Sony BDUX10S – BUYER BEWARE

[tuba]

Bought the SATA Sony BDUX10S to upgrade a PC to play Blu-ray DVDs.
Specs:
Acer Aspire Desktop PC E360
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 3800+ (2.01GHz)
250GB SATA 7200RPM hard drive
PALiT NVIDIA GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready with HDMI & S/PIDF
2GB of DDR memory
450W Corsair PSU[/LIST]Running Win XP Media Center Edition w/SP 2

Drive wouldn’t install. Thought it was defective but called Sony Tech Support to see if they could help.

I spoke with Tina in Tier 2 Tech Support – she had me run the Cyberlink BD_HD_Advisor program.
My CPU registered a Yellow light.
SONY Tech Support told me I needed to have all Green lights before they could help me install the drive.
I explained that the CPU met the minimum requirements for this drive and that Yellow only meant that they suggested an upgrade.
Tina said minimum requirements don’t always mean the drive would work and I needed all Green lights. Her supervisor, Cheryl, told me the same thing.

So unless you meet the recommended requirements (not minimum) AND you get all Green lights on the Cyberlink Advisor, then no tech support and the Sony BDUX10S may not work.

Drive is on its way back to Amazon.

Anyone know of one that will work with my setup?

[jw]

If and when I upgrade to a BD drive in my PC, I am gonna buy a new up to date computer to avoid and compatibilty issues like this. I just dont see the advantage yet. The BD-RE are 20.00 each and the movies are cheaper

[maxmcleod]

yeah you're processor is a bit low for BD, I would have worked on that first thing

the drive should have installed though regardless... they were probably just crapping out of their duties as tech reps, and wanted to go to subway instead or something

[Branden]

you only need an HDCP compliant video card to output HD video, it's actually the CPU (not the GPU) that does the work.
the video card in my media PC is only a cheapy 256mB HDCP nVidia 8400 but the CPU is an AMD 4600+, HD content works fine.
the 3800+ is the bottleneck in your system.

[tuba]

So should I give up on having Blu-ray in this machine?

[Branden]

don't give up! just listen to what everyone is telling you. cyberlink, sony, maxmcleod, and i are all telling you your CPU just doesn't cut it. so why not upgrade the CPU?
correct me if i'm wrong, but you mention DDR memory instead of DDR2, is that a typo or are you running socket 939 instead of AM2? if so then it may be hard to find a 939 CPU.

welcome to the forums btw.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Branden

you only need an HDCP compliant video card to output HD video, it's actually the CPU (not the GPU) that does the work.
the video card in my media PC is only a cheapy 256mB HDCP nVidia 8400 but the CPU is an AMD 4600+, HD content works fine.
the 3800+ is the bottleneck in your system.

I would challenge you to look at your processor load when you are running a BD. It's probrably not greater than 27% - because of Hardware acceleration on the Nvidia 8400GT. The video card handles most of the work with the 8 series and above - however, the thread starters cpu is too slow. If they move to a 4200+ or above they should be alright.

P.S. as an experiment turn off your HD accelration and play a BD your processor will probrably max out - freezing your machine or you will have glitchy playback. This will let you see how important that 8400 is to your system.

[prerich]

Originally Posted by tuba

Bought the SATA Sony BDUX10S to upgrade a PC to play Blu-ray DVDs.
Specs:
Acer Aspire Desktop PC E360
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 3800+ (2.01GHz)
250GB SATA 7200RPM hard drive
PALiT NVIDIA GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready with HDMI & S/PIDF
2GB of DDR memory
450W Corsair PSU[/LIST]Running Win XP Media Center Edition w/SP 2

Drive wouldn’t install. Thought it was defective but called Sony Tech Support to see if they could help.

I spoke with Tina in Tier 2 Tech Support – she had me run the Cyberlink BD_HD_Advisor program.
My CPU registered a Yellow light.
SONY Tech Support told me I needed to have all Green lights before they could help me install the drive.
I explained that the CPU met the minimum requirements for this drive and that Yellow only meant that they suggested an upgrade.
Tina said minimum requirements don’t always mean the drive would work and I needed all Green lights. Her supervisor, Cheryl, told me the same thing.

So unless you meet the recommended requirements (not minimum) AND you get all Green lights on the Cyberlink Advisor, then no tech support and the Sony BDUX10S may not work.

Drive is on its way back to Amazon.

Anyone know of one that will work with my setup?

With your systems board you have to use a 939 processor (which is rather expensive compared to the AM2's) but heres a link to a +4200 http://www.starmicro.net/detail.aspx?ID=901 but for that price, you can get a 5400+ AM2, a new motherboard, and ram (Newegg.com). That's what I would do

[Branden]

Originally Posted by prerich

I would challenge you to look at your processor load when you are running a BD. It's probrably not greater than 27% - because of Hardware acceleration on the Nvidia 8400GT. The video card handles most of the work with the 8 series and above - however, the thread starters cpu is too slow. If they move to a 4200+ or above they should be alright.

P.S. as an experiment turn off your HD accelration and play a BD your processor will probrably max out - freezing your machine or you will have glitchy playback. This will let you see how important that 8400 is to your system.

my media PC used to have 3200+ and the 8400 GPU, it played very choppy. so i bought an 8800GTS, didn't even do 1% better. got pissed off, did a bit of googling, took the 8800 back and got the 4600+ CPU instead. worked fine. heck, it even plays smooth if i remove the 8400 and just use the useless X1250 GPU onboard (but i keep the 8400 for gaming). CPU load peaks around 40% where i would expect choppiness (therefore 80% load on one core), while GPU temperature is hardly budged indicating the GPU is hardly working.
HD content is CPU intensive, that's my story and i'm sticking to it

[tuba]

As it has been guessed, I'm working with a socket 939 motherboard.

Frankly, the Blu-ray addition was a secondary upgrade. The main goal was higher FPS for gaming (DDO).
The gaming upgrade cost under $250 (new PSU + more RAM + new vid card). Well worth it in the current rig, given the cheap initial price.

Upgrading to play Blu-ray DVDs looks like it would cost an addition $400 ($200 for player + $200 for new CPU) on top of everything else.
So upgrading for Blu-ray just doesn't make sense cost-wise for this machine.

Thanks all for the educated responses.

[Obiit]

Tuba don't give up.

Brandens statement is correct - HD content is CPU intensive IF you don't have a graphics card that will accelerate it. Your 9600GT will accelerate HD content http://www.nvidia.com/content/purevideohd/pv_learn.html so you don't need a new CPU.

People seem to be getting hooked up on CPU usage. If your graphics card GPU accelerates HD content you don't need a high powered CPU. Some graphics cards are better than others at it but if you get an Nvidia 8600 (or above) or an ATI 2600XT (or above) you will be fine with almost any modern CPU.

The only thing stopping you from playing blu-ray is a drive and software player - your old one is on it's way back to amazon - go get a Pioneer BDC-202 at about £85 and your choice of software player. You don't have to spend the earth to get blu-ray

P.S.

Vista sux - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04...ta_incomplete/

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Branden

my media PC used to have 3200+ and the 8400 GPU, it played very choppy. so i bought an 8800GTS, didn't even do 1% better. got pissed off, did a bit of googling, took the 8800 back and got the 4600+ CPU instead. worked fine. heck, it even plays smooth if i remove the 8400 and just use the useless X1250 GPU onboard (but i keep the 8400 for gaming). CPU load peaks around 40% where i would expect choppiness (therefore 80% load on one core), while GPU temperature is hardly budged indicating the GPU is hardly working.
HD content is CPU intensive, that's my story and i'm sticking to it

My core2duo runs at 19% when playing a BD. If I turn off Hardware accelaration, I go beyond 40% - choppy ect. HD content can be cpu intensive but the 8 series and above Nvidia cards (with the acception of the 8800's - 84's and 85's have better HTPC ratings than the 88's on the box) are made to decrease the load. I do agree, however, that he needs a new CPU - never use the minimum requirements.

[tuba]

Originally Posted by Obiit

Tuba don't give up.

Too late.
Too many people seem to agree with Sony's view that minimum = won't work. I just don't want to take the risk. I don't even know if the Sata chips on this MoBo are compatible with Blu-ray optical drives. Remember, the drive would not install properly - the CPU was just a red herring excuse for Sony not to help me.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by tuba

Too late.
Too many people seem to agree with Sony's view that minimum = won't work. I just don't want to take the risk. I don't even know if the Sata chips on this MoBo are compatible with Blu-ray optical drives. Remember, the drive would not install properly - the CPU was just a red herring excuse for Sony not to help me.

Despite what others here have said, I have done Blu-ray upgrades for people with even slower GPUs... as long as the GPU is capable of offloading much of the work, they all work fine. I would recommend getting the Lite-on 401S drive... they are cheaper, faster, and seem to have less problems than the Sony drive.

The one thing I wonder is what you mean by "drive won't install." It sounds like you just got a bad drive, but if you could provide additional information, it would help to make sure that there isn't going to be some kind of incompatibility issue with your motherboard.

[Obiit]

Originally Posted by tuba

Too late.

Ah well at least you cannot go to the alternative anymore

Shame really as the only problem i have every heard of (apart from your sony drive which is probably as JadedRaverLA said a dead one) is the fact that the Pioneer drive doesn't work with an AMD 690 chipset.

As for sony's view of minimum won't work that is pure poppycock - i have had a P4 2.6, 1 gig of ram and an ATI 2400 Pro running H.264/AVC blu-ray fine.

[un4gvn94538]

Originally Posted by tuba

Bought the SATA Sony BDUX10S to upgrade a PC to play Blu-ray DVDs.
Specs:
Acer Aspire Desktop PC E360
AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 3800+ (2.01GHz)
250GB SATA 7200RPM hard drive
PALiT NVIDIA GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready with HDMI & S/PIDF
2GB of DDR memory
450W Corsair PSU[/LIST]Running Win XP Media Center Edition w/SP 2

Drive wouldn’t install. Thought it was defective but called Sony Tech Support to see if they could help.

I spoke with Tina in Tier 2 Tech Support – she had me run the Cyberlink BD_HD_Advisor program.
My CPU registered a Yellow light.
SONY Tech Support told me I needed to have all Green lights before they could help me install the drive.
I explained that the CPU met the minimum requirements for this drive and that Yellow only meant that they suggested an upgrade.
Tina said minimum requirements don’t always mean the drive would work and I needed all Green lights. Her supervisor, Cheryl, told me the same thing.

So unless you meet the recommended requirements (not minimum) AND you get all Green lights on the Cyberlink Advisor, then no tech support and the Sony BDUX10S may not work.

Drive is on its way back to Amazon.

Anyone know of one that will work with my setup?

i bought mine when it was first released and havent had any issues with installing or playback except for yuma and that was fixed with an update.

[Mr. Joshua]

I have no idea... I'm at a loss on this one. All the CPU GPU, all the lingo I just don't understand all that computer stuff...

[tuba]

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

Despite what others here have said, I have done Blu-ray upgrades for people with even slower GPUs... as long as the GPU is capable of offloading much of the work, they all work fine. I would recommend getting the Lite-on 401S drive... they are cheaper, faster, and seem to have less problems than the Sony drive.

I thought about the Lite-On drive but this computer has a bezeled front (see attached image) and I wasn't sure the eject/open button on the drive would align properly with the bezel button. Also read reviews on NewEgg that said the Lite-On couldn't play some Blu-Ray movies.

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

The one thing I wonder is what you mean by "drive won't install." It sounds like you just got a bad drive, but if you could provide additional information, it would help to make sure that there isn't going to be some kind of incompatibility issue with your motherboard.

Well, the drive would sometimes be recognized by the BIOS and sometimes not. When found by the BIOS, Windows would load and then crash (wierd stuff, display got screwy - words below icons would disappear - then it would crash). When not found by the BIOS, Windows would get stuck on the loading screen. Safe Mode wouldn't load either.

Tried swapping SATA cables, switching SATA ports, updating NVIDIA chipset drivers on MoBo. Nothing worked.

[gvortex7]

Since your only setback is the 3800+ CPU, I would have just gotten the 4800+, and you would have been fine. Your motherboard should be compatible with up to the 4800+ CPU. For you, it wouldn't make sense to upgrade the entire system, since you're only falling short in one category. And that CPU can be had for around $100-120 online. I wouldn't have sent back that drive if I were you.

[CasualKiller]

Your processor is way under par, I'd suggets an AMD Opteron Dual-Core 175 2.20GHz / 2MB Cache / 1000MHz, you can probably find one for around 150$.

Also that power supply is grossly inadequate for the set up, you'll need at least a 600w so add on about another 90$.