Samsung announce combo BD/HD DVD Player

[Grandmaster]

Press release here. (http://www.samsung.com/PressCenter/PressRelease/PressRelease.asp?seq=20070413_0000338109)

Excellent news in my opinion, and it's inevitable that the format 'war' will be resolved by hardware adopting both standards. Neither HD DVD nor the BD group look set to land the killer blow, and moves like this make the adoption of HD as a mainstream technology far more likely.

No consumer confusion, one box to play all HD optical media, with all the advantages of both HD DVD and Blu-ray available to the content creators.

Kudos to Samsung, a high profile member of the BDA, for putting politics aside and working in the interests of the consumer in supporting both formats.

[UKBoy]

Isnt this the player that was already shown at some of the high profile trade shows and was found to be "a bit rubbish" ?.

Still, I suppose just like the first gen of most hardware, theres always room for improvements/enhancements and although I have no major issues using the 360 add on or the ps3 for hi def goodness, a standalone player obviously appeals ........

[Spooky_uk]

and moves like this make the adoption of HD as a mainstream technology far more likely.

never going to happen now - the damage has already been done.

[LouBarlow]

Isnt this the player that was already shown at some of the high profile trade shows and was found to be "a bit rubbish" ?.


Wasn't that a Pioneer player?

[onthefly]

There was a full page write up in HiFi News on a dual format player. They were not kind to it. I don't remember if it was the Samsung model.

[chrisjm]

does this confirm to the new blu ray standards? if so it will be very tempting!

[Julesy]

There was a full page write up in HiFi News on a dual format player. They were not kind to it. I don't remember if it was the Samsung model.

It wasn't this LG combo player was it?

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/first-review-lg-bh100-hybrid-blurayhddvd-player-verdict-format-war-still-blazing-231149.php

[LouBarlow]

Yeah that was it LG...it stunk the place out apparently.

[Grandmaster]

The LG player had no support for HD DVD's iHD scripting language. This one does. It is the first truly multiformat player. Whether it supports the latter BD profile is unconfirmed, though I'm assuming it will. HD DVD mandates both a network socket and dual video decoders and there is no reason that they can't be used for both BD Java and iHD.

The LG player has been available at retail for months by the way, it is not news.

[onthefly]

It wasn't this LG combo player was it?

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/first-review-lg-bh100-hybrid-blurayhddvd-player-verdict-format-war-still-blazing-231149.php

HiFi News March 2007

It was an LG Super Multi Blue Player. They spotted it at CES 2007. I believe it favoured BD & could not play CD's.:thumbs:

[scoobyood]

Cool news. Hopefully they will push forward with these.
It seems Blu-Ray are losing exclusives left and right now :P

[dazzM]

This is a very good idea. Im sold on blu ray, but a choice to swap format is a nice touch. And it would save a HDMI input on my lcd.

[SimonI]

never going to happen now - the damage has already been done. Why? No matter what format - if any - wins, HD is coming. But for my 2p, this is a great development; let's hope the player is good and it begats a run of multiformat players.

[jeffstarr]

Whether it supports the latter BD profile is unconfirmed, though I'm assuming it will. HD DVD mandates both a network socket and dual video decoders and there is no reason that they can't be used for both BD Java and iHD.


The only thing that puts doubt in my mind on this is that HD DVD's secondary video processor is SD only I believe, whereas Blu-ray mandates that both have to be able to do HD - it could well be that the chips are ready yet for that.

I remember it being one of those points where Blu-ray should do it better, but at present doesn't do it at all :lol:

[Spooky_uk]

Why? No matter what format - if any - wins, HD is coming. But for my 2p, this is a great development; let's hope the player is good and it begats a run of multiformat players.

read my post carefully (including the quote) :oh-hum: it's not rocket science.

[SimonI]

read my post carefully (including the quote) :oh-hum: it's not rocket science.

and moves like this make the adoption of HD as a mainstream technology far more likely.

never going to happen now - the damage has already been done.

So are you saying that HD is dead? What's going to happen to Sky HD and all those HD ready sets they're selling in Currys?

Read it yourself... ;)

[Celtic]

price anyone ?

Because if it is circa £700 - 1000 then an xbox360 and a PS3 would retail at a similar cost... but they would give you the benefit of an HD games console ...so cost is going to play a major factor in any decision I make....