The Samsung BD-UP5000 to be discontinued in May

While we've become accustomed to Blu-ray players being released every six months, it's a little ridiculous when we're forced to wait for a new player longer than it's on the market. Eventually we expect the cycle to slow down -- like when BD Live players are out for example -- and many believed that the Samsung BD-UP5000 could be one of those players based on promises when announced. Once you have an Ethernet port for internet content, REON video processing, internal decoding and bitstream support for every codec, discrete analog output, as well as HDMI 1.3, what else could possibly warrant a mid year revamp? We suspect the problem is that the player isn't delivering, and on top of that, we don't think it's Samsung's fault. You see, just like the LG BH200, the BD-UP5000 is based on Broadcom's Reference design BCM97440, and the word on the street is that it isn't ever going to deliver. So it'd make sense that Sammy would change the platform for one that's actually able to get the job done. So yeah, this Broadcom bit is just speculation, but we did contact the outfit to figure out what the deal was, and while it was very responsive at first, as soon as we asked about the troubles with the BCM97400, it must'a lost our email address (or maybe its servers have been down for a week). The good news is that Samsung doesn't see the BD-UP5500 as a replacement, and promises a suitable replacement for the high-end dual-format customer in the second half of '08.

**Update** Samsung says that the date it'll be discontinued is subject to change.

[HD-DVD @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:17PM]

First nail in the coffin for Blue-Ray...

[calex823 @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:23PM]

lol are you kidding me?

[Adam @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:26PM]

I like your style funny man. :-)

[thethirdmoose @ Jan 23rd 2008 4:18PM]

Sorry, when was the last nail in the coffin for HD-DVD again?

[Gavin @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:34PM]

Welcome to the world of Blu Ray (by that I mean disappointments after disappointments)...

[Vanillacide @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:38PM]

Is this a Blu-ray profile 1.1 player? Prolly axing it for profile 2.0 player.

Say what you like about HD DVD, but at least it didn't make old players redundant with a new "profile" every six months.

Still, PS3 owners are okay as they will get profile 2.0 update later in the year; and that's okay for BDA as almost all Blu-ray players are PS3 anyway. Just bad for poor Samsung and anyone else trying to make a dedicated Blu-ray player.

[Camperton @ Jan 23rd 2008 3:10PM]

It's 1.0

The 5500 hundred will be profile 1.1

No 2.0 players for quite awhile.

That's Blu-ray.

[John @ Jan 23rd 2008 4:05PM]

don't most blu ray players have an ethernet port so that firmware can be updated? (I only have a PS3, so...)

[Denver_80203 @ Jan 23rd 2008 12:46PM]

Maybe a good time to check out clearance discount prices

[kevjohn @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:12PM]

Thast's always my first thought when I hear about a product/technology discontinuation. Of course I'm still waiting for the massive wave of discounted laserdiscs I've been expecting for the past 15-20 years.....

[LongshotX @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:03PM]

So when are we going to get $200 and below players? Is Blu-Ray really where it's at for the consumer. I'd like to go out an get one but they are still too high. That's why HD-DVD was so great: it was easy to get in. Blu-Ray wants you to give up a paycheck (broke college student by the way) so you can be a member of the Blu-Club. Lower the price so me and everybody else wanting an HD player can get in. And please finalize the stupid profiles.

[Marty @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:27PM]

To all you people supporting HD DVD and bashing Blu-Ray there's something you should know about. THE BD-UP5000 IS A HD DVD PLAYER TOO. In my opinion, they're discontinuing it because the HD DVD playback is pretty much useless now. Being a hybrid it makes the player so much more expensive and HD DVD is pretty much a dead format now. They're better off making Blu-Ray only players.

[Stephen @ Jan 23rd 2008 2:27PM]

Marty, I think everyone here knows it's dual-format...

As far as cancelling it because "HD DVD playback is pretty much useless...", there is talk from Samsung of releasing a replacement for the 5000 model and they are already set to relase the already-announced 5500 (also dual-format), in a few months.

Feel free to take a trip over to AVS, to get an idea of the problems with the Broadcom chipset, which is used inside the 5000. That might give you a pretty good idea of why they're discontinuing it.

You're welcome to your opinion of course, but don't ignore the facts.

[siddharth s @ Jan 23rd 2008 4:33PM]

Stephen, I'm trying to look for the problems off the Broadcom chip. Can you point me to the thread in question? I appreciate your help.

[Stephen @ Jan 23rd 2008 10:42PM]

siddharth s,

Here's a link to the thread at AVS, which is dedicated to the 5000. A good place to start, might be to do a search for 'Broadcom' I'm sure you'll get some hits that way, since as it stands, the thread is at almosty 4000 replies.

Ben from EngadgetHD is a member over at AVS and actually active in that particular thread, so you'll get some good info.

[Stephen @ Jan 23rd 2008 10:49PM]

Whoops... acidentally posted it a few comments below. Anyway:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=955388

[Smith @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:40PM]

I own an HTPC HD DVD/Blu-Ray drive with PowerDVD HD playback software. That said, I have come to expect an inability to playback some of the newest Blu-Ray titles until PowerDVD can come out with an obligatory software update (eg., Hostel 2, 3:10 to Yuma, etc.).

While most have laid blame squarely at Cyberlink's software, I believe that some of this has to do with increased functionality pushed into the Blu-Ray titles that was not there previously. This is not HDCP/DRM because my system is completely compliant. This inability to play SOME titles in SOME stand-alone machines seems to be what other Blu-Ray owners are experiencing. There is also the additional inability of lossless audio decoding with SOME Blu-Ray (stand-alone) players.

Blu-Ray may be where we are going in a next gen format. However, the consortium better get their act together... and soon. Multiple profiles and Java compatibility issues and inability to play some titles and inability to decode audio is totally unacceptable. These software/hardward standards should have been finalized way before now. At this point, I am a begrudging Blu-Ray user and I cannot wait until there is an HD download option over fiber because right now I feel like a Blu-Ray beta tester.

[andy @ Jan 23rd 2008 2:29PM]

You're using a computer because the curent stand alones can't get the job done and you'd need a new one every couple of months.

You feel like a beta tester because you are one.

[BioWare #1 @ Jan 23rd 2008 1:58PM]

@ THE OTHER GUY NAMED 'MARTY'...
The HD-DVD playback on a hybrid player is useless? Why is that? Is the current library of HD-DVDs, some of which not available on Blu-Ray, not compatible w/ hybrid players? Is it because the HD-DVD backers put secret, conspiracy-flavored extra-encoded DRMs on HD-DVDs to not allow playback on a hybrid player? Or is it the Sony execs not allowing HD-DVD to be played on hybrid, as to further 'kill' off HD-DVD? Or is just another BD-fan making superflous statements again?
I guess all your regular 480P DVDs are useless too. If you want, you can mail them to me for free. I'll take them.
No doubt Blu-Ray got the edge now with Warner and all that regurgitated news and no doubt that HD-DVD is taking a turn for the worse... but it amazes me that everyone seems to assume that it means Blu-Ray is suddenly going to take off and be the dominant format. Even if you wiped away every single HD-DVD disc and player off the planet... that's not going to convince the regular consumer to buy into Blu-Ray. Those sales numbers and charts you see, that's for a really small group of consumers. Neither format, no matter how much they want you to believe, is doing all that well really.
And hence, a hybrid player is actually a better choice for consumers and had there been more hybrid players to start with, both formats would probably be doing better. I won't buy into a stand alone HD-DVD or BD... but a hybrid I would consider.
Funny... I just saw this model in Best Buy's sunday ad last week.

[Stephen @ Jan 23rd 2008 10:44PM]

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=955388