As Sony's current top end blu-ray player, the BDP-S500 offers some important features over the BDP-S300. DTS HD along with Dolby TrueHD high definition sound formats are present although there is a qualifier with DTS HD. DTS-HD comes in two flavours, 'High Resolution Audio' and 'Master Audio' and there is no 'Master Audio' (the preferred format for Fox studios) on the BDP-S500.

The BDP-S500 also upscales your collection of standard DVD's, it can play audio CD's as well as discs laden with MP3's or JPEG's.

The Sony BDP-S500 excels in the most important area, picture quality. Placed alongside its younger brother the BDP-S300, it reveals a high definition picture that is just that little bit sharper and more detailed. In fact this is one of the best high definition pictures you are likely to come across from a blu-ray player.