Sony/Logitech differences?

[jbarresi19]

I recently bought the Sony Google TV and I really enjoy it. I have looked online and can not seem to find the answer to this question. Besides the remote and sony being a bluray player are there any other differences between the 2? Is there any difference between how they both appear on the tv? and will the both get the same updates or is it totally independant?

 

[StrifeJester]

The updates are going to be slightly different because of the hardware. The logitech for example has already had an update for one of its issues. The interface I am sure can be customized by Sony or Logitech but right now they are fairly stock from what I have seen. Also there is a thread I am helping on here that seems to lead to Sony removing Ogg support. The Revue which I own plays Ogg with no problems. There is also the chance for deals like with Android phones where certain apps will only be on certain vendor models. I am hoping to buy the Sony Blu-Ray player over the holidays to replace the player in my bedroom which is an old vcr/dvd combo not sure when it will be but I too want to see if there are more of these issues. Perhaps we could collaborate on screen shots and things and try different formats. I know the Revue will also play XVID, not sure if the Sony will.

 

[mmarti16]

don't forget Logitech also released an app for android and iphone to control the revue. I know Sony has one also but not sure if it will control the blu ray player and google TV. I use the app for the logitech more than the actual keyboard.

 

[StrifeJester]

I like the app but so far running it on my phone just brings my phone to a crawl. I like the Logitech keyboard and even my fianc

 

[fone_fanatic]

don't forget Logitech also released an app for android and iphone to control the revue. I know Sony has one also but not sure if it will control the blu ray player and google TV. I use the app for the logitech more than the actual keyboard.

What sony remote are you talking about?

I just searched on the android market and found one "BD Remote" but not one for the google tv blu ray box.

 

[alishaneuron]

Is there any difference between the two. I don't know let me know the other info.

 

[IRunGameEP]

I found one difference between them already, and it's a HUGE one for me. The Revue Media Player app has a setting in Settings>Search that lets you search all your DLNA content. So all your playlists, movies, mp3s, and anything else you share on the DLNA can be found by hitting the quick search button and typing "incubus" (or whatever youre looking for). All of the playlists will come up, select one, and it starts playing. My Sony NSZ-GT1 does not have this feature, and being that I have over 500 GB of media, this is a huge problem. I was showing someone how it worked last night, they asked me to play a playlist they knew I had, and it took me 3-5 mins to scroll down to it (I have everything organized very nicely). It makes all my network content useless, I might as well not have the media player app at all.

Learning from how hardware companies deal with Android phones, I probably wont see this feature for 6-8 months, if I ever see it at all. This is where I think about getting rid of anything to do with Android. If youre going to create an operating system you want to run on multiple hardware configuations, DON'T LET THE HARDWARE COMPANIES ADD ANYTHING TO IT UI WISE. Google TV should have a standard OS and let the companies add apps, not changes that ables them to hold back updates. Microsoft sells Windows, Dell, HP, and other companies buy that OS and install it on computers, they dont change it. When an update comes up for Wondows, EVERYONE gets it. Android should be the same. Have a base OS that everyone has installed,and let the hardware companies install apps that they want. DONT let them change the OS. Let everyone get the same OS, same updates...This is going to be the downfall of the whole Android movement. Not being able to keep up with itself is going to rip it apart...

 

[drhill]

I believe the only reason the Revue works in search results is because Logitech has their own media player, whereas the Sony unit (which I have to) uses the stock media player.

Google has been dragging their feet as far as media playback in android. When they announced Voice Search they added the ability to hook into media players, but did not update the stock player to use it. I believe they said something to the effect of putting it in later so they wouldn't have to delay the voice search feature. Well it still isn't in 2.2's media player.

I expect Honeycomb's cleaned up media player to have this features (voice search and dlna search) which hopefully will be the next big update for Google TV as well.

 

[IRunGameEP]

Does that mean Sony has the "Vanilla" Android like the Nexus?

I think the updates for Android in general need to come A LOT faster, and more frequently. Apple finds a problem with Mac OS, its fixed the next day. Micrsoft finds 100 things wrong in a day, they fix 30 of em the day after (haha). You know what I'm getting at right? If Google wants to be taken seriously, they need to take the Android platform seriously.

Every media file I tried up until now has worked with the stock player. I think some of the issues people are having with DLNA content is the server that they are running doesn't fully support the file formats they have. i use Playback (Yazsoft) on my Mac, and I see everything on the server, and everything plays, but I olny use supported formats.

 

[drhill]

I can't say for sure, but I feel like that it is as stock as it gets without Google releasing/licensing the hardware, like the Nexus phones. I feel like the revue is pretty stock too, they just put their own media player in there. I wouldn't be surprised if both media players could be installed on either device.

When bugs are found Google still has to find the solution, test the fix, and then do regression testing before updating the source code for Sony/Logitech to pull and then integrate. Then they would do testing and regression testing. It isn't a quick process.

I use twonky and have been very happy with the DLNA support in my Sony Google TV. The only things I feel are needed are searching ability, and a prettier front end which supports pics, cover art, or whatever.

 

[IRunGameEP]

Yeah, well I hope they update it soon. I dont care what it looks like as long as I can search everything on the DLNA server. Eyecandy would be great, but if it doesnt work, its just a nice look POS

 

[Alberto_jr]

Im torn between the 2. 1 has a blu ray player and google tv while the REVUE only has google tv. The obvious answer should be get the Sony blu ray player, right?
Also playstation 3 is rumored to get it and samsung is releasing there blu ray player soon. So what is it? wait?

 

[drhill]

Never hurts to wait, unless that is all you ever wind up doing. I wouldn't listen to the PS3 rumors much.

I have the Sony Blu ray player upstairs. I like it, but I won't get one for downstairs until they (or samsung) support hdmi 1.4, for 3d. I also don't like to have to manually turn on/off the cable box, and I hope someone releasing a remote with a sliding keyboard.

The sony remote isn't bad. Just slightly big for normal tv use. It's weird how you use number keys, but their intent is you never really jump to numbers, just search for "what's on" or the channel letters.

 

[StrifeJester]

I have the Revue but I also have Dish Network and got it at a reduced price. I am glad I got it because I already have a PS3 and the Dish DVR. I think my next unit though will be the blue-ray model for the bedroom so I can get that all squared away. Really it just comes down to your needs. I agree with the PS3 rumors being false simply due to the fact that it then requires a complete re-write of the PS3 OS using android. That I am sure is no small undertaking. I personally moving forward think I will only buy units with BD players in them but as of right now I only have the PS3 so any new units might as well have all the features to actually perform as an all in one unit. I hope to have the Sony BD player model soon so I can see what happens when I have it hooked up to two different receivers in my house

 

[galfert]

There are a lot of differences between the Logitech Revue and The Sony Blu-ray/TVs
In my opinion the Logitech Revue is better hands down.

* Revue has A, B, C, D keys for set top box control (very important for cable tv users)
* Revue has better media player (although that isn't saying much since it isn't a great media player)
* Revue media player supports more file formats
* Revue has customizable programable remote control keys, Sony doesn't
* Revue can accept IR commands from any Remote Control
* Revue has Harmony smarts (not a full blown Harmony remote ...but its nice)
* Revue better integrates with current Hamony remote you may already have
* Revue got its initial bugs fixed faster than Sony got fixes
* Revue has option of big keyboard or optional small back lit keyboard
* Revue has TV web camera option for teleconferencing free with Vid HD
* Revue was hacked ang given root (granted you need to have a virgin system)
* Logitech will sell you additional IR blaster for less than $10 shipped
* Sony Google TV remote sux
* Revue has LED lights on the front (power and keyboard control active) - Sony has none
* Revue is sleaker and its black - who wants a white component? yuck!
* Revue is cheaper (granted no Blu-ray ---but that blu-ray is inferior to a better stand alone Blu-ray player)