Samsung BD-P1000 shipping with picture-degrading chip

If you shelled out over $1,000 for Samsung's BD-P1000 Blu-ray player only to discover that the picture quality wasn't as impressive as you'd expected, fear not: it looks like a faulty-but-fixable chip may be responsible for the sub-par video. After noticing a "softness" in each of the titles he viewed with the P1000 -- especially compared to the performance of Toshiba's HD-A1 HD DVD player -- Perfect Vision editor Scott Wilkinson initiated a chain of events that has culminated with Samsung VP Jim Sanduski confirming that there is indeed a hardware problem with the initial rollout. Apparently, the machines have been leaving the factory with the Genesis scaler chip's noise-reduction circuit enabled, and after comparing a repaired unit to one out of the box, Wilkinson agrees that the fix does indeed result in a sharper picture. Future P1000's will be shipping with noise-reduction disabled, and luckily for current owners, Samsung will be releasing a firmware update that you can download, burn to disc, and pop into your player. So the lesson we've learned here is: early-adopters beware, because even though this problem has a relatively easy solution, next time you may not be so lucky.

[Via HDBeat]

[Dave @ Jul 21st 2006 2:37PM]

Not a big deal. Let the next get in :)

[daaper @ Jul 21st 2006 2:45PM]

Isn't this always the case? first gen products have first gen bugs...

[lolersticks @ Jul 21st 2006 2:54PM]

Suck it, Blu-Ray.

[Aaron @ Jul 21st 2006 2:55PM]

Sounds suspect to me. I have read the same thing from the laptops with the drives.

[Guruboy @ Jul 21st 2006 2:58PM]

"Suck it, Blu-Ray."

Lol what a dumass. It's just a firmware update (FREE) that's needed to fix the problem. Didn't even read the article :)

I hate stupid people.

Suck it HD DVD, not BD. Looks like the whole HD DVD picture quality problem was just a firmware problem that can be fixed in 5 minutes. BD still on top!

[Steelwurm @ Jul 21st 2006 3:02PM]

Seems like an exaggeration to say the chip is faulty, Evan. It just has parameter set incorrectly, the chip itself is functioning properly.

[ipodman715 @ Jul 21st 2006 3:02PM]

That's what happens when you're a first-gen adopter.

[tk @ Jul 21st 2006 3:03PM]

Wait, you can update the firmware via burned CD's? Hahahaha, I can see an HDCP hack in the works already!

[blahblah @ Jul 21st 2006 3:05PM]

ROFL Hey Guruboy: Way to misspell dumbass, clown. Or, should I say, "Dumass"? :D

[Guruboy @ Jul 21st 2006 3:09PM]

blahblah get with the internet times, old-timer

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dumass

I bet you posted "suck it, Blu-Ray" or are at least as stupid as that person.

Everyone spells it dumass on the internet...dumass

[Some Guy @ Jul 21st 2006 3:09PM]

I wonder if that was the case with the BD player on Demo at Circuit City. Upon viewing the feed I was very, shall I say unimpressed. It was next to a 1080i upscaling DVD player, playing Shreck. Needless to say the upscaled feed looked quite a bit sharper.

[Jim Summers @ Jul 21st 2006 3:31PM]

Actually, isn't the real lesson to try it before you buy it? Presumably, anyone who bought one of these was happy with the picture quality, so the upgrade is pure gravy for them.

As for the company, they're lucky the reviewer didn't just give the product a bad review and move on.

[blahblah @ Jul 21st 2006 3:37PM]

Whatever, Guruboy. If you're comfotable being just another sheep with poor spelling, far be it from me to make you bad. /rolleyes.

It wasn't I that produced the original post, as I, that person, and Engadget know (and you, so cluelessly, don't).

In any case, the word is probably most correctly spelled dumb-ass, not that an "unsophisticate" like yourself would care much. :)

[randy @ Jul 21st 2006 4:19PM]

As much as I love engadget, you guys need a way of cleaning up the comments some more. Each post has its share of good comments but the trolls just kill the whole thing. Maybe some kind of user-moderated comment system would be better.

I'm happy this turned out to be just a firmware update. Even though I don't own the player it would be a damn shame if they had to recall them all.

[Perrey Z. @ Jul 21st 2006 4:45PM]

I knew something was wrong with the device. I notice the same poor performance in 5-different stores, and all of them were properly hooked using HDMI and component and display on 1080p HDTVs from HP Pavilion DLPs and Samsung's own. I'm glad they are aware of it, now i'd like to know, when are they going to fix the problem and when will the upgraded ones be in stores. I rather get an upgraded one. Samsung is not known for quality, only appealing designs.

[SuicideNinja @ Jul 21st 2006 5:16PM]

The update isn't going to fix the MPEG2 encoding though. Sony and company need to use the better options!

[Jason @ Jul 21st 2006 5:20PM]

Find out if they will have a firmware update that can fix the noise, pixelization and other picture quality problems that result from Sony trying to squeeze Blu Ray movies encoded with MPEG2 onto 25GB single layer discs.

Maybe they can fix that $999 price compared to HD-DVDs $499 price while they are at it.

HD-DVD 4 the win!

[Jon Iverson @ Jul 21st 2006 6:36PM]

Check this very thorough review of the Samsung player for all the details about how the picture looks and why:

http://www.ultimateavmag.com/hddiscplayers/706dsamsungbd/

[Murc @ Jul 21st 2006 6:43PM]

I just found out that engadget is backing Blu-ray...Its pretty obvious from that spin you just layed down.

I Personally think that this is rediculous, People shell out a grand for a BD player, only to get a picture quality on par with dvd movies! And then they are the ones that need to hassle to get updated firmware for there newly purchased device...But I think the Final blow is that the new firmware isn't coming for another 2 months!

[Mike @ Jul 21st 2006 9:13PM]

MPEG2, uncompressed PCM audio, and a 25gig disc is a borderline suicidal combination.

[Guruboy @ Jul 21st 2006 11:43PM]

You guys are freaking morons! BD is NOT ONLY MPEG 2!!!!!!!!! JESUS I HATE STUPID PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!

BOTH BD AND HD DVD SUPPORT THE FOLLOWING CODECS: MPEG-4's H.264/AVC codec, VC-1 and MPEG 2

sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray#Codecs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_DVD

Man you people piss smart people off.

All players complient with BD or HD DVD must support all of those codecs. IT IS UP TO THE MOVIE STUDIOS TO DECIDE ON WHICH CODEC TO USE

Don't post if you are stupid...please...

[Jason @ Jul 22nd 2006 12:53AM]

OK "smart guy" what codec has every single blu ray title released in to date?

MPEG2

Which Codec did Sony say was "good enough" for hi definition playback so that newer codecs were not needed?

MPEG2

Yes, there is support in Blu ray for other codecs, but unfortunately for BD fanboys every where and "smart guys" like you, MPEG2 is all that has been shipped and all that will be shipped for quite some time.

Meanwhile, HD-DVD ships VC1 on ALL titles which looks GREAT!

[Silverslide @ Jul 22nd 2006 5:04AM]

So with the fix it looks better - but does it make it look as good as the Toshiba HD-DVD does?

[lettcco @ Jul 22nd 2006 6:18AM]

not trying to enter the flaming contest, but...

Link posted by Guruboy:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dumass

look at the No. 4 definition.

[Billy Gun @ Jul 22nd 2006 10:06AM]

This Beta-Ray, I wold love it to work fine, cuz I prefer a Disk to store 25-50Gbs isted of 15-30 (HD-DVD), But I'm sold to HD-DVD since its way cheaper in production... and can play the "same" video as Beta-Ray.

Just a question:

That Toshiba HD-DVD recorder uses mpeg2 or VC1?

[TheGuyNextDoor @ Jul 22nd 2006 1:15PM]

#Jason

Just because the BD released to date have been in MPEG2 format doesn't mean they are in any way inferior to VC1 formats. In fact, many would argue that due to MPEG2 not compressing the data as much, MPEG2 is truer to the source. The only reason BD films are using MPEG2 is because they can. The extra space on BD disks allows them to use an older compression format, whereas HD-DVD could not do this in high-definition, and has to resort to newer higher-compression methods. VC1 happens to be an excellent compression method, so it's not been to any detriment. BD also supports VC1.

As the data is all digital, in theory, HD-DVD and BD should produce just as good an image as each-other. The differences are a result of the individual hardware manufacturers' use of components, as this report proves.

For those that hark back to VHS/Beta, Beta was the better quality, but these days, VHS is much higher quality than in the early days. There are good players and there are bad players.

#Murc
You really think Engadget is "pro-BluRay"? From this one article? An article that actually seems to report a discovered technical problem for what it is, and doesn't take it as an opportunity to stab at BluRay, so that makes them pro BluRay? I'd suggest not.

To me, this all comes down to industry support, perceived value for money per Gb, and longevity.

[Guruboy @ Jul 22nd 2006 2:58PM]

lettcco:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dumass
I knew some moron would mention that. Look at the thumbs up verses thumbs down. This is all a battle of opinion. Three definitions with a majority of thumbs up that are correct verses one with majority thumbs down...

It's true all BD movies out now use MPEG2. But where are all the HD DVD movies? I don't see any lol. BD and HD DVD both support VC-1, H.246, and MPEG2...it's just that the movie studios decided to release the first BD movies with MPEG2, it was the MOVIE STUDIO'S CHOICE.

I do not doubt that all the poor BD haters out there sucked up all the fanboy crap and actually thought that all content on BD was compressed with MPEG2. What a shame it is when fanboys believe fanboys.

Do some research or don't say anything.

[funkbass @ Jul 22nd 2006 5:55PM]

Seeing as it's all considered slang, you would be on shaky ground trying to argue the validity of one definition to another, given the informality of slang.

[Jason @ Jul 22nd 2006 7:57PM]

That's a good one Guruboy seeing as there are like 8 Blu-Ray titles and 30+ HD-DVD titles out now.

From current release data HD-DVD will have 400+ movies out by year's end and Blu-Ray will have less than half of that.

We will probably see Matrix, Harry Potter and Lord of The Rings on HD-DVD before year's end.

30,000+ HD-DVD decks already sold in less than a couple of months, people buying them are actually buying movies, wonder how many PS3 owners will buy Blu-Ray flicks?

As to MPEG2 looking as good or better than VC1, you've got to be kidding. Go look at direct head to head comparison reviews on the net and at the audio video science forum. You spin doctors keep spinning that blu kool aid.

[RacetrackOwner @ Jul 24th 2006 7:20AM]

So I guess this same firmware update system is how Sony is going to enable all that content protection crap in a few years? You buy or rent some Sony flick, pop it in to watch it, and viola, your player is suddenly DRM'd and your backups are worthless.

Sony sucks.

[Drew @ Aug 5th 2006 3:47PM]

Hey morons: Take a minute to consider the high-def forest through the high-def trees. Pull back to 28mm and you'll see how screwed up this whole thing is.

Bottom line: High-def DVDs are DESIGNED (whether intentionally or not) for screens that exceed about 30" diagonal. Smaller than that, and the increased resolution is nearly imperceptible. And the vast majority of Joe Average viewers (incorrectly) consider plain-vanilla DVDs as high-def.

So with a fledgling format, a format war takes place. Nice. Look, people, we know how this movie ends: Exactly like SACD vs. DVD Audio. Or maybe DCC vs. MD. Whatever.

As someone who would LOVE high-def DVDs to become the de facto standard and completely mainstream, I'm sitting on the sidelines and laughing at the sheer idiocy. I'll check in again in a few years.

Screw Sony, Toshiba, and anyone who buys either one. As consumers, we should vote with our wallets and not participate in this crap.

[Xion @ Aug 30th 2006 4:04AM]

Ok i'll bite: This whole thing smaks of "My Dad's bigger than yours!..." take a step back and look at the big picture [/pun] Early adopters pay one heluva premium for often sub par toys that are "expected" to have problems. Call me optomistic but if i buy a car, i dont expect to have one of the doors fitted at a later date when they can figure out how to hang it? Why should we expect £1000+ players not to work the way they should? Regardless of if its a simple firmware update or not, it's still a fault that that requires the end user to action. (Don't get me started on auto updates!)


Give it a while for the prices to drop, standards to settle in, and the toys to actually work out of the box. Who knows, by then many people will have TV's/ Prj's big enough to see the benefits.