Customer Reviews:
 Fantastic picture, firmware and BD-Live not so much November 14, 2008
5 out of 8 found this review helpful
Just got this yesterday and set up last night. Be aware that if you are not setting this up with a wired internet connection, you'll have some extra work.
- The firmware upgrade on the unit I received was required. Without a wired internet connection next to the unit with the TV monitor for the on screen menus, you will need to create a firmware update CD from the sony support site and then load the update via disk. Didn't take much effort, but could be challenging if you are not comfortable burning CD's, navigating software support sites, etc.
- This unit lacks a wireless network adapter - why, I have not idea. Does Sony think that every house has a wired internet connection every place you might want to plug in a DVD player? Wii ships with a built in adapter. So if you want BD-live content or to do firmware updates over the internet and don't have a wired connection at your TV, you need to purchase either generic wireless bridge or a wireless game adapter - each about $100. Very dissapointing. I waited for this generation of Blu Ray specifically for the internet connectivity, and they left off a pretty basic and inexpensive feature to enable it.
- BD-Live content requires flash memory, which you need to purhcase and plug in to the back. I wasn't expecting that either. I had a USB jump drive that worked, but rather than have the USB flush to the back of the panel as you would see on a laptop, it is set back about 1/4", meaning some types of USB drives won't fit. Sony makes one that seesm to be specifically designed for this spot. The user manual even gives you the part number to buy.
All in all, the picture is beautiful and I probably could use this without the firmware update and the internet connectivity and never notice a difference. Stumbling across all these little gotcha's on the setup is frustrating. If you put together everything that you need to really get this set up (without a wired internet connection), you've got the Wireless Bridge (~$85), USB memory (~$25), and of course the HDMI cable that is not includes (~$25 for a cheap one). All of which, given BluRay's selling points, should be in the box. Price this thing appropriatley and give me the stuff I need in the box - it makes for a very annoying experience.
 Very satisfied HD-DVD convert November 13, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I made the mistake of going with HD-DVD last year and had been holding out for a reasonably priced blu-ray player. The BDP S350 has exceeded my expectations. The picture and sound are fantastic when hooked up by HDMI through my Sony STR dg910 receiver. The start up time is very fast when the quick start option is selected during set-up. I upgraded the firmware after downloading the update from the sony website and burning to a CD. The setup and upgrade process went smoothly and took less than an hour to get everything optimized. As with previous reviewers I recommend reading the manual thouroughly because there are a lot of features and settings that can be optimized. If you're still holding out for the perfect blu-ray player, stop waiting and buy this one!
Stunning Clarity November 13, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Really smooth set up but you do have to be patient and READ the manual to get it squared away. This is due to the enormous number of options allowing it to be configured for most any TV/AMP/Home Theater. I have this player connected to a Vizio 42" HD LCD 1080i. Using standard DVDs there is a significant improvement over the one year old Panasonic player this Sony replaces. Using an HDMI connection, both units "up convert" standard DVDs to improve the picture quality on an HD screen but he Sony is much, MUCH better at it. The resulting image approaches HD quality. I can detect no sound difference but then again, I'm allowing my Sony digital receiver to handle the sound decoding rather than the player. The picture quality when playing a Blu-Ray DVD is truly exceptional. It is impeccably clear, bright and detailed to the point of appearing almost three dimensional at times. No pixilation, fade out or blurring. I have heard and read of complaints over earlier HD and Blu-Ray players having impossibly slow start up and shut down times. Not so with the BDP-S350. It is equal in speed to my Panasonic standard player. The price is right, the functions are all there and the play back is exceptional. I would strongly recommend this unit just for what it can do with existing DVDs. It's that good at the up-conversion. Add in that the BDP-S350 takes it up two or three full notches with a Blu-Ray Disc and this becomes a true "gotta have" for any movie fan. Did I remember to mention the outstanding up convert capabilities this has?
 Great piece of hardware November 13, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I have had this player for a couple months now, and love it. The value of the features for the price was the best I could find when I bought it. And believe me, I've been researching this out for a couple years.
It does a super job playing back my BluRay's. Even my wife, who was a little skeptical that it would be any different than DVD, couldn't believe the picture when we put a movie in. Especially some of the PIXAR animated movies. They just pop! DVD's on a large screen have always left me wanting, but even they look better now. I've always been leary of the DVD "upscaling" promise, but I could definitely tell a difference and was impressed with it's ability there too. Playing DVD's on this the Sony is MUCH closer to the picture quality of BluRay's that it was on our old DVD player.
The only reason I gave this 4 stars instead of 5, is that it doesn't have an easier way to connect to the internet. Instead of having a USB port option, it's only option is a CAT5 Ethernet port. That means for me, I've got to buy a wireless bridge, since I don't have a hard-wired internet option close by. Running a long cable or dropping something through the wall isn't an option. So to get the benefit of the BD Live options, I'm forced to spend another $75 for a bridge. I haven't connected it up to the internet yet, so I can say how well the BD Live features work.
Bottom line, even with the hassle of the internet, I would still buy it again.
great unit - great cost! November 13, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
i've been using the ps3 as my blu-ray source since february, and the price of the bdp-s350 was too good to pass up. the ps3 is a great performer, and sony has finally matched it with the stand-alone bdp-s350 and bdp-s550. my decision to purchase the 350 was due to the unit's ability to decode/transmit truehd and dts-hd audio - ps3 only outputs dolby digital and standard dts. my klipsch setup has never sounded better.
great purchase, great upconversion, etc. i'd expect to see solid sales of this unit over the holidays.
|
