1050 with blu-ray?

Boy...I hope someone still checks this forum.

I plan on upgrading at some point, but I've been working on improving the rest of my home theater first. I've recently upgraded to an HD TV, so I want to upgrade my DVD to Blu Ray.

I'm a little confused with the sound configuration. I know the 1050 won't support the latest and greatest formats (Dolby Master, etc.). Should I make sure to buy a Blu-Ray player that can decode them, has the 7.1 analog outs, and hook them up through the 5.1 analog inputs on the 1050? Is that worth the trouble, or should I just continue to use the optical cable I'm currently using with my DVD player and settle for DTS?

Any help (along with BR players to checkout) would be greatly appreciated!

If you have a Blu-ray player with 5.1 or 7.1 analog outputs and onboard decoding of the new formats, the 1050 will still give you those new audio formats. For a long while, that was a difficult thing to find, but there are now several options. Panasonic's BD50 has been replaced by the BD55 (which added a 7.1 analog output in place of 5.1 but did very little else), so that may be a good value if you are buying today. Other options that I can think of are the BD55, Sony S550, and some Pioneer players. There's also a bit of discussion about the upcoming OPPO Blu-ray player (BDP-83) which will offer these features among others, but we don't know when it will be out or what it will cost.

Yeah, I've been looking for info on the Oppo...but I don't want to wait. I found the Sony on Amazon which made me realize I could use the analog outputs on the 1050 and still get Dolby Master Audio. I thought I'd confirm on here though.

Thanks again gonk...looks like I'll be putting some Amazon gift cards to good use.

Keep an eye out for the BD50, as well, since there may be some deals to be had on it in light of the BD55's arrival - especially since you don't need the 7.1 analog output in your case. I've been pretty satisfied with my BD30 (although it will get kicked to the curb once the BDP-83 arrives).

The BD55 is about $200 cheaper right now than the BD50. I think I'm going to go ahead and go for it. I need to hear my new speakers with some Dolby True HD!

Then all I'll need to do is add an LFM...then I can start saving up for a new receiver!

Sounds like the BD55 could be the way to go, then.

As for the LFM, I think I see Outlaw taunting you with their Black Friday sale ...

Wow...they sure are. Unfortunately, I've already given them all the money I can give for this year! I think it will have to wait for the New Year...

Can anyone recommend a sound card that will decode and direct output the new sound formats? I have an HTPC that I'm planning on getting a blu-ray drive where I'll play the movies from hard disk via vista media center. My current sound card is cheap, but outputs optical out to my 1050 which decodes everything for my current dvd collection.

Just wondering if anyone here is doing anything similar.

Thanks