Olevia Blu-ray Player

E55 KEV

Olevia BD-100 $299 coming to Target.

• DVD Player
• Single-Disc Player
• Plays DVDs, BD-RE, CDs, CD-R/RWs, DVD-R/RWs, BD-R, BluRays, BD
• No Tuner
• Optical Audio, 5.1 Channel Surround Sound, Dolby Digital, Dolby Virtual Surround Sound
• Video Features: Zoom Feature, Progressive Scan Offers Sharp Picture Quality
• Features Progressive Scan
• Outputs: S-Video, HDMI, Optical Digital, 5.1 Channel, Component Video, CVBS, Coaxial Digital Audio, Analog Audio
• Display Features: On Screen Display, 16:9, Wide Screen View
• Additional Features: Slim Design, Motorized Door
• Includes Warranty Card, User Manual, Remote Control, Remote Control Batteries
• Modes: Stop/Play/Pause, Volume Control, Screen Saver, Subtitle Selection, Forward/Backward
• Compatible with DVD
• 1 Year Limited Warranty
• Product Weight: 6.0 Lb.
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 "
• 11.5" x 16.5" x 2" "

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digs5446

I just saw a Sylvania BD player advertised in the Sunday circulars for $279...either at Target or Sears, I forget. Kind of tempting until you think about how A-grade BD players should be below that price point around/just after the holidays.

E55 KEV

The Samsung BD-P1500 is $279.99 and free ship at amazon. Also, $299.99 at both BB and CC this week.

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cheezz

....or the Panny BD-30 for $297 at Frys.

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Chris Gerhard

I guess we will see if this player actually makes it to market. I don't know what company makes the player, Olevia certainly doesn't have the facility to manufacture it. The company is I believe in bankruptcy now and I just read this appears to be a Sharp clone, perhaps the BD-HP21?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-9985607-92.html

Chris

Cowboy X

I see no mention of high def audio format decoding or bit streaming unfortunately. So depending on the street prices I would advise people to stay clear and get a top tier player at a similar price either on sale or with the wished for price cuts in Q4,

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stonedog23

Bankruptcy "ain't" what it use to be. Plenty of companies in "bankruptcy" operate as business as usual (minus a few middle managers). K-Mart emerging from bankruptcy to absorb Sears is a good example.

Chris Gerhard

I understand that companies seek bankruptcy protection to be able to continue to operate, not all bankruptcies mean the company will be liquidated, that wasn't my point. This company can't make players, it will sell players made by other companies, apparently this one will be a rebadge of a Sharp player. I am sure the original plans were to enter the market that hopefully had profit potential and to offer Blu-ray players for customers that are happy with their Olevia HDTV. The problem is, now Blu-ray player prices are down the toilet and an Olevia $300 Blu-ray player will sell about as well a $300 Olevia DVD player. If this product does show up at retailers, I believe the quantities will be very small. Obviously the company couldn't make much profit from HDTV sales and Blu-ray will be competitive with slim margins as well, there just isn't any point in this product for this company in my opinion.

Maybe this player will actually become available and a few people will buy it, I don't know. I would be surprised if the market share equals .01%, meaning 1 in 10,000 players sold being an Olevia would be better than I think is possible. The costs to provide warranty coverage, customer service, advertise and distribute this player, I am sorry, this company doesn't appear to be in any position to do any of it.

Chris

Chris Gerhard

If it ever exists, it will do the things the equivalent player from the OEM does. In other words, if it is a Sharp BD-HP21U clone, just read what that player does. The company probably can't even write a press release with product attributes, the press release department was likely laid off during the bankruptcy. It could be the Public Relations firm that had been hired to handle company press releases subject to a contract had the contract voided by the bankruptcy, who knows?

I don't think we will see any more players that don't either bitstream or decode the advanced audio codecs, even the Funai players bitstream all audio codecs. All current chips used from Sigma Designs, Panasonic, Broadcom, and NEC provide that option. I think most new players will both decode and bitstream, a few will decode and provide analog outputs, some even 7.1 analog output. The PS3 only decodes the advanced audio codecs and I don't know if that will be changed with future models, adding bitstream to the PS3 would be nice. This Olevia player will surely at a minimum bitstream, we might not know until it hits the market unless we know what player from another manufacturer is identical.

I wouldn't buy this player personally and would buy a player from a company that can provide customer service and warranty coverage, I don't think Olevia can.

Chris

PFC5

I agree about the Olevia BD player not being a good choice with the company in financial turmoil. With HDM players now and the dynamic DRM that it brings, people should be concerned about making sure the company will be around to provide the DRM updates so the player doesn't stop playing new BD releases when the DRM is changed.

This is a new "deal" that did not exist with SD DVD players, so buying a BD player requires more confidence in the mfg than it does with SD DVD players IMO.

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Chris Gerhard

I am not the slightest bit worried about DRM, but firmware updates needed to play discs has been an issue and I don't believe this company can deliver. Of course, the same could be said for Samsung, but I am hopeful that ship has been righted. I have needed quite a few firmware updates the last couple of years to solve issues, and that is with both HD formats. The DRM will brick your Blu-ray player was one of many nonsense HD DVD war cries here and you won't scare me with that one, never could.

Chris

PFC5

That is not what I am talking about Chris. I am talking about the fact that the DRM with BD (& HD DVD) are dynamic DRM protocols compared to the STATIC DRM on SD DVD. This dynamic DRM issue would have been a problem with BOTH formats, whereas sporadic DRM firmware updates would be needed when the DRM changes. But BD has more types of DRM so it could be a bigger problem because of this, but again this is not a format war thing that concerns me.

I am assuming that the studios (particularly Fox) will not continue to keep varying how they are using BD-Java & BD+ (DRM) that is causing continued issues for some new titles on certain BD players. Whether it is the studio's fault or the player mfg fault, or both, there does seem to be ongoing issues with new releases on some/many BD players.

What happens when DRM changes are made due to the dynamic nature/structure, and you do not get updates anymore from the mfg for your BD player to handle the DRM changes? How long will they continue to provide these updates after the sale of the BD player?

THAT is what my concern is with some mfg, particularly the lower tier mfgs.

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Chris Gerhard

I understood what you meant, my comment was humor recalling the continual claims here that the Blu-ray DRM provided for turning your Blu-ray player into a brick if the player had been used for illegal copies. The silly scenario dreamed up by some of the HD DVD supporters here was that you might play an illegal Blu-ray disc unkowingly and blah, blah, blah. You even made the nonsense claim. Blu-ray player prices are going sky high if Blu-ray wins, HD DVD is required to keep Blu-ray player prices in check and so on and so on. All of the sky will start falling claims if the evil Blu empire wins were funny to me.

Chris

iserum

why would some one even consider buying Olevia BD player for $299 when SONY and other better player are for that price or lower, Olevia BD player only make sense if it is $150 or less. The lower prices of Flat panels and BD players will put more pressure on Tier 2 brands since price difference between Tier 1 and tier 2 is very narrow.

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Chris Gerhard

I don't know what price the Olevia player will sell for if it is ever available, but I agree with you, it sure can't be anywhere near $300. The Sony BDP-S350 is under $300 and it is apparently very good. I think the budget brands have helped drive prices down, but now that Sony and Panasonic and other top tier players are low price, the budget brands have to drop really low to even make a noise.

Chris