Blu-ray Hits Best Buy Stores!

[Ilya]

Blu-ray Disc Hits Best Buy Stores!

In spite of all recent rumors about possible further delays, Samsung has delivered its first Blue-ray players to Best Buy stores around the country!

I just stopped at my local BB and they do have the player on display and some BR titles too! This particular store will not sell it until Sunday, but there are reports on the Internet from lucky few who were already able to get players and software.

The Format War is now under way!

 

[charper1]

Why not till Sunday? What was their reason? Craziness.

 

[Ilya]

They said they are not supposed to sell the player until Sunday and Blu-ray titles until Tuesday - the street day. This store is always strict about street days.
The first titles they had laying around were The Fifth Element and 50 First Dates (they had this one playing). They said they had more Blu-ray titles in the back, but didn't say which ones.

 

[riffjim4069]

...and how many arms and legs does this unit cost?

 

[charper1]

They said they are not supposed to sell the player until Sunday and Blu-ray titles until Tuesday - the street day. This store is always strict about street days. The first titles they had laying around were The Fifth Element and 50 First Dates (they had this one playing). They said they had more Blu-ray titles in the back, but didn't say which ones.

My Aunt ows a chain of 7 mom & pop video rental stores and YES ignoring street dates can get you some serious fines; so I got no beef there, but the player seems weird a hold. Its the same $999 as has been reported for many many months; no surprises.

 

[Ilya]

...and how many arms and legs does this unit cost?

$1000

 

[Ilya]

By the way, here is the manual for the BD-P1000 and the Spec sheet:

 

[Ilya]

I see some contradictions between the Spec and the manual. For example, the Spec states DVD+R and DVD+RW compatibility, while the manual clearly says "This product is not for playback of DVD+R and DVD+RW discs".

 

[Customgamer1]

Well then forget blue ray for me. When I update there would be no way I would ever think about paying $1000 when I could pay $500 for the same thing (HD DVD). I really don't understand why anyone would pay that amount when the difference is really between how much the disk can hold not about PQ.

 

[vurbano]

I find it amusing actually. If you are not willing to test the waters at $500 dollars with HD DVD because there isnt a definitive winner, then what makes SOny think anyone is going to test the water at $1000 dollars? If anything Buy the HD-a1 at 4-5 hundred and if the HD DVD ship begins to sink buy the PS3 at 600 hundred with Blu ray and have all of the bases covered at around 1000 dollars and a gaming system to boot. Honestly I think HD DVD will do fine. I guess everyone has their own tolerances for risk. ANd I have lost far money money on the HDTivo that D* has made virtually worthless with their downrezzing. I guess my risk tolerance is around 500 bucks, but so far I like the machine and the PQ I get from it. I see no good reason for it to fail.

 

[patrickpiteo]

$1,000.00 I am running out to buy one right now. LOL

Yea and then in 2-3 years it becomes obsolete. Who comes up with these pricing plans. All they do is rape the early adapters.

 

[colofan]

So is the 1080p 24,30 or 60 fps????

Makes one wonder it it is 60 frames per second I could see the price difference....

 

[Ilya]

So is the 1080p 24,30 or 60 fps????

It's 1080p24 on the disc, and from what I've heard, the player outputs 1080p30 (need to re-confirm this: could be 1080p60). There is no straight 1080p24 output, which would be best for 1080p24-capable TV sets or projectors.

What happens inside the player is this: first the player converts 1080p24 to 1080i60 apparently using the same Broadcom chip as Toshiba, and only then 1080i60 is deinterlaced to 1080p. So, if you think 1080p should look much better than 1080i, don't hold your breath!

 

[colofan]

Thanks for the details of how they implement.

Is it in the standard that if you have a video source that was 1080p60 that a future disc could have this? Future proofing is always a dangerous deal

 

[Ilya]

My understanding is that neither Blu-ray nore HD DVD can store true 1080p60. It's either 1080p24 or 1080i60 or 720p60.
But even if they were capable of storing 1080p60, there is virtually no source material filmed in 1080p60 anyway.

 

[colofan]

So the only format that is close to this is the 48 FPS of IMAX correct? I thought that some of the film production company were chaning over to digital 60 fps but that is probably a rumor.

 

[Ilya]

I think in the long run 1080p60 source will become the norm. But it's a very long run, I am afraid.
For the next few years I wouldn't worry about it too much.

In the meantime, it would be greart to see both players and displays capable of passing the unchanged 1080p24 and displaying it as 1080p48 without any pull-downs...

 

[prellinger]

keep to blu-ray or hd-a1

I've been playing both now and i can not see or hear the difference.
just 500 out of my pocket book, i have to take one back in 20 days,
has anyone noticed a five hundred diference,

i could keep the hd-a1 and wait for the sony drop for five hundred or save it for
a ps3


has anyone seen the difference..............

 

[Ilya]

I've been playing both now and i can not see or hear the difference.

Please post your review/comments when you get a chance.
It's always great to hear first-hand impressions, especially from those who have both formats.
Looking forward to it!

 

[dude2]

Sony is betting on their name to carry them just as they did with beta vs vhs. Didn;t get sony very far did it.