Sony's $499 Blu-ray player is currently on the shelves we have been wondering how it stacks up. Home Theater Blog had the opportunity to hook the
BDP-S300 up to a ISF calibrated
JVC DLA-HD1 and not to ruin their fun, but found the projector to have some quirks although still better picture quality than the other low cost Blu-ray player - the PS3. Apparently, the Java system a bit poky on the BDP-S300, the remote is lackluster and the unit is missing an Ethernet port but the superb picture is the redeeming quality - plus, it's only $499. The only question in our mind is how long is it going to take Sony to slash that $499 price in half. Oh, that's right, when this player is old news 'cause it doesn't have the updated and
soon to be mandatory Blu-ray specs.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gosha @ Jun 20th 2007 10:31AM
Their review says it has HDMI 1.3 and supports all newer codecs. I thought it didn't
Will Merydith @ Jun 20th 2007 11:32AM
"Apparently, the Java system a bit poky on the BDP-S300, the remote is lackluster and the unit is missing an Ethernet port but the superb picture is the redeeming quality - plus, it's only $499."
Ha! Are you kidding?
So let's see, for "only" $499 I get a player that has no hope of accessing the Internet? The format is about more than picture quality. This is like watching Bush vs Gore - the smart format is losing to the short sited one. It's maddening.
Tim @ Jun 20th 2007 11:33AM
I wouldn't be surprised if it was part of Sony's plan to release this so shortly before the spec change so they could release a new model with the required specs for the same price and then drop this one in price.
SAMe @ Jun 20th 2007 11:46AM
I want a wireless connection. Just like my PS3. The day a player comes out after 10/31 with better pq and a wireless connection, I'll dump the PS3.
Tim @ Jun 20th 2007 12:25PM
Does the size of the box bother anyone else but me?
TJ @ Jun 20th 2007 12:35PM
The player will still support BD-J through Firmware updates.
I'd take a cheaper player that doesn't do the BD-j bonus features anyway. I buy Blu-ray Discs for the movies, not for picture in picture features.
gosha @ Jun 20th 2007 12:38PM
"Sony Level II tech support were unable to tell the hdmi version and confirmed that the BD-PS300 only supports TrueHD and DTS-HD by sending the 5.1 core and does not decode it" Who needs that crap?
Jeff N. @ Jun 20th 2007 12:54PM
The Size of the Box doesn't bother me. It means it is well packed. I believe these players are actually made in Japan so I would want them to be packed in a large box for that long trip to the USA.
Rene @ Jun 20th 2007 1:13PM
Those Sony clowns have HUGE balls to be selling this thing for $500, knowing full well it is going to be obsolete right out of the box. This is one of the reasons why I'd love to see HD-DVD win, although I know it won't.
Andy @ Jun 20th 2007 5:41PM
This seems like a useless product. Just buy a PS3.
Region Free HD @ Jun 20th 2007 10:38PM
I thought this thing was only HDMI 1.1. That's what it says in the review anyway.
Also, no ethernet port, so no BD Live, a.k.a., Profile 2.0. Not exactly futureproof, is it? But then, the format isn't even finalized yet, so that's to be expected. Happy upgrading next year!
Jeff N. @ Jun 21st 2007 12:25PM
If it does a good job of playing movies in HD and it has 1.3 HDMI it not a bad player. That's all many consumers would want. It is 1/2 price from the first Sony Model. And I am sure they felt they needed a more competitive priced player out there till the new fall model is introduced. That new model won't be really be less expensive but have more features. And this model will stick around and be their low priced model.
John G @ Jun 27th 2007 6:09PM
I like this player, it has excellent picture quality, and I think the audio is much better than on my standard dvds. Maybe it could do more, but I just want to watch movies and it does this task very well.