Samsung 4K UHD Blu-ray Player UBD-K8500

[Derb]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...ay_player.html

I hate the wait especially since they had February 15th first & I already paid in full, then got an email saying they are out of stock & are "back-ordered"

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

Actually got a not too bad review from HDD "Recommended"

PROS

• Fast
  
• Reasonable price (for a first gen device)
  
• Plays all physical media
  
• Tons of streaming apps
  
• Easy setup and updates
  
• 2 HDMI outputs (one for non-4K AV Receivers)
  
• Terrific Samsung integration (turns on Samsung TVs, will change their inputs)

CONS

• Some apps not yet working to full potential
  
• DLNA spotty at best
  
• Some odd default settings
  
• Wish Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD MA bitsteaming options were separate
  
• Remote too small for some hands
  
• Settings Menu access takes too many clicks

Those are nitpicky cons, at best. This is really wholly different than the first few Samsung BD players, to say nothing of the first few BD players over all.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by JJ

Those are nitpicky cons, at best. This is really wholly different than the first few Samsung BD players, to say nothing of the first few BD players over all.

You can't judge it by launch BD player standards
This is an evolution of an already mature format

[JJ]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

You can't judge it by launch BD player standards
This is an evolution of an already mature format

Sure I can.

Read the post you quoted, that's what I just did. New players to new players.

Regardless, I'm glad the kinks have been worked out already - I know it's an evolution of blu-ray rather than any sort of wunderbar new format. It's still, technically, blu-ray.

[dvdmike]

Originally Posted by JJ

Sure I can.

Read the post you quoted, that's what I just did. New players to new players.

Regardless, I'm glad the kinks have been worked out already - I know it's an evolution of blu-ray rather than any sort of wunderbar new format. It's still, technically, blu-ray.

OK, you should not. It's a unfair comparison and a fool's errand

[JJ]

Originally Posted by dvdmike

OK, you should not. It's a unfair comparison and a fool's errand

This is the internet. Trying to convince someone to change their mind is a fools errand. Ill apologize to the old Samsung BDPs for hurting their feelings by being unfair

[Derb]

Originally Posted by JJ

This is the internet. Trying to convince someone to change their mind is a fools errand. Ill apologize to the old Samsung BDPs for hurting their feelings by being unfair

I understand Samsung & BD have come a long way since 06 but I can't say (even with all the hands-on positive buzz for the 8500K) I'm totally convinced this player is the shiz-nit of all UHD players.. It's just the only option currently & whether anyone wants to admit it, it's an EA device.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by JJ

Those are nitpicky cons, at best. This is really wholly different than the first few Samsung BD players, to say nothing of the first few BD players over all.

With my first (and only) Samsung BD player, the disc drawer got stuck after a day. As long as the K8500 beats that benchmark it's fine by me.

[JJ]

Originally Posted by Derb

I understand Samsung & BD have come a long way since 06 but I can't say (even with all the hands-on positive buzz for the 8500K) I'm totally convinced this player is the shiz-nit of all UHD players.. It's just the only option currently & whether anyone wants to admit it, it's an EA device.

Oh, I wholly agree. I'm liable to believe the Panasonic one will be the shiznit of the first few launches - this is, like you said, our only option. But it's a hell of an only option.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

With my first (and only) Samsung BD player, the disc drawer got stuck after a day. As long as the K8500 beats that benchmark it's fine by me.

I had bad CS experiences with Samsung in 2007, swore them off for eight years. So far, my JS8500 and K8500 are doing a heck of an effort in showing me Sammy's come a long way.

[bruceames]

FYI, the Samsung UHD pack works with this player (for those who don't have Samsung TVs). It's got 10 movies from Fox and 30 docs. Don't know if they have HDR or not, but for $55 (in "like new" condition) it's a pretty good deal. The hard drive is 1TB and I think you can add content to it (as well as format it if you want to use it for something else later).

[reanimator]

This is my first Samsung player, and I have few complaints. Yes, the remote stinks. Harmony much?

On the other hand, reports about how fast this thing loads are NOT exaggerated. Easily the fastest BD player I own.

It's also the only BD player I own that can flawlessly play UHD Blu rays. Which is kind of the point.

[clemdog]

FYI, the Samsung UHD pack works with this player (for those who don't have Samsung TVs). It's got 10 movies from Fox and 30 docs. Don't know if they have HDR or not, but for $55 (in "like new" condition) it's a pretty good deal. The hard drive is 1TB and I think you can add content to it (as well as format it if you want to use it for something else later).

How does this hard drive hook into the UHD player?

[ray0414]

Originally Posted by clemdog

How does this hard drive hook into the UHD player?

USB 3.0 on the front of the player


I am surprised and happy to hear it works on other tvs now.

It previously only worked on Samsung tvs. I own this drive too.

[clemdog]

Excellent! I'm ordering one now...

[bruceames]

I just compared Life of Pi with the BD and it looks quite a bit sharper on the UHD drive. Surprising since the movie is from a 2K DI and there is no HDR involved (colors look the same and besides my TV doesn't have HDR).

[ray0414]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

I just compared Life of Pi with the BD and it looks quite a bit sharper on the UHD drive. Surprising since the movie is from a 2K DI and there is no HDR involved (colors look the same and besides my TV doesn't have HDR).

The life of pi 4k movie on that uhd drive has been reference type material for the past 2 years. It's incredibly sharp and detailed. One of the best I ever seen.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by ray0414

The life of pi 4k movie on that uhd drive has been reference type material for the past 2 years. It's incredibly sharp and detailed. One of the best I ever seen.

Yeah it looks great. I can imagine that the UHD BD will probably be reference as well when it comes out.

Do any of these movies in the UHD pack have HDR?

[Adam_ME]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

Yeah it looks great. I can imagine that the UHD BD will probably be reference as well when it comes out.

Do any of these movies in the UHD pack have HDR?

Yeah, I've been trying to get clarification on that as well. They bump up the Backlight and Contract settings to 20 and 100 like HDR videos normally do, but I don't recall ever reading anywhere that those 10 movies on the pack had HDR.

[bruceames]

Originally Posted by Adam_ME

Yeah, I've been trying to get clarification on that as well. They bump up the Backlight and Contract settings to 20 and 100 like HDR videos normally do, but I don't recall ever reading anywhere that those 10 movies on the pack had HDR.

Well they still look quite a bit better than the BD's do, even without HDR. The file sizes are pretty big too, around 40gb for a two hour movie. They'll fit in nicely with my non-HDR TV (speaking of which, I'm getting a 930C delivered to my house tomorrow from BB, so I can be a part of that HDR world too. )

Anyway Life of Pi on the UHD pack confirms that even though it lists a 2K DI, there is indeed more resolution on this transfer (well at least it is much sharper). So it must hold true on the UHD BDs as well.

[Adam_ME]

Originally Posted by bruceames.

Well they still look quite a bit better than the BD's do, even without HDR. The file sizes are pretty big too, around 40gb for a two hour movie. They'll fit in nicely with my non-HDR TV (speaking of which, I'm getting a 930C delivered to my house tomorrow from BB, so I can be a part of that HDR world too. )

Anyway Life of Pi on the UHD pack confirms that even though it lists a 2K DI, there is indeed more resolution on this transfer (well at least it is much sharper). So it must hold true on the UHD BDs as well.

I sampled some of the movies on that pack a while back and was impressed with what I saw. Night at the Museum in particular looked way better than the underwhelming Blu-ray.