Sony S350 question regarding BD Live
#1
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NY
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sony S350 question regarding BD Live
I posted this in the HD forum but didn't get any response. I figure this is probably a better place for it.
I recently got the S350. I played Transformers on BD. I had a difficult time accessing the BD-Live feature. Reading the manual says that I have to attach an external memory for it to work.
Q1: Is that always necessary every time I want to use BD-Live?
I also noticed that the loading time increased to an unacceptable length when I connected an external drive (2GB USB drive).
Q2: Will the load time always be that long whenever an external drive is attached?
Q3: Should I just leave it attached all the time?
Thanks!
Q1: Is that always necessary every time I want to use BD-Live?
I also noticed that the loading time increased to an unacceptable length when I connected an external drive (2GB USB drive).
Q2: Will the load time always be that long whenever an external drive is attached?
Q3: Should I just leave it attached all the time?
Thanks!
#2
Suspended
Yes. Just buy a Sony MiniDrive (looks like a memory card) or a Flashdrive and stick it in the back of the unit...and leave it there. You will be 2.0 compliant and BD-Live should work fine. BD-Live only requires 1GB (flashdrives are about $10 or so) but you can go higher if you have an extra one laying around.
I've never heard of a player going slower by leaving it in (or even having it at all). Make sure you have updated your firmware to the latest version to take advantage of BD-Live as most in stores may still have an older, 1.1 firmware.
I've never heard of a player going slower by leaving it in (or even having it at all). Make sure you have updated your firmware to the latest version to take advantage of BD-Live as most in stores may still have an older, 1.1 firmware.
#3
Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Calgary, Canada
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The manual recommends using a Sony USM1GH but I just put a Kingston one in mine for around $8. If you use your own brand, make sure it fits in the slot properly... it's tiny and slim too.
#4
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NY
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the responses. I'll check the firmware when I get home to see if its 2.0 but I did run an update before I tried using BD-Live. And as I mentioned, the loading time increased significantly versus not having the USB drive plugged in. Could something be wrong with my player?
#5
Suspended
I have no idea.
Are you telling me it took longer to load a title or ir loaded faster? Faster makes a bit more sense....but were you timing it? Using the same title (A Fox title may talk longer to load then lets say a Sony).
Are you telling me it took longer to load a title or ir loaded faster? Faster makes a bit more sense....but were you timing it? Using the same title (A Fox title may talk longer to load then lets say a Sony).
#6
DVD Talk Gold Edition
I haven't noticed an increase in load time since connecting the flash drive.
On a somewhat related note... As for general load times, I don't quite now what a lot of people are crying about. True, it takes a little longer for BD to load than a DVD does, but some people made it sound like they are going gray sitting there waiting. I was half expecting to put the disc in and go take a nap or something while it loaded. In the defense of the OP, it sounds like he/she might have some other problem since it only increases when the flash drive is connected.
Cool! I just noticed that this post is #777 for me!
#7
Suspended
Yeah, my wife picked up a USB flash drive when she bought the player and it was too wide to fit in that little opening. So we had to exchange it for a thinner one. I ended up getting a PNY 2GB (it was on sale and came in a 2-pack). It fits fine and the firmware update appears to have been successful. However, I haven't tried using BD-Live yet. I guess I'll know for sure when I try it.
I haven't noticed an increase in load time since connecting the flash drive.
On a somewhat related note... As for general load times, I don't quite now what a lot of people are crying about. True, it takes a little longer for BD to load than a DVD does, but some people made it sound like they are going gray sitting there waiting. I was half expecting to put the disc in and go take a nap or something while it loaded. In the defense of the OP, it sounds like he/she might have some other problem since it only increases when the flash drive is connected.
Cool! I just noticed that this post is #777 for me!
I haven't noticed an increase in load time since connecting the flash drive.
On a somewhat related note... As for general load times, I don't quite now what a lot of people are crying about. True, it takes a little longer for BD to load than a DVD does, but some people made it sound like they are going gray sitting there waiting. I was half expecting to put the disc in and go take a nap or something while it loaded. In the defense of the OP, it sounds like he/she might have some other problem since it only increases when the flash drive is connected.
Cool! I just noticed that this post is #777 for me!
#9
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NY
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No, I was not timing it, but it took long enough that it most certainly was longer. To be clear, the SAME BD (Transformers) takes a LOT longer to load when the flash drive is connected versus when it is not connected.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm not sure about this. Maybe someone else can chime in on my theory. But it's been said that BD-Live can cause some load times to be longer (I remember the Iron Man fiasco for one example). Maybe if you don't have the flash drive in, the BD-Live features don't load, but when you have it in, the BD-Live features load. Just a theory, though.
#12
Suspended
I'm not sure about this. Maybe someone else can chime in on my theory. But it's been said that BD-Live can cause some load times to be longer (I remember the Iron Man fiasco for one example). Maybe if you don't have the flash drive in, the BD-Live features don't load, but when you have it in, the BD-Live features load. Just a theory, though.
#14
DVD Talk Gold Edition
This comment got me wondering about something...
Does the flash drive store any kind of "cookies" when you load a disc so when you come back to that disc some other time, it loads faster?
Or is it more like a DVD player where nothing from the disc is actually saved on a drive within the player?
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 540
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts