Sony BDP-S550
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: BDP-S550
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Sony BDP-S550 offers excellent image quality and a solid feature set, but only consider it if you need the multichannel analog outputs.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/08/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Sony BDP-S550 price range: $549.00
- Reviewed by: Matthew Moskovciak
- Edited by: David Katzmaier
- Reviewed on: 11/17/2008
- Updated on:03/30/2009
- Released on: 10/15/2008
The good: Excellent image quality on Blu-ray Discs; Profile 2.0 compliant; onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, plus bit-stream output; 7.1 analog-audio outputs; 1GB USB drive included in box.
The bad: PlayStation 3 may still offer a better value for some buyers; competing players offer more features or lower prices.
The bottom line: The Sony BDP-S550 offers excellent image quality and a solid feature set, but only consider it if you need the multichannel analog outputs.
Editors' note (March 30, 2009): The rating of this player has been changed since its initial publication to reflect changes in the marketplace.
Sony has made standalone Blu-ray players since the format's inception, but they've always been overshadowed by the company's game console, the PlayStation 3. In many ways, the Sony BDP-S550 is the company's first standalone that might be a smarter buy than the PS3 for nongamers. The BDP-S550 is Profile 2.0 compliant, has onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, and it has 7.1 analog outputs for those with older receivers. Not only that, but its image quality compares with other top-tier players and the list price is a reasonable $400. Unlike in the past, you're not sacrificing much in terms of movie watching by going with Sony's standalone instead of its game console.
That being said, we think most buyers will be more interested in the alternatives to the BDP-S550. For example, the Panasonic DMP-BD35 offers most of the same functionality minus the analog outputs for less money, and the Samsung BD-P2550 offers 7.1 outputs, HQV video processing, plus Netflix and Pandora streaming for the same price. If you don't need analog outputs or DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, the entry-level Sony BDP-S350 is a solid choice, too. Finally, anyone interested in high-def gaming would be wise to consider the PS3, which in many ways is still the best Blu-ray player on the market and sells for $400. The BDP-S550 is a very good Blu-ray player with no major flaws--just make sure it offers the right mix of features, performance, and value for your home theater.
Design
The BDP-S550 is a sharp-looking Blu-ray player. Like its entry-level cousin, the BDP-S550 is a few inches shallower than most Blu-ray players on the market, coming in at 8.75 inches deep. From straight-on, the design is pretty basic. In the center of the unit is the disc tray, which is concealed by an automatic flip-down door. Just to the right of the center is the LCD display, which is a little on the small side, and further right are a few playback controls, although no chapter/forward buttons. Two additional buttons--power and disc open/close--are angled on the top of the unit, which makes them a little inconvenient, especially if you have other gear stacked on top of the BDP-S550. We really did appreciate the finish that covers the BDP-S550, which manages to keep a little gloss without looking tacky like many of its competitors.
The included remote is pretty good. The center of it is dominated by a directional pad, which is surrounded by important buttons such as menu, options, and home. Toward the bottom are separate rockers for volume and channel changing, for those who want to use the remote to control their TVs, as well. We generally liked the layout, and there's enough button differentiation to navigate by feel in a darkened home theater.
Like the BDP-S350, the BDP-S550 has a deeply recessed USB port on the rear of the unit. It's a bit of a design flaw because the opening for the port means that many standard USB drives just won't fit. However, Sony does include a slim 1GB USB drive with the BDP-S550 that fits perfectly, so that deep port shouldn't be a problem.
Features
The BDP-S550 is Profile 2.0 compliant, which means it's capable of accessing Internet-enabled features (often referred to as "BD-Live" features) available on some movies, such as Transformers and Walk Hard. To access the features, you'll need to have the BDP-S550 connected to the Internet via Ethernet and the included USB flash drive inserted. Of course, we'd still prefer these players to have built-in memory, but including a USB drive is a good compromise.
Soundtrack support is comprehensive on the Sony BDP-S550. It has onboard decoding for all high-resolution soundtrack formats, including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, so you don't need a new receiver to take advantage of the improved audio quality. The player can also output high-resolution soundtracks in bit-stream format, so you can opt to let your AV receiver handle the decoding duties itself. There should be absolutely no sound-quality difference between the receiver decoding the soundtracks or the Blu-ray player doing so--and we've never heard any difference ourselves--but some people just like to see their receiver's "Dolby TrueHD" indicator light up.
Connectivity is excellent on the Sony BDP-S550. The HDMI output is the most important connection, capable of outputting high-def video up to 1080p resolution, as well as high-resolution multichannel audio. There's also a component-video output, which can output Blu-ray Discs at 1080i and DVDs at 480p, along with legacy composite-video and S-Video connections. Audio connections also include both optical and coaxial digital-audio outputs, and those with older receivers will also be pleased to see 7.1 analog-audio outputs. There's also an Ethernet port in the back (but no Wi-Fi), which can be used for firmware updates and downloading content for BD-Live-enabled Discs.
Blu-ray performance
For our Blu-ray tests, we compared the BDP-S550 to several standalone Blu-ray players, including the Samsung BD-P2550 and Panasonic DMP-BD35. We started off by looking at test patterns from Silicon Optix's HQV test suite, with each player connected to the Samsung PN50A650.
First we looked at the Film Resolution Loss Test, and the BDP-S550 handled the shifting test pattern perfectly, showing all the detail without any image instability. It also did a good job on the second part of the test, showing no moire as the camera slowly pans across the empty Raymond James Stadium. Next up were a few video-based test patterns, which we consider less important because few Blu-ray Discs are video-based. While the BDP-S550 showed all the detail on the Video Resolution Loss Test, there was a strobe-like flickering in the most detailed part of the test pattern. It did better, however, on the next two jaggies tests, clearly rendering both a rotating white line and three shifting lines.
Next, we looked at some actual program material, and we started with a few discs we know often give Blu-ray players problems. First up was the beginning of chapter 8 from Mission Impossible: III and the BDP-S550 looked great, with the stairs in the background free from the moire that we often see on lesser players. Chapter 16 also looked good; the trimming on the limo was jaggy-free as it approaches Tom Cruise. We switched over to Ghost Rider and the BDP-S550 continued to perform strongly; the grille of the RV was smoothly rendered as the camera panned away at the very end of chapter 6. We also looked at Tony Bennett: An American Classic--which is video-based and mastered at 1080i--and the BDP-S550 again proved its mettle, performing as well as the DMP-BD35, PS3, and Samsung BD-P2550. Overall, the BDP-S550 has excellent image quality, comparable with other top performers.
We also tested disc-loading speed and the BDP-S550 had average performance. Mission Impossible: III loaded in 25 seconds with the player on, and in 34 seconds with the player off, which is a little bit slower than the DMP-BD55. Movies with BD-Java menus took considerably longer, with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest loading in one minute and 50 seconds, and Spiderman 3 loading in 1 minute and 40 seconds.
DVD performance
Home theater fans still have sizable DVD collections, so we put the BDP-S550 through our DVD testing suite. First up was Silicon Optix's HQV test disc on DVD.
On a resolution test pattern, the BDP-S550 displayed the full resolution DVD is capable of, although we did see some image instability in parts of the picture. Next up were a couple jaggies tests and the Sony passed them with ease, with very few jaggies on both a rotating white line and three shifting lines. The BD-PS550 also handled the difficult 2:3 pulldown test; there was no moire in the grandstands as the race car drove by. Finally, CNN-like scrolling text was jaggy-free, along with vertically scrolling credits. Overall the BDP-S500 performed well with test patterns.
We also looked at the some program material. We started with the introduction to Star Trek: Insurrection, and the BDP-S550 showed off its 2:3 pulldown prowess by smoothly rendering the curved lines of the bridge railings and boat hulls. We switched over to Seabiscuit, and the BDP-S550 held its own again, showing relatively few jaggies on the difficult opening sequence. We were able to flip back and forth between the Samsung BD-P2550 to get a direct comparison and while we generally favored the image quality of the BD-P2550, only videophiles will notice the minor differences.
User reviews
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Pristine video. Crystal clear audio.
by Dave Dugal on October 16, 2008
Pros: 7.1-channel analog audio with internal decoding of all formats.
Blu-Ray Profile 2.0.
Stunning video performance.
Crystal clear audio.
User-friendly menus.
Quick startup time.Cons: Subwoofer output is -10dB too low.
Disc handling slightly noisy. Sounds a little cheap.Summary: Let me first start out by stating that I'm living in an analog world. I'm using component video and 7.1-channel RCA connectors for audio. This ability, combined ...
Summary: Let me first start out by stating that I'm living in an analog world. I'm using component video and 7.1-channel RCA connectors for audio. This ability, combined with Profile 2.0, was the primary reason I waited for the Sony BDP-S550.
-10dB LFE Update:
Out of the box, the unit is surprisingly small. It's full-width, but only half the depth of every other component I have in my rack. This all but guarantees the new Blu-ray Disc player will sit proudly at the top of my six-and-a-half foot tower of electronics. It's a pretty unit with a slight bluish black complexion so I don't mind, really. I was just surprised. My previous foray into Sony disc players was the DVP-S9000ES which was a 40-pound, brass-plated monster.
The initial setup was a breeze. I like the matrix-like setup menus. The only tweaks I had to make were to set the Audio Output Priority to multi-channel analog and [eventually] to set the BD Audio Setting to "Direct". This last item was critically important and almost made me return the unit. By allowing menu-based sound effects to be mixed into the BD audio, it introduced a ~150ms audio delay in watching Blu-ray Discs. I was horrified until, on a SWAG, I changed this setting. Phew!
After playing a few minutes from every Blu-ray Disc I bought, I threw in a few reference quality DVDs. The upconversion from 480i to both 480p and 1080i (via component video) was excellent. It was almost too good, showing the limitations of some of my lesser DVDs. Film grain in the recently remastered "Dirty Dancing" DVD [Disclaimer: this is my fiancee's disc] was more obvious on this player than I've seen on any of my other DVD players. There are extensive noise reduction settings available in the player, but the film grain was more a testament to the clarity of the player rather than distracting.
I also tested 4x3 (1.33:1) DVDs and audio CDs, just to be sure the player could be my end-all, be-all player. Initially, the player stretched the 4x3 DVD to fit my 16x9 screen, but I eventually found the Screen Format video settings, which when set to the non-intuitive value of "Fixed Aspect Ratio", displays all DVDs in their proper aspect ratio.
In conclusion, the video on my 1080i RPTV is pristine; the best I've ever seen. The player-decoded 7.1-channel audio is also crystal clear. I didn't expect to hear an improvement over optical DTS-ES or THX-EX, but the difference is amazingly obvious. The player *does*, unfortunately, suffer from the -10dB subwoofer output limitation, which is very irritating (and the cause of only 4 stars). Relative to all the other channels, the line-level subwoofer output is over 10dB too low. This causes a major disparity in perceived output between the seven main channels and the subwoofer. I'm hoping and praying Sony will release a firmware upgrade to fix this in the very near future. Until then, I've got all the other channels set to -10 to -12dB with the subwoofer set to 0dB, which is almost close to the correct value for my home theatre.
If you can live with or compensate for the very low subwoofer output, or use HDMI for audio and video, then I do not hesitate in strongly recommending this player to anyone looking for an excellent, user-friendly, fully-functional and surprisingly inexpensive Blu-ray Disc player.
Updated on Oct 18, 2008
After doing extensive research, and finding an excellent article about LFE on AVSForum.com, I found out that the standard for LFE over analog output dictates that the signal be delivered 10dB lower than the reference level of the other channels. Digging deep into the setup menus of my Denon AVR-5800, I found a way to boost the LFE channel of the receiver's 8-channel analog inputs to bring all channel levels in line.12 out of 12 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best Blu-Ray Player Yet!!
by reg549 on October 17, 2008
Pros: Right out of the box, only needs to be plugged into your electrical outlet and plug in your existing HDMI cable. It finally woke up my 7.1 Onkyo system with Dolby Digital HD, DTS HD, and more.
Cons: Had it over 3 weeks now, had pre ordered it with Sony, and have had no problems whatsoever.
Summary: Simply the best viewing and sound from any existing Blu-Ray player ever. Sony has outdone itself this time, you just won't believe the picture and sound until you actually ...
Summary: Simply the best viewing and sound from any existing Blu-Ray player ever. Sony has outdone itself this time, you just won't believe the picture and sound until you actually have the opportunity to see and hear it yourself.
6 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This the first Blu-ray player that cam do it all!
by dvdirv on October 25, 2008
Pros: Support for all next-gen audio formats, Profile 2.0 compliant, backlit remote, remaining time display, reasonable price
Cons: Set-up menu always "ON"
Summary: If you're looking for a Blu-ray player that can do it all, check out the Sony BDP-S550 player.
It's got a ton of improvements over Sony's (and ...Summary: If you're looking for a Blu-ray player that can do it all, check out the Sony BDP-S550 player.
It's got a ton of improvements over Sony's (and the competition's) previous models.
It can internally decode all 7.1 next-gen audio formats. This is the player that will easily let you play Dolby TrueHD as well as dtsHD Master Audio soundtracks.
It is Profile 2.0 capable right out of the box. No upgrades required (at least not right now!). With the built-in network port, upgrades are a snap.
Sony's previous players (except the 350) had slow loading times. The 550 is much quicker. You even have the option of a quick start-up mode, even faster than the default standard one which is fast enough.
Most Blu-ray players display total and elapsed time. This player also features remaining time, crucial if you want to know how much time is left on the disc.
The 550 includes a backlit remote, a real improvement if you are using your player in a darkened room.
The best feature of the 550 is its price. Although the $399 price tag may seem high to some, actual discounts are closer to $300-$330, which is about $50 higher than the bottom line 350 model. Considering how many extra features you get, it seems like a bargain.
Only down side is Sony's Xcross Media Bar graphic display is always on except for playing discs. You only need to access this menu when you are setting up your system or making changes. Then you only need to display a neat desktop, not one cluttered with icons.
If want a reasonable inexpensive Blu-ray player that can handle all your options now or in the short-term future, the Sony BDP-S550 is the one to get!3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Solid player to me. Would love to hear CNET's opinion!
by sanramon94582 on October 16, 2008
Pros: Greate BD and DVD upscaling. Small. Stylish. Solid build. No bugs encountered so far.
Cons: Confusing info from Sony whether it decodes DTS-HD MA for 7.1 Analog set up. The Sony web site changes the desciption several times - from yes, to through future firmware update, to btistream HDMI only, and back to yes.
Summary: I got it from a local Sonystyle store. Easy set up and very easy to navigate menu. This is my first blu-ray player so I'm unable to compare it ...
Summary: I got it from a local Sonystyle store. Easy set up and very easy to navigate menu. This is my first blu-ray player so I'm unable to compare it against other players or PS3. It has the need to change BD Audio setting from 'mix' (default setting) to 'direct' in order to enjoy lossless audio format. I too want to see professional review on this against the Panny BD55.
Another pro - $150 off with a Sonystyle credit card offer.
Updated on Oct 16, 20083 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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CNET ... Please review ASAP!!!
by hawke47 on October 15, 2008
Pros: I do not own this product, and my comments would be assumptions
Cons: I do not own this product, and my comments would be assumptions.
Summary: I do not own this product, but it seems like this Bluray player will be the only competitor that will be able to stand up against the Panasonic DMP-BD55, which ...
Summary: I do not own this product, but it seems like this Bluray player will be the only competitor that will be able to stand up against the Panasonic DMP-BD55, which sells for the same price ($399). However, Panasonic has made it clear from the start that the DMP-BD55 will support decoding for all high-definition audio formats, and will allow for full 7.1 analog output of these formats. CNET, please review this item, and ALSO please do a side by side comparison to the Panasonic DMP-BD55. Thank you all for the ear. Be well. :)
2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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superior product
by marc sloan on November 25, 2008
Pros: Best H.D picture I have ever seen ( sony XBR5) exellent full 7.1 sound.
Cons: none, this is a no brainer!
Summary: easy HDMI hookup to sony E.S5300, intuitive easy interface. 5 minutes, to hookup, everything pristine perfect!
Summary: easy HDMI hookup to sony E.S5300, intuitive easy interface. 5 minutes, to hookup, everything pristine perfect!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Everything I wanted in a Blu-Ray player
by hmbmd1 on November 20, 2008
Pros: Stunning picture quality, decodes all audio codecs, has analog 7.1 outputs so I didn't need a new receiver
Cons: None so far
Summary: A great buy for anyone with an older generation receiver, or for anyone who wants a well built player with excellent performance and fast load times. Especially ideal if you ...
Summary: A great buy for anyone with an older generation receiver, or for anyone who wants a well built player with excellent performance and fast load times. Especially ideal if you don't want to be tempted to spend all you time gaming! No doubt the Panasonic DMP-BD55 would have pleased me just as much, but the Samsung lacks DTS-MA and I have no interest in streaming SD movies.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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CNET review is WRONG about loading speed!
by bluskiessmingatme on December 14, 2008
Pros: Excellent machine
Cons: No slow-mo.
Summary: The review saying the loading forSpider-Man 3 and POTC: Dead Man's Chest is WRONG! I just tested the POTC: Dead Man's Chest and Spider-Man 3 discs and if ...
Summary: The review saying the loading forSpider-Man 3 and POTC: Dead Man's Chest is WRONG! I just tested the POTC: Dead Man's Chest and Spider-Man 3 discs and if you count from the moment the disc arrives inside the machine to the time it starts playing (including the spider symbol and the POTC keys turning), it only took about 40 seconds to load!
Also, I begin to wonder if the person really reviewed the machine. He mentions re: the remote: "We generally liked the layout, and there's enough button differentiation to navigate by feel in a darkened home theater." Umm, you don't have to...the S550's remote is backlit!1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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great when it worked
by warmu on October 14, 2009
Pros: great picture decent load times if you don't count startup time
Cons: slow start up takes 3-5 minutes I have had player for 9 months worked great for 8 one day it quit playing blue ray disks but would play all other dvds told update to new firmware did that still does not work
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Not the best electronic unit I've ever owned.
by steelipete on May 18, 2009
Pros: good sound, good picture, mostly easy to work.
Cons: -update download instructions are vague.
-after pausing I was unable to re-start from the same spot in the movie.
-the disc tray is rediculously slow.
-loading and re-loading is also very slow.
-very bright & distracting blue light on player.Summary: I would have tried other players out more prior to purchase. I may have settled on this one anyway but I would have known the pros-cons first.
Summary: I would have tried other players out more prior to purchase. I may have settled on this one anyway but I would have known the pros-cons first.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: BDP-S550
- Description: The BDP-S550 model supports BonusView (Picture-in-Picture) featured on some of the new Blu-ray Disc theatrical releases. This model also features an external port for local storage, so users can add optional flash-based memory. The BDP-S550 ships with a 1GB storage device. The player features 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema output. It is compatible with most standard DVDs and features 1080p upscaling through an HDMI connection to capable HDTV sets, improving the picture performance of existing DVD libraries. The model offers 7.1 channel Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus decoding and bit-stream output, as well as dts -HD High Resolution Audio and Master Audio bit-stream output. The BDP-S550 adds dts-HD High Resolution Audio and dts-HD Master Audio decoding as well as 7.1 channel analog audio output. The player supports AVCHD discs encoded with x.v.Color (xvYCC) technology, an international standard for wide color space reproduction. The standard expands the current data range of video by about 1.8 times, allowing the players to output more natural and vivid colors similar to what the human eye can actually see. The player also features compatibility with an array of video formats, including BD-R/RE (BDMV and BDAV modes), DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW (Video Mode), CD, CD-R/RW (CD-DA format), and JPEG on DVD/CD recordable media. The new model features a slim design with reduced depth and height compared to previous models matching Sony's new home-theater-in-a-box systems, the HT-SS2300 and HT-CT100 T-SS2300, also announced today. Optimized for Blu-ray Disc, the new component systems feature three 1080p compatible HDMI inputs making them the perfect match for a Full high-definition home theater when connected to a new Sony BRAVIA 1080p HDTV.
General
- Product Type Blu-Ray disc player
- Form Factor Tabletop
- Width 16.9 in
- Depth 8.7 in
- Height 2.8 in
- Weight 7.3 lbs
DVD
- Media Type CD, DVD, BD-R, CD-R, BD-RE, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD-R, BD-ROM, DVD+RW, DVD-RW
- Recordable Media BD-R, BD-RE, DVD, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, JPEG
- Video D/A Converter 12bit / 148.5MHz
- Audio D/A Converter 24bit / 192kHz
- Built-in Audio Decoders DTS decoder, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, DTS-HD decoder, Dolby Digital Plus
- Media Load Type Tray
- Upscaling Yes
- Supported Digital Video Standards AVCHD
- Supported Digital Audio Standards MP3, PCM
DVD Features
- Parental Lock Yes
- TV Screen Saver Yes
- Additional Features BD-Live, BonusView, Cinema mode, JPEG photo playback, Progressive scanning
Audio System
- Sound Output Mode Surround Sound
- Digital Audio Format DTS digital output, Dolby Digital output
Remote Control
- Type Remote control
- Technology Infrared
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Ethernet ( RJ-45 ) - Rear, 1 x HDMI output ( 19 pin HDMI Type A ) - Rear, 1 x 7.1 channel audio line-out ( RCA phono x 8 ) - Rear, 1 x SPDIF output ( RCA phono ) - Rear, 1 x SPDIF output ( TOSLINK ) - Rear, 1 x Composite video/audio output ( RCA phono x 3 ) - Rear, 1 x S-Video output ( 4 pin mini-DIN ) - Rear, 1 x USB
Power
- Power Device Power supply
Manufacturer info
- Sony
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.sonystyle.com
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
