BD-P1200
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Samsung sued for defective Blu-ray players
We'll be straight with you -- we aren't surprised one iota by this one. For those keeping tabs, Samsung's slate of Blu-ray players have been plagued with issues essentially from day one, and while it has released a flurry of firmware updates over the years in an attempt to mend a variety of incompatibility issues, even its recent BD-UP5000 hybrid player is being axed early on after giving owners all sorts of fits. Apparently, one particular buyer isn't taking things lying down, and has decided to file suit against the mega-corp alleging that it has sold "defective Blu-ray players" to consumers. According to the suit, Sammy was "fully aware of the defective nature of the player [BD-P1200, in particular] at the time of manufacture and sale," and it also claims that the firm has "failed to provide a remedy consistent with the products' intended and represented uses." More specifically, the verbiage picks on the units' inability to play back select BD titles, and while some fixes have indeed been doled out, we still get the feeling many consumers have been left dissatisfied. Needless to say, this outcome should be interesting.[Thank, Nfinity and Prey521]
Samsung Blu-ray player owners can finally enjoy Fox titles
Samsung BD-P1200 owners who've utilized the Ethernet functionality to update their firmware, have been able to enjoy Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer since Wednesday, and now the rest of the owners of both the BD-P1000 and BD-P1200 can too. As promised, Samsung made the CDR image available for download, so we decided to try it out; sure enough, it works, so we can finally enjoy the latest Fox titles. As crummy as this situation is for consumers -- especially those who don't know what firmware is -- we're happy to see Samsung continue to support their first generation Blu-ray player.
Samsung to release BD+ update this friday
Samsung has just dropped us a note to let us know that they'll be releasing an update to both their BD-P1000 and BD-P1200 this Friday, that will address the BD+ issues with the latest Fox Blu-ray titles. When first asked, Samsung said it would take a few weeks, so this is certainly good news. You can either download the update from Samsung.com or use the Ethernet port in the BD-P1200 to download the update directly. In addition to the BD+ issue, the BD-P1200 update also improves the playback in some movies, enhances performance of in-movie games, and fixes some audio noise issues. We'll let you know how it works out.
Fox says, it's not our fault if you can't play our movies
Last week when we ran into troubles playing the latest Fox release of Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, we were quick to blame BD+. Fox told Video Business that they're not sure if it's BDJ or BD+ that's causing the issues, but either way it's not their fault. They suggest that if anyone's having problems playing the disc, that they should "lobby their hardware manufacturers to release firmware upgrades post haste." This is pretty much what we'd expect them to say, and in the end it's the consumer that's getting the short end of the stick. LG has stated that they'll have an update for the BH100 within a few days, while Samsung BD-P1200 fans will have to wait a few weeks.[Via HighDefDigest]
Fox's new Blu-ray titles with BD+ won't play in all players
Boy did we see this one coming. Fox just came out of their hiatus and with their first two releases they opted to use Blu-ray's optional DRM, BD+ -- which has been part of the spec, but this is the first time it's been used. The problem is that all the Blu-ray players aren't ready for BD+ yet, and without a firmware update you can't play the movies at all. You'd think the problem would only plauge 1st gen hardware, but the Samsung BD-P1000 was able to play the new discs just fine after a very long delay. The newer BD-P1200 didn't fair as well, but instead you see a scary red screen instructing you to install a firmware update that doesn't exist. We've contacted Samsung to see what the deal is and we'll let you know if we hear anything. We'd tell you to avoid titles with BD+ for now, but there's no way to know just from looking at the package, so just avoid just avoid these two Fox titles for now (The Day After Tomorrow and Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer).**UPDATE** unconfirmed reports indicate that it's a BD-J issue rather than BD+. Either way, all the latest movies won't play in all the players, even with the latest firmware update.
Samsung to introduce its third-gen Blu-ray player August 31
VideoBusiness has got a few more details on what to expect from Samsung's third generation Blu-ray player, the BD-P1400. Look for the player to make its debut on August 31 at the 2007 IFA in Berlin, with support for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD and DTS-HD audio, as well as a built in Ethernet port. Whether it will meet the new standards for Blu-ray players released after October remains unanswered, as well as how much it will cost. With Sony's BDP-S300 and recently price-reduced PlayStation 3 both already on the market at $499, we'll soon see how much lower prices can get.
Samsung BD-P1200 reviewed
Samsung's 2nd generation Blu-ray is hitting retail shelves this week, and HDGuru has the first review up. As you might expect, the next gen is both better and cheaper than the last, and Samsung's latest Blu-ray player lives up to expectations of quality using the Silicon Optix HQV Reon signal processor (that'd be the same video chip used in HD DVD's top player the XA2). The player features HDMI 1.3, as well as 24fps output, but still no Dolby TrueHD or DTS HD playback. Also new on this model is an Ethernet jack, but don't expect any additional downloadable content, this jack is only for firmware updates. The reviewer was hard pressed to see any difference in quality between this and some of the other Blu-ray players, but it did outshine the rest in the HD HQV Benchmark tests and overall speed. While Blu-ray fans are happy to have a new player at the new price point, those who know will hold off till October when the proper next generation players hit the street.
Samsung: BD-P1200 Blu-ray player delayed in UK, hybrid player still possible
We hoped to see the first second generation Blu-ray player this month, but Samsung's BD-P1200 has been delayed. Pocket-Lint.co.uk learned from Samsung's marketing manager that the player has been delayed until October in the U.S., and may not launch at all in the UK before 3rd generation hardware becomes available by Christmas. Stoking the hybrid player rumors even more, he said they could "launch a hybrid player or a Blu-ray recorder tomorrow" but are waiting to see what other companies announce. Although Samsung is a Blu-ray supporter, they recently announced an HD DVD-equipped laptop, and have leaked plans for a hybrid player before. Still, October is a long time to wait for an improved player, especially while second generation HD DVD players and PlayStation 3 are on store shelves. DTV Tivo Dealer on AVS Forum, who previously informed us of a delay in the HD-A2, has heard there will be limited quantities available as soon as April. We don't know who to believe until hardware is actually on the shelf, but we're hoping a low priced hybrid player mysteriously appears tomorrow.Update: Whoops, looks like we got a little ahead of ourselves here. Scratch that part about the P1200 being delayed until October in the US; while forums are indeed buzzing about a delay of some sort, October has not been mentioned by any credible sources. All that jazz about a possible hybrid player, however, is straight from the horse's mouth. Read - Pocket-lint.co.uk Read - AVS Forum
Samsung unveils the first second generation Blu-ray player: BD-P1200
Samsung launched the first Blu-ray player, the BD-P1000, last year and is first into the breach again with its second generation player, the BD-P1200. Featuring HDMI 1.3 (with CEC to control other devices, just like some of LG's new HDTVs), and DTS audio support the player will launch in March with a price of only $799, compared to the $999 launch price of the previous version. Samsung also confirmed the unit will feature an HQV processor for clear images, but no word on if it is the same process used in Toshiba's HD-XA2, or if 1080p24 will be an available option at launch. Check our live coverage of the press conference for more information, or continue on for more pictures. From the press conference we know it also has an ethernet connection, but no mention of any BD-Live functionality, yet.
