What's the best way to hook an HDMI only blu ray player to a Component only HD tv?

blu ray player sale image

grimmtrixx

Ok so My dad's older blu ray player stopped playing blu rays, so I got him a new one since it was on sale. However, his TV is older and only does 720p (he doesnt care and cant really tell the difference), so therefore he has NO HDMI slots. New blu ray players ONLY do HDMI. So is there some kind of converter box I can buy that will let me plug an HDMI into it and then plug a component cable from that to the tv? I know its backwards BUT he isnt buying a new TV anytime soon cuz this one still works fine. I am not looking to spend top dollar, probably $40 tops (making the player and converter together cost about $120 total)

I see a lot of component to hdmi converters but not the other way around. Would those work both ways or just the hdmi to RGB way?
yea i figured it had to be hdmi to component specifically to work. Damn those are hard to find as are blu ray players that have component slots that stream netflix and hulu. :-\ The hunt continues.

Answer
It has to be HDMI to component
http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-Component-Converter-Support-Surround/dp/B00B7GD44A/ref=pd_cp_e_0

What blu ray players will be compatible with my old tv?

HRS

Hi everyone. I'm a college student with an old Samsung TV that has inputs for red, white yellow cables as well as green blue and red. I'd like a blu ray player that can hook up to the internet (so I don't have to get cable, I can just watch netflix). My pipedream hope is for one around $50, but I'm more realistically looking around $80. Does anyone know any models that will work with my tv and play from the internet? Will these players also play my DVDs? Thanks!

Answer
The yellow connector is analog composite video, which can not carry HD (it's not even the best for SD).

The red, blue and green set of connectors carry component video, which IS capable of carrying HD even though it is not digital. Component HDTV is generally limited to 1080i (there are exceptions).

The red and white pair is of course right and left (respectively) analog audio.

Is your "old Samsung TV" an "HD Ready" TV? If it is an "HD Ready" TV that accepts 1080i over its component inputs, that would be great.
It could just be a standard definition TV that has component video inputs for progessive-scan DVD playback, but not capable of HD through those inputs. It would still be better over component than composite (at least you'd have progressive scan); composite would be your last resort.

Older Blu-Ray players did have component video outputs for HD video, but they quickly switched over to HDMI for several reasons -- see below.

Used/refurbished Blu-Ray players with component video outputs can be found for sale on the web if you search for "Blu-Ray player with component video output." I found some in your price range when I searched.

At "brick and mortar" stores... you might find one at a pawn shop or a resale shop.

Edit: One more thought -- This might all be for naught if your main reason is to hook up your TV to the internet, because older Blu-Ray players are not as likely to have that feature.
Do you have a laptop computer? You could just watch Netflix etc. on that.

-----------------------------------
Sidebar: Why did HD device makers drop component video and adopt HDMI?
1. Convenience for consumer: One cable for video and audio.
2. Digital transmission of the signals: immunity to RFI/EMI and cable-length issues (up to a point).
3. (IMHO the most important reason of all for manufacturers and distributors): DIGITAL RIGHTS MANAGEMENT (aka copy protection).
Component video is not encrypted, so a tech-savvy person could copy HD content carried by it. To prevent copying HD content, HDCP ("Highband Digital Content Protection") is used. HDCP encrypts HD content and checks every link in the chain from source to screen for full compliance (to prevent a "rogue" device in the chain from making copying possible). They even put an updated list of rogue devices on new Blu-Ray discs as they release them. At the content maker/distributor's choice, one of two things can happen if any link in the chain is not HDCP compliant: either it will display the content non-HD, or it will pop up a box on the screen saying that it can't play the content unless the non-compliant device is replaced.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Have a panasonic tv and I need to fix the stretch to normal viewing?

blu ray player zoom function image

meg aka Na

Answer
There are two issues with stretch and fit, one is the TV, the other is whatever is connected to it.

I'll assume your TV is a flat panel HDTV?

Get into the menu of your cable box, blu ray player, DVD player and whatever you've got. If your TV is HD widescreen set it to that, it's sometimes listed as 16:9 ratio. If your TV is a regular tube TV set it to normal or 4:3

Next on the TV side, if you have the remote (but it can be in a TV menu) the stretch function can be called many different things. It can be called 'fit' 'stretch' 'smart stretch/fit' 'aspect' 'zoom' etc. Choose until you see a normal image.

on widescreen TVs, standard definition cable should have black bars on the sides when the aspect is correct. Widescreen movies on DVD/blu ray will fill the screen, but some movies shot at another ratio will still show black bars on the top/bottom, this is normal.

is the dark knight worth getting on blu-ray?

palestine2

i wanna get this movie on blu-ray. is the picture quality good. when i say good i mean far out better than any other blu-rays. is the picture quality great? is it worth it???!!!

Answer
I can only tell you what I know, and I will back up what I say, I can not speak for others. Even though I don't like it some other people might like it.
There was this bluray demostration at the shopping center once. They put 2 identical televisions right next to each other and played the same movie on it but one was a bluray disc on a blu ray player, the other was the normal dvd on a normal dvd player. They said "Notice how clear and sharp the images are ont he blu ray". I did not notice until they pointed it out, and even then, it seemed more to be a 'placebo effect'. Like if someone repeatedly told you this cake doesn't taste as good as that one, and so when you do taste them you might go oh you're right, when in fact there's no difference. Its not like the non bluray was totally pixelated. The edges of things like people's faces was still 'blurred and smeared' on both tvs because it was a plasma large screen tv (you know how plasma large screen tvs tend to stretch the images out and the edges of pictures 'blend' in with the other stuff?).
I did not find the blu ray any better than the normal dvd players, nor did I find any difference between bluray and non blu ray discs, and I am not the least tempted to buy a bluray disc over a normal DVD disc.
We have a bluray player and disc now, it came for free with the new tv. It doesn't do the job anybetter than our old player. If anything, its more simple and boring. The old DVD player came with 2 free preinstalled games, and had many functions (change volume, subtitles button, karaoke, zoom in or out of view, tonal changes and USB port etc and it wasn't even a popular brand). It played music cds too, but the one thing it couldn't do was play really badly pirated cds and dvds. The bluray player can't play them either. We tried them with the pirated dvds our friends gave us. (thank goodness, the dvds didn't look nice at all). Like they say, they don't make houses like they used to. Well I reckon they don't make anything like they used to- before things were built to last, and to work. Like with name brands, the 'brand' and status quo is nothing, its the object itself that matters. There are good quality things that don't have that price tag because they don't have a 'word' associated with them, but they do the same job. As far as I can see, there is no difference between bluray discs or dvds, unless you think its worth paying around $15 more for extra features and deleted scenes, which usually come with dvds anyway.
Even though I haven't seen the Dark Knight, I reckon its not worth it because it wouldn't be that different (if its different at all), unless there are really cool extra features. Remember that the tv will be displaying the image. The picture quality won't be any better if you used a top quality disc in a top quality player if your tv is a black and white tv. Tvs display pictures use pixels, and each tv has their own tv pixel size.
So basically the quality also depend on the tv. See if you can go to an electronics store or a department store and see their blu ray/dvds movies demos on their tvs.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

are there any good free cd and dvd burning suites similar to nero?

blu ray player for pc download free image

yoman477

I have been looking for a new cd and dvd burning suite similar to nero but free. Is there anything like this that is good quality? Or is there a way to download the full nero version free?

Answer
I highly recommend DVD NexT Copy neXt Tech. It is the best all-in-one DVD Burning Software and it pretty much blows away all the other DVD copying software on the market in terms of copy quality and speed.
It enables you copy protected DVD movies and burn it to play in your home DVD player.

On top of that, it automatically converts all standard video files for you to play in your home DVD player. If you are thinking of burning your downloaded movies or the videos that you have captured from your digital camcorder or digital camera, have no worries, this is the perfect DVD Burning Software for you.

It's advanced functionality combined with quality and speed in a simple and user-friendly interface makes it ideal for home and office use. One of its best feature is its ability to burn Blu-ray discs - you can even copy 10 of your standard DVD movies to fit in 1 Blu-ray disc.

What's also nice about it is its ability to copy a DVD movie to a mobile gadget such as iPod, PSP, Zune etc. This feature can really be handy if you want to view your dvd movies in different DVD players.

That is why it is the highest rated DVD Burning Software on our website.

But the most innovative thing about DVD neXt COPY neXt Tech is the built in neXt Tech Updater software. What it does is it allows you the customer to pretty much create your own fix and updates for the new movies, as they are released. Now that is what I call live support!

Anyhow you can read more DVD NexT Copy neXt Tech here:
http://www.easydvdburning.com/software/pc-dvd-copying/dvd-next-copy-next-tech.html

How to burn dvds from avi to play on home dvd player?

narothepha

I have tried numerous times to do this and all with no success every time i do it they will play on computer but not dvd player. I guess the real question is is there a certain format the movies need to be in or something? Any detailed advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
VIDEO TOOLS:

Free Easy CD DVD Burner v2.0
http://www.freewarefiles.com/program_6_205_26380.html

Video DVD Maker Free 2.13.0.76 (Freeware)
http://www.softpedia.com/get/CD-DVD-Tools/CD-DVD-Rip-Other-Tools/Video-DVD-Maker.shtml

FFDShow MPEG-4 Video Decoder 20071004 rev1503 (Freeware)
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Video/Codec-Packs-Video-Codecs/FFDShow-MPEG-Video-Decoder.shtml

TrakAx PC 2.0.108 (Freeware)
from Softpedia - Latest software
Empowers you to create professional music and video mixes in an easy-to-use and fun environment.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Multimedia/Audio/Audio-Editors-Recorders/TrakAx-PC.shtml

InfraRecorder
is an open source utility that doesn't skimp on features or accessibility. Once installed, you'll notice you can either launch InfraRecorder or InfraExpress. The latter version features a slimmed down interface with wizards for burning data, audio, and video discs. It's sort of InfraRecorder for dummies. The full feature gives you a ton of options that might confuse folks used to using Nero Smart Start.
Here are a few of the things you can do with InfraRecorder:
* Create data, audio, video, and mixed-mode discs
* Record dual-layer DVDs
* Four methods for erasing discs
* Record disc images (ISO and BIN/CUE)
* Scan SCSI/IDE bus for devices and capabilities
* Create disc copies using temporary disc image
* Import session data from multi-session discs and add more sessions
It doesn't look like there's support for Blu-Ray or HD-DVD, but the product is still under development and new features are being added all the time.
http://infrarecorder.sourceforge.net/

Avidemux v2.4 for Win32 (Build 3600)
http://www.freewarefiles.com/program_6_74_33631.html

DVDFab HD Decrypter 3.2.0.5 Beta [ 2.42 Mb | Freeware | Win All]
Copies entire DVD movie to hard disk, and removes all the protections.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/DVDFab_HD_Decrypter_d5168.html

Download online videos direct to PC / iPod / PSP
Vixy.net is an online service for downloading videos from Youtube for
PC, Mac, Ipod or PSP. This service allows you to convert youtube
videos or Flash Videos to MPEG4 (AVI/MOV/MP4/MP3/3GP) file online.
Enter youtube video in the URL text box and select desired conversion
format and click start, for converting FLV files other than youtube,
you should provide full url with .flv extension. vixy downloads the
video for you and then converts to your selected format and then it
gives popup to save the file to system.
Vixy.net uses open source FLV to MPEG encoder engine. It converts FLV
to MPEG4 faster and less lossy than a typical transcoder.
http://ww.Vixy.net

Handbrake
http://handbrake.m0k.org/
Unique but essential
Handbrake enables you to stick a DVD in your DVD drive and have the
contents of that film stored to your hard drive in a form that can be
read by pretty much any media player. I often use it to put a few
movies on my laptop for travel purposes, so I don't have to worry
about keeping track of DVDs while on the road.

Use videos as screen savers
Forget pictures in a screen saver. Use this program to have your
favorite digital videos as your screen saver.
Set the screen saver to play videos as-is, or have them stretched to
fill the screen. You can also mute the sound so the screen saver won't
spook you if you're elsewhere in your house.
Microsoft's Video Screensaver for Windows XP allows for more
creativity right on your desktop.
Cost: Free
Link:
http://www.microsoft.com

Mix, edit and share videos online
There's no shortage of video-sharing sites nowadays. You can upload
or watch videos on sites like YouTube and Yahoo! Video.
However, most video sites offer little flexibility. To edit or mix
clips, you need your own software.
Jumpcut is a video-sharing site that gives you more control. In fact,
it lets you take over others' videos as well.
As with other sites, you can upload your own clips to Jumpcut. It
provides an online video editor, so you can cut and remix your clips.
You also can upload still photos and arrange a slide show. Jumpcut can
import pictures from Flickr, the popular photo-sharing site.

You can upload videos and photos through the site or via e-mail. In
e-mail, simply include your artwork as an attachment. Jumpcut will
automatically add it to your account.

Jumpcut allows you to remix other members' videos. You can reorder the
scenes or borrow footage for your own videos. The original version
stays intact, so you won't step on anyone's toes. You can restrict
your clips from others if you wish.

Jumpcut is still in beta (testing), so it may have a few kinks. It
recently became part of Yahoo!. That means you can join Jumpcut using
a Yahoo! ID.

Cost: Free

Link:
http://www.jumpcut.com

Streamlined video editing
The video-editing basics are covered with this product.
You can cut or move scenes around. There is also a good collection of
filters. You can use them to adjust brightness, reduce noise from the
soundtrack or sharpen the picture. It features two windows to show the
"before" and "after" effects of your adjustments.
VirtualDub makes navigation easy with buttons to skip through a video
to find clips. It can even be set to detect scene changes to help you
more quickly jump to different parts of your video. VirtualDub
captures video for editing in the AVI (audio video interleave) format.
Cost: Free
Link:
http://www.virtualdub.org

DVD FLICK (free): Take video files stored on your computer and turn
them into a DVD
http://www.dvdflick.net/

X-Avidemux Portable 2.4 (Freeware)
from Softpedia - Latest software
A free video editor designed for simple cutting, filtering and
encoding tasks.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/PORTABLE-SOFTWARE/Multimedia/Video/Windows-Portable\
-Applications-X-Avidemux-Portable.shtml

SpeedyiTunes 0.7.0.1 Apha (Freeware)
from Softpedia - Latest software
Shrink your Movie, Music and Podcast download!
http://www.softpedia.com/get/IPOD-TOOLS/Other-IPOD-tools-Updates/SpeedyiTunes.sh\
tml

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

How can I connect my computer to my TV to show PowerPoint presentations?

blu ray player with google tv image

RC

I have Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 on a Dell computer. Our TV is a flat screen and the brand is SHARP. We also have a SHARP blu-ray player with internet capabilities. Is it possible? And if so, what do I need and what do I have to do? Thanks!

Answer
Check out what kind of ports you have for audio and video on each device. If they don't correspond to each other, then google shopping up some results for whatever the laptop has to whatever the tv has.
Sometimes you need an adapter, but tv's these days have a lot more options, so chances are you just need the right cable. Otherwise adapters are generally pretty cheap. I got a dvi to hdmi adapter for like $5 online.

Then you just need to set up the extra screen, it's normally in display options, might have to check a box or use a drop-down menu to activate the 2nd screen. Normally there should be an option to either mirror the screen or act as a second screen, so depending on how each works out you should be able to find a solution you want.

Does an external Blu Ray player work on a Samsung Google Chromebook?

lory

I am possibly getting a Samsung Google Chromebook and I am mainly getting a new laptop for school and to watch my Blu Rays or DVDs anywhere. I want to get an external Blu Ray but I only want to get a laptop if it will be able to play my blu rays or DVDs on the external one. Plus I figure the 6.5 hour battery will come in handy for movies. I just want to know if it will play on that?

Answer
No.

2 problems:
1: Most laptops do not have a video INPUT. They do have a video OUTPUT so you can connect them to a projector/monitor/TV but not for using your laptop's monitor for your blu-ray player.

2: The Chromebook is not a standard Windows or MacOS laptop. It runs a special version of Linux and is focused mainly on running a web browser, its plugins and related apps. For this reason, I would not recommend a Chromebook for a college student.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Should I get an Blu Ray Player or a DVD UpConverter?

blu ray player 720p tv image

Rayford

I have an Xbox 360 running HDMI on a 32" 720p tv. Will a DVD Up-converter do a better job? Or should i just wait to get a Blu Ray Player? Or, on my tv, is it even worth it to get a blu ray payer?

Answer
On a 32" 720p HDTV the improvement of Blu-ray over DVD will be small. And if you are watching DVDs on a Blu-ray player it may or may not be better than a DVD on an upscaling DVD player ... it depends on the quality of the video processor chip. Many upscaling DVD players don't do a great job, but more expensive ones (say > $60) aren't bad. On the other hand cheaper Blu-ray players (say < $150) generally don't do a great job upscaling DVDs either.

So really your choice is a "better" upscaling DVD player or a "better" Blu-ray player. Since you won't get much benefit from Blu-ray disks on your current HDTV unless you plan to upgrade it in the next year or so I'd opt for a "better" upscaling DVD player. The best choice is a used OPPO player. They are now discontinued, but the DV981 (See link) was generally considered one of the best upscaling DVD players ever made, so try to find one of those used.

FYI, I watch DVDs on a Blu-ray player that does better than average DVD upscaling and display via a 1080p projector on a 110" screen. While Blu-ray disks are a bit better, in most cases DVD looks pretty darn good. So, even though I can play Blu-rays I more often than not still buy DVDs because they are usually much cheaper ... and few movies really warrant Blu-ray.

Hope that helps ... Good luck.

How to make a blu ray player go to 1080i or 720p?

jake

I got a Sony blu ray player but my tv only goes to 1080i. I'll be connecting the player to my tv with HDMI but I've heard that it'll automatically go to 1080p with HDMI

Answer
Since your TV is only 1080i, the HDMI will only only go to 1080i. If your TV is 1080p, the HDMI will go up to 1080p.
The HDMI automatically detects the highest resolution of your TV and plays it.
Or you can always go to the bluray players settings and adjust it to the resolution you want Manually yourself.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Best blue-ray player for upscaling and audio?

oppo blu ray player 95 image

mike s

Just looking to get the best dvd player that will give my normal dvd's the best picture quality and the best possible audio as well, does anybody know what is supposed to have the best rating for that? THanks

Answer
The PS3 is, at best, a mediocre upscaler for DVDs. The best (reasonably priced) Blu-ray player all round are made by OPPO (See link and read reviews). Exceptional DVD upscaling, great audio and video processing (audiophile quality in the Model 95, but the 93 is excellent too), universal player (plays almost anything) ... just not the cheapest. Many believe that Panasonic makes the best "normal" Blu-ray player.

EDIT: Another response recommended not bothering to upconvert DVD. Not very useful if you have a collection of DVDs, and not acknowledging that there are big differences in how well DVDs can be upscaled. While all Blu-ray players do essentially identical jobs on blu-ray disks, there are BIG differences in how well DVDs look on different players. The Oppo and a few other Blu-ray players (some Pioneers come to mind) do a great job on DVDs. No, it's not as good as Blu-ray, but they can look pretty darn good.

What is the Best Blu-ray Player?

PhutureSou

Is there a better blu-ray player in terms of picture quality than the Denon DVD-2500BT? Must be under £500.

Answer
I can't say whether it's BETTER picture quality but the Oppo BDP-93 is an impressive machine (or for better audio the £1000 BDP-95) and at £500 is a steal relative to the Denon (which is somewhat dated now). Many consider the OPPO to be the best player going, at least for the price. Another highly recommended model is Cambridge Audio's Azur 751BD but it's more expensive (£800). The link lists Blu-ray players ranked by review "score" and the Denon is far down the list (overall). Judged solely on video quality it may rank much higher, but it's impossible to tell without an A/B comparison ... which I can't find).

Note that "better" depends what you want to compare. Blu-ray performance doesn't vary as much as DVD performance and the Oppo players excel at both BD and DVD video performance. For those with DVD collections this can be an important consideration.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What do u think of the Blu Ray Disc sceme?

blu ray player 400 disc image

voluntaril

What do u think of the DVD players they are coming out with next.. these Blu Ray DVD players... ?

Would it be cheaper to just buy a Ps3 that already has this professinal function?... a built in Blu ray Disc reader than to purchase any regular form of Blu Ray DVD player?

Answer
Before you consider buying note the following:

- There is no difference in audio and video quality between Blu-ray and HD DVD (competing and incompatible formats).

- HD disks include advanced sound tracks better than DVDs ... if your sound system can reveal the improvements.

- Disks are more expensive than DVDs (and not yet readily available as previewed disks).

- There are about 800 disks available in total for the 2 formats, split almost equally. Some movies are available in both formats, but most are format specific (so if you choose one format you won't be able to play the other movies in HD (although you can play a normal DVD version since players in both formats are backward compatible with DVDs ... in fact they upconvert them to a form of HD).

- Introductory level HD DVD players are half the price (~$200) of Blu-ray players ($400) ... and for the vast majority of consumers all they can benefit from.

- Dual format players exist, and while currently very expensive (~$1000) they are the probable future since neither format is likely to disappear.

- You won't benefit from Blu-ray or HD DVD unless you have a medium sized HDTV and watch it from closer than you are probably used to.

- Better quality (>$100) upscaling DVD players (or a low end HD DVD player) will make DVDs look almost as good as HD disks.

- DVDs won't be disappearing any time soon. HD disks are still (and many would say will remain) a niche format, currently being outsold 20:1 by DVDs.

- So ... and I would advise waiting 6-12 months before deciding ... if you DO decide to buy Blu-ray the PS3 is by far the best deal for a blu-ray player. It is both a good player and the only one of the various models that can be updated to match the capability of 2nd generation players being introduced now (there are different .. and more advanced .. requirements for players first sold after Oct 31, 2007). If you play games that is a bonus, but even if you don't consider that many custom home theatre installers choose the PS3 as a HT Blu-ray player.

Hope this helps.

Is a DLP projector compatible with showing Blu-Ray movies? Is the picture any bette than normal viewing?

kazoo

I have a DLP projector at home and was curious if the crispness of Blu-Ray or HD movies will show being played through it.

Answer
Yes, a Blu-ray (or HD DVD) player would be compatible (assuming you have an HDCP compliant (see below) DVI or HDMI input on your projector), but would not necessarily provide any visible benefit.

It isn't really the type of projector (e.g. LCD, DLP or LCoS) that matters so much as the specifications. For example, to see even minimum benefit you need a minimum "720p" projector (i.e. the 720 is number of pixels (height) and "p" means "progressive" scan), with as high a contrast ratio as possible (min 2000:1). But for full benefit you need a 1080p projector.

What will probably show up more than increased "crispness" is increased colour richness and improved audio (although the latter is obviously not anything to do with the projector).

A word about HDCP ... it is an encryption scheme designed to prevent copying of copyrighted HD material (manufacturers think we are all criminals!). When active (and not all HD disks yet encode the "activator") it will enforce downsampling (reduced resolution) of analog signals and total cuttoff of digital signals if the devices at each end of the cable are not HDCP compliant.

So, a few caveats. You projector should work, but unless it is a 1080p model you will get limited benefit over DVD. It is actually likely that a good upscaling DVD player would give you as much of an improvement ... and cost less.

When you consider that there are 1% as many HD disks in both HD DVD and Blu-ray formats combined (800) as there are DVDs (80,000), and that the two HD formats are incompatible and most of the movies available in one format are not available in the other, there is little incentive to buy an expensive Blu-ray player (min $400). We will all be watching DVDs for a long time to come.

If you don't have a good upscaling DVD player (e.g. Oppo 981, $229), I'd suggest considering one. You might also consider the Venture HD DVD player available from Walmart (USA only) for $197 (It's a rebranded Toshiba HD-A3) ... it's a pretty good upscaling DVD player that also plays HD DVDs (which give identical audio and video quality to Blu-ray).

Hope this helps.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Should I get an Blu Ray Player or a DVD UpConverter?

blu ray player for xbox 360 image

Rayford

I have an Xbox 360 running HDMI on a 32" 720p tv. Will a DVD Up-converter do a better job? Or should i just wait to get a Blu Ray Player? Or, on my tv, is it even worth it to get a blu ray payer?

Answer
On a 32" 720p HDTV the improvement of Blu-ray over DVD will be small. And if you are watching DVDs on a Blu-ray player it may or may not be better than a DVD on an upscaling DVD player ... it depends on the quality of the video processor chip. Many upscaling DVD players don't do a great job, but more expensive ones (say > $60) aren't bad. On the other hand cheaper Blu-ray players (say < $150) generally don't do a great job upscaling DVDs either.

So really your choice is a "better" upscaling DVD player or a "better" Blu-ray player. Since you won't get much benefit from Blu-ray disks on your current HDTV unless you plan to upgrade it in the next year or so I'd opt for a "better" upscaling DVD player. The best choice is a used OPPO player. They are now discontinued, but the DV981 (See link) was generally considered one of the best upscaling DVD players ever made, so try to find one of those used.

FYI, I watch DVDs on a Blu-ray player that does better than average DVD upscaling and display via a 1080p projector on a 110" screen. While Blu-ray disks are a bit better, in most cases DVD looks pretty darn good. So, even though I can play Blu-rays I more often than not still buy DVDs because they are usually much cheaper ... and few movies really warrant Blu-ray.

Hope that helps ... Good luck.

How do I set up my Ethernet switch?

Ben Willia

I am currently using AT&T uverse, the problem is there is only one Ethernet port on the dvr boxes. My question is simply how do I set up a switch to the uverse box so I connect my blu ray player and xbox 360 to the Internet?

Answer
You just need a multi-port switch. Connect you internet feed (from your router or router/modem) to one port of the switch, and the Blu-Ray and Xbox to the other ports. You still have to connect the Xbox and Blu-Ray to your TV. They won't just flow thru the UVerse connection.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Best wifi ready blu ray player for streaming Netflix and Hulu?

blu ray player netflix wifi image

J D

Shopping for a wifi ready blu ray player to stream Netflix and Hulu. Must be wifi ready because it will be quite far from the router and I would like to spend less than $150. Thanks!

Answer
I have a PS3 and it streams Netflix no problem, and it has WIFI, u can buy one used for around $130 on Craigslist plus u can play video games on HD.

How do i get my USB hdd to work with my blu ray player?

coreyt0304

I just got a philips blu ray player. Came with wifi, netflix, etc and also with a usb port. I want to watch my movies I have on my tb seagate hdd on my tv with the blu ray player but when I connect it its almost like its not spinning fast enough because the blu ray player isn't picking it up. What do i do?

Answer
Does the instructions say it supports a USB hard drive?

Most blue-ray players have USB ports for 2 reasons:

* So you can up-load newer versions of the firmware
* So the player can 'save' your setpoints or D/L content available on "Enhanced" BluRay disks

You really want a "Media Server" like the Roku box or Western Digital TV HD box or some such (there are lots of these units out there). These will play computer files from your flash drive or USB hard drive.

Just because a device has a USB port - dont assume you can plug any USB device into it.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

how does Pandora work through Blu-Ray players?

blu ray player yahoo image

Q. I have a Blu-Ray player with YouTube, Netflix, Blockbuster, and Pandora but I have no idea how to work the Pandora. I click a station and type things in and select them but they don't show up on my tv. Help?

Answer
Pandora works the same on the blu-ray player like on the computer.
First you should make an account. I recommend getting started on your computer and making stations on your computer- it should guide you through it.
Then sign in on your tv. If you're already signed in, you should sign out and sign back in to refresh it.
Next you can make more stations. To make a station you can either type in an artist you like or a song you like. It should show you some songs and you have to choose which one you meant. Then basically Pandora takes that song and finds songs that are similar to it. You can choose if you like a song and if you do it will play it more often. If you don't like the song it won't play it on that specific station. You can skip 6 songs per hour and 12 songs per day.
And that's basically it.

Here's a website about how pandora works:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/internet/basics/pandora.htm

Answer my question?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=As6rHHbD4HoIUsqlrzAJwzTsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20101016133815AAT26Cs

how much better is blu ray from normal dvd?

x2jr

im trying to convince my parents to get a ps3. the only use they will have for it is the blu ray player. how much better is blu ray quality from regular dvds? is there a big enough difference for them to notice? is upconverting a dvd the same quality as the blu ray disc itself?

Answer
I answer this question a few times a week, it seems. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Asr.6lJ3_l9lwD4blVrmrY4AAAAA;_ylv=3?qid=20081008180102AAFGUrM

The bottom line is that the technical difference is huge, but the difference that your parents would notice depends on a lot of things, including the size of their TV, the native resolution of their TV, and how far they sit from the TV. If they have a 1080p projector and a 100" screen and they're sitting 10 feet away, the difference is very impressive. If they're sitting 10 feet away from a 50" 1080p flat-panel TV, the difference is what I would call significant, but not dramatic. If the TV is even smaller, or if they're sitting even further away, or if the TV isn't 1080p, the difference may be barely noticeable.

An upconverted DVD - done well can be nearly as good as Blu-Ray, but again, it depends on the size and quality of the screen. (Upconversion can be done poorly or really well. The best upconverting DVD players are made by Oppo - http://oppodigital.com )

Of course, you may want to ignore this and go with one of the more glowing answers in order to get that PS2! ;)

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Can anyone suggest a good Blu Ray Player?

blu ray player 7.1 channel image

Dinjin201

I am looking for a good bluray player that can play DVD (upconverted) as well as Blu Ray Disks.

I need HDMI out in 1080p/24fps and 7.1 Channel Surround.

Answer
They will all do what you suggest in your question. You'll find when you shop that most brands have two or more models at two different prices. Ask yourself what will I do with this BD player?

if the answer is: just play blu ray disks and my regular DVDs. then you can go with the lower priced models.

if you want to stream netflix and do all kinds of fancy crap, get the upgraded versions. You'll see the regular versions for about 199 and the upgraded cousins in the same brand for about 299, maybe up to 350 or so. now many are on sale for less than 199.

if you get one that's the same brand as your TV, you might get to consolidate two remotes to one !!

What home theater systems should I look at?

solvo

I'm starting to look at my own home theater system for my room because I want surround sound. I don't know what I should look at though. I want a 4.1 or 5.1....And I just want the speakers/subwoofer, no DVD or Blu-ray player with it. What I don't understand is whether I need floor speakers or just the smaller ones for my room. And where do you position the 4 or 5 speakers if they are all small ones?

Please help, I'm very new to this.

Answer
Well, what size is your room?
If it is small - medium, then floor standers may be too much...although, they do relieve the need of a subwoofer to some extent unless you want room-shaking-bass.
Many bookshelf speakers these days are sufficient - and able to fill even a large room full of sound- you do need a sub to assist.

Usually, receivers power 5- 7 satellites... This includes a centre channel- which usually handles most of the vocals. All DVD or bluray movies are recorded in Dolby digital or dts: 5.1 or 7.1 formats... Which means that your 4.1 system option is incompatible and would have to do a conversion for it to work.
This is why 5.1 / 7.1 systems are more abundant vs. 4.1 (which I've only seen in computer gaming systems).

As far as positioning...
Any 5.1 or 7.1 system that is sold would give placement instructions... And some supply also an auto-calibration mic and module.

Hope this helps!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Is it worth spending the money to buy a blu-ray disc player, or is there really not much difference?

blu ray player quality comparison image

lahlahdips

For those who have them, let me know if it's been worth the investment or if I'd be better off waiting another year or two for the prices to drop.

Answer
I don't have a Blu-ray player but do have an HD DVD player ... which -- according to most experts -- gives virtually identical video and audio performance to Blu-ray.

I use a 720p HD projector, a 110" screen and a good 7.2 audio system for movies and HDTV. I tried HD movies and did careful comparisons and found very little difference between HD DVD and upconverted DVDs and, even before HD DVD died I decided not to buy HD DVD disks since DVDs were plenty good enough and far cheaper.

I might see more difference if I had a 1080p projector .... and someday may upgrade ... but with my current setup I'm in no hurry to buy into Blu-ray because the price premium on disks (~$10 vs the same movie on DVD) just isn't worth it.

Everything I read says Blu-ray CAN be great, but often is only a little better than DVD. Furthermore all too many movies are either not available on Blu-ray or don't really justify HD treatment (who needs an HD version of "Jackass" or "Van Wilder", or even "home movie" films like "Cloverfield" or "28 Days"?).

My conclusion is that Blu-ray is in trouble. It's evolutionary, not revolutionary. It isn't going away ... but isn't a sure thing to replace DVD as the mainstream format. Rather, it will continue to coexist with DVD as a premium priced HD alternative.

While prices will come down in the next year or so, Blu-ray will always be more expensive than DVD (more difficult and expensive to master, higher production costs, higher licensing fees).

The judgement as to how much extra it is worth to get Blu-ray quality is a personal one, but at the moment I would recommend anyone other than an "early adopter" (those who must have new technology no matter what the cost) with a 40"+ screen 1080p display and a GOOD audio system stay with DVD until prices come down significantly. The benefits of Blu-ray just are not that compelling for most consumers ... and certainly not at current prices.

Looking to buy a Blu-ray player! Having a hard time deciding if I should get the PS3, or a stand alone player?

Jason

I hear PS3 still puts out the best picture and the gaming is also a plus! but I'm not sure if its $150 dollars better then a stand alone player. Anyone have experience with both types of players? Is the picture quality difference with the PS3 noticible? Yes I know I could buy a high end stand alone but then I'm paying just as much as a PS3.

Answer
Cnet recently did a comparison of Blu-ray players, and the PS3 was included in it: http://reviews.cnet.com/best-blu-ray-players/ .

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What Blu-Ray players available are able to be region hacked?

blu ray player free image

Marshall M

A lot of Blu-Ray players have hacks to make them region free for DVDs but not for Blu-Rays. Are there any mainstream players that have the ability to change their Blu-Ray region code?

Answer
Hello, for changing the blu-ray region code, Passkey is my assistant for a long time, which can
* *Decrypt any Blu-ray and remove all known Blu-ray protections
* *Rip Blu-ray to your hard disk
* *Work together with other apps to access/edit Blu-ray content

More information about changing the code and removing the protections here
http://www.passkeysoftware.com/passkey-for-blu-ray.html

If i sell my blu ray player, will the people that i sold it to be able to access my netflix?

So i've been accessing netflix on my blu ray player, but I play on selling it soon. My question is, will the people that i sell the player to be able to access my netflix and watch entertainment for free? I never type in a username and password when connecting to netflix thru my blu ray player so i have no way of knowing if they would be able to connect themselves or not. Detailed answer would be great, thanks.

Answer
You should be able to deactivate it on the player. I know Sony's have their own convoluted registration system site on which you should delete the player.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

will a region 2 dvd disc play on a region free blu ray player?

blu ray player free image

Mike

I am wanting to get a DVD that is out of print here in the U.S.A. Now this DVD I found on Ebay is from the UK and it's a Region 2 disc. All I have is a region free Blu-Ray Player.

Will the Region 2 disc play the movie in a Region Free Blu-Ray?

Answer
You would have to read your manual on the Blu Ray disc player. I only know of two brand players that are a universal player. The Pioneer Elite (selected model) and the OPPO. It is a universal blu ray disc player, but you have to see if it is also a unsiver DVD player. Hope this will help you out.

What kind of blu-ray player should I buy?

Dylan

I'm planning on getting a blu-ray player soon and I was wondering what one I should buy. My price range is between 100 - 150, but I'm not sure what player is a good player. So if you could send me links to one or tell me that'd be helpful and also I'd like the player to have wifi to stream netflix off of.

Answer
These are the ones I would suggest you look into, to see which one is right for you.


Pioneer BDP-140
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc/Pioneer-Blu-ray-Disc-Players/BDP-140
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-BDP-140-Blu-Ray-Disc-Player/dp/B005P58BBU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363466131&sr=8-1&keywords=Pioneer+BDP-140

Pioneer BDP-150
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc/Pioneer-Blu-ray-Disc-Players/BDP-150
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer+-+Smart+3D+Wi-Fi+Ready+Blu-ray+Player+-+Brushed+Aluminum/5485582.p?id=1218657483476&skuId=5485582&st=Pioneer BDP-140&cp=1&lp=1
http://www.magnoliaav.com/Products/TV-VIDEO/Blu-ray/Pioneer-Smart-3D-Wi-Fi-Ready-Blu-ray-Player-Brushe

Panasonic DMP-BDT320
http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/DMP-BDT320
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Panasonic+-+3D+Wi-Fi+Built-In+Blu-ray+Player/4815384.p?id=1218538977705&skuId=4815384&st=panasonic blu ray player&cp=1&lp=3

Oppo BDP-93
http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-93/blu-ray-BDP-93-Features.aspx
http://www.magnoliaav.com/Products/TV-VIDEO/Blu-ray/OPPO-Universal-Network-3D-Blu-ray



NOTE: It also good to check the online mom and pop electronic stores to see what their prices are. The people of these store know how to break the region codes so that your player is a region free player. Well not just the good online mom and pop electronic stores. Even those mom and pop ones that are in your area

The young workers they know how to do it and which ones are easy and which are not. From what I know Sony is some what hard to do. They follow by the rules of the movie studios on region free. Even IF you find out how to do it for your Sony model online. Like IF it say you need which remote and how to do. You got to have that one, not even your expansive or some what cheap one will do.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

What is the cheapest way to get Netflix Instant Watch on the TV?

blu ray player with google tv image

The X File

Not a Game System that would be the most expensive option
Not the computer because I want to be able to use websites and Netflix Instant Watch at the same time
My best guess is either the Roku or a used blu ray player that has Netflix, but what is the very cheapest one on the Internet.

Answer
You can get a used Roku SD on eBay pretty darn cheap if you're looking to be cheaper than a new Roku box. Even the best box (Roku XD|S) is under $100 though.

Be careful buying those SD on eBay - some are bringing more than a brand new Roku HD. But, for under $50 you can have a used Roku box.

There's a lot more content too than just Netflix and the various pay-for services. Google on "Roku Private Channels" and see what all is out there.

To what extent do you think Blu-ray disks will catch on?

Jake Morri

I ask because I don't know many people with Blu-ray players, but they've been out for a while now. Maybe it's just where I live and the people I know, but do you think Blu-rays will sell as may units, or be nearly as successful as DVDs. The other option I thought is for many people to skip Blu-rays and move straight to digital media (eg. Apple & Google TV among others).

What are your thoughts?

Answer
Blu-ray is replacing DVD, for sure.
DVD's are the new VHS!
With blu-rays the quality is so much better and they don't get worn out or scratched as easily as DVDs!
Plus, I can use my blu-ray player to stream netflix, pandora radio, watch youtube videos, and pretty much anything else! I have never been able to do that with a DVD player!
Now...if only it would make me a sandwhich!

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Can a Philips BDP5010 Blu-Ray Player stream video from a Windows computer?

blu ray player target image

Fletch

I see that Target has the BDP5010 Blue-Ray player for $80 now. It has an ethernet port, and can play DivX files. Does anyone know if I can stream videos shared on a Windows computer (Windows 7 Ultimate, specifically)? Currently I am using an Xbox 360, but want to setup another TV and don't want to shell out $200 for another Xbox.

Answer
The ethernet port will only get you whatever content is offered as features of that Blu-Ray player..This could be Net-Flix-Pandora Radio-You Tube -Blockbuster or others.It is also possible it is only there for doing firm-ware updates..Check the features closely...

What are the features of the 2 disc special edition Terminator Salvation DVD?

Jimmy

Not the blu ray, the DVD

i understand that only target is selling the 2 disc special edition of the movie

i just want to know the features of it before i buy it

i know blu ray has special features
does this dvd?

are they the same as the blu ray? if not thats bullshit
im not buying a fuckin blu ray player

Answer
you don't need to buy it, you can watch it here online and for free, in high quality: http://free-cinema.net/?s=Terminator+Salvation

hope its help you
bb

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Is there any difference between a cheaper blu-ray player and a ps3 in visual quality?

blu ray player quality image

Jason S

My dad bought a ps3 a while back and he said i can take it as long as I replace it with another blu-ray player. Is there any difference in visual quality between a ps3 and a cheap blu-ray player? (one that goes for about 150$) PLEASE HELP

Answer
The PS3 is still rated very highly in blu-ray player reviews, usually because of all it's other features and the ability to update features and firmware. If your dad just wants a player then i'm sure a $150 will be fine, there may be a reduction in quality but it wont be huge.

Suggest a model to your dad and see what he thinks.

The person below who says that the PS3 doesn't have 7.1 or TrueHD is wrong. I know because I use both. You just need an AV receiver that supports it, and that applies to ALL blu-ray players.

Will a Blu-Ray player improve the sound of a standard DVD disc?

Nick M

I am thinking of purchasing a Blu Ray player and although I am aware that connecting this to my HDTV via a HDMI cable can upscale the picture quality to 1080, I was just wondering if it will make a noticeable improvement to the quality of sound. I currently have my TV connected to a home theatre system. Thanks for your answers.

Answer
There will be no improvement whatsoever from a DVD disk played on a Blu-ray player.

The player and HDMI per se won't make any difference at all unless you a) use Blu-ray disks, b) select an HD audio track, c) have excellent speakers and d) have good hearing (including knowing how to recognize good sound). For the average consumer the hype over improved sound from Blu-ray is way overblown. I have a dedicated room, a medium/high quality 7.2 surround system and have compared DD and DTS HD Master and hear very little benefit from the latter. Others may, but everything I have read says improvements form advanced audio are fairly subtle.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers