BD-P1000
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Best Buy imposing a 15% restocking fee for Blu-ray players?
Is Best Buy having troubles with Blu-ray player? At least one stores seem to be. One AVS Forum user is reporting that their local Best Buy have signs next to players indicating that they have a 14-day return policy and a 15% restocking fee applies if the product is opened. We still don't know if this is a company wide initiative but we doubt that it is. The Samsung BD-P1000 product page does not indicate anything like that nor does the store return policy that is stated on their website. It could simply be that the one AVS Forum's local store was having tons of issues. I will do a little recon work later in the day to find out if stores in my area is doing the same.How 'bout you though. Has anyone noticed a 15% restocking fee for the Samsung Blu-ray player or even better, have you attempted to return your $1,000 player only to have been hit with a fee?[thanks to everyone that sent this in]
Component looks better than HDMI on Samsung's BD-P1000
And so the bad quality Blu-ray player saga continues with the video quality being better via component video than HDMI. Bill Hunt had the opportunity to take his BD-P1000 over to Pioneer's headquarters and do a side-by-side test with the Pioneer BDP-HD1 on their gorgeous 50-inch 1080p plasma. The Pioneer did look better then the Sammy to start with but when component was used for the Samsung, it came really close. The Pioneer did have a better picture with deeper contrasts and more detail though, but the player was outputting 1080p over HDMI to a native 1080p display; it should look better. Oh and they did test VC-1 material on both players and it does look "absolutely spectacular;" dramatically better then the MPEG-2 stuff out right now. It's a good read.None of us own this player yet so we can't tell you for sure if this is true yet so we are relying on you readers. Try this and tell us what you think. Does component video in fact look better then HDMI on Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player?
Sony Pictures releases first Blu-ray Discs
Get 'em while they're hot! After delaying their release for hardware, Sony Pictures just dropped their first batch of hot-n-juicy Blu-ray flicks just in time for Samsung's BD-P1000 launch on June 25th. Titles rightly include action and SciFi faves such as The Fifth Element, House of Flying Daggers, XXX, and The Terminator among others, as well as 50 First Dates for your softer, Sandler side. A quick check on Amazon shows these titles shipping now for about $20 bills. So if you were lucky enough to grab one of those Sammy's early then make us proud -- put your order in, kick back, and let that slow suit of sallow take hold.
Pre-release Blu-ray impressions roundup
We don't have a Samsung BD-P1000 yet, so we're busy reading the opinions posted by people who do. Apparently our local retailer has a policy about selling things "on or after their release date", whatever that means. Nevertheless, some have managed to get their hands on a Blu-ray player and movies already, despite the fact the movies don't officially release until tomorrow, and Samsung's baby isn't due until next week. If you're waiting anxiously to find out whether you should spend the $999 burning a hole in your pocket, you may want to take a look at these reviews.How are they? Decidedly mixed.
Unboxing the Samsung BD-P1000
Life sure is good in The Man Room. First these guys got a hold of Toshiba's HD-A1 HD DVD player before almost anyone else, and now they've also managed to score a Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray unit a full six days before the official release, capturing the entire unboxing process for us to enjoy. Since the first Blu-ray titles won't go on sale until tomorrow, initial impressions are limited to the player's design, menu layout, and upscaling abilities, with the HD-A1's output used as a reference point in the latter category. The good news here is that the 500 extra bucks you'll have to spend to pick up the Samsung do indeed give you a few initial advantages over the Tosh, such as the snazzier packaging (big deal), more attractive case, and perhaps most importantly, significantly faster startup and load times. On the downside, the HD-A1 showed slightly better upconverting abilities than the Blu-ray model, and The Man Room also experienced a rather unnerving shrinking and flickering of the menus when connecting to a 1080i projector. As for us, we're gonna wait until some reviews start showing up online before we decide to either shell out the cash or wait for the Sony, the Pioneer, or maybe even the PS3 to come out. Keep reading to check out the remote and a shot of the main menu...
CNET First Look: Samsung BD-P1000
CNET had the opportunity to sit down and go over Samsung's first Blu-ray player, the BD-P1000. This isn't their full review of the unit but rather just a first look. Overall though they were very happy with the picture quality, found it less buggy then the Toshiba HD-A1 and thought it performed well at up-conversion. The picture quality was of course amazing and vastly out preformed their up-conversion DVD player. Interesting enough, they used one of Samsung's new 1080p DLPs and compared the 1080i and 1080p output streams. They could tell no difference at all on the 50-inch set. We hope the full review of the unit is not to far off, but we are sure they are going to wait till more titles are available.
Samsung BD-P1000 players available early
No it's not June 25th, and yes that is a brand new Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player you see sitting on some lucky shmucks kitchen table. Through the magic of early shipments and clueless retail employees, at least two guys were able to walk home with their high definition DVD players (after making the mandatory $999 charitable donation), and one of them was able to get several Blu-ray movies to boot. Not much to report yet, although both have noted a couple glitches already, but it remains to be seen if that is a consistent problem. The one individual who was able to get hold of Blu-ray movies reported excellent PQ, loading time around half that of the Toshiba HD-XA1, although he preferred the Toshiba unit's much-maligned remote. If Blu-ray is your choice or you just feel like taking one for the team, you may want to stop by Best Buy on your lunch break. Those guys at Samsung really know how to debunk rumors of a delay, imagine that sitting next to your HDTV right now. [Via Engadget] Read - Just got Samsung Blu-ray player and 4 movies Read - Blu-rays at BB - Just picked up mine @ AVS Forum
Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player hands-on, cracked open, pored over
While it may be delayed (only in Europe, Blu-ray fans don't jump off the ledge just yet!), a few guys at Greek home theater site AVSite.gr got a demo of Samsung's BD-P1000 Blu-ray player and said it looked beautiful. Actually we're not totally sure what they said because we can't read any of it but the pictures look great. A few guys from the site came over and posted a few details on AVS Forum. During their demo they weren't able to switch into 1080p mode to get a look at that, but in 1080i connected to a high-end projector everything looked great. They didn't note any playback glitches and said the discs did not seem to take a long time to load.That's all well and good but HDTVPolska did them one better and cracked the unit open for a look at its insides. That's what we like, pre-early HDTV adopters who take risks.
Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player delayed (again)?
In what may turn out to be yet another crushing blow to HD-hungry consumers, it looks like Samsung could be joining Sony, Pioneer, and, um, itself, in playing the Vista-like Blu-ray delay game that continues to amuse and frustrate us. As of right now, the facts are these: UK tech site Pocket-Lint sent an email to Bite Communications, Samsung's British PR firm, in order to confirm what we all thought was the BD-P1000's June 25th release date; instead of a confirmation, however, Pocket-Lint received a surprising reply stating that "unfortunately, the release of the Blu-ray has been delayed until September." Before you start freaking out, though, keep in mind that at this point details are still very thin -- we can't even be certain if this supposed delay applies to the US launch, or only affects our friends over in Great Britain. As you'd expect, we have our crack team of low-paid interns furiously dialing every Samsung representative we can find a number for, and you'll be the first to know when we can finally pin someone down on a solid release date, so stay tuned.Update: Whew, good news (well, for us Americans at least). Samsung has confirmed that the US launch is still "on schedule," although Bite was right on the money about the UK delay, so as usual, Brits are gonna have to wait a little longer to get a hot new product.
Samsung BD-P1000 user manual appears online
We know you're getting antsy for that irresistably shiny new Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray player, and if you just can't seem to shake the jitters then here, fine, sate your appetite. Samsung posted the user manual for the P1000 on their site, in its entirety, uncut and totally uncensored. So far as we can tell there's really nothing much in there we didn't already know about the thing, but who are we to protest technology ogling in the privacy of your own home? Free country, man. [Warning: PDF link][Thanks, Craig]
Samsung's BD-P1000 goes on pre-order via Amazon
Ah. The joys of pre-orders; the early adopters dream. Amazon is now taking orders for the first Blu-ray player - the Samsung BD-P1000. This player was suppose to launch in late May but it was pushed back till June. There hasn't been any delay announcements so it seems like we are finally in the home stretch here. Blu-ray's launch will be here sooner then ya know it. [via Engadget]
Samsung's BD-P1000 goes on pre-order
Well, it's officially late May, meaning it's not at all surprising that the Samsung BD-P1000, which was delayed until late June, is starting to show up online for pre-order. We obviously don't yet have any hard ship dates from Sammy themselves, but if you were ready and rearin' to plunk down your $999.99 out of spite for your friends who've already had their Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD player (which goes for $500 or less online), get out your wallet, son, it's time to do this.[Via I4U]
Samsung confirms delays for BD-P1000 Blu-ray player
Looks like Toshiba isn't the only company with last-minute jitters about the market for next-gen optical disc players. Samsung has now confirmed rumors that the company's BD-P1000, its first consumer Blu-ray disc player, will be delayed from its original ship date of May 23 to sometime in late June. According to Samsung, the $999 player is being delayed due to "testing" needs, though we certainly can't rule out the possibility that at least one of the "tests" the company is planning will be a check of the amount of BD media in the marketplace by the launch date. Samsung still says its player will be the first Blu-ray unit to hit the US market, though Sony's BDP-S1 is currently scheduled for a July ship, so Samsung had better hope the tests are finished on time.[Thanks, Jim]
Samsung Blu-ray delay official
Unfortunately the bad rumors we hipped you to earlier are all too true. Samsung's BD-P1000 will not launch on May 23, but June 25. The good news, if there really is any, is that they have added a couple features to the checklist: 1080p upconversion of DVDs (apparently only via HDMI out) Support for 11 (up from 9) memory card formats, adding Mini-SD and Memory Stick Pro Duo The official reason is to undergo further compatibility testing with Blu-ray test discs, and the price is still $999. HD-DVDs are still (probably) hitting shelves later this month, but we're not holding our breath (anymore, because the hospital said they are not resuscitating Kevin again). Hopefully this will be the last time we have to tell you when next generation DVDs aren't coming out.
