I don’t know why people would still want to get a dedicated Blu-ray player since Sony has already slashed its 80GB PS3 price to a mere $399, and at that number, it is pretty hard to say no to one. After all, not only can you update its firmware through the Internet, you can also use it to play games whenever you’re feeling bored. All of that cannot be achieved by even the best standalone Blu-ray player in the market which will also be relatively more expensive than the PS3, but that has not stopped Sony themselves from rolling out yet another player for the masses. This time round we have the Sony BDP-350 to keep you entertained in the living room, so without much further ado, I’ll move on to the nitty gritty right after the jump.
The BDP-S350 supports BonusView (picture-in-picture), which is featured on select new Blu-ray Disc home video releases, and is also BD-Live ready, with an Ethernet port for easy firmware updates and access to Internet-based interactive content features. A firmware update enabling BD-Live is planned later this year. It also features quick start-up mode improving the player’s boot-up time to approximately a few seconds and offers an external port for local storage for BD-Live, allowing users to add an optional flash storage device (sold separately). The BDP-S350 incorporates Sony’s new Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology that converts standard-definition signals (480i) to 1080p and outputs a full HD equivalent resolution signal to 1080p TVs via HDMI. Additionally, the model also adds Sony’s new Precision Drive HD, which helps to detect and correct wobbling discs from three directions, stabilizing playback of bent or scratched Blu-ray Discs and DVDs.
Surprisingly, Sony has kept the BDP-S350’s price tag at approximately $400, which is in the same neighborhood as the 80GB PS3. As a consumer, which model will you take?
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