Offical BD-J load times for Sony BDP-S30x with NEW firmware.

[tron3]

I won't be able to make my contributions until I get home tonight, but here is what I want us to do. This running comparison will tell us if new firmware is actually improving all the load times or not. I know in the case of 3.80 a few loaded faster, and a few loaded slower.

Grab all your BD-J movies and time how long they take to load with 3.80, or what ever lower firmware you may have. Most digital watches have a stop watch to use. Time movie load times with 3.80 and record them on paper.

Upgrade your Sony BDP-S30x player to the 3.90 firmware and record that as well. If you already have 3.90. just report those numbers. Just round results to the nearest second.

Timing MUST begin from the moment the door clips shut and stop at the first image on the screen. If the movie is a title that plays previews first and then loads the movie, press "top menu" immediately to bypass the previews. This will add an extra second or two due to your response time, but you get the idea. I think we will all be within 1 or 2 seconds of each other.

With 3.80 Fantastic Four: RotSS is the longest loading BD-J disc I know of at 1:50. If that load time improves, I presume most others will load faster. Let's get cracking people!

Edit 9/2:

Here is my suggested "Load Time Performance Table".
Consider 90 seconds and under as the tolerable sweet spot.


* Non BD-J loading in 35 seconds or less. Excellent.
* BD-J up to 75 seconds. Very Good.
* BD-J 76 to 90 seconds. Good. (Tolerable Threshold)
* BD-J 91 to 100 seconds. Very Fair
* BD-J 101 to 120 seconds. Fair.
* BD-J over 120 seconds. Poor.
* BD-J over 180 seconds. Very Poor.

[tron3]

And the results are in. It appears that 3.90 is another mixed lot. Some load times are down to the snappier 3.70 numbers. But others, including non-BD-J are UP, or about unchanged.

Menus do seem to be more responsive than ever. But don't expect miracles.
So far it really is a toss up as to where you see the improvement.


Title 3.70 / 3.80 / 3.90 / 4.20
=========================
Cold start: 0.44 / 0.44 / 0.44 / .44

Fantastic 4: 0.23 / 0.23 / 0.26 / 0.24
Fantastic 4: RotSS 1.50 / 2.03 / 2.05 / 1.34

Pirates of the Carribbean 1: 1:40 / 1:36 / 1:13 / 1.11
Pirates of the Carribbean 2: 1.12 / 1.31 / 1.09 / 1.04
Pirates of the Carribbean 3: 1.18 / 1.22 / 1.03 / 1.00

Spider-Man 1: 1.35 / 1.16 / 1.12 / 1.08
Spider-Man 2: 1.13 / 1.15 / 1.18 / 1.11
Spider-Man 3: 1.24 / 1.22 / 1.24 / 1.17

Only 3.90 known
=============
Cars 2.02
Chicken Little (non BD-J) 0.36
Corpse Bride (non BD-J) 0.24
Meet the Robinsons (non BD-J) 0.36
Open Season (non BD-J) 0.26

4.20
======
CARS 1.43

[tron3]

Bump. Will update tonight with 3.95 numbers. We need a comparison chart. At least I do.

[tron3]

bump.

POSTED SOME 4.20 FIRMWARE NUMBERS. IT IS A HIT!

[krisjan]

It may appear that you are talking to yourself on this thread, but I for one appreciate your extensive testing of the FW versions. I would not have the patience for this.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by krisjan

It may appear that you are talking to yourself on this thread, but I for one appreciate your extensive testing of the FW versions. I would not have the patience for this.

You are welcome Krisjan.

I enjoy doing it because I love seeing how my player has improved with new firmware. It's good to know for a fact the machine became better, and not just assume or "I think it loaded faster" as is the case with most members. It is like having a new machine a year after I bought it.

Plus consider after 3.70 the workmanship in the firmware became shoddy. It was hit and miss. Some movies loaded faster, others slower. If I never kept track of such a thing would Sony have given us such a great upgrade with 4.20? After all, when no one is looking anyone can fill your gas tank with regular and say it was premium.

Wish more members appreciated that Sony probably sees these numbers and don't like seeing me give bad report cards. Wish more people would help with reporting load times.

[JasonR]

Did you see this Tron?

http://support.sony-europe.com/hav/d...0&f=FW_BDPS300

This utility updates the BDP-S300 firmware to version 4.20, and provides the following benefits :

Improvements over firmware version 3.95

Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.
Adds Dolby(r) TrueHD Audio decoding functionality.

Additional improvements over original firmware

Improves BD-Java compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.
Compatibility with the newly released BD-R/RE format (BDMV).
Compatibility with BD-R/RE disc burned by “Click to Disc Ver.1.1” and “Click to Disc Editor Ver.1.1” software. ( The update of these software is required)

This has been a great update! Thanks for the numbers.

[madman0428]

So you are saying that the DD true HD can only be used through the HDMI out? the optical line coming out of the back of the BDP s300 wont carry the decoded signal?

If it doesnt decode the TrueHD, does it still pass 5.1 sound from a lower generation dolby digital format?

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by madman0428

So you are saying that the DD true HD can only be used through the HDMI out? the optical line coming out of the back of the BDP s300 wont carry the decoded signal?

If it doesnt decode the TrueHD, does it still pass 5.1 sound from a lower generation dolby digital format?

Yes, TrueHD trough HDMI only. You will get the standard Dolby Digital track through anything but the HDMI.

[madman0428]

my understanding was the the optical toslink lines could carry the digital signal.. is this a conscious decision on their part to exclude it? or is it not possible to pass dolby true HD through an optical cable?

[JasonR]

Optical cannot handle HD audio.

[ToEhrIsHuman]

It is not a question of being able to "handle" the signal. Toslink does not allow for copyright protection (e.g. HDCP) in the way that HDMI can.

[madman0428]

Ahh, alright this makes sense. I was excited to hear that the bdp s300 can decode the HD audio.. but i have receiver that doesnt have HDMI inputs. i suppose at some point i can upgrade the receiver to something a little more new-age.

thanks for all of the info passed here to a newbie. it is greatly appreciated.

so how does the regular dolby digital sound in comparison? i assume for my purposes, i will still get decent surround sound... although not the best.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Did you see this Tron?

http://support.sony-europe.com/hav/d...0&f=FW_BDPS300



This has been a great update! Thanks for the numbers.

Yes, I saw it on the sticky thread. I know the Audiophiles here are currently walking around with bibs to catch the drool.

Here is my thread which gives us a bench mark for a "load time performance table". I figure it is was time we had one.

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=62024

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by tron3

And the results are in. It appears that 3.90 is another mixed lot. Some load times are down to the snappier 3.70 numbers. But others, including non-BD-J are UP, or about unchanged.

Menus do seem to be more responsive than ever. But don't expect miracles.
So far it really is a toss up as to where you see the improvement.


Title 3.70 / 3.80 / 3.90 / 4.20
=========================
Cold start: 0.44 / 0.44 / 0.44 / .44

Fantastic 4: 0.23 / 0.23 / 0.26 / 0.24
Fantastic 4: RotSS 1.50 / 2.03 / 2.05 / 1.34

Pirates of the Carribbean 1: 1:40 / 1:36 / 1:13 / 1.11
Pirates of the Carribbean 2: 1.12 / 1.31 / 1.09 / 1.04
Pirates of the Carribbean 3: 1.18 / 1.22 / 1.03 / 1.00

Spider-Man 1: 1.35 / 1.16 / 1.12 / 1.08
Spider-Man 2: 1.13 / 1.15 / 1.18 / 1.11
Spider-Man 3: 1.24 / 1.22 / 1.24 / 1.17

Only 3.90 known
=============
Cars 2.02
Chicken Little (non BD-J) 0.36
Corpse Bride (non BD-J) 0.24
Meet the Robinsons (non BD-J) 0.36
Open Season (non BD-J) 0.26

4.20
======
CARS 1.43

I have the S301 ver. 4.20. I clocked the load times for a few of my BDs following your procedure.

This is the only title I have that matches any of yours:

POTC 3 0.58 1st load non BD-j (before the trailers)
0.42 2nd load BD-j (after the trailers)
-----
1.00 (Agrees with your load time)

Other titles:


Mummy 1.03
NT2 1.82
I, Robot 1.90
Sunshine 2.02
ID4 2.05

The last three are certainly poor load times

[BirdManJr]

the load time for a ps3 is...put the blu-ray disc in the ps3.then it comes on...pretty cool huh?

[Yeha-Noha]

It's really cool, but I am not going to drool. While ID4 or I,Robot loads I got time to make some MW popcorn. Now that's pretty cool too.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by madman0428

so how does the regular dolby digital sound in comparison? i assume for my purposes, i will still get decent surround sound... although not the best.

The difference is not overwhelming, but it is definitely there. I can detect a bit better clarity in the dialogue and can hear subtle details coming from the rest of the speakers that weren't there before. It adds a bit more realism. I guess one could say that the sound from lossy DD is just not quite as distinct as DD TrueHD at least to me anyway. I still think DD is decent surround sound though. I am not going to boycott a BD just because it has no lossless tracks. If I really like the movie, I'll still get it.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by rwojtalewicz

...

Mummy 1.03
NT2 1.82
I, Robot 1.90
Sunshine 2.02
ID4 2.05

The last three are certainly poor load times

I have the S300 and compared 3.95 to 4.20.

* I, Robot: 2.18 / 1.47
* Independence Day: 2.27 / 1.42

Something is not jiving here. I loaded with a CD-R, did you use DVD-R? Did you reset the machine after the update? I've seen flash updates behave slowly until you cycle the player off / on.

[tron3]

Edited my original post to include the following. This rating isn't really a ding against the players, as it can become a rating system for the movies load times.

Here is my suggested "Load Time Performance Table".
Consider 90 seconds and under as the tolerable sweet spot.


* Non BD-J loading in 35 seconds or less. Excellent.
* BD-J up to 75 seconds. Very Good.
* BD-J 76 to 90 seconds. Good. (Tolerable Threshold)
* BD-J 91 to 100 seconds. Very Fair
* BD-J 101 to 120 seconds. Fair.
* BD-J over 120 seconds. Poor.
* BD-J over 180 seconds. Very Poor.