SonyNSZ-GT1 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player Featuring Google TV with Built-In Wi-Fi

I love this!! This is the Iron Man of set-top boxes I got TiVo working with it and I am integrating more than just movies, photos, and games. You can do grown-up things with this device. (BTW, Gentlemen, ahem, you now have your excuse, this is a tool not a toy, LOL)First keep in mind that if you have used an Android interface, then you will not have a problem with the GTV interface. Otherwise, you have a steeper learning curve.The setup was easy once I got my head around TiVo TCD746320 Premiere DVR, Black and Google TV playing well together. I need the TiVo for cable access. The GTV is an HDMI pass-through for TiVo and my TV. TiVo essentially is an app that can display full screen or picture in picture (in picture again!) if you choose to look at vthe other GTV offerings from the homw screen. You get NetFlix again and Youtube again with GTV, but I think those apps are better than Tivo's offering as far their home screen presentation. I will examine further on the actual display controls (back, forward. pause, etc)I have yet to use the Google apps on my Ga;laxy to control GTV, but the TiVo android phone app is pretty awesome.(I have xfinity, but I don't know what the xfinity app will do on GTV. LOL)In additoin to tying in TiVo into one place, I am looking at GTV to tie in my home automation and security cams using Conductor for Android. I will see if I can tie in Peapod grocery delivery and Amazon shopping on it as well. I may even add some business capability with an android office suite like Quick office or Thinkfree or Office Suite Pro. I will see if they work on GTV (How will I print...hmmm)As you can tell from my comments, I have a lot of duplication of services. not good. I think this is my strategy behind Google TV, total integration and consolidation of devices for simplicity. GTV may force me to choose it over others. In my world this could be the best thing ever.I also have the Samsung BD-D6500 3D Blu-ray Disc Player (Black). It is a solid device, the software interface offering with samsung apps, etc, is not as easy to use as the GTV set. Mainly because GTV is more familiar because because of using Chrome, Android, and, gasp, Microsoft. I could never dream of tying everything into one device with Samsung blu ray device. Besides I don't have many blu-ray discs to begin with, so ...So if you are looking to integrate automation of various daily activities into one device, Google TV may be what you are looking for. I wish Samsung would come out with a Galaxy versio of Google TV ( are listening Samsung) but by then I may be too invested in Sony.As you can tell I am an enthusiast so I will update this review as I integrate.Update:Can you print from GTV? Yes, there is an app (free version, not free) for printing. It worked fine. Just search for it. It uses Google cloud printing services. I haven't checked to see if I can directly plug into that. There is some readin'involved. LOLDoes TiVo work with this? Yes, I get an HDMI warning very briefly on start up. I don't know why, but it has no functional consequence. TiVO is just a DVR app essentially on GTV. But everything works. It even works with the GTV phone app. Actually the GTV phone app is excellent.A neat trick to demo the GTV capability is to use the PNP (picture in picture) feature in TiVo. Then PNP that with GTV for a PNPNP.Can an app sync up with a TV program? For example, can I watch Twttier feeds for partricular TV show? There is an app for that. Not sure if it is really synced up with the TV show, I'll have to check further on this. There is at least one app that searches for TV programs and you can click on a result and it will change the TV to that channel.But it seems there is potential to uninterrupted viewing with optional commercials. The commercials would come over a feed display somewhere on your TV. If you want to watch it, u can click it then or store till your program is over. That seems like a win win to me. Especially if it is a decent and entertaining commercial.Is it more powerful than Roku? Yes. But you do the math. Google says there are potentially 450000 apps available for GTV. Roku says there will be 1000 apps available by the end of 2012. hmm let me see... carry the G multiply by pi add cherries on top subtract the time wasted... hmmm...Anyway, GTV comes with Chrome brower integrated you access to almost limited number of web apps. For example, you may have the Peapod grocery shopping app on your phone, but You can still go to the Peapod website on GTV. (it seems like the app should run on GTV)Can I monitor my network with GTV? Good question, it would seem so but I'll get back to you :)Can I shoot pic or video from my Apple iphone to GTV? I haven't done this but there is an app tta says it will allow GTV to be recognized by your iphone for this purpose. I think it is called Airplay.Can I launch an app on GTV from my Android phone? Yes, download Able to your phone. The more slick-looking GTV phone app should do this too. I'll have to check.

NOTE: This is an early review as I've just received and set up my NSZ-GT1 yesterday. I'll come back and update it once I've had a chance to use it more, try new features, etc. but so far I'm more than happy with this unit.OVERALL: Overall, this is a good solution to everything I was looking for, but not the "best" solution to any one feature. However, that's exactly what made this box the "best" solution for me, I wanted something that would do it all, but didn't need the most powerful solution out there. If that's what you're looking for, you'd be better off connecting a purpose built media PC or something like that.PRICE: At $200, this was a winner hands down. There simply was no other single box solution for less that offered the same features. Even other bundles were more expensive: Blu-Ray + Apple TV, Blu-Ray + Roku, PS3 (not as many features, requires more remotes). I wanted a purpose built box for resale purposes too, boxes like Roku, PS3, Apple TV have much better resale than a Samsung model XYZ123 or whatever. Since we bought a TV at the same time, I had considered getting a Google TV set paired with a different Blu Ray player, but again the total out-the-door price paid vs. features this was still the best option.ABOUT THE USER(S): Recently, I updated my mom's entire 8-10 year old non-HD, non-BluRay, non-internet connected audio/visual setup in her living room. I wanted to set her up with a solution that minimized the number of components (just TV, cable box, NSZ-GT1), allowed use of a single remote (well, I'll be using the NSZ-GT1 remote and she'll keep her cable box remote), and allowed her access to all the content that she likes (99% cable TV, the occasional DVD) while letting me access what I like (Netflix, Amazon VOD, YouTube, Pandora, web browsing) when I come to visit. The NSZ-GT1 fit the bill, even after re-evaluating other products I own myself (PS3 and Apple TV) and other products available (Roku, Wii, etc).SETUP AND INTEGRATION: Setup was easy, took about 15 minutes. Coax cable from the wall into the cable box. HDMI from the cable box to the NSZ-GT1 and HDMI from the NSZ-GT1 to the TV. IR Blaster to the cable box. We opted for hard wired internet over wireless as the modem was right there. That's it! The box integrates well with our Sony TV and the Google TV remote is programmed to replace the Cox cable remote. We got rid of a number of different boxes, cables, power supplies, remotes, etc.REMOTE: I'll admit, the remote takes some getting used to. At this time, I've only owned the unit for 24 hours but I feel like I'm getting the hang of it. If you're used to using the remote only for the volume/channel up/down and occasionally the power button, be prepared to pay a little more attention to the remote. One of the reasons I like this system is that my mom can still use her cable box remote to control everything she needs, while I can use the Google TV remote to access the content I need. As for using a bulky keyboard style remote, I found the remote to be a little smaller than I expected but well worth being able to "type" on the keyboard instead of having to select letter by letter like other devices (PS3 and Apple TV).NETFLIX: Having used Netflix on the Apple TV and PS3 I found the interface to be a little similar. At the time of this writing I've only spent a few minutes using Netflix but initially I like the ability to type in searches with a true keyboard.BROWSING: Compared to my laptop, it sucks. But that's an apples to oranges comparison. I wouldn't buy this to "replace" a laptop or a PC, but the browser comes in handy when my laptop isn't around. It's nice being able to search content and display it on the "big screen" when you need to. It's not user friendly enough to spend more than 30 minutes browsing websites, you'll start to get annoyed. And as far as searching for content goes, I think they have a long way to go with this. Again, with 300+ channels of cable, Netflix and Amazon VOD, that's a TON of content already. I don't often need to go out searching for something else, and I didn't buy this to surf the internet all day.AMAZON VOD: I'll update this review when I've had a chance to use it.BLU RAY PLAYER: I'll update this review when I've had a chance to use it.

****good****