Sony launches its first new 4K Blu-ray player in over five years

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by Telemachus

Yeah higher price for less features is bunk, this thing should be like $149 or something which is how much you can get the other one nearly when it was on sale, I got mine for $159 one Christmas

Yeah, that’s the frustrating part and that’s why the UHD format cannot become the success it should be. DVD players started out insanely expensive when it first came out and I was one of only a few people at the time that was willing to shell out $200 for a DVD player. But eventually, DVD players dropped in price significantly and because of that, everyone adapted to the format and it became mainstream. But not 4K players. Here we are, almost 10 years into the format and players are still over $200. People aren’t going to spend that kind of money when they can get a Roku stick for $20 and stream 4K.

[apollo828]

Originally Posted by MrHT

I was one of only a few people at the time that was willing to shell out $200 for a DVD player.

Huh? $200 would've been a dream back then. I just happened to be in NYC when DVD first came to America, and was in a video store where they sold it. The prices in that link seem about right, to my recollection. Adjusted for inflation, they were above $1K. I also got my hands on the first DVD computer playback kit in '98. My recollection is that it was $400, for a drive and a passthrough video card that (IIRC) sat between your graphics card and your monitor.

Here we are, almost 10 years into the format and players are still over $200. People aren’t going to spend that kind of money when they can get a Roku stick for $20 and stream 4K.

While I think your overall point is correct (i.e., cheapness wins every time), $200 for a player is, all things considered, not that bad (assuming it isn't flaky garbage). Sure, some people honestly can't afford it. Plenty still can. They just prioritize other things.

[ij72]

Originally Posted by apollo828

Huh? $200 would've been a dream back then. I just happened to be in NYC when DVD first came to America, and was in a video store where they sold it. The prices in that link seem about right, to my recollection. Adjusted for inflation, they were above $1K. I also got my hands on the first DVD computer playback kit in '98. My recollection is that it was $400, for a drive and a passthrough video card that (IIRC) sat between your graphics card and your monitor.

It was 1999ish, when they started to hit $200 or so I want to say.

I remember an Apex player around that time frame (and price point) that had a little buzz online because it could also play MP3s!

And yes, my first DVD "player", circa 97-98, also was the Creative Labs PC kit with the MPEG2 encoder card and the PC drive. It may even still be in my basement morgue of loooong outdated PC parts...

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by MrHT

Yeah, that’s the frustrating part and that’s why the UHD format cannot become the success it should be. DVD players started out insanely expensive when it first came out and I was one of only a few people at the time that was willing to shell out $200 for a DVD player. But eventually, DVD players dropped in price significantly and because of that, everyone adapted to the format and it became mainstream. But not 4K players. Here we are, almost 10 years into the format and players are still over $200. People aren’t going to spend that kind of money when they can get a Roku stick for $20 and stream 4K.

DVD players in 1997 were around $1,000-$2,000. Especially those that were DVD and Laserdisc combo players from Pioneer Elite. Now DVD players for entry level models are $20 to $25+.

[Robert Zohn]

I just built our webpage for Sony's New UBP-X700U 4K HDR BD player.

I spoke with one of my Sony BD Product Management friends and he will get back to me with all of the updates on the UBP-X800U BD player.

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

I just built our webpage for Sony's New UBP-X700U 4K HDR BD player.

I spoke with one of my Sony BD Product Management friends and he will get back to me with all of the updates on the UBP-X800U BD player.

UBP-X800U? great news. Thanks Robert. Glad Sony will still have two 4K UHD players on the market.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

I just built our webpage for Sony's New UBP-X700U 4K HDR BD player.

I spoke with one of my Sony BD Product Management friends and he will get back to me with all of the updates on the UBP-X800U BD player.

K is for another region like Japan and U is for the USA/North America region A players.

Robert it’s my understanding that the new year 2025 UBP-X700U and UBP-X800U dropped the WI-FI feature and the streaming features. But everything else regarding the players including wired ethernet has remained the same. Sony is also coming out with a entry level 2K Blu-ray player called the BDP-S1700U for around $79.99 that drops the streaming features (That model never had WI-FI).

https://electronics.sony.com/tv-vide...ay/p/bdps1700u

Robert the Sony 2025 UBP-X700U is listed at $269.00 on your website. So the new model player did go up in price. If WI-FI and streaming is dropped then the prior UBP-X700 and UBP-X800M2 are better players. I am guessing that you mentioning streaming on your website is an error? Since its my understanding that the three new U models including the BDP-S1700U drops the streaming features?.

Can you verify that streaming and WI-FI are not offered on the new Sony players? I do not see the features listed on the Sony website:

Quote from Value Electronics website

“Experience movies with four times the resolution of conventional Blu-ray (Full HD), with 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and 4K streaming services.”

https://valueelectronics.com/product...lu-ray-player/

[HDTV1080P]

Another article that is mentioning that the Sony UBP-X700K in Japan has no WI-FI and no streaming apps but maintains the RJ45 ethernet jack. The big question does the USA Sony UBP-X700U and Sony UBP-X800U also dropping the WI-FI and streaming features?

While I do not like seeing features removed from players, my family member stopped using the year 2017 Sony UBP-X800 for streaming when they got additional ROKU Ultra box around the year 2018. It will be easier for both Panasonic and Sony to release 4K Blu-ray players without streaming apps, since it will be less work for the computer programmers for both companies. Hopefully this means Panasonic and Sony for new 4K Blu-ray players will spend the time working on improving the firmware in the players since now they have no more streaming apps to maintain. OPPO Digital INC in 2016 and 2017 dropped the streaming apps from all their new 4K Blu-ray players and instead had their programmers work on improving the firmware of the players.

https://www.techradar.com/television...rice-looks-odd

[Telemachus]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Another article that is mentioning that the Sony UBP-X700K in Japan has no WI-FI and no streaming apps but maintains the RJ45 ethernet jack.

That's because Japanese need the RJ45 jack to watch films in their Gundam cockpit.

[David M]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Another article that is mentioning that the Sony UBP-X700K in Japan has no WI-FI and no streaming apps but maintains the RJ45 ethernet jack.

I'm pretty sure the RJ45 ethernet port is a BDA requirement for Profile 2.0 and up players, to support BD Live.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

Here's the .pdf technical specifications for Sony's UDP-X700U BD player:

https://valueelectronics.com/wp-cont...-player-Z2.pdf

Originally Posted by David M

I'm pretty sure the RJ45 ethernet port is a BDA requirement for Profile 2.0 and up players, to support BD Live.

All new Blu-ray players are required to be profile 2.0 BD-LIVE since around the year 2009+. Yes some type of ethernet jack or WI-FI module is required for profile 2.0 BD-LIVE. The actual specs might use ethernet RJ45 since its cheaper than WI-FI module.

I wish all streaming players, Blu-ray players, satellite receivers, A/V receivers, and Smart TV’s would use at the very minimum 1,000Mbps ethernet which only adds $5-$10 to the cost (10,000Mbps ethernet adds $50 to $100 to the cost). Instead many products are using $2 to $3 100Mbps ethernet chips. 100Mbps ethernet needs to go out of production and then a $5 1,000Mbps ethernet communication chip on the circuit board taking its place. 10,000Mbps ethernet chips for $50+ would be for higher end consumer equipment.

With WI-FI 7 and WI-FI 6e one can easily get 490Mbps speeds which is faster then legacy 100Mbps ethernet. On a Blu-ray player that does not have WI-FI, buying a WI-FI 7/WI-FI 6e to ethernet adapter can be used for BD-LIVE. Wired is better but if the customer demands WI-FI the WI-FI is faster if the adapter can be plugged into a 1,000Mbps or higher speed ethernet jack. It is totally ridiculous that 100Mbps Ethernet is still being placed on products, 1,000Mbps is only a few dollars more in cost. Who wants to ask the customer do you want to use 490Mbps speed WI-FI or the slower 100Mbps ethernet? A customer that is on a hybrid wired and wireless network would rather use 10,000Mbps ethernet connection for their home network or at least 1,000Mbps wired network.

It is a bad design decision for a Smart TV engineer to place WI-FI 7 on the circuit board with 100Mbps ethernet. Instead the engineer should have used WI-FI 7 and 10,000Mbps Ethernet or at least 1,000Mbps ethernet. To artificially make Smart TV’s and other products where the WI-FI is 5 times faster then ethernet RJ45 is a bad engineering decision. Wired ethernet RJ45 is always faster than WI-FI, the only time its not is because old ethernet technology is being used.

[Jay Mammoth]

Easy pass, stripped down x700 which is a terrible player.

[Telemachus]

There should have definitely been a $99 UHD player at this point, the Sony already feels like one. That BDP-S1700 player was like $59 once when I got it on sale, this seems like the exact same thing no wifi and in a similar body. I think the Panny 450 is the current value king.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by Telemachus

There should have definitely been a $99 UHD player at this point, the Sony already feels like one. That BDP-S1700 player was like $59 once when I got it on sale, this seems like the exact same thing no wifi and in a similar body. I think the Panny 450 is the current value king.

With inflation the 2K Sony BDP-S1700 went from $59.99 to around $79.99 and dropped streaming (BDP-S1700U), the player never had WI-FI. If there was a nationwide rental market where people could rent Blu-ray discs for around $2 or $4 at a physical location like REDBOX, and if the dollar store still offered Blu-ray discs for a $1 or $1.25, and if Walmart still offered Blu-ray bargain bins for $5 or $10, then yes I would agree there should be a 4K Blu-ray player for around $99 or $149. However, the Apple TV 4K streaming box with ethernet built in costs $149 and that unit does not have an optical disc drive. Therefore, the evidence is suggesting that a 4K Blu-ray player at around $200 is a fair price for a entry level model since there is inflation and also since it will cost at least $50 more to make a 4K Blu-ray player when compared to Apple TV 4K streaming box. While the UBP-X700U costs $269 now, during the end of year holiday season it might go down in price to $199 as a sale price.

Last time I was in my local Walmart all they had was 4K Blu-ray disc new releases for around $40+. The Blu-ray format has moved to a buyers market since no more REDBOX machines and no more bargain bins at other retail stores. This means people spending $1,000 or more a year on Blu-ray discs are going to want a high-quality player that costs $500 or more. If one purchases over $2,000 in movies every year on optical discs, that means an optical disc player costing a $1,000 or more with nice features is a must have item. Most people keep there players for at least 10 years its not like people are buying a new player every year. But the market has changed and unless REDBOX or bargain bins returned most movie collectors spending $1,000-$2,000+ a year on movies do not mind spending $500-$1,000+ on a quality 4K Blu-ray player once every 10 years.

Good to see new players but we need some higher end models from Sony that offer better performance. I still like my year 2016 OPPO UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player for $549, but because of inflation and less players being made a new model that is similar costs around $1,500+.

[Telemachus]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

If one purchases over $2,000 in movies every year on optical discs, that means an optical disc player costing a $1,000 or more with nice features is a must have item.

Better to spend $2,800 a year on movies and buy a $200 player

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by Telemachus

Better to spend $2,800 a year on movies and buy a $200 player

But if one likes the $500 to $1,000 players better than its better to buy the more expensive players. A family member still has a Panasonic Blu-ray player that was purchased 15 years ago in 2010, and it works perfectly fine.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

If one purchases over $2,000 in movies every year on optical discs, that means an optical disc player costing a $1,000 or more with nice features is a must have item.

Says the guy who does not even think that a 4K TV is "a must have item," despite buying and reviewing LOTS of 4K discs.

You can tell me that I must have a $1000+ 4K disc player AFTER you spend at least that much on your very first 4K TV. Until then stop telling others how they should spend their money.

[Robert Zohn]

Since BD players do not need the streaming applications it was very good for Sony to remove the streaming applications and make the user menu focus on the playback of BD, DVD, & CD discs.

Sony's new UBP-X700U 4K HDR BD player has a very nicely improved user menu that has less clutter and loads and responds faster.

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

Since BD players do not need the streaming applications it was very good for Sony to remove the streaming applications and make the user menu focus on the playback of BD, DVD, & CD discs.

Sony's new UBP-X700U 4K HDR BD player has a very nicely improved user menu that has less clutter and loads and responds faster.

Can you post a screenshot of the user menu? I already have the X700 and want to see how improved it is before purchasing.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

Since BD players do not need the streaming applications it was very good for Sony to remove the streaming applications and make the user menu focus on the playback of BD, DVD, & CD discs.

Sony's new UBP-X700U 4K HDR BD player has a very nicely improved user menu that has less clutter and loads and responds faster.

While all prior Blu-ray players from Panasonic and Sony for the last 15 years have had built in streaming apps, this is the new norm to remove streaming apps from all new Sony and Panasonic Blu-ray players introduced. OPPO Digital Inc had streaming apps until the day they introduced the new improved UDP-203 in 2016 and UDP-205 in 2017. Removing the streaming apps and removing WI-FI keeps the cost of the player lower because of inflation. The WI-FI module costs money and also WI-FI can add interference to the printed circuit board when enabled. It costs less money to pay a programmer to only write firmware updates to the player and no streaming apps to manage. But with at least with the OPPO we got a new and improved players back in 2016 and 2017 when they dropped the streaming features. Sony is just using a small amount of hardware modification to the existing 700 and 800 series players by making them cheaper to make with no streaming and WI-FI and then raising the cost because of inflation. But the street price difference might be only $10 or $20 more when compared to the old models.

Maybe Sony and Panasonic might surprise people and launch a new 8K optical disc format sometime in 2026-2028 timeframe. Then releasing entry level lower cost 4K Blu-ray players like these in 2025 would make perfect sense.