Product Reviews
SMP-N200
Streaming Player
Average Customer Rating:
26 out of 52(50%)customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for SMP-N200
Review 1 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
VictorS
Location:Silicon Valley, CA
I've had this product for:1-3 months
Excellent value for video streaming
Date:February 6, 2012
Pros: Inexpensive, Netflix, Amazon VOD, composite output, iPhone remote app
Cons: Unintuitive UI
I wanted a video streaming device to catchup on TV shows I've been missing. The catch was I needed to connect it to an old television that lacked HDMI but wanted HDMI for a future TV upgrade. I also needed it to support Netflix, Amazon VOD and Hulu Plus. Everything after that is icing on the cake. After installing the device, I was up and running (and streaming) within 20 minutes. Image quality is outstanding and audio is clear. My only complaint is the UI isn't particularly intuitive, particularly since it employs a hidden menu that's displayable when you click the options button. If you're used to the UI on the PSP and the PS3, this won't be a problem.
One feature I wasn't aware of was the availability of the iPhone remote. It's UI needs some help and it doesn't make full use of the possibilities of a smartphone based remote the way AppleTV integrates with the iPhone. However, it does make using the N200 easier since you can use the virtual keyboard on the iPhone to enter search terms instead of using the odd and painful virtual numeric keypad with the original remote.
I haven't seen my wi-fi connection drop and it's been working flawlessly. In a lot of cases, I've found that there are issues with older 802.11N routers. It's not really a Sony problem.
Otherwise, Sony did a great job with this streaming device, most importantly it does everything I want it to do. I'm hoping Sony continues to add more applications to make it more competitive with Roku.
73 of 78 found this review helpful.
Review 2 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
Thisisnotmyrealname
Location:Portland, OR
I've had this product for:6-12 months
Pathetic
Date:February 16, 2013
Pros: It hasn't injured anyone in my home
Cons: Terrible interface, functionality, performance
Against my better judgment, I bought this thing instead of a Roku because it had a USB input and was affordable. I immediately regretted this decision, as the interface is absolutely awful (tiny icons and text, etc.), it supports only a few video playback formats, defeating the purpose of the USB input, and it continually failed due to technical glitches. I HATE this machine. If you purchase one, you have only yourself to blame for the misery it will bring you. You've been warned.
0 of 1 found this review helpful.
Review 3 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
someguyNy
Location:NY
I've had this product for:1-3 months
Device claims to be registered, cannot use most ap
Date:December 6, 2012
Pros: 1 app works
Cons: None of the other apps work
Device claims to be registered. To run apps, I have to link my account at internet.sony.tv. However, to create an account, I need to register a device. Recursive error.
Do yourself a favor and buy something better than this thing.
3 of 4 found this review helpful.
Review 4 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
toddh39
Location:Sheboygan, Wi
I've had this product for:1-2 years
Sucks
Date:November 19, 2012
Cons: very bad programing
This is the worse thing ever.. the os sucks.. freezes , don't stream a dam thing. this is a big waste of money
1 of 4 found this review helpful.
Review 5 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
Pat1
Location:San Jose,CA
I've had this product for:less than a month
Icons too small
Date:September 8, 2012
Pros: quick start up times
Cons: netflix and amazon icons way too small
All the services icons are way too small, on any tv smaller than 42".
4 of 7 found this review helpful.
Review 6 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
danstns
Location:Minnesota
I've had this product for:6-12 months
improvement needed
Date:September 6, 2012
Pros: alot of apps
Cons: interface and sometimes buffers alot
Interface isn t as easy to read as the wii .........
Hope for sony to come out with some updates for this product to resolve this.
Hope for sony to come out with some updates for this product to resolve this.
4 of 5 found this review helpful.
Review 7 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
Aravind
Location:Houston
I've had this product for:less than a month
Good Product
Date:August 26, 2012
Pros: Streaming, Clarity
Cons: Menu
Awesome Product, able to stream fast and can continuously view the videos with good clarity.
4 of 5 found this review helpful.
Review 8 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
hdsfkahsjda
Location:Chico CA
I've had this product for:1-3 months
Overall Nifty, but not a Top Notch Prodcut
Date:August 13, 2012
Pros: Pandora, Netflix, NPR Podcasts on the TV
Cons: Few Glitches, Not Customizable
We bought one when we got our new TV because we wanted to watch Netflix on our TV without having to connect cables every time. Overall I am satisfied. Pandora, Netflix link well with the box. They have a nice organized GUI. The NPR podcasts are a different story though. They are extremely difficult to sift though. I can find some shows like Radiolab because it shows up on one of the first pages but besides that I'm lost. I try searching but typing in letter by letter is difficult with a remote. I would like to be able to subscribe to RSS feeds on my own. And watch internet content such as the Colbert Report but I can not, at least yet. There have been a few software updates since we bought the device.
1 of 2 found this review helpful.
Review 9 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
notsatisfied
Location:NC
I've had this product for:1-3 months
Meh
Date:August 1, 2012
Pros: free 3 months hulu plus, connects to home network
Cons: awkward interface, doesn't have HBO go, remote
I read a lot of iffy reviews before I bought this and decided surely a bad interface wouldn't bother me. But it does, it is so bad. In netflix the pictures are tiny, although you can read the title at the bottom, its just not the same. Also, the episodes page is awkward. In Crackle there is no search button, you have to scroll through everything to find what you're looking for. Pandora looks nothing like pandora. It also has a bunch of pointless other channels. On Roku they have cool ones, and you get to pick whats on your list and whats not.
It also randomly freezes, but that may be my internet. Also, when the connection gets weak it doesn't say "retrieving" or have a loading bar of any sorts, it just stops makes you hit okay two or three times, then starts whatever you were watching over! So annoying.
It doesn't offer HBO go either, which I watch on my computer all the time. The remote also sucks. There are a lot of buttons that are there for no reason. Or at least I can't find a reason for red green yellow and blue labeled buttons. And the buttons are flat, forget trying to push the right one in the dark or even while not looking. My friend bought one and had it for three days before returning it. She said the HD was pixelated. I don't have an HD tv so I wouldn't know.
I did like how it connected to my home network though, sort of cool occasionally.
I'm not a picky person, and I thought I didn't mind these things. Then I saw a Roku lt, for the same price, a much better interface, a better remote and HBO Go. Basically, if you REALLY don't mind a bad, overcomplicated, tiny interface, don't mind a weird remote, and you don't have hbo, go for it, you get 3 months free hulu plus.
2 of 4 found this review helpful.
Review 10 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
kforbg
Location:Colorado Springs
I've had this product for:1-3 months
Just perfect !!!
Date:July 22, 2012
Pros: Everything is working just fine
Cons: None
I don't know some people are complaining that it looses Wifi signal because it's not at all. Check your routers and settings. I've played with all the settings and apps and can say they work just fine! Even 3D 1080p /frame packing/ works perfect! The player have even spdif out !
3 of 3 found this review helpful.
Review 11 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
Anonymous
Location:Tucson, AZ
I've had this product for:less than a month
What a nice media player......
Date:July 15, 2012
Pros: Has all the premium media I was looking for..
Cons: Can't find any yet........
I have been using the Sony SMP-N100, Roku XD and LG ST600 media players, and by far the new Sony SMP-N200 is faster and more stable.
The LG ST600 is much slower, but stable and has the same premium media.
The Sony SMP-N200 has a superior video and audio quality, although it is much like the Sony SMP-N100, it is just that you can make greater adjustments to video noise. I really like the fact that I can see the Mbps meter so I know what connection speed I have.
I like, and use this player, every day. Sony is getting it right. Now, I can hardly wait for a SMP-N300 to see what it brings.......??
One other note, the new remote control is so much better and easier to use..........
The LG ST600 is much slower, but stable and has the same premium media.
The Sony SMP-N200 has a superior video and audio quality, although it is much like the Sony SMP-N100, it is just that you can make greater adjustments to video noise. I really like the fact that I can see the Mbps meter so I know what connection speed I have.
I like, and use this player, every day. Sony is getting it right. Now, I can hardly wait for a SMP-N300 to see what it brings.......??
One other note, the new remote control is so much better and easier to use..........
5 of 5 found this review helpful.
Review 12 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
TexasDoll
Location:Dallas, Tx
I've had this product for:less than a month
Does not keep its connection
Date:July 5, 2012
Pros: It powers on
Cons: Everything else
I bought this and return it back to the store I bought it from the next day! I bought this to watch netflix, it is impossible to watch a full/movie without it losing network signal every few seconds and when it reconnects it starts your show all over which is very annoying.The setup is not easy. Once it is connected to netflix the pictureson netflix menu are so small you can barley see it. I replace this with a Roku and it is way better and it was the same price. Buy this and you will regret it. Go with Roku.
9 of 16 found this review helpful.
Review 13 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
kerock
Location:Utah
I've had this product for:less than a month
Works Great
Date:July 2, 2012
Pros: One of the few Medial Player left with Component Output
Cons: None Yet
I bought this on sale for $49. I have been looking for a media player with component output for my old bigscreen projection TV. This year everyone seems to be HDMI only (or composite output). Works great - streams well I used ethernet cable not wireless, sounds output is good with the optical cable, plays all my mkv and avi files. Very satified so far.
5 of 7 found this review helpful.
Review 14 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
Ohio1
Location:Ohio
I've had this product for:less than a month
A seriously flawed device
Date:June 27, 2012
Pros: Really none
Cons: Unreliable, inconsistent, a poor product
I am sorry to say that this device is simply unworthy of Sony products. It is just a little tricky to set up initially, but then is completely inconsistent in its operation. There are so many intermittent problems that it can't be used. You spend more time trying to get it to work (and, yes, mine is set up correctly) that you can't actually use it for entertainment. It should be removed from the market. Mine's going back to the store for a refund.
11 of 17 found this review helpful.
Review 15 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
Kekeboo
Location:Maryland
I've had this product for:less than a month
Bad Purchase Decision?
Date:June 27, 2012
Pros: after software upgrade; loads FREE video content fast like Youtube
Cons: CAN'T register at internet.sony.tv; site won't accept code I receive from device :-/
frustrating that I can't use my Netflix acct on this device because I can not register as an internet.sony.tv user. The system will not accept the code I receive from the device. If it doesn't work when I get home tonight, I WILL return and purchase a different brand.
13 of 16 found this review helpful.
Review 16 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
HJMIAMI
Location:Miami, FL
I've had this product for:less than a month
OK, but had some issues with HULU
Date:June 26, 2012
Pros: Small, Fast.
Cons: Issues with HULU and Network Config
I used HULU on my internet enable TV and it works fine, I got this device so I could watch the same shows on my other TV and HULU freezes every time it switches to commercials. Even after restarting the box it can not bypass and continue with the show and eventually gives you a network error (I have 20 Mb network and can watch HULU on my laptop and tablet on the same location).
Any movies or shows without commercials seem to work OK.
Also, I had a bit of a hard time configuring the network since my SSID is in CAPS, i had to enable broadcast, install it and disable broadcast after the fact.
Any movies or shows without commercials seem to work OK.
Also, I had a bit of a hard time configuring the network since my SSID is in CAPS, i had to enable broadcast, install it and disable broadcast after the fact.
3 of 3 found this review helpful.
Review 17 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
Abracabra
Location:Texas
I've had this product for:less than a month
DOA
Date:June 23, 2012
Well, I guess I can't say DOA but it definately has a glitch. It will not access our Netflix. It keeps telling us that it can not connect although the settings menu states we are connected.. Just purchased it today and can say that I'm definately disappointed.
5 of 7 found this review helpful.
Review 18 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
eddhs2
Location:Holland, MI
I've had this product for:less than a month
Great value,
Date:June 11, 2012
Pros: Does everything it says
Cons: nothing
Bought a re-furbished unit.
Internet content works better than my PC.
Registration picky, did not like my JUNO email.
picked another than went through immediately.
Plays MKVs.
Use for freeing up my PC for media playing.
Internet content works better than my PC.
Registration picky, did not like my JUNO email.
picked another than went through immediately.
Plays MKVs.
Use for freeing up my PC for media playing.
3 of 5 found this review helpful.
Review 19 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
Retiredtech
Location:Florida
I've had this product for:less than a month
Not up to Sony Quality
Date:June 8, 2012
Pros: Bought on Sale
Cons: Freezes frame during Movies
Used same connections as ROKU and only the Sony unit failed. Ran 4 movies on the same network using a Sony Blu Ray, Samsung Blu Ray, PC and the Sony SMP. Only the SMP failed and it was wired. The Samsung and PC were wireless. Service Calls three times. Ended with me being passed from Tech to Tech without any commuication. Passed through 9 Techs several up to three times. I have their names.
11 of 13 found this review helpful.
Review 20 for SMP-N200
Overall Rating:
NYer
Location:NY
I've had this product for:less than a month
Very useful
Date:June 4, 2012
Pros: Price
Cons: None
The price point is just as competitive as any other stream player but I prefer Sony products. Depending on signal strength it still works so well. If you have other Sony products you'll find it easy to operate the menu. Already ordered another box for guest bedroom, best investment & better than trying to set up another cable box. In reality the images may or may not seem smooth but varies on strength but it's subtle & won't matter cause only Blu-Ray gives 1080P. Also got one to give as a gift!
1 of 2 found this review helpful.