PS3 or Sony BDP-S350

[admin_exported]

I own a ps3 but am thinking about buying the Sony BDP-S350 blu ray player, can anyone tell me which is better.

 

[Anonymous]

Probably wise to wait just a little longer before spending your money. The Sony BD S350 has yet to gain enough accolades to qualify as the best model in its category. I have not seen many reviews, the review in these pages (or on the website) being a tad less thorough than some we might see soon.

The German reviewer I read from time to time (a major player in the hi-fi, audio-visual and IT publishing world) does a much more thorough job, with many measurements as well as what sometimes may appear to be an over-technical set of descriptions. This magazine has yet to publish a BD S350 review, but it will come fairly soon.

This said, the same German magazine gave full support to the What Hi-Fi? review of the Sony KDL 32W 4000 tv I bought recently. Same result: leader of the pack.

So, wait a little and read some more reviews, or, better still, talk to a good dealer who really can fairly demonstrate his products before spending your well-earned cash.

And, finally, do let us all know what you discover . . . please!

 

[Clare Newsome]

The Sony - but not by a huge enough margin to make an upgrade worthwhile, IMO. Step up to something like the Panasonic DMP-BD50, however, and you're talking....

PS Rheingold - we're the biggest hi-fi and AV magazine in the world, and i'd stake our reviews against absolutely anybody else's. Our tests are designed to be easily read, easily understood overviews of a product and its real-world capabilities - the reviewing behind them is no less thorough for that.

 

[Anonymous]

I was dead set on buying a PS3 but I have been put off by these reports of sub-standard picture quality from the PS3.

What is the difference in picture quality? Is there simply more detail from standalone bluray players?

 

[Clare Newsome]

The PS3 definitely isn't 'sub-standard' - it's just that the best of the newer players can offer a better-quality picture, both with Blu-ray and certainly when it comes to DVD upscaling. Then there's all the other things a PS3 can do (very shortly including being a Freeview PVR), which make it a superb all-round-entertainer.

If you're planning to use all else the PS3 has to offer, you should consider it. If not, there's an increasing range of tempting dedicated Blu-ray players- the Sony BDP-S350 is just the beginning of a new season of kit from all the big names, with a host of new launches due by the end of this month, many of which aren't even announced yet...

 

[JoelSim]

Can someone explain how a BluRay would benefit me over a decent DVD player. I don't get it at all!

I could understand if my picture quality on my 42" was less than perfect with DVD, but it isn't and I don;t understand how I could derive more pleasure from a BluRay, no matter how good. Blimey the movie was great but did you see the blacks, they were just unbelievable!

ÿ

 

[fr0g]

JoelSim:
Can someone explain how a BluRay would benefit me over a decent DVD player. I don't get it at all!
I could understand if my picture quality on my 42" was less than perfect with DVD, but it isn't...

Oh but it is FAR from perfect.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy DVD, and in fact still buy DVD mostly, but if I was in any way a videophile I certainly wouldn't. I only have a few blu rays, but they do make the DVD look like VHS...

Planet Earth is one of them (The US release), and it just amazes me (even if it isn't all in HD)

Comparing high def with DVD is like comparing your Arcam/Dali system with a £300 mini system.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep im with the frog on this, Ive got a pretty decent DVD setup and yes theres not much wrong with picture in fact id go so far as to say its better than i thought it could be @ 40" BUT stick on a blu ray and its a whole new world, more depth better colour more detail better sound. smaller boxes so i dont such a huge storage unit ;-)

 

[professorhat]

Yeah, you might not really notice it until you've watched a few Blu-Rays. I've got a mate staying with me for a while at the moment for relationship reasons, and he's in no way a videophile like I am, but we've watched a few Blu-Rays now and we put a DVD on the other day and he went, "Wow, I didn't really notice before, but Blu-Ray is soo much better isn't it?!".
That pretty much sums it up I reckon.