The Samsung BD-UP5000 Review Thread

[HDTV1080P]

If this is true and the Samsung BDP-UP5000 combo player is going to launch at a suggested retail price of less then $600 then both formats are going to coexist since Universal Studios decided to remain exclusive to the HD-DVD format. If this information is correct then most likely the street price for the new player from discount mail order companies will be around $500.
Can anyone confirm the accuracy of this article?
Quote
“But unlike LG's player, which carries a whopping $1199 price tag, Samsung said its player would cost less than $600, according to several online reports.”

http://www.tvpredictions.com/samsung070507.htm

[whippersnapper]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

If this is true and the Samsung BDP-UP5000 combo player is going to launch at a suggested retail price of less then $600 then both formats are going to coexist since Universal Studios decided to remain exclusive to the HD-DVD format. If this information is correct then most likely the street price for the new player from discount mail order companies will be around $500.
Can anyone confirm the accuracy of this article?
Quote
“But unlike LG's player, which carries a whopping $1199 price tag, Samsung said its player would cost less than $600, according to several online reports.”

http://www.tvpredictions.com/samsung070507.htm

I'm not sure how much of a market there will be for this. Right now both of my Blu-ray players play BD and upscale DVDs. Somewhere down the road I might pay $25 more for a good Blu-ray player that also had a slot for my old VHS discs. But I don't have and won't have any HD-DVD discs to play. So when combo players become "common", they'll be BD/VHS players such as I described.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by whippersnapper

I'm not sure how much of a market there will be for this. Right now both of my Blu-ray players play BD and upscale DVDs. Somewhere down the road I might pay $25 more for a good Blu-ray player that also had a slot for my old VHS discs. But I don't have and won't have any HD-DVD discs to play. So when combo players become "common", they'll be BD/VHS players such as I described.

I would hate to have a combo VHS with a BLU-RAY unless they make it a combo HDTV D-VHS with BLU-RAY recorder.

[HDTV1080P]

A $500 combo player that plays BLU-RAY and HD-DVD discs will attract people that want to own Universal Studios movies in HDTV. That’s the only good reason to own a working combo.

[thebluemax]

I will pass on this. I have no intention of supporting HD-DEAD. I think if this sells well, it will be a boom for BLU-RAY discs. I predict a 9 to 1 advantage for BD if the player is accepted.

[theknub]

hmm, thought i read somewhere that the player would be ~$600 more than a standalone

[GasCat]

Will it be able to get the HD-DVD logo or will it be denied like the LG player?

If Uni stays HD-DVD just for owners of this unit I would be very surprised. The market is clearly pro-Blu-Ray. The problem Uni has is they will need to spend money on Blu-Ray manufacturing equipment. Someone will crunch the numbers and say invest in your company.

[bluflu]

This player will be a nice upgrade path to Blu-ray for current owners of HD DVD discs when HD DVD goes under.

[McBain]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

If this is true and the Samsung BDP-UP5000 combo player is going to launch at a suggested retail price of less then $600 then both formats are going to coexist since Universal Studios decided to remain exclusive to the HD-DVD format. If this information is correct then most likely the street price for the new player from discount mail order companies will be around $500.
Can anyone confirm the accuracy of this article?
Quote
“But unlike LG's player, which carries a whopping $1199 price tag, Samsung said its player would cost less than $600, according to several online reports.”

http://www.tvpredictions.com/samsung070507.htm

"Samsung said it will cost approximately 400 euros (~$540) more than a standard Blu-ray player."
https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=295

[sanramon_92582]

I haven't gotten a Blue Ray player nor a HD-DVD player. I'm in the process of getting myself educated and looking for 'unbias' advice and education.

I understand there are Blueray fans on this site and HD-DVD fans on sites such as http://forum.hd-dvd.com. But am I alone who think this 'war' is not ending soon?

Is there a compelling reason to get a player that supports both formats? Are most movies produced in both formats? or Are there enough titles that are Blueray-exclusive and HD-DVD exclusive? Thanks in advance!

Note: Sammy BD-UP5000 is going for $799 on Amazon (pre-order)

[Porscheman]

personally i dont see how it could hurt....

[Marcusarilius]

Originally Posted by sanramon_92582

I haven't gotten a Blue Ray player nor a HD-DVD player. I'm in the process of getting myself educated and looking for 'unbias' advice and education.

I understand there are Blueray fans on this site and HD-DVD fans on sites such as http://forum.hd-dvd.com. But am I alone who think this 'war' is not ending soon?

Is there a compelling reason to get a player that supports both formats? Are most movies produced in both formats? or Are there enough titles that are Blueray-exclusive and HD-DVD exclusive? Thanks in advance!

Note: Sammy BD-UP5000 is going for $799 on Amazon (pre-order)

I asked the same question to the Best Buy sales person when I started to look into HD. I was talked out of getting a duel player. He was saying some of the models were having trouble reading both formats fluidly. I new I wanted Blu-ray regardless already, so I just stayed with blu only. (This was 6 months ago) Maybe the new models/players are working better. If going duel format, I would recommend seperates. Get a quality BD player and a much less expensive HD DVD player. The quality BD player is for your total satisfaction for now and in the future (handling upgrades in both software and multiple options on the player its self) as blu-ray will be the dominant and only format as time passes.

[dperrone]

Originally Posted by sanramon_92582

I haven't gotten a Blue Ray player nor a HD-DVD player. I'm in the process of getting myself educated and looking for 'unbias' advice and education.

I understand there are Blueray fans on this site and HD-DVD fans on sites such as http://forum.hd-dvd.com. But am I alone who think this 'war' is not ending soon?

Is there a compelling reason to get a player that supports both formats? Are most movies produced in both formats? or Are there enough titles that are Blueray-exclusive and HD-DVD exclusive? Thanks in advance!

Note: Sammy BD-UP5000 is going for $799 on Amazon (pre-order)

I am all over the BD-UP5000, I have it pre-ordered. I have two Samsung BD-P1000's and two BD-P1400's. I am going to use the 5000 for my main room. I have 43 Blu-Rays and I have only bought 4 HD disc's. I am all for Blu, but there are a few titles that will be exclusive on HD, so that is the only reason. If anything comes out on both, get it on Blu. I am not a big fan of HD by any means, but I do like to watch movies so. I already tried the LG Dual player. Stay away from that . It is 100% garbage. Stay true.....stay Blu

[Imakida]

Originally Posted by sanramon_92582

Blue Ray

Ouch!

[blackend]

circuitcity go it for 799 now

[paulfromtulsa]

is this online or did you actually see the unit at cc and what state are you from

[bootman]

I actually had a preorder for this via amazon, but since reading about all of Samsung's issues with playback and firmware updates taking forever to get posted, I canceled and jumped on the Panasonic BD-30.

I'll let others try it out first and read about it over at AVS.

[Mericalis]

Looks like Samsung has given up on it's new combo drive.

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/23...tinued-in-may/

While we've become accustomed to Blu-ray players being released every six months, it's a little ridiculous when we're forced to wait for a new player longer than it's on the market. Eventually we expect the cycle to slow down -- like when BD Live players are out for example -- and many believed that the Samsung BD-UP5000 could be one of those players based on promises when announced. Once you have an Ethernet port for internet content, REON video processing, internal decoding and bitstream support for every codec, discrete analog output, as well as HDMI 1.3, what else could possibly warrant a mid year revamp? We suspect the problem is that the player isn't delivering, and on top of that, we don't think it's Samsung's fault. You see, just like the LG BH200, the BD-UP5000 is based on Broadcom's Reference design BCM97440, and the word on the street is that it isn't ever going to deliver. So it'd make sense that Sammy would change the platform for one that's actually able to get the job done. So yeah, this Broadcom bit is just speculation, but we did contact the outfit to figure out what the deal was, and while it was very responsive at first, as soon as we asked about the troubles with the BCM97400, it must'a lost our email address (or maybe its servers have been down for a week). The good news is that Samsung doesn't see the BD-UP5500 as a replacement, and promises a suitable replacement for the high-end dual-format customer in the second half of '08.

Just wish they'd give up on all their combo drives.

[CptGreedle]

What confuses me is that the title looks like it has been announced.. and yet the article seems really vague and full of speculation. What exactly is this all about??

[Mericalis]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

What confuses me is that the title looks like it has been announced.. and yet the article seems really vague and full of speculation. What exactly is this all about??

Guess from the opening page of Blu-ray.com that it may be more than just rumor?