Thanks Chris. I'm sorry I'm so poor with the techie stufff that your description of the things that the upgrade wil do is still over my head. No doubt it will be helpful to more technically literate users. If I attempt this, I might give you a call for help.
Marius, thanks for your help. I can understand your description of benefits, with exception of the BDP-1 being recognized on the DLNA network. In my case, nothing in my sound room would use the DLNA, but in other rooms that might be the case. Therefore, since my BDP-1 is connected to my preamp, amp and speakers, I can't see how this would be a benefit, at least for me. Maybe you could explain how it might work for others.
Your comment about the BDP-1 not having these features a year ago really hits at home for me. Before the BDP-1 I was running a Roku SoundBridge and had come to enjoy some of the usual features of a media player - access to Internet radio, large data bases, etc. Before the BDP-1 was shipped, it was explained as a replacement for the CD player and all the things it would not do. My initial reaction was it just wasn't for me. I couldn't understand why Bryston would produce a digital, computer driven, device that would not take advantage if its inherent, flexible potential given that it could be programmed. I had the feeling it was like someone had decided to invent the wheel, but told potential users it could only be used for donkey carts, and not for anything else. I was, frankly, bewildered by that design goal.
But I had never been disappointed by Bryston products. It has always exceeded my expectations. I decided to try the BDP-1 even with my doubts. The real advantage of the BDP-1, I learned, was how well it played ordinary ripped CD files.
And then Bryston started to upgrade the software, first to speed up the booting process, and then to add Internet radio. And now NAS. And probably even better Internet radio use, which I believe is even more important from a user's perspective than NAS.
In short, Bryston listened to its customers and ditched the original limited design intent in order to make the BDP-1 a digital media player that is a great audio device and meets both the competition and the expectations of digital users. Bravo Bryston!
Once all these software improvements are made, my wish list for the BDP-2 includes these two items:
1. A large display readable from several feet away. Audio gear is seldom close to the user, and the BDP-1 display from a distance is for practical listening purposes, useless. When I listen to Internet radio, I turn on my Roku not as a music source, but for its display, which depending on the station, also shows was songs are playing (another thing that should be added to the BDP-1 through the Internet radio upgrade).
2. The panel controls are usable but terrible. I would like to see ones that are intuitive to use. I seldom use them, but when I have to, I have to go back to the manual. With respect, controls just have to be easier than that. I believe they should be designed working on the premise that (a) the easier to use the better and (b) on the hypothesis that the device should be able to run easily without using a PC or app.
