Profile 2.0 Compatible Blu-Ray Players

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 29 Feb 2008, 04:08

I thought it would be useful to compile a list of Profile 2.0 Compatible BD Players. Here goes:

1. Sony Playstation 3 - Out Now (Firmware upgraded required)

2. Panasonic DMP-BD50 - Out around May time, the DMP-BD30 is Profile 1.1: http://www.homecinemachoice.com/cgi-bin ... hp?id=9476
UPDATE: 08/06/08: Panasonic DMP-BD50 review: http://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-a ... 15617.html

3. Sony BDP-S350 (Summer 2008) and BDP-S550 (Autumn 2008) have just been announced: http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/26/sony ... ayers-sin/
UPDATE: All three Sony models are DTS-HD Master Audio compatible too.

4. LG BD300 (Autumn 2008): http://blog.homecinemachoice.com/page/h ... _bd_player

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 29 Feb 2008, 04:13

It surprises me that Sony keeps updating the PS3's Blu-ray profile, because you'd have thought that would be one way of encouraging people to buy their standalones. I'm definitely not complaining!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 29 Feb 2008, 04:20

Personally I reckon it was deliberate. They can make their money back on PS3 Games and knew their trump card always was the PS3 so did everything to make it stand out from the crowd.

I doubt they had much interest in their standalones, knowing they have a limited market at their initial price point. Now that BD has won they can start reducing prices and pushing them more.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 29 Feb 2008, 04:23

Yeah but it's not like they advertise and make a big deal out of the PS3 having the latest BD profile is it, most people don't even know anything about the profiles. So for the people that do know, and are bothered, Sony could have potentially got them to buy a newer standalone by not updating the PS3's BD profile.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 29 Feb 2008, 05:48

I'd imagine that's why they don't. It would confuse the hell out of most people, especially if it made them realise that BD wasn't complete at launch. Imagine if the public knew what this means.

Sony could have potentially got them to buy a newer standalone by not updating the PS3's BD profile.

I think the likelihood of that happening is low. They're very expensive. People are prepared to pay mega bucks for the new all singing, all dancing Console but they won't for a glorified DVD Player (in most people's minds).

saltysam · Post by **saltysam** » 13 Mar 2008, 00:21

i hear this new Region B profile 1.1 panasonic is multi-region for dvds out of the box

http://shop.panasonic.co.uk/invt/dmpbd30egk

£300 here with 2 free discs...may interest Mark?

http://www.avland.co.uk/panasonic/dmpbd30/dmp-bd30.htm

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Mar 2008, 00:49

That is sweet thanks Salty. So it's not something AV Land have added and all ones are DVD MR out of the box right?

It bodes well for the Panasonic DMP-BD50 also being DVD MR. I wonder if Region A Panasonic DMP-BD30s are MR too?

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 13 Mar 2008, 01:13

£300 is too steep. If it was multi-region for DVDs AND Blu-Rays I'd at least consider it.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Mar 2008, 01:57

It's a fair price for a Profile 1.1 Player, Profile 1.1 players are dead rare in Europe outside of the PS3.

It's also a decent make. Samsung sell models for much less but we all know how great their BD Players have been. Personally I wouldn't buy a £200 Player as it will only be inferior or likely have problems not found on a more expensive one.

I consider them investments that I want to last me years.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Mar 2008, 06:28

The Panasonic DMP-BD30 gets 9 out of 10 in this UK review:

http://www.trustedreviews.com/home-cine ... -Player/p1

It was only released a few weeks ago in the UK:

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/dvdpvr/0,390307 ... 767,00.htm

Crikey I wasn't expecting this, hopefully the DMP-BD50 is the same:

There's also another feature on the BD30 that we welcome with open arms. It can play DivX -- implying XviD support as well -- which is an excellent addition to an HD player, because until now there's been pretty much no support for downloaded formats in next-generation players.

DivX + Profile 1.1 + SD DVD MR + Panasonic build quality for £299.99 is an excellent price!

It's £350 are Amazon. £299.99 the best I can find it for.

It's going to be another year before we see Profile 2.0 Players at a sub £280-300 price. They're only finally coming out (except for the PS3) this May and then only Panasonic + Sony have any scheduled. All Samsung's are still Profile 1.0.

I guess you have to ask yourself if you want a BD Player now (or May if you want Profile 2.0) or wait another year? 2009 is going to be the big year for HD, maybe Xmas 2008.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 13 Mar 2008, 06:56

PS3 plays DivX

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Mar 2008, 07:59

Next you guys will tell me the PS3 makes you tea and will give you sexual gratification too.

The PS3 doesn't count, why because I said so!

Seriously it's a Games Console so is kind of a different category to a BD Standalone, even if yes I know it can do much the same stuff. You know what I mean, please no come back Salty

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 13 Mar 2008, 10:11

Also the days of multi-purpose consoles having inferior media playback are over, mate.

(Eg PS2 was the worst DVD player that I've ever used. Skipping entire chapters after layer change, no joke. Xbox 1 on the other hand is one of the best.)

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Mar 2008, 10:22

I know, I know.

I just meant they're a different category again so IMO cannot be compared. Put it this way: those who buy a Games Console are not the same market as those who buy a Dedicated Separates player. A HC enthusiast may want both but they're different markets.

And it's rare to see DivX on HD Separates, so it's worth celebrating, for me anyway

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 13 Mar 2008, 11:06

EvaUnit02 wrote:(Eg PS2 was the worst DVD player that I've ever used. Skipping entire chapters after layer change, no joke. Xbox 1 on the other hand is one of the best.)

I too hated the PS2 as a DVD player - it went out of synch with the sound after the layer change! I remember the Xbox having great picture quality.

Brad - you're a damned fool for thinking the PS3 doesn't count. It doesn't even look 'chunky' if you have it on its side, it looks ace. I'd never have it flat.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 13 Mar 2008, 11:15

I'd always have console in a horizontal position. Why tempt fate with the potential for knock-overs and disc scratching?

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 13 Mar 2008, 16:17

Where mine is, it can't be knocked over, and it's Xbox's that scratch discs, not PS3's

.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Mar 2008, 19:45

@ Gasteropod: Of course it counts as a BD Player but not a Home Cinema Separates Player, why? Because it isn't one. I'm sure you knew what I meant.

Personally I'd rather wait and buy a dedicated machine for the job, even if yes I know the PS3 can do it very well too.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 13 Mar 2008, 20:15

bradavon wrote:@ Gasteropod: Of course it counts as a BD Player but not a Home Cinema Separates Player, why? Because it isn't one. I'm sure you knew what I meant.

Oh yeah, I knew what you meant, I just can't get my head around why you don't classify it as good enough.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 14 Mar 2008, 00:23

I'm not paying £300 for a player that doesn't do multi-region BD. I don't care if it's Profile 212.5!

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 14 Mar 2008, 00:50

I guess you're waiting then

I suspect you'll end up having to give up on BD MR and buying a region locked player like everyone, there is nothing on the horizon at all.

gasteropod · Post by **gasteropod** » 14 Mar 2008, 01:14

What BD player does do 'multi-region BD'

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 14 Mar 2008, 01:33

None of them do, but we all know how anal Mark can be

. No doubt he'll wait literally forever hoping one may come one day.

The only thing I've heard of is that Scandinavian RA + RB BD Player that extensively altered things inside.

Markgway · Post by **Markgway** » 15 Mar 2008, 00:38

I'm not desperate.... I can wait.

What I'm getting at is if I did by a region-locked player it had better be cheaper than £300.

bradavon · Post by **bradavon** » 13 Apr 2008, 17:51

Can anyone explain this? -

I've just noticed in the first post of this thread, the news on the two upcoming Sony Profile 2.0 Players says:

"Sony's got two new ones for you today, the BDP-S350 and BDP-S550. Both feature BD-Live (and thus Ethernet) and USB (for external) storage, while the S550 has PiP (BonusView) and 1GB of onboard storage."

Huh? So the BDP-S350 is Profile 2.0 compatible (BD Live) but not Profile 1.1 (PiP - BonusView).

That cannot be right, both must support PIP but the BDP-S550 just has more storage space, meaning you'll need to clear out the BDP-S350's memory more often. The BDP-S350 doesn't seem to support DTS-HD MA (unlike the BDP-S550) so I wouldn't want it anyway.