Sony BDP-S350 Blu-ray Player (1 Viewer)

[DavidEC]

Side Note: Finally got throught to level 2 support and it seems that I am not the only person calling about 'Kung Fu Panda' not working as I was told that the level 2 techs were testing the disc/machine combo as I was calling and hope to call be back with an answer... --David

 

[Albee213]

If you run your reciever in PCM manual then it will take the DTS-HD and Dolby-HD. The Bluray player does the decoding. You will also need to change the settings in the player to out put these signals. It will sound amazing!

 

[Stephen_J_H]

Originally Posted by Chuck Anstey

I have a question about Dolby TrueHD and DTS-MA decoding and the PiP track. According to the Master List of BluRay players, the S350 cannot decode TrueHD or DTS-MA (can only be output direct bitstream) so the only way for it to mix the movie track and PiP track is to use a lower quality movie mix it can decode. Is that true? I am looking at players but I want one that is absolutely 100% 2.0 compliant and being able to mix PiP with the main track is a requirement.

As much as it pains me to say this, get a PS3. The new slimline model with the 120GB hard drive is too good a deal to pass up when compared to other units that are 2.0 compliant. BTW, True HD and DTS-HDMA are not part of the 2.0 spec, but since the PS3 decodes both it's a moot point.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

I just got an update on my player today, anyone else? No idea what the changes are. It just went from version .19 to .20 is all I noticed.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I updated to that same firmware version, too, this past weekend. I believe the main reason for the upgrade was adding a feature for frame by frame advance. I never use this feature, though, so have not personally verified that it now works.

 

[Stephen_J_H]

From the Sony eSupport site:
What does this do?This utility updates the BDP-S350 firmware to version 020 and provides the following benefits: Improvements over firmware version 019:

• Adds slow and freeze frame functions during Blu-ray Disc and DVD playback.
• Improves compatibility to enhance interactivity with some BD-ROMs.

Benefits provided by previous updates and included in version 020:

• Improved BD-Live performance to enhance interactivity.
• Adds BD-Live functionality.
  • BD-Live allows you to enjoy additional content and services while playing a BD-Live capable disc.
  • For optimal performance, we recommend that you use a Broadband Internet connection to access BD-Live content and services.
  • BD-Live content and services require external USB flash memory (sold separately) for local storage.
• Improved sensitivity to the Remote Commander® signal while the player is in stand-by mode.

Link: http://esupport.sony.com/CA/perl/swu-download.pl?upd_id=4935&os_id=99&mdl=BDPS350

I just installed it this weekend, but haven't played any discs yet. I suspect this update had something to do with the problems being discussed in this thread: www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/293339/a-few-words-about-snow-white-and-the-seven-dwarfs-in-blu-ray/90#post_3617508

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Thanks, Stephen. I never even tried the 2nd disc from Snow White, so I do not know if I would have experienced any issues there. However, the first disc with the feature film took an extremely long time to load (so much that I almost gave up on it). I will have to try that disc again to see if it loads in a more normal timeframe.

 

[Adam Sanchez]

I wonder how you even do the freeze frame function. I don't think this firmware changes this, but my only complaint with this player is how it doesn't smoothly FF or RR while watching a disc. It sort of "Jumps" from frame to a few frames later. I don't know if that is a Blu-Ray limitation or just the player, but it always has mildly bothered me.

Freeze frame scan sounds like just scanning ahead one frame at a time, which would be TOO slow. Still, how do you do it? Guess I better break out the actual player remote..haha.

 

[Matt Hough]

Hi, everyone!

I'm posting this for a friend who has a 350 but is not a member of this forum and has had trouble finding answers to a basic question about updating firmware for this model.

He tried to play the recent STARGATE Blu-ray release and the player wouldn't play it, so he suspected he needed to update his firmware. However, he's not connected to the internet, so he must seek some alternative way to update the firmware.

I've never had the 350, only the PS3 which allowed updates through USB/flash drive as well as burning a disc.

How does one update the firmware if he isn't connected to the internet? For some reason, after reading the manual on-line, he still has no answers.

Can anyone help me to help him? Thanks in advance.

 

[RickER]

Matt, just have him go here. If you read through you see all he needs to do is e mail them, and they will send an update disc, in the mail, for free. Thats how i do it, for my 350, also not hooked up to the internet, and i run a Mac, so i dont burn my own disc off. Hope this helps. Sony eSupport - BDP-S350 - Model Home

 

[Matt Hough]

Thanks so much. I'll pass the info along to him.

 

[Ray H]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Sanchez

I wonder how you even do the freeze frame function. I don't think this firmware changes this, but my only complaint with this player is how it doesn't smoothly FF or RR while watching a disc. It sort of "Jumps" from frame to a few frames later. I don't know if that is a Blu-Ray limitation or just the player, but it always has mildly bothered me.

Freeze frame scan sounds like just scanning ahead one frame at a time, which would be TOO slow. Still, how do you do it? Guess I better break out the actual player remote..haha.

It's a month later and you probably figured it out, but it was a pretty intuitive process the first time I did it. I think you just pause and then hit the forward/reverse buttons on either side of the play button.