Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Meridian Blu-ray Player

Despite the dismissals above, I think that Meridian would argue that, in order to get the best sound from CD, you would need an 808.2 as well as a Blu-ray player.

That's fine if you need to play CDs...

I would opt for the 808.2, forego the 800, and use the Bluray player to output 480i to the M810 processor to play SD-DVDs. I'm heading down to the mailbox now to see if my check from the Millionaire has arrived.

I dont think you could run the 810 with anyone elses processor- as M has 3 DVI cables running from the processor to the PJ. From my brief look, the processor did a fine job with everything they threw at it. My only one slight issue is every DILA based PJ Ive seen has a kind of haze to the image and this was no different. It was minor but it was there.

Hi,

In despite of the cold wind on this hypothesis in the CEDIA Q&A, the best solution for me would be the 800 B drive + card(s), altruistically follow by a G version soon after. Why?
Because whose HH'er and who in general would buy a + 3/4/50000 801 BD or 900BD (call it what you whish) except the 3 or 4 810 annual clients?
On the product side we could hope It'd maintain M reference level implementation (apodizing,upsampling etc.) and on the image side it'd help regain M pre-HDMI stellar position.
It'll allow a max of users to fund the upgrade and at the sametime M to charge a profitable amount if similarly priced as usual 8XX upgrades, again reference level.
It'll keep boxes number to the minimum and preserve system global design - who want to stack a Gefen or a BD55 on his 800?
It will avoid 50$ priced FS 800 flood in the restaurant and on audiogon when the solution finally land.
It'd keep reinforce product upgradis phylosophy (IMO one of M main asset in this versatile market) and demonstrate reverse loyalty towards afficionados who've look at halcro, lex etc. bits trains passby all this years.
It'd lead by definition and principle to settle a modular architecture and so would be declinable to a G chassis on the follow up.

Just dreaming out loud...sorry!

juno

I hope so! Been limping along with the first gen Sony BR player and would really like to replace it - but none of the subsequently released players do enough to warrant a move.

I also would like to be able to get down to two spinners: 800 for CD and DVD-A and the Oppo (hopefully) for DVD, BR and SACD. The latter assumes a switch-box 3xSPDIf output (which will hopefully be as good as my current DVDUpgrades 3xSPDIF modified player).

Hopefully the Oppo appears around CES.

Juno,

You could not have expressed my thoughts any better on using the 800 upgrade path for a Meridian Bluray spinner.


Steve

The electronics section of the 800 would have to be gutted. It would need new MPEG decoders, new audio decoders a new software stack etc.

This is by no means an easy task and it could very well be more cost effective to start new as the technology stack is quite a bit more complex than on a standard DVD player.

John,

Not the sort of news that Juno & I wanted to hear.

I have a reasonably thin Sony lap top with a Bluray drive that is also a burner, which outputs via HDMI and SPDIF. If the Japanese can squeeze all that technology inside such a small volume, you would like to think that M could find the space inside the large volume of the 800.

Juno & I are really just expressing a desire to see a Bluray upgrade path using the 800. Whether that ever happens is another thing. From what you are saying, highly unlikely.

Cheers,
Steve

+1

Guys, the last I checked I am neither an employee or a spokesman for Meridian for some quite obvious reasons

I'd love to be wrong on this one; but I don't think I am.

Hi,

Thx for your support Steeve and thanx john to keep myfeet on the ground.
John look at the recent 800V4/V4 upgrade thread, I've done this upgrade 2 years ago from V2.57 but I believe it would have been the same from V3. I thought I'll get a new VE12 card and some minor other change. At the end the unit was completely rebuilt, new splitted back panel, and nearly no more cards arrangement, but still modular architecture. Fortunately they keep my 9.9 condition chassis which for me is far from outdated. In my opinion more clever and valuable than a trade in policy ala Lex etc. which however is better than some other brands "throw it" policy.
A V5 BDP upgrade on the principle wouldn't be much more different. A more or less 50% rebuild.
And on this I am completely in line with Steeve look at the empty space in a mainstream BDP, not that we wish this kind of implementation, but it surely fits in a 8 serie case I believe even with refined enginiery .
Surely strategically there is other choices, but I believe it's the more consistent with M history and that it's not feasibility that would justify it was put aside. Moreover there's no reason a new A drive only unit sell very well at a premium and stand beside 808.2 as its video sister.
My 2 francs

j