# Blu-Ray player recommendations please **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 30, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110 "2013-11-30T00:47:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/1 "2013-11-30T00:47:41Z")
I’ve been thinking of getting a Blu-ray player for a while now, and with Cyber Monday approaching (or perhaps I’ll wait for after Christmas) I may want to pull the trigger. Here are my priorities: Built-in WiFi - I don’t have Ethernet near where the player would be Good up sampling - to play my existing DVDs As many net video options as possible (Netflix, Vudu, Amazon, whatever) Optical audio out would be nice (I currently have a 5.0 audio system - the receiver can do more, but that is what I have the speakers for) Reasonably fast load times Anything else I should look for? Thanks Brian ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/2 "2013-11-30T01:32:39Z")
All other things being equal, a region-free player is better than a single region one. Some movies and shows don’t get Region A1 releases (the Americas) but are readily available in B2 (the UK). ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/3 "2013-11-30T14:39:40Z")
FWIW I had bought a Sony player and found it had troubles playing about 20% of my disks.It seemed to be a flaw in the model since a friend of mine who had the same one had a similar issue. I eventually just scrapped it and bought an LG which plays every disk I own. Ironically I preferred almost everything else about the Sony (the remote, the interface etc.) but I am happy with the LG. I am reasonably sure unless you buy an extremely low end one, all will have WiFi and software that covers the major streaming services. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/4 "2013-11-30T14:58:02Z")
I just purchased the Samsung-BD-F7500-Upscaling-Blu-ray-Player and I’m quite happy with it. Loads very fast and streams Amazon Prime video very well. I don’t have any other service so I can’t comment on those, but it’s supposed to stream Hulu, Netflix, etc. Good 3D performance if you like that. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/5 "2013-11-30T15:41:19Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#): > > I just purchased the Samsung-BD-F7500-Upscaling-Blu-ray-Player and I’m quite happy with it. Loads very fast and streams Amazon Prime video very well. I don’t have any other service so I can’t comment on those, but it’s supposed to stream Hulu, Netflix, etc. Good 3D performance if you like that. It also has built in Wifi. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/6 "2013-11-30T16:02:47Z")
Sony devices have problems with Netflix streaming, so I’d avoid those in the future. My Sony Blu-Ray player is shit for Netflix streaming. [http://downloadlinuxfree.com/sony-netflix-streaming-choppy-design-proxy/](http://downloadlinuxfree.com/sony-netflix-streaming-choppy-design-proxy/) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/7 "2013-11-30T16:21:51Z")
The best LG model you can afford. VERY good experience with several of them and they just get better with the years. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/8 "2013-11-30T16:35:49Z")
I use my ps3 for that. Honestly, I rarely play games. It’s mostly used for streaming (Netflix, Red Box, Amazon, and Hulu) and blu ray. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/9 "2013-11-30T16:38:44Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > The best LG model you can afford. VERY good experience with several of them and they just get better with the years. I agree you should stay away from appliances with a chaotic or evil alignment. And Lawful Good is perfect for a dryer or a microwave. But my experience is you’re better off with a Lawful Neutral Blu-Ray player. LG models might have issues with movies that are rated R or NC-17. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/10 "2013-11-30T16:46:45Z")
What I have been thinking about is Samsung’s ‘Allshare’ cast. Has anyone tried streaming their phone to their blueray? How useful/good is it? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/11 "2013-11-30T17:04:00Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > What I have been thinking about is Samsung’s ‘Allshare’ cast. Has anyone tried streaming their phone to their blueray? How useful/good is it? I haven’t been impressed with it. Most of these sidestream technologies trying to emulate Apple equivalents are unreliable and (in true Sony fashion) require same-manufacturer gear to work. I wouldn’t put any of these features on the must-have list, but have fun with them if they work for you. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/12 "2013-11-30T23:50:16Z")
I’d say get a PS3. Loads a lot faster than the standalone players I’ve used. Only thing it might not do is some of the streaming services (I know it does neflix, not sure about the others) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/13 "2013-12-01T00:34:39Z")
I’m not sure why people are recommending a PS3 as a Blu-Ray player. Certainly, it was the platform that drove BR to success over HD-DVD and into wide sales, but it’s overpriced and far from convenient to use as a simple player. A PS3 is $200 from Amazon; there are several excellent BR players (which, by the way, load much faster than the first gen) for $70-140. You want a PS3 as a console? Great, and it will save you the need to buy a separate BR player. You want a BR player? You can do much better now buying one that suits your needs. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/14 "2013-12-01T02:28:19Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I haven’t been impressed with it. Most of these sidestream technologies trying to emulate Apple equivalents are unreliable and (in true Sony fashion) require same-manufacturer gear to work. Well, that is similar to Apple fashion, no? lol. But what do you mean by not impressed? Takes forever/luck to sync? It’s choppy? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/15 "2013-12-01T03:20:07Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > All other things being equal, a region-free player is better than a single region one. Some movies and shows don’t get Region A1 releases (the Americas) but are readily available in B2 (the UK). Are region-free Blu-ray players easily available? I use a PS3 to watch movies and it seems to phone home regularly for security updates. So can a region-free BD player get updates needed to play new titles without affecting the region-free aspect? ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/16 "2013-12-01T04:09:48Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I use my ps3 for that. Honestly, I rarely play games. It’s mostly used for streaming (Netflix, Red Box, Amazon, and Hulu) and blu ray. We use our PS3 mostly for watching DVDs/Blu-Rays and streaming as well. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/17 "2013-12-01T05:12:52Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Are region-free Blu-ray players easily available? I use a PS3 to watch movies and it seems to phone home regularly for security updates. So can a region-free BD player get updates needed to play new titles without affecting the region-free aspect? They’re openly being [sold](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=region+free+blu+ray+player&sprefix=region+free+%2Caps%2C240) so I assume they’re legit. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2013, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blu-ray-player-recommendations-please/675110/18 "2013-12-02T11:58:05Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I’m not sure why people are recommending a PS3 as a Blu-Ray player. Certainly, it was the platform that drove BR to success over HD-DVD and into wide sales, but it’s overpriced and far from convenient to use as a simple player. A PS3 is $200 from Amazon; there are several excellent BR players (which, by the way, load much faster than the first gen) for $70-140. > > You want a PS3 as a console? Great, and it will save you the need to buy a separate BR player. You want a BR player? You can do much better now buying one that suits your needs. How is it inconvenient? Get disc, put disc in, select play. It also has all the usual streaming apps built in and the wifi is reliable. However, I think you’re right that other blu-ray players have caught up now.