Quick! Dad wants a Blu-Ray player!

[Joel Crane]

I got home from school a couple of nights ago, and finally, I heard dad drop a hint at what he wanted for Christmas. He wants a Blu-Ray player to compliment his 50 inch 1080p Samsung. Finally, he'll be plugging an HD device into his HD tv

So here is my question. I've got no time to buy a Blu-Ray player, and we live in a small town of 20,000 people. We have a RadioShack, Staples and a Wal-Mart Supercenter.

The Blu-Ray players that I have seen are insanely slow and unresponsive, but I've heard that the Ps3 is quick. I have a couple of questions about it.

Dad hates videogames. He chewed me out the first time I plugged my 360 into his TV. He also hates figuring out technology. I want a player that is fast, but also easy to use. The Ps3 needs to operate like a normal DVD player. Will it?

Can I buy a normal remote for it?

How's it compare to modern Blu-Ray players?

I'm so biased against optical media at this point that I haven't been paying a bit of attention, and now its coming back and biting me.

[Pony99CA]

The Blu-Ray players that I have seen are insanely slow and unresponsive, but I've heard that the Ps3 is quick. I have a couple of questions about it.

Dad hates videogames. He chewed me out the first time I plugged my 360 into his TV. He also hates figuring out technology. I want a player that is fast, but also easy to use. The Ps3 needs to operate like a normal DVD player. Will it?
Pretty much. Our regular DVD player died and we used our PS3 for some DVDs. It's slot-loading, not tray-loading, but I don't know if that makes a difference. It's also a lot bulkier than standard players and has that curved top, so you can't stack anything on it.

Can I buy a normal remote for it?
Yes, Sony sells one. I think I pad about $20 for it.

How's it compare to modern Blu-Ray players?
"Modern"? Is the PS3 ancient now? ;)

I don't know about current Blu-Ray players, but I heard the PS3 had a significant advantage over other (older) players -- you could update it (using the PS3's WiFi connection even). Maybe current players also allow updates now (like HD DVD did), but I don't know.

Steve

[Jason Dunn]

I have a Samsung BP-1500, and it's pretty good - we watched Speed Racer on it last night and I was impressed (that was my first Blu-ray movie). Blu-ray in general is still kind of buggy and wonky - like most things that Sony does. We can't watch Hellboy II on it for instance, because there's this "BONUS VIEW" menu item that literally won't go away on the screen - and pressing the BONUS VIEW button on the remote does nothing. I've pressed every button and played with every menu option...it's just an example of how crappy of a job Sony has done with the Blu-ray spec, constantly changing it and never testing it enough.

Oh how I wish HD-DVD had won. :(