The Sony BDP-S300/301 Review Thread

[tron3]

Originally Posted by Acquiesce

How long until this player becomes obsolete?

In theory, when they stop making firmware updates for it. From a practical standpoint, it is already starting to show its age. But I'm not complaining.

All this talk about sound, but I want to know if 3.90 gave us any speed improvements that 3.80 took away. Grrr.

[JasonR]

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.p...61&postcount=1

Doby added TrueHD info from Paidgeek to the first post, so if anyone needs reference it is there.

[Octavio]

According to Sony site this new firmware update among other things Adds decoding functions for Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus.

But curiously it only appears when you select to see the page in spanish, but not in english:



Archivo :

UPDATE_BDPS300_VER0390.EXE

Versión :

3.90

Última modificación :

09/05/2008

Tamaño :

52.25 MB

Descargar ahora

¿Qué hace esto?

Esta utilidad actualiza el BDP-S300 firmware a la versión 3.90, y ofrece las siguientes ventajas:

Mejoras en la versión del firmware 3.80:

* Mejora la compatibilidad con BD-Java para mejorar la interactividad con BD-ROM.

Adicionales mejoras del firmware original:

* Compatibilidad con discos BD-R/RE quemados por el Click to Disc™ y Click to Disc™ Editor incluidos con algunas computadoras VAIO®
* Añade la función de decodificación Dolby® TrueHD y Dolby® Digital Plus Audio.
* Mejora de la compatibilidad de reproducción con ciertos formato de discos BD-ROM.
* Mayor capacidad de asistencia al cliente
* Compatibilidad con el recién liberado formato BD-R/RE (BDMV).
* Corrige la señal de salida de información para audio y muestra cuando el canal de bandas Linear PCM 5.1 se reproducen a través de HDMI.


http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...DPS300&os_id=7

Any ideas about this? I am totally clueless.

[Blu-Raider]

No habla espanol

[Octavio]

Originally Posted by Blu-Raider

No habla espanol

It's from sony esupport website. It says that this firmware update (3.90) adds decoding functions for Dolby True HD and Dolby Digital Plus among other updates.

But as I've said before it only appears when you select to see the page in spanish.

weird, isn't?

[JasonR]

Improvements over firmware version 3.80:

Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.

Additional improvements over original firmware:

Compatibility with BD-R/RE discs burned by the Click to Disc™ and Click to Disc™ Editor software included with some VAIO® computers
Compatibility with the newly released BD-R/RE format (BDMV).
Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...d=3516&os_id=7

[Octavio]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Improvements over firmware version 3.80:

Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.

Additional improvements over original firmware:

Compatibility with BD-R/RE discs burned by the Click to Disc™ and Click to Disc™ Editor software included with some VAIO® computers
Compatibility with the newly released BD-R/RE format (BDMV).
Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.

http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...d=3516&os_id=7

Try watching the same page IN SPANISH. You can select the language in the upper right side of the page.

Then you will see what I've posted before. You don't need to speak spanish to understand this, I guess:

Añade la función de decodificación Dolby® TrueHD y Dolby® Digital Plus Audio.

[Octavio]

Ok here is the complete translation to english from what you can read in the Sony esupport website (español)

This utility updates the BDP-S300 firmware to version 3.90, and provides the following benefits:

Improvements over firmware version 3.80:

Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.

Additional improvements over original firmware:

* Compatibility with BD-R/RE discs burned by the Click to Disc™ and Click to Disc™ Editor software included with some VAIO® computers
* Adds decoding function for Dolby® TrueHD and Dolby® Digital Plus Audio.
* Compatibility with the newly released BD-R/RE format (BDMV).
* Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.
* Improved capacity for customer assistance
* Corrects the output signal of information for audio and sample when Linear PCM bands channel is reproduced (streamed?) through HDMI



PS: Please excuse my poor english. I've tried to translate it the best I could. I dunno the right english terms for some technicisms. Anyway I suppose you got the point.

[krisjan]

Originally Posted by Octavio

Ok here is the complete translation to english from what you can read in the Sony esupport website (español)

This utility updates the BDP-S300 firmware to version 3.90, and provides the following benefits:

Improvements over firmware version 3.80:

Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.

Additional improvements over original firmware:

* Compatibility with BD-R/RE discs burned by the Click to Disc™ and Click to Disc™ Editor software included with some VAIO® computers
* Adds decoding function for Dolby® TrueHD and Dolby® Digital Plus Audio.
* Compatibility with the newly released BD-R/RE format (BDMV).
* Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.
* Bigger capacity for customers assistance
* Corrects the output signal of information for audio and sample when Linear PCM bands channel is reproduced (streamed?) through HDMI



PS: Please excuse my poor english. I've tried to translate it the best I could. I dunno the right english terms for some technicisms. Anyway I suppose you got the point.

Interesting. I wonder why they don't have these details in the English version. The last point you show suggests that the 300 has a similar problem with improper LFE via HDMI/PCM that the Panny BD30 had and this FW update corrects that. With the Panny BD30, it was confirmed that the PCM LFE channel was ~5 dB too low when sent via HDMI. That was corrected in a recent FW update for the BD30. This is the first indication I've seen that the Sony 300 may have this issue also.

[Dyana B]

Hello Octavio,
Thank you for the heads up on the new firmware update for the BDP-S300. I was wondering when Sony was going to get around to supply us with a new firmware upgrade. My fiance bought me the new Philips BDP7200, and it is a great player because it bitstreams all of the hi-def codecs to my Onkyo 605.
It is an incredible player, comparable to the Panny BD30, but at a better price (334.00 at Sam's Club). With the new firmware, I'll have two great players connected to the Onkyo 605. Again, thanks for the heads up, great looking out...

[racassady]

Sorry if this is already listed some place, I searched for a while before I posted. I am trying to install the firmware update for my new Sony BDP-S300, but the Sony site is not compatible with Apple. Does anyone have any idea how to use an iMac to update the firmware?

[viiv]

Originally Posted by racassady

Sorry if this is already listed some place, I searched for a while before I posted. I am trying to install the firmware update for my new Sony BDP-S300, but the Sony site is not compatible with Apple. Does anyone have any idea how to use an iMac to update the firmware?

You can't. BUT you can contact Sony and they'll send you a firmware update disc for free. The details are on the esupport site, on the same page that describes and you download the firmware update from. Make sure you have the right country selected US/Canada, so you get the correct info for your country. Even though I have a PC, I always get them to send me the official disc. One less thing that can go wrong and less work on my part. And I am not sure about the US, but Sony Canada sends them by courier so its here like two days after I order it.

[Blu-Raider]

Originally Posted by Octavio

According to Sony site this new firmware update among other things Adds decoding functions for Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus.

But curiously it only appears when you select to see the page in spanish, but not in english:



Archivo :

UPDATE_BDPS300_VER0390.EXE

Versión :

3.90

Última modificación :

09/05/2008

Tamaño :

52.25 MB

Descargar ahora

¿Qué hace esto?

Esta utilidad actualiza el BDP-S300 firmware a la versión 3.90, y ofrece las siguientes ventajas:

Mejoras en la versión del firmware 3.80:

* Mejora la compatibilidad con BD-Java para mejorar la interactividad con BD-ROM.

Adicionales mejoras del firmware original:

* Compatibilidad con discos BD-R/RE quemados por el Click to Disc™ y Click to Disc™ Editor incluidos con algunas computadoras VAIO®
* Añade la función de decodificación Dolby® TrueHD y Dolby® Digital Plus Audio.
* Mejora de la compatibilidad de reproducción con ciertos formato de discos BD-ROM.
* Mayor capacidad de asistencia al cliente
* Compatibilidad con el recién liberado formato BD-R/RE (BDMV).
* Corrige la señal de salida de información para audio y muestra cuando el canal de bandas Linear PCM 5.1 se reproducen a través de HDMI.


http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...DPS300&os_id=7

Any ideas about this? I am totally clueless.

Looks like this has now been updated to match the English version.

Crap.

[Octavio]

Originally Posted by Blu-Raider

Looks like this has now been updated to match the English version.

Crap.

I Just checked sony site once again and the description haven't changed a bit. The same improvements appears listed when you select to see the page in spanish.

I just installed the 3.90 update but since my A/V receiver it's old I can't test my BD's that comes with Dolby TrueHD using the HDMI cable.

Until someone reliable with a high-end A/V receiver could make a test with titles that comes with Dolby TrueHD or Dolby Digital Plus (I have only seen HD-DVD's using this audio format) I won't be sure if it's true or if it is a kind of non-voluntary "hoax" by Sony support website.

Anyway seems TrueHD works through the 5.1 outputs.



BTW I can see that some Java discs loads considerable faster. Titles like "Monty Python's Life of Brian", "Run Lola Run" or "No Country for Old Men".

Also I had a problem when playing "Big Fish" (also Java enhanced). Before this firmware update whenever I pressed the STOP button the image went black but the audio kept sounding for several seconds.

That problem was fixed. Now after I press "STOP" both image and audio stops playing, as it should be.

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by Octavio

I Just checked sony site once again and the description haven't changed a bit. The same improvements appears listed when you select to see the page in spanish.

I just installed the 3.90 update but since my A/V receiver it's old I can't test my BD's that comes with Dolby TrueHD using the HDMI cable.

Until someone reliable with a high-end A/V receiver could make a test with titles that comes with Dolby TrueHD or Dolby Digital Plus (I have only seen HD-DVD's using this audio format) I won't be sure if it's true or if it is a kind of non-voluntary "hoax" by Sony support website.

Anyway seems TrueHD works through the 5.1 outputs.



BTW I can see that some Java discs loads considerable faster. Titles like "Monty Python's Life of Brian", "Run Lola Run" or "No Country for Old Men".

Also I had a problem when playing "Big Fish" (also Java enhanced). Before this firmware update whenever I pressed the STOP button the image went black but the audio kept sounding for several seconds.

That problem was fixed. Now after I press "STOP" both image and audio stops playing, as it should be.

Our Sony insider here said TrueHD is only available over HDMI, check the first post of the thread.

[Octavio]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Our Sony insider here said TrueHD is only available over HDMI, check the first post of the thread.

I have already READ what your sony insider have wrote about it. But guess what? I got ears and I can say when something sounds better TO ME.

So, any reliable poster who could tell us if this firmware update will allow us to fully enjoy Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus?

Thanx in advance.

[davidflas]

Originally Posted by racassady

Sorry if this is already listed some place, I searched for a while before I posted. I am trying to install the firmware update for my new Sony BDP-S300, but the Sony site is not compatible with Apple. Does anyone have any idea how to use an iMac to update the firmware?

It is possible to update the firmware using a Mac, I use my Macbook to update the firmware in my BDP-S300, here is how you do it:

1. download the firmware .exe file
2. download a copy of stuffit expander 10.0, (this is an older version the newer versions don't work, you can get this on versiontracker.com)
3. use stuffit to expand the .exe file, you will now have an .iso file
4. open disk utility which is in the utilities folder in your applications folder
5. click on the convert icon at the top of the disk utility window
6. select the .iso file and click the convert botton
7. in the drop down window that opens select dvd/cd master in image format
8. click save, and then click use .cdr when the next dialog box opens
9. the .cdr file will appear in the window on the left side of the disk utility window, select it, after inserting a blank cdr disc, click the burn icon at the top of the disk utility window.
10. follow the directions on Sony's site for updating firmware


All this sounds complicated, but its actually quick and easy once you've done it the first time. The directions above describe the process using Mac OS 10.5, the positions of buttons are slightly different in older versions of the OS.

[Acquiesce]

Do you NEED the firmware update?

[QwikSand]

Originally Posted by Acquiesce

Do you NEED the firmware update?

To be able to watch some movies, yes you need to have it. they make them based on the newer movies not working. Plus it increases load times and enhances features. But yes, you must have it to watch certain movies.

[Acquiesce]

If my BDP-S300 is still factory sealed, do you think I can go to Sony and trade for a PS3?