Sony BDP-S1 Blu-Ray Disc Player shipping (1 Viewer)

[Jeff(R)]

I've read in other forums that the Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc player is now shipping in case anyone's interested (specifically here):

[removing link]
Edit: Doh! Just read that it might not be available. Will update if I hear anything else.

 

[Roger Mathus]

This status just came today from Sony Style via E-mail:

Quote:

Thank you for your recent Sony Style order of the BDP-S1 Blu-Ray Disc player.

There has been a change of availability date for this product. We now expect to start shipping no later than December 4th. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this change, but this is necessary to ensure that the product meets our highest performance expectations.

.........

Quote

I also read three days ago on another web seller site that the players were arriving in small quantities and shipping. That information disappeared within hours.

It appears that the delay may be last minute decision. (speculation)

 

[ppltd]

This is the same info BB relayed to me today. They told me Sony has given no reason for the delay. In addition, they state that Pioneer has pulled their release date and have given no firm dates as of this time.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I could sware that in the Blu-ray / HD-DVD war the end is near said something about the Sony player being delayed.


Now does anyone know for sure is the player shipping or not? If it is being delayed again and will not be out until the end of the year. I exspect it to have 7.1 analog outputs and HDMI 1.3. Otherwise I will not be buying a Sony brand blu-ray player! Its getting really old that Sony cant seem to get there act together. One thing is for sure that Sony is not helping the sucsess of Blu-ray by the lame job they are doing. Granted the blu-ray movies have improved and the 50 gig discs are a reality. There are more players coming out and its starting to look better for blu-ray. These players need to ether have onboard decoder for lossless audio DTS and Dolby. And or HDMI 1.3 as well, but at least if these player had onboard decoding then the HDMI issue would not be so bad. At least we could listen to the Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio tracks instead of being SOL!

It makes me really wonder what is going on with Pioneer pushing there player back as well. I would love to think that because so much is being said about the lack of onboard decoding and HDMI 1.3 support. That maybe they changed there mind and decided to do the right thing and offer these options like they should have. One the other hand I will not hold my breath for to long for decoding or HDMI 1.3 ether.

 

[Roger Mathus]

Consider it rumor.....but a dealer told me that Samsung would release a second generation player in December that would be the first with HDMI 1.3.

If this is true, it would likely put pressure on Sony and Pioneer to offer same.

 

[Grant H]

In case anyone was interested, Tweeter.com has the Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc player available for pre-order.

I apologoize if it's old news. When you add it to your cart it says it "BACKORDER leaves the warehouse in 1-2 weeks," which goes against the other information we've heard.

The product page says "Most items: leave warehouse in 3-4 weeks."

Maybe they're just slow updating the info on their site.

Then again, Sony (whom you'd think would know best) said "no later than Dec.4."

 

[ppltd]

2006 or 2007

 

[Dave Moritz]

Anyone want to guess what year? At this rate it might just end up being 2008.

 

[ppltd]

I just read the Pioneer is building the Sony player. Think it was in a CNET report, but am not sure.

 

[dpippel]

Maybe it's been delayed because Sony is adding the capability to play Redbook CD?? Nah.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I don't think I would care if the BDP-S1 didn't player redbook CD's. I use my Sony DVP-S9000 ES for playing CD's. I would rather see a minimum of 7.1 analog outputs with internal decoding of Dolby True HD and DTS-HD. I would also like to see HDMI 1.3 as well but there is probly a better chance of a monkey flying out of my but!

 

[dpippel]

I agree that the things you mention are important Dave, but IMO so is Redbook playback. I mean really, the cheapest POS Wal-mart SD DVD player on the planet can play CDs, my kid's $20 GPX boombox can play CDs, but Sony's first ever "beyond high definition" Blu-ray player can't? All that and more for a thousand bucks?

 

[Grant H]

That's something I wondered about months ago--if these players would play CD's--and if there would be any compromises if they did.

DVD and CD at least both use red lasers, but some DVD players had dual-focus lasers, and some had separate pickups, usually touting the latter as superior. (Is it sad I'm talking about DVD in the past tense?)Now, with Blu-Ray being backwards compatible, that means they HAD to add a red laser pickup in additon to the blue laser for Blu-Ray discs.

Now I'm guessing to play CD's that's a dual-focus red laser in those players that can; otherwise, you'd have to add a THIRD pickup, right? Three lasers seems like a lot to pack into a device. Perhaps the companies that haven't been manufacturing dual-focus red lasers aren't packing those into the players; just the DVD-dedicated laser made it in. Hence, no CD playback.

Of course, this is raw speculation as I haven't researched the companies to see who uses what, but I do believe Sony has used dual-layer pickups in their DVD players from the get-go (or at least very early on).

I could see that if they're weren't currently manufacturing a dual-focus pickup for l CD/DVD playback, they wouldn't want to start making it just for a Blu-Ray player. They'd just throw in the DVD pickup they have.

Interesting, if Pioneer is building the Sony players.

 

[dpippel]

Interesting speculation Grant, but my $499 Toshiba HD-A1 plays Redbook. Why can't a $1000 Sony Blu-ray player?

 

[Dave Moritz]

While I really don't care if it can play CD's because I have plenty of players that will do the job. I also completely agree with you Doug, its sad that a $1k player wont do what a $20 player will do, how sad. :frowning:

Another sad thing is that I believe that the Panasonic is the only HD player that will play DVD-A, and I think it will play CD's as well. I am not a big Panasonic fan and the player is not much to look at but Panasonic is doing it right in my book.

Has the Sony actually started shipping or was it pushed back again? Or did Sony grow a brain and decided to upgrade some things before shipping?

 

[dpippel]

The BDP-S1 has been delayed until December 4th Dave.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I am really starting to concider the Panasonic instead of the Sony. The Panasonic will play CD's, DVD Video, DVD-Audio and it has 7.1 analog outputs and can be upgraded to internally decode DTS-HD and Dolby True HD. The only thing it does not have is HDMI 1.3. So I am going to have to do alot of research and decide if I am going to blow off HDMI 1.3 and just work around HDMI 1.2 and buy a currently available HDMI 1080p switching reciever and just settle for the internal decoding of lossless audio inside the HD players? Both the Sony and Pioneer players have nicer looking face plates but the Panasonic is brining more to the plate than ether Sony or Pioneer seems to be. I am not a big fan of Panasonic but I can think of any reason not to buy this player over the Sony or Pioneer even if it is $1300.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I was at Ultimate Electronics web site today and it looks like the Sony player is available. They also show internal decoding of Dolby True HD and DTS-HD. I have been under the impression that the Sony player would not be offering internal lossless decoding. Did Sony add the decoding feature for Dolby True HD and DTS-HD?

 

[ppltd]

I visited their store and a local Best Buy. Their comment was Sony is still telling them December.

 

[Dave Moritz]

I was wondering because the UE web site makes it look like it is available.