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More…What a difference a firmware update makes. When it first launched last year, Samsung's BD-P1000 ($800 as of 2/20/07) displayed soft images--a result of Samsung's choice to enable noise reduction by default. The player we tested fixed this issue, though, and performed like a whole new machine. Bolstered with the most recent firmware available as of our testing, the BD-P1000 produced fine images, with good detail and color balance.
Samsung Samsung BD-P1000
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| Overall design | Good |
| On-screen menus | Very Good |
| Ease of Use | Very Good |
| Responsiveness | Good |
| Remote control | Fair |
| Other features | Good |
| Documentation | Superior |
| Color quality | Very Good: 83 |
| Detail | Very Good: 84 |
| Brightness and contrast | Very Good: 84 |
| DVD-Video image quality | Very Good: 82 |
| Overall performance | Very Good: 83 |
| Specifications | Good |
| Maximum component-video-output resolution | 1080p |
| 24p output support | No |
| HDMI output | Yes |
| HDMI version | 1.1 |
| Maximum HDMI-output resolution | 1080p |
| Ethernet connection (for Internet connectivity) | No |
| Ethernet connection (for streaming content across home network) | No |
| DLNA compliance | No |
| USB 2.0 ports | No |
| USB port function | Not applicable |
| Component-video Output | Yes |
| S-Video output | Yes |
| Composite -video output | Yes |
| Two-channel analog audio output | Yes |
| Coaxial digital output | Yes |
| Optical digital output | Yes |
| Maximum audio output over HDMI | 5.1-channel PCM |
| Best audio output over S/PDIF | 5.1-channel Dolby Digital Plus |
| Bitstream output to audio/video receiver | Yes |
| DVD-Video upconversion | 1080p |
| Plays audio CDs | Yes |
| Supported DVD disc formats | DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM |
| Plays MP3 DVDs | Yes |
| Plays MP3 CDs | Yes |
| Support for two simultaneous video streams (for on-demand picture-in-picture) | No |
| Supported multimedia formats | MP3, JPEG, HD JPEG |
| Storage | Not applicable |
| Firmware updates delivered via? | Disc mailing/Web download |
| Disc bookmarks | Yes |
| Media slots | CompactFlash, Memory Stick, Secure Digital |
| Other features | Integrated HD JPEG slide-show viewer |
| Warranty | One year parts/90 days labor |
| Weekday support hours | 12 |
| Saturday support hours | 12 |
| Sunday support hours | 12 |
| Toll-free support number | Yes |
3.5
4 User Reviews Add your own »
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Pros
Produces well-balanced images
Has flash media card slots
Cons
Lackluster sound
Mediocre remote control
Samsung BD-P1000
Samsung BD-P1000 Review, by LIncoln Spector March 27, 2007
Upgrading the firmware can be a tricky process, though. The unit lacks an ethernet connection, so when an update becomes available, you'll have to order a disc from Samsung or download the update from Samsung's Web site and burn your own CD-R. As we experienced with Philips's BDP9000, we had to use Nero's Ultra Edition disc-burning software to get the player to recognize the disc; other burning apps didn't work in our experience.
The Samsung closely resembles Philips's BDP9000: The two have identical back panels and similar functions and features, including the same memory card slots and limited audio support (just Dolby Digital 5.1-channel decoding, and choice of PCM or bitstream output). Both units looked and sounded alike, too. They offered the same, reasonably pristine images and the same muddied sound.
The differences between the two units lie in the interfaces. They offer the same setup menu options (the options are even worded identically); however, Samsung gives its menus a smaller, more concise design, sometimes with transparent overlays, and always with a more three-dimensional effect than the Philips model does. Neither approach holds a practical advantage, though in certain circumstances the Samsung's transparency disrupts your movie playback experience less (for example, if you invoke certain menus, such as the disc-info option, during playback).
The Samsung's front panel improves greatly over the Philips's. The power button is large and easy to find. The eject button is small but responsive. At the right is a four-way navigation pad, for handling basic controls like play, pause, forward, and back. A flap conceals only the memory card slots (for CompactFlash, Memory Stick, and Secure Digital media), which, as with the Philips BDP9000, allow you to play music or look at photos.
Samsung's BD-P1000 produced great images in our tests. It performed nearly identically to the Philips model, excelling in tests for detail, brightness and contrast, and color quality. In overall high-definition video quality, the two players fell just a shade behind our top video performers, the Sony BDP-S1 and the Pioneer Elite BDP-HD1. In Mission: Impossible III, the Vatican's hallways had depth, and shadow detail was sharp in the black-and-white Good Night and Good Luck.
When we used the BD-P1000's built-in audio decoder, audio playback was a bit muddy compared to our best audio performer, the Sony BDP-S1. You might get better results outputting audio to your audio/video receiver via bitstream.
The player's remote control leaves plenty to be desired. The navigation circle sits near the bottom of the remote, making it difficult to reach--at least with my fingers. The menu buttons also sit too near the bottom, in addition to being small and hard to find. Some of the buttons glow in the dark, which would have been a nice touch if not for the fact that the five buttons that do glow in the dark control the TV, and not disc playback.
Like the Philips BDP9000, the Samsung lets you create bookmarks. You can create up to ten by pressing a button; retrieving the bookmarks is similarly simple. Once you eject the disc, however, the bookmarks disappear, unlike with HD DVD players, which can retain bookmarks thanks to the format's requirement that all players have built-in storage.
Samsung's manual is smaller than most, primarily because it isn't a multilingual tome. The manual is well-organized, with explanations that the average person can understand.
With its great image quality, midrange features, and (just) below-average price, the Samsung BD-P1000 offers an overall strong value.
Lincoln Spector
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User Reviews
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User Reviews From Around the Web
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Reviewed by: kk6dv
Strengths: Plays Ok with the remote.
Weaknesses: All front panel buttons quit functioning prior to 90 days of use. Circuit City wouldn't take it back for repair. Couldn't get a response from local authorized repair.
Overall: Still less than a year old, I called Samsung for support. They advised me $85 for repair. I'd have to pay shipping and the unit just isn't worth it. I will never buy another Samsung, my first one proved to be expensive and low quality control from the factory.
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Reviewed by: frenna
Strengths: the quality of the picture is amazing. HDMI output to get hightest possible HD resolution.
Weaknesses: It is a bit slow queing up the disc / movie.
Overall: This is my first HD DVD player. I have been watching the format wars for awhile now and even though the race is just starting, BluRay seems to be the choice of more buyers than HD DVD. Movies are coming out every week from nearly all the studios and first run DVD's are being released in the BluRay format at the same time regular DVD's are being released. I bought Casino Royale and the picture is stunning! I would recommend this player to anyone. It is about $500 cheaper than the Sony player!
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Reviewed by: topcat1951
Strengths: Great picture,no freezing and doesn't take all day to play a movie like HD players.I had one of those.Sent it back after it froze on 3 movies.
Weaknesses: Not enough titles.
Overall: This player works pefect for me.I have a 67" Samsung TV that accepts a 1080p signal.I it looks every bit as good as the HD dvd players,and works smoother also.I have not had one dist in blue ray freeze or skip.Some people must not no how to set them up.Or maybe work for Toshiba!Great player.Had it for a month.
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Reviewed by: apollo9k
Strengths: None
Weaknesses: No Hi-def picture quality and too expensive
Overall: I returned this unit after I read that Sony was claiming that Blu Ray's poor picture quality was because this Samsung Blu Ray player was defective. Yet everybody continues to sell it?Samsung says they are working on a fix for the poor picture quality, but that it hasn't been pin-pointed and could be a few months before a solution is found.My experience is that the Blu Ray format itself is defective, not just this player.I'll be waiting until November when the PS3 and Sony Blu Ray player are supposed to be available to make a better judgement.
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