Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-Ray Disc Player
Terrible player and Value, Also: Robert Anders Poor Review.
Robert Says: <br /> <br />\\"Can't explain some of the poor reviews other than maybe some people don't know how to properly setup the player.\\" <br /> <br />Robert, Maybe you do not understand the Blu Ray format and how little this player delivers compared to what the Blu Ray format is supposed to deliver. Also, you have not even ackowledged the possible softening bug, although I believe that is a spin from Sony to try and save face from the poor Samsung player *and* the poor initial releases from Sony and Lions Gate. Read the hundreads of reviews that concur that the inital wave of Blu Ray titles as well as the Samsung player itself are a horrible value for the money and of poor quality, NOTHING TO DO WITH SETUP. I reviewed the SAMSUNG on the $10,000 Ruby projector and Stewart filmscreen Studiotek. Everything was properly calibrated using HDMI. Other outputs were also tested. The Samsung is a poor performer and is a completely Generic unit.  <br /> <br />Robert Says: <br /> <br />\\"If you use Standard DVD's and you hookup the system using composite or Y/C connections, the piture will obviously not look as good. For optimum results you need to use HDMI connection, which looks incredible.\\" <br /> <br />NOT TRUE. Even using a reference 1080p system as noted above, the images of the Samsung are substandard however, that is partly due to the poor quality Sony Blu Ray releases and partly the Samsung player.  <br /> <br />Robert Says: <br /> <br />\\"Go to a Best Buy and see it in action and you WILL see the difference. I was leaning toward the Sony player, but it won't be out for a few more weeks and this player has a card reader which the Sony lacks. Being a person who works with video everyday, I can tell you this is one Awesome system. I wonder if the negative comments are coming from the HD-DVD camp???\\" <br /> <br />Sounds like a Best Buy pitch to me. Are you related to Best Buy? If you read my review of the Toshiba HD-A1, I slammed the A-1 HD-DVD player with a similar review, just check my reviews.  <br /> <br />In summary: <br /> <br />1) The Samsung is flimsy with poor build quality for a $1,000.00 player.  <br /> <br />2) The Samsung may have a bug contributing to softened pitcure quality.  <br /> <br />3) The upconversion of standard DVD's of the Samsung player was inferior to that of the Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD player. <br /> <br />4) No 480i output over HDMI, which is important to those who want to use superior upscaling of external video processors. Very easy to provide, yet overlooked carelessly by Samsung. <br /> <br />5) No 1080p24, 1080p24sf, and 1080p48 output options (in addition to 1080i60 and 1080p60). This player is essentially a 1080i player with a cheap deinterlacer to provide 1080p60. The native 1080p output options should be provided (1080p24). <br /> <br />6) No DD True HD nor DTS Master HD <br /> <br />7) No HDMI 1.3 ... The PS3 will have HDMI 1.3 and will be a lot cheaper. <br /> <br />8) Blu Ray movies are currently terrible single layer 25 GB and using MPEG-2 as well as uncompressed PCM: this is not what Blu Ray should stand for. Blu Ray is supposed to be about using the advanced video codecs: VC-1/MPEG-4 AVC as well as the advanced audio codecs: DD True HD and DTS MAster HD.  <br /> <br />9) Even if number 8 happens, there will still be no advantage over HD-DVD unless 50 GB BDROM comes to market.  <br /> <br />Right now, I wouldn't touch Blu Ray with a 10 foot pole, especially for the high cost. However, if the laundry list noted above is addressed, Blu Ray may become a superior format. Currently, The Samsung player and initial Blu Ray movies are a TERRIBLE VALUE with poor performance for the money. I highly recommend people not buy into these formats until they deliver on all of the items mentioned above. <br /> <br />No reason to buy any of these early players, especially when the movies give us no reason to do so... Blu Ray can go take a flying leap until the above criteria are met. <br /> <br /> <br />1) 50 GB discs available for movies <br /> <br />2) Blu Ray players with 480i output over HDMI <br /> <br />3) 1080p24, 1080p24sf, and 1080p48 output options (in addition to 1080i60 and 1080p60) <br /> <br />4) VC-1/MPEG-4 AVC <br /> <br />5) 5.1 DD True HD or 5.1 DTS Master HD <br /> <br />6) HDMI 1.3  <br /> <br />No reason to buy any of these early players, especially when the movies give us no reason to do so... Blu Ray can go take a flying leap until the above criteria are met.