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Killing BluRay, new Oppo BR 83

OK, I have been vocal on these forums with my opinion that BluRay is a short term media, and will not become the dominant media format. My reason:

1) There is not a mind blowing difference in BluRay quality
over the existing domintant format of DVD. That's not to say BluRay is not better, but it's not the difference between VHS and DVD, where you couldn't believe what you were seeing. Does it look and sound better, yes. Does it change your life, no. Especially with the quality of the upconverting DVD players available.

2) Given my first point, I don't think there is a big call to replace any purchased DVD's with BluRay. Any videophile who had a bunch of VHS tapes did that immeadiately with DVD, but why do it again? Basically the same disk, great sound, and small size, with excellent picture. I don't think that investment is going to be made again, and that means the market for BluRay discs is MUCH smaller for classic movies.

3) The advenet of internet based movie downloads is already available in HD. Granted, it's only 720 and no HD soundtracks, but does anyone believe that is not coming, and quickly. I love using my AppleTV to rent movies, never leave the house, and don't have to return. Honestly, I have bought a bunch of movies that way, since I have such a big network storage capacity. I think this will be the dominant AV format going forward, both movies and music. More high res video and music available faster. I believe that the rise in the market for outboard DAC's will become even greater, and they will have he ability to decode the new higher res music, and possible video soundtracks in surround. Output to analog preamps for Audiophile grade sound will become the norm for audiophiles, or hybrid HT/2 channel systems, as is becoming the norm.

I whole-heartedly believe this since recieving my new Oppo BluRay player. It is a great player, and it's the second BluRay I have had in my system so it just has re-inforced my previous hypothosis regarding the future of BluRay. Don't get me wrong, the player is STELLAR in every way. Considering the price, it's almost criminal especially on SACD and DVD-Audio (which I have not had any of the problems that the first firmware owners had). I have not gotten to use it as a CD transport yet, I am waiting on one of Paul G's (TubeAudioDesign) new DACs and the redbook CD sound on it's own was just OK.

That said, after watching several movies in both BluRay and DVD on the same player, the difference is just not that huge. It is better, but not enough to make me run out and buy any of those movies again on BluRay. It's the difference, to me, between the Magnepan 3.6 and 20.1. It's definitely better, but they are both excellent.

OK, those are my thoughts, FWIW.

I came to these conclusion
macdadtexas
kenk168
175 posts
 
Ozzy,

Thanks for the quick comparo between the Oppo BD 83 and your Denon. Curious how much break-in time you've given the Oppo. If you can do an update once properly broken-in, it would really be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Kenobi
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,455 posts
 
Kenk168, I sure will. You are right it takes playing time to break the player in.
At this time, I have removed the Denon from the rack. I may sell it, or move it to another location in the house.
The more I play the Oppo the more I am impressed. This player does everything well. I even had some pictures on a flash drive memory stick and that plays in the Oppo.

All my DVDs look much better with the Oppo not just the Blu Ray.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
knownothing
1,578 posts
 
I think BluRay will make a bigger difference on screen sizes above 50" - FWIW.
macdadtexas OP
1,794 posts
 
OK, after re-reading this thread, and many hilarous (maybe not intentionally) responses about how if you are a peasant with less than a $10k processor or $20k projector of course there is no difference between BluRay, yada, yada, yada....

I think my conclusions have been verified. We on this forum are about 1/10 of 1% of the total population as owners of higher end electronics, so if only a small percentage of this group see and hear a huge difference it's just not there and it's certainly not going to become the mainstream norm.

Also, after taking this player over to a buddies with a 1080p projector (Panasonic 3000u) and 120" screen (Sterwart, not sure of the model)set up and going through a bunch of BluRay to DVD (and we downloaded some AppleTV HD movies to compare as well) comparisons we came to the same conclusion: better, but not even close to the difference we saw between VHS and DVD. Also, the Oppo BluRay upconverts so well that the DVD's looked spectacular and the HD AppleTV really looked good, but, not as good as the upconverted DVD's or the BluRay. The DTS-HD soundtracks are fantastic, and do seem more dynamic, well just sounded better, especially on my system, but once again, it's not the difference between your VHS and DVD that was shocking, it's a refinement. It's not even close to the difference between Vinyl and CD, so there if you like them collect your BluRay's now, and put them next to your SACD's, DVD-Audio's, Beta's, 8 tracks, et al
Ag insider logo xs@2x
knownothing
1,578 posts
 
Macdatexas,

It may not matter if BluRay is much better than DVD or not - it won the format war at a time of transition from "low" def to "High" def, and it is the product sales people will be telling there customers to buy when they come in to upgrade to HD TVs in increasing numbers. The extent of the transition will depend on BluRay price points at the time most of the population makes this conversion. So they will pull the trigger when people go into a store to replace their DVD player with a new model equipped with HDMI connections so they can hook it up to their new HD TV. Unlike the VHS to DVD transition, BluRay players are backwardly compatible - so not stranding peoples existing DVD collections.

As for the hard media versus digital on demand products, there are plenty of people who will continue to create demand for "take and go" movies for use both at home, in their mini vans and on their laptops and portable disk players. I do not predict the immediate demise of BluRay as you suggest anytime soon - as much as Microsoft still licking their wounds over HD-DVD and trying to stay relevant pushing broadband solutions - would like us to believe.

You can now get a laptop with BluRay for $700 and a stand alone BluRay player for $160 - both well within reach of the upwardly mobile middle class consumer. No $20,000 dollar projectors needed to make that sale.
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