Sony BDP-S380 review

Two new audio codecs are supported: Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio. There’s no real benefit to this currently, as we’ve yet to see any discs or digital files using these codecs, but it could come in handy in the future.

Another subtle difference is the removal of the S370’s optical S/PDIF output (there’s only a coaxial S/PDIF now).

Unfortunately, start-up time has taken a step backwards. Although the disc tray ejects almost immediately, it took 44 seconds to begin playing Casino Royale on Blu-ray. The S370 took just 21 seconds. If you’re in the middle of watching a movie and put the S380 into standby, you can simply press the play button on the remote to resume viewing, but that still takes almost 40 seconds.

You can enable a quick-start mode, but while this does save time, it also draws a continuous 6W when in standby and means the fan spins constantly, and will prove an annoyance to those with acute hearing.

Bravia Internet Video has evolved slightly since the S370 was released, but firmware updates mean there’s no difference between the old and new models here. BBC iPlayer’s interface remains sluggish, but fast forwarding and rewinding internet video is still smoother than on other manufacturer’s products. However, it’s worth noting that, as with the S370, there’s only a choice of Normal and High Quality video – not proper HD as you get with Humax’s Freeview HD PVR, the HDR-FOX T2.

Also bear in mind that, as with every other set-top box, Bravia Internet Video provides only catch-up on-demand TV, which means the last week’s worth of BBC and Channel 5, and even then only selected programmes. Channel 4 remains unavailable, despite being added to the PlayStation 3 in 2010. YouTube allows you to sign in and awkwardly search for videos using the number buttons on the remote. Again, like virtually all other set-top and mobile devices, you’ll see a different set of search results than on a laptop or PC: full-length sponsored TV episodes will be unavailable.

If you own an Android phone, iPhone or iPod Touch, you can download the MediaRemote app which lets you control the S380 via Wi-Fi. The only really useful feature is the Disc Info tab which shows you information about the disc currently playing, including cast, director and producer.

The BDP-S380 is still a great-value Blu-ray player with a wealth of features, but it’s not quite as impressive as the S370 was. The lack of DivX support is arguably more of a problem than the ‘missing’ optical S/PDIF output, but the slower start-up time is also disappointing. If you can still find the BDP-S370 on sale for under £120, buy it, but otherwise, this is a great choice if you don’t need 3D support.