Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I received the BDP-S300 for Christmas and my college aged son received a PS3. After a long time watching and researching, I had decided that I would go with a PS3 as my blu-ray player, so getting a standalone player was a bit of a surprise. I've now had plenty of time to compare the S300 and PS3 side by side (I have a 720p projector with no HDMI/DVI...only component, so all of my comments are based on using component cables on PS3 and on S300).
Out of the box, the S300 locked up on the first disk I played (Blu-ray Ratatouille), went through the impossibly esoteric update using CD (worked first time) and have had no lockup or strange issues since.
The startup time on the S300 is just plain silly. PS3 boots up faster and is ready to go quicker than S300. PS3 loads disks just like lightning and is ready to play movie right away. The issue here appears to be processor power and Java. Discs with Java just plain choke the S300. As an example, on "Surf's Up" Disc, the PS3 immediately shows a surfboard that progressively turns from blue to brown while disc "loads"...takes about 5 to 10 seconds and then the movie is ready to play. On s300 when you insert the disk, you get an S300 "loading" message for about 30 seconds, then the surfboard appears and changes from blue to brown, as on the PS3, then another delay, and then ready to play. Seems like discs are designed to play on a powerful java engine...shows a cute moving java icon, while movie loads in the background and then movie starts. Unfortunately, it takes forever on the S300 to "load" the cute moving icon and then the moving icon gets displayed in a "herky, jerky" fashion and then the movie loads. You don't realize how it is supposed to work until you see it on a PS3.
Disks with little or no Java load very quickly on the S300 and are ready to play. Java definitely seems to be the root of the long load times on the S300.
OK, so the S300 it terrible for turning on and then terrible again for loading if disc has Java content. How about movies? In my setup (720p over component), the S300 has absolutely stunning picture quality. The PS3 picture quality is stunning as well (both WAY better than any 720p broadcast) and the audio on both is exceptional, but somehow the picture always "seemed" a bit better on the S300. I'm almost positive this is a component output issue on the PS3, I've read tons of reviews and am convinced that using HDMI, you'd probably see no difference at all in video quality.
I have played many blu-rays on the S300 with no problem and continue to be amazed on the well transferred movies (yes there do seem to be some poorly transferred blu-ray movies)at just how good the picture is.
I only have a receiver that can decode DTS and Dobly Digital, so the lack of HDMI 1.3 and inability of both the PS3 and the S300 to either decode or put out the bitstream for TrueHD is not a big deal to me, but that's just me.
So, what's the bottom line for me? The PS3 heads back to school next week with my son and I'm going to keep my S300. I just like the simple user interface (yes I know I could get a $25 DVD remote for the PS3) and the idea that I won't have a bunch of new controllers (already have 4 XBOX360 controllers laying around in the theater) and a bunch of new games (wait, is this a PS3 game or a 360 game). I personally like the picture a hair better on the S300 in my particular setup (your setup will be different).
One final argument FOR the PS3 as a blu-ray player is that the PS3 has had some amazing funtional updates since it was introduced, it has both built-in ethernet and wifi and updates are simple and easy. The S300 will be gone (discontinued in 6 months) and who knows how long updates will be available. The PS3 will be around for at least a couple of years and updates come often. It's not an easy choice, but if I didn't already have a 360 I would definitely go with a PS3 over an S300. you get a ton more horsepower for the money. If you think you will EVER want to play a PS3 game, don't even think about it...get the PS3. If you want simple and familiar user interface the S300 might be for you.
Last thought, since I don't have HDMI, I can't receive the benefit of upconverting, Blu-rays are sent out on component at 720p, but standard DVDs are limited (by movie studio copy protection) to 480p over component. I've read that on both S300 and PS3, non-copy protected movies would be output at 720p or 1080i over component
Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony BDP-S300/SM Blu-ray Disc Player Spiderman 3 Limited Edition
See and hear a whole new world in high definition with Sony’s BDP-S300 Spiderman 3 Limited Edition. The crystalline clarity of 1080p Blu-ray Disc™ movies and DVD upscaling that can bring your DVDs to the highest possible quality, mean your favorite movies have never looked or sounded so good. Add to that Sony’s 24p True Cinema and Cinema Tuned picture presets, which allow you to see any movie just the way its director intended, and all you’ll need is a little popcorn to lose yourself in an HD world. Better yet, now Sony’s BRAVIA Theater Sync means that now you can control your compatible TV and AV systems all from one remote.
0 comments:
Post a Comment