topic Re: Blu Ray opinions? in Electronics

Blu Ray opinions?

PamelaSue72 — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 14:47:40 GMT

Does anybody have a blu ray player? What kind? Are you happy with it? Do we need an Ultra HD blu ray player?

This is the I'm looking at....Samsung - UBD-K8500 4K Ultra HD Wi-Fi Built-In Blu-ray Player - Black

According to Consumer Reports, "4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player from Samsung with 4K upconversion for Blu-ray and DVD discs. It has built-in WiFi capability for connecting wirelessly to a home network and is 3D-capable"

We have our network and I can connect it with no trouble. 3D capable? Do I need that? Is it that important? We certainly don't have any 4K discs!

Actually, we don't have any blu ray discs, but I understand that you can play regular DVDs on a blu ray player. I've been buying TV seasons of some shows, not too much in the way of movies, but a couple movies here and there. And I've been buying them in just regular DVD format because that's the kind of DVD player we have; it's nothing fancy at all.

DH has been talking about blu ray players and he says he's tempted to buy one. Hence all my questions. We'd probably connect it to the tv in the bedroom as I'm the one who watches all the old tv shows, movies, etc on the Fire stick. And when we'd watch something together, we'd watch on the bedroom tv as it's more comfortable. That tv is an older JVC HD 42-inch, nothing particularly fancy about it. The Fire stick is connected to that tv.

I am reviewing the Samsung now, but wondered what anybody had and if you're satisfied, if you could recommend something, etc. I know nothing about them. I'm still using my Fire stick to watch some TV shows, especially when I binge on a show.

Thank you for your reviews and opinions!

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

GCR18 — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 14:54:21 GMT

Thanks for posting this, as I've had all the same questions as you.

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

jaxs mom — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 16:30:42 GMT

Your tv has to be 4k and 3D capable for either to be able to display those pictures regardless if it's from a cable broadcast or blu-ray that is sending 4K or 3D. So unless you have one or are going to buy a new tv that has that in the near future i wouldn't bother with 4k or 3D.

The decision on going 4k or 3D is up to you. We still have our original blu-ray player from 7 years ago and chose not to go to 4k yet when we replaced our tv this year.

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

glb613 — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 16:55:30 GMT

As posted, your TV must be HD or 3D for you to see the quality from your Bluray player. I have 2 Sony Bluray players, one is a Smart player the other isn't. The quality of the video is great and it turns my non-smart TV into one I can stream.

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

hckynut — Sat, 10 Dec 2016 19:10:59 GMT

@PamelaSue72 wrote:
Does anybody have a blu ray player? What kind? Are you happy with it? Do we need an Ultra HD blu ray player?

This is the I'm looking at....Samsung - UBD-K8500 4K Ultra HD Wi-Fi Built-In Blu-ray Player - Black

According to Consumer Reports, "4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player from Samsung with 4K upconversion for Blu-ray and DVD discs. It has built-in WiFi capability for connecting wirelessly to a home network and is 3D-capable"

We have our network and I can connect it with no trouble. 3D capable? Do I need that? Is it that important? We certainly don't have any 4K discs!

Actually, we don't have any blu ray discs, but I understand that you can play regular DVDs on a blu ray player. I've been buying TV seasons of some shows, not too much in the way of movies, but a couple movies here and there. And I've been buying them in just regular DVD format because that's the kind of DVD player we have; it's nothing fancy at all.

DH has been talking about blu ray players and he says he's tempted to buy one. Hence all my questions. We'd probably connect it to the tv in the bedroom as I'm the one who watches all the old tv shows, movies, etc on the Fire stick. And when we'd watch something together, we'd watch on the bedroom tv as it's more comfortable. That tv is an older JVC HD 42-inch, nothing particularly fancy about it. The Fire stick is connected to that tv.

I am reviewing the Samsung now, but wondered what anybody had and if you're satisfied, if you could recommend something, etc. I know nothing about them. I'm still using my Fire stick to watch some TV shows, especially when I binge on a show.

Thank you for your reviews and opinions!

@PamelaSue72

I have been buying and seting up electroics in my cars and homes since I was 15 years old, way back in 1954. If a new format or device came out, I bought it. Heck I was making over $100 a week then, much like 1 or 2,000 bucks in today's $$$$.This before radio even had FM radio, thus TRUE Stereo Sound.

You name a new format that came out since that time, I had it. This was primarily audio components because I was not into filming or watching home made, terrible quality film. In the late 1960's I got into video with my first VCR, I chose an RCA VHS because it was much more popular than Sony Beta, and the market soon proved that out with Beta pretty much phasing out.

I won't name all the technologies and formats because many probably are not interested. I will mention Blu-Ray because they too had competition with another higher quality resolution disc format, which was HD Video Discs and Players. I chose Blu-ray because I felt it was the better of the 2, even though it was more expansive than HD Video. Like Beta, the industry via customers decided Blu-ray was their choice.

Enough history! We own at this time 3 Samsung TV sets: 37"/40" and a 4k Curved 65". We also own 3 Samsung Blu-players, 1 of which is 3D and 1 which is both 3D and a 4k Up conversion. When there is much more 4k Blu-Ray disc content on the market and the prices of True 4k Blu-ray players come down into the middle or lower 3 figure $$$$, I will upgrade to that newest hardware.

I have bought Samsung for a reason. They are number 1 in many of the devices in the field of electronics, and I have found them to be reliable/better audio and video features, and I can buy them at a much cheaper price than most of the other NAME Brand components.

Too much info, I know, but I just can't help myself when it comes to one of my life long passions. Maybe something I said here might help you with your decision.

E.T.A. As others have pointed out. You have to have a 3D capable TV set, with the proper Active or Passive 3D glasses, for the particular Blu-ray Player and TV set. If 1 uses Passive and the other uses Active Glasses? That just may not work, of that I am not sure. Since my equipment is all Samsung, which uses the True 1080p resolution Active 3D glasses, that in an issue for which I am not sure.

Same when it comes to 4K. I don't know if there will even be 3D/4K Blu-Ray disc even made. The 3D market just wasn't/isn't there as much as the manufactures anticipated. But I do know at some point a lot of movies in 4K will come out in Blu-ray, as many movies are already shot in 4K, but taken down to only 1080P in order to fit TV displays and on 1 Blu-Ray disc, not 2 or 3 per movie.

No HDMI Cable is needed for 3D, but for 4K? Since it passes much more information, to get the best quality, I personally have bought HDMI Cables that have computer chips that can carry the full 4K content, not a simulated version like has to be passed on through the older versions of HDMI Cables.

hckynut(john)

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

PamelaSue72 — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 15:01:06 GMT

Wow, that is a lot of information to digest. Since we have regular HD JVC television sets (not smart tvs, not 4K, not 3D) and we're not in the market for new tvs right now, I think I will stay with a Samsung, but something that is more fitted to our needs.

I thank you for your reviews and for your opinions. They are helpful.

(And thank you to John. Very helpful!)

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

SilleeMee — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 21:46:20 GMT

Eventually blu-ray will become obsolete. Video streaming is where technology is headed...not only viewing it but storing it electronically rather than on a disc. With this in mind, I personally would not spend a lot of money on a new blu-ray player...4k or not.

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

chickenbutt — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 23:04:47 GMT

I have a Sony brand blu-ray player. I like it. It also is wireless and I can access stuff like Netflix, etc.

I don't know about the 4K thing. the regular HD works fine for me. I think you'd have to buy 4K discs and/or have a 4K capability on the rest of your equipment (the tv anyway), etc.

My Sony was pretty inexpensive and highly rated. I do like the Sony brand, also.

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

hckynut — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 01:17:24 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
Eventually blu-ray will become obsolete. Video streaming is where technology is headed...not only viewing it but storing it electronically rather than on a disc. With this in mind, I personally would not spend a lot of money on a new blu-ray player...4k or not.

@SilleeMee

I have a feeling that your definition of "obsolete", and mine are very different. Since my entry into the electronics world, many technologies have changed, and some I changed with, some I did not.

I still have a Quadrophonic Receiver I bought in the 1970's. While it is old, in my view, it is not obsolete. It still plays "surround sound", both descrete and SS simulation. I can still play FM radio 5.1 Dolby Digital music on it, minus the .1 audio.

Because new technologies come along does not mean obsolescence for older technologies. Older? Sure they are, but obsolete when they are still functioning as they were intended? Not in my book.

One of my co-workers, who also was a good friend, kept waiting for "The Best" HD tv that would be made. I setup his home theater for him long before HD hit the market. I told him "there is no such thing as the 1 and only HD TV", or any other electronic on the market, and there never would be. Electronic technology moves on, and will continue to do so. My good friend died waiting, never buying a great High Definition TV set.

I could make this a full length novel about this topic, but I will end with it. For me there is a BIG difference between old electronics, and them being called obsolete.

As for @PamelaSue72 buying a Blu-ray player. They are not expensive and can very easily make her JVC TV a Smart TV. I don't know of any of the major brand manufacturers that make a Blu-ray player WITHOUT the Smart features.

So for you @PamelaSue72 ? For less than $100 you can make your JVC a Smart TV, assuming your have broadband internet and a home wi-fi connections. Guess this is longer than I had planned, just the way I operate, and just can't seem to help myself.

hckynut(john)

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

SilleeMee — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 01:25:23 GMT

@hckynut,

I own some older audio equipment, too. Even an old Akai reel-to-reel. Problem is, when they break it will be difficult to find someone to fix them. This is what I mean by "obsolete". I tried to get one of my old-school woofers repaired and the the repair guy told me it wasn't worth the cost and just to buy new. Well guess what...I found a place that sold speaker restoration kits and did it myself! Obsolete speaker?? NOT! LOL!

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

glb613 — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 10:56:36 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
Eventually blu-ray will become obsolete. Video streaming is where technology is headed...not only viewing it but storing it electronically rather than on a disc. With this in mind, I personally would not spend a lot of money on a new blu-ray player...4k or not.

Eventually could be 20 years from now. That wouldn't stop me from buying a Bluray player. Plus many people have movies on Bluray discs and need a way to view them.

As I posted earlier, get one that can get online or a "Smart Bluray player". You have the best of both worlds. You can rent movies and watch them through your player if you have an account with Amazon. If you get an account with Netflix, you can stream programs.

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

Nuttmeg — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 12:38:52 GMT

You don't have to buy a very expensive player.

Re: Blu Ray opinions?

gardenman — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 14:22:17 GMT

Electronics' prices come down so quickly that I wouldn't overspend on a blu-ray player that does more than you need. One with 3D capabilities isn't necessary unless you have a 3D HDTV and you apparently don't. The 4K upconversion isn't a bad bonus as 4K sets are now roughly comparable in price to "normal" HDTV's and rapidly becoming the new normal. But, with 4K becoming the new normal a blu-ray player that upconverts to 4K is a good option. I'm not sure I'd invest in one of the newest Ultra HD Blu-ray 4K players yet as they're still somewhat pricey and the DVD selection for them is still somewhat limited. GIve it a year or two and they'll likely be the new normal and selling for around $100 instead of the $250+ they're selling at now. For under $100 now you can get a very good blu-ray player that will do all you need it to do for now. In a couple of years that same $100 will get you a better one than you can buy now for $250+ so if you replace it then your total out of pocket would be around $200 instead of the $250+ you'd spend now and you'll end up with a better product.