Sony BDP-S470 review

Verdict

With BBC iPlayer, Lovefilm and Eurosport, excellent digital file playback, and an all-round easy to use interface, it's worth reminding ourselves that the S470 is, at its heart, a Blu-ray player of some standing.

We liked

Pictures, pictures, pictures. Why anyone would pay beyond this price for a Blu-ray player just does not compute if they're primarily after top-grade Full HD images; there's little to fault the S470 on, though 3D images continue to be dogged by crosstalk and ghosting when watched on a Sony 3D LED TV (which the S470 was reviewed with).

Access to BBC iPlayer and DivX HD support make for excellent bonus features.

We disliked

With Bravia Internet Video goodness onboard, the S470 should really have Wi-Fi built-in – we expect such a feature to quickly become standard now these first-gen Blu-ray-cum-streaming decks are out and about. DLNA networking also proved a bit of a letdown. It may sound trite, but considering the USB dongle issue and the need to use a stick for BD Live downloads, a third USB slot wouldn't go amiss.

Final verdict

All criticisms are slight; Sony has made one of the most impressive and attractive Blu-ray players around. Its compatibility with almost any disc, including 2D Blu-ray, is excellent while the pictures it delivers are equally spotless.

Chuck in almost complete digital file support over USB and access to Lovefilm and the BBC's iPlayer, and we'd be surprised if the S470 didn't appeal to a much wider market than just Blu-ray buyers.