How to Troubleshoot a Sony Blu-ray Player

Written by: Tricia Goss • Edited by: Simon Hill
Published Aug 31, 2009 • Related Guides: Sony

Your Sony Blu-ray player was working just fine and then suddenly bit the dust. Or perhaps you just got it and can't figure out why it's not working. Either way, these troubleshooting steps might just help you fix your Sony Blu-ray.

No Power on the Sony Blu-ray Player

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If you are unable to even power up your Sony Blu-ray player, there are a few troubleshooting steps you should try. First, make sure the power cord is securely connected. Try plugging another device, such as a lamp or a clock, into the same outlet to rule out any problems with the outlet itself. If your Blu-ray player still does not turn on after checking the power cord and the outlet, it may require servicing. If the power light illuminates but you do not see a picture, move on to the next troubleshooting step.

The player pictured here is the Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray Player.

No Picture from the Sony Blu-ray Player

If you have power on your Sony Blu-ray player but no picture, check to make sure all cables are securely connected to the television and that they are in the correct ports. Check the input settings on the television to make sure you are set to the right channel or selection. For example, your TV may need to be on channel 2 or have the HDMI input option selected. Refer to your television's user manual if you are unsure which settings apply.

Another troubleshooting step to try is resetting the video output resolution on the Sony Blu-ray player. If the output video format is incorrect, no picture will appear. Press and hold the Stop button for more than ten seconds. This will reset the video output to the lowest resolution and may correct the problem.

If the Sony Blu-ray player is connected with an HDMI cable and there is power but no sound or picture, try this troubleshooting step. Turn the Sony Blu-ray player off for about 30 seconds and then turn it back on. If there is still no picture, turn the television off for about 30 seconds and turn it on again. Finally, disconnect the HDMI cable and reconnect it. Try troubleshooting the cable, as well. If you have another HDMI cable that you know to be working, swap them out to rule out a problem with the HDMI cable currently attached to the Sony Blu-ray player.

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Discs will not Play on the Sony Blu-ray Player

If you are unable to play a disc on your Sony Blu-ray player, start by troubleshooting the disc itself. Remove the Blu-ray disc from the player and check to see if it is dirty. Cleaning it may be all that is necessary to solve your problem. Another common cause is placing the disc in the Blu-ray player upside down. If you are attempting to view a homemade disc on your Blu-ray player, the disc may be in a format that the Sony Blu-ray player cannot play back. Read the Bright Hub article How to Create a Blu Ray Movie for more help on this subject.

Other Sony Blu-ray Problems

If you are trying to troubleshoot image problems on your Sony Blu-ray player, such as a picture that does not fill the screen or very dark areas on a movie, refer to the player's manual for steps on output video formatting and picture quality modes.

If you are troubleshooting sound problems on your Sony Blu-ray player, check all connections and then refer to the audio settings setup section of the player's manual to ensure the audio connections are properly attached.

Tricia Goss Nov 16, 2011 6:42 PM

RE: How to Troubleshoot a Sony Blu-ray Player

Did you try the reset option?

Craze5deb Nov 14, 2011 4:33 PM

Tricia - Do you have any tips when your S550 gives a message - no disc? Tried to unplug and re-insert various discs message still appears. This happened following a pause on the controller and when released it would not play or go forward. It has worked fine up till last evening - any suggestions. Thanks.

Craze5deb Nov 14, 2011 4:23 PM

I have the same problem. Did you ever find a solution or just buy a new unit?

Paul McCutcheon May 2, 2011 11:33 PM

no sound on internet app's

DVD and blu rays work fine, picture and sound, but internet apps and youtube and such, picture only, no sound. Connected directly to HDTV via HDMI, no surround system, no receiver, super simple.
why cant I get sound using the internet portion but dvd's work fine??
Have SonyBDP-BX37

Mike Mar 12, 2011 3:38 PM

movie plays and then black screen appears

I just bought a blu ray player (BDP-S360) just under a year ago. All was fine with it up until about 2 months ago I started seeing the DVD just cut out to a black screen half way through the film with no sound. Then as time went on it got worse with more drop-outs and even longer wait times for the picture to come back. I tried doing all the firmware updates on the player and it keeps telling me "already updated". It happens when I view the blu-ray discs and even when I was watching utube clips as well. Has anyone ever had this problem? And please tell me how to fix this or should I just get another one?

David Clark Feb 20, 2011 2:13 AM

Blu-ray freezing up have updated firmware & exchanged disc, same problem on both disks. Plays for 1/2 hr or so and then freezes up and starts running to end on pip w/timeline

Blu ray freezing up, have updated firmware and exchanged discs already? Play 1/2 hr or so & then freezes up? Is my laser bad or need realined?

Michael Feb 17, 2011 9:28 PM

Blu ray wont work

My sony blu ray plays for 15 seconds then starts over without anything showing on the tv.

A. Price Feb 14, 2011 6:00 PM

Blu-Ray DVD Player

Player has picture, but, no sound

Sean Feb 2, 2011 4:16 AM

Sony BDP-S300

If you are unfortunate to own one of these, be aware:
Depending on the MFG run it is a built defective unit.
If you receive the no disk message on all play attempts and a cleaning does not clear the problem, you have one of the MFG defective units. Cheap sub spec. parts failure. Sony has lost the responsible 1st rate rep. they once had. This problem has been going on since the introduction but Sony refuses to do the responsible thing which is to recall this MFG broke peice of garbage.

Tara Jan 25, 2011 11:20 AM

Mine Plays Blu Ray but not DVDs

My Sony Blu-Ray player is less than a year old and all of a sudden it quit playing regular DVDs. It still plays Blu Ray disks. I've been searching forums trying to find this issue, but nobody seems to have this problem. When I put a DVD in, it says there's no disk.

Sandie Jan 22, 2011 6:08 PM

blu ray player

We received new blu ray player for Xmas - tried to play a blu ray movie last night. Played fine for awhile then started getting colored streaks across picture and sound disappeared. We ran it ahead and tried again - same. Any suggestions?

Tricia Goss Jan 16, 2011 11:59 PM

Re: MAN

According to their website, you should contact Sony Support at 877-899-SONY (877-899-7669).

MAN Jan 16, 2011 9:15 PM

Update Problem identical to Tony's

I have the exact same problem that Tony have, which is the upgrade process signal alternating from VUP with VUP 0/9.
It will not progress to FINISH and I can not get the tray to open to get the disc out...

Cindy Kayanek Jan 2, 2011 5:33 PM

Help with Blu Ray

I have a Sony S350 Blu Ray player. It just started rejecting my Blu Ray's and will only play DVD version.

scotty Dec 31, 2010 8:56 PM

movie will not play

I am having the same problem. All of the Blu Rays we have will not play. everything else works. The extras play. I can set up everything. I know its just a simple setting but at this point I cant find how to fix it. we can even access the net but push play and forget it. Help!

k kratina Dec 27, 2010 4:34 PM

will not play movie

Tried watch the blue ray movie "UP" last night. It would only play previews (over and over and over again). When it got to the movie, tried to hit Play and it would not let me in.

Alan Dec 4, 2010 7:05 PM

Player loses pic & sound in mid play

I have a new BDPS570, and about an hour into playing a blu ray disk, the player loses the pitcure and sound, although the counter shows the disk is still playing. I need to stop the player and open the disk a caddy and re-start my disk. This has happened on the first two disks I have viewed. What gives?

Paul Nov 25, 2010 4:34 PM

Sony Blu-Ray Remote Control

I have a Sony BDP-S300 Blu-ray Disc Player. I am trying to get the remote to control the volume of the Player, but it defaults to controlling the TV volume. I can't figure out any way to change this from the user manual.
Appreciate any help... thanks.

Tricia Goss Nov 3, 2010 6:55 PM

Dennis

This might help: http://bit.ly/bVcL2e

dennis aranda Nov 3, 2010 7:16 AM

no picture

i have a sony blu ray player. i bought it about 5months ago. up unitl now works great until all of a sudden i cant get the picture to come up. i have sound, but picture is black. mode not supported keeps coming up. i tried the hold stop button for 15 secs but still dont work. what could be the problem? pls help.

Tricia Goss Oct 31, 2010 5:59 PM

Tony

This is from the Sony Support site:

"While the upgrade is installed the message "VUP */9" is displayed on the player front display. Note: The "*" changes to "0" through "9," indicating the upgrade progress. If the firmware upgrade process is still not finished after running for more than 30 minutes, please contact Sony Support at 877-899-SONY (877-899-7669)."

Tony Oct 31, 2010 11:59 AM

BDP-S350 Firmware update problem

got the BDP-S350 firmware update, followed the instructions, put the two files on a CD and inserted it into my BDP-S350

On my screen it told me that I had a firmware upgrade disk installed, gave me an OK button and I clicked on it.

Since then - for over 12 hours now - the screen on the player flashes "VUP" alternating with "VUP 0/9"

Can't shut it off, except for unplugging it nor will the CD/DVD tray open.

Any thoughts?

Julia Oct 14, 2010 5:44 PM

THANK YOU!

I had tried that using the remote earlier, but this time I hit the button on the actual Blu-Ray player and it worked!!!!! It works!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

Tricia Goss Oct 14, 2010 2:28 PM

Julia

When you see "Mode Not Supported," hold down the "stop" button on the player for about 15 seconds and release it. This should reset the player reset to the lowest resolution over HDMI.

Julia Oct 14, 2010 12:29 PM

Mode not supported

I cannot get a picture or sound when the blu-ray player is connected to my Samsung High Def TV using an HDMI cable. I have unplugged, replugged, turned both the tv and player on and off---waited, tried ever imaginable menu setting on the tv, but keep getting the message on the tv "mode not supported", when I check the info the tv says the mode is set to "shop mode" yet my menu options do not offer any way of changing that to a different mode. I have no clue what the issue is-----could it be with the TV, not the blu-ray player? thanks!

Wovoka Sep 21, 2010 10:09 AM

HDTV

Yes, I have a HDTV. Blu-Ray player was working fine with it, and then green screen all of a sudden. And also, I do not watch burned or pirated movies with my Blu-ray player.

Sam Hage Sep 20, 2010 6:49 PM

Do you have HDTV? If not might see green screen. And if they are pirated movies. Copy Protection.

Tracy Sep 20, 2010 1:11 PM

No picture

I have this same issue too. I just bought the Bony Blu ray and can't get it set up or hooked up correctly because I keep getting a green screen and no sound. Any other ideas?

Wovoka Sep 13, 2010 12:58 PM

my blu ray player is 2 years old. worked fine. Now home menu does not show up. when disc is inserted, picture goes completly green with no sound. I have a Sony BDP-S350. i switched cables with no improvement. Frustrated.

Tricia Goss Aug 31, 2010 9:16 PM

David

Did you perform the "Easy Setup" procedure? If so, try turning off the player and unplugging the electrical cord for about a minute. Plug it back in and try it again. If this doesn't work and you are certain the discs you are using are compatible, according to Sony your player may require service.

david Aug 31, 2010 1:22 AM

hi i have the bdp300 it sat 2years in the box never opened before i ever used it .took out the box 1 month played fine now every disc i insert it says no disc.

Tricia Goss Aug 10, 2010 2:50 PM

Raymond

Hi Raymond. Here is a link to a pdf version of the operating instructions for your blu-ray player. Check out page 29 and see if those instructions help solve your problem. Good luck!

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/BDPS350_US.pdf

Raymond Rivera Aug 10, 2010 11:22 AM

My bluray is s Sony BDP-S350. I switched HDMI cables with no luck. I also switched to a different input on my LCD monitor but still no luck.

Tricia Goss Aug 9, 2010 2:10 PM

What make and model is your player?

Raymond Rivera Aug 9, 2010 11:36 AM

no video

bluray player turns on but when it goes into the home screen I lose the picture

How to Troubleshoot a Sony Blu-ray Player

No Power on the Sony Blu-ray Player

No Picture from the Sony Blu-ray Player

Discs will not Play on the Sony Blu-ray Player

Other Sony Blu-ray Problems

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