The Sony BDP-S300/301 Review Thread

[blurayisking]

Srorxpion:

What paidgeek and what Sony Support have said are completely opposite. As much as I wanted to believe what paidgeek said, I contacted Sony Support and they told me that the Sony BDP-S300 does not support Dolby TrueHD.

That codec is offered on the Sony BDP-S500 model so there is little chance that they will ever provide a firmware update, given that new replacement models have been announced for 2008.

Pity !

[JasonR]

Paid is suppossed to be giving me exact menu settings for this. I was leary as well, he said he was POSITIVE though. I should have the settings this week maybe....

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...&postcount=690

[Scorxpion]

Originally Posted by blurayisking

Srorxpion:

What paidgeek and what Sony Support have said are completely opposite. As much as I wanted to believe what paidgeek said, I contacted Sony Support and they told me that the Sony BDP-S300 does not support Dolby TrueHD.

That codec is offered on the Sony BDP-S500 model so there is little chance that they will ever provide a firmware update, given that new replacement models have been announced for 2008.

Pity !

JasonR answered of what i was thinking of and read it on last couples days through Paidgeek thread.....

[tron3]

Last night I had a brief dream that version 3.80 was released. I couldn't tell you any more than I saw the version number on the net.

A newer version would be nice, even if it is not a 4.xx one.

[mphs68]

Anyone else had their unit just freeze during playback it happened to me today and again about a month ago I had to unplug it?

[yex94]

Originally Posted by nycomet

Are you serious? Can a firmware really make TrueHD internal decoding possible on the Sony BRP-S300??????

Yes. It is the same hardware as the BDP-S1 which decodes TrueHD so it is capable from a hardware perspective. However, it is unlikely (IMHO) since they would prefer you buy the more expensive s500. I think the only way we might see it on this player (again IMHO) is after Sony stops selling this unit and replaces it with the s350. Then they can upgrade the firmware without impacting sales. But by then they just forget about it altogether.

[yex94]

Originally Posted by Scorxpion

This was confirmed by Paidgeek that this player can outperform DolbyTHD through HDMI bitstreaming only and not through 5.1 analog output..Beginning with 3.7 release.

I hope paidgeek is right about decoding but I have tried many tests and do not think I can get TrueHD out of this player (also confirmed on some other boards I visit). Even if the player can eventually DECODE TrueHD internally it will not bitstream it ever. Bitstreaming required HDMI1.3 and this player does not support that. Just to be clear, decoding means taking the encoded audio stream and converting it to LPCM and sending that over the analog outs or HDMI. Bitstreaming means that the encoded stream gets output (HDMI only) while it is still encoded and it lets the receiver decode it. AFAIK, this player does neither.

[Baldrick]

Brought an S300 on Friday, can with 3.20 FW, updated to 3.70 without any problems, so far very impressed, got 5 discs and all play without any issues, it's connected to a Samsung 32" LCD TV via HDMI to DVI converter cable and digital coax cable to my Sony AV amp, picture quality is fantastic, colour are so much better that my old Sony DVD player, sound seems about the same, but then my AV amp is a few years old and is only 5.1... going to upgrade my TV in the summer to a 37" or 40" with full 1080p..

Films tested so far - The Crow, Underworld, Underworld Evolutions, Casino Royal & shoot 'em up.

Only thing i miss it that my old DVD player remote also controled my AV amp volume, where the new remote does not, had to dig out the AV remote

[monkyman]

Originally Posted by Scorxpion

This was confirmed by Paidgeek that this player can outperform DolbyTHD through HDMI bitstreaming only and not through 5.1 analog output..Beginning with 3.7 release.

Paidgeek is going by what he is told, not by personal experiance. I have seen NO evidence by anyone or even heard that anyone on this forum or other forums that has been able to get truehd out of the S300. I know I have version 3.7 and can't.

If everyone is missing something here, they hid it good. I don't believe that this player can do it yet. Further more, neither to the Sony techs. With a firmware upgrade it is possible, but it hasn't been announced on any versions available right now.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by mphs68

Anyone else had their unit just freeze during playback it happened to me today and again about a month ago I had to unplug it?

The first answer these type of questions is always, "What version firmware do you have?"

Many of us would believe you do not have the latest. Secondly, is it freezing on the same disc? Does it freeze in the same spot?

While there is SOME chance of you having a bum player (it happens) firmware is most likely the culprit. I had one bad disk with Planet Earth, but exchanged it, and it works now.

Did I mention the firmware?

[DeeChizzle]

I'm thinking about replacing my Samsuck 1200 with this BDP. Is $299.00 (no sales tax ) a good price?

[TheDoc46]

Depends if you have patience....

I have one and find it painfully slow... I also have a PS3 and it wipes the floor compared to this snail...

[TheDoc46]

I find this player too slow.. Should I sell it now while I can get a HD-DVD player for cheap ? ok bad joke... But the player is too slow.. Too slow for me and the missus... She tried to put on Ratatouille the other day and ended up giving up by the time it got to the menu. The kids had long lost their attention span....

I doubt firmware updates will ever make this 1st gen player useable... I'll probably have to opt for another PS3? who knows... But i find thd BDP-300 painfully too slow even on the latest firmware.

[wisper9999]

I always load the disk. Then go get the snacks and drinks. By the time im done and ready to sit down and enjoy the movie. It's sitting at the menu.

Now if im in a rush..no time to wait. I pop the disk into my PS3.
But I think the BDP looks better.

[megablank]

Originally Posted by montezuma

Is there any chance you used an AppleTV with the XtremeHD? I've read a lot of user reviews saying it is hit or miss with the AppleTV, I don't want to risk it. It sure looks good though.

The case design of the XtremeHD switch was one of the main reasons to get it, because I also have an Apple TV. It worked without any problems. I found out that most HDMI problems are caused by bad cables.

Markus

[LeeS]

Hello, all,

This is my first visit and I decided to join up as there is some really good commentary on all things Blu-ray and a good place to pick some things up.

I've seen quite a bit about the BDP-S300 and also Panasonic's DMP-BD30K player, which I think are the two better, more reasonably-priced units. Since the 'war' is over, we are just about ready to buy a player and I was going through this site to get some user opinions.

Since I'm not convinced on either at the moment, although the Panasonic seems to appear to have the edge (HDMI 1.3, etc.), I'm wondering if waiting for the next generation Sony is a better idea (S350 or whatever it will be) with some of the issues that I've seen on the present ones.

Does anyone have any info on the upcoming players?

[wisper9999]

Welcome aboard.

[bsaxman]

Hi all,

I have a S300 that I bought back in Nov along with a 46" Sony LCD. I really like the player, but it causes me all kinds of grief. Last week it stopped playing discs altogether. The front panel would go from "Power On" to "Close" and then "Can't play disc" - I tried every trick (reseting, unplugging, etc.) Sony emailed me and said to load the latest firmware (3.7 - I had 3.2 installed) However, as the player wouldn't load any discs, I was stuck. The next day out of frustration, I just kept repeatedly stabbing buttons at random, play, stop, play, stop, open/close, when all of a sudden it actually said "Load" and loaded a DVD. So I crossed my fingers and put in my firmware disc - "Can't play disc" ARGGHGHGH!!! I was so frustrated. So I crossed my fingers again and cycled the tray open/close and guess what? It loaded the firmware this time.
After the update process I started trying out discs at random and all my standard DVDs would play, as well as CDs, but not Blu Ray discs. A blu ray player that won't play blu ray isn't much good? I emailed Sony once again and they advised me to take it in for service.
In the meantime I unplugged it for about 10 minutes. Reloaded the firmware and after my second attempt got a BD to load! Put a standard DVD in afterward and I had audio but no video (HDMI connection to my LCD). Plugging and unplugging fixed that problem. Last night, it screwed up again with no video on a standard DVD, audio only. Unplugging for a few minutes corrected again.
Sorry for the long story but its just such an odd situation! Other than the odd hiccup common (I think) to all players, it has been working flawlessly with the 3.7 firmware on all disc types. I am taking a 'watch and wait' attitude, but a co-worker of mine says I should take it in to Sony that nothing should be that flaky.. so all of you out there with the same player...what would you do? Anyone experience odd situation like me?
Thanks!

My wife thinks the player is just protesting because it dislikes "The Wiggles" intensely. However, my two-year old son would disagree!

[yex94]

Originally Posted by bsaxman

Hi all,

I have a S300 that I bought back in Nov along with a 46" Sony LCD. I really like the player, but it causes me all kinds of grief. Last week it stopped playing discs altogether. The front panel would go from "Power On" to "Close" and then "Can't play disc" - I tried every trick (reseting, unplugging, etc.) Sony emailed me and said to load the latest firmware (3.7 - I had 3.2 installed) However, as the player wouldn't load any discs, I was stuck. The next day out of frustration, I just kept repeatedly stabbing buttons at random, play, stop, play, stop, open/close, when all of a sudden it actually said "Load" and loaded a DVD. So I crossed my fingers and put in my firmware disc - "Can't play disc" ARGGHGHGH!!! I was so frustrated. So I crossed my fingers again and cycled the tray open/close and guess what? It loaded the firmware this time.
After the update process I started trying out discs at random and all my standard DVDs would play, as well as CDs, but not Blu Ray discs. A blu ray player that won't play blu ray isn't much good? I emailed Sony once again and they advised me to take it in for service.
In the meantime I unplugged it for about 10 minutes. Reloaded the firmware and after my second attempt got a BD to load! Put a standard DVD in afterward and I had audio but no video (HDMI connection to my LCD). Plugging and unplugging fixed that problem. Last night, it screwed up again with no video on a standard DVD, audio only. Unplugging for a few minutes corrected again.
Sorry for the long story but its just such an odd situation! Other than the odd hiccup common (I think) to all players, it has been working flawlessly with the 3.7 firmware on all disc types. I am taking a 'watch and wait' attitude, but a co-worker of mine says I should take it in to Sony that nothing should be that flaky.. so all of you out there with the same player...what would you do? Anyone experience odd situation like me?
Thanks!

My wife thinks the player is just protesting because it dislikes "The Wiggles" intensely. However, my two-year old son would disagree!

Sounds defective to me. I would get a replacement from Sony. I have had zero issues with mine (other than slow startup times)

[aviman33]

Originally Posted by yex94

Sounds defective to me. I would get a replacement from Sony. I have had zero issues with mine (other than slow startup times)

I wouldn't return it just yet. Sony is just about to release it's next generation players. If you wait a little longer they will probably replace yours with a new model. If you return it now, they will just replace it with another 300.

John