Sony BDP-S550 1080p Blu-ray Player

The future of Blu-ray technology is here with the BDP-S550 and BD-Live. The BDP-S550 comes equipped with a built in Ethernet port and 1GB of memory on board (There is a USB port for additional Memory if needed as well) to allow you to access specially created content on your BD-Live enabled Blu-ray Disc Movie from the comfort of your Home Theater. Whether you are viewing upcoming trailers, playing a game with your friends, or just downloading a new ring-tone to your phone, BD-Live takes the movie experience to a whole new level. You still get the amazing picture performance of Full 1080/24p output and incredible upscaling up to 1080p for your DVD collection via the HDMI connection. Plus, to add to the great Home Theater experience, you get full bitstream output or, if you choose, internal decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD (Master Audio and High Resolution). To further the connectivity to your existing system, the BDP-S550 has a full 7.1 analog output for older receivers. Making all these wonderful features easy to access is the new Xross Media Bar¿ menu system, which is an icon based menu system for simple navigation. BRAVIA sync is also included which allows for easy one-button operation when connected via HDMI to other compatible Sony TV and Audio products. The BDP-S550 brings the world of BD-Live and Blu-ray to life!



Technical Details :
* Bonus View & BD-Live (Profile 2.0) w/1GB flash memory for local storage.
* Full HD 1080/60p & 24p True Cinema Video Output.
* Dolby True HD/DTS-HD decoder built-in with 7.1ch out. Quick start up mode.
* Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD bitstream out over HDMI (V1.3).
* x.v.Colors for AVC-HD.

KEY FEATURES :
- Slim chassis.
- True 1080p Output.
- 7.1 Channel Dolby Sound , Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD (Master Audio and High Resolution Audio).
- 1 Gb of onboard memory and a USB Port Allows More Storage for Access to More Special Features, Like Bonus View.
- Ethernet connection for BD-Live Compatibility and firmware updates.
- Higher Bit Rates mean less video compression.
- Emmy-Award Winning Xross Media Bar Interface.
- Bravia Sync for Easy Connectivity.

PROS:
1) BD-Live functionality works great.
2) Besides regular fast-forward, rewind, and chapter skip buttons, the S550 has advance or reverse buttons take you forward or back in 10-15 second increments.
3) The player will resume where you last stopped.
4) The display button puts on-screen the time elapsed or remaining in a movie.
5) The player allows you to change audio tracks on the fly with every Blu-ray disc.

CONS:
1) The S550 does not have frame-by-frame advance. Only pause and play.
2) No slow-motion.
3) No zoom feature.
4) The S550 does not display what chapter you are viewing.
5) The USB port cannot be used to play music or view pictures off a USB flash drive.
6) Fast-forward and rewind are quite sluggish.

Sony BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray Disc Player

Add more muscle to your home theater with the Sony BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray Disc/DVD player, which not only plays Blu-ray Discs in stunning full 1080p high definition, but also upscales standard DVDs. It features Sony's new 14-bit HD video processor, which improves standard definition and high-definition picture quality with the help of HD Reality Enhancer and Super Bit Mapping technologies, enabling extraordinarily smooth and detailed picture quality. And with its BD-Live capabilities, you can access BD-Live features and easy firmware updates through the Internet via an Ethernet connection.

Technical Details
* High-end Blu-ray Disc player with Sony's 14-bit HD video processor plus HD reality Enhancer and Super Bit Mapping technologies.
* Full HD 1080p output for Blu-ray Discs and upconversion of standard DVD video to 1080p.
* BD Live capable for accessing bonus content from BD-Live Blu-ray Discs; Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD; 1 GB built-in memory.
* Outputs: 1 HDMI, 1 component, 1 S-Video, 1 composite, 1 analog audio (2-channel, 7.1-channel), 1 digital optical audio, 1 digital coaxial audio, 1 Ethernet, 1 RS232.
* Includes remote control and composite AV cable; measures 17 x 14.37 x 4.92 inches (WxDxH).



Key Features
* True 1080p Output.
* HD Reality Enhancer/Super Bit Mapping.
* Isolated Audio Circuit Board and High Quality Parts.
* Rigid Beam Chassis and Dual Shield Construction.
* Dolby TrueHD and dts HD- 7.1 Analog.
* R-Core Transformer: Because of the unique design of this transformer, there is an inherently low radiated hum and noise ratio compared to other types of transformers.
* RS-232C & IR Input for Flexible Custom Installation.
* BD-Live Technology allows you to download and stream bonus content such as additional scenes, shorts, trailers, movie-based games, and more. And with Bonus View, you can enjoy "picture-in-picture" capability with select Blu-ray titles.
* Backwards Compatible and Upscaling: All existing Blu-ray Disc players will play your standard DVD collection without a problem. And with built-in 1080p video upscaling, they'll look even better.
* Emmy-Award Winning Xross Media Bar Interface: Sony's exclusive xross media bar user interface makes it simple and intuitive to navigate television menus, controls, and user settings.
* x.v.Color output plays AVCHD-format discs with support for the international xvYCC color standard, producing images with nearly twice as many viewable colors as the existing RGB color standard.

PROS:
- Stunning picture.
- Sound is impressive.
- Set up is quick and easy.
CONS:
- Quite expensive.