I opened the box only to be greeted by a large insert card instructing to call Sony before attempting to install. Sony rep informed me that the unit cannot be used until my new Sony 4K TV (purchased two weeks ago) is serviced by a Sony technician. Apparently the HDMI ports need to be upgraded first. I set up my free upgrade for 7/19; but I am so disappointed that Amazon did not warn of this that I may just return it for a refund and cancel the upgrade until Sony and Amazon get their act together.
Update #1: I decided to return the unit for a refund. I still love my 4K TV... It makes everything look much better and blu-rays look unbelievable on the thing. But dismantling it from the wall and the having some tech do surgery on it just so I can see a handful of movies in true 4K is not worth the risk; especially when it costs me $700 for the privilege plus a day's pay, and there is no guarantee that Sony will actually deliver on the 4K video service. Can you say BETAMAX?
Update #2: The issues with this unit continue... After the upgrade necessary to use the Sony 4K Media Player, the HDMI-1 input no longer supports the "Mastered in 4K" option necessary to take full advantage of the new "Mastered in 4K" blu-ray discs. According to the Sony rep that I spoke with, this function is only available through the input HDMI-3 after the upgrade. I confirmed this with my neighbor's set up.
Normally this would not be a big issue, however, with the Sony 4K TV's the ARC (audio return channel) function is only available via the HDMI-1 input. In other words, the upgrade necessary to use the Sony 4K Media Player, for all intents and purposes, makes the ARC function unusable. As a person who owns a Sony 4K TV and one of the new Sony 4K compatible receivers, this is another deal killer.
Update #3: My neighbor just had Sony complete the upgrade of his Sony 4K TV so he can use his Sony 4K Media Player. The player user interface is serviceable but has a long way to go to compete with Vudu's interface. When you attempt to connect to the Sony online 4K movie service you get a page that says, "Coming Soon." The movies included on the unit's hard drive are not the best for demonstrating 4K. We compared the "Mastered in 4K" blu-ray disc of Total Recall with the 4K version included in the media player and could not see a major improvement. In fact, about half of those present thought that the blu-ray version looked better. But as I say, the movies included do not permit a meaningful comparison. Given what I have seen, I will wait until the Sony 4K movie service is up and running so that I can confirm that there is a discernible difference between 4K and blu-ray before I shell out $700 for the media player and allow a Sony rep to operate on my new TV.
Update #4: Since the upgrade necessary to use the Sony 4K Medial Player, my neighbor has noticed a purplish tint in his TV's picture. It does not matter what the media source is or the picture settings he chooses, the purple tent is there. It is subtle and seems to be most visible when there is a lot of white in the picture. It is very evident when watching something like golf with a blue sky and white clouds. A call to Sony was no help. The rep did his best but had to leave us on hold for long periods while he "researched the problem". Ultimately, we were told that the problem would be forwarded to Sony and that a fix may be included in the next software update. To be totally fair to the Sony rep it was obvious that they are still on the learning curve when it comes to their 4K equipment. Such are the trials of a new adopter.
| Brand Name | Sony |
|---|---|
| Item Weight | 4.84 pounds |
| Product Dimensions | 9.8 x 9.8 x 2.1 inches |
| Item model number | FMPX1 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color Name | Black |
| Specification Met | certified frustration-free |
