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More…Sony's BDP-S1 ($1000 as of 2/20/07) excelled on our performance tests. It scored in the top two for image detail, color quality, and brightness and contrast across both our high-definition and our standard-definition tests. In scenes from the Blu-ray Disc version of the movie Rumor Has It, our test jury could virtually count the hairs in the stubble on Kevin Costner's face. The high-definition advantage was also evident in the background's depth and detail--in chapter 3 of The Phantom of the Opera, for example, when we were looking at the background of the stage; and in chapter 10 of Rumor, where we could see the depth in the crowd. In Mission: Impossible III, when the camera pulled back in the Vatican, hallways and staircases looked three-dimensional, and the cobblestones in front of the Vatican rendered clearly. Shadow detail in the black-and-white Good Night and Good Luck was so sharp, we could see the costume details on background characters who were located in the shadows.
Sony BDP-S1
| Overall design | Fair |
| On-screen menus | Very Good |
| Ease of Use | Fair |
| Responsiveness | Poor |
| Remote control | Fair |
| Other features | Poor |
| Documentation | Very Good |
| Color quality | Very Good: 88 |
| Detail | Very Good: 85 |
| Brightness and contrast | Very Good: 86 |
| DVD-Video image quality | Very Good: 84 |
| Overall performance | Very Good: 86 |
| Specifications | Good |
| Maximum component-video-output resolution | 1080i |
| 24p output support | Yes |
| HDMI output | yes |
| HDMI version | 1.2 |
| Maximum HDMI-output resolution | 1080p |
| Ethernet connection (for Internet connectivity) | No |
| Ethernet connection (for streaming content across home network) | No |
| DLNA compliance | No |
| USB 2.0 ports | No |
| USB port function | Not applicable |
| Component-video Output | Yes |
| S-Video output | Yes |
| Composite -video output | Yes |
| Two-channel analog audio output | Yes |
| Coaxial digital output | Yes |
| Optical digital output | Yes |
| Maximum audio output over HDMI | 7.1-channel PCM |
| Best audio output over S/PDIF | 5.1-channel PCM |
| Bitstream output to audio/video receiver | Yes |
| DVD-Video upconversion | 1080p |
| Plays audio CDs | No |
| Supported DVD disc formats | DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW |
| Plays MP3 DVDs | Yes |
| Plays MP3 CDs | No |
| Support for two simultaneous video streams (for on-demand picture-in-picture) | Yes |
| Supported multimedia formats | MPEG-1, MP3, JPEG, AVCHD, MPEG-4 |
| Storage | Not applicable |
| Firmware updates delivered via? | Disc mailing/Web download |
| Disc bookmarks | No |
| Media slots | None |
| Warranty | One year parts/one year labor |
| Weekday support hours | 9 |
| Saturday support hours | 9 |
| Sunday support hours | 0 |
| Toll-free support number | Yes |
Pros
Amazing picture and sound quality
Cons
Poor on-unit button design
Poky response time
Sony BDP-S1 Blu-Ray Disc Player
BDP-S1 Review, by Lincoln Spector March 23, 2007
Also, the BDP-S1 also produced the best audio in our tests: Its output was clear, crisp, and natural sounding. In addition to our formal tests, I performed some informal tests using The Last Waltz. This concert film's sound track blew me away when piped through our test setup (Pioneer's Elite VSX-82TXS audio/video receiver and NHT's Classic series 5.1-channel surround-sound system).
The BDP-S1, unfortunately, was sluggish and cumbersome to use compared with the other players we tested for our High-Def Video Superguide. It tied with the Pioneer model for last place in our responsiveness tests. Getting from startup to the point where the player is ready to do anything takes more than a minute.
For all the similarities between the Sony and the Pioneer, the two units have significant differences. Sony's player lacks the Pioneer's ethernet port and its digital media adapter (which together add enable the Pioneer to stream media across your home network).
The Sony also lacks a user-friendly design. The power and eject buttons are thin, metallic slivers that are difficult to press. These buttons sit at the very top of the front panel, with labels placed above the buttons, on the top of the unit; this poor positioning makes the buttons even harder to find, identify, and press if you have another component on top. When you do press a button, you get no tactile feedback, so you can't be sure you've actually made contact; the unit's slow response time compounds this problem. The remote control's design isn't much better. I found the remote cluttered, with too many buttons that are too alike in size and shape. Design gripes aside, though, the Sony BDP-S1 player excels at playing Blu-ray discs. For this player's above-average price, you get tremendous image quality. And the clarity of its sound should impress audiophiles and casual listeners alike.
Lincoln Spector
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Review Now! Already own it? Tell us What You Think
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Reviewed by: joanr
Strengths: Sleek and slim and modern lookingEasy to use and connect
Weaknesses: Haven't found too many yet!
Overall: We purchased this to go with the Sony Bravia 1080 tv.We are very satisfied with both items. Response time in start up of DVD's is a little slower than regular DVD players.
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Reviewed by: jsev22
Strengths: HD quality DVD....finally!
Weaknesses: Expensive!Changed IR code set from nearly every other Sony DVD.HDMI did not want to work with some tv's.Large footprint.
Overall: Waited a long time after the supposed release date to get one of these DVD players. Picture is phenomenal, even on a non-1080P HD set. Couldn't get it to display 1080P on a Fujitsu monitor I have, had to switch to a component connection. In it's final resting place (my big Sony LCD) it connected with no fanfare. I had to reconfigure other items as the footprint on this player was much larger than the one it replaced. I have a Universal MX-350 remote that was already set for a Sony DVD player and thought it was going to be almost a direct setup for this player. I quickly found out that BD has it's own unique codeset and I had to do some searching for discreet on and off commands for it. Can't wait for the price to drop 75% so I can buy for other TVs in the house!
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Reviewed by: philProudfoot
Strengths: When paired with a 1080p LCD flat panel the results are breathtaking.
Weaknesses: Slow response time of the unit is the only weakness I see, and easily overlooked for the quality of sound and picture.
Overall: The blu ray format, in my opinion, is the right choice for high definition disks. Shop for this using web price finding sites and you'll save at least $200 off the list price. You will not be disappointed with this purchase.
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Reviewed by: wjarcher
Strengths: great picture quality, nice outlook, easy setup
Weaknesses: pricey, but you get what you pay for
Overall: This is one of the best bluray players in the market, especially considering sony is trying to push up the bluray format. The quality of the picture is awesome. I connected it to my 720p lcd hdtv, and I watched the fifty element disc which came with the player 3 times right after I set it up. I am sure the video quality will be even better if you have 1080p hdtv.The only weakness I can say about this player is the price, much more expensive than samsung player (or other hd-dvd players). But i still believe you get what you pay for and the player has a shiny outlook and the best video/audio quality compared with others.
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Reviewed by: Mikkelosh
Strengths: Awesome Video and Audio. Silent operation. Sleek and solid design. Extremely easy setup. Made by Sony (creators of Blu-Ray). Upconverts regular DVD's.
Weaknesses: Price - but lowering slowly. Can't play music CD's. Remote not illuminated.
Overall: One beautiful machine! Sleek, solid, and stylish design add to the decor of the room. Stunning audio and video resolution when used with Component or HDMI cables. Users will want to eschew the video cable provided with the BDP-S1 as the HD capabilities of this awesome machine will be lost by the non-HD picture that will result by using the standard video cable provided. My TV is 3 years old and doesn't have HDMI, but I purchased an HDMI-to-DVI cable and the resulting 1080i picture is stunning! The BDP-S1 has the ability to output in true 1080P if your TV can display that resolution. The audio output is equally stunning and together with the HD Video verifies that this was money well spent! The Easy Setup Menu is very user-friendly and will ensure that most everyone will be able to begin appreciating this home cinema wonder!
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