Frugal Living: How To Buy the Best Blu-ray Player Without Costing A Fortune 2

Frugal Living: How To Buy the Best Blu-ray Player Without Costing You A Fortune 2

Please check out How To Buy the Best Blu-ray Player Without Costing A Fortune 1 and many other essential information , tips and reviews regarding the best selling blu-ray players (3D or 2D) at blurayplayerreviews.candacechen.com .

Blu-ray Player Buyer's Guide 2 - Internet Connectivity

Internet connectivity is now pretty much expected on any Blu-ray player. Although you don’t need to connect your player to the internet just to watch movies, doing so will allow you to access bonus interactive content and media streaming services.

Ethernet: This kind of connection means that you'll need to connect to your home internet using a wire. This is useful if you don't have a wireless router, but can be a hassle if you don't want wires running all across your living room!

Wi-Fi: Thankfully, Wi-Fi is extremely common, making it easy to connect to your own wireless network.

It's important to check whether Wi-Fi is included internally, or whether you'll need to plug in a dongle. If it's the latter, this will take up extra space on your shelf which manufacturers won't always warn you about.

Be especially wary if a device is only labeled “Wi-Fi ready” and check the small print: often this means that you'll need to purchase a dongle separately (often at high cost) to get it working.

frugal

Media Streaming Services

As movie and TV show downloads become more and more popular, many Blu-ray players will now come with certain media streaming services built in as standard.

These can include:

Hulu
Netflix
Amazon Video On Demand
Pandora
YouTube
And more.

The benefit of those services is the fact that you can simply go online and find something to watch if you don't have anything else, with a price comparable to renting a disc.

Although they may not have quite as good a selection of services, Blu-ray players with media streaming built in are good value when you consider that a standalone media streamer costs $100+ on its own.

When choosing a Blu-ray player with extra media streaming features, just make sure that the interface is easy to use (LG and Panasonic are generally considered the easiest), and that any specific streaming service you're already subscribed to are included. Many manufacturers release firmware updates to expand on the available services all the time.

DLNA Support

save money

In addition to media streaming services, many Blu-ray players will also come with DLNA certification. This makes it extremely easy to stream files across a home network with other DLNA devices.

For example, you could connect the player to your computer over your home network to play videos, music and photographs through the TV screen. You could even send media from your Android smartphone without the need for wires.

USB Ports And SD Card Slots

As mentioned above, you may need to connect external memory in order to use the BD Live feature on Blu-ray movie discs. However, that's not the only reason you might choose to buy a player with this feature.

USB ports and SD card slots are extremely useful for allowing you to play external files through your TV. This could mean inserting your camera memory card for a photo slide show, or connecting your external hard drive to play music or watch home videos.

Most Blu-ray players now come with a USB port as standard, though don't just assume this will work with all media! Some Blu-ray players don't support these media files, so it's crucial that you check the supported file type list in advance.

Connections

Because Blu-ray players are designed to be used with HDTVs, they will include HDMI connections to attach the two.

However, there may be occasions where you need a different type of connection, for example if you don't yet own an HDTV. In this case it's important to check that the player has the type of connection required for your TV: not all players have component connections.
Cables

As with DVD players, most Blu-ray players don't come with the necessary cables included as standard. You're going to need to purchase cables separately in order to connect your new Blu-ray player to your HDTV set.

Blu-ray players use HDMI cables, which can vary in price. Some sales staff may pressurize you into buying a very expensive cable. Although it's important to get a good quality cable, there's no need to too much (most manufacturers will sell their own for well over the going price).

Disc Loading Time

If you're used to using DVD players, then you'll expect discs to load up extremely quickly after you insert them. Unfortunately, this isn't usually the case with Blu-ray players.

Because of the large amount of information contained within high-quality Blu-ray discs, they can often take a while to load. Many drives can take nearly a minute to start playing a disc. Although it doesn't sound like much, it can be frustrating!

The good news is that many manufacturers are now producing quick-loading machines. However, it's important to check reviews to get a more accurate idea of how fast the Blu-ray player operates.
Upscaling

Many Blu-ray players boast of a feature called “upscaling”. This means that you'll see an improved picture quality from standard DVD discs when you play them on a Blu-ray player connected to your TV via HDMI.

Although this is true to an extent, the improvement is usually minimal and depends on the individual player. It's important to check reviews to know whether standard DVD quality can be improved at all.
CDs And Standard DVDs

Most Blu-ray players are also able to play standard DVD movies and CDs as well as Blu-ray discs. This is great news for those who have their player connected to a good sound system and want to enjoy all of their media in one place. Some players can even read data DVDs (such as those containing pictures from your camera).

If you know you want to play a variety of media formats on your Blu-ray player, it's well worth checking out the list of supported file formats beforehand. Although some players are designed to play a huge variety of media, and include DLNA support (for connecting to your home network) or USB ports (for attaching an external hard drive), many will have trouble reading certain types of files.
Playback Features

There are a number of playback features that'll make your Blu-ray player a lot easier to operate, and that can improve the movie-watching experience. Here are a few to look out for:

Resume: A resume feature is extremely useful if you tend to stop watching a movie before the end. It means that your player will remember where you got up to and start playing from there (rather than going back to the beginning).

Most players will include a resume feature, but not all will resume once you've removed the disc and started watching something else in the meantime.

Bookmarking: This is a useful feature if you're the kind of person who likes to make note of your favorite scenes in order to revisit them at a later date.

The best Blu-ray players will let you create bookmarks for several discs, and won't forget those bookmarks once you take the disc out. However, this feature isn't common among all Blu-ray players.

Auto Power-Off: If you're the kind of person who likes to watch movies in bed then an auto power-off feature will come in very handy. The player will turn itself off after a certain amount of time of inactivity. This also helps to save power.

Black Level Control: Some movies have a number of dark scenes, which don't always look great on HDTV screens. Blu-ray players with black level control will help give dark scenes a boost for better image quality.

Child Lock: A child lock feature can be useful if your little ones love to play with buttons they aren't supposed to – the lock will make sure they can't interrupt your viewing.

The Pros and Cons Of Blu-Ray Players

We are living in a time where home entertainment is rapidly changing. Whereas in the past a DVD player may have been your only real option for watching movies, there are now many choices to consider. Here are a few of the pros and cons of Blu-ray players to help make your decision easier.
The Number One Blu-ray Player Drawback

The number one drawback of both DVD and Blu-ray players is the fact that they can't record - a feature that many of us were used to with VHS players.

Unfortunately, you'll need to pay quite a bit more money if you want to record. Instead of recording to a Blu-ray disc, the player will usually feature built in memory to allow you to save TV shows for future viewing.
Blu-ray Vs. Movie Downloads

You can't talk about the pros and cons of Blu-ray players without acknowledging the fact that downloads are quickly becoming the preferred format.

We have already seen the fast move from CDs to MP3s, and there are similar changes taking place in the world of movies. For now, physical discs and downloadable files are both popular, but it's worth taking some time to consider what you're most likely to use in future.

The Benefits Of Movie Downloads

One of the main benefits of downloading your movies, instead of buying them on Blu-ray disc, is the fact that you can do so whenever you want. As long as you have an internet connection, you can quickly get online, browse through a few movies, and decide on something new to watch that night.

Because of the ease of delivery, movie downloads are often cheaper to buy than their physical counterparts, too. Though you don't get the benefit of being able to buy secondhand discs.

The Benefits Of Blu-ray Players

The main benefit of Blu-ray players is the fact that you own something physical. Although many people like the fact that downloads don't clutter up the home, most people like to see the cover of their Blu-ray disc.

There’s also no wait time involved with a Blu-ray disc. You may have to go out and buy it from a store beforehand, but once you own it, it's ready to play whenever you want to.

With a movie download, you'll need to wait for the file to download from the internet. This can often take a long time given that HD movies are very big files (though most downloads come in lower quality)!

The Best Of Both Worlds

Thankfully, you can enjoy downloads and physical discs in one player if you buy the right model. Many Blu-ray players will allow you to connect to online movie streaming services, such as Netflix, meaning that you can enjoy your movie downloads on your big HDTV screen instead of crowding around a small computer!

Frugal Living Guru

 

 

 

Save Money News:

 

Save Money with Crabtree & Evelyn Coupon Codes for Discounts or Free Shipping at Kerry Lyn's Boutique
Save money on your Crabtree & Evelyn purchase by using a coupon code at kerrylyns.com. There are two codes available, one for a 10% discount and the other for free shipping within the continental United States.Glens Falls, NY (PRWEB) May 16, 2012 Kerry Lyn's Boutique is now offering coupon codes for Crabtree & Evelyn products on their website. There are two codes, one for free shipping ...


Pronounce yourself frugal - Chicago Tribune

Chicago Tribune
Pronounce yourself frugal
Chicago Tribune
Farnoosh Torabi was fulfilling her bridesmaid duties, planning a memorable bachelorette party, when she received a very welcome note. "One of the other bridesmaids emailed me and said, 'Look, we all love Kate and we want to have an awesome time, .

and more »
..


6 New Ways To Save Money On Healthy Food
More than half of women say the cost of food keeps them from eating healthy, according to a recent poll from the publisher of Consumer Reports. The Consumer Reports National Research Center asked more than 1000 ...


Cambridge enterprise expert hails Indian 'jugaad' - Rediff

Rediff
Cambridge enterprise expert hails Indian 'jugaad'
Rediff
A new book co-authored by three Indian-origin authors suggests that western companies can adopt the time-tested Indian concept of 'jugaad' -- a frugal and flexible approach to innovation -- to succeed in a world that is hyper-competitive and faces .
A celebration of jugaad that seems a bit over-the-topTehelka

all 9 news articles »
..


Want to Save Money? Snnap Free Classifieds
Want to Save Money? Posted on May 20th, 2012. featured. Item Main Details. Who Posted: EKovalenko. Posted On: May 20th, 2012. Item Description. Want to Save Money? Join our Penny Auctions and Start Saving Today. Bidding Start at 1 ...


Job Killer? Try Bottom Line Booster: Workplace Safety Inspections Save Money, Jobs, Limbs
Job Killer? Try Bottom Line Booster: Workplace Safety Inspections Save Money, Jobs, Limbs..


Frugal innovation - Phys.Org

Financial Times
Frugal innovation
Phys.Org
Credit: Keya Acharya/SELCO/IPS Inter Press Service Co-author of recently published book 'Jugaad Innovation', Professor Jaideep Prabhu argues that a frugal and flexible approach to innovation can generate breakthrough growth not only in the developing .
Cambridge enterprise expert hails Indian 'jugaad'Economic Times
More with lessFinancial Times

all 4 news articles »
..


How to Save Money on Moving | Frugal Dad
There are no two ways about it: Moving is expensive. However, you don't have to resign yourself to spending vast amounts of money during your move. By taking the appropriate steps, you can often get away with spending a ...


 

share