Since the Playstation 3 launched, it has really helped push the Blu-ray format and is the only Blu-ray player that has maintained compatibility with the latest Blu-ray improvements, such as Profile 2.0 with just a firmware update.  However, there are times when one would rather have a dedicated standalone player, such as to get the familiar experience of using a DVD standalone.  To see how well Sony's entry level BDP-S350 performs, c|net reviewed this, comparing it with the PS3 and their experience of using other Blu-ray players.

The first thing that came as a surprise is the player's compact design at just 8.75" (~22cm) deep, which is around half the size of most other Blu-ray players.  However, a few initial drawbacks include no Profile 2.0 support at present or DTS-HD Master Audio decoding.  According to c|net, the lack of Profile 2.0 support is not really a significant issue; as BD-Live enabled Blu-ray discs only make very limited use of this feature and Sony plans offering a firmware update later to add Profile 2.0 support.  For DTS-HD Master audio, most consumers would be unable to tell the difference between this and regular DTS audio unless they have high-end audio equipment.  However, even if the consumer does invest in a high end surround sound system, it is just a matter of making sure that it supports DTS-HD Master Audio as a bit stream, which the player is capable of supplying.

For movies, the player can output 24 frames per second to present the movie at its native frame rate.  The c|net reviewer is happy with the remote control layout, but not with the player's USB port.  This port is deeply recessed in the back, which not only makes it awkward to access, but also limits support to just slim flash drives.  The menu interface is based on XMB, similar to that on the PS3 and recent Sony HDTV sets, is easy to use and can be accessed during a movie without stopping playback.

The player's connections are fairly standard, with HDMI output (for up to 1080p), component video (for up to 1080i) and legacy S-Video and composite outputs for legacy TV support.  Audio hook-up is provided by HDMI and legacy stereo RCA-outputs are provided.  Its Ethernet (network) port is provided for firmware updates and to support the upcoming Profile 2.0.  Once the profile 2.0 firmware is available and installed, a USB flash drive can be plugged into its USB port to use as storage for downloadable BD-Live content.

For performance, the Blu-ray picture quality shows an improvement over some of the other Blu-ray players when compared using the HQV test suite and several hand picked movies.  However, the differences are only really noticeable when using modes other than the 24 frames per second mode.  To help speed up disc loading, the player features a quick start mode in which it powers on in about 6 seconds.  However, disc-loading is on par with other recent Blu-ray players, ranging around 30 seconds for a typical Blu-ray movie to over 2 minutes for one disc they tried that makes heavy use of BD-Java.

The full detailed review can be read on c|net.