Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bluray

Which are the best movies to get on Blu-Ray?

bent back tulips — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:15:20 -0800

Which are the best movies to get on Blu-Ray? So, the HD format wars are long over and I'm looking at buying my first Blu-Ray player. So I want to know: which films most benefit from the Blu-Ray medium? (Or television content, for that matter; I hear that Planet Earth is practically the first thing one should buy on Blu-Ray.)

So are there movies that blew your mind when you saw them in HD? Which are most impressive or improved over the DVD?

Also, assuming my player does a decent job of upscaling standard DVDs, will it be worth purchasing Blu-Rays of any movies that I already own on DVD? (Not that I'm averse to buying my fifth copy of Blade Runner, but...)

I should note that I'm mainly curious about visual pizazz since I do not own anything resembling a Sound System(tm), just the speakers on my TV.

Budget home theater

bove — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:07:16 -0800

Help me design a budget HD home theater. I am planning on upgrading to HD. I have a small room and a few constraints. The size of the room dictates a 42" TV. I have about $2000 to spend on everything (this is slightly flexible). I currently have a Tivo (Series 2) and love it. I have Cox cable and will probably switch to their digital/HD service. Help me figure out where to best spend my money. Possible components:

HDTV (no preference for plasma or LCD currently)
HD DVR. Preference is Tivo (or is it worth living with the Cox box?) I am under the impression that with HD Tivo is the only option, I can't build a media center PC
Blu-ray player. I have Netflix and could switch to their Blu-ray plan. Although I am also considering relying primarily on services like Amazon on Demand, Cinemanow, etc.
Speakers/Sound. Major constraint here is I cannot have a full surround sound system. I can't run wires and I can't mount rear speakers. I am thinking about a "virtual" surround sound system.
Universal Remote

Any components I have forgotten? Anything I should do without? Can I build a good setup and stay close to my budget?

Why use a remote when I can use a keyboard and mouse?

consummate dilettante — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:22:56 -0800

Help me build a media PC for my home entertainment unit. Basically, all I want is the ability to watch ripped movies/TV shows, play music, and watch Youtube on my TV.

The box will also function as my DVD/BluRay player.

TV capture isn't an issue, because we've cancelled cable, since you can pretty much watch whatever you want online nowadays.

Here's what I've come up with so far. Any further recomendations or tweaks would be welcome.

All prices are in CAD.

Case: Antec FUSION REMOTE BLACK HTPC, $165

CPU: Intel Dual Core E6300 Socket LGA775, $99

BluRay Drive: LG CH08LS10 BLACK 8XBD READ/ 16X DVD-RW BURNER, $130

Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-EG45M-DS2H Socket 775 Intel G45 $135

Hardrive: Western Digital Caviar Green (WD10EADS) 1000GB SATA 3 Gb/s 32MB (OEM) $90

Then whatever RAM I can afford. Anybody think I'm paying too much for what I plan on getting? Any cheaper alternatives without sacrificing performance? Is it worth making the switch to BluRay right now?

Dipping in to Bluray--is it worth a shot?

Gordion Knott — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:55:10 -0800

Bluray disc players significantly improve the visual and auditory quality of movies, so we're told. Does this hold true for TV programs recorded on Bluray? The final season (4.5) of Battlestar Gallactica is on its way to Netflix, and lo and behold, both DVD and Bluray will be up for grabs. (I know that the season's been pummeled by negative reviews, but that's another topic).

Does Bluray improve, either slightly or dramatically, the quality of TV shows like this one? Or does the inferior quality of video defeat any gains over DVD? I'm guessing that from here on, most TV shows will be available in both DVD and Bluray, meaning it might be time to buy a player.

On that note, and as a corollary question, can anybody vouch for the quality of the PS3 as a Bluray player? Does it measure up to other players on the market?

Best device to stream Netflix?

cowmix — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:21:09 -0800

What is the best device (or way) to stream NetFlix to your TV? There are tons of options that allow you to stream Netflix to a TV: hookup a PC, Xbox 360, Roku, LG and Samsung Bluray players, etc.

What is the best way to stream Netflix if I do not own any of those devices now but were going to purchase one?

Blu-Ray Players

aldurtregi — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:25:41 -0800

I'm looking to get into Blu-Ray movies and have long fantasized about the PS3(or comparable BR player) but I see that I can get a BR drive for my PC for less than a third of the PS3's price. I have a pretty good PC and a 1080p monitor. Would I be missing out on any BR features or losing image/sound quality going with the drive? I'm not yet sure what brand of drive I would go with, but it seems I can get LG and Sony for a decent price.

Missed Connections

King Bee — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:46:32 -0800

Why won't my Samsung BD-P2500 Blu-Ray player connect to the internet through my router? I've tried hopelessly for a while to google this problem, but everyone who seems to have it has no solution for it.

Here's the issue. My Blu-Ray player has a ethernet port on the back. When I connect it to the LAN ports on my nearby Dynex wireless G router, it won't connect to the internet (specifically Netflix instant viewing). When I plug it straight into my DSL modem, it connects just fine.

For reference, the security on my router is both WPA password and MAC address filtering. I've added the MAC address for the Samsung to the filter just to be safe, but I didn't think that would matter since the Samsung isn't connecting wirelessly to the router. I've tried putting the Samsung in the DMZ with no luck either.

Any help would be appreciated!

iTunes file or Blu-Ray?

GamblingBlues — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:58:52 -0800

I'm interested in picking up The Godfather: The Coppola Restoration, but which version? It's down to either the Blu-Ray set, or downloading the content off of iTunes to my Apple TV.

Here's the thing - I don't care about having GF III, and I don't care about the special bonus features. This means I could theoretically just buy I and II for $10 each on iTunes. I also don't think I care whether I have a hard copy backup to a digital file.

The iTunes version isn't advertised as HD, which is to be expected as the film is too old to have been shot in that format. The question is, would paying $45+ for the Blu-Ray set versus $20 for the iTunes files give me an appreciable difference in picture quality in favor of Blu-Ray?

I have a 1080p 42" set, and both Apple TV and Blu-Ray players HDMI'd into the TV. Audio setups are equal as well.

Which to buy?

HD-DVD/Blu Ray software for PC?

Dr-Baa — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:38:12 -0800

What PC software is out there for playing HD-DVDs and Blu Ray discs? I have a HD-DVD / Blu Ray combo drive in my PC. I've been using Cyberlink Power DVD 8 to play both my HD-DVDs and Blu Ray discs, but it's not ideal. The software is bloated and wonky, and recently quit outputting audio. There must be something else out there, right?

I'm just looking for a software based movie player that will play both disc formats without a hassle. I'm not interested in ripping them to my computer.

Why can’t my movies be as convenient as my music?

arniec — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:06:24 -0800

DVDs and Blu Ray discs are such a pain with their ability to be scratched and the need to find where a disc is, is it in the right case, etc. I find myself often drawn to standard definition “on demand” movies on cable (free ones) instead of searching my own high definition or DVD movies. Is there a way to have the convenience of “on demand” and the quality of the original media? We have sold off many of our DVDs with the intent of rebuying the movies on Blu Ray, but we still have about 100 DVDs and maybe 20 Blu Ray discs. What we’re looking for is a way to have those all perhaps ripped to a hard drive that we could then navigate to play the movies. I’m not interested in additional features, deleted scenes, commentaries, just the actual video itself (if I want the others I’ll grab the disc).

I know we can rip the standard def DVDs, but if I bought a Blu Ray drive can those discs be ripped at 1080p quality? If so, how much storage is involved, and what device will play it back at best quality with 7.1 surround sound? Do any media centers do HDMI?

We currently have in our house a 4TB Drobo (2.7TB actual storage space), and I have a Mac Mini that I know many people use as a media center; but if we can get this functionality we would not be opposed to buying Apple TV or some other device. We are a mixed PC/Mac household so software and hardware on either platform will work. Mostly we want easy-to-rip, easy-to-play.

Any suggestions?

What are the best display settings for a PS3?

Effigy2000 — Sat, 31 May 2008 23:31:25 -0800

What are the best display settings for a Playstation 3 to ensure I get the best possible picture quality when watching Bluray discs and standard DVDs? I just bought a Playstation 3. I bought it pretty much for the sole purpose of playing Bluray discs and upscaling my existing DVD collection.; games are pretty much an added bonus here, as far as I'm concerned.

So with that in mind, what are the optimum settings for a PS3 in the display settings section of the PS3's setup menu, especially where upscaling is concerned? I'm running it through an HDMI cable and my TV is a Sony Bravia 40" LCD TV. Assume I'm not an AV guru when telling me. I've also updated the system software, so you know.

Thanks in advance!

40GB or 80GB. That is the question...

Effigy2000 — Wed, 07 May 2008 17:07:05 -0800

I'm looking at buying a Playstation 3 pretty much only so I can have a really good Blu-ray player. It's highly unlikely I'll ever buy any PS3 games beyond GTA4, Rockband and maybe Little Big Planet. Given this, should I just buy the 40GB model of the console or are the extra features of the 80GB model (flash card reader, SACD support etc) worth the extra cash in the long run?

Bluray: Netflix vs Blockbuster....FIGHT

joshgray — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:46:25 -0800

Netflix vs. Blockbuster - Who's got more Bluray? Not counting bias either way, looking for the raw numbers.

War. What is it good for?

uaudio — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:54:29 -0800

Is it finally OK to buy a Blu-Ray player? Can I? Finally? Is this stupid 'format war' essentially over? I want to enjoy my new television, but I don't want to be the guy stuck with a bunch of DIVX discs.

I know its been asked before, and before, but with Warner going only Blu-Ray, is the question finally answerable?

American Blu-Ray Player; European TV - Will it blend?

jab — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 18:44:14 -0800

Will a Blu-Ray player purchased in America work with a TV purchased in England? I have a friend that will be moving to London for a few years and he would like to know if he purchases a US Panasonic BD30 Blu-Ray player and a UK Panasonic TV (model TBD) in London will they play nicely together? The interconnect will likely be HDMI. While this limits the selection of movies that are playable to region 1 movies, that isn't the issue at hand.

I know there are products that can do this, like the Apple TV. It can hook up over HDMI and has 5+ different sync rates to work internationally. Other then region codes, are Blu-Ray players the same?

Does HDMI take care of the sync rate, or do the sources still need to play nice with each other?

Thank you in advance.

Help me set up a home media center!

adi — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:00:37 -0800

What is the best solution for setting up a media center that can serve regular DVD, HD DVD, BluRay, QT, MKV/H.264, AVI, et cetera to a 47 inch LCD at 1080p? A friend has charged me with figuring out how to set this up. The TV will be a 47" Vizio, I believe. He wants to have the full range of HD options available on this TV. Is a computer best? Anything specific? I'm open to ideas. Obviously keeping costs down is always great, but having all the options is crucial

HD DVD and Blu-ray

Kwantsar — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 19:09:05 -0800

Please, tell me who is winning the format war between HD DVD and Blu-ray. Both data and (well-founded and -referenced) opinion welcome.

I am looking for a bookshelf HDDVD Storage Tray

nickerbocker — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:26:52 -0800

I am looking for a bookshelf HDDVD Storage Tray that resembles this DVD Storage Tray by Case Logic. Case Logic does not make the product I am looking for. HDDVD and Bluray discs come in a more compact plastic case that does not fit "snuggly" in the linked to storage tray...how irritating. Thanks for any help.

PS3 modchip = Sony gets pwnd?

matteo — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 08:02:38 -0800

Will Blu Ray make the modding of a PS3 that much harder? I seem to remember that it only took a few months after the original PlayStation and the PS2 came out, for people to figure out the way to mod them and make them play cracked games. Now, I'm far from an expert, but since every PS3 sold actually costs money to Sony it seems to me that once it becomes possible -- say, in the pring -- to mod the PS3 and people start sharing games like there's no tomorrow (the way it happened with the previous consoles) it could very well be a disaster for Sony. As I said I'm not an expert, though.

Thoughts on Vaio desktop?

Saucy Intruder — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 15:18:25 -0800

Anyone out there have anything to say about the new Sony Vaio desktop? It's been a long time since I bought a desktop machine and it's been never since I bought a Sony. I have heard rave reviews of their Vaio laptops but am in the dark on their desktops, and online reviews are scarce. Even sans monitor this seems like a good price for the processor speed, memory, and storage I get, though I wonder if I am overpaying for the Blu-ray drive that has been problematic. Thoughts, before I take the plunge?