bd-p2500

While the rest of tech world was busy scouring news from CES 2009, Samsung's duo of Netflix-enabled Blu-ray players--the BD-P2500 and BD-P2550--received a firmware update to enable onboard DTS-HD Master Audio decoding. The players were promised the update "by the end of the year", but chalk it up to another delayed Samsung firmware release, as we've seen before.

The firmware is available for download from Samsung's site, and the players can be updated via a direct download using an Ethernet connection, or, for players not connected to home networks, users can download the file to … Read more

As expected, Samsung has added support for HD streaming of Netflix video to its BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 players. The upgrade is available as a free firmware update (players should automatically prompt users to install the software update, or DIYers can download it from Samsung's support site and burn it to disc). Still no word on the promised DTS-HD Master Audio support for these players, but that will likely come in a subsequent firmware update soon.

The Netflix HD catalog is currently just a fraction of Netflix's streaming selection (300 titles out of around 12,000), but it will … Read more

Samsung has put out some pretty good Blu-ray players, but the company needs to setup an RSS feed to keep buyers up to date with the constantly changing firmware plans. We got a note from Samsung this afternoon explaining that the firmware update adding DTS-HD High Resolution decoding to the Samsung BD-P1500, BD-P2500, and BD-P2550 has been delayed until the end of the year. That means owners will have to live with standard DTS soundtracks for a little bit longer if they don't own an HDMI-compatible receiver with onboard decoding for DTS-HD Master Audio.

On the upside, Samsung … Read more

Samsung is adding the ability to stream Netflix videos and Pandora's online music service to its latest Blu-ray players. Starting today, a free firmware update will add both services to the BD-P2550. (The nearly identical BD-P2500 will get Netflix support, but not Pandora.) The Samsung players join the LG BD300 Blu-ray player, the Roku Netflix Player, and (once a forthcoming firmware update goes live in November) the Xbox 360 as the only devices to date--outside of a PC--that can access Netflix's online viewing service.

Both Samsung players have been available at retail for several weeks. In addition to … Read more