Sony BDP-S380

[Davemcc]

I bought a Sony BDP-S380 player for my mom because it was inexpensive. While setting it up, I found that the menu system is much like the PS3 x-menu or whatever they call it. Also found out that it does SACD over HDMI and will connect to the internet to play content from certain sites like YouTube.

For $99 (less for you Americans), I also decided to get one for myself. How can you go wrong for that price? It's small, easy to use, net connected, front USB and replaces both my previous BD and SACD analog player. The SACD over HDMI feature alone removed a bundle of wires from the back of the system rack.

So far, so good but I have one question...choosing SACD via DSD is the proper way to go when using the Integra pre/pro, correct?

 

[j_garcia]

I'd try it both ways with DSD via HDMI and see if it works and how it sounds. If it sounds fine like that, leave it that way. $99 players do pack a lot of punch these days. I prefer Panasonic, but the Sony players are good too.

 

[GlocksRock]

I have a Sony BDP-S370 connected via a wireless bridge and it works really well. I love all the apps that is has, just wished the dlna streaming worked better, it's really slow on my unit, but maybe because I have a huge music library, but the video streaming quality on it is terrible, only for dlna streamed videos, not for netflix or blu ray/dvd playback, those look great.

 

[darien87]

Wow. Amazon's got it for $80! Too bad it doesn't have built in Wi-Fi. That and the fact that I hate Sony like Hitler.

 

[PENG]

So far, so good but I have one question...choosing SACD via DSD is the proper way to go when using the Integra pre/pro, correct?

It is correct. It may also be preferred assuming your pre/pro has better DAC than the one in the BDP.

 

[bikdav]

Thanks. I'll put the BDP-S380 one on my look at list.

 

[Davemcc]

I prefer Panasonic, but the Sony players are good too.

I've had the BD35 for quite a while now and my wife has always complained that there were certain discs that it wouldn't play or having it freeze up. I never used it much so I just ignored her but my guess is she doesn't like the Panny at all. I expect I will have a better grasp of everything this one will do after the holidays when I'll have more time to play with it.

 

[Adam]

I've had the BD35 for quite a while now and my wife has always complained that there were certain discs that it wouldn't play or having it freeze up.

If you haven't already, update the firmware. The latest update was released on October 17, 2011, and 9 out of the last 10 updates have been for blu-ray playability.

I have the BD60 and can't recall having playability issues, but I typically updated the firmware fairly quickly after it was released because I was eternally hopeful that they'd add Netflix. The last update was over a year ago, though, so I doubt it will ever happen.

 

[anamorphic96]

The wireless Sony BDP-S580 pops up for 109 to 119 on a regular basis.

I scored one for 109.00 off Amazon a couple weeks back.

 

[hizzaah]

I've had the BD35 for quite a while now and my wife has always complained that there were certain discs that it wouldn't play or having it freeze up. I never used it much so I just ignored her but my guess is she doesn't like the Panny at all. I expect I will have a better grasp of everything this one will do after the holidays when I'll have more time to play with it.

Did you get to see if the Sony was acting up?

I've got the Sony in my sig and sometimes I want to just throw it out the window.. It behaves 3/4 of the time, but that other 1/4 drives me nuts. It'll freeze, or start playing the movie and not output video, or i'll turn it on and next thing I know it's shutting itself off. It gets stuck flashing "good bye" on the display and the only way to get it to stop is by holding down the power button, or sometimes I have to unplug it.

Firmware is completely updated..

My dad bought himself a Sony blueray/5.1 system (the rears are wireless and he had them set up as the rears on a 7.1 system so he was missing 2 channels but I fixed it). It was freaking out, freezing an really slow when I started tinkering with it. He'd never updated the firmware so I did that.. It got a little better, but then I left and now he's convinced I broke it.. That's another story though

Decided to avoid Sony BR's and the plan is to give mine to my mom and buy myself another player.. Maybe once I start working I can splurge on an Oppo or something