Should I get a PS3 just for the Blue Ray?

Blue-ray, absolutely.

As a cd player, it leaves a lot to be desired,imo...

No, the PS3 is a mediocre Blu-ray player at best, I have owned 8 different players, including a PS3 and the first gen stand alones bested it in my tests (same disk, same cables etc)

It is a great gaming system, and can become addicting, but it should not be confused with a good Blu-ray player.

Case in point, I bought a Sony BDP-S350 the other day and it is better than the PS3 in picture, and loads amazingly fast and is cheaper!

I agree with Kennyt.

Kennyt,
Case in point, I bought a Sony BDP-S350 the other day and it is better than the PS3 in picture...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"How so" is the picture quality better on other players as compared to the ps3.I'm running mine with a pio plasma, and to be honest, I would be hard pressed to believe the picture could be that much improved. Speaking of blu-ray now, not dvd.

Aol,

The colors are better saturated and the edge detail is vastly better on the BDP-S350, I am using a 70" Sony XBR2 RPTV and the differences are significant. My wife can even easily tell which player is being used! I find the PS3's image to be washed out and to have some shadowing on edges in sharp contrast areas. FWIW I am running the latest firmware on my PS3, so that isn't it.

Just wait for the Oppo player, due early next year.

Thanks Kennyt.

As much as I like the ps3 for the blu-ray experience,when the new Oppo BD player hits the streets I will retire the ps3 and purchase the Oppo. I have been waiting for the Oppo a long time,there video quality should be amazing for the price.

Cheers...

Greetings,
As a blu-ray player the PS3 is far from a mediocre.It is a good player. The 350 and 550 are marginally better on blu-ray but they do a better job on upscaling standard DVD. I had a 350 and a PS3 and sold the 350. I would wait for the Oppo in the new year as Aolmrd1241 stated. That will be the player i probably replace My PS3 with aswell.