It's been two years since we got a chance to play with
the first Blu-ray player which was also a Samsung and here we are with the fourth generation player at our disposal. Right up front we like the way it looks, but there's no doubt this is a different class of machine from the previous generations as a few features are obviously missing like discrete analog outs. But features aside, we plan to run this thing through the paces, but for now click through for a up close look at Samsung's latest Blu-ray player.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
shawnmos @ May 29th 2008 6:19PM
I'd probably recommend this to my dad if it were about $100 cheaper.
jjmisterx @ May 29th 2008 10:37PM
try $200 cheaper and discs $10 cheaper
DrXym @ May 30th 2008 8:08AM
It's bound to get another $50 knocked off for Christmas. June is the kickoff for the consumer electronics sale season starting with Father's day. Prices should really only go down between now and Christmas.
KraziJoe @ May 29th 2008 6:30PM
BD-P1500 or BD-P1550??? You have both up there.
The Aggie CEO @ May 29th 2008 6:32PM
according to the box its BD-P1500
The Aggie CEO @ May 29th 2008 6:32PM
I'm curious as to WHY this comes with COMPOSITE cables.............
Come on Sammy.........
HDMI cables are only like $3 when bought in bulk......STEP YA GAME UP!!!
Gus @ May 29th 2008 7:41PM
It staggers me that all CE manufacturers supply composite cables, it's no wonder new tech struggles some times, J6 would hook this up using composite and think WTF??.
I own an XA2, a unit that arguably is/was the best HD player ever made and it came with composite cables!
All these players should at least come with component!
Ken @ May 29th 2008 10:32PM
Because as someone who works at a retailer, this allows us to sell the average customer our over-priced HDMI cables.
Its easier to say, "No, this does not come with the cable" vs. "Well, it DOES come with a HDMI cable, but you need to spend another $80 on this premium one"
Samsung would gladly toss a 6' HDMI cable in the box, but the retailers would not be happy, hence the fact they only come with the basic composite cables.
Some of the first upconverting Samsing DVD players did come with a HDMI cable, and it was a PITA to try and sell the 'premium' ones.
So, you see, its all business :p
Mr. E @ May 30th 2008 12:09AM
Ken, I had to rank you up for the brutally factual post, even though the facts sicken me.
My newly purchased TiVo HD at least came with component cables, but still no HDMI or Toslink audio cable. Sad.
HD4ME @ May 30th 2008 12:28AM
Ken, how many people will buy a product like this without being upsold, I have never had a HDMI cable offered to me as an upgrade, I have always had to ask.
As Gus said, imagine when J6P gets his new BR player home, plugs it in with composite cables and cant see F all difference if any.
I would think the percentages for this happening must be huge, the need for greed is out weighing the growth of the sector and handicapping a product that is handicapping itself anyway with the the ridiculous greed that is BR.
The Fuzz 53 @ May 30th 2008 10:21AM
I think my Samsung HD-960 upscaler is the only thing I have ever seen that came with an HDMI cable in the box.
On another note, does anybody know if there's a firmware update for this same DVD player? It seems to have issues even since I hooked it up to my Onkyo TX-SR705. Every few minutes the screen will flash black and the sound drops out for a few seconds. It's really annoying!
The Aggie CEO @ May 30th 2008 11:31AM
Ken I use to work @ Seras in electronics and I know what you mean.....
although I cant say I got mad at the few people that bought the upconverting DVD players that came with HDMI.........because I made my money on the side by selling HDMI cables that I purchased for $4 or less and resold for $20 which was STILL a LOT less than the cheapest HDMI cables you could find in the store at the time(around $50)
but hell with 10% commission on Monster Cables I can see why salesmen push them........
Achilles @ May 29th 2008 6:59PM
I'm waiting for the reviews. The P1500 has BD Profile 1.1 Bonus View and is BD Live Ready. Why not go straight to 2.0, so late in the game????
It's "BD Live ready" which means that the firmware update will be out sometime next year, maybe???
Achilles @ May 29th 2008 7:03PM
BD-P1500 doesn't have DTS-HD Master Audio decoding and DTS-HD High Resolution decoding will only be supported by a future firmware update, no word as to when that update is coming. The BD-P1500 will have onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD out of the gate.
Why is Sammy still lagging so late in the game???
WebDev511 @ May 29th 2008 7:48PM
I don't CARE if they have on board decoding of DTS-MA and TrueHD, I just want them to bitstream them over HDMI. (Still waiting for my PS3 firmware update Sony)
1stGreg @ May 29th 2008 7:51PM
Just to clarify, that is actually better than the BD30.
The BD 1500 can bitstream both THD and DTS MA (like the BD30), and can decode TrueHD (which the BD30 cannot).
It will also be upgradeable to profile 2.0 and can be patched through ethernet (BD30 cannot).
Notice that the BD30 is an excellent 1.1 player, but the 1500 is $349 (probably $249 during fall at Walmart) vs $499 for the BD30.
Mr. E @ May 30th 2008 12:11AM
I have a feeling that after getting burned so badly for their previous players, Samsung would rather have this one work rock solid out of the box, and take their time to get the latest features going a little ways down the road. Remember, this is one of the very first BD-Live standalone players available!
Carl @ May 29th 2008 7:26PM
Achilles,
I have owned a 5000 since december, and I am still awaiting a firmware for the audio. All I have read is May 2008, which is over in 2 days.
As far as 2.0, looking at back, at least 1500 owners will get a USB port. Us 5000 owners don't so we can never get to 2.0 (not that I need it).
Ben,
Can you ask Sammy about the FW for the 5000 and 1500?
Carl
Achilles @ May 29th 2008 7:58PM
Dude that bytes!!!! I feel for you. Sammy is letting us down!!!!!!!!!!!
DrXym @ May 30th 2008 8:16AM
Looks like your wish has come true.
carljanderson @ May 30th 2008 10:23AM
Yes it is out..
Time to play!!!
carljanderson @ May 30th 2008 10:24AM
for the 5000...
YouFaceTheTick @ May 29th 2008 8:07PM
Why get this over a PS3?
Achilles @ May 29th 2008 8:38PM
Gotta agree with you here..... why indeed?
KraziJoe @ May 29th 2008 9:28PM
Because some of us want a stand alone machine.
Chad @ May 30th 2008 11:39AM
I have a ps3, but this got my attention when I saw it could bitstreem DTS MA and THD.
UnnDunn @ May 29th 2008 8:14PM
And the Blu-ray debacle continues.
KraziJoe @ May 29th 2008 9:28PM
So, this can become 2.0 compliant with a Firmware update in the near future?
Achilles @ May 30th 2008 11:44AM
Yep, six months from now you'll be good to go with a firmware update. That's how long it took Samsung for the P5000 which was released today. I've got friends that have been waiting for that sh$$ since December.
Nirvan @ May 29th 2008 9:35PM
I have very little interest in a gaming console, however I do want a BluRay player, but if a $400 machines are still inferior purely as a player then I'll get a PS3. . .
So when this is reviewed I (and at least KraziJoe) would like to know how it compares to the PS3 as a player. . .
And KraziJoe - as I've read - yes, it should be 2.0 compliant via a firmware upgrade - not sure when the upgrade will occur though.
severian00 @ May 29th 2008 9:58PM
Nice of them to include those composite cables for a HD movie player. They get that idea from Sony and the PS3?
Leif @ May 29th 2008 10:13PM
I've had the BD-30 and the PS3. No contest, the PS3 is better. The main feature for the PS3 over any standalone: you will grow grey hairs waiting for your movie to load with a standalone after you've experienced the PS3. That's not even taking into account the awesome DLNA features. I really love Mkv2vob.
foxb @ May 29th 2008 10:22PM
From what I know, BD-P1500 is supposed to have the fastest loading time in stand alone players. Not sure how it compares to PS3. But one thing for sure: PS3 can never be made to bitstream.
Forget about future firmware update for this player. With the pace Samsung releases firmware update for current players like BD-up5000, you will be lucky to see one for 1500 one year later.
foxb @ May 29th 2008 10:24PM
BTW, BD-P1500 looks exactly like Samsung's 1st generation DVD upconversion player HD840/940 that was released around 4 years ago.
Mike S @ May 29th 2008 10:35PM
No 5.1 analog out!!!!!!!!!!! No deal for me
mntwister @ May 29th 2008 11:52PM
The firmware for the 1400 for DTS MA and Dolby True bitstreaming came days after the machine's release, from what I have read, this player bitstreams them out of the box, is BD2.0 ready with a firmware upgrade, and has a great price for all the features compared to other players, granted if you have a receiver that decodes the bitstreamed signals, this is a great price point needed for blu-ray, I can easily see this selling for around $249 for the holidays!!! TGhat's exactly what is needed for mainstream buyers! Of course, how many of those can bitstream the new sound formats. On the other hand, how many mainstream buyers care about DTS MA in the first place?
Mark @ May 30th 2008 4:08AM
I wonder what 2.0 ready actually means. Optimistically maybe its just a firmware update, but if this thing doesn't say it has 1Gb on the box or in the firmware info screen I would be a bit worried. Maybe you have to plug a USB memory stick into the back to make it 2.0 compatible. Not a major expense but still pretty ugly. I reckon this thing is a better option than the magnavox but I think both of them are going to drop even further in price than they are now. Walmart also have a deal on PS3s where you get a $100 gift card making the console $299. That offer beats both of them IMO.
shoek @ May 31st 2008 9:32AM
BD-P1500 and the aborted BD-UP5500 were to be siblings:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13982440#post13982440
KilgoreTrout @ Jun 1st 2008 1:05PM
My htpc came with a blue ray/hd dvd burner and since it's leashed also to a 52" full HD plasma I purchased ONE Blueray disc just to try.
Guess what?
Nobody among my family or friends could see ANY difference between BR or a good quality standard DVD.
Maybe I could , but only if comparing the two side by side, and probably the difference was due more to the monitors (Pioneer vs. Samsung) than to the formats.
No more bluerays for me thanx.
Some Kid @ Jun 1st 2008 1:16PM
there is reason to get any blu-ray player if it is not the PS3
It is cheaper than every other bd player out there, and you get a full hd game console with it
too bad for me because i dont have the money to buy any blu player
shit
mike dobey @ Jun 16th 2008 8:57PM
the reason you get a blu ray player is that if you aren't a gamer then you don't want the fan noise the ps3 has. this is not a big deal to some folks but it is to others. the new samsung supports avchd from camcorders too and has the new standard x.v.YCC deep color that some hdtv's support. however no blu ray discs have this yet that I am aware of. some people say that sony will put out blu ray discs that are mixture of avchd and x.v.YCC and noone seems to know if the sammy will play this when it happens. which means that the sammy will be obsolete suddenly. I hope this is not the case. noone at samsung can tell me if the sammy will play blu ray discs encoded with avchd and x.v.Ycc maybe it will, the new sony will of course play all this as wil the new panasonic which is obscenely priced at 700.00. you pay a extra two hundred dollars just to get master audio decoding.
fondoo @ Jun 28th 2008 8:24PM
new firmware is OUT