Blu-Ray Question

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drew137

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I have a desktop machine setup at home connected to a 50" Sony Plasma (http://www.sony.co.za/product/fwd-50px3) and a Logitech Z5450 via optical connection.

The machine is used as a media centre for watching DVD's and TV. I want to get myself a Blu-Ray Drive for this machine, is it going to be worth it and will it offer the same image quality as if played through a Sony PS3 or a similar Blu-Ray player?

I was thinking of getting this:

http://www.liteonit.eu/optical-storage-blu-ray-internal-bd-rom/dh-4o1s.html
LITEON® Blu-Ray™ ROM - SATA - 6x BD-ROM, -R, RE (4x DL) / - 16x DVD+R/-R/-R DL/+R DL, 8x +RW/-RW, 48x CD-R - Black

Is this a waste of cash seeing as Blu-Ray movies are so expensive?
 
drew137 said:
I have a desktop machine setup at home connected to a 50" Sony Plasma (http://www.sony.co.za/product/fwd-50px3) and a Logitech Z5450 via optical connection.

The machine is used as a media centre for watching DVD's and TV. I want to get myself a Blu-Ray Drive for this machine, is it going to be worth it and will it offer the same image quality as if played through a Sony PS3 or a similar Blu-Ray player?

I was thinking of getting this:

http://www.liteonit.eu/optical-storage-blu-ray-internal-bd-rom/dh-4o1s.html
LITEON® Blu-Ray™ ROM - SATA - 6x BD-ROM, -R, RE (4x DL) / - 16x DVD+R/-R/-R DL/+R DL, 8x +RW/-RW, 48x CD-R - Black

Is this a waste of cash seeing as Blu-Ray movies are so expensive?
Click to expand...

If you install DVDRegionFree from Fengtao Soft or AnyDVDHD from Slysoft
(both are payware) you'll be able to view BDs from regions outside of Europe/SA (Region B). You'll also be able to copy them or rip them to HD video files eg H264 MKV files. That is a double functionality the region locked PS3 will not give you.

Quality Wise it depends on the software player (eg WinDVD) and the graphics card. I'm sure you'll get similar quality to a PS3 although you may want to search for that.

Are BDs worth it?
I personally feel that they are overpriced and are not worth it at the moment. The economy with the global liquidity crisis is in real shambles and we could see the Rand tumble more and living conditions get worse in SA.
Is it prudent to buy an overpriced new technology now? If you have the spare cash, sure. I own a Samsung BD Player - a device which was on 'special' at the time I bought it and I discovered two weeks later the same device for R1000 less at Makro (not on special there).

BDs are bound to get cheaper as will the hardware.

If you intend on buying the BD drive, make sure it's compatible with
AnyDVD HD or DVD Region Free HD by looking at the websites or asking on the forums of these two companies.
 
[ot]

What soundcard do you have? Are you getting 5.1 through the optical connection to you speakers?

[/ot]
 
PeterCH said:
If you install DVDRegionFree from Fengtao Soft or AnyDVDHD from Slysoft
(both are payware) you'll be able to view BDs from regions outside of Europe/SA (Region B). You'll also be able to copy them or rip them to HD video files eg H264 MKV files. That is a double functionality the region locked PS3 will not give you.

Quality Wise it depends on the software player (eg WinDVD) and the graphics card. I'm sure you'll get similar quality to a PS3 although you may want to search for that.

Are BDs worth it?
I personally feel that they are overpriced and are not worth it at the moment. The economy with the global liquidity crisis is in real shambles and we could see the Rand tumble more and living conditions get worse in SA.
Is it prudent to buy an overpriced new technology now? If you have the spare cash, sure. I own a Samsung BD Player - a device which was on 'special' at the time I bought it and I discovered two weeks later the same device for R1000 less at Makro (not on special there).

BDs are bound to get cheaper as will the hardware.

If you intend on buying the BD drive, make sure it's compatible with
AnyDVD HD or DVD Region Free HD by looking at the websites or asking on the forums of these two companies.
Click to expand...

Thanks PeterCH for the info, I agree on trying to save cash but I do have some spare. I was going to upgrade my PC but seeing as it is a glorified Media Player I thought the Blu-Ray drive would be the best money spent on the box.

I will do some more research on the price of disks I have some family in Dubai so maybe they can get them cheaper?
 
drew137 said:
Thanks PeterCH for the info, I agree on trying to save cash but I do have some spare. I was going to upgrade my PC but seeing as it is a glorified Media Player I thought the Blu-Ray drive would be the best money spent on the box.

I will do some more research on the price of disks I have some family in Dubai so maybe they can get them cheaper?
Click to expand...

It's possible. If I was you I'd go with a seperate drive vs PS3.
Just make sure the drive works with AnyDVD HD etc.
Also make sure card is fully HDCP compatible.

Oh yeah, if you use AnyDVD HD you don't have to worry about HDCP certification of card or monitor,
I believe.
 
PeterCH said:
It's possible. If I was you I'd go with a seperate drive vs PS3.
Just make sure the drive works with AnyDVD HD etc.
Also make sure card is fully HDCP compatible.

Oh yeah, if you use AnyDVD HD you don't have to worry about HDCP certification of card or monitor,
I believe.
Click to expand...

Cool, trying to get my GF to find the box for my video card:confused: I don't even know what I put in there!
 
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