The Sony BDP-S300/301 Review Thread

[tek101]

Originally Posted by Cortiz

I originally bought this Player when it came out, and ended up returning it because the resume playback did not work on none-BD Java load discs after the unit was powered off. I am thinking on buying this unit again to put it on my bedroom, and my question is: Does this unit now resume playback after powered off on none Java load- Blu Discs?

Resume&playback works fine for my S300....(Only the BD/Java that is not)
Mine with V4.30 firmware.

[jomari]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...=4141&os_id=99

thanks rdodolak, just saw they uploaded the new page for the 4.4 firmware.

keep y'all fingers crossed!

[peterfabian]

i just installed 4.4 firmware and it works very well

[Blu-ray Neo]

BDPS300 & S301 here and no issues whatsoever. I'm currently running 4.30 and have not upgraded to 4.40 yet.

Wall-E played flawlessly.

[Cortiz]

Originally Posted by tek101

Resume&playback works fine for my S300....(Only the BD/Java that is not)
Mine with V4.30 firmware.

Does it work even after you have powered the unit off?

Thanks.

[Bododio]

I was having trouble with "Wanted". My BDP-S300 would play the menu just fine, but would stop when it started playing the movie or any of the scenes, then go back to the loading phase. After learning how to check the current firmware version (v3.7) I upgraded to v4.4. "Wanted" now plays without problems.

I can imagine that the vast majority of consumers are not aware of firmware, much less how to check the current version, and even much less be able to upgrade it. There is nothing in the user's manual about it, and except for a sticker on the front of the remote control (I'm sure most people remove it without reading it) no mention of any web site to go to to get support.

I wonder how many people think the disc and/or player are defective and return them to the place of purchase? I'm sure the idiots at the store are clueless.

[GodofBlu]

Originally Posted by Bododio

I wonder how many people think the disc and/or player are defective and return them to the place of purchase? I'm sure the idiots at the store are clueless.

I'd like to know that myself. I can't imagine most people knowing what to do.

[DoctorQ9]

I own the BDP-S300 player, and I am getting fed up with getting new disks that freeze up or stutter during play. Sony wrote the blu-ray specs -- why do I constantly have to monitor their website to see if a new firmware update is available? The specs have not changed, so Sony should know exactly what is required to allow every Blu-Ray authored disk to play back in their players!

Sony was successfully sued over their early DVD players that had a lip-sync problem with the audio circuit. Are they going down the same road with the S300?

[tek101]

Originally Posted by Cortiz

Does it work even after you have powered the unit off?

Thanks.

Yes...Then again....with none BD/Java only.

[fighthefutureofhd]

Originally Posted by DoctorQ9

I own the BDP-S300 player, and I am getting fed up with getting new disks that freeze up or stutter during play. Sony wrote the blu-ray specs -- why do I constantly have to monitor their website to see if a new firmware update is available? The specs have not changed, so Sony should know exactly what is required to allow every Blu-Ray authored disk to play back in their players!

Sony was successfully sued over their early DVD players that had a lip-sync problem with the audio circuit. Are they going down the same road with the S300?

i just got a bdp-s300 and it's been playing my movies flawlessly so far. i've only had one problem with freezing. the movies load fast and they play beautifully. i think it's your player and not sony.

[Octavio]

I barely use now my BDP S300 (moved it to my bedroom) since I bought the Sony S350. Wonderful machine BTW. If you are looking to upgrade. Look no further!

However I still throw some DVD's and ocassionally some BD's to my beloved "tank". I have it now hooked up to a 32" 720p LCD. While my 350 is hooked up to a 52" 1080p LCD through an Onkyo A/V receiver.
That's why I don't watch BD's anymore on my S300. Obviously I prefer to watch them in the bigger and better display.

However after reading so many complains about this player not being able to play some BD's, in particular Wall-E. I just decided to try it. Borrowed Wall-E from my sister for a couple of days. Watched from start to finish. Next day watched the extras on the 2nd disc. I couldn't find any issue at all, it played flawlessly. Of course, It's still slow, but the tank have been always slow.
BTW I have installed firmware ver 4.30. Perhaps tomorrow I'll updated it to version 4.40.

So, I dunno what to think, perhaps I am very lucky because I have never had any major issues with my S300 and so far none with my S350 (well, a minor glitch with Goggle Vision on Hellboy II, but nothing really important).

I thought to sell my Tank, but now I am not so sure. The machine still works perfectly, it is slow as a tortoise but other than that, it's perfect if you don't bother on not being able to decode DTS HD MA, and if you don't care for Bonus View and BD-Live stuff.
frankly BD-Live is very overrated as of today. The biggest BD-Live event so far: Nolan's BD-Live conference, was a simple chat session with TDK playing in the background (BTW it wasn't really "live", questions were asked days before and Nolan, or somebody else with Nolan's approval, replied them, sending the answers to the chat moderator).
perhaps next year things will change and BD-Live could become something really amazing, but not yet.


Well, I just wanted to share my experiences. I dunno why so many of you have had so many troubles with this player when in more than a year I haven't had a single major problem with my S300. Perhaps I am lucky as I said before.
Maybe for those who have had so many problems with the tank and can afford to upgrade, that's the best choice: Sony 350, 550, Panasonic Bd players, are good choices.

Cheerios.

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

i just got a bdp-s300 and it's been playing my movies flawlessly so far. i've only had one problem with freezing. the movies load fast and they play beautifully. i think it's your player and not sony.

You've only had one problem with freezing?

Well, it's not his player. Its yours and everyone else's. For no rhyme or reason, the player will freeze up every once in a while.

By the way --

The X-Files: I Want to Believe has an "Interactive Timeline" feature that does not work correctly with the S300 running with 4.3. It loads fine, and everything on the screen is perfectly legible -- but then the screen goes dark, and when it comes back, the "information text" in the secondary window next to the video clips or still frame image has become unreadable. The font has changed or multiple lines of resolution are gone and you become Indiana Jones with your nose pressed up against your TV trying to decipher the text and make sense out of it. Let me stress this is only regarding the "description" window with all the informational text about the given subject or episode. Everything else looks great.

Downloading 4.4 now, hope it fixes the problem, but I'm not holding my breath. May have to wait for a few more upgrades.

UPDATE

Figured out the problem...believe it or not, the player resets itself to 480 while trying to load the feature. Problem solved by pressing the Video Format on your remote until you get back to 1080p.

As far as the 4.4 goes, disc loads a bit quicker. Aside from that, nothing new to report.

[Johan1981]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

You've only had one problem with freezing?

<Snip>

UPDATE

Figured out the problem...believe it or not, the player resets itself to 480 while trying to load the feature. Problem solved by pressing the Video Format on your remote until you get back to 1080p.

As far as the 4.4 goes, disc loads a bit quicker. Aside from that, nothing new to report.

This probably is because you have your output set for Direct! This feature (on the BD that went black) probably isn't HD and just 480 thus it puts out 480. When you set our player to Auto it will not switch and you won't have this problem ever again. This is not a Sony problem, just a setting.

[fighthefutureofhd]

that sounds right because i used the interactive timeline on i want to believe friday night and it gave me no troubles whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

You've only had one problem with freezing?

Well, it's not his player. Its yours and everyone else's. For no rhyme or reason, the player will freeze up every once in a while.

By the way --

The X-Files: I Want to Believe has an "Interactive Timeline" feature that does not work correctly with the S300 running with 4.3. It loads fine, and everything on the screen is perfectly legible -- but then the screen goes dark, and when it comes back, the "information text" in the secondary window next to the video clips or still frame image has become unreadable. The font has changed or multiple lines of resolution are gone and you become Indiana Jones with your nose pressed up against your TV trying to decipher the text and make sense out of it. Let me stress this is only regarding the "description" window with all the informational text about the given subject or episode. Everything else looks great.

Downloading 4.4 now, hope it fixes the problem, but I'm not holding my breath. May have to wait for a few more upgrades.

UPDATE

Figured out the problem...believe it or not, the player resets itself to 480 while trying to load the feature. Problem solved by pressing the Video Format on your remote until you get back to 1080p.

As far as the 4.4 goes, disc loads a bit quicker. Aside from that, nothing new to report.

well i've only had a freeze up once so let's hope that's it. and if not well, woo hooo. if that is the only problem then that's freaking fantastic. this player is an incredible piece of hardware. so far i have been colored very impressed.

Originally Posted by Octavio

I barely use now my BDP S300 (moved it to my bedroom) since I bought the Sony S350. Wonderful machine BTW. If you are looking to upgrade. Look no further!

However I still throw some DVD's and ocassionally some BD's to my beloved "tank". I have it now hooked up to a 32" 720p LCD. While my 350 is hooked up to a 52" 1080p LCD through an Onkyo A/V receiver.
That's why I don't watch BD's anymore on my S300. Obviously I prefer to watch them in the bigger and better display.

However after reading so many complains about this player not being able to play some BD's, in particular Wall-E. I just decided to try it. Borrowed Wall-E from my sister for a couple of days. Watched from start to finish. Next day watched the extras on the 2nd disc. I couldn't find any issue at all, it played flawlessly. Of course, It's still slow, but the tank have been always slow.
BTW I have installed firmware ver 4.30. Perhaps tomorrow I'll updated it to version 4.40.

So, I dunno what to think, perhaps I am very lucky because I have never had any major issues with my S300 and so far none with my S350 (well, a minor glitch with Goggle Vision on Hellboy II, but nothing really important).

I thought to sell my Tank, but now I am not so sure. The machine still works perfectly, it is slow as a tortoise but other than that, it's perfect if you don't bother on not being able to decode DTS HD MA, and if you don't care for Bonus View and BD-Live stuff.
frankly BD-Live is very overrated as of today. The biggest BD-Live event so far: Nolan's BD-Live conference, was a simple chat session with TDK playing in the background (BTW it wasn't really "live", questions were asked days before and Nolan, or somebody else with Nolan's approval, replied them, sending the answers to the chat moderator).
perhaps next year things will change and BD-Live could become something really amazing, but not yet.


Well, I just wanted to share my experiences. I dunno why so many of you have had so many troubles with this player when in more than a year I haven't had a single major problem with my S300. Perhaps I am lucky as I said before.
Maybe for those who have had so many problems with the tank and can afford to upgrade, that's the best choice: Sony 350, 550, Panasonic Bd players, are good choices.

Cheerios.

i was under the impression that as long as your receiver can decode dts hd ma everything is fine. and what is this about the "tank"? i don't understand that. i've had my player about a week and load up time with blu-rays is as fast if not faster than my samsung bd-p1200 which hardly plays blu-rays to begin with. i watched both jumper and i want believe last night. the load time was unbelievably fast.

[tek101]

Honestly, I have NO problem with my S300 (From the day I bought it...a year or so), so far so good...
The "Freezing" happens once awhile due to the rental BDs..
Just want to have new Firmwares and hope for the best..

[krisjan]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

i was under the impression that as long as your receiver can decode dts hd ma everything is fine.

No. The S300/301 does not bitsream the hi-rez audio formats like TrueHD and DTS-MA so it doesn't matter what your AVR does, it can't get the bitstream from the S300. Fortunately, Sony added TrueHD internal decoding some while back but DTS-MA decoding will never happen - the hardware can't support it.

In the end, S300 owners will have to settle for LPCM and TrueHD audio (via HDMI) for the hi-rez formats and forget about DTS-MA. If ones selects a DTS-MA track on a BD, you will get the core DTS 5.1 audio instead (which will be just fine for 90+% of the users out there who would be incapable of distinguishing between DTS and DTS-MA anyway with their audio setups.)

[dvcmember]

Originally Posted by fighthefutureofhd

and what is this about the "tank"? i don't understand that.

The "Tank" is simply an affectionate title for the S300/301 created by Tron3. Compared to the 350, now out, it is a tank in terms of size. Still, it does the job...

[robertc88]

If cheap enough, I may bite just for upconversion primarily.

Is there a way by serial or UPC to know the build date and what FW version the player is? Then again I might just find an open box and can you tie in the build date with the FW version beforehand?

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by johan81

This probably is because you have your output set for Direct! This feature (on the BD that went black) probably isn't HD and just 480 thus it puts out 480. When you set our player to Auto it will not switch and you won't have this problem ever again. This is not a Sony problem, just a setting.

Pretty sure it's a 1080 feature -- because the text is absolutely illegible outputting at 480. Again, the player switches from 1080 to 480 and the text becomes illegible, and the only way to correct the issue is to output at 1080.

I'll take a look at changing my settings, never had an issue before -- thanks for the help.

Best,

ER3

[jomari]

firmware updates automatically resets all your personal settings into the default settings they originally had.

its always a good idea to take notes of your settings, and prep it up for the next time you do a firmware update.

personally, tanks are referred to the older, earlier high def players out there, and not necessarily referring to its speed or other technical aspects.

mines a panzer btw...