What to Know When Choosing a Blu-Ray Player

Alright, so you've got the new flat panel HDTV and you're ready to purchase a Blu-Ray player to be able to view the full capability and glory of 1080P. There are some helpful things you should know when making this decision. Using a custom A/V installer is usually a safe way to get through all the tech-speak without having to learn the language. If you want to do it yourself, though, I've provided some tips for consideration. First of all, this upgrade is really more than just adding the ability to play HD discs, and that's the main reason why I'm creating this blog. When we brought our first Blu-Ray player into our home, I was a 12+ veteran of the A/V industry and even I didn't realize how much it would change the way we watched TV. Now we're on our third, and that's mainly because as features were added to the general population of Blu-Ray players, some of the older ones wouldn't be able to support them. The current unit we have is a Sony BDP-N460, and I'm pretty darn happy with it. When we upgrade our TV to a 3D capable model, then we'll need to upgrade again. I'll lay out the high points with bullets...

• Blu-Ray players support the highest level of audio quality as laid down on the digital soundtracks of current blockbuster Hollywood movies
• Obviously, there is this little thing about 1080P. IF you have a 1080P capable TV (that's 50" or larger), AND you have it connected to a Blu-Ray player via an adequately certified HDMI cable, AND your TV is properly calibrated, THEN you will have visual nirvana. 
• With the previous statement noted, the old adage rings true, 'Garbage In, Garbage Out'. A lot of Blu-Ray discs released to date are simply re-masters of previously released movies. Some of these are amazingly re-mastered to HD, some not so much. Don't judge the outcome solely on the hardware. Software plays a major role. Movies like Avatar, Up, the latest from Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Trek and other major recent releases will be superior in quality to the older selections simply because they started with Blu-Ray in mind when they went from the studio to the theater, then to your home. 
• INTERNET CONNECTIVITY! This is MAJOR! These players need to have constant access to check and see whether or not they need a software update. This is critical because a newer movie might not play on an older player without the appropriate updates in place. 
• YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, etc...This is another MAJOR benefit of upgrading now, even if you don't have an HDTV. With a simple DSL connection, you can have cheap or free access to a wealth of online resources for documentary, music video, music, movies, TV shows and many, many more 'channels' that showcase a wide range of original content, from online talkshows to indie films.
• The viewing experience. When you are watching a Blu-Ray movie, there are several features that are just classy. The pop-up menu replaces the process of the movie stopping when you hit the MENU button. A short menu arises from the bottom of the screen while the movie continues, and you can navigate it without disruption. Very nice and natural.

I'm sure there are more bullet points I could add, but these are the major ones for me. So, if you're getting ready to head out to the store to check out the latest, I hope some of these pointers will aid in your decision. 

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