Sony UBP-X700 4K Ultra HD Home Theater Streaming Blu-Ray Player

Some Background: A couple years ago, I purchased a brand-new Sony UBP-X1100ES for $500.00 here on Amazon. That same player can still be obtained on Amazon, but for two to three times the price I paid a couple years past. That player stuttered, fractured, and froze often, especially during the 4k playback of the raging river/waterfall scene of "1917", Peter Jackson's "King Kong" between 2:26-2:27 where Kong is rampaging through a shoreline tunnel to "save" Ann Darrow from being taken away on a small boat, and invariably freezing during a climactic scene in "Mortal Engines" where Valentine's warmongering is confronted by his daughter Katherine. And there are other movies which froze also, almost always in specific places. Now, you might think you can see where this is going: "Surely, I must simply not be taking care of my discs. I obviously have scratches and/or poor disc cleaning cloths, cleaner, etc." (For the record, I use Zeiss lens cleaner and cloths.) Well, after a couple years of this, it occurred to me that it could be a problem with the UBP-X1100ES itself. (Big scandalous gasp here!) Providentially, I had a Sony UBP-X700 hooked to a Samsung 4k computer monitor on the wall in front of my treadmill. (Side note: I do my treadmill walking to "Pacific Rim" or "Edge of Tomorrow: Live, Die, Repeat" with Beyerdynamic DT 990 (32 Ohm) headphones... total adrenaline rush, and the Sony UBP-X700 nails it every time!) Anyway, I decided to give the UBP-X700 a go in place of the UBP-X1100ES and see what that might tell me. I made all the connections to my LG 55" OLED TV and fired it up. As soon as I spun up the UBP-X700, the clouds parted, the birds started singing, and peace descended over the land! Well, actually what happened was two-fold technological magic: 1) The UBP-X700 player had no trouble whatsoever with the "1917" raging river/waterfall scene. As well, the player had zero difficulty with the "Mortal Engines" daughter/father confrontation which my UBP-X1100ES flubbed every time. And, last but not least, the "King Kong" Ann Darrow rampage/rescue scene was rendered flawlessly. What a relief to have the freezing disc playback eliminated!!! 2) As a bonus, I immediately noticed the UBP-X700 player had visibly better picture resolution and color on my LG than I had been experiencing with the UBP-X1100ES. This superior rendering was especially true when it came to details such as stitching or abrasions on clothing when watching "Dune, Part 1" and seeing the distinctive markings on the Mirkwood spiders in "The Hobbit, Desolation of Smaug" - which was a bonus, for I cannot recall the spiders' markings catching my attention when using the UBP-X1100ES. Conclusion: After using my previously purchased UBP-X700 to successfully fill the needs of my primary system in the living room, I immediately purchased another UBP-X700 and put it into service in front of my treadmill. All in all, I couldn't be happier!

I do not own a 4K TV. When I started having issues with my Blu-ray player I saw the Sony UBP-X700 for a $154 I figured it would be a good idea getting this to be future proof for a 4K TV when I get one. Little did I know what a gem this unit is with all its features. Even without having a 4K TV this is a fantastic player. This player plays regular Blu-rays perfectly. The unit loads very fast and the picture and sound is great. Audio with discs with Atmos and DTS-X play perfectly on my Yamaha RX-A760BL receiver. 3D discs also work as well. This player is relatively quiet. SACD playback is awesome. I love the fact that this player will playback SACD discs flawlessly via HDMI. I had bought some DVD-Audio discs back in the day which worked on my Denon DVD-1600. The only way I could get true HD audio playback was via 5.1 RCA analog jack outputs on 1600 and 5.1 analog inputs on receiver. With this player I can get SACD playback with one cord! I have no issue saying goodbye to DVD-Audio discs though I did not have a large collection. I know the X800 has DVD-Audio disc support but frankly the X700 is better with the added Dolby Vision. The file support on this unit with both video and audio files is really amazing. This player really plays anything I have tried to play on it. Old avi files, check. h264 files, check. My newer h265 (HVEC) files, check (even 10 bit files). When it comes to audio files I have tried mp3. flac, HD flac, and DSD (*.dsf) files. They all play with no issues and sound phenomenal. With HD flac files I have tried up to 192kHz/24bit 5.4 Mbps stereo files and 96kHz/24bit 8.6Mbps 5.1 files. They all work flawlessly. When it comes to DSD files this player plays them natively perfectly. My receiver supports DSD and the files play in this format natively (not PCM). DSD files (*.dsf) via the UBP-X700 and sound awesome. I can play stereo DSD 256 files (11.2 MHz/1 bit 22.6 Mbps) and 5.1 DSD 64 files (2.8 MHz/1 bit 16.9 Mbps) with no issues and they sound fantastic. Using a USB 3.0 flash drive and Samsung T5 1TB SSD works flawlessly as well. Video and audio files play with no issues with no stuttering. I'm very happy with this purchase. Highly recommended.

As an avid movie enthusiast, I've always believed that the picture and sound quality can make or break a movie-watching experience. With that in mind, I decided to invest in the Sony UBP-X700 4K Ultra HD Home Theater Streaming Blu-Ray Player. And boy, am I glad I did! The player itself is sleek and compact, making it easy to integrate into my home theater setup. Setup was a breeze, and I was up and running in no time. The picture quality is simply stunning, and the colors are vibrant and true to life. I felt like I was experiencing my favorite movies in a whole new way. And when it comes to sound quality, the UBP-X700 did not disappoint. The audio was crisp and clear, with no distortion or background noise. One of the best features of this player is its ability to stream 4K content from services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. With built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity, I was able to easily connect to my home network and start streaming my favorite movies and TV shows in no time. The user interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it a breeze to find what I wanted to watch. Overall, I am extremely happy with my purchase of the Sony UBP-X700 4K Ultra HD Home Theater Streaming Blu-Ray Player. Its high-quality picture and sound, easy setup, and ability to stream content from popular services make it a great choice for any home theater enthusiast. If you're in the market for a new Blu-Ray player, I highly recommend giving the UBP-X700 a try.

Update: So I had the servicer come and - without really understanding all the technical aspects - it seems there was some issue with my router (Netgear Nighthawk ac1900) and the player. Since the technician did his work the player and all the streaming apps have been working perfectly for the past three weeks so I've changed my initial review to reflect that the problem I was having seems to have been fixed. I have been a dedicated Sony buyer for years with most all my electronics. This is the first time I have ever been disappointed and regretted a purchase. When this player works it is really great. The picture is excellent, streaming quality is fine, and you get HDR/Dolby Vision support. Here's the problem: It seems that this player has a rather common problem of giving you a "not connected to the network" error message even though when you check your network settings the player is indeed connected to your wifi network. This started happening to me after I owned the player for about a month. I then did some searching online and found threads about this very problem on the Sony support site dating back several years. Either Sony can't or hasn't solved this problem; it effectively renders this model as a standalone disc player because the glitch leaves you unable to (1) access any of your streaming apps like Vudu and Netflix or (2) check for or download software updates. There are short-term fixes that are hit or miss. Customer support will advise you to disconnect the power from the source for 1 minute and reset all your factory settings. But when they work I've found they last anywhere from a few hours to a week before the problem starts up again. I've also read online that the issue might stem from the player providing the wrong IP address if you use automated network setup. But I've mostly tried everything I can think of and nothing has corrected the problem. Sony customer support at this point has pretty much told me there is nothing else they can do and that I should contact an authorized servicer. So this is my warning: The player is great but there is an absolute risk that you are going to deal with the exact same network connection issue. So, maybe wait for a good sale and then hope for the best.

I have tried Samsung DVD players and Blue Ray players for my previous devices. All of them have failed within a short time after putting them in service. Perhaps I had my hopes set too high. I kept reading good reviews about this mid-priced DVD player from Sony and decided to spend a bit more money. (It was, fortunately for me, advertised on a black-Friday sale.) I have only had a chance to use it three times so far (It arrived a week ago.) and I have not played any Blue-Ray discs on it yet. With those qualifiers in mind, I am very pleased with this purchase. Picture seems good (I'm not very knowledgeable in evaluating picture quality) , the remote is easy to use & sort of intuitively laid out and, hallelujah, there is a little tiny blue light that comes on that tells me the machine is "ON". I used to get so frustrated at the other players because I could not tell if they were "on" or if they were "off". AND, the streaming feature sets up easily and works much better than any other machine I've had. So far, this DVD/Blue Ray player has been FANTASTIC! Well worth paying for a mid-range device instead of the $70-99 range. ADDENDUM: 6 weeks later. the DVD player stopped working. Amazon tried to help, but needed to refer me to SONY when their tricks did not work. SONY fixed it with a reset procedure. Thanks to easy Amazon and SONY customer support, it is working perfectly again. Good job.

I’m a huge movie guy from Chaplin to the present day..I’d say a large portion of my film collection are movies in B&W very few of which were ever transferred to Blu-ray, but looked totally the same on my Sony 42 WEGA till 08, When I attained my first 1080P set, and Blu-ray player...The upscaling via HDMI the Films from early Hollywood, to the 90s..I saw The upscaling in older color films (Streaming wasn’t available like it has been seven years after 08) The contrast and sharpness were a bit compromised but there was only slightly more clarity, when my cable provider gave me a 1080p Cable Box... The last month I had to catch up on many fancy terms, and resolution research. I needed a new set...and though these Sets give a picture that’s unbelievable if I think back to most of home entertainment systems since 1080p was mainstreamed...there longevity is not close to the last of the 300lbs Flat Screen SD TVs that were prevalent with the from 90-2010...I have a friend that watches his DVDs still on a WEGA, and is on his third panel set(he buys high end) since 01. Last year maybe because of the black Bars for SD DVDs, a linear black line driving me nuts, be it cables, Blu-ray, streaming....then it became clear that the colors on my 1080p 11 years in on a ragged diagonal was dull and flat and not crisp and colorful like the lower..so time to upgrade to something that’s an upgrade but I wasn’t spending 1550 plus..or going above 55...Room anything larger I’d have to install like a gym hanging from my ceiling. After research that all DVDs are 480i, they’re own upscaling on a Blu-ray via HDMI will boost them to 1080p on a 4K set...they’ll be over pixelated, and the same for anything under 1080P also known as 2K. I knew at this point hard to find a 1080 set, but I knew HDR, and 120Hz is what I needed...in terms of all this crap I read of OLED vs QLED...and what’s available in 4K native format...I don’t need HDR10 Plus...Dolby Digital 5.1 is fine, I don’t need Atmos... I find myself a well respected 55 Samsung, swipe my second generation Firebox for a 4K stick... If you stream the difference from UHD streaming and 1080 is not worth paying 25 over 15..The fastest mbps isn’t relevant the highest UHD streaming is in actuality similar to the resolution on the Mini 4 or what I nicknamed 3K for simplicity. The processor on a good set will do the best job it can upscaling 1080p whether streamed directly or by a 4K stick(streaming via the stick, it’s faster than most TVs and apps..there’s not a model that offers apps like Amazon, Apple and Roku). Upon attaining my 4K set...whether one has cable, FiOS, os Satellite 1080p is the best you’ll get..and the delivery of the signals is highly digitalized and looks over pixelated. So E.G. NHL playoffs come around I watched them on the NBCSN app, not the cable station....it was like being on the ice. I put CNN on, eh...I stream CNN what happened. So in my experience you have 120Hz or more HDR or higher...you’ll be streaming everything. Now comes to 5 stars...THE UHD 4K Blu Ray player...I don’t stream through it for the same reason I stream via the 4K stick...this is ideal regardless of the clarity the viewer prefers, because one can control the definition in a customized fashion. Before I attained this my film Noire late 30- mid 50s DVDs looked horrid on my old Blu-ray upscaled to 4K by the TV...to take 480i...and upscale to 4K...ugh...I look at streaming tittles and many films that were upped to 1080p aren’t available and maybe 5 old ones that I’ll spend the 10 dollars..but then I attain this and I can manually set my screen to 480i and turn off 4 K upscaling the Maltese Falcon never looked better... I put in Donnie Brosco extended Blu-Ray leave HDR on, turn off 4K upscaling, and leave 24p..Compared to 1080p streaming (it on prime 1080p)...When streaming the TV upscales, On the player you may upscale in which case it’s a close call streaming or playing a BluRay...but without upscaling maybe the HDR by itself makes the 1080p mind blowing... Yesterday I attained 3 tittles(being there aren’t many) on ULTRA 4K HD Blu Ray...The 2 that were in theaters at 4K (The theater till 2016 had 4K digital projection once film was replaced..and stored in 1080p Archives...so movies made prior to 2016 will be expertly restored on a 4K Disc depending on the film, and studio. Since 2018 99% of films in theaters are 8K and being stored at 4K...very much like the 4K were being stored on 1080p/2K. I put on the Avengers..my first UHD 4K disc..I was dumb enough to buy UHD streaming WHICH IS 3K ...when I put this film in I read up on UHD streaming...The point is that it’s an effects movie, not a tear jerker....The CGI..was for the first time In a room in my house...Mind blowing without 3D glasses in an IMAX getting nauseous. So this player is ideal..for any format...Your Blu-ray will look much crisper, I imagine with a HDR 10 set and QLED or OLED...sometimes upscaling does too good of a job, and you may want to know that you have the option for the resolution without having to rebuild your library...My Blu-ray rays without upscaling and HDR tech, are the crispest I seen..my Edward G Robinson films in 480i...people that saw it in the theater in 1935...would think it’s Epcot center and is crisper than streaming from TCM app, or Amazon in 1080p..(The reason again is upscaling a 1080p/2K to 4K, one doubles the resolution so the extent of the upscale is contingent on the set..a black and white DVD with this player some may prefer a 720p projection. On my set when I did that the DVD looked as it did when upscaled on my 1080p set..but if you upscale on 4K...remember you’re stretching an image from its native format DVD 480/540i or SD, or 1080/2K...the player and set via its processor (more key in color) Fills in the gaps, it doesn’t upgrade to 4K it upscales... The fact that this player allows me to get the exact resolution meant for the disc, DVD, Blu-Ray..or 4K Blu-ray and unlike streaming, my 4K set doesn’t upscale the disc without my permission It’s an ideal player to have if your 1080p Set is beginning to die, and you want a new set not a refurbished one..and your pretty much relegated to 4K. I’m not reviewing sets, but I personally don’t think it’s worth to get a top of the line 4 K..the delivery modalities aren’t caught up yet. In 2020....If they made new 1080p, 240Hz, HDR sets..I’d get it.. But in 1080p..the best tech was LED, 240Hz...and they’re not making new ones anymore. So those with extensive DVD/Blu-ray collections that need to upgrade their sets, get this player or one like it!!!

Sony seems to be negligent in providing Dolby Vision capability across its line of disc players. At the moment I write this, this is their only model. Dolby Vision is simply amazing. It expands the dynamic range of video to a point where it is almost like looking at an actual scene. The more common HDR10, while attempting to do the same thing, appears rather artificial in most cases. Hopefully, like Blu-ray over HD-DVD, DV will become the standard in enhancement technology. The player is great. The user interface and remote are very simple and straightforward. It plays many different formats of streaming media and discs. There are a relatively small number of apps for some of the popular services such as VUDU, Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime. It isn't fancy and maybe a bit light and fragile, but it works perfectly. It seems like a great value for a relatively low price. This isn't mentioned often, so I will tack it onto my review. There is an app called Video & TV SideView that works with this player. It even has a voice control plugin. Well worth picking up.

For me, so many reviews on Amazon are irrelevant, especially those that are written when the product first arrives. Customers are often bribed by the seller with a gift or coupon for a review (some even telling you what rating to give). What is important is not how it looks or even operates out the box, or even whether it is "nice," "great," or "awesome" (the only adjectives many reviews seem to have in their vocabulary). It most assuredly better do what it is supposed to do or it will be returned. What is important for a product like this is whether it still does what it is supposed to after the warranty expires. This 4k Sony player began its descent into uselessness just AFTER the warranty expired. I had owned a Sony Blu-ray player before and was so dissatisfied that I determined never to buy another. However, when I wanted to upgrade to 4K, I read reviews outside of Amazon and discovered that the UBP-X700 was supposed to be a quality product. So, I gave Sony another chance. First, this player often froze and, no matter how I adjusted the TV settings, rarely synced the picture and the sound. Then, just after the warranty expired, it quit playing all DVDs. Only Blu-ray discs would play. Then, a couple of months after that, it quit playing any kind of disc at all. The machine would not even turn off, either by remote or the power button. I could unplug it and plug it back in later, and the power light would still go on. It would not read a disc or be recognized by the TV. It would not let me go into the settings or perform any kind of reset. The only way I could eject the disc was by pressing the eject and power buttons simultaneously. I finally started a chat with Sony support. I was given several steps to follow, but, in the end, was told it would need to be taken to a repair center. For such a short life span, it looks to me like I rented a 4K player instead of purchasing one. I suppose the old adage is true, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." No more Sony's for me!