Hmm interesting. But now I have to go after a blu ray player! I have already noticed that instead of using that set top box and using the built in tuner on the tv all my channels seem to come in a lot stronger.

You have two choices for blu-ray player:
~PS3
or
~Cheap magnavox or whatever (BF ads have some good deals)

No one has created a better blu-ray player yet than the PS3, sadly. There are a few above the 500USD mark but they still lack a few things that make them worth the price tag.

Ya I was looking at the magnavox whatever I buy it will be a temp. piece. I will be getting a pioneer br player or an elite model to replace it down the road. A ps3 would be nice but I am not sure how much I would even use it. Not to mention my internet is nothing that can have movies rented and watched. "satellite internet"

I'd argue that. There is one that is better than the PS3, the BDP-09 Pioneer Elite Blu-Ray Player.
Sound & Vision Magazine - Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD Blu-ray Disc player

X2 man the elite models are beasts!

:tup::iagree:

The price makes you all :icon14: though.. even my price at nearly cost was still :icon14:

I was looking at the Pioneer BDP-51FD as an alternative for the elite and much cheaper you can get a refurbished one off amazon for 200.

But that proves my point, it has a few features which would be a solid upgrade from the PS3, but look at the price tag.
There is one I would consider an upgrade within the price range so far and that is the Oppo BDP-83.

LOL ya I know that is why I was looking at the cheaper models.

Of course Oppo has the it model that competes against the elite for half the price.
Oppo BDP-83 SE

Still if I am not going to use the game features of a ps3 and the rent features I do not see why I would need a ps3.

Yeah it's pretty crazy..

There is one thing the Oppo doesn't have which was key in my choice to go with that BR player.. it doesn't have the 8 DACs for 7.1 Analog out... no other BR player on the market offers higher audio quality at the moment and that was the biggest factor for me.

Well, that is true.
I would say 6 months ago you would be crazy to consider anything else, but Blu-ray players are finally come to market that are sub 200USD that may not be the best of the best but will get the basics across. Though I would argue that even at the price point, a PS3 as just a Blu-ray player is still a solid deal. Even if you do not play a video game on it for 2 years and then all of a sudden do, you will not end up with two Blu-ray systems and a video game system.

Similar situation when the Xbox 360 came out, a lot of companies were making Upscaling DVD players, but the 360 did it just as well for a fraction of the price. We finally saw the price drop (right around the time Blu-ray hit), but the 360 still did just as good of job and had the option of playing video games.

Thats a good model and definitely a good price for it.