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First Look at Samsung BD-D6500

Samsung BD-D6500 is one of many Samsung Blu ray player with built in 3D function. While 2010 models lacked 3D options in most part, 2011 models from Samsung all boast built in 3D capability with exception of few models. The BD-D6500 is a middle tier Blu ray player with middle of the road pricing.
The BD-D6500 is fairly similar to the Samsung's entry level Blu ray player, BD-D5500. The BD-D6500's feature set and performance is almost identical to the BD-D5500 player. The only real noticeable difference is the inclusion of built in WiFi on the BD-D6500 model. Otherwise, the BD-D6500 is remarkably similar Blu ray player compared to BD-D5500.

Features

Like the BD-D5500, the BD-D6500 is a Profile 2.0 player with 3D capability. It is fully compatible with the latest BD-LIVE contents. As expected, it can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS HD, and DTS on top of media formats like MP3. One of the main selling point of Samsung Blu ray players is the Smart Blu ray player platform. Smart platform gives you option to download apps as well as enjoy all of the latest streaming contents. With Smart platform, you have access to Netflix, Blockbuster, Hulu, YouTube, and Pandora. Samsung can add other streaming contents via updates. Also, you have access to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The downloadable apps are fairly simple and straightforward. You have access to news feeds as well as weather. Also, there are some simple games like solitaire and poker you can download as well.

Design

The BD-D6500 is lot more aesthetically pleasing than the boring BD-D5500. The BD-D6500 have a "tiered" design instead of the flush rectangular design found on most Blu ray players. The most of the features are located on the bottom tier of the player including the LCD and playback function. The top of the player is finished in high gloss which can be a finger print and dust magnate. However, this does add some luster to the overall design of the player. The connections are almost exact copy of the BD-D5500. It comes with 2 channel analog audio output, 1 HDMI port, 1 USB 2.0 port, Ethernet port, and optical digital audio output. While the BD-D5500 comes with 2 USB ports, the BD-D6500 comes with 1. Otherwise, the overall function and connectivity is carbon copy of BD-D5500. The included remote is a pretty standard for a Samsung remote control. It has good layout and the button size should be pretty good for most people.

Video and Performance

Samsung's Ultra Fast play feature is also present on the BD-D6500. As with BD-D5500, this feature does add some speed to the overall booting and loading of Blu ray discs. Tested with 4 different Blu ray discs, I found that the average loading time between BD-D5500 and BD-D6500 was almost identical. That is to say, the Blu ray discs loaded within 40 seconds from boot up.

The video processing showed no discernable defects. Like the cheaper BD-D5500, the BD-D6500 showed no signs of video processing defects like moiré, jagginess, and motion blur. The overall video processing was tested with 2 separate Blu ray movies. Both had no problem with the video performance as well as bonus and BD-LIVE contents. As mentioned in BD-D5500 review, you will most likely not find any video processing defects in the latest Blu ray players.

Audio

The audio playback was spot on as well. There were no audio formats that BD-D6500 failed to properly decode. The media files like MP3 and WMA all played without any hitch. However, BD-D6500 does not play nicely with SACD, AAC, OGG, or FLAC file formats. Otherwise, the audio performance was pretty spot on.

Overall

It is pretty hard to differentiate all the different Blu ray players. Each model from Samsung boast similar internals and software. The only real difference seems to be the design and inclusion of WiFi and few other features. The high end models give you option to convert 2D to 3D image. If that's not what you need, the BD-D6500 is perfectly good player with included WiFi. It might be cheaper to purchase this model instead of BD-D5500 if you need a WiFi. If you don't need WiFi, the BD-D5500 is better option because of the price.

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Unbiased Review of Samsung BD-D5500 Player

With every manufacturers pushing for 3D technology, 3D capability is almost always integrated into the newest Blu ray players. Samsung is no different. With exception of few models, all of the new Samsung Blu ray players offer the 3D technology out of the box. Of course, you will need a compatible 3D television set to really enjoy the 3D features.

Features

The BD-D5500 is entry level Blu ray player from Samsung. While it is the cheapest 3D capable Blu ray player from Samsung, the BD-D5500 offers a lot of features found on more expensive Blu ray players. In fact, only worthwhile feature missing from BD-D5500 is the inclusion of WiFi out of the box. If you want the WiFi capability, you will have to buy optional WiFi dongle. Otherwise, the performance and features are fairly similar to the more expensive models from Samsung and other manufacturers.

The BD-D5500 is a 3D Blu ray player with the latest features found Profile 2.0 players. It is fully compatible with latest BD-LIVE contents as well as 3D Blu ray discs. Like most other Blu ray players, it can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS HD, and DTS. Like the other latest Blu ray players from Samsung, it supports the Smart Blu ray player with Samsung app. With Samsung Smart platform, you can access Netflix, Blockbuster, Hulu, YouTube, and Pandora. Also, you can access social network sites like Facebook and Twitter. There are a lot more apps specifically built for Smart platform that you can explore once you set everything up. With Samsung apps, you can download various games as well as news and weather apps. You can download games like Monopoly and various poker games.

Aesthetics

The overall design of BD-D5500 is fairly straight forward. While the uneven front fact from the top makes it different from run of the mill rectangle design, it doesn't make it stand out in terms of overall design. The tray is located on the left side of the player. The LCD and simple playback function buttons are centrally located. There is a front USB port with a nice cover if you are not using it. The connectivity include simple 2 channel analog audio output, HDMI, component video, USB 2.0 port, Ethernet port, and optical digital audio output. It does not come with extra HDMI or multi-channel analog audio outputs. The included remote control is pretty nice option. While it's not comparable to more advanced remote controls, it does have nice big buttons for important functions and the buttons are in a nice layout.

Performance and Video

With the new Blu-ray players, Samsung has touted the ultra fast play feature. According to Samsung, movies will load faster than previous Blu ray player. From boot up to playing, Samsung claims the time of 30 seconds or so. In the real world testing, I found that 30 second is fairly close on most discs. However, some discs did take longer than 40 seconds. Otherwise, it is pretty nice in terms of loading speed.

The overall video processing was excellent. Pretty much all the latest Blu ray players will not have any video processing defects seen on first or second generation Blu ray players. Typical first generation video defects like moiré, jagginess, and motion blur were all absent from the video playback. All of these defects were absent from the Blu ray disc as well as DVD playback. The BD-D5500 played media files without too much problem. MKV and Divx formats all played without any problems. However, few MKV files had problem displaying subtitles for some reason. Never the less, the overall video processing was spot on.

Audio

I had no problems with audio formats as well. It handled all the audio formats flawlessly. Even the high definition audio formats had no problem decoding on the player. The lack of multi channel analog output as well as extra HDMI port might be a problem for some users. Otherwise, the audio playback was perfect.

Overall

For an entry level 3D Blu ray player, the BD-D5500 packs in a lot of features for low price. You even have option to go WiFi if you choose to purchase the optional WiFi dongle. However, stepping up to the next model might be cheaper than buying WiFi dongle if you really need WiFi. For around $100, this is one the best low priced Blu ray player on the market today.

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Detail Look: Review of Samsung BD D5700

Samsung BD-D5700 is something of anomaly in its place in Samsung’s Blu ray player line up. Wedged between the BD-D5500 and BD-D6500, it is the middle tier Blu ray player according to Samsung. However, the BD-D5700 is the only new Samsung player in 2011 to exclude 3D playback despite being more expensive than the BD-D5500. This looks like a player for those that don’t really need 3D playback capability and still want a full featured 2011 model.

Features

From low end to high end models, the Samsung Blu ray players all have similar set of features. The only differentiation between BD-D5500 and BD-D5700 is the inclusion of WiFi and exclusion of 3D playback on BD-D5700. As with the other Samsung Blu ray players, the BD-D5700 is a Profile 2.0 player fully compatible with BD-LIVE content. It can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS HD, and DTS. You will not need to purchase separate receiver for audio decoding. Like other Samsung players, it comes with Samsung Smart Blu Ray Player. The internet streaming option is very extensive on the Smart Blu ray players from Samsung. You can connect to various internet streaming contents via Samsung apps. Netflix, Blockbuster, YouTube, and Pandora are some of the few internet streaming contents you can access via BD-D5700. Also, there are news feed services as well as social media updates like Facebook and Twitter. You also have access to some simple games like Monopoly and poker. The inclusion of WiFi is the primary upgrade from the BD-D5500 model.

Design

The overall design of BD-D5700 is fairly straight forward. It doesn’t emulate BD-D6700 or BD-D7500 in terms of stylish design. However, it is not a bad looking player. The overall glossy finish to the player makes it fairly nice. However, it does attract dust more than other finishes. The big LCD and playback buttons are located nicely in the middle with the USB port on the right side. There is a cover for the USB port as well. The BD-D5700 comes with the standard 2 channel audio output as well as optical digital audio output. Samsung has smartly opted not to include legacy output such as s-video or component outputs. Most buyers have no reason to use those outputs on their HDTV. As expected, a HDMI port is included as well. As the BD-D5700 cannot play 3D contents, you do not really need the second HDMI port as you would on 3D Blu ray players. The included remote is functional at best. You would be better off getting a nice universal remote if you have more than few home theater components.

Performance and Video

The overall speed of BD-D5700 is adequate. While it is not as fast as some of the other players, it is more than adequate for most users. It is about 5-10 seconds slower than Sony or Panasonic Blu ray players in terms of loading Blu ray discs from power up. The video processing was flawless on Blu ray and DVD playbacks. The usual moiré, motion blur, and jaggieness were all missing from the Blu ray and DVD playback. The spot checks revealed no defects on DVD playback as well as Blu ray discs. The Samsung player has always been great at decoding various video formats including MKV and Divx formats. The BD-D5700 was no exception. It played MKV file without any problems.

Audio

All the audio formats properly decoded. The high definition audio format and standard formats had no problems with onboard decoding. The lack of multi channel audio output was the only down side if you needed them in the first place. The lack of second HDMI was no problem was this player cannot play any 3D discs.

Final Thoughts

As stated earlier, the player sits between the low end and high end player. The exclusion of 3D capability might be aimed at consumers who have no desire to have a 3D television set. As the 3D technology is relatively new, Samsung has opted to give consumers option to purchase a player without a 3D capability. However, the price point should be lower than the entry level player with the 3D capability even with the inclusion of the WiFi. Other than that, the BD-D5700 is another solid effort from Samsung.

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New Samsung Review: BD D6700 Blu Ray Player

Samsung BD-D6700 set itself apart from other 2011 Blu ray players with its stylish design and extra HDMI output port. With most Blu ray players performing on even level, manufacturers are trying very hard to differentiate their player from other Blu ray players. Along with other manufacturers, Samsung has loaded up on the additional features as well as a very stylish design. As with most other 2011 players, the main feature/upgrade from previous year is the ability to play 3D contents as well as the traditional 2D discs.

Features

The BD-D6700 does not skimp on any features. It is a BD-LIVE compatible player fully compliant with Profile 2.0 specification. As with other Samsung Blu ray players, it can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS HD, and DTS. You will not need separate receiver for audio decoding. The extensive internet app seen on other Samsung players are present in the BD-D6700. With Samsung Apps, you can customize which contents you want to access via internet. Samsung Apps cover news from ESPN and various other news feeds. Also, you have access to Hulu, YouTube, Vudu, and Netflix for movies and television series. As with other Samsung players, you can play simple games like Monopoly and poker. There are various other apps you can download and customize. The inclusion of built in WiFi was nice upgrade from the earlier models. Samsung periodically adds and update the list of apps. The BD-D6700 comes with built in WiFi for easy access to the internet if you have wireless network.

Design

The overall design and finish is very atypical. Instead of standard black finish, the BD-D6700 comes with silver finish to go along with its stylish design. Instead of loading tray, the BD-D6700 comes with slot loading mechanism. The LCD is located beneath the slot loader with touch sensitive buttons located on the right side of the LCD. You also get a front USB port with its own door to keep the slick appearance. The back of the player houses the dual HDMI port along with component video out. On the audio side, it comes with regular audio out as well as optical and digital audio output.

Performance and Video

As most Blu ray players handle video processing without any hitch, it is becoming very difficult to see any video processing errors in today’s Blu ray player. The main focus is on the loading speed as well as few other features like video processing. The BD-D6700 is quite fast compared to older generation players when it comes to load time. However, it is little slower than few other competitors. If 5 to 10 seconds is to long of wait for Blu ray disc, you might want to consider other brands that support faster load times. Other than below average load time, the BD-D6700 is a flawless player when it comes to video processing. I’ve spot tested 2 different Blu ray movies with no apparent processing defects like moiré, jaggieness or motion blurs. There were no issues with colors or any other video processing when tested against different player on same television. The ability to decode almost any formats was another big plus. Some players have hard time decoding MKV formats as well as different divx formats. However, the BD-D6700 handled them without any difficulties or needing a fix on my personal computer. The overall DVD upscaling was spot on without losing too much video quality.

Audio

All the audio formats properly decoded. The high definition audio format had no problem with onboard decoding. The lack of multi channel audio output shouldn’t be problem for the targeted consumer. The inclusion of 2 HDMI is designed specifically for the people with an A/V receiver. Samsung knew their target audience and designed this player with them in mind.

Final Thoughts

The inclusion of 2 HDMI should be a big bonus for the people who cannot pass HDMI 1.4 signals through their receivers. You can output the video via one HDMI and the audio to receiver via another HDMI port. As of this review, the BD-D6700 is still one of the more expensive main stream Blu ray player on the market. Most other players can be had for significantly less than the BD-D6700. For around $150.00, you can buy another Samsung player with same features minus the extra HDMI port. However, if you want a slick looking player with extra HDMI port, this might be the right player for you.

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Blu Ray Player Review: Samsung BD C7900

Samsung’s BD-C7900 is the high end 3D Blu ray player. Out of the four 3D Blu ray player models offered, the BD-C7900 demands the premium price over the other models. Built on same foundation, the BD-C7900 provides similar performances across the board. It is not surprising that the BD-C7900 mirrors the BD-C6800 in performance and feature sets.

Features

The BD-C7900 is fully compliant with the Profile 2.0 specification. It is compatible with BD-LIVE contents as well as Bonus View features on the Blu ray discs. The BD-C7900 can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS, and DTS HD audio formats. Like the previous models, Samsung App delivers variety of internet streaming contents you via Samsung App store. For movies and television shows, you can access Vudu, Netflix, and Hulu plus. Hulu plus lets you stream some of the shows from ABC, Fox, and NBC. Also, Pandora and YouTube are available for video and music streams. You can also download many games like Monopoly or Texas Hold-em poker from the app store. You can get your weather and news feed from the USA Today and AccuWeather. There are many more apps you can download and customize for your needs. With the included WiFi functionality, connecting to the internet should be breeze if you have wireless networking available.

Design

The BD-C7900 has the same overall design as the BD-C6900. The dimensions are slightly bigger to accommodate the extra HDMI output. The LCD is located in the middle of the player with the disc tray on the left side. The top side of the left has the see through feature that displays the disc. The top right side includes all the playback functions available should you lose the remote. The back of the player houses all the connectivity. It includes 2chhanel audio output, component video, optical and digital audio outputs, USB 2, and 2 HDMI outputs. The extra HDMI output is there to accommodate the older receivers not capable of passing HDMI 1.4 signals. The 3D contents require HDMI 1.4 specification. Most of the older receivers cannot accommodate the HDMI 1.4 specification. You can essentially output the video directly to the television while outputting the audio via the extra HDMI port to the receiver. This solves a lot the headache faced by the people with older receivers. The included remote is adequate at best. The button outplays were pretty good and most buttons were placed in the logical spots.

Performance

The BD-C7900 has similar performance as the other 3D Blu ray player models from Samsung. The overall loading time is fantastic. The BD-C7900 takes less than 15 seconds to boot up and load a Blu ray disc. Like the other Samsung players, there is nothing to complain about the picture quality. Tested with two Blu ray movies, the BD-C7900 showed no video processing defects. The movie did not display any moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur defects. The DVD upscaling was spot on as well. While it is nowhere near as good as the Blu ray contents, it was definitely step up from the regular DVD player.

Audio

There was nothing noticeable with audio decoding. All of the audio formats decoded properly. The high definition audio formats had no problem being decoded natively. The output of audio source via one HMDI and video via another worked flawlessly. The inclusion of extra HDMI does deprive it of an analog multichannel output. But, that is to be expected. If you need the 7.1 channel output, go with the BD-C6900. The BD-C6900 is an identical player except the 7.1 channel output instead of extra HDMI port.

Final Thoughts

Samsung has another outstanding player on its hand. I’m especially impressed by the inclusion of extra HDMI port for the people who might have older receivers. This solves the big problem faced by the people who have the HDMI 1.3 receiver. The 3D contents cannot be carried via the HDMI 1.3 specification. The inclusion of internal memory as well as the built in WiFi was excellent inclusion. Overall, this is a highly recommended top of the line Blu ray player.

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Unbiased Review of Samsung BD C7500

Apparently, there was some success with the Samsung BD-P4600 in 2009. The uniquely designed Blu ray player offered all the necessary features while making the Blu ray player wall mountable. The overall design of BD-C7500 is nothing like any other players. Samsung is the only major manufacturer to offer up a Blu ray player capable of being mounted on the wall. This should appeal to consumers who want a clutter less home theater system.

Features

The set of features are fairly similar to the Samsung’s own BD-C6500. The BD-C7500 is a Profile 2.0 player capable of playing all the Profile 2.0 contents. The player is capable of natively decoding Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS, and DTS HD formats. The BD-C7500 comes loaded with Samsung app. You can choose from wide array of different apps to run on the BD-C7500. You have access to internet streaming services from Netflix, Vudu, and Hulu Plus. Also, you can download simple games like Monopoly and Texas Hold’em poker. For news and weather, you can access USA Today or AccuWeather apps. There are other apps you can download from Samsung’s own Samsung App Store. The BD-C7500 is WiFi ready out of the box. It comes with the WiFi adapter required for the wireless access. Unlike some of the newer Samsung Blu ray players, the BD-C7500 does not come with DLNA compliance. Instead, it uses the older feature called AllShare to access various media files from other devices.

Design

The overall dimension from the BD-P4600 is carried over to the BD-C7500. The smaller and more compact design is obviously there to accommodate the wall mounting functionality. While the dimension is similar to BD-P4600, the overall presentation of BD-C7500 is different. Instead of round edges, the BDC7500 supports sharp rectangular shape. Also, gone are Touch of Color scheme. Instead, the player is finish in wood pattern finish. This gives it a more organic look than the glossy finish on most other players. As expected, the smaller form factor precludes any multi channel analog outputs. Instead, the BD-C7500 will come with 2 channel audio output as well as optical and digital audio outputs. It also comes with mandatory HDMI and 1 USB 2.0 port.

Performance

The overall performance of BD-C7500 is remarkably similar to the BD-C6500. The load time is less than 15 seconds for most Blu ray discs. This is big step up from the older generation Blu ray players that took forever to load. The BD-C7500 took less than 40 seconds from power up to disc load. Tested with three different Blu ray movies, the BD-C7500 showed no defects. It showed no moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur in any scenes. The bonus contents including Profile 2.0 contents played without any problems. The upscaling of DVD discs showed some signs of degradation as expected. While not as great as some of the top upscaling players, the overall image looked great on the big screen. Overall, the video processing was top notch compared to older generation players.

Audio

The BD-C7500 decoded all the audio formats without any problems. Even the high definition audio formats decoded natively without any problems. The MP3 and AVCHD also had pretty good playback. You shouldn’t have any problem with Blu ray movies that contain high definition audio formats.

Overall

The BD-C7500 is really a niche Blu ray player. Most consumers will not require a player that needs to be mounted on the wall. However, those that want to have stream lined home theater setup, this is just the player. In fact, it is the only player that is specifically designed to be mounted on the wall. The inclusion of WiFi adapter really adds to the overall value as you don’t want too many wires going in and out of the wall mounted player. As of this review, the player can be had for around $200.00. If you need a mountable player, this player should provide a perfect solution.

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Blu Ray Player Review: Samsung BD C6800

Like their mainstream Blu ray player models, Samsung introduced more than one 3D Blu ray player models. The BD-C6800 is similar to the BD-6500 in terms of features. The overall performance and features mirror the BD-C6500 except for BD-C6800’s ability to play 3D contents when connected to the 3D television set. Like other 3D Blu ray players, you will need HDMI 1.4 compliant cable and receiver with HDMI 1.4 compliant input if you use the receiver as the central unit in your home theater system.

Features

Like most other new Blu ray players, the BD-C6800 is a BD-LIVE compatible player. It is fully compliant with Profile 2.0 settings. The BD-C6800 can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS, and DTS HD audio formats. The BD-C6800 covers all the high definition audio formats available today. The Samsung app covers all the internet streaming contents you need. You have access to Vudu, Netflix for movies. For television shows, you have access to Hulu plus. The Hulu plus lets you stream your favorite television shows from ABC, Fox, and NBC. You also have access to Pandora and YouTube for rest of the internet streaming needs. The Samsung app also includes some basic gaming. You can play simple games like Monopoly and texas holdem poker. You also have nice news service feed from AccuWeather and USA Today. There are various other apps you can download and customize. The inclusion of built in WiFi was nice upgrade from the earlier models.

Design

The BD-C6800 follows exact same form factor as the BD-C6500. At only 39mm, the BD-C6800 is thinner than most other Blu ray players. The dimension and finish are identical to the BD-C6500. The overall glossy finish adds to the overall appearance of the player. The LCD is located in the middle of the player with the playback functions located on the right side of the player. The back of the player houses all the input and output ports. It includes Ethernet, HDMI, and USB port. It also includes all the standard definition AV ports such as Digital and optical audio out. Unlike the BD-C5900, BD-C6800 comes with analog 7.1 channel output. The included remote control is very functional unit. The buttons are well placed and are easy to operate.

Performance and Video

The BD-C6800 takes less than 15 seconds to boot up and load Blu ray disc movie. This is great improvement from previous players that took upwards of 1 minute. Most other new players will have very quick load time compared to older players. The overall picture quality is what would expect from Samsung Blu ray players. The picture quality is exceptional. Tested with two Blu ray movie discs, the BD-C6800 showed no defects during the playback. The movies showed no moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur defects. The DVD upscaling was comparable to other players. While it showed some image distortion from upscaling, it looked nice on the large screen television. Some of the aspect ratio problem present on earlier Samsung Blu ray player was not present in this player.

Audio

All the audio formats properly decoded. The high definition audio format had no problem with onboard decoding. The included 7.1 channel analog output was nice addition from the BD-C5900. The quality of audio mostly depends on the audio equipment and not the actual decoder from the Blu ray player.

Final Thoughts

The overall price and performance of BD-C6800 is excellent. The Samsung app is very nice addition to the player and it provides excellent choice of internet streaming contents. The simple games were nice bonus along with the built in WiFi function. As with other 3D capable Blu ray players, you will have to have HDMI 1.4 compliant cable and receiver if you run your Blu ray player through the receiver. Other than that, the BD-C6800 is a very competent player at a nice price point.

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Review: Samsung BD C5900 Blu Ray Player

Samsung was one of the first manufacturers to jump on the 3D technology bandwagon along with Sony. Samsung introduced their mainstream Blu ray players at the 2010 CES. They offered up BD-C5500, BD-C6500, BD-C6900, and BD-C7500. The 3D capable Blu ray players were conspicuously missing from the line up. Samsung rectified that quickly by releasing array of 3D capable Blu ray players along with their high end 3D television sets. The Samsung BD-C5900 represents the entry level model for their 3D line up. While the BD-C5900 does deliver great picture quality, there are some issues that might cause some problems.

Features

The features on BD-C5900 are remarkably similar to Samsung’s BD-C5500. Only feature that differentiate BD-C5900 from BD-C5500 is its ability to play 3D contents. Like BC-C5500, the BD-C5900 is a Profile 2.0 player with all the audio decoding capabilities. It is able to natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS, and DTS HD. While you can connect BD-C5900 via WiFi, you will have to purchase separate WiFi adapter. The BD-C5900 comes with full complement of internet streaming contents. Samsung apps include Blockbuster, YouTube, and Netflix for internet video contents. It also includes some games like Monopoly. Facebook, Twitter, and Pandora are part of social networking applications included in Samsung apps. There are various news services that can stream weather and sports. Like BD-C5500, the BD-C5900 is able to play H.264, AVCHD, Divx HD, MKV, MP4, and WMV9 files.

Design

The overall dimension of BD-C5900 is identical to the BD-C5500. The thickness of the player measures in at 39mm. The LCD is located in the middle of the player with playback functions located on the right side. Instead of having 2 USB ports, the BD-C5900 only included 1 USB port. This shouldn’t be a big deal for most users. Samsung did encase the player in high glossy finish compared to flat black for the BD-C5500. This does add some aesthetic beauty to the player. The input and output option stays the same for the BD-C5900. It includes USB, Optical digital output, Ethernet, and HDMI port. Like BD-C5500, it lacks the multichannel analog output. You will need receiver with HDMI interface for multichannel outputs. The included remote is adequate for every day usage and shouldn’t bother most people.

Performance

The overall performance of the BD-C5900 is pretty impressive. The Blu ray and DVD disc loaded extremely fast. The power up to loading was fairly fast just like the BD-C5500. In less than 10 seconds, you can power up and start watching a Blu ray movie. The playback performance was on par with BD-C5500. Like the BD-C5500, I found no defects during the Blu ray disc playback as well as DVD playback. There was no blurring, moiré, or jaggieness present in earlier players. Tested with 2 different Blu ray movies, the picture quality was virtually flawless. Also, the DVD upscaling was spot on. While not as great as the top of the line upscaling players, it was fairly good on the large screen television. Even with great upscaling, you will notice some image distortions of upscaling 480p to the high definition resolution.

Audio

The sound quality was good as expected. The quality of your home theater equipment will have more impact on the overall sound quality. The audio processing capability was as advertised. BD-C5900 handled all the audio formats including the high definition audio formats. The overall audio playback was on par with other competitors.

Overall

There’s really no problem as far as video or audio processing. There were only few minor complaints about the features included on the BD-C5900. The DLNA was particularly difficult to get it working. Even after the firmware updates, I could not get the DLNA features to work 100% of the time. Also, some of the Samsung apps fail to load properly on several occasions. While most worked as advertised, some simply failed to connect and display properly. The 3D contents require you to have the HDMI 1.4 compliant cable and input if you have receiver. This is particularly troubling if you run your home theater through a receiver. If you have older receiver, you might not be able to rout your 3D contents through the receiver. Other than these minor problems, I found the player to be very competent in handling all the Blu ray movie contents.

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A Review of Portable Blu Ray Player: Samsung BD-C8000

The Samsung BD-C8000 is Samsung’s attempt at the portable Blu ray player market. While portable DVD market was fairly large, portable Blu ray player market has yet to establish itself. Every other minivan with little kid had a portable DVD player. Samsung and few other manufacturers are banking on Blu ray format taking off and hoping to grab the portable DVD market.

Features

The BD-C8000 is a Profile 2.0 player full compatible with BD-LIVE and other Profile 2.0 contents. The player can natively decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD, DTS, and DTS HD audio formats. Like other new Samsung Blu ray players, the BD-C8000 comes with the Samsung App for internet streaming contents. You can stream movies from Netflix and Vudu. For television series, you can download Hulu Plus app and watch television shows from ABC, Fox, and NBC. You also have access to Pandora and YouTube as well as USA Today and AccuWeather feeds for news and weather. There are various other apps like gaming and other news feeds. You can pick and choose which apps you want to load on the player. The BD-C8000 comes with built in WiFi function.

Design

The BD-C8000’s dimension is smaller than other Blu ray players for obvious reasons. Measuring in at 10.91" x 7.6" x 1.41", the player is quite a bit smaller than conventional Blu ray players. On the other hand, it weighs in at 3.7 lbs. The heavy weight is due to the screen and the internal battery. As expected, there are only few connectivity available on the BD-C8000. It comes with 2 channel audio output, optical and digital audio output, USB, and HDMI port.

Performance

The 10.1 inch screen is very nice to look at. Overall resolution of 1024x600 is adequate for portable viewing. The overall resolution does not meet the 1080p requirement. You will miss out on the full potential of the Blu ray movies in most cases. Rated at three hours, you will barely have enough time to watch a Blu ray movie before you need to recharge the unit or use the AC power cord. While rated at 3 hours, I found the overall average to be around 2.5 hours in most cases. The overall playback did offer very solid experience. Like other Samsung players, the load time was lightening fast and the playback offered no video processing defects. Using a Blu ray movie, the BD-C8000 displayed no moiré, jaggieness, or motion blurs. The DVD upscaling was spot on as well. While it did have the usual upscaling effects, the DVD upscaling was nice on the portable screen as well as large HDTV screens. If you have a 3D television, the BD-C8000 is capable of displaying 3D image. You will need HDMI 1.4 compliant cable to use this feature.

Audio

The audio decoding had no problems. All the listed audio formats decoded without any hitch. However, the built in speakers were less than impressive. It sounded weak and hollow at times. You will want to invest in a decent headset or ear buds for better audio performance. The audio output had no problem when played through receiver.

Overall

While the 10.1 inch screen is nice addition over most other portable DVD players, I cannot really recommend any portable Blu ray player at this moment. You will never fully realize the potential of Blu ray movies in resolution or in sound in portable format. While it is nice to be able to connect the player to your home theater, it is not practical for most people. Also, the built in speakers are not that great and you will end up investing in a good headset to compensate for it. Overall, stick with portable DVD players if you want a portable player.

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Samsung BD C6500 Review

One of the four Blu ray players to be announced at 2010 CES, the Samsung BD C6500 got lost in the hoopla surrounding the ultra slim BD C7500 and BD C6900. Along with entry level model, BD C5500, the BD C6500 represents the mainstream Blu ray player for the Samsung Corporation. Samsung’s previous generation players had no major flaws or weakness. Instead of resting on their laurels, Samsung adds more performance increases as well as extra features not found on previous players.

Features

The Samsung BD C6500 is a BD-LIVE compatible player. Both Profile 1.1 and Profile 2.0 features can be accessed without any problems. All the audio formats can be decoded natively without the help of a receiver. High definition audio formats DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD are both decoded natively via the onboard decoder. All the internet streaming contents can be accessed via Internet@TV feature on the player. The Internet@TV includes Blockbuster, Netflix, Pandora, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, and many other internet contents. With Internet@TV, you can use different widgets to access and customize the internet contents you want. While BD C5500 was merely Wi-Fi ready, the BD C6500 comes with built in wireless capability. With Allshare feature, you can stream media files from your PC to the television set via BD C6500. Samsung is also touting the fast boot and disc load time of 15 seconds. While the boot time isn’t all that important, the advertised load time of 15 seconds is pretty impressive.

Design

The BD C6500 is smaller and lighter than the previous versions. At 39mm, it is very slim and nice looking player. The dimension and the overall finish are identical to the BD C5500. The LCD is located in the middle with playback functions located on the right side. Samsung included 2 USB ports with one on the front of the player. There is a small cover that conceals the USB port. The back of the player includes the Ethernet, HDMI, and USB port. The standard definition AV ports are present. This includes component out as well as Digital and optical audio out. Unlike BD-C5500, the BD-C6500 comes with analog 7.1 channel audio output. The included remote is a very adequate unit. Buttons are well placed and are designed to be easily operable by anyone. The touch sensitive buttons are nice addition.

Performance and Video

The stated booting and loading time of 15 seconds were fairly accurate. Generally, from power on to viewing the disc took somewhere between 25 -40 seconds on average. This is fairly fast compared to some players that take minute or more from power on to start of the movie. The picture quality was exceptional as well. Playback of Blu ray discs showed no moiré, jaggieness, or motion blur. The overall video processing showed no signs of other defects. Tested with The Dark Knight and Iron Man Blu ray discs, the overall video processing did not suffer in anyway. However, the DVD upscaling was different story. One of the DVD showed odd aspect ratio as well as some small upscaling problems. This problem was not present in all DVDs. It could have been an isolated result. Never the less, the overall upscaling quality was not up to par with some of the more expensive players.

Audio

The audio decoding worked as advertised. All the audio formats including the high definition formats worked flawlessly. The BD C6500 handled all the known formats without any problem. The player decoded MP3 format as well AVCHD flawlessly. The 7.1 channel analog output is nice addition from the BD C5500.

Overall Opinion

There are relatively few complaints about this player. The Samsung’s Allshare feature is not so easy to set up. Normal users might have some problem setting up the media sharing features. Samsung seems to have problem with setting up the PC to work with the player. While it can be done without too much problem, some might find it hard to set up properly. One of the more serious problems was the DVD playback. One of the disc displayed incorrect aspect ratio as well as some major quality degradation during the playback. While other DVDs showed no problems, the upscaling quality is not one of its strong points. Overall, it is fairly good player with built in Wi-Fi capability for around $200.

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