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Sony BDP-S380

post #1 of 186
2/18/11 at 5:30pm
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Just got my BDP-S380 as a byproduct of watching Wheel of Fortune, registering SPHE BD's, etc. The price was right for an extra blu-ray hooked to my second monitor for my desktop Mac.

A couple of things I have found out:

1) You will need to have flash RAM connected to do BD-Live. I did not know this till I tried it with a disc and it said I did not have enough storage. I had never heard of this and assumed that this was a malfunction, nope, a design feature. Luckily I had a spare thumb drive that I had to reformat to FAT32 and install in the USB in the back of the unit. Seems to work fine now.

2) The unit is the bottom of the line, it is tiny and very light. They had to cut costs somewhere...

3) For wireless connectivity you will need to buy the SONY wireless USB since they have programmed 3rd party solutions not to work. Bastids. I am not worried about this since I have it connected via wired ethernet (100Mbps, giga is not part of the feature set).

4) There was an initial firmware update that I applied, currently, as of 18Feb11 it is version M06.R.0179

5) At first thinking that the "free" iPhone/Pad remote program required wireless I was not happy. However it does work with a wired player and of course a wireless iPad. I got an already registered error when I tried to also register my iPhone as a remote, probably by design that you can only have one remote at a time. It is not a native iPad app so it looks like crap at 2x, again it is "free" so I can't complain too much. However there are annoying ads in the app. It would be nice for Sony to add an Ipad version to use all that fine screen that is available.

The Disc Info feature is pretty cool, you can pick the searching source for your film from youtube, wikipedia, or twitter (?). I am using wikipedia and it gives a full wikipedia response, nice.

6) I counted 33 (as of today...) video content providers, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Wired, Dr. Oz, etc., etc.

Netflix seems bareboned but works after you register the device with your existing Netflix account. I tired Wired and that is interesting too. All this works with the iPad remote of course as well.

7) Music: I haven't explored this other than to link my Pandora account up and make sure it works. It does, not sure about the quality though...

Again for the price, and all the extras, so far, very respectable...
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post #2 of 186
2/19/11 at 8:01am
Thank you for posting your impressions. I have been waiting for someone to buy and try any of the new x80 series BDPs from Sony.

Could you tell me if the 380 is plagued by the same high-pitch whirl when playing certain blu-ray discs (it only whines during blu-rays, and not CDs or 480i DVDs) that the the x70 series is? Many of us had this problem. I had to return my 570 because the high pitch was just too much to handle during quit movies.

Thanks much.
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post #3 of 186
2/19/11 at 10:50am
Do the new Sony's have Vudo streaming? Sony Style doesn't show it does.
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post #4 of 186
2/19/11 at 11:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hodgjy View Post

Thank you for posting your impressions. I have been waiting for someone to buy and try any of the new x80 series BDPs from Sony.

Could you tell me if the 380 is plagued by the same high-pitch whirl when playing certain blu-ray discs (it only whines during blu-rays, and not CDs or 480i DVDs) that the the x70 series is? Many of us had this problem. I had to return my 570 because the high pitch was just too much to handle during quit movies.

Thanks much.

Hmmm, this is a really tiny unit, 7.8 x 17 x 1.4 inches ; 1.2 pounds. I do have it in a fairly noisy setting next to some hard drives. However I have not noticed any excessive whirling noise trying out several blu-rays that I have. It actually seems quieter than my PS3's.

I did just check amazon and the 380, 480, and 580 all have the same 7.8 x 17 x 1.4 inches ; 1.2 pounds listing. Maybe they share the same enclosure?
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post #5 of 186
2/19/11 at 11:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mylan View Post

Do the new Sony's have Vudo streaming? Sony Style doesn't show it does.

This one does Vudu, and lists Vudu client 3.0.0 (rev 69218), UI Version 2.0.70456, Embedder Version: SystemDriverArm11mtk BD 1.0 .

I am having trouble trying to get it to give me a free 2 minute "HDX" preview.

Vudu says HDX is 1080P quality and they give you a net testing screen to see if your connection can handle this speed. I was somewhere above 7Mbps. Their meter lists about above 4.5 Mbps as the lower HDX limit.

It is very interesting to see how easy the 1080P requirements bend depending on the device/manufacturer/service. The BD of Machete I was just trying out had many scenes at 38 Mbps and when I watch broadcast TV HD it is never below 12ish Mbps and looks better at 15-16Mbps. YMMV.
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post #6 of 186
2/19/11 at 12:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bbbobbb View Post

This one does Vudu, and lists Vudu client 3.0.0 (rev 69218), UI Version 2.0.70456, Embedder Version: SystemDriverArm11mtk BD 1.0 .

I am having trouble trying to get it to give me a free 2 minute "HDX" preview.

Vudu says HDX is 1080P quality and they give you a net testing screen to see if your connection can handle this speed. I was somewhere above 7Mbps. Their meter lists about above 4.5 Mbps as the lower HDX limit.

It is very interesting to see how easy the 1080P requirements bend depending on the device/manufacturer/service. The BD of Machete I was just trying out had many scenes at 38 Mbps and when I watch broadcast TV HD it is never below 12ish Mbps and looks better at 15-16Mbps. YMMV.

Thanks, I have an older S350 I want to move upstairs because my LG tv or my Tivo Premeire will stream Netflix, Vudo, etc. up there but I have no way of streaming in the main theater and I wanted to stay with Sony because the 350 has been trouble free but wanted Vudo because it seems to be the best quality streaming service currently.
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post #7 of 186
2/19/11 at 12:25pm
Thread Starter 
First odd glitch, In the Network part of the menu, not the network settings but Network like extended warranty purchases (?), there is a Facebook icon.

Clicking the Facebook icon causes Vudu to load as if you have navigated over to the Video selections and selected Vudu. This is a bug...
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post #8 of 186
2/19/11 at 1:12pm
Thanks for the info. Perhaps Sony replaced the drive mechanisms in the new line. I hope so, because that high pitched squeal was a deal breaker by itself, and that didn't include the 570's epic fail at streaming Netflix, either.



Quote:
Originally Posted by bbbobbb View Post

Hmmm, this is a really tiny unit, 7.8 x 17 x 1.4 inches ; 1.2 pounds. I do have it in a fairly noisy setting next to some hard drives. However I have not noticed any excessive whirling noise trying out several blu-rays that I have. It actually seems quieter than my PS3's.

I did just check amazon and the 380, 480, and 580 all have the same 7.8 x 17 x 1.4 inches ; 1.2 pounds listing. Maybe they share the same enclosure?
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post #9 of 186
2/19/11 at 1:13pm
Sounds like the icons are corrupt. Maybe try a factory reset.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bbbobbb View Post

First odd glitch, In the Network part of the menu, not the network settings but Network like extended warranty purchases (?), there is a Facebook icon.

Clicking the Facebook icon causes Vudu to load as if you have navigated over to the Video selections and selected Vudu. This is a bug...
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post #10 of 186
2/20/11 at 6:29pm
Can you tell me if they have improved the netflix interface? Can you search titles or must you pick from only your instant cue? I don't understand why this is so difficult to implement. LG and Samsung have that capability on some of their units.
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post #11 of 186
2/20/11 at 7:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by newz54 View Post
Can you tell me if they have improved the netflix interface? Can you search titles or must you pick from only your instant cue? I don't understand why this is so difficult to implement. LG and Samsung have that capability on some of their units.
All you get is the contents of your instant queue and the option to refresh your instant queue, no searching.

I agree, the current interface leaves much room for improvement.
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post #12 of 186
2/27/11 at 3:48pm
I picked one of these up today to replace the 570 that I returned. I had to return the 570 because the Netflix streaming was an epic fail, and the drive mechanism made a horrible high-pitched squeal that was just too much to bear during low volume scenes. The high-pitched squeal has been well documented all over the internet, and it affects certain disks more than others. The Netflix streaming issue is also plastered all over the internet.

I no longer need the Netflix streaming service on a blu-ray player because I recently purchased an Apple TV (after returning the 570). I love that device and will use it for many of my online movie needs, including the iTunes store.

Enter the 380. I don't even have it hooked up to my network, so I can't comment at all about any of the network services. But, I can say these are my impressions so far:

1) The drive mechanism is by no means silent, but it is a different drive mechanism than the x70 series because it doesn't sound the same. It doesn't make the same pitch frequency that was piercing. I can listen to quiet scenes without distraction. I tried out my "troublesome" discs that were more prone to high squeal pitches, and they passed with flying colors. I am happy with the drive noise on this machine compared to the 570.

2) Disc loading is fast. I don't enable the "quick start", which essentially keeps the machine turned on (at a lower energy state) continuously to aid in start times. The disc loading speed is a little faster than I remember my 570 being. I didn't run a stopwatch on either player, but it's my opinion that the 380 is faster.

3) SACD sounds great.

4) The picture quality is great as well, and looks exactly the same as I remember the 570 being.

Hope these comments help someone a little.
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post #13 of 186
2/27/11 at 4:27pm
guys, can anyone say that the x380 has any substantial difference/improvement from the 370?
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post #14 of 186
2/27/11 at 7:07pm
Loads faster. Less drive noise. NTFS file support on USB drives. If these aren't important to you, stick with the 370 if you already own one. If buying new, get the 380 because it's only $5-10 more than a new 370.


Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffw_00 View Post
guys, can anyone say that the x380 has any substantial difference/improvement from the 370?
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post #15 of 186
2/27/11 at 7:21pm
My S270 is very quiet. I suspect they upgraded the drive before they upgraded the models. Are you sure NTFS doesn't come to everyone in the firmware upgrades? It seems like the type of thing that would

thanks
/j
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post #16 of 186
2/28/11 at 6:18am
Perhaps I spoke a little too soon. My 380 is very quiet on some BD's, but makes a high-pitched whirring noise on others during the first 30 mins of the movie. I can still hear a faint pitch during quiet scenes, but it's completely drowned out during more "alive" scenes. Overall, the noise that it does make is still more quiet than the noise my 570 made, so I guess I can live with that. I have no plans to return it and continue my quest for a <$200 quiet BD player.

I am still convinced that it is a new drive mechanism because the noises aren't the same. In fact, it's a little perplexing. My noisiest discs on the 570 are whisper quiet on the 380, but some of my previously quiet discs are now the offending ones.
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post #17 of 186
3/7/11 at 3:07pm
Do the older Sony models let you browse all of Netflix or only the que?
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post #18 of 186
3/7/11 at 3:52pm
Only the queue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vid53 View Post

Do the older Sony models let you browse all of Netflix or only the que?
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post #19 of 186
3/9/11 at 6:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bbbobbb View Post

First odd glitch, In the Network part of the menu, not the network settings but Network like extended warranty purchases (?), there is a Facebook icon.

Clicking the Facebook icon causes Vudu to load as if you have navigated over to the Video selections and selected Vudu. This is a bug...

Just got a notice and updated the firmware from M06.R.0179 to M06.R.0208 .

I can't tell much difference, however the Facebook issue is gone, as in the icon for Facebook is totally gone.

I also tried Vudu again to see if I could get a 1080P trailer to play, nope, still does not work...
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post #20 of 186
3/14/11 at 7:47am
Hi,

I am looking to get a blu ray player. However I am trying to decide between the 380 and the 570.

As far as I can tell the 380 only offers NTFS support over the 570 doesnt it? I see some mention of faster disc loading times, anything quantifiable, or are we talking <2 seconds faster?

Thanks in advance
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post #21 of 186
3/14/11 at 7:51am
570 gives you 3D and built-in wireless.
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post #22 of 186
3/14/11 at 9:57am
yes thanks, I am just trying to work out if giving up wirless is worth it for the 380 as at the moment I cant see many differences at all

Thanks
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post #23 of 186
3/14/11 at 9:59am
If you're not a power-user - consider the 270 (I got mine at Walmart for $94). I had wired internet where I use it, and didn't need the DLNA-like features. I also think 3D has a way to go before it's stable. 270 has 95% of the feature set. It's all I need.
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post #24 of 186
3/14/11 at 4:05pm
does anyone know what processor is in the Sony S380 Blu Ray player?
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post #25 of 186
3/26/11 at 3:11am
Has anyone tried playing movies stored on a hard drive/ flash drive using this?
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post #26 of 186
4/2/11 at 1:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by elbrunoloco View Post
Has anyone tried playing movies stored on a hard drive/ flash drive using this?
Videos can be played from a USB memory stick. Watched an HD copy of Transformers and it looked great on standard def TV. USB stick is formatted w/ FAT32. Not sure if an external hard drive w/ a USB interface will work. I've got a 30GB SATA drive I can try w/ a USB adapter. I'll report back.
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post #27 of 186
4/5/11 at 10:08am
Thanks. Id like to hook up a HD and play decoded bluray off it one day.
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post #28 of 186
4/28/11 at 3:40pm
Just picked one of these up - I notice I have to turn the volume WAY up to hear it compared to my old friend the PS3 (R.I.P.) Is it possible I have a bad unit? I swapped out the HDMI cable since that was free and easy but still NG. Also tried a diff HDMI port.

Any advice? Or should I bring her back to Costco.
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post #29 of 186
5/8/11 at 12:54pm
Just got this player and I noticed that when playing back standard DVD's it supports 24P playback. My 32" Samsung jumps from 60Hz to 24Hz when I play either a DVD or a Blu-ray on this machine. I've tried multiple DVD's and it seems to work with all of them so far. Also, DVD upconversion is excellent on this machine, seems noticeably better than either my S350 or my Samsung C5500. I bought this for the bedroom and now I'm think that it'll be replacing my C5500 as part of my main home theatre. Now if only Sony would get the Netflix app up and running in Canada.
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post #30 of 186
5/13/11 at 1:36pm
This seems like "the one" for me...

1) No fan! The other ones have a fan, and I'm sure it's annoying
2) Digital Coax, not optical
3) No wifi - I will run it wired
4) No 3D - have no need for 3D

So basically I'm only paying for what I need- which makes it the cheapest!
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