JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Our dvd player quit working, it is a Sony DVD/VHS combo, it's old maybe 5 years, the vhs still works but the dvd part quits after 20 seconds. So I'm looking for a blu ray player and I have to tell you, I'm not impressed with what they have out there, everything I look at is interent ready, wi-fi ready and a bunch of other stuff that I have no idea what it is. I just want a blu ray player to play movies when I want. They tell me I need wireless connection which I don't, so they say I need a flash drive so I can get updates off the computer to put on the blu ray so it will run the movies, they told me the movies I have now may play and in the future they may not play since they are upgrading formats all the time, all far as I'm concerned this is turning me off to even buy the darn thing. Can't seem to find a regular dvd player anywhere. I have been to web sites that sell the blu rays and most of them really don't have very good rating, you will find some people give it a good rating and rest give it a bad rating, so it is split which doesn't help me out, these are blu ray's from LG, Sony, Samsung, RCA, and a host of others which I haven't even heard of and basically want to stay away from since they are not name brand. Went to Best Buy and looked at what they had, the salesman told me and tried in laymans terms since I'm not a tech person by all means, ended up leaving with a headache and pretty mad at the techolgy today, where did the simple stuff go. He also told me that everything is going blu ray but since 3D is out they are switching over to that, blu ray will be a thing of the past like vhs. Most of what they had was 3D but still could play my regular dvd's but need a flash drive or a hook up for interent to get updates, these company's are sure sticking it to us. RANT OFF I GUESS Now, what do you cowboys recommend for a simple blu ray player that works good and easy to hook up that will work for several years and have a good rating????????? All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Based on the SIX FEET of space our local video rental place has devoted to Blu Ray, we've decided to forgo this "necessity". Anybody remember BetaMax? Probably gonna be the same PROPRIETARY deal that goes south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted December 23, 2010 Author Share Posted December 23, 2010 Hey AJ, I remember beta max, does that show our age or what, I was mad when they started converting vhs to dvd, now they are going to blu ray then 3D, bring back the old days, was much simpler life All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Went through the same thing a few months ago. Blue Ray is probably the last format before going to a chip or just downloading everything like you do on an Ipod. Blue Ray is a pretty complex computer and like a lot of computers there are routine updates to the operating software. That's why an Internet connection is nice or maybe for some discs a necessity. Once I plugged the thing in and it connected to my computer through some magical wireless connection I still haven't figured out, it updated the software automatically (even though the player was the newest, greatest latest version) and all kinds of things popped up. Netflix, Blockbuster and several other movie providers. Now I seldom even buy a disc. Just turn on the player, click on a provider and the movie downloads and plays in Hi-def. I don't understand half of what the thing can do, but it is amazing where the technology is taking us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 JD, I bought a Sony Blu Ray player (BDP-N460) a couple of months ago at Best Buy for about $100. It doesn't do anything except play DVDs, which meets all my requirements. So far, I'm very happy with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 I agree straight download is the way it's gonna be. Hint, the latest Apple computers don't even HAVE a DVD drive. Even my PHONE coud download a couple of movies without choking, and soon enough the cell system will be able to handle that quickly too..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cole Younger Requlator Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Larsen, I agree with you- the BLU-Ray download is great. Instant movies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 JD, I'm going thru the same quandary. I really didn't want to "up grade" anything, but my 25 year old Pioneer tuner died. I figure the labor would be excessive and parts near impossible to find so I bough a new one. 3D Ready. I didn't really think I was interested in 3D for the home, but, seems the work on the street is by this time next year, my satellite provider will have about 150 different offerings in 3D not to mention the NFL is going 3D. Neither my HD TV nor my Blu Ray player are that old, but ............ I really liked Avatar in 3D!!! So I'm saving my pennies. My suggestion would be to bite the bullet and go for a Blu Ray player that's 3D. My research says Panasonic right now. They have the best Big Screen Plasma on the market and one of the best Blu Ray players. They aren't cheap, but what the heck. Only go round once. Wouldn't by anything from Sony on a bet. Sony closed up their plant here in PA and moved the operation to Mexico. Thousands out of work. Won't even consider Sony. Anyway, good luck on your quest. I hated being hauled kicking and screaming into the 21st Century, but I now even have a cell phone. Just try and find one that "just" makes a phone call!!! Coffinmaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Hacker, #60477 Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 And don't try to play your Evil Roy DVD's from SASS Mercantile on it either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted December 23, 2010 Author Share Posted December 23, 2010 I have to ask why not Mack Hacker??? All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Hacker, #60477 Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 I have to ask why not Mack Hacker??? All for now JD Trampas All I can get is sound, no video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dalton Masterson, SASS #51139 Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Hmmm. I will have to try my ER videos and see if they do the same thing. We have an LG Blu Ray player that we got last year for Christmas. The only thing I would suggest is to get the WiFI ready, not the WiFi capable. The one we have is not even WiFi capable, and we had to run 50' of ethernet wire through the house to hook up for Netflix. Wireless (WiFi) will make things much simpler in the end, even if its a few bucks more. Our dvds view a little better, and Blu Ray movies clarity is great. If you are stuck on dvd players, I think Walmart has a little one, but I wouldnt expect high quality ones to be around still. DM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381 Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Went through the same thing a few months ago. Blue Ray is probably the last format before going to a chip or just downloading everything like you do on an Ipod. Blue Ray is a pretty complex computer and like a lot of computers there are routine updates to the operating software. That's why an Internet connection is nice or maybe for some discs a necessity. Once I plugged the thing in and it connected to my computer through some magical wireless connection I still haven't figured out, it updated the software automatically (even though the player was the newest, greatest latest version) and all kinds of things popped up. Netflix, Blockbuster and several other movie providers. Now I seldom even buy a disc. Just turn on the player, click on a provider and the movie downloads and plays in Hi-def. I don't understand half of what the thing can do, but it is amazing where the technology is taking us. Yep. My danged Blu-ray would only play certain disks, and it would just sit there with other disks. I searched on the Internet and discovered I was using 1.0 software, and they were already on 3.6 software. Amazing how well it works with proper software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palo Verde, SASS # 56522 Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 We have an LG Blu Ray player that we got last year for Christmas. The only thing I would suggest is to get the WiFI ready, not the WiFi capable. The one we have is not even WiFi capable, and we had to run 50' of ethernet wire through the house to hook up for Netflix. Wireless (WiFi) will make things much simpler in the end, even if its a few bucks more. Be advised, the LG Blu Ray techs informed me my LG won't talk to my Wireless modem because the Blu Ray machine "needs to be within at least 25 feet, it is much better if you are 20 feet or less" My modem is 50 feet away. They told me to run the cable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangent Ranger Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 I can't watch TV, except for about three of the ten I use to be able to watch. Thank you government for the change to digital. Bought surround sound and now only 1 in 10 works. Ain't technology grand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtwater Doc 17941 Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Actually this is supply side economics..they supply it so you MUST want it since you have little choice. DD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest diablo slim shootist Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Remember the old days -Black & white with rabbit ears and tin foil stuck on them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubious Don #56333 Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 I just bought a Panasonic DVD/VHS dual deck at Walmart. DVD's are still around and I'd suspect they will be for quite a while. Blue-Ray mght be the new-hottest but for as long as it's been out hasn't grown all that much. A couple of years ago I would have predicted the shift at video stores to go mostly B-R like what happened with VHS - Beta and VHS to DVD but that hasn't happened. Maybe it will. The conversion to digital isn't easy, many formats and the new wave is all going to be computer based. (The Dubious clan hasn't got that far yet) We're still converting VHS to DVD and watching Netflix on DVD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awful Close Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 JD Hit the local pawn shops, you should be able to get a pretty good DVD player there. It should probably last long enough for all the format confusion to settle down into one platform that won't be obsolete within 3 months of purchase. Also check the newspaper classifieds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snakebite Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Yeah... I'm kinda bumed out as to what to do too. I have about 200 movies on VHS, and stacks of DVDs too. A while back I bought a machine to transfer some of my favorite VHS movies and some special TV broadcast that I wanted... they played great on the machine upon which they were made... then, it broke. I've gone through three others since then, and all of the DVDs that I made will play about half way through... and then "Lock-up". I don't know what to do now. Even reading my books is changing.... my son got me a Barnes and Noble "Nook" to download books. I'm retired from the High Tech world of Computers. I was a System Specialist Maintaining the NAS. I had hoped to be done with it (other than email etc)... but now.... it seems that the Computer Generation has completly gone MAD! It's almost to the point that even simple task such as turning on a light can no longer be "ON-OFF"... now they want every switch to have a micro processor so that it can be controlled form your cell phone and have 2 million different settings! High tech has some really neat things... but it's to the point of absurdity. My mother can't even watch her T.V. any more without getting it all messed up to the point that I have to go and spend hours figureing out how to re-program it so she can watch it again. My surround sound is so complicated that I just hate it. With a remove for the T.V., the sound system, the satelite system, the DVD player and the stereo, if I'm not home my wife just doesn't use them at all. I've tried buying the "Universal" remotes... but they don't work on everything, and they just further complicate the whole process. Aaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr!! And on, and on. Snakebite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dubious Don #56333 Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Rabbit ears Rotary dial phones Cars that unlocked and started with a key and didn't talk back Kitchen appliances that turned on and off without asking about a dozen different settings before turning on TV's that didn't need a half dozen remotes to work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share Posted December 24, 2010 I want to thank all of you for your input, I have quite a bit of information to assorb and think about, might have to hire a geek to install it so it is done right, but at least it would be done right, would hate to screw it up and then cost more I guess, wish I was more techical, but at my age, I'm glad I get out of bed in the morning. Thanks for the input again and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Frank Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 I want to thank all of you for your input, I have quite a bit of information to assorb and think about, might have to hire a geek to install it so it is done right, but at least it would be done right, would hate to screw it up and then cost more I guess, wish I was more techical, but at my age, I'm glad I get out of bed in the morning. Thanks for the input again and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year All for now JD Trampas If all you want to do is watch DVD's and Blu-rays, just buy the cheapest Blu-ray player from a brand that you have heard of. Don't worry about wi-fi or anything else if you don't plan on using those features. The Blu-ray player will hook up to your TV with an HDMI cable (if your TV is HD). The HDMI cable carries both video and sound. The Blu-ray format is here to stay. Sony made sure of that when they used their pull and financial muscle with the movie studios to kill HD-DVD. They learned their lesson with Betamax, and refused to lose anoth format war. DVD's are being phased out; it will all go to Blu-ray before long. Might as well get the Blu-ray player now, since your DVD player is dead. Don't worry about 3D. It is a cool novelty, but it will not catch on. It is amazing to watch for a few minutes, but that's about it. I can't imagine having to wear those stupid glasses to watch TV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Trampas, SASS # 55781 Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share Posted December 24, 2010 Buckshot Frank, I understand that blue ray is here to stay, basically the tech person at Best Buy told me that blue ray is on the way out and 3D is coming, if you will read some of the responses to this post, not all blue rays players will play regular dvd's, that is what worries me since I have over 100 cowboy movies, I would like to still play them when I want and granted not all blue ray players are created equal, don't really want to start a investment in cowboy movies in blue ray and then can't play them down the road when everything is in 3D, Yes my tv does have the HDMI hook up, it is only 2 years old and has a very good picture, knock on wood, it will go next, wish they built these tech gadgets like my rugers, marlins, never have had trouble with them All for now JD Trampas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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