You know how I’ve been waiting for the arrival of a combo HD DVD/Blu-ray player to put an end to this never-ending format war?
(Yes, I know there’s one out there now, but I’m talking about a unit that’s actually capable of exploiting both formats to their fullest; LG’s current model can’t access the interactive features on HD DVD discs, can’t process the higher-end audio options and can’t output 1080p at 24fps, so it’s hardly the solution it claims to be.)
I’ve had my eye on Samsung’s BD-UP5000 for a while now. And, as HD Guru reports after spending some alone time with it last week, it’s looking pretty appealing: It only takes 35 seconds to boot up, and it can spin up a disc in less than 20 seconds! Awesome!
The price point is a bit disappointing — Samsung’s asking $1000 list, whereas their current BD-only player is going for around $500. You’d think they’d introduce the combo player at a more competitive price point, thus guaranteeing it huge sales right off the bat, and securing its place in song and legend as The Player That Ended The War.
Maybe that’s their Christmas strategy.
You realize, of course, that you could buy superior players for both formats that combined would be less expensive than the Combi unit likely to be plagued by compatibility problems.
Did you notice the agressive move in lowering HD-DVD player prices? FutureShop’s has them now at $300 – almost a 50% price drop. I wonder what Sony, et al’s reaction will be. If this keeps up, I might be able to afford one of ’em – question still remains ‘Which?’.
Blu-ray all the way, baby. Be a rock star.