Sony BDP-S570

Pros: ?Wireless works great with my mediocre Verizon router
?Netflix streams instantly
?Movie rentals from Amazon stream instantly
?Unit is fast: start-up, shut-down, etc.
?DLNA streaming on OSX works great
?Sony customer service answers the phone quickly

Cons: I read the other reviews and noticed that the only real complaint with this product was the wireless connectivity and its effect on Netflix. I purchased from Best Buy thinking I'd return it if I had these issue. I didn't?it works great!

Summary: I purchased the BDP-S570 because I don't want to pay for cable or satellite service. Via wireless internet, I can purchase or stream for free pretty much any music, movie or TV show with Netflix, Amazon or Pandora.

I'm also a minimalist, so I like the fact that my entire entertainment system involves: a TV with an antenna for local channels, and my BDP-S570?that's it.

I don't have a fancy TV (yet) or much of a Blu-Ray collection?much less 3D films of any kind. But it's good to know I'll be able to accommodate these technologies if and when I adopt them in the future.

My favorite part of this system is something that isn't covered thoroughly by other reviews or product specs at CNET. I'm writing this review because I had to do a lot of research to achieve DLNA connectivity between my BDP-S570 and my Apple MacBook running OSX but once I figured it out, it was relatively easy.

DLNA is a technology that allows you to stream movies, music, and photos from your home computer to your Blu-Ray player.

Here's how to do it: Buy iSedora ($25 from isedora.com) and install on your Mac. Your BDP-S570 will "see" this server (Set-up>Network Settings>Connection Server Settings). Make sure you configure iSedora to stream your stuff as NTSC if you're in the US (the default setting is PAL).

iSedora recognizes lots of file types and transcodes them for your Blu-ray player, but here's how I copied my home DVD collection to my computer:

1) Download MacTheRipper (free). Install it and start it up, put a DVD in your computer, click "GO!", and it will copy your DVD to your desktop.

2) Download HandBrake (free). Install it and start it up. Choose the VIDEO_TS folder that MacTheRipper put on your desktop as the "Source". I use the "iPhone & iPod touch" output settings because they look fine on my TV and the exported movie is only around 500GB. If you have a fancy TV consider a different setting. Click "Start" to export.

3) HandBrake will put a MOVIENAME.m4v file on your desktop. Copy this file into the folder you selected in iSedora to keep your movies in.

4) When you navigate to "Video" on your BDP-S570, you will see iSedora as a navigation option, and you'll see whichever movies you dropped into the appropriate folder.

You can also play MP3s that you have on your computer. Or view a slideshow of your photos. It's pretty slick.

A final thought: the future of home entertainment is not in DVDs and Blu-Ray discs?everything is going to stream (it already does). This is a great product because it allows you to bridge the gap between all the discs you own today and everything you'll download or stream in the future.

I hope that was helpful.

Reviewed on September 26, 2010.