Sony BDP-S1 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
Sony BDP-S1 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player
Here’s the perfect partner to HDTV and home-theater. Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a next-generation optical disc format. The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. This extra capacity combined with the use of advanced video and audio codecs will offer an unprecedented HD experience. The BD player is designed to deliver 1920 x 1080p output, the highest HD signal output currently available through an HDMI connection. The player supports various high quality video codecs, including MPEG2, MPEG4-AVC and VC1. Analog component output for 1080i has been included so people who own HD-capable televisions without HDMI can enjoy the Blu-ray Disc experience. The new BDP-S1 model is compatible with standard DVDs with the added feature of 1080p upscaling through HDMI, which gives new life to existing DVDs libraries. Enhancing the BD entertainment experience further, BD-Java interactivity has been incorporated, allowing for the design of advanced interactive features. The BDP-S1 player offers uncompressed multi-channel linear PCM digital audio output via HDMI, delivering optimum surround sound to an HDMI- equipped receiver. The player also has optical digital audio out and 5.1 channel decoding capability for backward compatibility with existing receivers. In addition, the unit has a separate audio circuit board, finely tuned audio components, rigid beam chassis construction, drive brackets and off center insulator feet. This robust BD-ROM/R/RE player supports DVD playback from DVD/DVD+R/+RW encoded discs, as well as MP3 audio files and JPEG images stored on DVD+R/+RW discs. Pre-recorded BD are expected to be released in June 2006. Sony Computer EnteThe new BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc home player from Sony offers a host of new high-definition entertainment possibilities. The BDP-S1 features 1920 x 1080p output, the highest HD signal output currently available through a HDMI connection. If your HD-capable television does not have an HDMI connection, you can still get the Blu-ray experience - the 1080i analog output allows for HD-capable televisions without HDMI to enjoy Blu-ray Disc features.
The BDP-S1 is also compatible with standard DVDs with the added feature of 1080p upscaling through HDMI, which gives new life to existing DVDs libraries3. BD-Java interactivity will further enhance the BD entertainment experience, allowing for development of advanced interactive features. Its sophisticated design, with blue glass front, will compliment any decor. Bring your home entertainment experience to a new level with the BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc home player.
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Complete Feature List
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Blu-ray’sHD resolution offers a vastly better picture than SD resolution availabel from regular DVD |
More About Blu-ray
The format provides five times larger capacity than today’s DVDs, with unprecedented storage capacity of 25 GB (single-layer) and 50 GB (dual-layer). Blu-ray Disc players will be fully backward compatible with current DVD formats, delivering entertainment content in full high-definition (HD) quality, under a secure environment made possible through the most advanced copyright protection technology.
Blu-ray Disc provides picture quality beyond anything available, with full capability 1080p/24 resolution in Blu-ray and Up to 40Mbps bit encoding - 5X current DVD. The theater quality “uncompressed” audio supports 8 channels of Liner PCM, Up to 32 streams of audio, interactive capability, seamless menus, integrated games, hi-def bonus and educational features. Java will allow for more dynamic, more sophisticated interactivity.
Expand your workd with Sony products using Blu-ray Disc technology. It;s the heart of an outstanding line of Sony products with Blu-ray Disc technology that extends beyond the boundaries of high-definition and opens the new vistas for creativity, enjoyment, and interaction.
Discover unsurpassed picture quality and uncompressed audio on supporting media that goes beyond any other format you’ve seen. Immerse yourself in the unrivaled detail that lets you experiencemore in every movie, every game.
Movies
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| Find a huge selection of great movies available now on Blu-ray Disc |
The best names in entertainment suppor Blu-ray Disc technology. Seven of Hollywood’s major studios — with 90% of home entertainment sales — ensure the most extensive library of high definition titles, with hits from SOny pictures, Walt Disney, MGM, 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Paramount, and Lions Gate. You’ll find more titles coming every month.
Blu-ray Disc was created to match the accelerating growth in digital consumer electronics and computer technology. The platform supports the convergence of film, music, gaming and other computer entertainment in a single standard. Sony Computer Entertainment’s adoption of Blu-ray Disc ROM technology in the next-generation PlayStation 3 system was announced at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo.
Capacity Without Compromise
Everything that DVD can do, Blu-ray Disc does and more. Blue laser technology enables up to 50 GB of storage — five times the capacity of DVD. That’s room for nine hours of HD. Or 23 hours of SD. Or tens of thousands of songs. Unbelievable data storage.
Versatiltiy Beyond the Ordinary
From movies to music to games to PC software and file backup, Blu-ray Disc is your solution! The system embraces pre-recorded titles (BD-ROM), discs that you can record yourself (BD-R) and discs you can re-record over and over again (BD-RE). So we can anticipate not only BD players for your living room, but also BD recorders, BD-based game consoles, BD drives for your personal computer and even BD camcorders using compact 8 cm (3″) discs!
User Ratings and Reviews
1 Stars Pioneer, Sony, Samsung, etc. - Blu-Ray is awful
I’ve had the Pioneer Elite, a Samsung, and now a Sony BDP-S1 and I truly feel ripped off. They all take–no exaggeration–between 5 and 10 minutes to load, they’re fussy, they freeze. When the disks are running, OK, they look good, but the bugs are endless. I’ve yet to speak to anyone who doesn’t dislike his Blu-Ray player. I truly hate this technology.
5 Stars They will not make them like this again
Pictures do not do it justice.You will have to see Sony’s BDP-S1 in the flesh to appreciate the fit and finish.Unfortunately when the market catches on, Blu Ray players will weigh about the same as an average laptop and feel flimsy.Just compare Toshiba’s current Hd dvd players to their earlier models(HD-XA1 /HD-XA2)and you’ll understand.In the meantime give yourself a treat;get one these before it’s too late.And did I mention that the picture quality is excellent?
1 Stars Get a new player with hdmi 1.3
This thing is a piece of junk. Get a PS3. You can then wirelessly upgrade firmware. PS3 is still the best and cheapest Blu-ray player out.
2 Stars Not ready for prime time
Player has too many problems even after loading in the update discs. Things like: very slow startup, scan speed 1 usually works but forget 2 and 3, will just go into pause mode for no reason and you can’t get it out without rebooting, etc. Very irritating machine, especially since it is relatively expensive.
3 Stars SunnyBoy
Sony’s BDP-S1 Bluray player’s built quality is like other flagship products (in the ES series) they built: SCD-1, DVP-S7000, DVP-S7700, DVP-S9000 etc. (Sony tends to build their first generation machines with every tools they have, but…)
After V3.7 firmware update, I would like to report the following (seen on my LG 32LC2D LCD TV set at 720p):
1. booting procedure is a little faster: about 50 seconds (not the first time booting).
2. disk loading takes about 20 seconds.
3. the machine responds to the remote control much faster: “almost” instantaneous, with at most 1 second of latency.
4. no glitches on most regular DVD playback I have tried so far (>100), and the up-conversion picture quality is as good as PS3, in certain area, it even surpasses that of PS3.
5. it still does not support CD playback! It cannot play SACD is quite strange to me, since its audio DAC (BB/TI PCM1738E, after that 2 dual OPs amps for using as L/R channel current output low-pass fileter and I/V conversion, plus another dual OP used as the second stage stage of LPF, with 3 PCM1738E in this configuration to handle 5.1 audio outputs) is capable of both DSD and PCM decoding. With the design out the output stage, it is very easy to modify the analog output signal to be fully balanced one. However, with PCM recorded red book CD, why BDP-S1 cannot decode? I am not sure whether this “problem” is due to the hardware limitation (first generation BD ROM drive does not read CD pixels), or Sony disabled CD playback in its firmware. Please SONY: enable red book CD playback, if it is disabled in the firmware!
Lots of people are debating whether they should get the new BDP-S300/350, BDP-S500/550 or the first generation BDP-S1 or even PS3. The decision depends on what you really want/afford to buy. All-in-one player: PS3 period. For people hunting for a dedicated bluray/DVD up-converting player: S3000/3500, S5000/5500 with warranty or you can buy S1 at really low price off e-bay (with/without warranty). Audiophiles need to keep away from BDP-S1! If you really want the top-of-the-line Sony Bluray player, get BDP-S2000ES (MSRP $1200). From technical side, BB/TI already discontinue the PCM1738 and the suggested replacement is its top-of-the-line PCM1796. Probably that audio DAC will be in BDP-S2000ES. Usually, not too many machine under 3K are using BB/TI PCM179X series DAC chips, stay tuned!
(Video equipments using: Sony BDP-S1, Sony PS3, Toshiba HD-A30, XtremeMac 4-1 HDMI switch, XtremeMac HDMI cables, LG 32LC2D LCD TV.)
Filed under: Blu Ray Player Reviews