Simply don't plug in an ethernet cable or setup the internet settings then.

Here's my question...why would you want to upgrade the memory at all? Thats something I never understood. Would additional space make it run faster/better? Do they really have more then 1GB of downloadable stuff planned? $5 says you have to buy a Sony Pro Duo card

Why would you want to upgrade the memory? So you can have more space to store content on, or to play your own content a la the Panasonic players. Given that the PS3 has memory slots for more than Sony memory, I imagine the 550 will also have slots for different types of memory. And even if it only has a slot for a Sony card, well, those cards are an accepted memory standard at this point, and a lot of people have a card or two floating around their house.

Also, your comments are veering dangerously close to troll territory. I'm not saying every comment here has to be 100% positive about Blu-ray, but at the same time, trying to tear apart every piece of good news in an attempt to find a negative underside (which may in fact not exist at all) isn't what we're about, either.

Interactivity is just in its infancy when it comes to high def. Maybe a year from now 1Gb might be too little so i think it's kind of cool you can just add your own memory. But then again, I don't see a lot customers even using it to begin with.

Dan, is it possible for CE companies to supply Dvdtalk with players for reviews as well or could that request be put in?

The only negative I see with the new Sony player announcement is that the price is still higher than the PS3. At some point they need to take a hit and price the standalone player competitively against the PS3, like $100 cheaper. Just doesn't make sense to charge the same or more for a player that does less.

I don't have a Panasonic player so I have no idea you can play your own content on (MP3s?). I really don't know and asked a question of why you would need a memory card for additional space. With the PS3 being a media hub, I don't think the new Sony SA players will support a wide array of memory cards. Pro Duo and maybe SD. Don't take my comments as trolling because I do not know the answer so I asked a question.

The BDP-300 will have to drop to at least $349 officially (or less) when the 350 comes out.

It is possible and I can make some requests when the players are set to come out, but it's very hit and miss. I've tried to get both Panny and Pioneer to lend us players for review without any success. I myself would certainly love to try out the S550, so we'll see if that's possible.

Some of the Panny players have memory ports that let you play your own HD content (either downloaded off the internet, edited on your computer, or recorded straight from a camcorder). Given that you generally know the specs of almost all of the players on both formats, I presumed you knew that.

Ive never had a Blu-ray SA player, only the PS3. The Panasonic players never wowed me enough.

Gizmodo has more on the Sony BR players...
http://gizmodo.com/360642/bdp+s350-a...lu+ray-players


I do like the fact that the mock-up appears to show that the Blu-ray tray is hidden behind that latch...I love that feature on my XA1.

The S550 looks so purrrty. Looks great spec-wise also.

It is worth noting that the S550 can decode DTS HD MA internally, and the PS3 cannot. Hopefully, when this is released, the PS3 will be able to as well.

Also the S550 can bitstream DTS MA which already makes it better than the PS3 in my book.

True, but remember the other little function the PS3 has... GAMES.

When weighing a very very decent BD player that plays games against the best current model of BD player at similar pricepoints, I (and I would assume most) would select the PS3. If Sony wants to shake the image of BD as being the PS3 movie format, then they need to start moving some SAs, and they need to be priced more attractively than PS3 to do so.

And as mentioned, the S550 doesn't come out until the fall. The PS3 will be $299 and may already pass DTS MA by the time the S550 is released.

I will get the 550 Sapphire in the Fall. So, there will be at least one of those machines here.

Also, regarding the pricing and the PS3 dependability, I believe that as the market expands there will be more and more people that would look for standalones over the PS3. As great as the PS3 has been it is my opinion that its success during the war was due precisely because of the fact that it was both a future-proof machine as well as a media/game-console. This bodes well with early adopters but I think that there is larger group of people who will simply opt for a high-quality standalone over the PS3. I also believe that when the Sapphires enter the market they will be competitive in terms of pricing to the PS3.

Pro-B

It may be able to pass DTS MA as LPCM but it will never be able to bitstream it. I would prefer to have a player bitstream my audio codecs.

Also, as one of the more ardent BD supporters, even I can agree that the PS3 is not meant to be a long term BD player so I do welcome quality standalones as the S550.

We'll see, but I seriously doubt the PS3 will be $299 this year.

Why do you believe this? Or do you believe there will only be a $50 price drop this year? I think the $299 is a must reach price point for Sony this year if they want to compete against Microsoft and Nintendo (who will both have their own price drops this year too)

Nintendo isn't going to drop the price of their console until the demand dies off. It doesn't really look like that is going to happen any time soon since they're still not ever in stock anywhere. At best I think you'd be looking at a $225 or $200 Wii as competition this winter. An xbox drop is more plausible, although of course not certain.

I just wish Sony would do something about the IR situation on the PS3. I'm running the Schmartz adapter, which is OK, but it would be nice to have full rmeote functionality.

I just don't think they'll drop the price again so soon. If they drop it this summer, that would essentially be going from $600 to $300 in about a year and a half. I could be wrong, and it would be nice if they did drop it again, but I don't think it will happen this year. Of course, that depends on what the other companies do.

According to VGChartz.com, worldwide sales last week for the Wii was less than 90k units (vs 1.5M the week before Christmas). Nintendo is manufacturing nearly 2M units a month now with their recent increase in capacity. My prediction is that the stores will be stocked with units by next month (finally!), but with titles like Wii Fit, Super Smash Bros, and Mario Kart coming this spring, they may not have to act right away as sales will catch up to what they are making. But still, a $199 price point this summer will help them keep momentum into the next year.

PS3 sales last week were around half of the Wii, at around 44k. Sales of the PS3 and 360 have been neck-and-neck since the launch of the stripped down $399 lasts November, so I think there will be pressure from both to lower prices to sustain sales through the spring and summer.

I could be wrong too as I thought that the 360 would have been more competitively priced last fall (only $20 Core drop, and $50 Premium drop after one year?). If I had to guess, I would expect Microsoft to drop their prices significantly this May to $199 Core, $259 Premium), forcing Sony to drop to $299 on their core model. Of course, they may instead increase the specs instead (the Apple model?) and keep the same pricing, but I think they must be ready for mass adoption, and for that they all need keep moving towards to magic $199 price point.

Why not? BD players had their MSRPs cut by more than half within that same amount of time, and look what happened with HD DVD player pricing. In order to compete with the 360 and the Wii, the PS3 is going to need another drop in price. It's done wonders for Blu-ray, but as a game console, it hasn't been competing very well.

Therein lies the real "catch 22" with the PS3. I don't think Blu-ray could have survived without it, but in order for the PS3 to compete with other game systems, it's going to have to be priced more competitively.

The PS3 is selling VERY well worldwide already at its price point and beat out the 360 in NA in jan 08. Worldwide, the PS3 outsold the 360 in the entire year of 07 and 08 looks to be no different. The 80 gig bundle with MGS4 is going to move a lot of units. Blu-Ray being a success will sell a lot of people on the side lines with the 40 gig. I just dont see a reason to drop the price yet when they are selling very well.