2. reproduction of contents
a) Plays CD, SACD, DVD, Blu-Ray: The reproductions of DVD and BD is working fine. The image is razor sharp, the sound perfectly and Einlesezeiten are also fine. In addition, the device can also, and (unusual for this price range) re enter CDs SACDs and 3D Blu-Rays.
The player is mE whisper. A buzzing, of the report some, I can not hear. Am, however (you can hear certain high frequency sounds from 20 or 25 no longer) also no 20 more. Perhaps those who bothers you, especially feinhöring or there are production variations.
b) other media players: In addition, all three players play a range of media content from a connected USB storage (USB stick, HDD, SD card via adapter). Formats:
- Photo: JPEG, PNG, GIF, MPO
- Audio: MP3, AAC, HE-AAC, WMA9, LPCM, FLAC, AC3
- Video: MPEG1 / 2, XVID, MPEG4 / ACV (incl Apple MP4 and AVCHD.), VC1, WMV9, MotionJPEG (MOV, AVI). Also VOB files (DVD) can be played via USB, but the unit does not support DVD menu operations when not the VIDEO_TS folder located on a DVD, but also a hard drive. But at least you can change even in this case the audio channel on the Audio button.
c) DNLA: Also streaming of these formats is supported. If the wireless network should be for HD content for lame, you can connect all three players also via LAN. The device can not only receive content but also even stream music files (Sony calls the Party Streaming ").
3. Hardware (connections, etc.)
a) Optical Output: Unlike the previous generation de Player has only a coaxial optical digital output (ie no analog RCA jacks nor an optical TOS-Link connection).
b) LAN and HDMI: have once every three each.
c) USB ports: The S3100 has a port on the front, the S4100 and the S5100 have additionally another port on the back. About this you can USB sticks, SD Memory Card Adapter (own SD slot, the devices have not) connect and especially 2.5-inch hard drives, for the USB port provides enough power. In S4100 and S5100 both USB connectors are the same (all functions) and the OSD Menu aptly referred to as front or rear USB port. The front USB cover I find a little shaky.
TIP: When BD-Live data is to be used, a memory to the USB port must be plugged in, because the device unfortunately has no internal memory. For this is the additional rear USB socket at S4100 / S5100 really handy (and optically nice because you do not see the stick).
d) Wireless has not unlike S3100 and S5100 the S4100. The original Sony USB wireless adapter is approximately 60 Euro outrageously expensive and foreign-USB dongles, for example of Hama, the player does not accept. Here helps a tip: There is LAN to WLAN adapter, for example Netgear WNCE2001, for about 30 euros, which can be easily connected to the LAN port. This works beautifully and makes the rear USB port free.
e) The remote control is rather small and functional. It is about bulbous and fits comfortably in your hand. All important functions are directly accessible (eg, audio and subtitles). See. Also below 4 C for remote control via App.
4. Software Features (selection)
a) Apps: The devices support smart TV functions with various apps (eg YouTube, LOVEFiLM, etc.). This is especially nice if the TV can not.
b) Gracenote: A real highlight is the Gracenote integration. About this, the player gets (whether automatically or only on request is adjustable) to the different media content from the Internet (eg covers and additional information). If one looks, for example, a DVD, you can GraceNotes information about the film, the actors get so. This is really fun.
c) An Internet browser is also available. However, no flash and no real PC browser spare.
d) TV Side View is an app for Android and iOS, with which the player when it is integrated into the wireless home network, can be controlled. Very handy, because the app will bring additional information about the TV program and media content from the Internet and a keyboard provides (saves the USB keyboard, for example, for the built-in web browser. Through a firmware update, the initially example were incidentally solved at LOVEFiLM existing problems.
5. Design
This is of course a matter of taste, which is why I pull no point, though I do not consider the design succeeded in person. The player is only 29 cm (S3100) or 36 cm (S4100 / S5100) wide, above "diamond-like" (You can not draufstellen) and the surface is (unfortunately) piano lacquer, which not only dust and fingerprint sensitive, but also extremely scratch-prone (the demo at Saturn looked like an ice rink for the Ice Hockey World Championship) - so clean very carefully! Had the previous generation (like the still selling unit S790) a design in "brushed aluminum" -Lock. S490 and S590 were 43 cm wide (fits for DVD recorder) and flat top (so that one could drauflegen example a 2.5-inch HDD removed automatically).
All in all, Sony has delivered very good BD player for less money, which also overlooks the value for money (and in my opinion more likely despite than because of the design) earned five stars.
