Samsung BD-P1500 catches second wind
CNET reviews the Samsung BD-P1500, finding it to be one of the better Blu-ray values thanks to numerous firmware updates and falling online prices.
(Credit:
Sarah Tew/CNET Networks)
We reviewed the Samsung BD-P1500 when it first hit the market in May 2008, and while we mostly found it to be a solid Blu-ray player, we couldn't give it our full recommendation because it lacked Profile 2.0 and had some disc compatibility issues.
Since then, the BD-P1500 has received several firmware updates and its price has plummeted online, so we decided to take another look at the player. Those firmware updates have made it Profile 2.0-compatible and its disc compatibility problems seem to be fixed, as it played all the discs we tossed at it. It's still not in the top tier of Blu-ray players--its image quality is a step below the best and it lacks DTS-HD Master Audio decoding--but with the street price as low as $220, it's one of the best Blu-ray values available. For those willing to spend a little more, note that Samsung's new Blu-ray players--such as the BD-P3600 and BD-P4600--will hitting the market soon.
