# Looking to upgrade...suggestions?



## 43131 - deactivated (Oct 9, 2009)

I currently have a Panasonic DMP-BD30 and was looking to upgrade to something better. I'm going to say no more then $500, but ovb the cheaper the better. If there is a real good quality player for roughly $300, then tell me! Thanks


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Hi Mike, the Panasonic BD30 was my first Blu Ray player and an excellent performing one too, but the technology has matured and there are better availible now, Panasonic have there new range and so does Sony and Pioneer, but for your budget I strongly recommend you look at the Oppo BDP83, it is one of best and has super quick load times, on the fly menu selection and is also a universal player meaning you get SACD / DVD-Audio / CD playback and of course DVD which benefits from the excellent Anchor Bay Technology VRS chipset which is one of the best for scaling normal DVD playback to 1080p...you get a lot of player for your money :T


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
I will second John's recommendation of the OPPO. It is the player to get in that range. In fact, Lexicon and Theta are both selling 2K+ players based off of the OPPO. These players will mostly just have a nicer faceplate and high end name to justify charging 6 times the amount of the OPPO.
Cheers,
JJ


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## Jon Liu (May 21, 2007)

I'll give the Oppo a third recommendation. Most people when asking for blu-ray suggestions don't want to go with anything over $250, but since your budget is right at $500, which is where the Oppo is at, I cannot emphasize that recommendation enough. I've had 3 separate standalone players, Panasonic DMP-BD30, Pioneer BDP-51FD, Panasonic DMP-BD35, plus my Playstation 3 for blu-ray playback and finally the Oppo. It is by far the best, quality-wise, performance-wise, function-wise. Firmware updates are a plenty so any issues you run into are taken care of a lot quicker than the other companies.

As JJ mentioned, Theta, Lexicon, Denon, even now Pioneer have players that boast the same features as the Oppo, but none can do it even remotely close to the same price point.


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## eugovector (Sep 4, 2006)

Don't need me chiming in, but for $500, I'd say only the Oppo make sense (unless you can make use of the other features of the PS3).


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## 43131 - deactivated (Oct 9, 2009)

wow this looks great! Thanks for all the input and suggestions. Without getting too technical, what will this player great improve on then what I currentley have?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Upconversion of standard DVDs is excellent and it loads BluRay DVDs fast. Firmware updates are often and less compatibility issues with new releases.


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## 43131 - deactivated (Oct 9, 2009)

What's better this, or the Pioneer Elite BDP-23FD?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

My understanding is the Oppo is the best bang for buck.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Pioneer make some great products and I'm sure the above player is very good but as Tony mentioned the Oppo is excellent VFM and when you consider it is a universal player it is no brainer really, the Oppo hits well above its weight, IMO you would have to spend consirderably more to get the same performance...


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## Lordoftherings (Feb 8, 2009)

For about less than $200 (street), you can get the Panasonic DMP-BD60, an excellent player.

* And for $499, the Oppo BDP-83 is the only game in town.


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