Samsung goes format neutral: Samsung BD-UP5000 hybrid HD DVD/BD Standalone

[Ruined]

http://www.stor-age.com/dongtai/xinpin/htm2007/0704041220IY.asp

Supports 720p/1080i/1080p for both formats
HDMI 1.3
Meets specs of both formats, Full HDi/BD-J support
Faroujda DCDi Processing
Release Summer 2007
~$699-$899 depending on relative pricing of BD-P1200 at release (hybrid unit will be ~$100 more)

[superklye]

Whoa.

If this thing has the PQ and features of the Toshiba HD-A2 for both formats, I'm all over it.

[evilchris]

BUT i thOUgHT bLUU r4Y QWAS WINN?

[superklye]

:rofl

I don't even know what that says but I can't stop laughing hahahaha

[Ruined]

http://www.samsung.com/PressCenter/PressRelease/PressRelease.asp?seq=20070413_0000338109

Official!


Seoul, Korea – April 13, 2007 : Samsung Electronics Co., LTD., a leader in consumer electronics and digital media technologies, and the first company to introduce a Blu-ray disc player will introduce a dual format High-Definition (HD) optical disc player in time for the holidays.

Samsung’s Duo HD player (BD-UP5000) will fully support both HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats and their interactive technologies, HDi and BD-Java. With the Duo HD consumers can enjoy additional studio content such as trailers, director’s comments, more elaborate interactive menus and behind the scene footage. The new Duo HD joins Samsung’s next generation DVD line-up which includes Samsung’s second generation Blu-ray player available at retail this month. Together, these two models offer the consumer a strong line of High-Definition players to match Samsung’s award winning, and best selling, line of HDTVs.

"We welcome Samsung's Duo HD player as another solution in the marketplace that will help reduce consumer confusion and buyer hesitancy towards HD media," said Ron Sanders, President of Warner Home Video. "This is an innovative product that can move us closer to mainstream consumer adoption of HD technologies."

“We are very pleased to announce the upcoming release of our Duo HD player. Consumers are hungry for more HD content but are currently confused about competing formats. Samsung’s Duo HD player will allow consumers access to every HD movie title available regardless of the authoring format. Samsung is committed to making life simpler through technology and will market next generation DVD products which will satisfy the consumer and market requirement. This is a big win for the consumer.

And further....
As a member of the DVD Forum and contributor to the DVD Industry, we recognize that both HD-DVD and BD formats have merits. As such, we have decided to market a dual format player. Samsung is flexible to market a stand-alone HD-DVD player whenever consumers demand it. Our main concern is not technology but consumer choice” said Dongsoo Jun, Executive Vice President of the Digital AV Division at Samsung Electronics.

(nana2)

[superklye]

I'm 100% behind Samsung again. :D

This is GREAT news! I just hope the BD portion of the new dual-format player will be compliant with the "finalized" BD specs that come out in 10/2007.

[Amuro]

Warner Brothers showed off its Total Hi Def Discs that offer the same movie, but in both Blu-ray and HD-DVD formats. So Total Hi Def or hybrid players, your call.

[superklye]

I don't want to pay a premium for a second version of the same movie in HD. The THD idea is terrible as far as I'm concerned.

[lduguay]

I'm 100% behind Samsung again. :D

This is GREAT news! I just hope the BD portion of the new dual-format player will be compliant with the "finalized" BD specs that come out in 10/2007.
Great, but If the player comes out in *summer 2007*, i wonder how it could include the new October 2007 BD specs? Later firmware upgrade perhaps?

[superklye]

It said in the second post by Ruined that it would be out by "Holiday 2007" which means later in the year to me.

[Amuro]

Well, if you perfer hybrid players, LG also has a hybrid blu-ray/HD-DVD player coming out in Fall.

[superklye]

But their last one cost more than an HD DVD player and BD player separately and it didn't support the iHD/HDi functionality, so it was a crippled HD DVD player.

I'd rather get the one from Samsung that is going to support everything and cost the same as the lowest-end stand-alone BD player...but that's just me. :)

[nekrosoft13]

But their last one cost more than an HD DVD player and BD player separately and it didn't support the iHD/HDi functionality, so it was a crippled HD DVD player.

I'd rather get the one from Samsung that is going to support everything and cost the same as the lowest-end stand-alone BD player...but that's just me. :)

LG latest player was a joke

if that samsung cost about 599 i would get it.

[Shaitan]

It IS awesome news. Love seeing that it will sport teh Faroudja chip as well. Can`t wait to demo this. I hope like another Hybred I have seen, that you can surf menus and do all that you are supposed to be able to on this Samsung unit. The other I tried would only allow you to play the vids. Bugs......

Samsung is pretty good about this kinda stuff tho.