Should I invest in Pioneer blu ray?

mcclane22 · 15-02-2009, 5:50 PM

Hey all,

I am ready to step up to blu ray in a couple of weeks but after reading about Pioneer's bit of sad news, i'm wondering if it is still worth going for a Pioneer model which I had in mind. I'm still very tempted by a couple of Sony models but after owning two Sony DVD players in the past I was after a change! Also are there any blu ray players that can decode Dolby and DTS HD sound as my Rotel 1098 processor only handles standard Dolby and DTS? Will purchasing a blu ray player make my Rotel 'out of date'?

Any help would be much appreciated from a 'slightly frustrated don't know what to get AV fan'!!!!

alpha10 · 15-02-2009, 5:54 PM

My personal opinion is that you are as safe with Pioneer as you are with any manufacturer in the present climate, yes there has been some troubling news, but you could look at it that they are getting out of the less profitable sectors to concentrate on the good areas, such as Bl-ray players...

Cheers

kingfats · 15-02-2009, 6:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclane22

Hey all,

I am ready to step up to blu ray in a couple of weeks but after reading about Pioneer's bit of sad news, i'm wondering if it is still worth going for a Pioneer model which I had in mind. I'm still very tempted by a couple of Sony models but after owning two Sony DVD players in the past I was after a change! Also are there any blu ray players that can decode Dolby and DTS HD sound as my Rotel 1098 processor only handles standard Dolby and DTS? Will purchasing a blu ray player make my Rotel 'out of date'?

Any help would be much appreciated from a 'slightly frustrated don't know what to get AV fan'!!!!

Hi mcclane22.

It's been confirmed that the BD player side of Pioneer will be unaffected by the news.
Onboard decoding....is that over HDMI?
All the best.

mcclane22 · 15-02-2009, 6:10 PM

Thanks for your help mate! The Pioneer models i've been looking at are the lx71 and the lx08. I noticed you have the 51FD. I take it your happy with it? How do you have it connected to your amp?

mcclane22 · 15-02-2009, 6:16 PM

Thanks Kingfats! I think i'll be heading towards Pioneer then!! My processor does'nt have any hdmi inputs on it so i'm kind of unsure of how to connect it for sound? I'll run an hdmi cable from the player straight to the tv for picture just don't know about sound yet?

kingfats · 15-02-2009, 6:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclane22

Thanks Kingfats! I think i'll be heading towards Pioneer then!! My processor does'nt have any hdmi inputs on it so i'm kind of unsure of how to connect it for sound? I'll run an hdmi cable from the player straight to the tv for picture just don't know about sound yet?

Optical/coaxial will give you max bitrate DD/DTS with TrueHD/DTS-MA Blu-ray discs.

mcclane22 · 15-02-2009, 6:34 PM

Brilliant, thanks mate! Next thing is which Pioneer player? The lx91 is out of my price range, so I was thinking about the lx71? Needs to be multi region for both DVD and blu ray?

kingfats · 15-02-2009, 6:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclane22

Brilliant, thanks mate! Next thing is which Pioneer player? The lx91 is out of my price range, so I was thinking about the lx71? Needs to be multi region for both DVD and blu ray?

Can be made region free for DVD only i'm afraid,71 is fine the 51 will do everything the same for cheaper though

choice is yours of course.

mcclane22 · 15-02-2009, 6:49 PM

Thanks for all your help mate!! Got some thinking to do now!!!

alpha10 · 15-02-2009, 8:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclane22

Thanks for your help mate! The Pioneer models i've been looking at are the lx71 and the lx08. I noticed you have the 51FD. I take it your happy with it? How do you have it connected to your amp?

Really happy with my 51, it is so much better than my old Samsung 1400 in every way. Really good CD performance and DVD 'source direct' to my amp is a superb function for me

I'm connected HDMI so can't really offer advice on the analogues out.

Cheers

Moray M · 16-02-2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingfats

Can be made region free for DVD only i'm afraid

There is, apparently, an ICOS hardware modification available to convert the 51FD (and probably the LX71) to Blu-ray multi region (regions A and B, manually selected). This modification will probably be expensive and will have warrantee implications, but it can be done.

This company offers the 51FD ready modified (albeit at ~£580!) :
DVDirect.NET

PSM1 · 16-02-2009, 4:30 PM

Does your Rotel have a direct analogue input? If so you can decode the TrueHD sound in the player and connect it via the analogue connections to the amp. This is what I intend to do when I get my Lx71 in a few weeks time when I connect it to my Arcram 350 amp.

HD Elvis · 16-02-2009, 6:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclane22

Brilliant, thanks mate! Next thing is which Pioneer player? The lx91 is out of my price range, so I was thinking about the lx71? Needs to be multi region for both DVD and blu ray?

These may off a mod for M/R blu ray on the 51 maybe? DVD & Blu-Ray - Multiregionmagic The Home Of Multiregion DVD

mcclane22 · 16-02-2009, 10:48 PM

I think it does! I've looked at the manual and it has 'multi input for front L/R, CTR, SUB, Rear L/R and CB' so i'm guessing it does! Does this make any sense to you? I get confused on these kind of connections! So I take it your going ahead with the LX71? Although i'm considering this model too, i've just read a couple of reviews of Sony's new beast of a player the BDP-S500ES and it looks very, very tempting!!!

mcclane22 · 16-02-2009, 10:50 PM

Thanks for the info, i'll check it out!!

PSM1 · 17-02-2009, 11:24 AM

I have managed to get the LX71 for £500 so going to go that route. Although the 51 got 5 stars compared to the 71 4 stars when I read the text it says the 71 is slightly better but due to the higher price they could not give it full 5 stars. Since I got the 71 at a cheaper price I decided that it was worth it. Sounds like you have the right connections on your Rotel. Just need to purchase 6 phono cables to connect the audio out on the bluray player to yur audio inputs. This will give you full HD sound then (although if you get the pioneer it does not currently decode MA DTS only the TrueHD althought there is supposed to be a firmware update out soon to fix this). I have not seen the sony so ca not comment on that.

A.I. · 17-02-2009, 12:53 PM

[QUOTE=PSM1;8882344]I have managed to get the LX71 for £500 so going to go that route......

Can you let us have a link?

Thanks.

PSM1 · 17-02-2009, 2:05 PM

Got it in the Audio Excellence/Audio T winter sale (so think I got 12.5% off). I do not have a link as went into store and bought it there. Just goes to show that the internet is not always cheaper and a good local dealer can often do just as good if not better (and with good customer service too!!) Also buying a Pioneer 50" KRP at the same time.

mcclane22 · 18-02-2009, 8:05 AM

PSM1: Thanks for all your help! Sorry to keep asking questions (you seem quite knowledgeable on this subject!), but I noticed that the LX71 does not have an ethernet port so I was wondering how you would go about doing a firmware update? Also despite it not decoding DTS MA (at the moment that is), I take it that it does decode standard DTS?

And thanks for all your help again!!!

Lunar Wolf · 18-02-2009, 8:12 AM

Buying entertainment goods isn't an 'investment'...

kingfats · 18-02-2009, 8:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclane22

but I noticed that the LX71 does not have an ethernet port so I was wondering how you would go about doing a firmware update? Also despite it not decoding DTS MA (at the moment that is), I take it that it does decode standard DTS?

And thanks for all your help again!!!

Hi mcclane22.

You can download the firmware from Pioneers site and then burn to CD

decodes DTS as per usual yes.
All the best.

mcclane22 · 18-02-2009, 8:24 AM

Lunar Wolf: I'm lost mate! What are you saying?

mcclane22 · 18-02-2009, 8:30 AM

KF: Brilliant, thanks mate! The LX71 is still top of my list but I believe you have the new Sony S5000ES? This is another player that i'm kind of considering! Would you say there is much of a difference in picture quality between these two players? I like to go high end for a lot of my gear!!!

kingfats · 18-02-2009, 8:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcclane22

KF: Brilliant, thanks mate! The LX71 is still top of my list but I believe you have the new Sony S5000ES? This is another player that i'm kind of considering! Would you say there is much of a difference in picture quality between these two players? I like to go high end for a lot of my gear!!!

The 5000 has some great processing features that really add to the Blu-ray picture

superb player.

Owners thread here,pics and some user feedback in first post,couple of reviews in latest posts.

PSM1 · 18-02-2009, 10:14 PM

KF seems to have answered your questions. I am by no means an expert but always do my research before spending large amounts of money on equipment. Be great to hear what you actually buy in the end and why.

mcclane22 · 19-02-2009, 10:38 AM

I'll keep you posted and yup i'll also let you know what I get! Will be getting some demos soon!!

nicknj72 · 19-02-2009, 12:51 PM

Hiya mate

I may be incorrect, but i understand the 71 has an advantage over the 51 only in you plan to connect your BD player to an output via component ? If you intend to connect via HDMI to your Plasma/ LCD, i'd go for the BDP51. I bought it a couple of weeks ago and it is absolutely terrific! It upscales very very well also.

My amp does not have HDMI input, so i run my sound via the analogue connections on the back. Trust me, it sounds terrific, and much better than doing it via optical.

Weigh up your options anyhow pal, but i would thoroughly recommend the 51. The difference in cost between that and the 71 should enable you to purchase some blu ray discs

All the best,
Nick

Panasonic 42PX70
Pioneer BDP-51
Denon AVC10SE

kingfats · 19-02-2009, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nicknj72

Hiya mate

I may be incorrect, but i understand the 71 has an advantage over the 51 only in you plan to connect your BD player to an output via component ?

Correct.

mcclane22 · 19-02-2009, 1:51 PM

Thanks for your info there Nick! I'll check out some reviews of the 51. The reason i'm leaning more towards the 71 and (maybe!) the Sony S5000ES is the fact that my Rotel processor is in the 'high end' region and therefore did'nt think a budget (ish) player would complement it. I'll check it out and will then have some thinking to do!!!

Thanks again!!