Mainly just one reason: audio. The Blu-ray format includes several new audio options that provide better quality than Dolby Digital and DTS, but the only way to hear them with the PS3 is via HDMI - which isn't an option with the 990. If you go with a standalone player that includes onboard decoding of those formats and a multichannel analog output, you can use them with the 990. There's been a lot of anticipation for OPPO's BDP-83 , which is getting close to being released and will work well with the 990, or you can go with options such as the Panasonic BD55 (discontinued and possibly hard to find), Sony S550, or a couple different Pioneers that offer onboard decoding and multichannel analog output (although DTS-HD Master Audio decoding has not arrived for the Pioneers yet - it's due via a firmware update in the next month or two).