New Panasonic Players already

[teachsac]

I'm curious as to what prices the DMP-BD35 and DMP-BD55 will actually command at retail stores. It seems certain they'll be priced at least a bit below those $399 and $499 MSRP levels.

Those new player models will put more downward pressure on the prices of the DMP-BD30 and DMP-BD50. And those players are already selling well below their original MSRP levels (although they weren't when first introduced).



SACD compatibility was one of the reasons why I spent $100 more to buy a 80GB PS3 instead of the standard 40GB version. The three flash card slots, double the number of USB 2.0 ports, double the hard disc space, PS/PS2 emulation and a bundled game also sweetened the deal.

Hovever, Blu-ray can render both SACD and DVD-Audio irrelevant by virtue of what it can do for delivering high resolution audio. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio can both deliver 24-bit 96kHz audio. DTS-HD M.A. can run at bit rates up to 24.6 million bits per second and do 7.1 surround at 24-bit 192kHz. Not many BD titles have utilized that capability to this point. There's a Celine Dion concert disc with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 in 24-bit 96kHz.

The bad thing about DVD-A and SACD players is they were typically geared as single purpose devices -especially SACD players. Blu-ray players can deliver similar capability but in a multi-purpose device. A lot more people are going to buy Blu-ray players than the combined sales totals of DVD-A and SACD units.

I seriously doubt there will be any deals before the holiday season unles you can get one of the BB Rewards Zone Coupons.

I don't think you will see much in DVD-A and SACD support either except in some of the high-end/specialty players from Denon ($3500) and Oppo (price TBD).

S~

 

[teachsac]

Possible Bad News

I just heard rumor that the BD35 might not be released at all. Even though there are some demos floating around to the reviewers, they are evaluating the benefit of producing two different machines with so little of a profit margin. Denon has $1000 difference between their two players (but they also offer the Realta chipset). They are possibly looking at killing two birds with one stone and only offering the BD55. I sure hope this isn't true. We'll have to stay tuned.

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

Damn. I really dont see the point of the 55, but hey thats me. Having one higher priced player is not so smart.

Panny is weird sometimes, look at the 08 plasmas. Why have a 80u, 85u, 800u and 850u that are not seperated by much, especially price. Should have had a 85u and a 850u.

 

[teachsac]

I kind of understand. With only $100 difference in price, the margin would be slightly better on the 55 and having only a single production line. The 55 is needed more than the 35. Many users, particulalry highend, only have analog inputs. Very few of the really worthwhile processors have offered HDMI inputs let alone advanced decoding. That's a totally different topic.

I personally would like to see the 35 as I don't need the analogs and many don't that have 1.1 and 1.2 receivers/processors. I'm not sure what I will be doing now for my third player.

For now, both players are listed on the Panasonic website. So only time will tell over the next month.

S~

 

[navychop]

.... Blu-ray can render both SACD and DVD-Audio irrelevant by virtue of what it can do for delivering high resolution audio. Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio can both deliver 24-bit 96kHz audio. DTS-HD M.A. can run at bit rates up to 24.6 million bits per second and do 7.1 surround at 24-bit 192kHz. Not many BD titles have utilized that capability to this point.

But many titles in SACD & DVD-A may never be released in BD audio. We need players in these formats to play discs that will never be re-released.

For simplicity of my HT, I want a single player that will play the myriad of CD & DVD formats, BD, SACD & DVD-Audio.

 

[Bobby H]

I'm pretty sure Denon is going to release a Blu-ray player that also handles DVD-A and SACD discs. But it's going to cost quite a lot. DVD-A and SACD capability just isn't being included in more reasonably priced standalone BD players. And Sony is phasing out SACD support in its Playstation 3 consoles. The last 80GB PS3 had SACD compatibility. But the new 80GB unit coming out does not -it's just the same as the standard 40GB model, but just with a bigger hard disc.

The problem is not enough people bought DVD-A or SACD to make it worthwhile to keep those formats alive. Worse yet, the music industry did very little to support either of those formats. Remasters of 30 year old classic rock albums and a myriad of classical and jazz music titles just isn't enough to cut it.

This is one area where I'm pretty critical of Sony. They control a major part of the music industry. Sony could have forced their signed popular music acts to produce music with high resolution formats in mind instead of engineering them horribly so the CD doesn't sound any different from some junk file downloaded from iTunes. But Sony didn't do that. Sony deserves a lot of blame for the comatose, near-death nature of the SACD format.

DVD-A is practically a dead format. However, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio both can do anything the MLP format for DVD-A ever did. I visited the local Sam's Club store a couple hours ago and spotted a new AC/DC concert Blu-ray disc featuring audio tracks in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 24-bit 96kHz as well as LPCM 5.1 24-bit 48kHz. The disc is delivering both HD quality video and far better than CD quality audio.

Blu-ray has a lot more potential to promote next-generation audio quality for music than DVD-A or SACD ever could do. The music industry just has to take advantage of it. The hardware infrastructure is going to build up to support that kind of thing regardless of what the music industry chooses to do. Many millions of people will migrate to Blu-ray players over time and more than a few will upgrade to 7.1 channel receivers that support Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD. Hollywood movies in HD will get the infrastructure in place. All the music industry has to do is use it -instead of stupidly thinking 100% of the music-buying public only wants to buy hyper-compressed rap songs from iTunes.

Nine Inch Nails and a handful of other artists have already taken advantage of the next-generation audio capabilities of Blu-ray. There's already a precedent in place to show the concept can work.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Ill be the first to admit that I missed SACD and DVD-A completely, I was just never an audio person and was all PQ. As you get older, you realize things are important like calibration and AQ too, especially if you want the best experience from your investment.

Im hooked on DTSHD and Master now, would love to see something on the Artist front. I currently download most of my music from Amazon, but would be open to something better. The songs sound good, but I now know there can be more, too bad newer stuff isnt raising the bar, its lowering it. Just look at the comments about metallicas new album and the fact the Guitar Hero version of the songs sound better.

 

[navychop]

I'm pretty sure Denon is going to release a Blu-ray player that also handles DVD-A and SACD discs. But it's going to cost quite a lot.

Yep. That's why I'm counting on OPPO. Probably a bit cheaper. It would be nice if a Panny with these features came out.

 

[teachsac]

If anyone is interested, you can preorder the BD55 on Amazon for $399.

Amazon.com: Used and New: Panasonic DMP-BD55K 1080p Blu-Ray Player

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

Nice. Thats def looking like a Bday present.

 

[teachsac]

BD35 now on Amazon for $299.

Amazon.com: Panasonic DMP-BD35K 1080p Blu-Ray Player: Electronics

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

Hmmm.

 

[teachsac]

If you don't need analogs, go with the 35.

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

If you don't need analogs, go with the 35.

S~

Which one will you end up with?

 

[teachsac]

Which one will you end up with?

I've already talked to my rep about getting a 55.

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

If you don't need analogs, go with the 35.

S~

I think the 35 will be the one id want.

 

[teachsac]

I use mine for demo purposes, also with clients. I.O.W. They tracel a lot.

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

Release in late Oct

Amazon.com: Panasonic DMP-BD35K 1080p Blu-Ray Player: Electronics

Amazon.com: Panasonic DMP-BD55K 1080p Blu-Ray Player: Electronics

 

[teachsac]

CNETS review. Overall very good review.

Panasonic DMP-BD55 Video Players and Recorder reviews - CNET Reviews

S~

 

[gadgtfreek]

Sounds like they worked some minor kinks out. Prob not enough to get me to buy a 35 though. 35 will be a damn good player at that price.