Official Sony BDP-S780 Thread

It also has super bit mapping which the S770 lacks. Whether this will translate into a better PQ over the S770 it remains to be seen...

By the way, I ordered one from Vann's last Friday and should be here by Wed. I will post comments once I play with it a little bit.

I just looked at the operating manual on Sony Style and like the S580, it looks like the S780 won't have build in internal memory either. I guess Sony had to cut cost somewhere...............

I e-mailed Vanns 2 days ago to ask the same question. Today, I got a response and yes you're right, the 780 does NOT have 1GB of internal memory. That's too bad.

Yeah, too bad but it doesn't bother me though since I don't ever use BD live and if I ever wanted to, I have a 4GB USB just in case.

Did they drop the SACD capability in the 780, I don't see any mention of it in the specs on the SonyStyle site.

I should keep telling myself, "no more onboard storage". I guess leaving a USB stick in the back of the unit shouldn't be a big deal. At this point, I am really trying to stick with Sony, but I have considered buying the Panasonic DMP-BDT210. Reason I was thinking of switching brands is because of the picture drop outs some of us were having with the S570 and S770. I currently own the S350 and S570. I never had any major issues except for the picture drop outs that started occurring in early January 2011, however, this problems was solved by setting the HDMI Deep Color to OFF. I also owned the S770 for 1 month and loved the look and style of this player. DVD upconversion on the S770 was incredible, even better when compared with the S570! I returned it due to picture drop outs, not realizing that it was an issue with the firmware. What's odd is that it affected those of us that had the player connected via a/v receivers

Cortiz,
Do you know if the wireless card was downgraded from the S780? Someone on the S580 owner's thread said the 5 Ghz band was lost on the S580, but what about the S780?

I have the 380 and it plays SACDs. I would imagine the 780 does as well. In fact, I am very impressed with its SACD playback over hdmi.

"It also has super bit mapping which the S770 lacks. Whether this will translate into a better PQ over the S770 it remains to be seen..."


What is super bit mapping?

Anyone know if this unit is available at BB yet?

Quick update....

I received the S780 today and hooked it up. Still playing with it. PQ and AQ is awesome as expected and loading times seems to be on par with the previous Sony models 70's series, perhaps a bit more faster. Booting time appears to be a bit slower then the old models, I didn't time it, but seems a bit slower. Not a big deal. However, the potential bad bews: As soon as I connected the player to the internet, it prompted me to update the firmware which I did ( I regret it). The firmware bug that appeared on the 70's model forcing the internet connection for BD live even thought you have the player set to " do not allow internet connecton" appears in the new models as well. So, long story short, the only way to play Machete is to remove the USB Memory stick from the player. However this trick is not a permanent solution because some movies like Starship Troopers requires that you have a memory stick/card connected to the player for it to play. So it would be annoying having to remove and connect a memory card depending on which movie you are going to watch. A pain in the ass. Still evaluating the player and will post more comments later if time permits.....Peace!

Cortiz,
Does the remote have back light. Keep us update on your evaluation of the S780

Yes, it does.

The Skype feature really intrigues me with this unit. Does anyone know what webcam(s) will be compatible with it?

Looking at the specs on Sony's web site, says I can connect to my PC to view photo's and video's. Would like to know how true this is and if it really works. I would grab this quick just to drop my apple tv and stream from my PC. Currently have a S360 but this would be sweet addition to my new 710 55 inch Sony I just got replaced from the green blob crap on my rear projection ordeal. Would appreciate if anyone has this try streaming a video (ripped from a DVD) from there PC. Thanks in advance.

Correction, IT DOES NOT HAVE A BACKLIT REMOTE. My bad, I was looking at my old S770 remote which had a backlit remote.

I believe I read some of the buttons are those "glo" buttons, that don't glow much at all in a prolonged usage in a darkened room. I had a 770 and it failed last Thursday, what a coincidence, the "replacement" was on Sony's web site, so I'm waiting for it. My expectations are lowered as always. I just hope it works dependably. The 770 decided to make odd noises and finally spin down with "loading" flashing on screen, finally "cannot play this disc" or something like it. Any blu-ray. Dvd's did work. I got "replacement" coverage this time, obviously a requirement for anything of this ilk. I ordered it from SonyStyle on the 30th and it is still in status "ready for shipping" and "in progress." A rep said it would go out this morning. I can easily put in a USB drive for the insultingly poor "BD LIVE" - nice step backwards, Sony. I don't know what drives them to keep including BD Live since it's slow, awkward and few other things. I don't mean to be negative, and should have switched brands, but honestly, I think they're all about the same. When it worked, it had a great picture and fast response.

Just to reply to my own message, the 780 did not ship this morning as promised and I've been asked to give them until 2pm CST to find out why before I cancel and get another brand - the 780 is feature rich, but really, I wonder if it's 95% the same machine, whose reliability sure isn't proven to me. Any suggestions on another brand would be welcome. The 770 had a beautiful picture on both blu-ray and DVD's, and what I have read indicates Panasonic makes feature-rich players, but I have no idea of the dependability of the Panny.

I'm in the same boat you are. I wish I could stick with Sony products, I just don't like the fact they went backwards. I've seen the Sony 80 series blu ray players at my local Best Buy. It's obvious they're smaller, however, I don't know if smaller is better. Like you, I also owned the S770 for about 1 month before returning it for refund. I loved the construction of S770, it was definitely heavier than the newer Sony models. Recently, I've been looking at Panasonic blu ray players as well, more specifically, the Panasonic DMP-BDT210. Look at some of the customer feedback on Amazon.com. The majority are satified with the DMP-BDT210 player. One person says the player itself feels like a cheap dvd player, while another says the interface on Sony blu ray players is far better than the Panasonic. To be honest, I really can't make up my mind on which player to get, but it will be a pick between the Sony or Panasonic.

Guys, I've had the S780 for a few days now and I'm loving it. I have played quite a few movies the last few days and have not had any single issues. Yes, it does not have internal memory, yes it does not have a backlit remote, yes it kind of feels that Sony took a step backwards. But, the PQ and AQ on this player is Outstanding. Just as good or even better than the S770. I too had the S770 and I returned it yesterday and kept the S780. My advice is: be a little patience, and get the S780. You will not regret it. You can also buy it from Amazon, they also have it in stock from third parties, but the are backed by Amazon guarantee promise.

I now have a FEDEX tracking number (wasn't sent automatically like they are supposed to do, but didn't last time either). The 770 had great PQ and AQ and I'm sure the new model will do well likewise, I'm just a little down on the feel of ever cheapening of these products, and am concerned, as a reitree, that it HAS to last a little while this time (got the 2 year warrantee). I do want to stay with Sony, Panasonic is kind of all over the place with their model lineup, and you can't really tell what is current and what is discontinued.

The 780 also has an IR rear input whereas the 770 does not.

Tomorrow is the big 780 day, fingers crossed. I'm anxious to see if I can tell what super bit-mapping does also the fake 3d effects. dependability and freedom from HDMI anomalies will be a big deal for me. The 770 through my Yammie receiver to xbr909 resulted in startups that clipped a second or two from the DVD/BD and I hope that's fixed.

The machine will have it's own Ethernet connection...stupid question follows.. If I connect this way, no wi-fi then no worries about wireless security settings then?

Thanks... Bill

What exactly does the IR rear input do? Is this for someone with a Sony receiver or tv? What are the benefits of an IR input?

Cortiz,
So you'd rather keep the S780 over the S770? I'm going crazy over which player to get and believe it or not, I almost considered getting the S770 again and giving it a 2nd chance. The S770 just seems to be better built.

Have you experienced any picture drop outs with blu rays? Is Deep Color set to OFF or AUTO? Have you tried the super-bitmapping? Sorry for so many questions.

I haven't had any issues with the S780 yet (knock on wood).The S770 is definitely better built and feels more solid. As far of PQ and AQ I don't see much difference between the two players. Perhaps the S780 PQ is a tad more refined due to the super bit mapping, but the differences are minimal at best. Also to considered, is the fact that Sony dropped out the internal memory and the remote isn't back lit on the S780. Speedwise, this is a tricky one. The S770 boots up faster(quite a few seconds) than the S780 (quick start mode off). However, once the players are on, the S780 is a bit faster at loading discs.

Conclusion (my opinion) - The S770 is the better player overall, better built, more solid, has internal memory and a backlit remote. Performance wise, they are almost indentical. The only reason I kept the S780 is because it is a small and super slim player, and I really like that. Plus is the newest model. But yeah, I can see some people liking the S770 more, is better built and feel more solid.

Let's hope the build quality of the BDP-S780 holds up. I'm finally upgrading from the Sony DVP-S7700 whose build quality is first rate. It is still a very viable DVD player for me (12 years later) but I wanted to start viewing movies in Blu-Ray and to experience all the new features the 780 has.
When I opened the box of the BDP-S780, my first thought was "where is the rest of the player?" I literally thought I was only looking at part of the player and some assembly was required until I saw there were no other parts and that was all there was. It does seem like build quality as far as solidly constructed/heavy machines are a thing of the past, probably in an effort to keep costs down. The remote looks like it is definitely an afterthought now and a far cry from the remote I have for the DVP-S7700. There is probably an expectation from Sony that if you are in the demographic that purchases their "flagship player," you are probably going to purchase a universal remote like the Harmony remotes too. For this reason, I don't mind the cheap looking/flimsy remote it comes with. Heck it even comes with composite cables which I couldn't imagine using with this player.
I hope there will be some guidance regarding using Skype forthcoming from Sony. I have no idea if there is a compatible webcam available for this unit yet.

Got this big sinking feeling when the UPS guy handed me the box, I wasn't really sure there was much of anything in it. There wasn't. SonyStyle generously double-boxes the player, it arrived in perfect condition, even the outer box (UPS). It seems lighter than the already-light 770. The remotes, as expected, are "almost" identical, the 780 drops the backlighting but those formerly backlit buttons are now of the "glo" variety (that fade well before a movie would be at intermission, I'd expect). The "theater" (picture) button has been replaced by a 3D button. I've not tried it for more than a few minutes but it seems to add some depth, more than the fake 3D mode of the TV itself does, and there are 3 levels of fakery.

The case seems more metallic (and of course wafer thin) but the good part about that is the right side of the machine doesn't seem to run as hot as the 770 did, perhaps the shiny black metallic case (not the plastic front of course) will do a better job as a heat sink. In spite of a reference to a fan somewhere other than the FAN error code, I don't believe there is one; there wasn't one in the 770. The holes on the back, where a miniature fan "could" go are referred to as "ventilation holes." I can't see them doing much, but there are vents on the right side of the unit, so that plus the metallic case seems to make for a cooler machine.

I saw a message that the remote wasn't responsive as it might be, but I can't concur with that; startup and drive functionality is almost (gadzooks) taking us back to DVD days! Almost.

Super bit mapping is in the menu now, I haven't messed around enough to know if it helps PQ, but my TV is probably too small (46") to show much effect. I have some of the same small library of 3D BD's everyone else probably has, but haven't tried it yet. Like the 770, the 780 has a menu item to choose screen size (automagically populated to the right size in my case, maybe because it's a Sony TV?) which seems to give the 770/780 a little more 3D effect. Trouble is I really really hate the Sony 3D glasses, especially since trying some from a Sharp, which were seemingly 1/3 the weight, very comfortable; the Sony makes everything dark and cloudy, clouds never seen on my set (HX909) otherwise. Lately I've noticed the plastic lenses by Sony have a bit of the circus mirror effect if you look at an object and track it as you move your head laterally. Lots of money paid, for low quality in these glasses.

I have tried an SACD and it sounded really great (Monty Alexander at the piano). I have it set for DSD output, whatever that means, and my receiver accepts it. I've had not one moment of HDMI "marginal errors" - no brief screen blackouts, nothing like that, and the 770 didn't do quite as well, and I haven't messed around enough but the 780 seems to have eliminated the start-up "missed first second or two" of sound the 770 seemed to, er, feature. I don't expect to see or hear any difference in SQ or PQ, but I've only played one BD, one SACD and one DVD so time will tell.

It wasn't indicated, but I went to the "update" function (connected by ethernet cable) and got an immediate firmware update. The SonyStyle site was telling me over the weekend the 780 is for sale in Canada only and wouldn't let me see what the update was for. Today, I didn't really care, I just updated the firmware over the internet, seems to be the thing to do; my Yamaha receiver also needed a firmware update (maybe that was the source of the sound clip at the beginning of a disc, but I've read of it happening with other receivers).

There are probably three zillion internet functions, I didn't try them and probably won't after reading the EULA. I'm a little old for online stuff and the web browser functionality looks to be very limited. It would be much easier to hook up the computer to the TV if I really wanted to, vid card outputs HDMI.

The EULA was probably the same for the 770. I want the machine to play BD's, DVD's and an occasional CD. I can get the other stuff in other ways; I guess if you connect a Skype compatible camera a menu item appears for use of Skype.

The 780 is fast to start, fast to use, and doesn't get as warm as the 770; so if it works for awhile (like the 770 didn't) I'll be happy! The looks are a little, er, less cool than the 770 with it's very rectangular monolith flat face, this one has a look more like the older 5xx models but it still looks fine, it's black so sitting on it's own glass shelf under the TV it doesn't call attention to itself. The flourescent display doesn't seem as bright as the 770, a tiny change if not all in my questionable memory.

Later tonight I'll throw on a couple 3D demo discs. Looks like a good player, even better for those who want lots of internet functionality (read the EULA first, everything is your fault, lawyers sure know how to insult buyers of Sony products). We've come a long way from the S1. I think that took a couple minutes just to power on and IIRC it didn't even play DVD's...

It's just really close to the 770, so far, seems a tiny bit faster to turn on and respond, and it responds to the same IR as the 770, the only change, for a universal learning remote, would be to "teach" the "movie" button to be a "3D" button with the learning function of the remote.

Could anyone please comment on the 2D to 3D conversion?

The conversion (fake 3D, conversion is giving it too much credit, way too much) is a tiny bit better than the facility built in to the HX909 Sony television, which to me, does "next to nothing." The biggest change is the feeling of a bit more "behind the screen" depth.

Perhaps a bigger improvement can be seen, at least for me, in the 3D BD performance - especially the "off the screen" objects, or those that appear to be "coming at you." I saw a little bit of crosstalk (shadows) on a 3D BD with the 770 and see almost none of that with the 780. It's a really tiny improvement, but headed in the right direction.