Replacing my DVD player

My TiVo DVD recorder died. I was not using it to burn DVDs or to watch and record TV. I was only using it as a DVD player. This means I need a DVD player.

There are a lot of directions I can go to replace my DVD player. Do I go Blu-Ray? Do I go with a Home Media Center? Do I forget physical media all together and just go with a VOD service? There are lots of things to look at here.

Here is where I am coming from.

I have a DVD collection of about 250 DVDs. I do not watch them all that often, but it would be nice to watch them more often. I rarely buy new DVDs. It has mostly been DVDs at Comic Con or movies that are really special.

We have a VUDU Box. We use this for new releases and documentaries. The last three things we watched where Semi-Pro, Jimmy Carter Man from Plans, and The Onion Movie

We subscribe to Netflix. We have used it to this point for TV shows that we missed before. Shows like Rome and Weeds. We also use it for Movies that are not on VUDU yet.

I use an iPod to watch listen to music in the living room.


1. Home’s multimedia center PC with Blu-Ray

To me this would be the ultimate answer. I could view every kind of Media I want this way. It would make the best use of my internet connection and by HDTV.

Pros

Can watch Content from anywhere. There is a lot of free content from places like, You Tube, Podcast, Website, Hulu, Joost, and ABC.COM.

Good answer for both physical and none physical content.

Not limited by in the ways other products are.

Would have to worry about Microsoft DRM

Con,

Price. PCs with Blu-Ray DVD players start at $750 and go up from there. When I customized on at dell.com it cost $1100 That is a lot of money to throw at something like this. I could get several other of the items on the list for this cost.


2. Media PC with DVD

This answers all my needs except for HD DVDs. I could view every kind of Media I want this way. It would make the best use of my internet connection and by HDTV.

Pros

Can watch Content from anywhere. There is a lot of free content from places like, You Tube, Podcast, Website, Hulu, Joost, and ABC.COM.

Good answer for most physical and none physical content.

Not limited by in the ways other products are.

Easy to upgrade to Blu-ray if I get the right video card.

Con,

Price. PCs start at $450 and go up from there. For this price I can get something else off the list that can do more.

Would not play Blu-ray Disks

Would have to worry about Microsoft DRM

3. Mac Mini

Using a Mac Mini would be like using a media center PC, but with a couple of drawbacks. Many of the services that use Microsoft DRM, like Netflix and Amazon Unbox will not work on Apple.


Over Ideas
4. Blu-ray player
5. PS3
6. X-Box 360
7. Upscaled DVD Player
8. Roku Player
9. All Region DVD player
10. apple tv