Well, everyone has an opinion, so here's mine. I bought a Sony Blu-Ray player mainly because that's is where everything is going. Even the HD-DVD manufacturers agreed that BR was the better format.
BR will play both the standard DVD and of course BR; but will NOT play an HD disk. I've go a 50" DLP tv, and when you see Blu-ray, you do see it if it is from the new era. One movie I can tell you is kick butt is; Ratatoullie. You have got to see the eyelashes and the definition of the rats body hair.
I would tell you not to buy movies that we converted from standards to BR, because you will see the failing. The new stuff that was shot for BR is really sharp.
Is it worth it, I think so and I am not a movie buff; but I like my special effects and all the hidden magic that is going on now. If it has a DLP output, I even believe cheap is OK because standards are standards.
And that's all you get for 2 cents.
Pugman