Samsung BDP1400 Disussion Thread - Page 126

Originally Posted by Merlin803

Does Samsung still have the free movie offer or is it only the BDA one now?

Originally Posted by isingh

So is there anyway I can kick up the audio level also, anything I need to do in Sammy config ? Why do people need to change Speaker setting in Sammy ? I hope that has nothing to do here when I am using Analog outputs? And if it has then why does PCM on optical is lower in intensity as opposed to bitstream ?

I am conffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuseddddddddddd !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by codehoser

Regarding Samsung 1400 video drop-out issues:

I've now played four Blu-Ray movies through in their entirety:

- Pan's Labyrinth
- Spiderman 3
- Ratatouille
- Meet the Robinsons

I have had no playback issues with the first two, and an occasional playback issues with the last two. In Meet the Robinsons, the video drops out four times; in Ratatouille twice. This is with the player set to 1080i output, which matches my display.

When I force the output to 480i or 480p, I get no video drops or quirks. In 720p mode, the video does not drop, but in the locations where the drops occur in 1080i mode, I instead see visual mangling. By that, I mean the image goes black with a thick green vertical bar near the center for a moment before returning to normal.

Since 480[i/p] modes can actually read the data off the disc without any trouble, this would seem to suggest strongly that the player is at fault. I suppose I'll try for an exchange and see if it goes any better next time.

Hopefully this information is useful to someone

Kevin

Originally Posted by shadowcaster

My 1400 , via HDMI, is defaulting to 1080i output. My panel is a 720p Pioneer 1140. Should I change the Sammy to 720p or leave it @1080i ?

Originally Posted by COACH2369

I just downloaded what I thought was the latest firmware update this past Sunday... but it shows that I have 1.1. If I hook the player back up again, will it download the newer firmware?

Originally Posted by cdnewmanpac

So Sunshine played flawlessly for me today (well, the ending had some flaws...but you know what I mean). I'm using what I've been calling FW 1.0. But then I reread your post and discovered that our FW 1.0s have different build dates. Mine is 070809.01_XAA .

Originally Posted by TNO821

Just an FYI on firmware naming:
Each firmware is named based on the date it was created (not the release date, but the compile date).

070903.01_XAA =
2007 Sept 03

I'm not sure what the .01 (or .02 according to some people's posts) mean. It may be a build number or something. And I also don't know what XAA means.

The most recent firmware is 071113.01, meaning it was compiled on Nov 13 (it wasn't released until early December).

Originally Posted by TNO821

I'm guessing that firmware 070809.01_XAA is the original shipping firmware, which I think of as version 0.9 (just made that up, don't know what Samsung calls it).

If so, the main difference between it and 1.0 (070903.01_XAA) is the ability to bitstream audio codecs (at least the advanced one like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio) to HDMI audio receivers capable of decoding them (such as the Onkyo 605/705/805/875/905).

So I'm pretty sure you are currently unable to bitstream those audio codecs unless you update the firmware to version 1.0 or newer. If you haven't got an audio receiver capable of decoding them, then there's no reason to update (other than to play the few movies that need an update such as Live Free or Die Hard).

Originally Posted by Barney_DaPurple1

Man, I haven't seen a guy had this much fun than the one legged man in an as kicking contest at the fair.

I wouldn't worry about all that mumbo jumbo PCM vs. bitstream talk too much. Applying the KISS method, if your receiver can decode the new HD audio, then bitstream with HDMI. If your receiver can not decode the new HD audio, then PCM them via 5.1 analog with RCAs. Lose the fiber optics. The main reason being, 5.1 LPCM through fiber optics is downmixed to 2 channel stereo. Thus the surrounds "seem" to be lower, because your're missing the other 3.1 portion. In addition, 5.1 uncompressed LPCM 24 and 16 bit audio on the disc are far superior to the regular DD and DTS codecs.

Generally the volume outputted by PCM feeds are slightly lower than their bitstream counterpart. Sound quality with respect to volume is still debatable. I believe if you have to turn up the volume up 8-10 clicks to match the level of clarity for dialog sounds, then you are actually increasing the harmonic distortion of the overall system. As mentioned before, 24 bit audio, like DTS MA and most TrueHD, sounds the best if you bitstream from the 1400 to a capable receiver. Let the receiver decodes them and apply whatever DSP to suite your liking. On the hand, you and your receiver have little to no control on the robust raw pulse code modulation beast. Again that's just one dino preference. Others swear that there is no difference. I wouldn't disagree with them. It's their ears, ya know.

Originally Posted by Barney_DaPurple1

My take on it is probably leave it on your HDTV native resolution mode. Although some native 720p HDTV can accept 1080i signals, it doesn't mean it is always the best choice. Simply put, we don't know how many "adjustments" will have to be made by the time the content on the BD to the time it is displayed on the TV screen. Not unless you have the Hitachi plasmas with Alternate Lighting of Surfaces, which are native 1080i sets, I just leave it at 720p. Plus 720p, 1080i, 1080p, how much of a difference in PQ, if any? Your 720p Pio (especially if it's Kuro or Elite? any one of them) can take most (I won't name any names because I don't want to get branded by die hard fans) 1080p out anyday, IMHO.

You're only losing the valuable 24 fps feature of 1400 anyway.... Maaaahhaaahaaha!(Barney's evil laugh)

Originally Posted by Merlin803

Does Samsung still have the free movie offer or is it only the BDA one now?

Originally Posted by isingh

It's the kicking that matters right..

Anyways, Thanks for your reply. For me personally, I like a lill high volume with sold bass specially in action/horror movies. I guess I will try with analogs again and see if that's better.

Originally Posted by cdnewmanpac

Except his display is 1365x768. I can pretty much guarantee that the Pioneer will do a better job converting the 1080i signal to 1365x768p than the Samsung, which will convert the 1080p to 1080i, then rescale to 720, then deinterlace to 720p which will get sent to the pioneer and again rescaled to 768. At 50", his display should be large enough to discern a difference. The best answer is for him to try both and see what he likes, but I think anyone who has the option to choose between 720p and 1080i owes it to himself (or herself) to try both before choosing a permanent setting. I'm not alone in finding 1080i out noticeably better than 720p out (search AVS for 1080i vs 720p). And BTW, Samsung allows 24fps 'on' with 1080i mode, but not 720p mode.

Originally Posted by Amber O'Doul

CNET reviews do not really carry high credibility.
I read the BDP1400 review, and noticed that the blamed the mediocre SD upscaling quality on the chip it uses. So, then, just for comparison, I went to one of the most expensive units which got an outstanding review for SD upscaling. Guess what ?....same chip.

Sorry, but it wasn't important enough for me to remember all the details. I only learned one thing: Take CNET reviews for what their worth.

Just because two machines share the same processing chip doesn't mean they will have identical performance. It boils down to the implementation of the chip itself. Makes a world of difference.

Originally Posted by Amber O'Doul

But I agree. That is why CNET lost credibility when they BLAMED the BDP1400 chip, but then praised another player that used the same chip.

The chip should have been only one factor of many possible.
But most of the conversion quality actually does come from the chip; although poor implementation could degrade things. Either way, CNET loses credibility.

Originally Posted by Barney_DaPurple1

My take on it is probably leave it on your HDTV native resolution mode. Although some native 720p HDTV can accept 1080i signals, it doesn't mean it is always the best choice. Simply put, we don't know how many "adjustments" will have to be made by the time the content on the BD to the time it is displayed on the TV screen. Not unless you have the Hitachi plasmas with Alternate Lighting of Surfaces, which are native 1080i sets, I just leave it at 720p. Plus 720p, 1080i, 1080p, how much of a difference in PQ, if any? Your 720p Pio (especially if it's Kuro or Elite? any one of them) can take most (I won't name any names because I don't want to get branded by die hard fans) 1080p out anyday, IMHO.

You're only losing the valuable 24 fps feature of 1400 anyway.... Maaaahhaaahaaha!(Barney's evil laugh)

Originally Posted by yukon04

Has anyone read the CNET review of this player? It was not very complimentary. When playing SD DVDs (4 X 3), CNET indicated the picture did not fill the screen and the player has no setting for adjustment. Adjustment was finally made using the ZOOM button on TV remote. Because of this issue, the player received a "Do Not Buy" rating. Sort of a dumb review of a HD player!

Most of the DVD's I have played are Wide Screen, so I have not seen this issue.

Originally Posted by shadowcaster

I believe the reviewer was referring to 4:3 Letterbox which will have black bars on all 4 sides.
For an explanation, see my post here : Click.

The first picture is probably what he's talking about and there are some players that will display this w/bars only at top and bottom. None that I know of ,in standard 4:3, that will fill the screen as a result of player processing. Their aren't that many discs, and they're older, studio dvd transfers made in this format, so to say do not buy on that point is , IMO, ludicrous. +1 for taking CNET reviews w/a very big grain of salt.

Originally Posted by rwestley

I am wondering if there is a secret recall of these players. I was in Costco on LI a few weeks ago and there was a big stack of the players. I came back a day later and they were all gone. I know they were not all sold in one day. The same seems true at other stores. Could it be possible that because of the issues of playing disks that Samsung decided that they had to do something? Could they be waiting for the updated firmware?

Originally Posted by yukon04

Has anyone read the CNET review of this player? It was not very complimentary. When playing SD DVDs (4 X 3), CNET indicated the picture did not fill the screen and the player has no setting for adjustment. Adjustment was finally made using the ZOOM button on TV remote. Because of this issue, the player received a "Do Not Buy" rating. In a further comment, CNET did not evaluate the performance with HDM, claiming if the unit did not reproduce SD media satisfactorily, then no further evaluation was required. Sort of a dumb review of a HD player!

Most of the DVD's I have played are Wide Screen, so I have not seen this issue.

Originally Posted by wgerman

Yeah its pretty weird when CC,BB and Frys are out of the same product...........strange coincidence.