Best way to watch dvd old/new

Don't bother with DVD/BD players for internet streaming (very limited services, out of date/abandoned, slow performance etc), just get an Amazon FireTV stick which is a cheap and effective solution.

If your in the USA then UK streaming services will be restricted or completely off limits, there is an easy way around this bit costs money.
Thanks for your advice. I was coming around to the same conclusion.
The tv's are really well outfitted for streaming.
And thank you for posting the link. Interesting product for ex-pats and sports fans. The Britbox and Acorn subscription services are well known here (USA). Either one would be great.
 
I have a Pioneer LX500 which doesn't have any apps whatsoever. SACD multi channel playback was important to me as well as a good audio performance via a stereo analogue out. Apps on players are often left to run without support and I'd be more inclined to let that to a streaming service or via the TV's apps. Availability is also still a problem.
 
I'll be following recommendations to concentrate on tv quality (1080p for 32" size) and let the tv handle limited streaming duty. Again, our interests are tv/dvd viewing and cd listening. Additionally, I have in mind a couple of 2.1 soundbars (Vizio and Yamaha), selected for their HDMI input and output and good reviews. They are oriented more toward tv sound improvement and all around use rather than full featured home theater. Lower midrange, USD150-200.

Player-wise, I'm not quite there. Still a little stuck on whether to go after an older, preowned, upstreaming dvd/cd player or universal player. Not high end, but at least marginally better. Denon DBT 1713 and lower priced Pioneer 610AV are examples. These two offer SACD capability, which I believe also means the components are in place to deliver improved audio for regular cd's. Accurate?

However, it seems that users connect these better spec'd players with stereo receivers and separate speakers to optimize audio performance. In our minimalist setup, a soundbar will provide audio. I am wondering whether my budgeted soundbar, optimally wired, is able to bring out the enhanced audio of a better player. Thanks for any input.
 
These two offer SACD capability, which I believe also means the components are in place to deliver improved audio for regular cd's. Accurate?
It means that they can decode DSD which is the medium of SACD playback. If you're going to listen to music on a soundbar then I wouldn't bother with SACD. The discs are expensive in certain genre although in the US the average price from MoFi is around $30, considerably cheaper then it would cost me to get the same disc in the UK.

However I do have in place the amp and stereo speakers that complement the format, something that it would be hard to do with just a soundbar in play. I would stick with redbooks or streaming.
 
It means that they can decode DSD which is the medium of SACD playback. If you're going to listen to music on a soundbar then I wouldn't bother with SACD. The discs are expensive in certain genre although in the US the average price from MoFi is around $30, considerably cheaper then it would cost me to get the same disc in the UK.

However I do have in place the amp and stereo speakers that complement the format, something that it would be hard to do with just a soundbar in play. I would stick with redbooks or streaming.
 
Thank you - appreciate your input. No, I won't be trying out SACD discs. Sticking with our collection of standard discs. I probably didn't express myself very well in bringing up SACD. I meant that the better internal build and components of a player with this capability should also offer better standard cd audio performance. Therefore, a good choice for my set up. Seemed logical, but strictly an assumption on my part.
I'm taking your response to mean that using a soundbar for audio output limits the ability of improved circuitry, internal components and the like found in a "better" player to deliver enhanced audio performance. A Pioneer DV610-AV versus budget DV-430V or Panasonic DVD-S700 (USD 50.00) would sound about the same through a sound bar. Or is that too much of a stretch?
 
I doubt you would tell the difference with a soundbar.
 
Thank you for the continued assistance and patience with these elementary questions.
For my part, probably too much time reading equipment reviews and user comments rather
than some A/V basics.

One last stab at bringing out the best in a sound bar reliant system ...............

A feature I would like to better understand: two HDMI ports on a player.
HDMI carries video and audio in one cable. I've read that one of these ports is typically used for video and audio out. The other for audio out. Could this second HDMI (audio out) port improve audio performance in a 1080p tv and soundbar set up? If so, how would player/tv/soundbar be optimally wired?
 
A feature I would like to better understand: two HDMI ports on a player.
HDMI carries video and audio in one cable. I've read that one of these ports is typically used for video and audio out. The other for audio out. Could this second HDMI (audio out) port improve audio performance in a 1080p tv and soundbar set up? If so, how would player/tv/soundbar be optimally wired?
The two ports allow for the video connection to go straight to the TV or a PJ. The second port would be audio only and go to an AV amp or a soundbar. It can be used as a workaround the 2.1 HDMI issue on an AV amp. You would be very unlikely to gain a better audio performance by using the two ports for their intended purposes with a soundbar. It could actually lead to lip sync problems and as such I would recommend you use a single port to the soundbar for both video and audio.
 
Thanks for addressing that last one, gibbsy. And the many beforehand.
Unlike Back in the day, who started this topic, my situation is a closer fit for lower end equipment,
as much as I would have liked to "juice" the audio.
I am thinking an older, basic featured blueray player from an established maker such as Panasonic or Samsung (pre lightweight, plastic body) may be ideal to try out. Example: DMP-BD 210 or 220. I would have included Sony but have read that the other two makers are dependably a little better with sound. I'm sure there are Sony exceptions and other good candidates. I hope to be closing in on a player, tv and soundbar final list fairly soon.
 

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