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Sony BDP S370 Review

The new CES brought slew of new consumer electronics. The much anticipated 3-D television sets stole the headlines. However, the Blu-ray disc players still dominated the overall attention for consumer dollars. The electronics manufacturers usually announce their new line up of Blu-ray disc players at the CES. The 2010 CES was no different. Sony offered up three new models, the BDP S370, BDP S470, and the BDP S570. Releasing three new models of Blu-ray disc players have become a standard affair for all the big manufacturers. The BDP S370 is the only player out of the three to not have a 3-D support. This seems little odd as Sony is the biggest supporter of the 3-D movement in home theater market. No manufacturer is betting more on 3-D technology than Sony. Their new line of television set as well as the Blu ray player capable of playing 3-D disc is clear sign that Sony is pushing hard for consumers to adopt to 3-D technology.

Features

The BDP S370 boasts some nice specification for its price range. While the features and improvements aren’t as big as the leap from the first generation to the second generation players, it does offer up more features and performance upgrades. The predecessor BDP S360 was already a very capable player. The BDP S370 adds internet streaming via BRAVIA Internet Video service. Except for BDP N460, Sony chose not to include any internet streaming contents on their last generation player. The newest players will all include the BRAVIA Internet Video service. The audio decoding functionality doesn’t change much from the previous generation player. The BDP S370 has onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. Also, it is capable of decoding the standard Dolby and DTS audio formats. It is also capable of playing the standard MP3 files as well as SACD format discs. While the player is capable on audio options, it does not have any 5.1 or 7.1 analog audio outputs. As expected, the BDP S370 is fully compliant with Profile 2.0. The player rectifies the lack of internet streaming from the previous generation players. The BRAVIA Internet Video includes Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, and Slacker for all the internet streaming needs. Also, it includes Gracenote Metadata service. Gracenote is a service where you can access detailed information about the movies you are watching. Also, Sony integrated the DLNA network into the BDP S370 model. With DLNA, you can share various media files across different compatible Sony devices.

Design

There is nothing too striking about the design of the player. The front of the player is finished in glossy material. The LCD is located on the right side with few playback function buttons right below it. It also houses a USB port on the right side of the player. The left side of the player houses the loading tray for the disc. The back includes all the connectivity. The player includes basic analog audio output as well as coaxial audio digital output. For the standard definition television owners, you can connect the player via component or composite outputs. You also have Ethernet and another USB port. And of course, you have your standard HDMI connectivity. As stated earlier, the player lacks 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog audio output ports.

Remote

Sony includes a basic remote control. It is fairly functional unit and most users shouldn’t have problem operating it. The real nice bonus is the iPhone/iPod touch app that can function as the remote. The owners of the Apple device will be able to download the app free and use it operate the player as well as search for detailed information on the movie and the cast. This is fairly nice integration of popular device into the overall function of the player.

Performance and Video

In terms of performance, Sony lagged behind Samsung and LG when it came to loading times on last generation players. This has been largely fixed with this player. The loading time was lightening fast with little delay. Most movies took only about 25 to 35 seconds from loading to viewing the movie. This is a nice improvement from the earlier players. The overall video processing of the player had no problem with any of the movies used to test the quality. The usual video processing errors like moiré and jaggieness were not found in any of the movie. The motion blurs were nonexistent as well. The BRAVIA internet service took little time setting up but was well worth the effort once you register with Sony. You have access to many streaming sites like Netflix and Youtube. While the picture quality can’t compare to Blu-ray high definition standard, it did look decent on the high definition television. One complain about the player from some users was the inability of this player to properly display 4:3 DVD in a proper ratio. If you own older DVD with this ratio, you will find that player will stretch to fill the wide screen format. Sony will most likely address this with future firmware update.

Audio

Audio processing had no hiccups. All the audio formats were tested via discs and they all played without any hitch. Even the MP3 formats played without any problem. I could not test the SACD compatibility as I didn’t have a disc on hand to test them. However, I don’t expect any problem playing the disc if you have a collection of SACDs. The lack of 5.1 or 7.1 channel shouldn’t be a big problem for most users.

Overall Opinion

Overall, you will be hard pressed to find a more complete player for under $200. I’m sure Samsung, Panasonic, and LG will mount a good challenge for the entry level market with their latest offerings. Nevertheless, Sony heard the complaints about lack of internet streaming and rectified it with BRAVIA Internet Video. Also, Sony has added very nice features like DLNA and integration of remote apps on iPhone and iPod touch. This is definitely a solid entry level player in an increasingly crowded Blu ray disc player market.

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Sony BDP S470 Review

http://www.buyblurayplayers.com/out/SonyBDPS470

The S470 is produced by Sony, one of the leading electronics providers in the entire world. If anyone can call themselves the most respected name in the mass production of quality electronics, it's Sony. This is a super fast player that has a host features that are definitely worth mentioning. Check out the new technologies!

http://www.buyblurayplayers.com/out/SonyBDPS470

Features

• Blu-ray 3D Playback Ability
• Internet Video Presented by BRAVIA: Movies, Music, Videos & More Are Available Through Online Connectivity
• Remote Capability That Works with iPhone/iPod Touch
• Quick Start/Load
• BRAVIA Monolithic Matching Design

You can control your blu ray player from your iPhone. This is a feature that is bundled along with the ability to access the Internet from the blu ray player. There are Internet presets like Netflix and YouTube that gives you immediate access to the most popular video sites on the Internet.

http://www.buyblurayplayers.com/out/SonyBDPS470

Design

Small, lightweight and slim, this player has the classic Sony feel that is often found in the other Sony DVD players. The CD drive is on the right hand side on this unit, which is worth mentioning to people who need left or right side disc drives. This drive will also fit perfectly in any thin space designed to hold DVD players and VCRs.

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Remote Control

The remote control is an average remote control, nothing incredibly amazing here. But since its a Sony, it is high quality hardware.

Performance

This player is very fast for the category it's in. If speed is your thing, this player will be perfect for you. Quicker starting and loading features have made this a competitively fast machine that is comparably speedy.

Problems

While the remote works correctly with the blu ray player's features, it will have some difficulty with TV cross compatibility. There are some users reporting that the S470 remotes don't work with the TV's functions without the blu ray dvd player. While this may not present a problem for many, for a few it will be a deciding factor on whether or not to purchase the unit.

Sony remotes are also very simple and the functionality you gain from the remote, in terms of the blu ray functions, is very basic.

There might also be problems with the player locking up when accessing the Web content. It doesn't happen very often but there have been some sporadic user reports of such. The remote is also sometimes very picky about the angle it chooses to work at when pointing it at the unit. Just figure out how it likes to be angled and you should be fine.

Overall Opinion

There is not a lot that really stands out about this player. It is an overall good player that has all the most common features and even some that we really like. In the incredibly competitive world of Blu-Ray DVD players, there are much fuller featured players available. This is a really good player though, especially for the price and we do recommend it as a good purchase option.

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Sony BDP N460 Blu Ray Player Review

Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Video on Demand were conspicuously absent on the Sony Blu ray players. The BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 both lacked any type of streaming services for some reason. Even Sony’s PS3 lacked the streaming services until Sony recently added the Netflix support via firmware update. This was odd omission since Sony’s rivals all included comprehensive streaming services on all of their Blu ray player models. There was some speculation about Sony adding these streaming services via firmware update on their current Blu ray players. However, Sony decided to launch entirely new model with included streaming services. Instead of including few major streaming services, Sony has gone all out and included over 25 streaming content providers. With the release of BDP-N460, Sony finally catches up with LG, Samsung, and Panasonic in terms of streaming services.

Features

Perhaps Sony felt the majority of the home theater buyers didn’t need or want streaming services on their Blu ray players. While there are segment that do not care for streaming contents, I would have to think that majority of the consumers would still want some type of streaming option on their Blu ray players. The BDP-N460 fills that segment nicely. The overall feature is comparable to the BDP-S360 model with added streaming services. The BDP-N460 is Profile 2.0 player with full support for BD-LIVE content. The BDP-N460 features full audio decoding options. It can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio as well as Dolby Digital and DTS audio. A drawback on audio side is the analog output of 7.1 channel audio. You will need a receiver if you want 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog output. For storage, you will need a USB storage unit. Also, BDP-N460 lacks WiFi found on the BDP-S560 model. As with other Blu ray players from Sony, BDP-N460 comes with BRAVIA Sync technology. This basically eliminates you from having to use multiple remote controls on Sony products. If you don’t own a nice programmable remote control, this should be a nice feature.

Design

The BDP-N460 retains the flip down tray design like the BDP-S360 model. The tray is located in the middle of the player beneath the tray. The see through LCD screen is located on the right side along with play and stop buttons. Unlike the BDP-S360, the USB port is located outside of the flip down tray on the BDP-N460. This is much better design compared to BDP-S360 model. The back of the player houses the HDMI, Component video, composite video, and Ethernet port. Also, there is optical and coaxial digital audio port as well as analog audio output port.

The Remote

The included remote is the one provided on the BDP-S560 model. The included remote control is similar to the older player’s layout. It is more compact and streamlined than the previous offerings. The numeric pad is located at the top of the remote followed by the function buttons in four different colors. The menu and directional buttons are located in the middle with playback function buttons at the bottom. However, the remote does not contain the channel buttons whereas the older version did have them at the bottom. Nevertheless, it is very functional and easy to use remote control. The lack of channel button might not be a deal breaker if you already own a quality universal remote control.

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Performance, Video, Audio

The Blu ray playback and the DVD upscaling are very good on the BDP-N460 model. The quality is carried over from the BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 model. For the DVD upscaling, the BDP-N460 uses the same Precision Cinema HD Upscale circuitry found on the other models. While not as good as the Oppo upconversion, it does fairly good job of upconverting DVD movies. As for the Blu ray playback, it is in line with the playback quality from other Sony Blu ray players. The playback itself is very good without any discernable defects. The playback of two movies, The Dark Knight and Marley and Me, showed no problems. The action sequences in The Dark Knight had no glaring or noticeable defects. The first generation players showed some jaggies and moiré but the current generation models including BDP-N460 showed none of the jaggies or moiré. Pausing during the movie also produced no defects. Overall, the video processing quality is comparable to BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 model. On the other hand, the loading time and overall processing time is not on the par with other manufacturers. It is very similar to BDP-S360 and BDP-S560. While not horrendously slow, it is still slower than other players in its class.

As with video quality, the audio processing quality is on par with other Sony Blu ray players. There are very limited differences between Blu ray players when it comes to audio processing quality. Most consumers will not notice any difference even when you step up to the high end models offered by premium audio and video manufacturers like Pioneer or Marantz. The real difference comes from the audio decoding options. The BDP-N460 will handle all of the audio decoding needs including the high definition audio formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The only drawback of BDP-N460 is the lack of analog 7.1 channel audio output. Otherwise, the player handles all the audio decoding functions perfectly.

Overall

Sony BDP-N460 comes little late to the streaming service market. LG, Samsung, and Panasonic all launched their latest Blu ray players with streaming services like Netflix and Youtube. While little late to the market, the BDP-N460 boasts the most comprehensive streaming service on Blu ray player. Some of the streaming services include Netflix, YouTube, Blip.tv, Crackle, slacker, Wired, and Fear.net. If you are in market for a Blu ray player with great streaming service contents, clearly the BDP-N460 is the best choice. There is one caveat to the Netflix streaming. If you purchased it thinking Netflix was ready to go out of the box, you would have been disappointed. Sony just added the Netflix streaming via firmware updates. So, update your firmware as soon as you unbox the Blu ray player.

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Review of Sony BDP S560 Blu Ray Player

Like other major manufacturers, Sony offers multiple Blu-ray player models ranging from entry level to more loaded high end models. The Sony BDP-S560 represents the direct update to the BDP-S550 model. The BDP-S550 was the high end model from the previous year. While the BDP-S560 is the replacement for BDP-S550, it shares many similarities with the current lower end model, BDP-S360. Sony’s standalone players are in an odd situation as it has to compete with other Blu-ray players and Sony’s own PlayStation 3. This is a problem since PlayStation 3 is considered one of the best Blu-ray players on the market. Even so, Sony’s Blu-ray players are very competitive against the offerings from the other leading manufacturers. The BDP-S360 is one of the most capable player in its segment.

Features

The BDP-S560 adds few more features to the already feature packed BDP-S360. This has been the trend with Samsung, LG, and other top electronics manufacturers. They take the base model and add few more features to the top end models. The BDP-S560 boasts all the features found on the BDP-S360 and adds WiFi and media streaming from your computer. Like the BDP-S360, the BDP-S560 is fully compatible with Profile 2.0 for BD-Live contents. On the audio side, the BDP-S560 is capable of decoding Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio as well as all the other audio options including DTS audio and Dolby Digital. This eliminates a need for a receiver for full decoding options. Strangely, the BDP-S560 is missing the 7.1 channel analog audio output. If you want the 7.1 or 5.1 speaker set up, you will need a receiver with HDMI input. As with BDP-S360, the BDP-S560 does not have internet video streaming contents out of the box. LG, Samsung, and Panasonic have all opted to include video streaming capabilities in one way or other. It is disappointing to see Sony not include Netflix or Youtube capability.

Design

The BDP-S560 retains the flip down front tray design from BDP-S360. The dimension and weight is almost identical to BDP-S360. The LCD screen is located on right side of the player. The playback function buttons are located on the right side of the LCD. However, unlike the BDP-S360, the BDP-S560 placed a USB port at the front of the player for easy access. It lies below the face plate for easy access without having to open the front face plate. The back panel contains the HDMI, RJ-45, Component outputs, and Digital audio output. The overall finish and glossy front face plate makes for an attractive player.

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Remote Control

The included remote control is similar to the older player’s layout. It is more compact and streamlined than the previous offerings. The numeric pad is located at the top of the remote followed by the function buttons in four different colors. The menu and directional buttons are located in the middle with playback function buttons at the bottom. However, the remote does not contain the channel buttons whereas the older version did have them at the bottom. Nevertheless, it is very functional and easy to use remote control. The lack of channel button might not be a deal breaker if you already own a quality universal remote control.

Video Performance and Quality

As with previous Blu-ray player models and PlayStation 3, the BDP-S560 handles Blu-ray playback without any problem. The latest Blu-ray players are fairly good compared to the first generation players. The BDP-S560 displays outstanding video quality. If you are going from DVD to Blu-ray and own a HDTV, you will definitely notice a very nice improvement. The video testing showed no artifacts, jaggies, or moiré during the playback. The fast motion sequence showed no blocking or other defects that was prevalent in the previous generation players. And, the still images during pause showed no defects in the picture. Overall, two movies tested, Batman Begins and Marley and Me, had no problem in any areas. The only down side of the player was the slow loading time. This was present in the BDP-S360 and it carries over to this player as well. The new Samsung, LG, and Panasonic players all had dramatic improvement on loading time compared to the new Sony players. I’m hoping the performance can be improved with firmware updates.

Audio

The audio output was flawless on the BDP-S560. Aside from the missing analog 7.1 channel output, BDP-S560 has no faults when it comes to audio output. There are no audio formats that can’t be decoded natively on the BDP-S560. The inclusion of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding should cover all the high definition audio decoding needs. Even with top notch audio system, you will be hard pressed to find any faults in any of the new generation Blu-ray players.

Overall

This is a feature packed player that can be had for around $250 as of this review. While there are other players in this price range with more features, you will be hard pressed to get a Sony product and the all the reputation that comes with it. The one true down side of Sony’s Blu-ray player is the loading time compared to its competitors. I would have liked Sony to improve the loading time over the previous generation players. Also, the lack of internet streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Video on Demand was a small disappointment. If you want a Sony Blu-ray player with Netflix, you might want to consider PlayStation 3.

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Sony BDP S360 Review

Sony’s update to their BDP-S350 arrived later than its competitor’s update to their mainstream Blu-ray disc players. Most of the Sony’s competitors have released their updates for their Blu-ray players. This includes Samsung, LG, and Panasonic. While Sony was the main force behind the Blu-ray format, it had some trouble finding a firm footing with their stand alone Blu-ray players. This was partly due to the PS3 being able to handle Blu-ray playback in more than adequate fashion as well as the higher price than its competition. Nevertheless, the BDP-S350 and BDP-S550 were both very capable players with outstanding image qualities. The BDP-S360 went on sale few weeks after the competitor’s players were available to the public. The price point and the features are comparable to that of Panasonic DMP-BD60 and Samsung BD-P1600.

Loaded with Features

The BDP-S360 is direct successor of the Sony BDP-S350, the base model of Sony’s stand alone players. However, there is nothing “basic” about BDP-S360. Like the Panasonic DMP-BD60 and Samsung BD-P1600, the BDP-S360 comes loaded with features at a very competitive price. As with most new players, the BDP-S360 is fully compatible with Profile 2.0. This means you can access any BD-Live content via internet. The BDP-S360 features full audio decoding options. It can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essentials as well as the Dolby Digital and DTS audio. As with the other entry level models, it lacks the 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog audio output. You will need receiver or higher end model for the output options. One glaring omission is the video streaming capabilities offered by Samsung, LG, or Panasonic. Samsung and LG integrated Netflix for their video streaming while Panasonic has opted to integrate the Amazon Video on Demand features. On the other hand, Sony does not come with any streaming or video on demand capabilities. This is somewhat unfortunate as video streaming has become a big draw for many consumers.

Design

The BDP-S360 resembles Samsung BD-P1600’s design. It has flip down front tray much like the Samsung player. The front panel has glossy finish much like the Samsung BD-P1600. The LCD screen is located on the right side along with play and stop buttons. The placement of the USB port in the back is either a good choice if you rarely used them or a bad choice if you frequently use them. Otherwise, there is nothing incredible or terrible about the overall design of the player. The back panel contains the HDMI, RJ-45, USB, and Component outputs. Digital audio output can be done via optical or coaxial along with analog audio output.

The Remote Control

The included remote control is similar to the older player’s layout. It is more compact and streamlined than the previous offerings. The numeric pad is located at the top of the remote followed by the function buttons in four different colors. The menu and directional buttons are located in the middle with playback function buttons at the bottom. However, the remote does not contain the channel buttons whereas the older version did have them at the bottom. Nevertheless, it is very functional and easy to use remote control. The lack of channel button might not be a deal breaker if you already own a quality universal remote control.

Video Quality and Performance

Sony has always produced outstanding video qualities with their disc players. The BDP-S360 is no exception. Even the previous efforts, BDP-S350 and BDP-S550, were among the best performing players on the market. With more refinements in the current crop of players, it is difficult to point out or single out a player based on image quality. Most of the new players will offer excellent video quality. The BDP-S360 offers image quality comparable to the other new players. The video testing showed no discernable defects such as jaggies or moiré. The fast sequence show no disruption or blocking up issues. Even the pause showed no signs of the defects. The player performed flawlessly on all three movies tested. The only downside of the player was the loading time. All three movies tested exhibited longer loading time than any other player tested. The Samsung, LG, and Panasonic’s new players all offered faster loading time than the BDP-S360. This might be improved with firmware updates but as of now it is the slowest performing player when it comes to loading time.

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Audio Quality

As with video quality, there are little separations between the players when it comes to audio quality. The decoding options are what separated the first generation players. Some players were not able to fully decode all the high definition audio formats. However, the current generation players including the BDP-S360 all cover majority of the audio formats. As mentioned earlier, the BDP-S360 will be able to decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio Essential out of the box. Similar to other entry level players, the BDP-S360 lacks the 5.1 or 7.1 channel analog audio outputs. The BDP-S360 showed had no problem with audio decoding.

Overall

This is a worthy successor the BDP-S350 and maybe even Playstation 3. Sony has cannibalized their own stand alone units with thePS3 filling in nicely. However, should you not wish to buy a gaming machine along with Blu-ray disc player, the BDP-S360 should have no problem filling in for the PS. The lack of video streaming might turn off some people as it is nice little bonus to be able to stream Netflix or Amazon video on demand services. Otherwise, it is very good player with competitive price.

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Exclusive Review: Sony BDP-S550 Blu Ray Player

The Sony BDP-S550 represents an upgrade to the popular entry level BDP-S350. Like Samsung's BD-2500's upgrade over BD-1500, this player adds few more features as well as audio processing from the entry level models at a nomial cost increase. The BDP-S550 includes out of the box support for most of high definition audio decoding as well as bitstream capability. Also, it includes ethernet and USB connectivity as well as internal storage capacity.

As with Samsung's upgrade, the Sony BDP-S550 looks remarkably similar to the BDP-S350 model. The tray dominate the middle of the player with LCD screen to the right of the tray. The basic play back function at the far right. The true 24 fps light is there when the play back is at true 24 frames. The back contains all the connectivities. These include the analog 7.1 channel output, HDMI, ethernet, usb port, and your s-video, and component outputs. Most people would probably only use the HDMI and the various audio outputs.

BDP-S550 adds profile 2.0 out of the box unlike the previous BDP-S350. It's not a huge deal since BDP-S350 can be upgraded to profile 2.0 via firmware upgrade. Most significantly, The BDP-S550 adds the onboard decoding capability of DTS-HD high resolution audio and DTS-HD Master audio. These can be handy if you don't have receiver capable of decoding these audio. Also, the 7.1 channel might be useful if you have that home theater set up. Another addition is the 1 GB worth of internal storage available which might come handy for various BD-LIVE features or just storing digital medias files.

The video quality is outstanding as usual. Most players will display great video quality. The pictures were vibrant and sharp. I didn't notice any artifacts or jagginess. The fast motion sequence were
flawless as well. The upconversion of regular DVDs were not as sharp as I'd like them to be. However, you can't expect too much in upconversion as it is just a bonus in my opinion. You buy the Blu-ray player to play Blu-ray movies. This does not mean it looks terrible. It just means your dvds are not going to be as good as the blu-ray movies. The plethora of audio output option is nice to have. I have the 7.1 channel set up and it sounds pretty good. I've ran it through receiver and directly from the unit itself. I did not notice any drop off in sound quality.This is a great player to go along with your high defintion television set. As of writting, you can purchase this player at sub $400.00 price mark in various retailers and internet retailers. This is solid performing unit at a competitive price.

Rating:

Video Review

Newly released Blu-ray player Sony BDP-S350 review sent in by Daniel Cantwell from Ottawa.

I bought this player with the1.2 firmware and it was great. Yes, it did take a very long time to load Independence Day - almost 3 full minutes. That is due to the disc predominantly using Java (BD-J) for interactivity. Few days ago I flash updated the firmware to 2.60 in about 15 minutes. See manufacturer's web site for the firmware and carefully follow the instructions. They will even provide you with the disc.
I purchased a 46" HDTV and a Toshiba HD-A20 1080p HD DVD Player player along with this Blu-ray Disc Player. I wanted to see the results of both Blu-Ray and HD DVD before investing in more expensive units. I must say that the image and sound quality of the Blu-Ray player is quite impressive There needs to be a ethernet port or some other way to access updates online direct to this player, a wireless method possibly? My Toshiba HD DVD player has the CAT-5 ethernet port and it makes updating (not exactly simple) more flexible. Manufacture's website offers the image (ISO) burn to DVDR method for updating, but this seems not convenient at best. One other thing I immediately noticed is how whisper quiet this player is. There is no noticeable fan noise whatsoever. Compare this to the Toshiba HD-XA2 fan, which has a sound resembling the whine of a tiny fighter jet.

The remote often does nothing. Why? I assume something is happening; chapter moves are iffy. ou need to weigh the benefits carefully. If you are moving one chapter forward then you may as well wait - the remote control operation is that flaky. We have DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 coming out now. The color quality is exceptional and images are very sharp. When playing regular DVD's the images aren't as sharp naturally. There is small fan noise during dvd playback, which was only audible with the tv turned off. While the movie is playing, I couldn't hear the fan at all. The display on the front is a gray-blue. There are 4 brightness settings (High-Med-Low-Off), which can be accessed with one button on the top bottom of the remote. Very convenient. With the display turned off, this is a very nice viewing experience. There is also an additional display button on the remote, which tells you the TRT of the disc, which chapter you are watching, time remaining in the chapter, and bit rate.

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Rating:

 

 

Review was sent in by Daniel Cantwell. Send in your reviews to Admin@buyblurayplayers.com

Sony BDP-S350 Review

Manufacturer's overview

Revel in astounding HD clarity with the BDP-S350 Blu-ray Disc player. The most noticeable additions to this year's model are the Ethernet port that lets you download firmware updates directly to the player, and -- with one of those firmware updates -- access web contetent encoded to Blu-ray discs via BD-Live, compatibility with the Bonus View feature of select Blu-ray movies, and a USB port that allows you to add more storage to access the growing number of special features that will be available given the immense storage capacity of Blu-ray discs themeselves. This player also outputs a Full 1080/24p True Cinema picture, and upscales your existing DVD collection to 1080p when using an HDMI connection. Dolby TrueHD capability delivers lossless sound that is true to the original studio master. Bringing it all together is the new icon based Xcross Media Bar, which provides simple navigation of the player's menu system.

Our Take

Sony has pushed its Blu-ray format to victory over the HD-DVD format. It has made foray into the mass market by offering BDP-350 model. Althought it lacks the Profile 2.0, it has plenty feature and punch to become a very popular Blu-ray player. Sony has promised to update the Profile in the near future.

The connectivity lacks some of the backward compatible audios. It lacks the 5.1 or 7.1 audio channel connectivity. The standard HDMI is present as well as component and S-video. The big plus is having the ethernet port for future update to Profile 2.0.

The video output is very good across the board. None of the problems that plagued earlier players are present in this player such as jaggies, blockiness, and chopiness. The image quality is very sharp and can handle fast moving scenes with ease according to user reviews. The upconversion quality is fantastic for exisiting DVD movies.

The audio support is bit lacking as it does not have onboard decoding of DTS-HD Master Audio. However, it does have onboard decoding capability of Dolby TrueHD. If you have receiver capable of decoding these you can easily output these formats via bitstream. But if you are lacking receiver you will be limited to Dolby TrueHD decoding.

The remote is pretty good with plenty of big directional pads and good compatiblity with other components. However, we would of have liked to have back lit buttons.

Overall, it is an excellent player at a great price. This is one of the most popular stand alone Blu-ray player.

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Top 10 Best Selling Blu-Ray Players

• Oppo BDP 83
• Sony BDP N460
• Sony S360
• Samsung C6900
• Panasonic DMP BD65
• LG BD570
• LG BD590
• LG BD390
• Panasonic DMP BD80
• Panasonic DMP BD70V

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