Samsung BD-P1500 review
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted Jun 4th 2008 9:25AM
posted Jun 4th 2008 9:25AM
The Good
- Dolby Digital Plus and TrueHD decoding.
- Dolby Digital Plus and TrueHD encoding to DTS via S/PDIF works great for those without HDMI audio.
- Player bitstreams all codecs.
- Passed both the video resolution and film resolution loss test on the HQV test disc. (Player set to 1080p60)
- Same great menus and scrub bar as the BD-UP5000.
- Resume works on some discs.
- At 6 seconds, it has the fastest eject from off of any player we've tested.
- Component and HDMI will both output at the same time, unless resolution is set to to 1080p24. If it is set to 1080p60, then component runs at 1080i60.
- Bonus View works as advertised.
- Best looking Samsung Blu-ray player yet.
- Perfect picture and audio quality -- including 24p.
The Bad
- We wish it had a native resolution setting like Pioneer & Sony's Source Direct feature.
- Only way to change the resolution is to stop the disc.
- Only way to make the scrub bar show up is to hit pause.
- Still don't like the non-backlit remote.
- Load times aren't stellar; 34 seconds to load a disc, 47 seconds if the player is off.
- No coax digital output.
- No discrete analog out -- first Samsung BD player without them.
- No DTS-HD MA support until firmware update.
- No BD Live until firmware update.
- Resume doesn't work on some discs (BD-J limitation).
Conclusion
There's a lot to like about this player, but it's hard to believe that after 2 years and 5 players, Samsung still doesn't have a "full featured player." Sure BD Live isn't for everyone -- and in fact, many don't even have internet connectivity behind their HDTV -- but with BD Live and DTS-HD MA currently missing from this one, the only thing really left to like over the previous model is the price. And since the PS3 sells for the same -- unless you find the BD-P1500 on sale -- we wonder who'd prefer the BD-P1500 over Sony's multifaceted console. The good news is we don't have anything exceptionally bad to say about the BD-P1500; in fact, it works as advertised in every way. So if you're in the market for a standalone player, and don't care can wait for BD Live and DTS-HD MA decoding, this is currently the player to beat.
This is bad ass looking player. Its a gem!
Let me see:
* It's cheaper
* It's quiter (no fan)
* It bitstream all audio codecs
* It re-encodes to DTS so you can use with your old receiver
* It works with universal remotes
I wonder why anyone bother with a PS3.
I'll give you the DTS encoding for the old receivers (PS3 does Dolby Digital), but as far as I can tell, this player is the same price as the PS3 40gb (and you can get the PS3 40gb for $299 if you try hard enough...). Also, my PS3's fans never come on during a Blu-Ray movie, my PS3 works with my universal remote thanks to a $9.99 IR remote and receiver (admittedly, no power button or slow-mo), and uncompressed PCM letting the PS3 do the codec decompression should be every bit as good as bitstreaming the compressed codecs to the receiver. I am not saying this is not a nice player, but I would still buy the PS3 instead of the standalone player since it has the additional gaming functionality, potential media center features, and it has been upgradable to new Blu-Ray profiles pretty regularly vs. the spotty standalone profile support. Now, when the standalone players are $150 vs. a $299 PS3, then I can see buying a standalone player if one doesn't need the additional features.
@Jose,
Correct me if I'm wrong, I learnt that PS3 can't re-encode LPCM tracks to output on SPDIF connections. And if you ever used Harmony remote, you will know why those $10 IR adapter is useless.
The price on this player will go further down, probably faster than PS3 could.
P.S. If you can still find a Samsung BD-UP5000 for cheap, grab it over this one. With latest firmware update, BD-UP5000 is almost perfect and offers better picture quality than 1500, especially on upscale SD DVDs thanks to its Reon chip.
What he said... +1^^
Glad I hung onto mine! :¬) Seems like the 5000 is now one of the best Blu-ray players period, unless Profile 2.0 is your thing. And of course, HD-DVD playback is a great feature if you've got a library of them.
Is it just me, or is the 1500 a bit ugly from the front?
Wow there's a lot of space inside that box.
That's the bueaty of SoC chipset. Less components to break down. Cheaper to manufacture. I'd bet all new generations of BD players will be similar.
plus... when the power button is on like in the picture above, it kind of looks like an Apple... errr... apple.
couldn't resist.
"Dolby Digital Plus and TrueHD encoding to DTS via S/PDIF works great for those without HDMI audio."
Can someone link to me to more information on this feature?
Justin,
S/PDIF can't carry TrueHD or DTS-HD.
DTS-HD includes a "core" that is DTS, so if you are using S/PDIF you will get the DTS core.
But if the movie is DD Plus or TrueHD, then you'd normally be out of luck (which is why discs are supposed to include a DD legacy sound track).
On the BD-P1500 -- like many HD DVD players before it -- it will internally decode the DD+ or TrueHD and re-encode as DTS and send it out via S/PDIF.
i think i was aware of the limitations to HD audio formats over spdif. i did not know that only some players re-encode to DTS. so a movie set to a Dolby format (DD+, TrueHD) will be decoded and re-encoded inside the player, output via spdif and the reciever will identify it as a legacy DTS 5.1 format? for some reason i find that very humorous!!
Does this only happen on discs that do not contain a DD legacy track?
Yes you got it.
No, it is a setting in the player, if you choose bitstream (audiophile) it will pass the legacy DD track. Every Blu-ray disc that includes TrueHD or DD+ is required to have a legacy DD track, but it is usually hidden from the user.
I think it's implied in the list, but the BD-J limitation on disc resume would be for all blu-ray players, including the PS3.
Great review Ben !
Like Foxb said, I think I'd go with the 5000 since it will play my HD DVDs, has analog outs and, apparently, has most of the bugs ironed out.
So who is going to be the brave one and crack open the 1500, and replace the BD drive with a BD/HDDVD drive? The SoC is the BCM7440 which is the same SoC as the 5000. In fact, the first pressings of the board have BD1500/UP5500 on the silicon.
Then try to load the 5000 firmware!! :)
Some 5000 owners are saying the the HDMI identification is a 1500.
Looks like the drive is connected via a serial ATA cable so who knows, maybe it's possible.
But it will still miss Reon chip for de-interlacing and scaling. I doubt it will work.
Besides, when add the cost of 1500 plug the cost of a combo drive, it will be way over the cost of 5000.
I know. I just think it would be fun to see what would happen.
of course, there is a risk that you are spending $800+ to brick a player!!!!
:)
Who cares (aside from a few who already have a player) about HD DVD now?
Just to specify, the pricing indicated is wrong :)
The 1500 is indeed $399 at BB, but Walmart has it at $349, and even gives you a $100 gift card between June 8th and June 14th on top of that, making it essentially a $249 player.
Awesome deal for people wanting to get into BR...
Well, Thanks for your review.
Your review is much helpful to understand it.
Actually, most of blueray players is still needed of customizing in many things for consumers.
It's also some good features but it should be upgraded functions including firmware.
does walmart even sell the samsung bd1500? i dont even see it on their website.
new firmware is OUT!
oh yeah..
old firmware = 080418.02
new firmware = 080621.02 (TODAYs update)
http://home.rochester.rr.com/ducksauce/blu-ray/IMG00101.jpg