Busy Executive
The Sony "mega changer" is a unique product, capable of storing a medium-sized disc collection in a single, convenient device. A wide range of disc types are supported in addition to Blu-ray, including conventional DVDs and audio CDs. Note that DVD-Audio, HD-DVD and SACD are *not* supported. The build quality is first rate, typical of a Sony "ES" product. It weighs over 30 pounds and seems like its built to last a while. It hooks up easily using a single HDMI cable (assuming what youre connecting to accepts this type of input). If youre using Sony gear, you can control the "mega changer" using a common remote and Sonys "Bravia Sync" protocol. For older equipment, there are 2 and 7 channel analog outputs, as well as digital coax. If you use high-end AV control system (such as Crestron), there are RS-232 inputs as well. The 5-year warranty is also a good touch. In terms of sound and picture quality, Id rate it as excellent. I have a variety of other high-end disc players, and in no case could I see or hear differences on the Sony. DVDs are upscaled for better performance, and the unit supports 24p True Cinema, BD-Live and so on. It supports all the latest surround audio formats and video features, and Sony has a built-in network connection supporting easy firmware updating. While I havent seen a specific commitment from Sony to support future standards, at least the infrastructure is there if they choose to do so. The unit also features a built-in Ethernet port that can connect to the Gracenote service to retrieve album art and disc cover graphics. This is a nice touch, saving you from having to manually enter disc information most of the time. Unfortunately, the graphics are sometimes low resolution and on a small display, they can be difficult to see clearly. Also, on prior generations of this product, Sony included a way to connect a computer keyboard so you could easily edit disc information. This feature has been dropped on the BDP-CX7000ES...so long as youre Ethernet connected and storing discs that can be found in the Gracenote service, this isnt a big deal - but if (for instance) you tend to burn your own discs and want to edit titles, it can be quite a chore doing it without a keyboard. Some complain about the lack of WiFi, but you can always use a wireless Ethernet bridge to eliminate the need for any cables (this is how I have mine connected, and it works fine). Finding discs is always a challenge with units like this, and so Sony provides a variety of ways your collection can be indexed. Its possible to search by title, genre, rating - even director and cast member. The unit can be somewhat slow loading and unloading discs, which I guess is a function of the size of the carousel. It can take 30 seconds to unload a disc, spin the unit to the desired slot, then load the chosen disc. Theres also a slot that can be used to play a single disc without loading it into the unit. This is a good idea, but as Ive kept my single disc player connected to my system, I dont use the Sony for this type of disc. Similarly, theres a USB port for connecting various types of media to the unit (for instance, special BD-Live content, or photos, etc). So far, I havent found a compelling use of this feature since it duplicates capabilities I have on other devices. One problem Ive had with the unit is that it seems sensitive to being moved - some of the discs seemed to move out of their slots just by sliding the device on its shelf. It seems important to not move the unit once its loaded with discs. Although this is a fine unit overall, there are a few other areas that could use improvement: 1. WiFi should be built-in...I shouldnt need to buy an outboard Ethernet bridge to connect wirelessly. 2. The Gracenote service is still immature, mislabling about 10-20% of all discs. 3. Would be nice to have built-in support for Amazons video on demand (or Netflix). 4. Takes a long time to setup initially if you have lots of discs. A wireless keyboard would be a big help. 5. The overall software interface is a bit clumsy...would be nice if it was easier to simply connect the device (over that USB channel?) to a Windows Media Center or iTunes. 6. It runs a bit hot in an enclosed cabinet and tends to generate audible fan noise. 7. Would be nice to have a way to link multiple units for those having more than 400 discs. While you can certainly connect multiple units to your system, each acts independently - without a coordinated index, you need to remember which discs are in which player. Still, in spite of these shortcomings, I think this is a great product and I give it a solid four stars. It would probably be five stars for picture and sound quality, five stars for construction quality, and three stars for usability and software design.