Panasonic BD35 vs BD55

[admin_exported]

Allready posted this question in Panasonic DMP-BD55 or PS3 Blue Ray, but think may be it's better to start a new topic. So excuse me for double posting.

I've got an Onkyo 605 receiver paired with the KF 3005 speaker set, and ordered the Panny 37PX80. Was looking for a Full HD 42", but with a 9 ft viewing distance (and less occasionally) thought is was to big for me.

The BD player will be also used for music as a replacement for my 10 year old entry level Denon system. Do yo think the BD55 would be worth the extra cash with my equipment, or are it just the analogue outputs that make the difference. I've also read somewhere the BD35 doesn't support Divx, but according to your review it does.

 

[Anonymous]

Regarding the screen size of your HDTV, the rule of thumb is that the screen diagonal should be half that of your viewing distance for HD sources. That means for your 9-ft viewing you could even use a 54" screen, and that a 42" screen would be ideal at a viewing distance of seven feet. I have adhered to that rule of thumb in my own home and can speak from experience that it is great for 1080i and 720p HD. One definitely notices the inferior video quality of standard DVDs at that size/distance ratio, but I don't find it so bothersome that I would recommend a smaller screen.

Regarding BD35 vs BD55, I believe that you are correct in assessing the difference between the two. If your new receiver decodes all the latest audio formats as received over HDMI (check the specs of either the BD35 or BD55 for a list), you don't need the BD55. I, however, have a two-year old receiver (also a Denon) that does not decode the new formats; and I am agonizing over whether or not it is worth it to pay the extra for a BD55. The difference in price is currently about $130, making the BD55 about 60% more expensive; so from a strict price-performance standpoint I can't imagine that the audio is enough better to justify it, given how wonderful Dolby Digital and DTS surrounds already sound; but still, in making a new purchase I am hesitant to let $130 get in the way of my having the latest and greatest. I'd love to hear other thoughts on this dilemma.