The Sony BDP-S1 Review Thread

[dentalrep]

I have my HDMI cable going to the back of my XBR2 60in SXRD TV and from there I have my audio cables going to my Sony Dream System. I noticed the volume was really low compared to cable shows. What audio settings should I use?



I tested the sound out with the HDMI just going into the TV and it just isn't as loud as cable. I am getting to the 80's in sound for it to be a nice sound.

[rbuzz]

Originally Posted by rbuzz

Thanks for the suggestion, but a humm isn't the problem. My player is for all intents and purposes dead. It shows "power on" on the front panel and will do nothing else. I also have a Monster HT Power Center for my player also so I know it is properly grounded. The Sony tech said that from what he understands I am not the only one having this problem and that the engineers are working on a solution. He said that a possible future update might be in the works. All I know is that Sony states in their literature and online that this player will work with r- DVDs and I based my purchase on that information. I was hoping to get a player that would work with all of my DVDs, both my present collection of regular DVD's and my future collection of blu-ray discs. I guess I'll probably have to invest in a second regular DVD player to handle this type of disc and hope that I don't forget and put the wrong disc in and lock up the works. At the very least maybe they can put in a software update that will put out a message that a disc that will not play in the unit when it is inserted and allow you to remove the disc instead of freezing up everything and forcing you to take the player in for service. I can tell you it's no fun when you have just put out almost a thousand dollars on a new DVD player and it won't do anything. The company that I bought the unit from is talking to their Sony rep and is supposed to contact me later today with any suggestions on how to handle this.

After spending hours and hours on the phone with Sony technicians about a possible solution to my problem with the locked up player I had just about given up. Even if I was able to exchange the unit for a new one, I had no guarantee that the new one would play the DVD r-. The software version installed on my unit was version 1.50 which I thought was the latest version. Today I was pleasantly surprised by a phone call from Sony about the problem with my unit. After checking with the engineers at Sony I was told that my problem was caused by a software problem. Sony has agreed to exchange my unit for a new one with the latest software installed, which by the way is version 1.55. I don't have any details about which problems the newest upgrade addresses, but I hope that it works. I also have to say thanks to Sony for backing up their product. When I do get the newly exchanged unit I will post to let everyone know if it worked.

[Greggles]

Originally Posted by rbuzz

Sony has agreed to exchange my unit for a new one with the latest software installed, which by the way is version 1.55.

I wonder when Sony will post this on their website, which currently has 1.50 as the latest firmware version?

[Kierre]

Sony had only released one firmware update thus far and still have not addressed the BD-R/BD-RE format discs, and I'm thinking that somehow certain writable DVDs are falling in the same boat. Were you using the same brand with each try? Please keep us posted.

[rbuzz]

Originally Posted by Kierre

Sony had only released one firmware update thus far and still have not addressed the BD-R/BD-RE format discs, and I'm thinking that somehow certain writable DVDs are falling in the same boat. Were you using the same brand with each try? Please keep us posted.

In the past I have used different brands of DVD's. The one in question is a DVD r- by HP. I have talked to the Sony rep again. He said that the BPD-S1 should play a r- disc. One of the benefits of this new upgrade will supposedly be that even if a disc that is not compatible is placed in the player the player will not lock up like mine has. It should be able to eject a disc regardless. The rep is supposed to contact me when he has received my player and has definitely determined the cause of the problem. Right now he has stated that he is sure that it is a firmware problem that has to do with the compatibility of different formats of DVDs. My player should arrive at Sony by the end of this week so I am hoping to hear some news next week. I will post the results as soon as I have them.

[rbuzz]

Originally Posted by Greggles

I wonder when Sony will post this on their website, which currently has 1.50 as the latest firmware version?

Sony has on their product support website a new upgrade for the BDP-S1. One of the upgrades allows for a hard eject so that a disc cannot become locked in the unit. I hear that another upgrade will be out in approximately May. If anyone installs this upgrade let us know how it works.

.

[wagonwheel]

Can anybody tell me when the new sony blu-ray player is going to be availiable in Australia. No one in the shops semm to know, except to say that it will be szometime in March, we're almost half way through March and still no sign of it. Not even Sony itself can tell me HELP.

[Greggles]

Originally Posted by rbuzz

Sony has on their product support website a new upgrade for the BDP-S1. One of the upgrades allows for a hard eject so that a disc cannot become locked in the unit. I hear that another upgrade will be out in approximately May. If anyone installs this upgrade let us know how it works.

.

I will be installing v1.55 this evening. Unfortunately, as a Mac owner, I am unable to launch the .EXE file at home and so I have to do it on my work PC and then burn it on my Mac. I assume that the 1.55 is only an interim update on 1.50 as any major change would have been called 1.60?
Maybe this will come in May?

[meyerste]

I picked up the Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray HD -DVD player about 2-weeks ago. And have to say. I have NOT had any problems at all. I have so far about 50-Blu-ray movies. Watched about 10 of them with no problems whatsoever. Including Casino Royale, The Departed, Blazing Saddles, The Searchers, and last night Rocky Balboa. ALL had a picture that is AWESOME just jaw dropping. And the sound is incredible too. I did upgrade the firmware to the latest version of 1.55.

Originally Posted by Iceman

Post reviews and your own personal experiences with the BDP-S1 here

[kuklitis]

Originally Posted by planetweckesser

Since Sony just added a firmware update to their BDP-S1 to allow BDMV playback on BD-R and BD-RE discs, I am certainly hoping that this will be in the new update.

I got this from PS3 firmware thread and I wonder whether its true or not ?
Had someone achieved success with ripping-decrypting movie to PC, burning it to BD-R/RW and then watching it on BDP-S1 ???
If yes, than whats the exact number of this firmware ?

[splashjibe]

The BDP-S1 Seisure Syndrome finally got me about 2 weeks ago. Tried to play a standard commercial DVD for the kids and got the "Power On" lock up. Of course the machine in under warranty and I had to send it back to the Mount Pleasant, PA Repair Center. The repair center can be very helpful when you call them directly (866) 748-8272. The eservice web site unfortunately wasn't very informative on tracking the actually repair. It referenced you to the Service Call Center 800-222-7669 and that was a joke. They were very very poite and very clueless. I got the UPS notification that my machine was on it's way back to me and the call center was totally unaware. I called the Service Center to find out what they had done to fix it. They had to take the front panel off to get the disk out. Then they updated to a new release of the software. They couldn't tell me what release they updated to however. I'll check that in a few minutes because my box arrived safely back at my door step and I'm ready to reinstall it. I also received an upgrade disk in the mail the other day. Version 1.50

Almost all of the of the theater down time was due to return shipping. UPS ground.

[splashjibe]

The repair center upgraded me to what they thought was the latest sw release. It's 1.50. Guess Ill have to do the 1.55 update myself.

[twhatt]

I am shipping my BDP-S1 to the repair center tomorrow for the same "power on lock up". I was just wondering if you had to pay shipping and what was the total time you were without your player.

[splashjibe]

Originally Posted by twhatt

I am shipping my BDP-S1 to the repair center tomorrow ........what was the total time you were without your player.

I had to pay shipping to get it there... Shipping through USPS Priority Mail $31.60 + delivery confirmation $0.50 + insurance $11.75 Total $43.85

I shipped it mid week. It arrived on Friday but they didn't actually receive it until Monday. Tuesday I received word (from UPS) that it was on it's way back. Sony paid the return shipping. It was UPS Ground and so it took seven days in shipping to get back.
Total calendar days 13. (then my lazy butt didn't get around to gettin it reinstalled until the weekend)

If it has another lock up within 90 days they say they willl cover the shipping both ways.

Keeping my fingers crossed. To be honest I'm a little worried about playing anything other than a BD in the thing now. Logic would say test it with every style disc in the house to see what might lock it up while the repair is still covered. Sooner or later a "poison disc" is going to find it's way into the machine.

It seems to me a quality player should be bullet proof to an incorrect format disc.

[twhatt]

Thanks.
BTW, there wasn't even a disk in mine when it locked up.

[sirlindsey]

Originally Posted by rbuzz

Sony has on their product support website a new upgrade for the BDP-S1. One of the upgrades allows for a hard eject so that a disc cannot become locked in the unit. I hear that another upgrade will be out in approximately May. If anyone installs this upgrade let us know how it works.

.

I upgraded to the new 1.55 last night and haven't noticed anything of significance with the player by way of improved performance, stability, etc. The only comment I have so far regarding this new release is that the system menu seems to wig out from time to time; meaning the options for the submenus disappear. I have to exit the system menu and then go back into it to get the options to appear again. Really weird. All in all, I don't think the BDP-S1 is fully baked yet. Definitely in need of more fixes.

[peanut]

I just received my sony BR yesterday, freshly out of the USA here in Holland and was wondering if anybody has experience with playing h264 files on the player. I also noticed that the firmware version here is 1.06... I assume that was the first or am I mistaken and is it a newer version. Hope to hear some input. I am still wondering what good the update will do for me after reading all your experiences.

Before anybody starts to ask why import an US player to Holland, I prefer my US discs and don't want to wait for 6 months for good movies to be available ;-))

[rjjr]

Does anyone know where to find the 5 number remote control code that a Mitsubishi projection TV remote uses to control the Sony Blu-Ray player? I can control everything except for the BDP-S1. The codes that the TV provides for Sony won't work. Thx, RJ

[Greggles]

Originally Posted by peanut

.... I also noticed that the firmware version here is 1.06... I assume that was the first or am I mistaken and is it a newer version....

.... I prefer my US discs and don't want to wait for 6 months for good movies to be available ;-))

Yes 1.06 was the original firmware. There have been two updates since then (1.50 and recently 1.55) which improve playability, especially with Java encoded material. A further update (1.60?) is coming soon.

I imported my player to the UK just after Christmas for similar reasons to you. I haven't regretted my descision, especially as most european disks are playable on region A, B and C players.

[tkusterb]

I've had my beautiful Sony BDP-S1 for a few days and am blown away by the picture quality. (I've got a 34-inch XBR960 displaying a max of 1080i via HDMI.)

While watching "The Queen" last night, playback froze about 3/4 of the way through the movie. I shut the power off (it would not respond to STOP on the remote or the unit) and powered back up, went a little bit past the offending point and resumed play without incident. I have not performed any firmware upgrades yet. Should I be worried terribly about this? Is it a rare or common problem?

I'll watch a few more this weekend, and if it keeps happening, I'm taking it back. Too much money to blow on a flaky player or format.