Best Combo Player; LG BH200 vs Samsung BD-UP5000

[viiv]

Hi. My friend has an Toshiba HD-DVD player and wants to take advantage of Future Shop's trade in program. Now before you blast me or him about getting a combo player, it is because he unfortunanly already brought a sizable HD DVD collection and obviously does not want to repurchase those. At this point of course, he is not buying anymore HD DVD movies, Blu-ray only from now on, with the exception of possible future bargian basement clearance/closeout bargain bin deals, or if for some reason a movie he wants that is on HD DVD never gets around to being rereleased on Blu-ray. So all he wants to do is maintain "backwards compatability" with his existing HD DVD collection. Since both the LG BH200 and Samsung BD-UP5000 are on sale for 499.99 with the $100 credit he will get one for a cool 399.99. Also Future Shop is advertising a $50 giftcard with the purchase of a Blu-ray player, not sure if it will work with a combo player, or if they will combine the trade in offer with the giftcard offer, but it is a possibility.

So, at the same price, which is the better one? Am I correct that the MSRP on the Samsung is higher than the LG? Does that make it better? As brands, traditionally, isn't Samsung better than LG. Also with the cancellation of the BD-UP5500, he rests assured the Samsung will be their last combo player, with nothing newer and better coming, and thus should not be abandoned as quickly with firmware updates compared to if they released a new model. Since this will always be their final combo player, they may provide support for it in terms of firmware and work really hard to make it as good as a player as it can be cause nothing will be eclipsing it. With LG, it seems they will be making new combo model(s) in the future, so he will likely be abandoned when new models come out. Thanks,

Oh, and before I hear posts telling to buy a standalone Blu-ray player/PS3 and keep his HD DVD player, he doesn't have anyomre shelf space and only two HDMI inputs, one being used by his Motorola PVR, and the other by his HD player.