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VIZIO jumps into the sub-$200 Blu-ray player ring with its VBR100

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Never mind that VIZIO is breaking from its discount-market image, the combination of a known brand name and $199 pricetag for its VBR100 Blu-ray player is the one-two punch here. The company is showing off this new 2-inch thick (not the slimmest, but not exactly portly, either) Blu-ray deck at CES this week, and the feature set is pretty encouraging. The upconverted DVD feed coming out of the HDMI jack can be switched between 720p, 1080i and 1080p, but even more importantly, the unit's 7.1-analog jacks around back can output decoded Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA. Set for release in April for a penny under $200.

Link: http://www.engadget.com/2009/01/07/v...ith-its-vbr10/

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The VIZIO Blu-ray Player

Providing the most superb images and stunning audio performance, Blu-ray discs deliver 1080p perfection. Retailing for $199.99, the release of VIZIO's VBR100 Blu-ray Player means everyone can afford to bring these exquisite sights and sounds into their home theater.

Outfitted with a 108MHz/11-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), the VBR100 delivers phenomenal 1080p video from native Blu-rays discs and offers selectable 720p/1080i/1080p video upconversion for standard definition DVD discs (HDMI output only).

A 24-bit/192kHz audio Digital to Analog Converter ensures pristine audio playback from all of the latest surround sound formats. The VBR100 provides built-in audio decoding for uncompressed audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, and multi-channel PCM in additional to all other surround codecs (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS).

The super-slim player will fit in any entertainment cabinet, and is not only compatible with Blu-ray discs and BD-Live content, but it plays standard definition DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, audio CD-R and CD-RW, plus MP3 CDs.

Additional VBR100 Features

Video outputs: HDMI (1.3), component, and composite

Audio outputs: 7.1 channel analog audio, coax and optical digital audio, and analog stereo (RCA)

Dimensions: 17 X 11 X 2"

Includes Remote Control

Availability: April 2009

Price: $199.99

Link: http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-e...7012009-1.html

I just read about that in another thread eHDMI posted. It sounds great for the price bit I do wonder what profile it is. Since it mentions nothing about Java, I'll be willing to bet it's a profile 1.2 player.

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Originally Posted by Loves2Watch (Post 789437)

It is profile 2.0, decodes TrueHD/DTS-HD-MA internally and has 7.1 analog audio outs (per the above press release). For an MSRP of $199. That means Walmart/Sams/Costco will most likely have it for $149-179 in no time.

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Originally Posted by Loves2Watch (Post 789437)

This makes no sense. All BD has Java. The Java portion is like the HDI on HD-DVD. It the menus. There is no "profile 1.2". It has to be BDView capable, minimum. (You might call that profile 1.1) It also BDLive capable. (That would be profile 2.0).

This might be a winner for me. the 7.1 analogs would get rid of the need to even have a new A/V Receiver.... Hmmm....

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Originally Posted by mobiushky (Post 789446)

Again, per the above press release it says that it can play BD Live content. Therefore it must be 2.0 compliant.

I missed the part about BD Live (which is what I meant when writing Java, which it is) so it is a profile 2.0 player. Sounds like a deal.

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Originally Posted by Loves2Watch (Post 789483)

I missed the part about BD Live (which is what I meant when writing Java, which it is) so it is a profile 2.0 player. Sounds like a deal.

At first glance - this player is "equal" to the Sony 550 and the Panasonic 55.

At half the cost!

Vizio... how do they do it..

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Originally Posted by Lee Stewart (Post 789487)

At first glance - this player is "equal" to the Sony 550 and the Panasonic 55.

At half the cost!

Yes. But that is what Vizio tries to do. Offer good performance at lower prices. I expect to see new models from Sony and Panasonic that will be priced lower as well at some point in 2009.

Pretty much a fully loaded BD player with a great price tag, sounds like a real winner for J6P.

:banana:

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Originally Posted by Lee Stewart (Post 789487)

At first glance - this player is "equal" to the Sony 550 and the Panasonic 55.

At half the cost!

But what are they using for an upscaling chip, that is the question....

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Originally Posted by Loves2Watch (Post 789603)

But what are they using for an upscaling chip, that is the question....

Why care? It's appears to be a full featured BD player for an MSRP of $199.

You buying it to play DVD's or BD? You can't have more than one optical disc player in your rack?

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Originally Posted by Lee Stewart (Post 789614)

Why care? It's appears to be a full featured BD player for an MSRP of $199.

You buying it to play DVD's or BD? You can't have more than one optical disc player in your rack?

I can hear it calling your name... this could be the player for you ;)

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Originally Posted by Stew4HD (Post 789657)

I can hear it calling your name... this could be the player for you ;)

Seems to have everything I would want in a BD player.

I will be watching reviews and threads to see the quality and reliability of this player.

But it definitely looks like a round peg for a round hole.:hithere:

Ding...Ding...Ding

Do we have a winner here. Stay tuned.

Good Luck Lee.