| |||
|
Blu-Ray Buying Guide
After a lengthy format war between two high definition disc formats, the winner was ultimately Blu-Ray over HD-DVD. It's just as well, since Blu-Ray's higher capacities and transfer rates make it a superior quality disc to the HD-DVD. While this format war made it risky to purchase one type of player or the other from 2000 to 2008, as it was not clear which would be supported by major movie studios and disc manufacturers, Blu-Ray defeated HD-DVD and is now the lone high definition disc player available on the market.
The main appeal is that Blu-Ray discs play the highest quality audio and video. Movies have high-definition sound as well as high-definition video all the way up to full HD, 1080p. If you have a 1080p high definition plasma or LCD TV, your current choices for full 1080p HD content are limited right now to Blu-Ray discs, streaming videos, and certain games for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The PS3 actually uses Blu-Ray discs for its games as well as functioning as a very good Blu-Ray disc player that is frequently updated to the latest features. The Xbox 360 itself can only play DVDs and CDs. Microsoft put its money on HD-DVD and did release an add-on drive that allowed it to play HD-DVDs, but because of the loss of HD-DVD in the format war, they discontinued the drive and owners who purchased the add-on were out of luck.
This guide will help you make the choice on what features you need out of your Blu-Ray player, and there are lots of them. DVDs introduced interactivity and bonus features like director commentary and deleted scenes, but Blu-Ray goes far beyond that with BD-J, a Java-based interactive option, offering loads of new advanced content and features. You can now access interactive menus as an overlay on the movie while it's playing, for example, in order to have a director's commentary play over a scene. There are also loads of online interactive features in Blu-Ray's BD-Live function, such as accessing new downloadable content, trailers, or browsing web pages related to your movies.
Blu-Ray Standards
The software technology for Blu-Ray is often upgraded with new features. It's possible to future-proof yourself with an internet compatible system that can access your home network to download new upgrades for free, but older Blu-Ray players may lack some of the functionality of newer ones. The Blu-Ray Disc Association stops manufacturers from making too old a type of Blu-Ray system in order to make certain that consumers have the best Blu-Ray experience for their dollar, but if you look online or in stores you may be able to save big on an older type of player if you're willing to sacrifice on features.
Here's a brief look at the four profiles available for Blu-Ray players:
- Profile 3.0: You're probably curious as to why the third profile is being listed first. Profile 3.0, though a higher number, is just for the rare audio-only Blu-Ray discs, so if you're reading this article and looking for a Blu-Ray movie player, you don't really need to concern yourself with Profile 3.0.
- Profile 1.0: This original standard from back when Blu-Ray players were first released was simply to get the format on the map. It's perfectly fine for playing back movies, listening to commentary, and doing all the types of things you're used to doing with DVDs, but that's it: you won't get the advanced features of newer Blu-Ray features. Stil, if you want to go Blu-Ray for cheap, you can get one of these older players for very cheap, and they'll do a fine job playing back movies. Keep in mind, however, that these models cannot patched or upgraded with new software, and models of this original profile have been discontinued in accordance with the Blu-Ray association's wishes. Only buy one of these if you can find a really outstanding deal here on ShopWiki, since the next profile up is dropping in price steadily.
- Profile 1.1: This profile is known also by the name BonusView, a reference to the additional feature it provides over 1.0 players that allows you to watch commentary as picture-in-picture: for example, when you're watching director commentary, you can also watch the scene that the director is talking about in high-def. All new players must be at least up to this standard now, so any new player that isn't a discontinued Profile 1.0 model will have the ability to play BonusView content. These players, unlike 1.0 machines, have Ethernet ports so that they can connect to the internet and upgrade their firmware. They cannot, however, use any of the other functionality of online present in the Profile 2.0 players.
- Profile 2.0: This is where Blu-Ray really shines. Also called BD-Live or sometimes BD-Live Ready, the 2.0 players connect to the internet not just for firmware updates but for downloading content like movie trailers and extra bonus features. These also have widgets. For all this extra content, extra storage is required, either included internally on the player or through a simple expansion slot, often for SD cards
. 
DVD and Blu-Ray
Movie buffs already probably have a large collection of DVD movies that they won't want to give up (or replace). No worries: not only can a new Blu-Ray system play all of your DVDs, but it will also upscale them from 480p to 1080p. This is not to say that all of a sudden your standard-definition movies will be in high definition: they won't. But the upscaling will work with the image to create a slightly crisper picture than on a normal DVD player when fitted to your large screen. Of course, in addition to the loads of DVDs that have been available for years, the number of new and classic films and TV shows on Blu-Ray is growing rapidly, and there are already thousands upon thousands of Blu-Ray discs available. Plus, if you have a Profile 2.0 player, you can always find new content to watch online with BD-Live.
The Port Authority
The different ports on your new Blu-Ray player are very important. You can learn more about the different types of audio and video connections in our guides to plasma and LCD high-definition TVs, but in short if you're buying a Blu-Ray player to watch HD content you're going to need either component or HDMI ports and cables, the ones that transmit high-def signals. HDMI is the highest quality of both audio and video, and they both come in a simple single cable for convenience, so if you have enough HDMI ports on your player and your TV, that's your best option. And don't overpay for HDMI cables
Computing Options
If you have a shiny new computer with very high-end graphical performance, a fast processor, lots of memory, and a good sound chip, or if you plan on purchasing a powerful new system, you can always upgrade it with a snazzy Blu-Ray drive. They make both Blu-Ray-playing drives and Blu-Ray burners for if you want to burn either a large amount of video (remember, Blu-Ray discs can hold much more data than a DVD) or share your own high-definition videos shot with an HD camera or camcorder. It can't be stresed enough that these are only good options if you have a very powerful computer: Blu-Ray players themselves need to be very powerful in order to process high definition video, and if you try to play Blu-Ray discs on a weak computer, you'll find them unwatchably choppy and with poor video and sound quality.
Blu-Ray Players and Speaker Systems
Some home theater systems come with a Blu-Ray player, so that's one of yor options if you want to upgrade and pick up a set of speakers at the same time. Then there are standalone Blu-Ray players if you don't want to invest in a new speaker system or already have speakers, and then there are standalone speaker systems that don't require a Blu-Ray player if you have one already or want to purchase one separately from the speakers. Here are some good choices in those three categories:
Home Theater Systems (Blu-Ray Player and Speakers)
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
It sounds great, and the high-end video processing means your Blu-Ray discs will look terrific as well. It also has an aesthetically pleasing design and fast load times to go on top of its included iPod dock and its ability to stream movies and music from Netflix and Pandora internet radio. Best of all, it's pretty darn cheap. |
It's sleek and very attractive, and it has a more than reasonable price. It's ideal for streaming media from online services like Pandora, YouTube, and Netflix, and the quality on streaming video and audio from these sites is very good, as is the quality on Blu-Ray discs and iPod tunes using the included dock. |
This model upgrades the sound to tall front speakers and is a 7.1-channel system overall. There's an iPod dock buil into the central receiver, and it does a great job with Blu-Ray and DVD discs. It can also stream video with very good quality from both YouTube and Amazon's Video on Demand service. |
Though it's only a 5.1-channel system, this high-end Sony offers tallboy-type front speakers and wireless rear speakers, a very nice feature that will prevent clutter and tangled wires. These wireless speakers, unlike some found on competing wireless systems, sound absolutely fantastic--you'll barely believe they're wireless. |
Standalone Speakers
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
The Yamaha is incredibly compact: its subwoofer is tiny but it produces solid bass, and the satellites are very small as well. The best thing about it is the price: it's a great buy for a 5.1-channel system at well under $200. |
With a powerful 100-watt subwoofer and five solid satellites, the HKTS 15 is another great surround sound value pick. Not only does it provide a room with booming bass, but its midrange and treble production is also stellar. |
One of the best systems around, the Take Classic is a steal. It is widely considered a top performer despite its very meager price tag: the 5.1-channel system costs just $400, and if you buy without the woofer it's a scant $200. |
AR's Home Decor models not only provide terrific sound at a nice price, but lots of housing options for the speakers are sold: they can be stashed in specially designed clocks, planters, and boxes to make them invisible. |
Definitive Technology ProCinema 600 Coming in both black and white speaker casings, the Definitive Technology ProCinema 600 makes up for in sound what it lacks in size. It's a great performer but is exceedingly compact. It will, however, run you around $800. |
Standalone Blu-Ray Players
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
An extremely inexpensive Profile 1.1 player priced at just over $100, the Sharp is a great way to get into the world of Blu-Ray if your needs don't go far beyond watching Blu-Rays and DVDs, both of which it handles expertly. Keep in mind that to use the 1.1 BonusView feature, you'll need to provide a bit of extra memory on your own. |
It loads discs lightning fast and is low-priced, just under $200, making it another great entry-level player. It's Profile 2.0, meaning that if you add an additional 1GB of storage, it can use BD-Live functionality. It can connect to the internet or a home network, and it can play media from a USB Flash drive as well. HD picture quality is superb. |
The slim PS3 has 120GB of storage space and is by far the most powerful Blu-Ray player available. It downloads or streams content from the internet or a home network, picture quality for Blu-Ray and DVD is unmatched, and considering all the additional features the system offers, such as excellent gaming, $299 is a huge bargain. |
Performance is terrific all-around from this player, which has great picture, great sound, and well-designed remote and menu systems. It can output up to 7.1-channel surround sound and stream photos and videos from YouTube, Picasa, and Amazon Video on Demand. It's a Profile 2.0 player priced very reasonably. |
Speedy load times, excellent quality on both DVD and Blu-Ray discs, and the fastest standard of built-in wireless, 802.11n, make this a great high-end player. It's pricey at around $350, but it can stream from Netflix, CinemaNow, and YouTube, play from USB drives, and stream media from a home network, all without wires. |
Related Guides
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |