Blu-ray buyers suing Samsung for defective players

Is Samsung's BD-P1200 a defective product?

(Credit: CNET)

Samsung was the first to market with a Blu-ray player, but it hasn't exactly been a smooth ride. Home theater enthusiasts will undoubtedly remember the brouhaha over the first Blu-ray player, the Samsung BD-P1000, which was blamed for the initial lackluster video performance of Blu-ray (although, we always thought the fault lied more with poor movie transfers, rather than the BD-P1000). More recently, we've blogged the entire slate of firmware fixes Samsung has released to correct compatibility issues with certain discs on its entire line of Blu-ray players.

Apparently those firmware fixes aren't enough for everyone, as a class action complaint has been filed against Samsung for selling "defective" Blu-ray players--most notably the BD-P1200. The main complaint is that the BD-P1200 hasn't been able to play certain Blu-ray discs, and although it doesn't specify which movies, we personally have experienced issues with Live Free or Die Hard, Rescue Dawn, and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Now Samsung certainly isn't the only company that has had to update its player to accommodate new releases, but the delays have certainly frustrated the early adopter community past their breaking point.

The latest firmware update for the BD-P1200 has supposedly fixed the issue, which definitely won't help the class-action complaint. Let's hope that Samsung gets the message that a Blu-ray player that doesn't play all Blu-ray movies just isn't acceptable. As Senior Editor John Falcone will be quick to point out, it's just another reason not to buy Blu-ray--yet.

[Starfires]

Ineffective Players

What a mess this HD video battle is, we are left with a victor who spent most of their budget on marketing and just a little on the actual product. Not only can you still not widely rent the things, but it seems even such expensive players have trouble doing what they are dedicated to doing- playing a disk. It's all just a sinister plot by Sony to make you buy the PS3, as the only player out there that actually works right.

[bouchardr]

Fix didn't fix the problem

The latest firmware fix did fix the problem with Pirates EOTW disk 1. However, the same problem still exists on disk 2. It's been a pain to say the least.

[crazythaikat]

what do you expect?

What does everyone expect from first gen technology. Everyone out there wants the first product to be the final one, but its not gonna happen. Same thing with VHS, DVD, plasma/LCD tvs....cars, homes, etc. for those that jump right into the market because they have to have the latest and greatest, it comes with its price. You have to learn to let things settle in first. In case you havent noticed, once you buy a new technology, something better will be out before you get it home to play with it. And please, someone needs to stop these pointless lawsuits. Too many people want to get something for nothing now days.

[ScreamingBanshee]

Thanks To All Of You

Thank You
To all of you that buy first generation stuff(and pay dearly for it).
How would those of us that don't have bragging rights to, guess what I just got, get items that actually work and have a resonable price?

[Angel R Vazquez]

Better Technology?

And this is the "so called" better HD technology? HD DVD had all this problems sorted out from day one. But I guess we have to go with the more expensive, less reliable technology this time around. Oh by the way, I don't see the Blu Ray players getting any cheaper as a lot of people suggested it would happen after the "Format War" was over.

[inachu]

EWWWW! I will not buy one.

Sorry to hear bluray users are being burnt!

I will just use mine for data storage if possible.

[dvansowhat]

Purchase the BD-UP5000

I have the 5000 and am glad I did. It played Live Free,etc. right out of the box but not 3:10 to Yuma so hooked the player up to my router and downloaded the firmware on 2-10-08, then stuck in 3:10 and by golly it played. So if you can connect it to internet to upgrade then how hard is that? If you can read a manual then this is a great player. Had to return my Panny bd30 because of HDMI issue with Sammy LN-T5271F.

[TrackStar1682]

BD Reliability

It's a real pity something like this has to happen... You rush a product to market to beat out something better made and more reliable to win some contest and then in the end it's not even worth it. The "win" is junk since your player just plain doesn't work and you've somehow still managed to convince everybody that what you have is "better."

I have a combo format HD-DVD/Blu-ray drive and so far, I've had no problems. I just hope I don't end up getting burned somewhere down the road.

[dirty55409]

what a bunch of morons

I'd like to know who filed the lawsuit. A group of idiots thinking they'll get any money out of Samsung are morons! You're using your own money to hire lawyers, losing money getting time off work to go to trials/arbitration, and Samsung is laughing at you. Do yourself a favor and sell the BR player, and drop your stupid lawsuit. k bye bye

[tarheelgirl29]

HD-DVD Players are Better than BLue-Ray

I am really peeved at the "format" war being over between HD-DVD and Blue-Ray, Shouldn't the consumer have the choice and not have it made for us. I have HD-DVD and I love it and I am not ready to fork out $300 plus for a new Blue-Ray Player. This law suit is crazy and I will be surprised if anything becomes of it. If they are going to force "Blue-Ray" on us then the companies should make sure that the expensive players out there work and play all discs, I will eventually buy Blue-Ray but not until the prices come down on the players and they get all the kinks out and the prices of the movies need to come down also, until then I will purchase PPV movies in HD on my Directv DVR, and use my HD-DVD Player as a good upconversion player. So who needs the Blue Ray..HD-DVD Owners should stand together and fight to keep the best format going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dirty55409]

but consumers kind of did make a choice

Didn't they?? If consumers wanted HD-DVD they would have bought it more... Granted we(consumers) were at a disadvantage when HD-DVD as a choice, was taken away from us when wal-mart, netflix etc. jumped off the HD-DVD train, but still it didn't make a strong enough case. Not to mention I think Sony had an old grudge with regards to BetaMax and they were not going to let that happen again. HD-DVD never had a chance when looking at advertising, and the way every distributor had Blu-Ray on their front page, while HD-DVD was biasly shoved to the back of the ad, or buried in web pages.