As I explained in my terribly selfish (prior) post "DS", I had purchased many expensive things for myself including a Sony Blue Ray player. Not being much of a techie, I ASSumed you just hook it up like a regular DVD player, and if you have a decent set up, the picture and sound on your HDTV will be incredible...........apparently not quite that simple.
To get the most this beast has to offer, you need what is known in the biz as HDMI cables/hookups. Fine, I already had one running from the DVD player to the TV. You then run a HDMI cable from the TV to the receiver. Wait a minute. My receiver is about ten years old. It works well and sounds great, but has NO HDMI inputs/outputs! Now I have to buy a NEW receiver to experience the awesomeness of Blue Ray sound? SOB! I went out and made my purchase.
Once everything was all hooked up it was time to conduct a speaker check. Center-good. Front left and right-A-OK. Two rear speakers-fine and dandy. Sub woofer........hello? Sub woofer? Nothin'! I find out it's blown. Greaaaat. That unfortunetly will have to wait a bit. A decent sub starts at one hundred dollars............starts. Now how come the BR player won't display the picture at 1080p? 1080p is the best picture quality available. Oh wait, my HDTV is only 1080i. Wonderful! I am NOT purchasing a new TV!
Despite being only 1080i, so far I must say the picture looks pretty damn good on BR. As for the sound I'll have to wait until I get a new damn sub woofer. At least the player is backward compatible, which means it can play standard DVDs as well. It also up scales them to look a bit better on the screen. In anticipation of the BR player purchase, I bought some BR discs when I came across a good deal as they tend to be overpriced.
It's pretty much pointless to buy older films on BR discs. More recent action type and digital films (ie-Pixar) look best on BR. In fact they really pop if you have a good HDTV. If you don't, it's pretty pointless to go BR. Besides, most folk are happy enough with the picture and sound of standard DVD.
As far as BR discs are concerned, my current collection contains- Batman the movie (60's), Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, Top Gun, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Pirates of the Caribbean (1st one), The Shawshank Redemption, Pushing Daisies-Season 1, and finally Band of Brothers- HBO miniseries.
Now all I need is that sub woofer for the full BLUE RAY EXPERIENCE! This had better be some experience as I'm experiencing a dwindling cash flow. I still have yet to buy my "prosumer" Mini-DV camcorder, but I think I've narrowed it down to one. More on that later.
3 comments:
I didn't understand any of that technical stuff, but it was fun to read. I'm trying to figure out how to hook up the digital converter to my TV but in such a way that I can still use my DVD player with the TV. It really shouldn't be that difficult, but all those commercials about the converter boxes never explain this part.
Honestly Cate, I don't understand it either! That's why "I hired" my friends son to help. He seems to be pretty good at all that stuff.
I wish I could help w/the hookup. Did you try on-line? Try "Googling" digital conveter instructions. Good luck.
How's your cat?
Conveter?! Give me another drink bartender to help me convert!
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