Samsung BD-P1600 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player

Comment: This is a great blu-ray player. The one I got came with the latest firmware so no need to worry about updating it and the bugs associated with firmware updates. This system is a slight bit high tech and you need to know how to navigate the system settings to use it properly. If you plan on connecting this to a network you need to know what you are doing or your going to have issues. It comes set to display at 1080i so make sure to change it to 1080p. It upconverts standard DVD's very well and plays them almost to the quality of a blu-ray. Load times are faster then most units. Great player for techies and tweakers who are good at troubleshooting any possible issues(I haven't had any problems but apparently others have).

Comment: I read the reviews on Amazon after I bought this player and saw all the issues people were having with the firmware upgrade. I was debating whether I should return it or give it a try. I tried it out and it works perfectly. The AnyNet feature works with the Samsung TV and automatically switches the TV over to the Blu-ray player when you power on or perform a function on the player.

It is extremely easy to use. If there is no disc inside, it automatically brings up a menu of online services (Netflix, Blockbuster, Pandora, YouTube). Press a button and you're automatically connected to the online service. If there is a disc inside, the disc will automatically play.

One of the reviews had a complaint abt the noise. It is a little loud when initially loading the disc, but is quiet when playing the disc.

Comment: The control is lousy, nothing worst than having to point straight to the device and press the keys hard so that it responds. It won't read some BR discs, so you have to clean them. Sometimes the streaming stops working, and you have to reset the router and modem even though the computers have Internet. It doesn't remember where the movie was last playing, which my dvd player does that. However, it does the job and it's awesome to stream movies and pandora radio. 3.5-star product IMO.

Comment: After a slow start, I believe this unit lives up to its description. The first unit I received was dead on arrival. A call to Samsung and two technicians later it was declared inoperable and I returned it to Amazon. I was beginning to worry as I had ordered the Samsung dongle that plugs into the player to access the Internet wirelessly. I began to wonder if I would have something to plug it into?

Amazon immediately sent another player, if fact it arrived the day after the dongle. This player works as advertised. Reliability remains a question but all functions operate well including bit streaming from Netflix. We have not yet tried a Blu-Ray disc, but a standard DVD is reproduced with excellent video detail, color and surround sound.

Installation of the player was straightforward. The instruction manual is well done and easily understood, including the section for the setup of Netflix, Pandora, etc. If this player is reliable, it is quite a bargain!

Comment: I just finished reading a few of the recent reviews posted for this device. It made wonder if I was using the same product. I must say that failure to read product specifications or lack of knowledge in regard to home networking (routers, firewalls, ect.) is not a product failure. I purchased my BD last Dec along with a Samsung HDTV and it works perfectly fine. First, it was connected only to my Samsung HDTV and it provided excellent veiwing results for both Blue-ray and reg DVD (I retired my DVD player because it improved the playback quality of DVDs).

This past month I added an internet connection to take advantage of Pandora, Netflix, and YouTube. I simply followed instructions provided in the user manual. It is true that Samsung requires it's proprietary wireless adapter (a pain but clearly noted in product literature). I instead chose to use a wired ethernet connection 1) to eliminate the need to purchase adapters for my other entertainment equipment and 2) ethernet provides better video streaming. The device is attached to a router and connected to the internet flawlessly.

None is this is plug-n-play and home networks can be down-right complicated. Buyers should be willing to read insrtructions or hire someone to complete setups. There is also a note on the problematic firmware updates. The solution is, remove disc from unit before doing an update. Simple enough but Samsung should have made this more clear earlier.

As for the auto starting comment, this is a feature of samsung products. If you turn on the BD player, the TV will automatically switch to that source (expecting you to play a DVD or connect to internet for other media). This can be annoying if you inadvertantly turn the BD on.

All in all, this is a very adeaquate BD player, especially given its price. The quality of picture, and sound from Pandora is great.

This is all just my opinion from personal experiences since I often use these reviews before making product purchases. Good luck.