Sony BDP-N460 Blu-ray Disc Player (Black)

Sony BDP-N460 Blu-ray Disc Player (Black) From Sony List Price: $249.99 Price: $137.21 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Ships from and sold by Electronics Expo 35 new or used available from $119.00 Average customer review:

Product Description

Experience Blu-ray Disc movies in Full HD 1080p quality with stunning HD sound that supports enhanced audio formats including Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio. You can also play and upscale your DVDs to near high definition. Connect to the internet and instantly stream thousands of movies, videos, music and more from Netflix, YouTube, Slacker and other leading content providers with the Sony BDP-N460 Network Blu-ray Disc player.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Black
• Brand: Sony
• Model: BDP-N460
• Dimensions: 2.20" h x 16.90" w x 8.10" l, 4.60 pounds

Features

• Plays Blu-ray Disc movies in Full HD 1080p
• Instantly streams online entertainment from leading providers
• Upscales DVDs to near high definition
• BD-Live ready
• Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD Master Audio decoding

Editorial Reviews

From the Manufacturer
(October 13, 2009)
In addition to playing Blu-ray Discs and DVDs, the Sony BDP-N460 streams one of the largest collections of premium and free on-demand entertainment from the BRAVIA Internet Video platform, including thousands of movies, TV programs, and music from from over 25 leading content providers--including YouTube, Slacker, and Netflix. Simply connect the BDP-N460 to your existing Internet connection.

Stream video from one of the largest collections of premium and free on-demand entertainment, including thousands of movies, TV programs, and music from YouTube, Slacker, and, later this fall, Netflix.

The Sony BDP-N460 incorporates Sony’s Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology that converts standard-definition signals (480i) to near HD quality (see larger image).

The Quick Start Mode lets you begin operating this Blu-ray Disc player approximately six seconds from the time it's powered on.

Check out the latest previews, download special scenes and exclusive features, and participate in online communities or games with BD-Live.

Blu-ray Disc's Full HD 1080p resolution produces over 2 million pixels per frame to produce a razor-sharp picture with unmatched depth and clarity.

It supports Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD audio codecs for up to 7.1 channels of high-definition sound, and there's even quick start-up mode which begins operating your Blu-ray Disc player in approximately six seconds from the time it is powered on. You can also play and upscale your standard DVDs to near high definition. And navigation of the player's menus is a breeze thanks to the icon-based Xross Media Bar (XMB) menu system.

Key Features

• Instantly stream thousands of movies, videos and music from an ever-growing list of over 25 content providers including Netflix, Slacker Radio, YouTube and more. (Learn more)
• Full HD 1080p Output (Learn more)
• DVD Upscaling via HDMI technology: DVD Upscaling via HDMI makes your existing standard DVDs look better on your HDTV by upscaling them to near HD quality.
• Dolby TrueHD and dts HD- 7.1 Analog: In the past, most audio codecs used compression that actually removes some sound data to transmit audio from the disc to the audio circuitry. This means that what you hear is a subset of the original audio. However, newer formats allow the audio to be compressed but not discarded, allowing the original audio to come through once it's been decoded. This player allows you to stream the audio out via HDMI to a capable receiver or through analog 7.1 outputs for maximum compatibility with high end receivers. (Learn more)
• 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. External memory (sold separately) is required.
• Quick Start Mode: Quick Start Mode lets you begin operating your Sony Blu-ray Disc player approximately six seconds from the time it's powered on.
• Ethernet port lets you connect the BDP-S360 to your home's existing broadband network to access bonus features on BD-Live enabled Blu-ray Disc movies.
• Bonus View feature provides "picture-in-picture" capability with select Blu-ray Disc titles--useful for viewing director or actor commentary while the movie plays.
• 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.
• BRAVIA Sync technology lets you enjoy the convenience of one remote control to operate and control all your compatible home entertainment devices. It utilizes the HDMI CEC function to easily turn on and control your compatible HDMI-connected components without having to use multiple remote controls.
• 24p True Cinema technology lets you watch films at their intended 24 fps (frames per second)--the way movies are shot and mastered--so you can enjoy cinematic picture quality.
• Precision Cinema HD Upscale circuitry delivers accurate and vivid images with clarity and detail that are faithful to the source--whether film or video (upscaled image quality will vary). This circuitry uses advanced conversion and processing to detect image changes at the pixel level, rather than at the level of whole scan lines. Additionally, separate algorithms are used to process the moving and still parts of an image, resulting in sharp backgrounds with moving objects that are free from motion artifacts.
• 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. (Learn more)
• 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. (Learn more)
• Easy Wi-Fi setup: In addition to a built-in Ethernet port, the BDP-N460 includes built-in software that makes it easy to connect this player to your existing wireless network by pairing the optional Linksys Wireless Ethernet Bridge (WET-610N) to connect to your home router (each sold separately). Or you can use the built-in Ethernet port to use a wired connection.
• Convenience features include parental controls, child lock, and video bit rate indicator
• Dimensions: 16.9 x 2.2 x 8.1 inches
• Warranty: 1 year parts and labor

Connections

• HDMI audio/video output: 1
• Component video (Y/Pb/Pr) output: 1
• Composite video output: 1
• Optical digital audio output: 1
• Coaxial digital audio output: 1
• Analog audio output: 1 (2-channel)
• Ethernet networking: 1
• USB port: 1

Video Specifications

• AVC-HD: Yes (8cm/12cm; DVD+R/RW/-R/-RW)
• BD-R/RE Read Compatibility: Yes (BDMV & BDAV)
• BD-ROM: Bonus View (Profile1.1); BD-Live (Profile2.0); BD-ROM (SL/DL)
• CD (CD-DA): Yes
• CD-R/RW: Yes (CD-DA & Data)
• DVD Playback: Yes
• DVD+R Read Compatibility: Yes (DL) (+VR)
• DVD+RW Read Compatibility: Yes (+VR) (8cm)
• DVD-R Read Compatibility: Yes (DL) (VR) (VR with CPRM) (8cm)
• DVD-RW Read Compatibility: Yes (VR) (VR with CPRM) (8cm)
• JPEG Playback: Yes (BD-R/REDVD+RW/+R/-RW/-R/CD-R,RW)
• Noise Reduction: Yes
• PhotoTV HD: Yes
• x.v.Color Technology: Yes

Audio Specifications

• Dolby: Yes & Dolby TrueHD bitstream out over HDMI (V1.3)
• Dolby Digital plus Decoding: Yes
• Dolby True HD bitstream output: Yes
• Dolby TrueHD Decoding: Yes
• LPCM: Yes (multi channel decoder): Yes (HDMI bitstream out)
• MP3 Playback: Yes (BD-R/RE/DVD+RW/+R/-RW/-R/CD-R,RW)
• dts Decoding: Yes
• dts HD bitstream output: Yes
• dts Output: Yes, & /DTS-HD bitstream out over HDMI (V1.3)

Customer Reviews

Very poor Netflix performance; overall disappointment so far.
I've had this player for several days now. Blu-Ray playback appears to be good, although I don't really have anything to compare it to. But so far its other attributes leave a great deal to be desired.

Netflix playback is especially poor. I waited to buy this unit for its Netflix capability to kick in, and was using the Roku HD player in the meantime. Even with a wired connection, the Sony's Netflix HD content playback is noticeably sluggish and jerky, almost to the point of being unwatchable, compared to the Roku player connected wirelessly to the same router. I watched parts of the same video on each player and the difference is not subtle; it is pronounced.

Also, the upscaled DVD picture on this player is very, VERY soft, almost to the point of looking out of focus, even with the TV's Sharpness setting turned up to maximum. This is in comparison to the Sony DVP-NS700H upscaling DVD player I had been using previously, which appears to have a sharper, crisper image; again, the difference is noticeable.

I'm going to try a few more DVDs and see if Sony and/or Netflix tech support can address the streaming problem, before I give up and return the unit. I had hoped this player would be a nice addition to my BRAVIA setup (46" Z4100 LCD TV), but so far it's let me down.

UPDATE: I called Sony and went through three levels of support. They agreed with my description and assessment of the Netflix HD picture quality and told me there was nothing that could be done about it. I also called Netflix and they couldn't help either; none of their suggestions worked. If I can't resolve this myself I'm going to have to return the player.

UPDATE 2: Amazon on Demand HD video looks fine; very good, actually. Looks like this is a Netflix issue (probably the onboard software, not the stream, since Netflix still looks fine on the Roku) that will have to be fixed with a firmware update sometime in the future.

UPDATE 3: CNET has now reviewed this product. From their review of the player's Netflix performance: "We also noticed that the overall streaming video quality seemed to be slightly worse than we're used to seeing. We saw more "jerky" playback than we're used to seeing on other players".

UPDATE 4: The Sony firmware update issued on December 22 has had no effect on the Netflix HD streaming quality. It looks the same as it did before.

UPDATE 5: For reasons unrelated to this issue, I upgraded my cable internet service to Cablevision's "Optimum Boost," which among other things is supposed to more than double Internet speed. Indeed, I'm now seeing over 20 Mbps on [...]. Nevertheless, the problem remains; the Netflix HD video is still "jerky". Apparently the problem is not the network. I think it may be that the Sony does a poor job handling the Netflix stream compared to the Amazon stream, such as, e.g., upconverting from 720p to 1080p.

UPDATE 6: I did some more experimenting with the player, this time removing the HDMI connection and using component instead, setting the player's component output to 720p. This did not correct the jerky motion problem; it looked essentially the same.
Love it
I wanted a Blu-ray player for two main reasons, 1) to watch Netflix on my TV, and 2) to watch Star Trek: The Original Series (Enhanced) on Blu-ray. I returned an LG BD 390 because a stupid icon kept popping up every time an "alternate angle"/enhanced scene appeared during an episode. This was many times during each episode. It's only on the screen for a few seconds, but you can't turn it off. Contacted LG and they said you can't turn it off and they weren't planning a firmware update to fix it - unacceptable. So now I have the Sony and I am thrilled. No more icon, and I like the option of turning off other icons like "play" and "pause". I think the load time is fine - fast enough for me. I'm anxious to get the Netflix firmware update to try that out. I don't need a wireless Blu-ray as I have wired my basement to get more reliable video streaming. I am very satisfied with this player.

Update as of 11/11/09 - Netflix enabled! Works beautifully so far. Watched a bit of "The Office". Video quality very good. My TV says it was 1080p - cool. I'm guessing that most of the Netflix content will be standard def., though. I watched a few minutes of Enemy Mine and the quality was OK - about like Netflix is on my computer. I'm getting pretty spoiled by hi-def. video after watching Blu-ray movies. Anyway, Netflix is easy to do. Just add movies to your Watch Instantly queue (on your PC), and they're there on TV. Brilliant.
Sony BDP-N460: The PS3 Replacement
This player is everything the PS3 should be, just without the games. The PS3 was a constant annoyance with the Bluetooth remote, poor game choice, and the lack of any service such as Netflix (the PS Network seemed to have a rather limited selection)... So I decided to liquidate the system and get back in the blu-ray player market.

When this unit loads up, you might think that it is a PS3--the menu is almost exactly the same. The relevant difference is the video options. This is where that laundry list of online video service providers is found. What a list! If all this player could do was play Netflix, it might not be such a compelling player--but it does a lot more than that. What convinced me to buy this unit was it's ability to play Amazon On Demand. It seemed ironic to me that this was not originally an advertised feature on Amazon's website. I had to do some research to verify this capability. In fact, it was a deal-maker for me.

If the PS3 did everything this player does, then I would say to pay a little more and enjoy the near-zero load times and wireless--but it doesn't. Not even close. The PS3 is currently locked into Sony's limited first-party services. This player hopefully signals the future for players, by adding every provider available.

Pros:
- Bravia sync (if you have a compatible Sony television)
- TONS of providers
- Load times are nominal
- Firmware updates were quick out of the box
- Excellent up-conversion of DVD titles
- Lights on player are not at all distracting (and can be adjusted)

Cons:
- Even though I am 1080p resolution, the xcross (system) menu looks low-res.
- Netflix is "coming fall 2009", so there will be a wait on that for now

So far this player highly recommended!

UPDATE: As of 11/11/2009, Netflix is now available. Works flawlessly!