noob needs a Blu ray laptop, hi-def, to connect to a samsung 50"

rude1978

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My budget is around £600

any help would be appreciated

thank:)
 
If you can stretch another £100, this is the one I have - it can do full 1080p from inbuilt HDMi port - I was using it to play Blu's to my TV before I built my HTPC.
 
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If you can stretch another £100, this is the one I have - it can do full 1080p from inbuilt HDMi port - I was using it to play Blu's to my TV before I built my HTPC.


Does it play the blu ray discs on the laptop in 1080p or is it only when connected to an external screen i.e my TV?

Also one of the reviews say you cannot burn blu ray disks? is that true
thanks
 
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The display in the laptop is only 1280 x 800, and so plays in 720p on the laptop itself, while it can export to 1080p via HDMi.

The Blu-Ray is a player only, though why you would want a burner when media is so cost prohibative....:confused: Your call obviously.
 
GO FOR AN ACER GEMSTONE 800£ but its prfect bro'd got 1 he play iton his 300" projector FULL HD and the screen as well is 1920x1080
 
The display in the laptop is only 1280 x 800, and so plays in 720p on the laptop itself, while it can export to 1080p via HDMi.

The Blu-Ray is a player only, though why you would want a burner when media is so cost prohibative....:confused: Your call obviously.

I guess so that in the future if prices come down it might be handy to have a blu ray burner? thats how I was thinking about it
 
Its obviously your call, but to me, the price will take a few years to get cost effective, and by that time, better spec'd laptops will be available, and you will be looking at a 3yr old laptop thinking I need to keep this to burn stuff when the new shiny sony/acer/samsung/asus has that new fangled OS, ? burn speed and wayhooo! RAM and CPU, and thinking, "....why didnt I listen to Theydon...." :devil:
 
Need some help on this too. I've got a pal who is after a laptop that will future proof himself when he finally gets round to getting his new LCD/Plasma.

Theydon, is the 15" screen too small for general viewing? Should he go for bigger?

It all started when he saw these adverts from PC World for a Toshiba for £399. Dual core proc, 2 gb ram, 17" screen and 120gb hard disk. All looks a fine spec apart from the lack of HDMI output, Blu-Ray and hi-def capable graphics card. (which i suppose that where your extra £300 comes in? but seems a bit steep, £300 extra!)

The Acer 6920G looks cracking, with its 16" screen and 4gb ram. - but £699
http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/asp/...T_Display_LX.APQ0X.351&pagetype=version&page=

Is there any laptop out there with the following spec for less than £699?

Dual Core CPU
2GB RAM
bigger then 15" screen
100gb+ Hard Disk
HDMI Output
Blu-Ray Reader

Finally, do these laptops have Toslink/spdif or coax outputs for connecting to an AMP?
 
Mick I am fortunate enough not to have to worry about the viewing size - if I really want to watch something, I have a PC with a 22" TFT or my LCD - I use my laptop for general forum browsing and some light office work after the missus has gone to bed (my PC is in the bedroom) and not really to watch films on.

To me the Blu-Ray was a brucie bonus, and the fact that I could hook it up to my LCD and muck about with Media Portal and VMC before I built my HTPC was gravy to an already nicely spec'd laptop. TBH, and although this may be sacraliege, I really didnt need a blu laptop....:eek:
 
There appears to be a few of the sony's about on the bay.

All collection in person though.....
 
Mick I am fortunate enough not to have to worry about the viewing size - if I really want to watch something, I have a PC with a 22" TFT or my LCD - I use my laptop for general forum browsing and some light office work after the missus has gone to bed (my PC is in the bedroom) and not really to watch films on.

To me the Blu-Ray was a brucie bonus, and the fact that I could hook it up to my LCD and muck about with Media Portal and VMC before I built my HTPC was gravy to an already nicely spec'd laptop. TBH, and although this may be sacraliege, I really didnt need a blu laptop....:eek:


My work laptop is a 14" widescreen and it aint bad, so maybe the 15.4 will be ok for my pal.

But I still can't find anything less than £700 that has HDMI, optical/coax out and 1080p capable.

Anyone any further ideas or links I could pursue?
 
I didnt check to see what kind of audio options my laptop has - sorry, dont think it has Optical. If I get a chance, I will do a bit of digging, I get PCPro and they always do laptop roundup tests based on spec or budget - try their website, and see if you can narrow things down, and I will check one of the last mags I got.

Most of the laptops we get here are all boring looking Dells, functional and nothing too fancy for the school teachers, the good Sony ones, we get :D
 
I didnt check to see what kind of audio options my laptop has - sorry, dont think it has Optical. If I get a chance, I will do a bit of digging, I get PCPro and they always do laptop roundup tests based on spec or budget - try their website, and see if you can narrow things down, and I will check one of the last mags I got.

Most of the laptops we get here are all boring looking Dells, functional and nothing too fancy for the school teachers, the good Sony ones, we get :D

I suppose the optical out is not quite the deal breaker as he could always get a different amp down the line with HDMI in. :eek:

LOL at the "nothing too fancy"...... thats exactly what my dell's is..... and thats for the IT staff!! :thumbsdow

Your place must have too much money to burn or dare i saw it you are in charge of purchasing decisions!! :nono:
 
You must know how budgets work at the end of a financial year......:devil:

Plus (cue sob story and violins) I did have to put up with a laptop that had a broken cdrom, broken wireless (I used my own PCMCIA card) and even upgraded my own RAM for around 6 months before I got the beauty I have now :)

Make you feel any better? :strokes the Core2 Duo with 200Gb HD, 2Gb RAM and Blu-Ray drive lovingly: :rolleyes:
 
Need some help on this too. I've got a pal who is after a laptop that will future proof himself when he finally gets round to getting his new LCD/Plasma.

Theydon, is the 15" screen too small for general viewing? Should he go for bigger?

It all started when he saw these adverts from PC World for a Toshiba for £399. Dual core proc, 2 gb ram, 17" screen and 120gb hard disk. All looks a fine spec apart from the lack of HDMI output, Blu-Ray and hi-def capable graphics card. (which i suppose that where your extra £300 comes in? but seems a bit steep, £300 extra!)

The Acer 6920G looks cracking, with its 16" screen and 4gb ram. - but £699
http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/asp/...T_Display_LX.APQ0X.351&pagetype=version&page=

Is there any laptop out there with the following spec for less than £699?

Dual Core CPU
2GB RAM
bigger then 15" screen
100gb+ Hard Disk
HDMI Output
Blu-Ray Reader

Finally, do these laptops have Toslink/spdif or coax outputs for connecting to an AMP?

Just a word of advice [you might already know but if you don't then this post's worth it] - when buying a Dual Core system, do not buy the Core Duo processor, buy a Core 2 Duo at least.

IMO 15" should be enough, it also depends a lot on the viewing distances and what will he be putting it to use for most frequently...
 
Need some help on this too. I've got a pal who is after a laptop that will future proof himself when he finally gets round to getting his new LCD/Plasma.

Theydon, is the 15" screen too small for general viewing? Should he go for bigger?

It all started when he saw these adverts from PC World for a Toshiba for £399. Dual core proc, 2 gb ram, 17" screen and 120gb hard disk. All looks a fine spec apart from the lack of HDMI output, Blu-Ray and hi-def capable graphics card. (which i suppose that where your extra £300 comes in? but seems a bit steep, £300 extra!)

The Acer 6920G looks cracking, with its 16" screen and 4gb ram. - but £699
http://www.laptopsdirect.co.uk/asp/...T_Display_LX.APQ0X.351&pagetype=version&page=

Is there any laptop out there with the following spec for less than £699?

Dual Core CPU
2GB RAM
bigger then 15" screen
100gb+ Hard Disk
HDMI Output
Blu-Ray Reader

Finally, do these laptops have Toslink/spdif or coax outputs for connecting to an AMP?

You think that's steep, my Sony AR51SU was £1750 on offer! They had a slightly lesser version in the local sony centre for £2k. Gotta love high street lol. Mine is a workhorse for Photoshop and design etc so needed the spec (1920x1200 17" display, 2GB RAM, 2x250GB HDD) . Bluray is great on it and it has HDMI and optical out.

Sony do the AR51 range from around £800 and it'll probably be cheaper form somewhere like laptopsdirect.com. Plus the chassis is well built and I'd take Sony over any other laptop manufacturer.
 
After investigation it looks like the Acer 6920G and the Sony FZ21M are the only Blu-Ray HD options at the £699 price point.

The main positive i see of the Acer over the Sony is that the Acer has an optical audio out so you can connect it to an amp. (which could be a big point when playing material back on your main TV and AMP setup)

Thoughts?
 
Mick, just checking, but my Sony has no Optical out, going instead for VGA, S-Video and HDMi outputs, rather than VGA, HDMi and Optical. My only sound option is a 3.5mm jack.
 
Mick, just checking, but my Sony has no Optical out, going instead for VGA, S-Video and HDMi outputs, rather than VGA, HDMi and Optical. My only sound option is a 3.5mm jack.

Thanks pal, i think that makes my mind up as what to recommend to my mate. Its gotta be the Acer, it ticks all the boxes and futureproofs him no matter what hardware he gets down the line.

Now persuading him to spend 700 quid could be the hard part...... or him persuading his missus!! :rotfl:
 
Mick, just checking, but my Sony has no Optical out, going instead for VGA, S-Video and HDMi outputs, rather than VGA, HDMi and Optical. My only sound option is a 3.5mm jack.

Oops I forgot about surround sound, I have the Sony HTSF1100 package, will be able I get surround sound from the sony laptop when connected to my tv?
 
bump please, I know the sony doesnt have optical, but is there another way to get surround sound out of it.
thanks
 
bump please, I know the sony doesnt have optical, but is there another way to get surround sound out of it.
thanks

If you're referring to the Sony FZ21M then it has HDMI which supports audio as well as video. You need to go into the sound options in the control panel and select HDMI in order to hear audio.

It would be nice if it detected when you plugged in a hdmi and connected to the TV and then enabled audio too.
 

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