Sony BDP-S580
Enjoy Full HD1080p Blu-ray Disc movies-even in 3D. Plus, connect to the Internet wirelessly out of the box, for streaming a wide variety of online entertainment, including movies, TV episodes, videos, music, and live sports from Netflix, YouTube, HuluPlus, Pandora and more with the BDP-S580 3D Blu-ray Disc player. You can also turn your iPhone, iPad or compatible Android phone into a versatile remote control with search functionality when you download the free "Media Remote" app. Add compatible Sony HomeShare network speakers for multi-room wireless audio streaming throughout your home.
ony's home entertainment products aren't always simple Blu-ray players, HDTVs or video game systems; thanks to a consistent, well-designed interface and hearty feature sets, many of the company's mid-range and high-end products are all-in-one devices. They can access online content in addition to their primary purpose, streaming video from Netflix and Youtube, playing music via Pandora, and otherwise offering plenty of bang for your entertainment buck. The Sony BDP-S580 3D Blu-ray Disc Player ($199.99 direct) stands as one of these devices, packing 3D support, a Wi-Fi radio, and plenty of online media services in its slender case. But if you're playing a lot of BD-Live discs, you'll have some long load times to contend with.
The S580 is a svelte but solid deck, measuring just 1.4 by 17 by 7.8 inches (HWD) and weighing a sturdy-feeling 3.2 pounds. Its glossy black front is distinguished by a sharp lip along the bottom edge, giving the player an angular look not seen in most home theater components. The lip holds three small Play, Eject, and Stop buttons and a small power light. On the flat black surface of the panel, an LED display and a USB port sit. The back side of the player holds HDMI, component, and composite video outputs, analog stereo and optical audio outputs, and Ethernet and USB jacks.
The included 5.9-inch remote feels like a chunky, slightly cheaper-feeling version of the remotes that come with Sony Bravia HDTVs. The buttons are all a soft rubber, and while they're laid out intuitively, their flexibility and rectangular uniformity make blind remote-handling feel awkward. Expect to look down at the remote often when inputting numbers or controlling movie playback.
Like most other Sony home entertainment products, the S580 uses excellent Sony's XrossMediaBar (XMB) user interface. Audio, video, and photo media playback services are aligned in a horizontal row, with specific services (watching online video through Netflix, listening to online music through Pandora) arranged in columns that expand out from each row. It's an easy-to-learn interface that anyone with a Playstation 3 or Bravia HDTV should already be familiar with.
The S580 is chock full of features to justify its $200 price tag. The player is 3D-compatible and can access multiple online media services either through Ethernet or built-in Wi-Fi. Among other services, the S580 includes Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Pandora. Smartphone users can wirelessly control the S580 with Sony's iOS or Android media remote app, and users with Sony Network speakers can wirelessly stream music to other rooms through the player. The only feature the S580 is missing is on-board memory; if you want to access certain features, like BD-Live content, you'll need to plug in a USB drive.
Built-In Wi-Fi
Easily connect to the internet through your home's wireless broadband network thanks to built-in Wi-Fi. No need to purchase an adapter or other device, just fire it up, connect, and you'll have access to streaming content, DLNA content on your network, and more.
3D in Full HD 1080p
Feel like you've been transported into the action. A perfect complement to any home theater, the BDP-S580 is ready for the future of home entertainment. When paired with your 3D HDTV and active shutter glasses, you'll get the ultimate at-home 3D viewing experience.
Sony's 3D Blu-ray Disc players will play 3D Blu-ray movies in Full HD 1080p, plus your collection of standard Blu-ray movies. And don't forget about those DVDs: the BDP-S580 will upscale the quality of your DVDs to near HD, for a better picture on your HDTV.
Performance
BD-Live discs made the otherwise quick S580 sluggish. In our lab tests, the player took an average of 31.7 seconds to start up with the Quick Start mode disabled, and a scant 4.2 seconds with the feature turned on. With non-BD-Live discs, the S580 took an average of 18.2 seconds from disc insertion to first video playback. With BD-Live discs, however, that wait more than quadrupled to 1 minute, 33 seconds. This is the one area where Sony's more-expensive BDP-S770 ($299.99, 3.5 stars) beats the S580, it loaded BD-Live discs at an average of 29.7 seconds. Even the otherwise-slower Toshiba BDX2700 ($229, 3 stars) loaded BD-Live discs faster at an average of 52.6 seconds.
BD-Live discs made the otherwise quick S580 sluggish. In our lab tests, the player took an average of 31.7 seconds to start up with the Quick Start mode disabled, and a scant 4.2 seconds with the feature turned on. With non-BD-Live discs, the S580 took an average of 18.2 seconds from disc insertion to first video playback. With BD-Live discs, however, that wait more than quadrupled to 1 minute, 33 seconds. This is the one area where Sony's more-expensive BDP-S770 ($299.99, 3.5 stars) beats the S580, it loaded BD-Live discs at an average of 29.7 seconds. Even the otherwise-slower Toshiba BDX2700 ($229, 3 stars) loaded BD-Live discs faster at an average of 52.6 seconds.
The S580 passed our video tests with flying colors. Using the HQV Blu-ray disc, we ran the player through numerous video processing challenges, and it handled them all ably. Motion scenes showed no judder or tearing, and noise reduction softened grain without significantly affecting fine details. I tested the S580's 3D functionality with Avatar's 3D edition, and it worked flawlessly. After the extremely long load time, the Avatar Extended Collector's Edition also played very well. The S580 performed similarly well with IMAX: Under The Sea 3D and The Warriors Blu-ray Discs. As far as DVD upconversion, the S580 played The Big Lebowski capably, without much in the way of sophisticated filters or faux-HD algorithms. It looked good, but clearly DVD; you can't reasonably expect much more than that.
With tons of features, the Sony BDP-S580 3D Blu-ray Player is a top-notch home theater component with only a few flaws holding it back. It's slow to load newer BD-Live Blu-ray discs and its remote feels a bit glimsy, but its 3D support, built-in Wi-Fi, and wealth of online media services make it a solid choice. The competing S770 costs $100 more, but offers similar features, however, so the S580 stands out as the better choice if you want a 3D Sony Blu-ray player—just get ready to wait longer to see your BD-Live discs.
Streaming Content
With the BDP-S580 Blu-ray Disc player, there's always something on. Using your home broadband internet connection, you can instantly stream a wide variety of movies, TV shows, live sports, videos and music from Netflix, YouTube, Pandora, Hulu Plus and many more. Connect to your home network with a standard Ethernet cable or via built-in Wi-Fi. Sony's I/P Noise Reduction is also on-board, helping to improve the picture quality of Internet entertainment and enjoy crisp, clear images on your HDTV--even with compressed, streaming media.
Mobile Device Control
Turn your iPhone, iPad or compatible Android phone into a versatile remote when you download Sony's free "Media Remote" app. This gives you basic remote functions, a full QWERTY keyboard, plus the ability to search for information about the movies you're watching on YouTube, Wikipedia, and many BRAVIA Internet Video services. Better yet, share information with your friends via Twitter.
Faster Loading Times
Get your popcorn ready. With Quick Start/Quick Load, you will begin enjoying your entertainment faster than ever.
Movie Info at Your Fingertips
Connect to the internet and get detailed information about the movie you're watching with Gracenote service. This easy-to-navigate service displays handy info such as cast information, genre, jacket art and more right on your TV screen. You can also access select internet apps including YouTube and Qriocity to find related entertainment.
Enjoy Your Photos, Movies and Music
Hook up your digital camera, camcorder, USB flash drive, or USB-enabled MP3 player via the built-in USB input and view pictures, videos or listen to music on your TV.
Uncompromising Audio
Support for Dolby TrueHD and dts-HD (Master Audio and High Resolution Audio) codecs means you can get cutting-edge, high-definition sound with 7.1 channels of discrete audio, for a truly cinematic experience.
Stream Audio from Room to Room
Do more than play your favorite movies. Outfitted with PartyStreaming technology, you can add Sony HomeShare network speakers (SA-NS400 and SA-NS300 models, sold separately), and then pop in your favorite CD or stream music from Qriocity, Pandora, Slacker, vTuner, or NPR to any room of your home.
Stream Content From Your PC
Enjoy media files on your TV without leaving the couch. This DLNA Certified Blu-ray player lets you access videos, photos and music stored on your DLNA Certified devices using your home network. Connect to a computer, network storage drive, etc. and you'll have even more options for entertainment.
BDP-S580 Select Specifications
| Video | |
| Resolution: | 1080p |
| Playable Disc Types: | CD-R, Blu-ray Disc, BD-RE, BD-R, BD-ROM, 3D BD-ROM, CD-DA, CD, DVD-Video, DVD-RW, DVD-R (Incl. Dual Layer), DVD+R (Incl. Double Layer), DVD+RW, CD-RW, BDAV, BD/CD, BD/DVD |
| Playable File Types: | AVCHD, MPEG 1, MPEG 2, MPEG 4, WMV9, AAC, WAV, MP3, WMA9, GIF, JPEG, PNG |
| Inputs/Outputs | |
| HDMI Output | 1 |
| Composite Video Output: | 1 |
| Component Video Output: | 1 |
| Digital Audio Output | 1 (Coaxial) |
| Analog Audio Output | 1 |
| USB Input | 2 (1 Front, 1 Rear) |
| Ethernet Port: | 1 |
| Weight and Dimensions | |
| Dimensions (WxHxD): | 17 x 1.4 x 7.8 Inches |
What's in the Box
Sony BDP-S580 Blu-Ray Disc Player (Black), Remote Control With Batteries, AV Cable, Documentation
Product Description
Enjoy Full HD1080p Blu-ray Disc movies plus connect to the internet and stream a wide variety of online entertainment including movies, TV episodes, videos, music, and live sports from Netflix , YouTube , HuluPlus , Pandora , and more with the Sony BDP-S580 Blu-ray Disc Player. You can also turn your iPhone , iPad or compatible Android phone into a versatile remote control with search functionality when you download the free "Media remote"app.
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