Eyes-on with Sony's BDP-S5000ES Blu-ray player

Sony's latest high-end Blu-ray player was sitting pretty at the outfit's CEDIA booth, so we did exactly what you figured we would -- stop by and snap some pictures. Though the unit wasn't exactly compact, the build quality seemed sufficient and the design was suitably simple. As you very well know by now, the gallery is over at Engadget HD.

[Kbolido17 @ Sep 4th 2008 9:09PM]

Love the stainless steel face. As much as I want it, I already have a PS3. Im sure its good cuz its Sony...

[tom @ Sep 4th 2008 9:17PM]

Sony makes crap too...Don't blindly follow.

Remember to send in your TZ notebook for repair. It is a fire-hazard

[primetime4 @ Sep 4th 2008 11:01PM]

Do a search for "overheating ". I think you'll be surprised at how many "fire hazards" are out there or why companies no longer refer to them as "laptops".

[primetime4 @ Sep 4th 2008 11:05PM]

Looks like the comments didn't like the brackets around "insert laptop brand here".

[ch4s3r @ Sep 4th 2008 9:11PM]

That is quite beefy, why is it so thick?

[Podaman @ Sep 4th 2008 9:13PM]

That's what she said.

[CBus @ Sep 5th 2008 8:19AM]

Why so big?! Did you sneak a peek at all the I/O?!

Not only HDMI, but also component video, S-Video, and composite video.
Not to mention HDMI Audio, 7.1 surround sound, 2.0 stereo sound, and Coax digital audio.
Throw in Ethernet, RS232, an IR blaster, and USB and you need a unit that big just to fit the motherboard (yeah, I know, thats what she said).

I would've anticipated the USB on the front in a convenient location. Maybe even behind a mechanized faceplate a la retracting car stereos. This also allows for more room for I/O (menu nav buttons and a way to play Crysis)!!

But it got me thinking, who would use a BD player on an SD TV? Sure there is the benefit of BD live, but other than that, DVD players are cheaper, DVDs are cheaper and more prevalent, and one would not (truly) perceive a higher picture quality from a BD player than from a DVD player. If I did have SD, I'd buy a PS3 (it is likely cheaper) and has the "fringe benefit" of game play (other than Crysis, of course) and has wireless capability and Bluetooth. But being a consumer, I don't understand things like "logic (unless preceded by 'Dolby' or 'Pro')."

In a box this size, I'd like to see a DVR/BD and DVD R-W/DB Live/HD Tuner/USB and Bluetooth compatibility/WiFi/with media card reader that docks into a universal interface on any other TV with same universal dock, particularly with the (seeming) inevitability of Cloud Computing/Operating System. Of course, for you MBA and marketing types, gaming would be a welcomed option as would HDD capacity, black vs. stainless, blue LEDs vs Red, etc. Something with the intuitive interface of Apple, the openness of Google, and the market penetration of MS and Sony.

I expect a device that just reads BD/DVD to be the size of, well, a typical BD/DVD drive for a PC or laptop.

[Hi Kenneth @ Sep 4th 2008 9:13PM]

Finally, a BD player that looks awesome...(though ps3 is the best)

[Nicholas @ Sep 4th 2008 9:19PM]

PS3 has an advantage for a blue ray player, based only on price point. Don't get me wrong here, I love my PS3, but its advantage is price point, dedicated blue ray players are better IMO.

[Information Central @ Sep 4th 2008 9:43PM]

Why?

[Smoke_Dawg_187 @ Sep 4th 2008 9:52PM]

How much longer until these things are around $200??

[GatgetMan @ Sep 4th 2008 11:26PM]

Until Toshiba pulls it's head out of it HD and starts making a BD Player

[zargon @ Sep 4th 2008 10:13PM]

Sony is not known for making good optical units, most their DVD players were horriblly unreliable and prone to craping out.

If I am going to be spending a lot of coin on a high end unit, it sure won't be on Sony's mediocre products, try Pioneer Elite, Denon or maybe marantz... however I am still waiting on Oppo's entry.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Sep 4th 2008 10:38PM]

Let me guess... $500+? No sale.

[GatgetMan @ Sep 5th 2008 1:17AM]

Killer Icon, What model you drive?

[zargon @ Sep 5th 2008 7:19AM]

$500, it is their ES line try multiplying the number by 2 to 4.

OSX != Unix...