Philips BDP9000 Review: You're Better Off with a PS3

Philips' first Blu-ray player has finally made its way out the door and the folks at CNET ain't that impressed. Sure, it's one of the best-looking high-def players out there and it comes with a kick-ass remote, but feature-wise the BDP9000 lacks HDMI 1.3, doesn't support any of the new audio formats like Dolby Digital Plus or Dolby True HD, and most importantly, it's still a helluva lot more expensive than buying a PS3.

[Maddens Raiders]

this makes the third player that the PS3 BD player has whupped hands down in the last three weeks. What the hell is goin' on?lol

[uxo22]

I wonder what would be the result if someone put the PS3 up against the Sony Standalone player? I would have thought that that would have been done by now. If for no other reason, to see of it contains generally the same parts.

[Gears]

You can't get a PS3 and all of the BR players are crap and twice as much as HD-DVD. I am glad I didn't jump on the blu-ray bandwagon, HD-DVD for the win!

[wildcat]

Blu-Ray has more support in the film industry than hd-dvd though so that means a larger variety in high-def movies.

[power of Green]

Sony always has all the support in the film industry at first.

[TheMART]

Besides BR Sony also made the formats Betamax, Minidisc and UMD

What do they all have in common? They all failed

[MicroGamer]

I thought Sony said it was impossible to play Blu Ray movies without HDMI. So which is it?? Apparently Philips thinks you don't need HDMI. Is this the mark of a split between Sony and the rest of the Blu Ray camp already?? Was Microsoft right about HDMI not being needed this early??

[xfrgtr]

hahahaha,how old are you?5 years old?of course there is hdmi,not the 1.3 means you have the 1.2.And you can play bluray movies(1080i) throught analog with the ps3 and any bluray players like the hddvd players since the ICT will not be activated for at least 3 years.Check some reviews of any bluray or hddvd players and you'll see they all come with hdmi and analog support.

[DJ]

PS3 keeps on beating other Blu-ray players on the market, something that the 360 can't say in relation to its HD-DVD drive.

[power of Green]

Hmmm. Blu-ray getting a bad rap of any kind is damaging in itself.

Quote: PS3 keeps on beating other Blu-ray players on the market, something that the 360 can't say in relation to its HD-DVD drive?.

^^^ LOL 360 add-on out performing the stand alone players in feature's" would defeat the purpose of the stand alone player's and would hurt HD-DVD. Only you would find this as good news.

Kind of like PS2 vs PS3, folks are suppose to be upgrading to next-get not buying PS2's.

A Game console out performing stand alones in feature's what does that say to the average consumer about BR in general.

[darx]

Agree!

Not good for blue ray.

[Gears]

I was reading the review and stated my opinion about another crappy standalone Blu-Ray player. Atleast the Ps3 is better at playing movies.

[wildcat]

I don't get why they can't make it like the ps3's blu-ray player. Why wouldn't they just mirror it?

[Gears]

Maybe Sony knows something they don't.

[power of Green]

Ouch that's got to hurt!, telling people to buy a game console DVD combi quality player over a stand alone.

[Maddens Raiders]

*[raises left eyebrow and asks], " - what?"

[testerg35]

That the PS3 is beating the standalone players. I would think that Sony is pissing off the other manufacturers.

[wildcat]

What's so bad about the ps3 outperforming the standalone players. It just shows the quality of the ps3. I see nothing wrong with this as sony has probably put more money into making their product. It's a much more important investment for sony. I could care less because I don't plan on owning an HDTV for probably 2 years.

[MicroGamer]

is that their partners have a lot of money invested in promoting Blu Ray and if they can't get their investment back because of PS3, then they are basically getting it up the behind from Sony who is taking their development dollars and giving them nothing but red ink in return.

[wildcat]

Is it sony's fault that Philips decided to make a standalone player that's less than the ps3 or is it the Philips company's fault for not matching Sony's quality?

[Maddens Raiders]

is what's known as an old-fashioned "reach", if I've ever heard one.

-- "if they can't get their investment back because of PS3, then they are basically getting it up the behind from Sony who is taking their development dollars and giving them nothing but red ink in return." --

Like selling more PS3's is a bad thing. Have you gone mad? Since when did SNE go into business with Phillips? If SNE does good Mtsushita is doing good because they're direct competitors, and that means Blu-ray is doing good. You're talking about the two largest CE makers in the world. Do you really think that it's SNE's fault that Phillips BDplayer didn't include HDMI support and DolbyHD features? C'mon. Do you really think that Lion's Gate, MGM, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Brothers, Miramax, & Touchstone studios are in it to lose? Hell no everyone's gonna watch they're movies and buy their BRD's. By 1Q 2008 the best BDplayers will hover around $499.99 with the average at apx $249.99. Couple that with LCD's coming down $999.00 over the next 12 months and you have the recipe for a new standard. More storage = More features. Bigger is better and people in America love change and technology. Blu-ray is the talk of the town. TDK has even lobbed out a 100gb BRD, although the player's not quite ready yet. All of this is going to bring many more people into the Blu-ray fold sooner. It's happening as we speak. I left Bbuy about an hour ago and can't tell you how many people are in there looking at ALL games and bada$$ flatscreen LCD's. People are blowing there year end bonuses and spiff checks on this stuff. THEY WANT IT. More dads are becoming like there son's and playing this $hit more than them. Believe me, the demo's right now at your nearest high-end electronics dealer includes the SNE BDSP-1 player and when that player is connected to DEfTech hi-def speakers and playing an uncompressed video or audi file, the sound is better than anything out there. That is a direct quote from a friend of mine that gave up gaming because he says it makes him dizzy (anyway long story makes me remenisce). a/w he works at a high end place here in the southwest and is selling the hell out of the BDSP1. Blu-ray is gonna be just fine. And if it wins out so what? MS is already prepeared with the VC-1 encoding.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Look if other manufacturers can't create a player that sells they will abandon the format plain and simple. If they all can't create a player that is good enough for consumers to buy over a PS3 then only the PS3 will sell and they will bail out as manufacturers of the format player as it won't make sense for them to make them. Thus leaving Sony as the only maker...and just like Beta...Sony's format will fail.

How many UMD players do you see beside the PSP? That should tell you why Sony NEEDS these other manufacturers to be able to sell their players. Honestly Sony has really created a great Blu Ray player for the price....but it may be their own undoing (format war) if this trend continues.

[wildcat]

You'd think that Sony would try to help these other companies to develop efficient hardware for blu-ray as Sony is like the head supporter for it. Point well made but I think that other manufacturers of Blu ray players will learn to include those features mentioned as necessities. The format will fail if the hardware is not up to speed with its competition. Sony is hoping that PS3 sales will help the format as well and its good to know that they made it with good quality.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Sony cut down the price of the PS3 big time to sell the console and push the format. They get royalties off of Blu-Ray anything so for them its a win win when anything Blu-ray is sold. However other player makers need to produce a unit OVER their cost to make it. Thus the wide gap in unit costs. Sony made their player soooo cheap that other manufacturers who try and match it feature wise are not being able to put out a product that will be close to competing cost wise to the consumer. Honestly when you start to look at it...why would ANYONE buy a player other than a PS3 right now given how much cheaper it is...but problem is...you can't find a PS3 anywhere right now. Its a really tough problem for Sony...again they are their own enemies in the format war at this stage.

[Funky Town_TX]

Sony makes good products. The RSX and Cell combo is way more powerful than any standalone BR player.

[The Snake]

Philips may make crap (they do), but they spend a good chunk of their money on R&D unlike other companies such as Samsung, who just wait for something new to come to market and copy it. In fact, the CD was codeveloped by Philips and Sony. For that fact alone I have to give them respect.

[xbox360migs]

Yes, But as it stands there are more movies on HD DVD and they getting better reviews than the blu ray counterparts and i'll be watching them soon, when I too get on the HD DVD band wagon. No blu ray for me I'm afraid!

[joemutt]

Now if it could only play decent games I might get one.

[PS3n360]

I just checked on Ebay and Ps3's are going for less than retail and most auctions are ending with 0 bids. I cant believe it. anyone who is wanting one head over now and get one. - on this topic- The cell is built with media streaming in mind so its not surprising that PS3 is the best blu-ray player available since its the only one with this processor on board.

[Ugly American]

You were absolutely right. I just picked up another PS3 for $300.00. Holla!

[Zhoutai]

Someone always keeps informing us that Sony has failed at 3 different formats, hmmm I feel an old saying coming on , what was it now "If at first you dont succeed, try try again.". After all Abraham Lincoln lost about 2 times before he finally became president. Just because of their past does not by any means reflect upon the future. If you look on Walmart you'll see that Blu-Ray has alot more movies than HD-DVD. It's supported by more ppl as well. I've been a Blu-Ray supporter since I first herd about the project. I was rather impressed with the amount of memory in it as well. Also, Blu-Ray can play video games. That right there alone could push it to the top. After all DVD had the same features, thats more than you can say about HD-DVD

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Abraham Lincoln was also assassinated upon finally becoming President. ;) All joking aside, Blu-Ray is a fine technology and could very well win out. Sony just needs a way to get other manufacturers in the game more effectively so they can maintain that support.

As for support of Wal-mart/ppl...I am sorry but i am tired of hearing peoples self observed support. Sales figures and shipped units will be and should be the telling stats. Not I walked into Walmart and saw more blu-ray than HD-DVD movies therefore there must be more support for it...or I saw 5 people looking at blu-ray movies and only 2 looking at HD-DVD so people support it more.

And before you say it...Yes I know that from the start there were more movie studios on board supporting Blu-Ray than HD-DVD...but that has shifted slightly with more supporting both formats.

Anyway, this is Sony's war to lose. Hopefully they will not repeat the errors of past for their sake.

[Scrumptious]

more players and movies. That's the bottom line.