Sony BDP-S3500 BluRay Player plays audio files

[Andrew Clarke]

Needing a spare-room BluRay player I bought the Sony BDP-S3500 at a local discount joint for AUD$106 (normally AUD$128). It wasn't until I got the thing home that I discovered that this box not only plays physical discs and video files, but also AAC, MPEG and even FLAC audio. It has an audio coaxial output at the back, now linked to my faithful Denon stereo receiver. The USB input is coping perfectly well with a 2Tb external hard drive with over 1.1 Mb of data in MP4 and AAC codecs.

If your home network uses cables, there's an LAN cable input socket for that also.

The box can network with other boxes via Wifi but only through a DLNA server. I do have a DLNA server as part of my JRiver Media Center app, and while this is good for playing MP4 videos, it's fairly useless for classical music audio files because its playing order doesn't use track numbering, but the title metadata the record company gave it, and in alphabetical order. So what you're only too likely to hear is:

Symphony no 13 Adagio followed by
Symphony no 13 Allegro
Symphony no 13 Finale
Symphony no 13 Scherzo

You could use a metadata editor to stick numbers in, e.g.

Symphony no 13 1 Allegro
Symphony no 13 2 Adagio
Symphony no 13 3 Scherzo
Symphony no 13 4 Finale


but who has the time or the patience to do this? Especially as I read that DLNA is on the way out. Besides, hard disk storage is cheap these days.

This box also has apps for a host of external services, including Netflix, YouTube, and even the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

IMHO this Sony is excellent value for money. One box plays everything, and its diminutive size makes it visually unintrusive, especially when compared to a laptop.

Andrew Clarke
Canberra
at the flop-house end of the hi-fi market.

[Dana John Hill]

I was quite surprised when I purchased my last Sony Blu-ray player (a
tiny thing I bought just for watching movies), and discovered that it
will play SACDs. This feature was listed nowhere on the box, and the
SACD logo doesn't appear on the front of the player. But it works.

Dana

[pgaron]

On Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 12:34:04 PM UTC-4, Dana John Hill wrote:

> I was quite surprised when I purchased my last Sony Blu-ray player (a
> tiny thing I bought just for watching movies), and discovered that it
> will play SACDs. This feature was listed nowhere on the box, and the
> SACD logo doesn't appear on the front of the player. But it works.
>
> Dana

This is probably a dumb question, but how could you tell whether you were listening to the SACD or CD layer?

pgaron

[Gerard]

"pgaron" wrote in message
news:f8aa6d01-dea7-4476...@googlegroups.com...

=================

One possibility is listening to non-hybrid SACDs. Those don't have a CD
layer.

[MiNe109]

Part of setting up a BDP is selecting which layer of a hybrid disk you
want to play. Some receivers will display data, etc.

I was pleasantly surprised about my Sony's dnla capability although it's
now in the same room as my Squeezebox so I won't be using it for music.
I did find some dvd rips I'd done by accident!

Stephen

[Matthew Silverstein]

On Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 11:09:11 PM UTC+4, pgaron wrote:

> This is probably a dumb question, but how could you tell whether you
> were listening to the SACD or CD layer?

This is adjustable in the settings, and it's also probably displayed through the OSD (but you need to have the TV on for that).

Matty

[Mark Zimmer]

Interesting. I thought I had read some time ago that Sony was going to stop supporting SACD in Blu-ray players and the PlayStation. Maybe they've quietly backed off on that, at least in some models.

[Dana John Hill]

It was indicated on the on-screen display.

Dana

[Dana John Hill]

On 9/15/2016 10:55 AM, Mark Zimmer wrote:
>
> Interesting. I thought I had read some time ago that Sony was going
> to stop supporting SACD in Blu-ray players and the PlayStation. Maybe
> they've quietly backed off on that, at least in some models.
>

Full disclosure: I purchased this player well over a year ago. Perhaps
about two years ago.

Dana

[Norman Schwartz]

That's the best possible test. (It's also the easiest test possible.)

[Alan Dawes]

In article <28400474-10bc-417d...@googlegroups.com>,

Mark Zimmer <gard...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Interesting. I thought I had read some time ago that Sony was going to
> stop supporting SACD in Blu-ray players and the PlayStation. Maybe
> they've quietly backed off on that, at least in some models.

That's what I heard earlier this year but that isn't correct. As I
understand it, in 2013 Sony announced to the trade that the manufacture of
the Sony SACD player chip had come to the end of its life so OEM customers
should order sufficient chips to cover their expected requirements and
source a different product for their future models.

At last year's High End Audio show in Munich "long time DAC maker dCS
introduced two new products scheduled for shipment in August 2015: the dCS
Rossini CD Player + DAC ($28,350) and the dCS Rossini DAC ($23,625). In
response to a question at the show, a show attendee was told by dCS that
the higher priced unit has a CD Player vs. an SACD/CD Player due to the
end of production of the Sony SACD player chip used in the past."

This was then spread around various forums as "Sony is stopping SACD
production" rather than Sony are using a more modern chip for SACD
decoding in their products and a so called "high end" manufacturer had
ignored the warning that the very cheap SACD chips they were charging
their gullible customers 1000s of dollars for would no longer be available.

Alan

--
alan....@argonet.co.uk
alan....@riscos.org
Using an ARMX6

[jserr...@gmail.com]

Does anyone know if the 2016 model BDP-S3700 is comparable to the 3500? I am currently looking to purchase a BD player and would like one that plays audio. The spec sheets at Sony online for the 3500 and 3700 don't seem to cover audio.

[MiNe109]

They seem to be functionally identical. Neither has analog outputs so
you'll need an HDMI or coaxial digital connection. They both play cds,
of course. They also play SACDs (look at the manual for confirmation!).

Stephen

[jserr...@gmail.com]

Thanks, HDMI out should work fine. Price is very reasonable. It will be replacing
an Oppo 980H which also plays SACD.

[pgaron]

I don't have a dedicated SACD player, so the SACD's that I have bought over the years have all been hybrid.

[Gerard]

"pgaron" wrote in message
news:691aff26-79c4-4c70...@googlegroups.com...

=================

Than the answer is easy: you *always* listen to the CD layer.
Only a SACD player can read the SACD layer.

[pgaron]

That is not the answer to my original question, which seems to have got lost in the thread.

[Gerard]

"pgaron" wrote in message
news:23b0c0d1-ad4f-4b9f...@googlegroups.com...

===================

I think that your original question was:

""This is probably a dumb question, but how could you tell whether you were
listening to the SACD or CD layer?""

Then, a few days later, you wrote:
""I don't have a dedicated SACD player, so the SACD's that I have bought
over the years have all been hybrid.""

My answer ""you *always* listen to the CD layer"" was an answer to that
question, knowing now that you don't have a SACD player.

[Bob Harper]

On 9/17/16 1:01 AM, Gerard wrote:
> "pgaron" wrote in message(snip)

>>
>> I don't have a dedicated SACD player, so the SACD's that I have bought
>> over
>> the years have all been hybrid.
>>
>> =================
>>
>> Than the answer is easy: you *always* listen to the CD layer.
>> Only a SACD player can read the SACD layer.
>
> That is not the answer to my original question, which seems to have got
> lost in the thread.
>
> ===================
>
> I think that your original question was:
> ""This is probably a dumb question, but how could you tell whether you
> were listening to the SACD or CD layer?""
>
> Then, a few days later, you wrote:
> ""I don't have a dedicated SACD player, so the SACD's that I have bought
> over the years have all been hybrid.""
>
> My answer ""you *always* listen to the CD layer"" was an answer to that
> question, knowing now that you don't have a SACD player.
>

But unless we know what kind of player he has, one cannot give such a
categorical answer. If he has *only* a CD player, then you are correct;
if he has a Blu-Ray or DVD player, it is quite possible that it supports
SACD as well. So, Mr. Garon, what player are you using?

Bob Harper

[Gerard]

"Bob Harper" wrote in message news:I1fDz.67905$oU2....@fx09.iad...

=============

I he only buys hybrid SACDs (when buying SACDs), what do you think he has?

[Bob Harper]

I don't know, and neither do you. Remember, he says he doesn't have a
*dedicated* SACD player, but we still don't know what player he's using,
i.e. whether it is a CD-only player or some kind of universal player.
Granting the implication of his statement, we still don't know the
answer definitively. Over to you, Mr. Garon.

Bob Harper

[pgaron]

I have various CD players of different size and vintage and also a couple of the recent Sony DVD/Blu-Ray players in the BDP series -- similar to Dana's, I would guess. I use the Sony players exclusively for watching DVD's and streaming videos. My original question to Dana was just asked to satisfy my curiosity and not intended to start a detailed thread. Thanks to all for the responses, however!

pgaron

[Andrew Clarke]

On Saturday, September 17, 2016 at 2:34:38 AM UTC+10, jserr...@gmail.com wrote:
> Thanks, HDMI out should work fine. Price is very reasonable. It will be replacing
> an Oppo 980H which also plays SACD.

I'd be interested to know whether the change from Oppo to Sony results in any perceptible change in sound quality, given that some experts claim that basically it's the DAC and the speakers that produce variable sound quality rather than the digital source.

Best wishes,

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

[Gerard]

"Andrew Clarke" wrote in message
news:e19cda01-e12c-494c...@googlegroups.com...

==================

Some other experts say that amplifiers produce variable sound as well.

[richard...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 12:34:04 PM UTC-4, Dana John Hill wrote:

This works very well on my Sony player too. (In case anyone wants to inquire, I can tell it is the SACD layer because of the surround tracks.) I have a wired home network (1Gbps) and the 'smart' features of the Bluray player work well too, with one limitation. The internal memory is not enough to buffer incoming streams well, so the Berlin Philharmonic concerts don't stream properly. The same occurs with the 'smart' TV features too. Does anyone know of a solution for this?
Both devices also 'see' the home network and the music stored thereon. The problem is having to have the TV on to see the selection titles etc.

[Jerry]

My apologies in advance for a somewhat off-topic question.

An interesting comment regarding memory and buffering I had not considered
with regard to so-called "smart" TVs and for which I would appreciate some
illuminating feedback.

I have nothing to add to the BD audio discussion as I have
settled on a self-contained (i. e. no wireless) set up with Denon BD and
Oppo SACD players.

Video streaming continues to present problems though.
The TV is a Sony Bravia with Smart TV capability. The
Internet connection is through our cable provider and
yields download speeds in the 35 to 45 Mbps range
and upload speeds in the 5-6 Mbps range. The Wi-Fi
set up is a recent Netgear dual-band AC unit with a
Netgear repeater for whole-house coverage.

Yet we don't use any of the smart TV features such as
Netflix or Berlin Philharmonic because of video freezing,
buffering, or aborting.

Is the fault with the speed of the Internet stream (which
I can check using Speedtest) or with insufficient memory
within the Sony (whose manual says nothing regarding
internal memory).

Jerry

[Andrew Clarke]

Google has quite a bit of stuff about "jittering" etc. of streaming video which seems to be a common problem. Solutions include switching to a different band on your router, and/or switching on "Enable fast download" [?] on your media centre software (e.g. JRiver). We gave up on Netflix because of the very limited selection available in Australia so I can't comment. Within this country we have no problem with 'ABC iView' streaming videos of recent TV programmes, but we always have enormous problems with rebuffering etc. with the similar 'SBS On Demand', except in the wee small hours. You Tube gives us no trouble, whether we use a laptop browser or the app in the Sony BluRay player.

Incidentally the Sony BDP3500 networking app to the DNLA server in our desktop seems to spit the dummy when trying to search a largish collection of videos. I can't give people the upper limit but it it certainly can't cope with more than 1 Tb.

Meanwhile I prefer to buy DVDs, rip them, and store the resulting MP4 files on an external hard drive, thereby avoiding streaming problems altogether. I don't have that option with BluRay discs - Leawo will sell you a program that will do the job, but it takes ages and it seems to be very illegal indeed.

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

[MiNe109]

On 9/25/16 8:09 AM, Jerry wrote:
> Yet we don't use any of the smart TV features such as
> Netflix or Berlin Philharmonic because of video freezing,
> buffering, or aborting.
>
> Is the fault with the speed of the Internet stream (which
> I can check using Speedtest) or with insufficient memory
> within the Sony (whose manual says nothing regarding
> internal memory).

Sounds like the provider. I had similar problems that disappeared after
I upgraded my modem and my internet service plan.

If any of the smart TV apps work, the problem isn't the tv.

Stephen

[richard...@gmail.com]

I don't use wireless for the house network - 1 Gbps wired. In Florida I have a 30 mbps fiber service, in NJ a 100mbps fiber service. Netflix et al stream perfectly well, but the Berlin Philharmonic does not. It has many more networks to pass through before it reaches me, but it may be the streaming format they use. I tried with my PC once, with little success, and I tried various PC apps to monitor the download stream. It was a zillion small downloads with their own names, which made me think buffering was the problem. It made the subscription worthless. Imagine playing a concert in 1 minute or less sections.
I don't have the same problem if I want to watch something from youtube, netflix or HBO go. It's a pity, because I'd be prepared to support services like this as there is no classical radio receivable in either state now, and the BPO is at least trying.

[richard...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 8:32:51 PM UTC-4, Andrew Clarke wrote:

For ripping try the legal program ANYDVDHD. It is legal because of a WTO ruling declaring it so as a penalty against the illegal prohibition of online gambling services from other countries in the USA.

[Andrew Clarke]

On Monday, September 26, 2016 at 7:21:28 PM UTC+10, richard...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 8:32:51 PM UTC-4, Andrew Clarke wrote:
>
> For ripping try the legal program ANYDVDHD. It is legal because of a WTO ruling declaring it so as a penalty against the illegal prohibition of online gambling services from other countries in the USA.

Sorry, Richard, what I wrote was ambiguous. It is ripping the disc itself which is held to be breach of copyright, not Leawo. Besides, I don't buy much BluRay anyway.

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

[Andrew Clarke]

On Monday, September 26, 2016 at 10:32:51 AM UTC+10, Andrew Clarke wrote:

> Incidentally the Sony BDP3500 networking app to the DNLA server in our desktop seems to spit the dummy when trying to search a largish collection of videos. I can't give people the upper limit but it it certainly can't cope with more than 1 Tb.

I've managed - after much fiddle - to get the Sony to read all 1.1Tb of videos. There are still a few "ghost" corrupt files at the top level of the video listing that I can't get rid of :-(

Andrew Clarke

[Andrew Clarke]

On Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 11:09:51 PM UTC+10, Jerry wrote:

> Yet we don't use any of the smart TV features such as
> Netflix or Berlin Philharmonic because of video freezing,
> buffering, or aborting.
>
> Is the fault with the speed of the Internet stream (which
> I can check using Speedtest) or with insufficient memory
> within the Sony (whose manual says nothing regarding
> internal memory).

We've signed up for the seven-day free trial of the Berlin Philharmonic streaming service using the app on the Sony BluRay player and so far we've had no trouble at all.

Mind you, RMCR members will quickly realise that the recorded performances directed by Rattle have been heavily edited to remove the usual scenes of eggs and tomatoes being thrown at the podium and members of the audience storming out of the hall...

I have to say that the WiFi on the Sony BDP3500 is not working well for us, especially the DLNA networking: the "Cast To" renderer does work, but sometimes it plays all four movements of a symphony and sometimes it stops after the first :-(

There is a more recent BDPS "Super WiFi" range from Sony which claims to have enhanced WiFi capabilities and, I believe, an app for Spotify. Has anybody got one?

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

[MiNe109]

On 10/1/16 10:45 PM, Andrew Clarke wrote:

> I have to say that the WiFi on the Sony BDP3500 is not working well
> for us, especially the DLNA networking: the "Cast To" renderer does
> work, but sometimes it plays all four movements of a symphony and
> sometimes it stops after the first :-(
>
> There is a more recent BDPS "Super WiFi" range from Sony which claims
> to have enhanced WiFi capabilities and, I believe, an app for
> Spotify. Has anybody got one?

I have the CostCo equivalent of the BDP 6500 and, no, the DNLA doesn't
work well out of the box, not recognizing files, no search function, and
organizational quirks. I haven't investigated how to do better because I
have other digital players for my audio files and also a Chromecast
Audio for Spotify controlled by my iOS devices.

I'll see about the Super Wi-Fi. It's competing with the tv's smart
features connected to the router by ethernet...

Well, the wi-fi is just okay but Netflix did start hanging up only a few
minutes into the first show. I didn't see a Spotify app on my player but
it did have the Berlin Philharmonic channel.

Stephen

[Andrew Clarke]

On Monday, October 3, 2016 at 7:01:17 AM UTC+11, MINe109 wrote:
> On 10/1/16 10:45 PM, Andrew Clarke wrote:
>
> > I have to say that the WiFi on the Sony BDP3500 is not working well
> > for us, especially the DLNA networking: the "Cast To" renderer does
> > work, but sometimes it plays all four movements of a symphony and
> > sometimes it stops after the first :-(
> >
> > There is a more recent BDPS "Super WiFi" range from Sony which claims
> > to have enhanced WiFi capabilities and, I believe, an app for
> > Spotify. Has anybody got one?
>
> I have the CostCo equivalent of the BDP 6500 and, no, the DNLA doesn't
> work well out of the box, not recognizing files, no search function, and
> organizational quirks. I haven't investigated how to do better because I
> have other digital players for my audio files and also a Chromecast
> Audio for Spotify controlled by my iOS devices.

In order to get the DNLA app to play tracks in the right order, I edited the metadata of some Haydn quartets in JRiver and replaced the originals. Immediately the Sanyo box stopped finding them via DNLA although it had no problem reading the same edited files from an external hard drive plugged into the front of the box.

> Well, the wi-fi is just okay but Netflix did start hanging up only a few
> minutes into the first show. I didn't see a Spotify app on my player but
> it did have the Berlin Philharmonic channel.

The Spotify app is apparently on the new BDPS range, although I've never actually seen one.

Andrew Clarke
Canberra