Sony BDP-S470 3D Blu-ray player

Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player review: an affordable Blu-ray player with 3D capabilities and Bravia Internet Video streaming

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The Sony BDP-S470 is a midrange Blu-ray player boasting 3D capabilities and Bravia Internet Video streaming. It slots between the Sony BDP-S370 and Sony BDP-S570 Blu-ray player in the company's line-up. With an RRP of $299, the Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player provides an affordable entry point into 3D video – although naturally you'll need a 3D TV to make use of this feature.

Pros

  • Excellent 1080p video quality in 2D and 3D, user-friendly interface, attractive design

Cons

  • Virtually identical to the Sony BDP-S370 (which retails for $70 less)

Bottom Line

The Sony BDP-S470 is an affordable 3D Blu-ray player that ticks nearly every box on a videophile's wish-list. That said, there are cheaper options available for those who aren't interested in 3D Blu-ray, such as Sony's BDP-S370 Blu-ray player.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    $ 299.00 (AUD)

[Compare the Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player to other Blu-ray player reviews on PC World.]

Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player: Design & connectivity

In terms of specifications and features, the Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player is very similar to its BD stable mates; the Sony BDP-S370 and Sony BDP-S570. Unlike the entry-level Sony BDP-S370, it boasts 3D Blu-ray support, but lacks the BDP-S570's inbuilt wireless networking capabilities. Otherwise, all ports and imaging components remain identical.

If you have no interest in 3D TV, we'd subsequently recommend the Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray player – it provides the same Blu-ray performance, sans 3D, for a lower asking price (RRP: $229).

As befits a Sony model, the BDP-S470 is an attractive looking player. It has a smooth, all-black exterior that matches the monolithic design of Sony's Bravia HD TV range. Unlike some Blu-ray players we have reviewed, the Sony BDP-S470's surface did not attract fingerprints during testing. With dimensions of 430x36x219mm, it also has a reasonably sleek and compact design.

The Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player comes with the usual range of connectivity options. In addition to HDMI, composite AV, component video (RGB) and coaxial digital audio outputs are all present. An Ethernet port is also included for access to online content, such as YouTube and BlipTV. As mentioned, the Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player does not come with inbuilt Wi-Fi, but an adaptor can be purchased separately. The Sony Blu-ray player supports Dolby Digital, DTS, and DSD audio outputs. A front-mounted USB port is situated at the right corner.

Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player: Interface & remote

The Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player uses the same XrossMediaBar interface as the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. It does a good job of presenting menu options in a concise, intuitive manner. The bundled remote control is similarly user-friendly, though some backlighting would have been nice.

If you own an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch, you can use that as the remote control instead (a free app can be downloaded from the iTunes Store). If you're into converging your myriad gadgets, this is a pretty neat feature to have.

Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player: Performance

To test the Sony BDP-S470's playback performance, we connected it to an LG 47LX9500 3D LED television using a HDMI cable. Our Blu-ray edition of Terminator: Salvation looked flawless, with superb colour saturation and crystal-clear image clarity (a pity the film itself is so irredeemably rubbish).

The Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray player also exhibited good DVD upscaling. The lobby scene from The Matrix exhibited excellent image quality, with few artefacts marring the picture. If you own a sizeable DVD collection that you're in no hurry to replace, the Sony BDP-S470 is a good option.

To test the Sony BDP-S470's 3D performance, we played the 3D version of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. The 3D playback was visually on par with other 3D Blu-ray players we've tested, such as the Samsung BD-C6900 and Panasonic DMP-BDT300.(Naturally, you will need a 3D HD TV and a pair of active-shutter glasses to view these Blu-ray movies.) Disc loading times were reasonable, with menus loading within 30 seconds of inserting the disc.

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