Sony talks up new Blu-ray player's green points 

By Susanne Ault July 17, 2008

July 16 | Color Sony’s latest Blu-ray Disc player green.

The supplier is touting the BDP-S350’s smaller dimensions, which will help cut the players’ shipping carbon emissions by about 43%. Its overall size has been reduced by 55% from the older player. That combined with 52% less packing material has worked to drop the entire unit’s weight by 38%.

In other green enhancements, the BDP-S350 uses 21% less power in playback mode and 43% less power in stand-by mode. Also, its user guide is printed on 70% recycled paper with compound-free vegetable oil-based ink.

Now available at retailers nationwide, the BDP-S350 marks Sony’s first Web-enabled BD Live set-top once a firmware update becomes available later this year. As expected, the BDP-S350 will launch at about $400.

Among the other features that distinguish the player from Sony’s earlier BDP-S300 set-top include picture-in-picture playback and faster boot-up time. Sony also has added its Precision Drive HD technology, which corrects wobbling discs and stabilizes playback of bent or scratched Blu-ray discs and DVDs.

“We leveraged our expertise in film production and digital technology to build a machine that movie fans would truly love,” said Chris Fawcett, VP of marketing for Sony Electronics’ Home Products Division. “An advanced Blu-ray Disc player like the BDP-S350 is a must for every HDTV owner, because it delivers the ultimate video and sound quality, while unlocking features you can’t find on DVD, downloads or video-on-demand.”

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