The Sony Streaming Media Player SMP-N200 makes a simple TV into a smart one. Further, it down-converts internet content into standard definition format. But it also provides HDMI and optical digital outputs as well.
This streaming media box revs up these older TVs, making them smart, and internet enabled.
We owned this set top player for roughly five years. Indeed, we found it a simple way to play internet content on our older, SD TVs.
Setup of the SMP-N200 takes five to ten minutes. This involves connecting the cables and to a home WiFi network. You also register this device with Netflix, if you wish. But you need high speed internet for Netflix.
Sony Streaming Media Player SMP-N200 Benefits, Features, Advantages, and Pros
Play Popular Internet Media Sources
This streaming media player can access many popular internet video and audio content providers. These include…
- Netflix.
- The Sony Entertainment Network.
- Hulu.
- Pandora.
- YouTube Videos.
- Vudu HD Movies.
- Slacker.
- Berliner Philharmoniker.
- Flixter.
- CinemaNow.
- Oracle It’s On.
- Et al.
Browse the Web on your TV
The SMP-N200 has a built-in web browser. This gives you basic web browsing ability. It supports JavaScript, cookies, and SSL. Plus, you can have many windows open at the same time and toggle between them. Further, you can bookmark pages for later (and much easier call-up). You can also set the start page (home page), cancel loading of a slow page, and refresh a page. A zoom function lets you enlarge page sections for easier viewing.
This Sony Streaming Media Player Includes NTSC Video and Stereo Audio Cable
It comes with an NTSC video / audio cable, but also provides HDMI, optical, and component video outputs. However, you must provide your own cables for these options.
Wi-Fi and Ethernet Support
It connects to the Internet via either Ethernet or WiFi, utilizing your home broadband network.
Numerous AV Technologies Included
The SMP-N200 features the following media technologies.
- Dolby Digital Plus.
- DTS 2.0 + Digital Out.
- Xvid HD 1080.
- HDMI.
- AVC HD.
- PhotoTV HD.
- Wi-Fi Protected Setup.
- Bravia Sync.
- DLNA.
- USB.
- Energy Star.
Plays Content from USB Thumb Drives
The SMP-N200 also plays content from a USB storage device. So, it has a USB port on the side. This is for thumb drives, disk drives, memory card readers, et al.
This Sony Streaming Media Player Plays All the Popular Digital Video and Audio Formats
The Sony SMP-N200 streamer supports a wide array of video, picture, and audio file formats. These include…
- Xvid,
- MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4,
- AVC,
- WMV9,
- AVCHD,
- MKV,
- JPEG,
- MPO,
- GIF,
- PNG,
- MP3 AAC, HE-AAC,
- WMA9 Standard,
- LPCM/WAV.
The Remote Control
The player also comes with a remote control (the RMT-D302). Use this during setup and to play content after setup.
The SMP-N200 Streaming Media Player by Sony Works with Most High-Speed Internet Services
This player has low broadband speed needs. Indeed, it plays well at 2.5 Mbps for standard definition, and 10 Mbps for HD streaming video.
This Sony Streaming Media Player Supports Many Common Video Formats
The Sony SMP-N200 lets you stream programs from the internet to most any TV. The single caveat is that the TV must accept either HDMI, component video, or composite video input.
Smart Phones and Tablets can Control this Sony Streaming Box
Further, you can control this player with WiFi-enabled smart phones and iPod Touch. These can function as full-featured remotes for the SMP-N200.
This Sony Streaming Media Player Supports 3 Dimensional Video Content
You can also play 3D content if you have a 3D TV, and the eyeglasses.
Printed Owners Manuals Included
They provide a quick-start guide as well as thoroughly-detailed user’s guides.
Telephone Support
Call 1-800-222-SONY (7669). By following this guide, I was able to begin watching Internet on my old television in less than ten minutes.
Simple Set Up
But you likely will not need phone support. Why? Because the setup process is straight-forward and pretty easy. Indeed we hit no unexpected problems.
Looks and Sounds Great
The picture and sound quality are as good as content from DVD players; particularly when you use the component video outputs.
Straight Forward Sony Streaming Media Player Device Registration
Registering the product is easy. But doing so requires a computer connected to the Internet. Point your browser at http://www.sony.com/productregistration to register. You’ll need the product serial number shown on the n200’s carton as well as on the unit itself.
Streaming to a Group of Devices
Other compatible devices can “listen in” on what this device is playing via the party streaming feature. But you must connect these “guest” devices to the same network as the SMP-N200. Further, they also mist support this feature.
Checks for Firmware Updates
The smp-n200 detects and alerts the user to new software updates. Indeed, such an alert occurred as we ran through the setup procedure. The updating was quick and painless. The unit powered off automatically after the new software downloaded and installed.
Stereo Audio Outputs
Further, the stereo audio outputs connect to an AV receiver / amplifier, for better sound.
Included Power Adapter
The 12-volt, 1.4-amp AC switching power supply adapter powers the SMP-N200. This supply is a bit over-rated (a good thing). How? Because the media box itself only draws 0.85 amps. So you have a bit of headroom between available power, and what the player actually draws.
Numerous Streaming Apps Built In
Once you finish setup, you come to the main menu. This is a simple list of apps. So you access these with the UP, DOWN, LEFT, RIGHT, and ENTER keys in the remote’s ring control. How to work each app is clear once you enter the app.
Common Screen Formats
Plus, you can adjust screen formats (16:9, 4:3, and HD modes).
Parental Controls
These prevent viewing of adult content by a child’s eyes.
A Handy Troubleshooting Guide
Standby / Sleep Mode
The SMP-N200 has two modes of “standby.” The one is more OFF than the other, and consumes less power thus. However, upon start-up, the unit requires more boot time than the faster-startup standby mode. The drawback of this near instant-ON mode, is that the unit uses more standby power. It’s nice though, that Sony gives the buyer this power management option.
Full HDMI Support
Video and audio quality are very good; particularly when playing through an HDMI television or monitor.
Sony Streaming Media Player SMP-N200 Disadvantages, Problems, Limitations, and Cons
Must Use Remote to Access Features
You can access most SMP-N200 features via the RMT-D302 remote control. But this can become a problem should the battery in the remote die, or the remote breaks. The media player itself has no control buttons on it unfortunately. So the remote is the only way to control it.
The SMP-N200 Streamer Does Not Control your Television Power
This means that you must turn your TV and the player on with two separate remotes, to see N200 content. Instead, a switched AC outlet would be nice here. This would allow a single button to turn on and off both the SMP-N200 and the TV.
Hard to Replace Battery
The battery in the RMT-D302 is a CR2032 button battery. But we often cannot find this at all stores that sell other batteries. Furthermore, you need a sharp object to open up the battery holder. We find that this door does not pry open easily however.
No Copyright Protected Content Support
This WiFi media box will not play copy-protected content.
The Warranty is Not Long Enough
The unit comes with a chintzy 90-day limited warranty. But they did offer to upgrade this to one year at the store. We declined though.
This Sony Streaming Media Player Does Not Come Back ON After Firmware Update
After a software update, the SMP-N200 powers itself off but does not come back on. You must manually power it up again with the remote.
Requires a Sony Style Account to Operate
To use the SMP-N200, you must set up a Sony Style account at their website. But the manual details this process well. See the SMPN200 Operating Instructions for details.
Lousy Virtual Keyboard
Entering URLs into the built-in web browser (via what Sony calls, “the software keyboard”) is a bit cumbersome. Nor does the browser support all state-of-the-art web browser technologies according to the manual. This means that some websites will not work well through the SMP-N200.
App Icons on the Sony SMP-N200 Streaming Media Player are Hard to See on SDTVs
Particularly when viewing on standard definition televisions, it’s hard to make out the details of the icons. This can make learning how to use this player tough. But, once we learned the shapes and colors of these icons, finding our preferred content got much easier. Nonetheless, they could improve the visuals, for sure.
Surprisingly Long Netflix Start Time
The Netflix app takes a well over twenty seconds to begin playing a show. Indeed, it is slow like this on a 75 mbps down / 5 mbps up internet service. This seems too long, and they could shorten it a bit. How? By better optimizing the streaming speed tests. These happen EVERY time you start watching a move. These test themselves take a fair amount of time to complete.
Poor Quality Power Supply
The 12-volt power supply failed on us after less than three years.
They No Longer Sell the Sony SMP-N200 Streaming Media Player in the Sony Store
Apparently, the SNP-N200 has reached EOL.
Our Rating on the SMP-N200 Sony Streaming Media Player
But we found this a highly useful device for breathing new life into our classic TVs. Further, its cheaper price, software updating, and much program content ensure that it will work for years to come. So hopefully, it will outlast the SDTV upstairs. Thus we rate this home media streamer at 94 out of 100.
Where To Buy The Sony Streaming Media Player SMP-N200
At last, we bought our SMP-N200 streamer at Walmart. But you could buy this device once at Best Buy, and on Amazon, eBay, and others. While you can still buy it used, and as new old stock, major stores no longer carry the N200.
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References for the SMP-N200 Streaming Media Player by Sony
Revision History
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- 2019-08-15: Added key phrase targeting for ‘Sony Streaming Media Player’, removed ad code, and added more links and tags.
- 2017-02-17: Originally published.