Ok people,

I have read and read and read to the point of confusing myself. I knew what I wanted before I started reading and now I have no clue!

I have a Sony STR-DG810 AVR. I want to connect the BD-UP5000 to the AVR through HDMI.

I have read that the Samsung unit will only decode 2 channel TrueHD currently with the existing firmware version. This is "onboard" decoding. I couldn't care less about onboard decoding as my AVR will handle that.

Simple question....will the Samsung output the lossless audio signal through HDMI to the AVR in all its glory and let the AVR handle the decoding?

If yes, I'm buying one today.

If no, I'm waiting for CES announcements on a player that will.

No.

Thanks!

Well, in my mind it's decided then. This player, in its current form, is junk! I will not buy a player that has as many audio deficiencies as this one does.

I was ready to fork over $800 for this puppy if the answer to my question was yes. But, I find it stupid to pay $800 now for it with Samsung's promise of updates. By the time the updates become available, if they even do, the thing may be retailing for $600 or less!!

If you want to bitstream advanced codecs the Toshiba A35 and Panny BD30 are your most reasonable choices. I'm still holding on to my 5000. I'll give them a month to annouce firmware, if nothing is annouced I'll return it.

I have had zero video issues and can live with DD and DTS for now.

Right now, I have a cheap Toshiba HD-A3 player with two wires connected to it - a power cord and HDMI cable. It decodes internally and sends LPCM to my reciever just fine. I have the option of a player decoding internally and sending LPCM to my AVR or sending bitstream and letting the AVR decode it.

I don't necessarily 'want' to send bitstream to my AVR, I just want friggen TrueHD audio anyway I can get it.

Screw it, I'm just gonna go with a Panny 30 and be done with it.

Of course, that means I'm gonna have to knock my Xbox 360 down to component video to free up the HDMI input on my AVR.

I'm thinking I'll be fine with that. I'll reserve the 3 HDMI inputs on my AVR for the two HD players and my DirectTV box. Xbox 360 should look fine on component video and sound fine on optical audio with PLxII applied.

Sound good?

Screw it, I'm just gonna go with a Panny 30 and be done with it.

Of course, that means I'm gonna have to knock my Xbox 360 down to component video to free up the HDMI input on my AVR.

I'm thinking I'll be fine with that. I'll reserve the 3 HDMI inputs on my AVR for the two HD players and my DirectTV box. Xbox 360 should look fine on component video and sound fine on optical audio with PLxII applied.

Sound good?

I'm considering the same plan. I have an Integra with 4 HDMI inputs. Right now one is my HR-20, two is my A2, three is my 5000, and 4 is my Oppo 980. My 360 is connected via component and optical.

I'm on the fence on returning the 5000 for the BD30.

Screw it, I'm just gonna go with a Panny 30 and be done with it.

Of course, that means I'm gonna have to knock my Xbox 360 down to component video to free up the HDMI input on my AVR.

I'm thinking I'll be fine with that. I'll reserve the 3 HDMI inputs on my AVR for the two HD players and my DirectTV box. Xbox 360 should look fine on component video and sound fine on optical audio with PLxII applied.

Sound good?

The panny is the best blu ray player in the market right now you will not regret it.

Lemme get this straight....

This unit WILL NOT pass or decode TrueHD in anything over 2 channel.

I see all the people complaining about no TrueHD over analog. But, I have a AVR that accepts HDMI input and decodes all the audio formats.

So, this unit will not allow me to get anything over 2 channel TrueHD whether the player decodes it or the AVR decodes it? How hard is it to take the TrueHD audio track that's on the friggen disc and simply send it untouched to the AVR for decoding?

I guess I just really want to like this thing and I'm trying to justify it.

Lemme get this straight....

This unit WILL NOT pass or decode TrueHD in anything over 2 channel.

I see all the people complaining about no TrueHD over analog. But, I have a AVR that accepts HDMI input and decodes all the audio formats.

So, this unit will not allow me to get anything over 2 channel TrueHD whether the player decodes it or the AVR decodes it? How hard is it to take the TrueHD audio track that's on the friggen disc and simply send it untouched to the AVR for decoding?

I guess I just really want to like this thing and I'm trying to justify it.

Correct it will not decode on board or bitstream anything more then 2 channel TrueHD.

This is my main concern I'm hoping gets fixed with firmware. The previous Sammy BR players had this issue and it was addressed. Either onboard or bitstream I really don't care, but this is what I want to keep this player.

YMMV

Ok, thanks for reaffirming.

I'm like you, I don't care if it's onboard or bitstream either. Just one or the other would suit me just fine.

I think I'll wait until the firmware is released to make sure it addresses that issue. Maybe by then it'll be cheaper too.

In the meantime, I'll just keep watching HD DVDs on my trusty A3.

Does this new player play super audio????

I am not an audiophile, but in layman's terms will this player sound better, the same or worse than a typical DVD player/receiver connection?

i currenty have a pioneer dv-45a universal player and want to up grade with possibly the samsung "5000:, but i do want to make shure it can play SA CD'S. from the reviews, it sounds like it but need to be shure. I hate to have to connect 2 dvd players as i already have a really good playing old DBX cd player at home.

Correct it will not decode on board or bitstream anything more then 2 channel TrueHD.

This is my main concern I'm hoping gets fixed with firmware. The previous Sammy BR players had this issue and it was addressed. Either onboard or bitstream I really don't care, but this is what I want to keep this player.

YMMV

Do I need to ask the obvious question here or do we all wonder what Samsung was thinking when they released the 5000 with this shortcoming?

I'm wondering just how far back this player's design goes if earlier players had the same problem and have already been fixed.

Doug