sony bdp-bx1 questions

[vonzar]

Has anyone ever heard of this receiver, the sony bdp-bx1. I got it from costco today and they said that it was just an update to the bdp-s350. I have looked in the forum and haven't seen any information on it. They said at costco that it bitstreams dts-hd and dolby truehd audio. If that were true wouldn't it show the hd audio formats on my receiver when playing them? Also when I press display while watching say, master and commander, it showed that the audio being used was dts-hd ma 3/2.1 channel. What does that mean. I know that it is supposed to be playing dts-hd ma 5.1 and that is what I want it to say, on my receiver as well as the player. Also the guy at costco said it was supposed to have wireless connectivity, but it doesn't. I wanted to get the bdp-s350 because it was supposed to be a good blu ray player that bitstreamed audio, but costco didn't have it. As far as I can tell this player doesn't bitstream. I had to get a new blu ray player because my ps3 was getting overheated with where I have it and how much I am using it. So I wanted to get the sony because it had the xross media bar which I was used to. But the main buying factor I was going by in deciding which player to buy was that I was tired of my receiver not showing the hd audio being used on the display and I heard it was because the ps3 didn't bitstream the audio. So I was told that the sony bdp-s350 bitstreamed the dts-hd ma and dobly true hd and like I said had the xmb, so I decided to go with that. I wanted to get it from costco because of their return policy, but they didn't have it and I am very sorry I got this one. Is this one very similar to the 350 because if it is, I will probably go with the panasonic bd30 because this is not at all what I wanted. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

[callas01]

Never heard of it and I go on the sony website a lot. I searched the costco website after reading your post and cannot find what you are talking about either. If I were you I would take it back and go to (OMG) Circuit City or Best Buy and pick up the BDP-S350. The sony website doesn't have it either.

Does it sound like lossless? I would be skeptical, and take it back. Good luck.

[vonzar]

Originally Posted by callas01

Never heard of it and I go on the sony website a lot. I searched the costco website after reading your post and cannot find what you are talking about either. If I were you I would take it back and go to (OMG) Circuit City or Best Buy and pick up the BDP-S350. The sony website doesn't have it either.

Does it sound like lossless? I would be skeptical, and take it back. Good luck.

Yeah, I went to sony's website too, right when I got home, and I couldn't find anything on it either. I was wondering though, do you know much about the bdp-s350? Does this sound anything like it? I just don't know why it shows 3/2.1 channel. I don't know what that means. Does this sound like the s350, because I looked at a picture of the s350 and it looked just like my bdp-bx1? I just want something that is going to show me what it is playing. That is one thing that annoyed me about my ps3. No matter which blu ray I was watching it would say pcm on my receiver even though it showed the real sound on the ps3 when I would push display. I realize that I was hearing the right sound, but to be honest, it bothered me that my receiver didn't say it too. But at least my ps3 would show 7.1 or 5.1, which I understand, but this 3/2.1, what is that? Am I getting 2.1 sound? I will actually go now and watch one and see if it is playing from all the speakers it should be. Even if it is, it is driving me crazy to see that 3/2.1 when I push display. You'll probably laugh, but I am a little obsessive compulsive, and it is really bothering me. And it is driving me crazy also that I spent $400 on a blu ray player that I cannot find any information on any where on the web. I just want to know that I have the player I was told that I bought. Why isn't it showing the dts-hd ma, and dolby trueHD on my receiver, which is what I was told it would, because I was told that it bitstreams and why is this player nowhere to be found anywhere online. Sorry for going off on rants but I am really frustrated by this.

[mywxrld]

First off, if you do a little searching on the forums for the BDP-BX1 you will find several posts about this model. To answer a couple of your questions, Yes, it is a Costco version of the BDP-s350 with two differences being the Costco one comes with an HDMI cord and a backlit remote. If you want more information search the Sony USA site and they so have more information through their esupport part of their website. Here is the website address if you can't find the information http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/mod....pl?mdl=BDPBX1

[matthewrounds]

This is the Costco badged BDP-S350. For more information check here:

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=40476

You may not recall but Costco sold the BDP-S301 as the Costco badged BDP-S300. The BDP-BX1 function is identical to that of the BDP-S350. Set the audio to direct and this will bit stream the audio to the receiver for the receiver to decode.

[mywxrld]

If you search the forums for BDP-BX1 you will find a couple of posts about this model already but to start you off this model is the Costco version of the BDP-S350 with a couple differences. The Costco version:
1. Comes with an HDMI cord
2. Comes with a backlit remote
3. It does not have an internal audio decoder. Instead it bitstreams all te info to your receiver for it to decode.
This is the link to Sony's webite page on this model http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/mod....pl?mdl=BDPBX1
If you need more help you might want to talk to customer support on the website.

[callas01]

3/2.1 means that you are getting a 5.1 surround sound, 3 front channels, 2 surrounds and 1 subwoofer. A 7.1 would read 3/4.1. The BDP-S350 is $399. If you spent $400, you prolly have the 350 just tagged with a different model #.

I know that costco sells products that usually have model #'s that don't show on their website. I have read on this forum that it may have something to do with costco getting second rate parts in their equipment they sell. ??Can't tell you if that is the reason for their part # switch.

As for not seeing the the DD True HD or DTS-HD MA light up on your receiver. If your reciever(what receiver do you have?) can decode the bitstream signal, then you would have to have your blu-ray player set to bitstream(or direct) in the setup menu, then it would pass the audio down to your receiver to decode. Otherwise it is processing the the audio in the blu-ray player and sending it down to the receiver as PCM and your receiver should show LPCM or Multi-channel on the display.

It doesn't matter where the decoding happens, you will still get the Lossless audio. Except for DTS-HD MA, which you will have to send direct(bitstream) to be processed through the receiver.

As of the moment Sony doesn't have a Blu-ray player that internally decodes DTS-HD MA... That I know of. The 350 has to bitstream it to a receiver and let the receiver do the decoding. The 550 due out this fall, is supposed to be the first to internally decode both audio codecs.

Try plugging in a Universal or Fox movie with DTS-HD MA and see if your receiver lights up with DTS-HD MA. Also, go into the setup menu and look for audio setup(not exactly sure of the menu screens) and find the digital audio output(thats what the panny's say) and see if you can adjust the settings to LPCM(aka Multi-channel) or bitstream(aka Direct). See if that helps.

[vonzar]

Thank you Callas01 for the help. I just set it to direct and was overjoyed as I finally saw my receiver show the dolby's double d and the TrueHD logo. I can't wait to see the DTS HD MA. Every problem is taken care of now, so I won't have to worry about my ps3 getting so hot any more, but one more thing, you say costco uses second rate parts, is this true? I have never heard of this. If this is true I will never shop there again for my electronics. I always thought they were awesome because of their return policy. Should I still take this back to costco and go to best buy and get the s350?

[callas01]

Honestly I don't know if they use second hand parts, or sell refurbished equipment, personally. I had bought both my Vizios there and have not had one issue with either. I read in a thread that someone wrote stating they used them. Honestly I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I have known lots of people that have bought electronics there and have had 0 complaints. Think about it, we are dealing with electronics, and anything could go wrong, I don't think buying it one place or another makes a bit of difference. I think the 19 year old high school dropout tossing the equipment around is the thing you need to be concerned about more.

I wouldn't take it back unless there is an issue with its performance.

Also, you can read in the HDTV discussion the thread about Costco HDTV's. I think mostly the model #'s change just for the retailer and not due to it being lesser equipment.

For instance, I have a vizio 32" LCD, and the vizio website shows 4-5 different 32" lcd's, most of them all have the same specs with different part #'s, the only thing I can tell is different is that my is piano gloss black with silver speakers, sold at Costco, Sams Club and BJ's and another one is all black sold at Walmart, Sears and Circuit City.... so on and so on.

[bluray51]

Hi,

I am also thinking about getting this player. Can you please confirm if this player can play DVD+R dual layer media?

Thanks,
Steve

Originally Posted by vonzar

Thank you Callas01 for the help. I just set it to direct and was overjoyed as I finally saw my receiver show the dolby's double d and the TrueHD logo. I can't wait to see the DTS HD MA. Every problem is taken care of now, so I won't have to worry about my ps3 getting so hot any more, but one more thing, you say costco uses second rate parts, is this true? I have never heard of this. If this is true I will never shop there again for my electronics. I always thought they were awesome because of their return policy. Should I still take this back to costco and go to best buy and get the s350?

[bootman]

Originally Posted by vonzar

... but one more thing, you say costco uses second rate parts, is this true?

FUD

[wildfan2k]

The Costco/Sam's Club version are not refurbs, or 2nd grade components, etc. Sony (and others) bow down to pressures from the big price-matching chain stores (Best Buy, etc) who do not want to match the prices that Costco/Sam's offer. So, Sony gives their products different model numbers for Costco/Sam's, which pleases Best Buy, and usually throws in something extra for the Costco/Sam's version (HDMI cable and backlit remote in the case of the BDP-BX1), which pleases the shoppers there.

[Entertainment72]

So in essence the BX1 is a better value than the 350..

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by vonzar

I will probably go with the panasonic bd30 because this is not at all what I wanted. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

+1

I will probably do the same. The Panny 30 looks well built compared to the S350/BX1.

[CathyHer]

Hi, I have reserached this and I can't get any answers. I currenty have a 2 1/2 year old 50" Vizio TV which has 2 HDMI inputs, no optical. My Home Theater Samsung just stopped working took it back to Costco. I ordered the SoundOn Wireless speakers and now I am looking for a DVD or DVD/Blue Ray Player. I think it will be hooked up as follows:
Comcast Cable Box to TV HDMI1
DVD/BDP to TV HDMI2
Opitcal cable between Cable Box and DVD/BDP Player
Wireless center speaker to DVD/BDP Player through 6 RCA Jacks

First I would like to know if that will work, will it give me sound on everything? Second does the Sony BDP-BX1 have 6 RCA jacks I cannot find that information in any of the specifications?

If it the Sony BDP-BX1 will not work, do you have any recommendations I am at a loss. Thanks!