New Sony Blu Ray Players

[georgev]

so s550 supposedly comes out tomorrow.....who's getting one? and can you guys give a review who does...

So, is it out? Anyone got it yet?

[Blindamood]

The BDP-S550 is out now...here is a link to a review, which primarily compares it to the 1st gen BDP-S1.

[chasw98]

So, is it out? Anyone got it yet?

Got mine last Wednesday. Was able to buy it from a store in LA for less than $250.00 and it works great. I have not done any more than watch one movie (New Indiana Jones) for now, but I can tell you more when I get home next week. I also have HD DVD unit to compare with.

Chuck

[M.Roberts8]

I just snagged a 550 last week for 249.99 from sonystyle . You have to apply for the sony card and you get a 150.00 credit off.

I'm using mine with a ancient Denon AVR-3300 that has served me well for nearly a decade. Using the analog outs was a pain since to call the manual vague is being generous. I finally got it to display the DTS-HD tracks. I just need to do a calibrate/level match it. It sounds great but I have to turn my volume up higher than before I believe it to be a level matching issue.
Overall I really like it I just got it to share the load. My ps3 is about to hit gaming overdrive with Resistance 2 (8 player online co-op), Little Big Planet and Farcry 2

[maseline_98]

s550 is $329 at amazon with a free copy of Transformers
bd55 is $332 at amazon now(there is a link to $100 off, but it doesn't seem to work the player).

Does anybody know where I can pick up a quality 7.1 multichannel analog cable? I guess I could always just run separate RCAs, but that seems messy...

[Hdale85]

The S350 is going to be like 180 bucks I think it was on black Friday at Sears.

[impala454]

I guess I could always just run separate RCAs, but that seems messy...

[wettou]

Bdp-s550

How annoying after you open the tray and put a disc in instead of being able to press play and have the player start you have to actually push close and then play!!!

I am not sure if I am going to keep this poppy also I spoke with Sony tech support and now I am totally confused.

What Sony mentioned is that unless you have a pre/pro or recivers that can decode Dolby Tru HD and DTS Master Audio it doesn't matter if your player can decode these format you will only get downconverted sound to DD and DTS???

So who is right?

[impala454]

The button is a trivial thing, but it does show their style of software development. Could be a red flag right there.

[Hdale85]

No that's not correct. If your player can decode them (the S550 can decode both) and output them as PCM and your receiver/pre can accept LPCM over HDMI then your set. It does not convert it to anything it just outputs it to the speakers. Sony tech support is very wrong Now if your receiver doesn't accept LPCM over HDMI then yes it will just down conver to DD or DTS or won't accept the signal at all until you select one of those on the disc.

[maseline_98]

nice....lol

[wettou]

No that's not correct. If your player can decode them (the S550 can decode both) and output them as PCM and your receiver/pre can accept LPCM over HDMI then your set. It does not convert it to anything it just outputs it to the speakers. Sony tech support is very wrong Now if your receiver doesn't accept LPCM over HDMI then yes it will just down conver to DD or DTS or won't accept the signal at all until you select one of those on the disc.

My receiver doesn't have HDMi but has multichannel analogue would I still get DD tru HD and DTS MA?

[Blindamood]

My receiver doesn't have HDMi but has multichannel analogue would I still get DD tru HD and DTS MA?

Yes. The only reason you'd be limited to the core formats is over coaxial/toslink digital connections.

[wettou]

Yes. The only reason you'd be limited to the core formats is over coaxial/toslink digital connections.

Interesting how can multichannel analogue pass uncompressed sound and coaxial/toslink digital can't?

[Hdale85]

They don't have the bandwidth to pass the raw stream. If your passing over multichannel 7.1 outputs then its already decoded.

[littlesaint]

The Panny BD35 is <$275 w/free shipping at Amazon.

[wettou]

They don't have the bandwidth to pass the raw stream. If your passing over multichannel 7.1 outputs then its already decoded.

Interesting I thought RCA didn't have much band width I guess 7 of them do the trick?

[Kal Rubinson]

Interesting how can multichannel analogue pass uncompressed sound and coaxial/toslink digital can't?

The difference is due mostly to legal issues, not technical ones.

Kal

[wettou]

The difference is due mostly to legal issues, not technical ones. Kal

I thought there were limitations in bandwidth with Digital Optical or Coax?

[littlesaint]

I thought there were limitations in bandwidth with Digital Optical or Coax?

Optical and coax have plenty of bandwidth. It's the SPDIF interface that is limited.

[impala454]

aka "S(ony)P(hilips)DIF" if that helps understand the legal issue

[wettou]

aka "S(ony)P(hilips)DIF" if that helps understand the legal issue

I see copy protection again, Kal Why do you keep saying that the BDP-S550 doesn't decode DTS Master Audio??

[Kal Rubinson]

I see copy protection again, Kal Why do you keep saying that the BDP-S550 doesn't decode DTS Master Audio??

Did I? Where?

Kal

[wettou]

Did I? Where?

Kal

may be it was an other Kal, no worries mate

[littlesaint]

There's been some talk that the way the spec sheet for the new Sonys reads, it looked as if DTS-HD MA was not decoded. I think this has since been proven false, but I can't say that with any certainty. Internet whispers is all I know.

[Hdale85]

The website says the S550 decodes DTS-HD MA and True HD. The S350 will only decode Dolby True HD. I'm a bit curious as to why there are so many players that support internal decoding of True HD and not DTS-HD MA. Is the licensing cheaper or something?

[Kal Rubinson]

The internal processing is more complex, as is the qualification process.

Kal

[wettou]

The internal processing is more complex, as is the qualification process. Kal

Interesting Kal when are you going to review the SSP-800 I really would like to hear your honest opinion?

[Kal Rubinson]

Interesting Kal when are you going to review the SSP-800 I really would like to hear your honest opinion?

Dunno. They have not yet sent one to me.

Kal

[wettou]

Dunno. They have not yet sent one to me. Kal

Any time soon, I hope?

[Blindamood]

Speaking of new Sony blu-ray players, they are now shipping the baddest of them all, the BDP-S5000ES. Good news is that it appears to have everything (okay, except DVD-A/SACD)...bad news is that $1999 is the price of admission. Will have to start saving my pennies...

Here's a link to a Polish web site (hdtvpolska.com) that does an in-depth review of the player and its components (with some parts in English).

[wettou]

Speaking of new Sony blu-ray players, they are now shipping the baddest of them all, the BDP-S5000ES. Good news is that it appears to have everything (okay, except DVD-A/SACD)...bad news is that $1999 is the price of admission. Will have to start saving my pennies...

Here's a link to a Polish web site (hdtvpolska.com) that does an in-depth review of the player and its components (with some parts in English).

THe new Oppo will do SACD and everything else so it might be wise to wait:B

[wettou]

Speaking of new Sony blu-ray players, they are now shipping the baddest of them all, the BDP-S5000ES. Good news is that it appears to have everything (okay, except DVD-A/SACD)...bad news is that $1999 is the price of admission. Will have to start saving my pennies.

The new Oppo will do SACD and everything else so it might be wise to wait.

Also you will find Sony discounted 30% in a few months:B

Whoa in this review they mean business they took it apart entirely to bad it is not all in english

[Kal Rubinson]

Any time soon, I hope?

Just notified to expect it in December. Add 30-60 days for assessment/writing and another 60 for publication lead time and you should see the review by next Spring. :Z

Kal

[wettou]

Just notified to expect it in December. Add 30-60 days for assessment/writing and another 60 for publication lead time and you should see the review by next Spring. :Z Kal

Whoa that long, :cry: by then who knows maybe Classé might will finally have released the new DSP chip with the new codec decoding capabilities? :lol:

[Kal Rubinson]

Whoa that long, :cry: by then who knows maybe Classé might will finally have released the new DSP chip with the new codec decoding capabilities? :lol:

Could be. It is Stereophile policy to favor thoroughness over getting the scoop. While that may still work fine for traditional stereo products that are the mainstay of the magazine, it does mean that, in the faster moving market for multichannel, I will be a little behind the media outlets. So be it. :later:

[wettou]

Could be. It is Stereophile policy to favor thoroughness over getting the scoop. While that may still work fine for traditional stereo products that are the mainstay of the magazine, it does mean that, in the faster moving market for multichannel, I will be a little behind the media outlets. So be it. :later:

THOROUGHNESS IS GOOD that way no stones left unturned :T

[georgev]

The new Oppo will do SACD and everything else so it might be wise to wait.

Waiting eagerly for the Oppo(almost certain to get one), but am considering the 550 for the meantime.

Sony here say they have it in stock but the dealers don't have it. Very frustrating.

[wettou]

Waiting eagerly for the Oppo(almost certain to get one), but am considering the 550 for the meantime. Sony here say they have it in stock but the dealers don't have it. Very frustrating.

Amazon.co $329 and 30 days moneyback guarantee:B

[maseline_98]

I wonder if Black Friday is going to bring me a better deal than BD-55(or s500 or BP-2500) with 4 movies(Superman Returns, Batman Begins, I Am Legend, and Blood) for $310 shipped....I'm still leaning towards the panny though.

[wettou]

I wonder if Black Friday is going to bring me a better deal than BD-55(or s500 or BP-2500) with 4 movies(Superman Returns, Batman Begins, I Am Legend, and Blood) for $310 shipped....I'm still leaning towards the panny though.

Unlikely, but who knows they are trying to stimulate consumers to go out and spend money

[wettou]

The Sony S550 has delivered the goods great Audio and Video watch queen Blu Ra Concert at Montreal amazing sound and picture

[maseline_98]

I ordered the panny from amazon(it should be here tomorrow). I'm finally blu....

[George Bellefontaine]

I ordered the panny from amazon(it should be here tomorrow). I'm finally blu....

The 35 or the 55 ?

[maseline_98]

55 ....I still need to pick up some good analog cables...do you know where I can get some inexpensive(non-monster) cables?