new Blu-ray disc player with HDMI and a new Onkyo receiver with HDMI. I connected the Blu-ray DVD player to the receiver via HDMI, then I connected the receiver to the TV with red, white, yellow RCA cable. Why is it that there no picture coming out from the TV and what can I do to correct it?
Answer: First off, you are not getting the full advantage of your Blu-ray DVD player as you are basically down-grading the picture from high definition to standard reception by using the RCA (red, white, and yellow) cables. I would bet there is some kind of switch on the Onkyo receiver to force the HDMI high-definition to standard RCA output. Using an HDMI input to feed an HDMI output is not a typical setting on an HD receiver.
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03-12-2011 by Jim, Eagle River, AK
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Question: Assuming connection to a 55" HDTV, when playing a regular DVD disc, will the upconverted picture quality be better on a good Blu-ray player than a good HDMI player?
Answer: I don't think you will notice the difference. Most DVD up-convert technologies produce a very high quality picture. The up-side to the Blu-ray DVD player is you can also play high definition DVDs as well.
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11-02-2010 by Matt, England
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Question: I have a PS3 and have been buying Blu-ray DVDs rather than regular DVDs. Is this a waste of money? I have an HDTV, but from reading some posts I was wondering if my regular DVDs are up-scaled through the PS3 or if Blu-ray discs are better quality and still worth buying?
Answer: First off, yes, the PS3 will upscale DVDs and the picture quality is very good. As to the question of whether you are wasting your money; I tend to agree that it is not worth the extra $10 to $15 for the Blu-ray discs.
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05-23-2010 by Justin, Manila
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Question: Can a Blu-ray DVD play normal DVDs?
Answer: Yes, a Blu-ray DVD player will "upconvert" standard DVDs such that the picture quality looks quite good on an HDTV.
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04-23-2010 by Bryan, Syracuse NY
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Question: Do I need a HDMI cable for a Blu-Ray DVD Player?
Answer: No, you can use component video cables and still get a great looking HD picture.
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03-19-2010 by Matt, England
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Question: Do I need an HDTV (High Definition TV) before buying a Blu-ray DVD player?
Answer: Actually no, but I highly recommend getting an HDTV before upgrading to Blu-ray!
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