Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

It looks like I don't need a new player as soon as I thought. With TrueHD added to the S300, I'll keep this player for a little while longer.

Sony eSupport - BDP-S300 - Software Updates & Drivers

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Just picked up one of these myself for a bedroom player for about $150! And it came with FW 3.9. It amazed me how fast it loads since so much has been written about this model being the slowest player ever built. Granted, it's not blazing but loads as fast as my Sony ES Blu-ray player.

Wonderful Blu-ray image as well. I found it superior to the new Sony s350 model.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I was just coming here to start a topic letting my fellow BDP-S300 owners know of this awesome news!

Performing the download on my player as we speak.

EDIT:
Done! These firmware upgrades are amazing, by myself in less than a half an hour I turned my entry level player only capable of DDPlus into a serious machine that can now decode DolbyTrueHD...and it didn't cost me another 400 smackers!

Of course, now I need a DolbyTrueHD and DTS-HD MA capable reciever lol. I'll ask for that for X-Mas this year.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Now do you think Sony will add Dolby DTS Master Audio decoding with the next firmware upgrade for the BDP-S300 Blu Ray player?

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I certaintly hope so.

BTW, I just got my player in June, how long was this player out before this upgrade finally became available? I ask because I know that many people have been waiting awhile for this.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I have owned this player for a year. Bought the 350 about a month ago too. Anyway, Sony is great when it comes to firmware updates. I bet the 300 has had 5 or 6 in the last year. Most to fix JAVA Blu-ray disc load times, and so on.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I bought my Sony BDP-S300 last Decemeber (2007) and I have done 5 firmware upgrades. I hope Sony gives us a Dolby DTS Master Audio decoding firmware upgrade next!!!

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

That's good to know, Tim. I'll definitely cross the 350 off the list when I finally get a newer player.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I am having the HARDEST time installing this firmware! I burned a dvd and it said it couldn't read it. Then I burned it inside a folder. It recognized the data disc but I couldn't open it. I'm going to try a cd next but I'm really confused.

Can someone help?

Never mind. I didn't realize I had to open the file (then open the file again) on my PC before buring it. I thought the player would open the file itself. Finally got it installed. It's faster but still doens't play the Batman Begins movie experience feature.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Yikes! Jonathan, be very careful when doing this procedure, if you mess up you could crash your player and it will need to be repaired.

Did you follow the directions provided on Sony's site for burning and downloading the upgrade? You should have used a CD from the get go, also you need to write the file on the disc as an image file not a data file.

I printed out the directions and followed them to the letter, I was terrified when I downloaded the 3.95 version but this time it was very easy.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Do you have to change anything in the Sony set-up menu to get Dolby TrueHD? My TrueHD is still not lighting up on my Denon 3800 display when I played a movie with this codec. Thanks

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Hey there folks,

If you guys can't help me, no-one can.

I'm trying to decide whether to get a 300 or 350.

I'll be using it with a Sony 1080i CRT.

All I really care about is 1080i (Blu-ray) and 480/576p (DVD) picture quality, from Component. (Cause that's all I'm gonna get, right?)

Plus, do these players handle CD-RW and Mp3?

Can someone please help me?

P.S. Do these players handle PAL?

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I can tell you what I know about the S300, it can play CD-RW's for music playback and it can also play mp3's. I'm pretty sure that it's an NTSC only player but someone else can tell you better than I on that aspect.

As for your connection (I assume your TV doesn't have an HDMI input, correct?) if your TV has a DVI input, which i'm willing to bet it does since it is an HDTV, you can purchase an HDMI-to-DVI cable and use it that way, no need to use componant. Only drawback is you won't get any audio from the HDMI cable by connecting it that way but if your running the audio seperately through an A/V reciever than the loss is negligable enough.

My boss just bought the S350 and he also has a Sony television with only 1080i and he said it looks great using that same connection.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

CD-RW and Mp3 playback... Cool.

I'm guessing it would be NTSC only.

My TV can only handle 1080i. I'd assume Component and DVI would look the same. I'll have to double-check if my TV has DVI to compare.

Now, all I need to know which has a better picture for Blu-ray and DVD.

Thanks for your help.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

No sweat, Darren, good luck.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Actually, just sold my 300 for $200. Time to upgrade, but the machine has been a nice for the bedroom.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Maybe I've read it somewhere in the posts I've been pouring through all night, but does the S300 have 5.1 ch. analog outs? My receiver is not HDMI and I've found the S300 for $250.

With onboard decoding of DD+ and TruHD (via firmware updates I've read), if it could be sent decoded to my receiver's 5.1 channel ins, I would pick one up today.

Also, what would it do with DTS-MA? I know it's not internally decoded, so would it be sent through the analog outputs as DTS core?

What's the audio difference between HD codecs (DD+, TruHD and DTS-MA) and PCM, and does the player output lossless PCM via analog outs?

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

This player now $199.98 in Amazon.com:
Amazon.com: Sony BDP-S300 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player: Electronics

Not sure how long, though.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I own the 300 and it has been a nice Blu-ray player even though it does not decode DTS-HD Master Audio. My 300 will be upgraded sometime after I upgrade my current Yamaha RX-V995 receiver. At that point I think I will place the 300 back in its box to be used as a back up player just incase my next player ends up in the shop.

You might want to go with the 350 model as it can bitstream Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio via HDMI for an MSRP of $299. Sony's website says there will be a BD Live upgrade available soon. So I honestly feel that between the 300 and 350, go with the 350.

BDP-S350 | Blu-ray Disc™ Player | Sony | SonyStyle USA

However if you wanted to step up from the Sony 350 you could go with a Pioneer BDP-51FP that has Wolfson Audio DAC's for CD playback. And a beefier chassy design compaired to the Sony, basically a better player IMHO.

Pioneer USA - Pioneer Blu-ray Disc Players

My Sony BDP-S300

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Hello experts, I’m hoping you can help me resolve my question, as I can’t get a straight answer from Sony. I’d like to know how to hear Dolby True HD output from my Sony BDP-S300.

I’ve updated the firmware on the BDP-S300 to the latest version, which Sony claims supports Dolby True-HD decoding. I have this hooked up to a Pioneer VSX-91TXH, which supports Dolby True-HD as well. I am using an HDMI cable and have a 5.1 speaker array.
Regardless of the settings I use on the Blu Ray Player and the Receiver, the Dolby True HD light does not illuminate on my Pioneer receiver when playing a BluRay Dolby True HD encoded disk. At best, I see “Dolby Digital + PLIIx”. The support folks at Pioneer tell me I need to find out how to get Bitstream Output from the Sony Blu player so that the Pioneer receiver can do the proper decoding. Pioneer advised to set their receiver to “Auto Surround” decoding. In this mode it is supposed to decode based on the input it detects.

I have tried setting the Sony Audio output to PCM instead of Auto, and also setting the Dolby Digital option to downmix. No combination yields a dolby true HD output seemingly.

I’ve posed that question to Sony along with how to set their Audio output settings, without any meaningful answer. Here are a few of the replies:

“Thank you for contacting Sony Support.

I'm sorry that your Sony Blu-ray Disc player does not output Dolby True-HD audio when using the HDMI cable. Based on the information you've provided, I suggest that you set the Audio (HDMI) to Auto in the Audio Setup of the player and check the operation.”

And

“Thank you for contacting Sony Support.

I'm sorry for the confusion in the previous email. Although, the Firmware Update of your Sony Blu-ray Player adds Dolby TrueHD Audio and Dolby Digital Plus Audio decoding functionality. It can decode and play disc encoded with Dolby TrueHD Audio and Dolby Digital Plus Audio. However, the Player cannot output Dolby TrueHD Audio and Dolby Digital Plus Audio, it outputs in Dolby Digital Format.

Thank you for your time.”

So, I’m confused. Sony says it decodes Dolby True HD, but outputs Dolby Digital? What do I need to do to hear Dolby True HD with my Pioneer receiver? Thanks in advance for your time!

-michael

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

While the 300 can decode Dolby True HD internally as far as I know it can not bitstream Dolby True HD. So your Pioneer VSX-91TXH will not say Dolby True HD on the display, I am sure the only thing it will say is multi channel in. You would have to get a player that can bitstream if you want the revciever to do the decoding.

I own the BDP-S300 and while it is a nice player it does not bitstream anything but standard lossy Dolby Digital & DTS. I use the multi channel analog out when listening to Dolby True HD. I believe that if you go into the setup menu/audio and then choose PCM for the audio HDMI. That should send the decoded Dolby True HD as PCM audio via HDMI. Otherwise you can decode it in the player and send it out via multi-channel out on the player. But you will limit yourself to 5.1 via the analog audio outputs, and I believe that you can do 7.1 via HDMI.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Hi David,

Thanks for your reply.

When setting the Audio output on the Sony BDP-S300 to "PCM", and using the auto surround feature of my Pioneer receiver, I see "PCM + PLII" decoding. Hard to say, but I don't think it sounds as good as the "Dolby Digital + PLIIX Movie" decoding which is what I get if I set the BDP-S300 Audio setting to "HDMI".

Do you really think selecting PCM is sending along the Dolby True HD decoding to the Pioneer?

I'm also not sure what you mean when you say "Otherwise you can decode it in the player and send it out via multi-channel out on the player. " By player, do you mean the BDP-S300, and what setting to achieve on the player to achieve that? Is that something specific to the analog outputs? I'm using an HDMI cable.

I guess I'm struggling with why Sony would create a firmware update to decode Dolby True HD, but not provide a way to output that decoding??
More baffling is that nobody at Sony seems to be able to answer this question, or at least I haven't found em yet!

michael

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

What Dave means is an alternative way to output True HD from this player is to use 5.1 channel analog from the player to receiver. The player decodes the True HD audio and sends it as lossless PCM via the analog outputs. This is the way I have mine configured and it works great.


They did, and they have. Dave explained it above.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I performed the firmware update last week, and I'm now ready to connect via the analog outputs on the Sony to my nine year old Marantz SR7000. What is the correct internal setting on the Sony BDP300 for receiving Dolby True HD this way?...or does it matter?

Also, I was thinking about picking up the Pioneer 51FD at a close-out price. I noticed the analog outputs offer surround and back surround connections. What would be the proper choice for downmixing to 5.1?

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

If you are going to use the analog outputs on the Sony BDP-S300. And since you have done the firmware update to decode Dolby True HD. All you need to do is select the multi-channel input on your receiver. Using the analog output will automatically downmix anything that is 6.1 or 7.1 to a 5.1 mix. Unless you have a player that has 7.1 I wouldn't worry about downmixing anything. Now if you are talking about downmixing audio down to 5.1 via HDMI that would be a menu setting on the player. Otherwise you shouldn't have to do anything if you are using the analog output to your receiver.

Now for the Pioneer 51FD I would think that you would have a menu choice to down mix all content to 5.1 via analog output. And I would also guess that you would use the surround channel and not the back surround. The back surround if I am not mistaken is basically channel 6 & 7 that was added to the 5.1 configuration. If I am mistaken please let me know if I have this messed up or not?

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Thanks a lot, Dave.

After posting earlier, I did some research here on the Pioneer Blu-ray 51FD and have crossed it off my list. With all the glitch issues I've had with the Sony S300 (not to mention the equal opportunity headaches with my Toshiba HD-DVD units) I don't need to borrow any more trouble.

On a positive note, Sony's firmware updates improved the player's performance substantially.

I'm planning to watch the Blu-ray version of From Russia With Love this evening. This disc features "DTS HD 5.1 Master Lossless Audio". Any idea how this will be handled through the analog inputs? I don't think the latest firmware upgrade referred to DTS in any way, but I might of missed something.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

The Sony BDP-S300 will not decode DTS-HD MA and it will not bitstream it. How ever you can still decode the standard DTS core track ether inside the player or you can use a digital coaxal connection or fiber to your receiver to decode the core DTS track. And I agree the latest firmware updates do improve the players performance. This player has done what I needed it to do, to be my first entry level player to get me into Bluray high definition. But since it does not decode DTS-HD MA and does not bitstream it. I personally will be upgrading to ether a Denon DVD-2500 Bluray or to something that is its equivelent.

I will also be upgrading my old Yamaha RX-V995 5.1 reciever to a Denon AVR-3808ci 7.1 receiver that will do all the decoding. All I need is a bluray player that will bitstream everything. But if you do not care about that then the Sony BDP-S300 does a good job IMHO. Even considering that it does not decode DTS-HD MA. I had the Pioneer Elite on my want list but I also took it off my list after hearing about the glitches.

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

Hi all,
IS THE VIDEO QUALITY OF THE SONY 300 EQUAL TO A NEW DESIGN, OR IS A OBSOLET PRODUCT?
Rubén

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

The Blu-ray video quality is fine, it is lack of handling of DTS-HD MA that is one big shortcoming. Thankfully, the core 1.5Mbps DTS stream is very good and a lot of people continue to use the player without complaint. It is also very slow loading discs. No Profile 1.1, no profile 2.0, no DTS-HD MA, and no bitstream of Dolby TrueHD means I wouldn't buy the player today. I have the even older Sony BDP-S1 and Sony has done a great job with firmware updates and the player is in the exact same position as this model. Since it plays all Blu-ray discs I have tried and only can't handle some features, I am not going to call it obsolete but will call it limited.

Chris

Re: Sony Bdp-S300: Dolby TrueHD with latest firmware

I agree with Chris this player does have it's limitations but I am not sure I would call it obsolete ether. It is a basic Bluray player by todays standards IMHO but it still does a good job. I personally do not care about the BD live part of the player not being there. The only thing I wish it could do is bitstream Dolby True HD and DTS-HD MA. It would have been nice if it at least decoded DTS-HD MA but ultimately I would have wanted it to bitstream everything minimum. I will be upgrading this player in the near future after I buy my new receiver. But I will definantly keep my BDP-S300 as a back up or maybe just use it in a second room once I upgrade my current 50" HDTV.

I wouldn't buy this player today as I believe that there are better players out now. And it is not hard to find a player that decodes everything or one that bitstreams everything. I would also say that there are players that most likely have a better HD picture and do a better job upscaling SD-DVD's. But when it was new it was a good player for the money.