LG BH100 will NOT play list - Page 4

LG is off my list of as well.

I'm also to the point of writing off BluRay as well. I'm not about to buy new players every couple of years because movie studios are so worried about copy protection. After all, I suspect LG is just the first CE to drop firmware support of an older model. Just wait until Sony or Panasonic decides to drop firmware support of their older models and you'll hear the complaints then.

Frankly, the only machine that seems somewhat future-proof is the PS3, as it receives constant updates. Doesn't say much for the format...

Here's the history so far with the other CEs:

Samsung: http://pages.samsung.com/us/bluraysupport/support.html (BD-P1000/1200 - 12/04/2008)

Looks like Panasonic last updated their 2006 player in August '08 (which represents longer support than what LG is allegedly providing for the BH100): http://panasonic.jp/support/global/c...d10/bd10a.html

Sony BDP-S1, October 2008: http://www.blu-ray.com/firmware/firmware.php?id=6

Phillips and Sharp are afterthoughts as far as Blu-ray hardware is concerned but Sharp isn't being too finicky with support either: http://www.sharpusa.com/products/Typ...86,229,00.html - 10/29/08

It looks like, at least for now, that LG seems to be the only CE that's decided to drop firmware support of their older models.

Shame, as my BH100 is still working perfectly (or would be if LG would update it).

I'm pretty much at the point if I do decide to buy a new Blu player, I'll end up getting a PS3. It's updated regularly, so playback issues should be minimal. Still think it doesn't say much for the format when your best player is a gaming machine...

I'll wait to see if samsungmaster shows up and lets us know for sure. He did say a month ago there was still a LG 100 update in the works and as we know from the past, the CSRs usually don't know much.

You know... if you choose to put out a product with an ever changing spec, then you've got be ready to support it.

Absolutely. This ever changing spec is going to Blu Ray's achilles heel. I actually went out today and looked at new Blu players. Just could not pull the trigger, though, as I could end up in the same boat again a couple years from now: with an obsoleted player that won't play newer discs.

I've more or less decided that if LG won't update this player, then I'm through with Blu Ray. Nice picture or not, I've had it with the playback issues whether its because of BD+, BD-J or for whatever reason. I was an early adopter of DVD (1998) and never had an issue with simple playback of a movie. Even back in 1998, you stuck a DVD in your player and it would play. No firmware updates needed!

If Blu Ray wants to become mainstream, they need to fix these playback issues. After all, it's been almost three years since the format's introduction.

The Blu-ray racks at B&M stores are expanding at the expense of DVD/CDs, so I expect it to be more than a niche market. I'm sure the studios would be glad to have it go "mainstream" and "may" do whatever it takes to make it happen.

I just bought an "interim" Sony Blu-ray player which will relegate the LG to the bedroom where the new HDTV now resides. I wanted to buy another really good player but the money went to the new HDTV instead. There is also the hesitation to pull the trigger because of the firmware update requirements. Now I'll have time to see how the studios and the CEs resolve the need for continual firmware updates, especially with the more expensive units. CE "pledges" to maintain player updates indefinitely would be helpful but I'd be surprised if this ever happened.

This is my biggest hesitation with buying a new Blu player, how the CE's and studios intend to handle this need for continual firmware updates. I don't think you can expect a CE to provide firmware updates for discontinued models indefinitely, though I do think cutting off support after a year and a half is definitely a bit too soon.

For now I'll enjoy the Blu movies I've already have, and just "wait and see" what will happen in regards to the firmware update issues.

I own the BH200, not the BH100, but I have no reason to believe that LG will do any better with the newer dual format player. It is certainly disappointing to say the least. My older Sony BDP-S1 seems to always have a firmware update ready before I play a disc that needs it. The Sony firmware is always solid and almost always bug free. This issue is a serious problem for the format so let's hope that LG is the only company that abandons their Blu-ray customers so quickly to minimize the damage. To everybody that intends to avoid LG in the future, that is an understandable move and the only kind of response that will get their attention.

Chris

After reading this thread I have to say I am soured on buying a combo player. I wanted to buy a combo player for my camp trailer but think I will buy the stupid PS3 and leave the hd dvds at home. That sucks that the best bluray is a toy

Watch, Sony will drop the PS3 now.

That would be a bombshell with fanboys self-combusting everywhere. Messy!

That would be my luck. I being the great purveyor of failed formats

But fun to watch!


So, if you always did the opposite of what you'd normally do...?

Really, though, if you could find a combo player for a good price (say a hundred bucks less than a Playstation) it would be worth, I think. And I think you'd be happy. Especially if you read enough of this site to know what to look for in bad ones.

I like mine, and they upcovert well as well. (Better than the PS3, from what I've read.)

I haven't had any problems with my Samsung combo player. Just this LG one.

The BH100 is useless. In my experience it was very hard to update (particular about updates and couldn't be done from a Mac) and even with the latest (before I gave up last year) firmware it played almost no new Blu-Ray discs, period. (I can't count the number of discs we bought/rented that we sat down to watch and couldn't.) I paid almost $1,000 for this machine and it is a door stop--totally useless for anything other than up conversion, something you can get on any sub-$100 DVD player now. The BH200, which I also have, is much, much better, but, yeah, this is a dead format, because HD-DVD is a dead format.

I do think LG has really dropped the ball on the BH100 and left those people who paid so much in a lurch. (Even replacing them with refurbished BH200s, if you wished, would be SOMETHING.) And why did I buy LG's next model if I was so annoyed with the first? Well, simple, I had HD DVDs. It wasn't because I had great faith in LG--though I think they've done much better by the BH200, than the 100.

I am still ticked off about the BH100 I have, don't need, don't want and that has no value. An 18 month life span (and not even that, really--mine was useful for, to be honest, just over six months) for a product in this price range is criminal!

So you didn't even consider the UP5000?

But it doesn't have to be useless, if LG would provide the needed firmware updates.

But I would say that's highly unlikely to ever happen, so we're left with very expensive DVD upconverters, as you said.

Since firmware updates seem to be an absolute requirement for the Blu format, before I buy in again I want some sort of guarantee that the next player I buy will have the needed firmware updates required, and in a timely manner as well. Also, they should be provided for what I would consider to be the usable lifespan of the product (going by DVD, most players should last about five years if you treat them with care, as I do).

None of the CE's are offering any sort of guarantee like that, nor do I think they ever will. Being somewhat cynical, you have to wonder whether the CE's would consider this to be some sort of profit center - stop offering updates for older players and the Blu fan will just "have" to buy a new player. I didn't do that for VHS or DVD, I'm not about to do it for Blu.

Blu-ray player prices have collapsed so there are very small or no profits overall, this isn't a ploy to generate a huge profit center. Sony is doing a great job with firmware updates, I would say buy a Sony player without concern about the issue if that is your only concern. It is disappointing that LG is doing so poorly with firmware updates, but I doubt if LG has made a penny of profits on either the BH100 or BH200, the costly research and development resulted in players that sold poorly until heavily discounted and have been expensive to support. LG has given BH200 owners $75 as compensation for poor support for that player which I purchased believing it had great potential but the firmware status leaves it way short of its potential.

Chris

I agree that Sony's been doing a great job so far on firmware updates. Obviously I made a poor choice in buying the BH100 as my Blu player, and that buying an early Sony (or Panasonic) model probably would have been a better choice.

To use an auto analogy, two people buy a car at the same time. One trades it in perhaps two or three years because they are tired of it or want the latest in new accessories. The second buyer continues to use the same car with the full intention of driving it until "the wheels fall off."

I'm much more like the second buyer, which I don't think that even now the Blu format is ready to serve. As I said, Sony (and Panasonic) have been great with firmware support so far, but are they willing to support a five year old, discontinued player? Will they continue to support the 350 or BD35 five years from now? Even better question, what if I had bought the S1 or BD10, will they continue to support those for even the next couple of years? My guess would be if they do, it will be begruding support at best.

I think the format is really designed for the first type of customer, the person who buys new players every couple of years. For that type of buyer, firmware support isn't as big a deal, chances are they will have bought a newer player (with all the latest bells and whistles) long before their CE decides to drop support of their current player.

I'm just not that type of customer, I buy a product with the intention to use it until "the wheels fall off." LG clearly wasn't ready to service my kind of customer. However, I'm still not convinced that Blu, as a format, is quite ready to service the long term customer like me. It may never be ready for a customer like me, people who don't throw out a perfectly good product simply because something new has come along.

I think Virginia cant read well or is misinterpreting what you wrote. You said BR disk which to her could read Blu ray Recordable Disc, as her reply had me wondering what "playable Format" meant? I also called LG last month and they said a new update was in the works but is not on the site yet and that it was coming once they work out some bugs.

Samsungmaster also said i believe they are working on a new update but that they have been busy with all the BD300 and BH200 updates first.

And I sent an email explaining about the BH100 and mentioned the bh200 and she offered me the rebate fort he BH200 but said nothing about the BH100 so I had to write her back...I think its a communication problem.

here is my e mail:

Dear Athanasios,

Thank you for your email regarding the LG BH200. LG has provided several software upgrades for the BH200 that enable powerful new functionality including BonusView and audio performance improvements. However, LG is not planning a firmware upgrade to activate BD Live functionality in the foreseeable future. As a consumer electronics leader, LG is committed to its customers and we are offering $75 cash back for any inconvenience this has caused.

In order to receive your $75 check, please submit your name, address, daytime phone number, serial number and a copy of your sales receipt to:

customerservice@lge.com ATTN: BH200 Rebate or fax to 256-774-8668


If you have other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us again either via email, or by calling our customer service division at 800-243-0000 at your convenience.

Virginia Q.
E-mail Administrator
Customer Interactive Center
LGEAI



This communication is confidential, intended only for the named recipient(s) above and may contain trade secrets or other information that is exempt from disclosure under applicable law. Any use, dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication by anyone other than the named recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please immediately notify us by calling 256-772-0623. Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
From: "Athanasios Hatzinerantzis"
Received: 2/19/2009 7:15 AM
To: customerservice@lge.com
Subject: RE: Lg Bh100 Firmwear

To Whom it may Concern, I have read that you will no longer support the BH100 Player with new firmwears? Read this post

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...5#post15823275


If this is true I am very upset as I spent $1200 when this player came out!! I should not have to buy another player to be able to watch my favorite movies!!! I understand there is all ready a law suit against LG For the non Support of of the promised BD live for the BH200.
Support for Electronic equipment is to be provided for at least 10 years is what I understand. I have DVD players that have never had a problem, why should I have thought any different for my BH100? When you buy a piece of equipment it should work no issues and not be abandoned by the manufacturer!!! I and the thousands of BH100 owners expect better support for their very expensive players!!!
lets not hope this leads to a second class action law suit. Some sort of compensation or solution is to be expected!!! $1200 wasted in my opinion!!! I should have gone with the competition.

Athanasios

Athanasios

Yes, if I were a BH100 owner, I think I'd wait until I got confirmation from samsungmaster about no longer having firmware updates before I panicked.

I just got the following message:

Here is Virginia's response:

Dear Athanasios,



Thank you for your email. We apologize for any inconvenience this may be causing.

LG is committed to its customers and we will continue doing firmware upgrades for the BH100, you can always find them available at our website www.us.lgservice.com or by calling our customer service division at 800-243-0000 at your convenience.


Virginia Q.
E-mail Administrator
Customer Interactive Center
LGEAI



Athanasios