Blu Ray Profile 3.0 ?????!!!!

[admin_exported]

After popping into my local Richer Sounds (Leicester) and enquiring about blu-ray players, I was challenged by one of the shop staff saying, "Why would you want to buy a Blu-ray player - they're rubbish, wait for profile 3.0". I was slightly confused by his chat given that they actually had blu-ray players in store. Does anyone know anything about profile 3.0 and is there a section for rubbish service (not to be too negative as I'm all for praising good service but this was bordering on useless/rude/rubbish!!)

 

[Clare Newsome]

I'm sure he meant Profile 2.0....

And there's a Forum section here for feedback on your local retailer

 

[Andrew Everard]

Profile 3.0 only applies to audio-only Blu-ray hardware, should any such ever appear, and is thus not relevant to the purchase of a player designed to play current BD video discs.

 

[Xanderzdad]

Before you give negative feedback about Richer Sounds - is it possible that you gave the impression you wanted a Blu-Ray player for listening to music mainly, rather than watching films.

If this was the case his response was probably correct - although his approach possibly still unhelpful.

 

[Anonymous]

No I was quite clear that I wanted to watch movies - in fact I was specifically interested in the Panasonic DMP-50 (profile 2.0)

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes I can see how the assistant might have got that impression, given that the number of audio-only BD titles available could be counted on the fingers of one hand of a Simpsons character.

 

[Anonymous]

So what is it about Blu-ray Audio that would require a Profile upgrade to 3.0? As there are discs already avalable, they have to be playable on existing Blu-ray players or you're just stuck with a disc waiting for a player to match it, surely?

 

[Andrew Everard]

3.0 isn't an upgrade from 2.0, it's just a different profile. And yes, the currently available audio-only discs will play on existing hardware

 

[Anonymous]

So, what does Profile 3.0 actually add that isn't available in the existing profiles or is it simply there as a separate profile for discs that contain no video content?

 

[Andrew Everard]

It adds nothing - in fact it lacks the built-in memory, local storage capacity, secondary audio and video decoders and virtual file system found in profiles 1.1 and 2.0, and also lacks 2.0's mandatory Ethernet connection.

In other words it's a greatly simplified specification, applicable to future or potential audio-only players.

 

[Xanderzdad]

Andrew Everard:Yes I can see how the assistant might have got that impression, given that the number of audio-only BD titles available could be counted on the fingers of one hand of a Simpsons character.

I quite agree LOL - but thought it worth double checking the background of the conversation just in case