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#1 ·
SONY'S NEW BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER AND HOME THEATER SYSTEMS GO WIRELESS


New Line Includes Wi-Fi Enabled Player and S-AIR Wireless Theater Systems


LAS VEGAS, March 2, 2009 - Sony is adding four new Blu-ray Disc devices to its lineup today, including a stand-alone player with Wi-Fi® capability for easy BD-Live access and Blu-ray Disc home theater systems with S-AIR wireless audio.

The BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 stand-alone players and BDV-E300 and BDV-E500W BD home theater systems deliver full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema output, decode the latest advanced audio codecs, and are BD-Live capable with your broadband internet connection and purchase of external memory.

"The demands of today's home theater go beyond pristine picture quality and our new Blu-ray Disc product line offers a breadth of technologies that deliver an amazing entertainment experience," said Chris Fawcett, vice president of marketing for Sony Electronics' Home Product Division. "Consumers don't want a living room cluttered with wires and the new Blu-ray Disc product lineup breaks down the wired barriers of the past."

Offering built-in Wi-Fi wireless network capabilities (802.11N/G/B/A), the BDP-S560 can easily connect to the Internet through your existing wireless home network to download and stream BD-Live content including additional scenes, short subjects, trailers, interactive games, and more. It also enables easy firmware updates to assist in keeping your player up-to-date with the latest Blu-ray Disc media and features.

While compatible with most wireless routers, the BDP-S560 also supports Wi-Fi Protected Setup, for a quick and easy connection to enabled wireless routers. Additionally, the player is Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA®) ready, allowing it to connect to other DLNA compliant devices to share digital photos.

Since many consumers own extensive DVD movie libraries, the BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 incorporate Sony's Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology that converts standard-definition signals (480i) to near HD quality.

Additionally, the models add Sony's Precision Drive technology?, which helps to detect and correct wobbling discs from three directions, supporting stabilization of the playback of bent or scratched Blu-ray Discs and DVDs.

The BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 models support 7.1 channel Dolby® TrueHD and Dolby® Digital Plus, DTS®-HD High Resolution Audio, and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding as well as bit-stream output via HDMI.

Both players support Deep Color video output and AVCHD discs encoded with x.v.Color (xvYCC) technology. They also feature compatibility with an array of video formats, including BD-R/RE (BDMV and BDAV modes), DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW, CD, CD-R/RW (CD-DA format), and JPEG on BD/DVD/CD recordable media.

The models also offer an external port for local storage so users can add their USB flash storage device. The BDP-S560 features a front USB port for viewing photos from your USB flash memory device or directly from a digital camera.

Shipping this summer, the BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 will retail for about $300 and $350, respectively.

Styled to match the BDP-S360 and BDP-S560 with a black gloss exterior design, the HT-SS360 component home theater system is an integrated A/V receiver supporting full HD 1080p video and high resolution audio. Added to either of the new players, the theater system completes the package with 5.1 surround sound for a true cinematic experience.

The model will be available this May for about $350.


BLU-RAY HOME THEATER SYSTEMS

Sony also launched two new 5.1 channel Blu-ray Disc home theater systems, the BDV-E300 and BDV-E500W. The models are BD-Live capable and support the latest advanced audio codecs including 7.1 channel Dolby® TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus, DTS®-HD High Resolution Audio, and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding as well as bit-stream.

The BDV-E500W features integrated S-AIR wireless audio capabilities. Sony's S-AIR technology transmits audio up to 164 feet from the main system to wireless rear speakers for simple surround sound (signal and sound quality may vary) or up to 10 individual S-AIR AirStation audio devices (sold separately) throughout the home. The BDV-E300 model is S-AIR ready so users can add optional modules, also sold separately.

Both systems include Sony's Digital Media Port, which adds control and connectivity options for music playback through various accessories, including a cradle for iPod® players which is packaged with each system, or an optional Network Walkman cradle, a PC client device, and a Bluetooth® adapter (each sold separately).

The models include an easy set-up DVD, eliminating any confusion during the set up process. Also, Sony's BRAVIA® Sync technology simplifies every day operation with one-button command of compatible home theater components through HDMI.

The models also feature Sony's Xross Media Bar (XMB) graphic user interface for easy menu navigation, Precision Drive technology, Precision Cinema Upscaling technology, and a USB port allowing users to add their external flash memory for BD-Live features. The units ship with an easy set-up DVD for step-by-step instruction on initial set up process.

The BDV-E300 and BDV-E500W ship in June for about $600 and $800, respectively.

All of the new models will be offered at Sony Style stores, online at www.sonystyle.com , at military base exchanges, and at authorized retailers nationwide.


 
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#352 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeewing /forum/post/16899230


Yeah, I've got the Harmony One, which does everything I want. I just don't understand how a simple eject button is not included in a remote control. I don't recall ever seeing a player without one.

+1. The Harmony One is absolutely amazing.


I also can't understand why they didn't include an eject button. My old Sony VCR even has an eject button on the remote. While it isn't that big of a deal (you need to get up anyway), you have to wonder what they were thinking.


Despite the remote, I have been pleased with my S360.
 
#353 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by OlderNDirt /forum/post/16902542


Hi all:


I read through this thread looking for information, but found little for my specific situation, so:


I am new to the BluRay scene and have a couple quick questions. I recently purchased a Sony KDL-40V5100 for my secondary theater and decided to add a BR player to get full use of it. I was given the choice between a S360 and S550 at the same price. The Sales rep said he would advise taking the

S550 even though it is an older model, so I took his advice since I have the option to return it within 30 days for the S360 if I change my mind. Any advice from the more knowledgeable as to which is the better choice?


I am also curious just what the memory card provides. I have only purchased one BR movie (The Hunt For Red October) until I can see if this is an expenditure I am ready to undertake at this time (from what little I have seen so far, I will keep the S550 or get the S360). Under the data folder, it shows a folder for the movie, but I haven't seen yet just what that adds to the movie or disk options. Or did I just select an older movie that does not provide a lot of features of BR disks?


TIA for any suggestions/information as I move into the next level of home theater entertainment. Amazing how far we have come since I was a lad!

The only benefit you'd get out of the S550 is the analog outputs (used in cases where you have a receiver that does not accept HDMI connections). If that doesn't apply to you, then it's a toss up, though I would personally probably choose the S360 since it is a newer model.


The external memory is for BD live which is a set of bonus features. I have the memory, but I've honestly never done anything with BD live because I hear that there really isn't anything particularly interesting on BD live at this point.
 
#356 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by dk21 /forum/post/16902688


The only benefit you'd get out of the S550 is the analog outputs (used in cases where you have a receiver that does not accept HDMI connections). If that doesn't apply to you, then it's a toss up, though I would personally probably choose the S360 since it is a newer model.


The external memory is for BD live which is a set of bonus features. I have the memory, but I've honestly never done anything with BD live because I hear that there really isn't anything particularly interesting on BD live at this point.

You also get 1Gb usb memory and a better, lighted remote. Also a better performing player (IMHO). I'd get the 550.
 
#357 ·
I just got the S360 in exchanged from my Panny BD60 and I also bought a Sony sound bar. This is the 1st time I ever bought a sound system and I noticed that you have to connect the TV to the AMP via HDMI and then connect the Amp to the BD player via HDMI as well. So my point is the player is not connected directly to the TV. In theory, doesn't that degrade somewhat from the PQ of the player since it's not connected directly to the TV?


Thanks
 
#359 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cortiz /forum/post/16912502


I just got the S360 in exchanged from my Panny BD60 and I also bought a Sony sound bar. This is the 1st time I ever bought a sound system and I noticed that you have to connect the TV to the AMP via HDMI and then connect the Amp to the BD player via HDMI as well. So my point is the player is not connected directly to the TV. In theory, doesn't that degrade somewhat from the PQ of the player since it's not connected directly to the TV?


Thanks

Was the sound bar the HTCT-100? I've got that one with a Sony BDP-S350 player setup in the master bedroom via HDMI to a 32 inch Samsung with no degradation whatsoever, just awesome PQ and awesome sound (IMHO).
 
#360 ·
The Watchmen menu transitions (slide-ins) look terrible on the BDP-S360. Plays the movie and special 'with the director' version perfectly though.
 
#368 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Real /forum/post/16893200


With Harmony remote, just include the S360 in your setup (has the "eject" IR). Then use a learning remote laying around the house to transfer to S560 field. I have asked Logitech by e-mail (Sunday) to include the S360 code in the S560 setup. Ergonomically better to have the eject button on the remote. Toss the remote that comes with the S560.

I am also using the Harmony One remote for the 560, but after messing around with it for a while, just found it easier to delete the 560 from the remote profile and load the 360 for the eject option. Is there any known drawback to this approach?
 
#369 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by MMann357 /forum/post/16918624


I am also using the Harmony One remote for the 560, but after messing around with it for a while, just found it easier to delete the 560 from the remote profile and load the 360 for the eject option. Is there any known drawback to this approach?

I have not tried it, but if all of the buttons are the same (have the same codes) I do not see why that would not work. Logitech did get back to me indicating that they added the eject code to the S560. The e-mail seemed to suggest that they just did this on my account. They should do this globally.
 
#376 ·
Does the 360 has a filmmode option? The 350 doesn't have it, it's a simple flag reader. The models from Panasonic or Pioneer provide this function.
 
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