AfterDawn: News

Samsung reveals more about Blu-ray / HD DVD combo player

At CEDIA, Samsung revealed some more details about its upcoming Blu-ray and HD DVD stand-alone player than we have previously reported. The BD-UP5000 fully supports both next-generation formats including their interactive technologies, HDi and BD-J. The player is fully capable of full HD 1080p output at 24fps (if supported by display) for both formats.

A great selling point is the inclusion of HQV video processing, which improves the quality not only of HD content, but also standard DVDs. The player has on-board decoders for Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD and is firmware upgradeable to support DTS-HD High Resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio. It sports a HDMI 1.3 output and an Ethernet port.



However, priced at $1,050, Samsung has to deal with the same fact as LG's combo players; you can buy a PlayStation 3 (PS3) console and a Toshiba HD-A2 for less. Nevertheless, the novelty of a dual player is always good, and hopefully as time progresses, if neither group backs out of the war, these players will get better and cheaper.

Source:
News.com

Written by: James Delahunty @ 7 Sep 2007 16:15

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• 8 comments

• H0bbes

  Whats really going to be a laugh is when one wins, how long it will take for the losing format to instantly become collector's items, and see the players selling for triple the price. Almost worth considering buying several of both, then selling the winning format at a small price cut and keeping the losing one for a rainy day...

  7.9.2007 16:25 #1

• Pop_Smith

  I still say neither one is going to win. I still take my stance at "Something is going to wipe them both out before the actual public (i.e. your "average joe") really notices and/or can afford the formats and TVs to properly play them on.
  
  Nice to see this be a "true" hybrid, in the fact it supports HDi and BD-J as well as the newer audio and HDMI 1.3. $1,050? Not bad considering its the real deal and from a decent manufacturer. However, I don't think I am going to buy into this format war. Even with dual-disk players you still that "unknown" factor in adopting something that could potentially be overrun (that is both Blu-Ray and HD DVD) by something in the next year or two before either gets "Real" notice.
  
  Peace

  7.9.2007 17:17 #2

• akaangus

  I wonder how many people who actually bought those DIVX (not DivX) / DVD combo players are satisfied with their purchases today!

  7.9.2007 20:57 #3

• dblbogey7

  I guess those of you who choose to wait it out have a valid viewpoint given the amount of confusion this "war" has generated.
  
  However, those of us who have taken the plunge are now enjoying what is arguably the best video and audio quality that has ever been made available for the consumer. Believe me when I say we've never had it so good. I prefer to enjoy what's available now because who knows, I could die tomorrow in a big car crash.
  
  If one or both formats "die out" then tough luck. That's just the way life is - you roll the dice and you win some and lose some. I just work my butt off so if some new format gets to "overrun" today's HDM's then I can afford to be first in line at my A/V dealer to try out the "new stuff."
  
  I'm also positive that whatever "new stuff" comes out to challenge HD and BD - it won't be cheap.

  7.9.2007 21:21 #4

• c1c

  Originally posted by akaangus: I wonder how many people who actually bought those DIVX (not DivX) / DVD combo players are satisfied with their purchases today!I dont understand this..... there is a difference between DIVX and DivX? Is this true?

  8.9.2007 10:05 #5

• akaangus

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIVX

  8.9.2007 17:08 #6

• borhan9

  even though the standalone players are cheaper i would rather get a player that does both. cheaper long term.

  11.9.2007 01:51 #7

• Steve83

  Why would anyone buy EITHER??? There's a format war, which means you can't get EVERY movie you want in either format. And you can't get the older stuff you like in either format. And why the HELL do I need something that "..improves the quality not only of HD content..."??? What's the purpose of HD if it needs improving off of an ORIGINAL SOURCE disk?!?!?! I thought that was their big selling point - SUCH an improvement over DVD! (Yeah, we all know that was just a lie so they could pump in the DRM.)
  
  So why would I spend a PENNY on this new junk? I've got what I want on DVD. It looks great - a helluvalot better than VHS, which was OK (but slow to access & degraded fast). DVD players are cheap. DVDs are cheap. Blank DVDs are cheap. DVD-V has been hacked so I can remove PUOps & unwanted BS (hollow FBI warning lies) from my backups. WHY-WHY-WHY would anyone want to start over in another format? Let the morons who created it KEEP IT.

  13.9.2007 19:45 #8