Sony BDP-350 and BDP-550 Blu-ray players launch in UK

Bonus View and BD-Live enabled offerings

1 August 2008 11:16 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

Sony has announced the launch of its BDP-S350 and S550 Blu-ray players in the UK.

With a 6-second start up time, the BDP-S350 offers 24p True Cinema, Bonus View, Sony's Precision Cinema HD Upscale, Precision Drive HD and BD-Live.

The BD-Live functionality will mean an internet hook-up will allow for firmware downloads, that thanks to one due by October 2008, will give access to BD-Live and BD-Java content on compatible discs.

As well as disc content, these "exciting online services" will let users join online blogs whilst watching the movie, enter online competitions, draws and online games.

The Bonus View functionality means users will get Picture-in-Picture Blu-ray content, again, with compatible movies.

In addition, the BDP-S350 offers Sony's Precision Cinema HD Upscale technology that converts standard-definition signals to 1080p.

The BDP-S550 offers the BD-Live and BD-Java firmware already built in and includes a 1GB of exchangeable USB storage to save downloaded BD-Live content from the internet.

In addition, the S550 gets support for DTS-HD Master Audio Decoder and 7.1 channel analogue audio output which means that it can be connected directly to a legacy home-theatre receiver without HDMI.

Both models use Sony’s XrossMediaBar interface and offer sync with other Bravia kit.

UK pricing has not been revealed - in the States the BDP-S350 is about $400 and BDP-S550 is about $500.