Comments on: Samsung gets it with the BD-P4600

By: Patrick Koster

Patrick Koster — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:57:54 +0000

Good news! My replacement works like a charm and is as quiet as a mouse when playing discs.

By: Doug Jantz

Doug Jantz — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:58:28 +0000

Good stuff here! I, too, got a Samsung with both connections. However, since my router is on a shelf behind my HDTV I simply wired it. Works great! Netflix comes though nicely!

By: Patrick Koster

Patrick Koster — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:16:33 +0000

Sorry to hear how your customer support issues left a bad taste in your mouth for Samsung products. I have two Samsung HDTV’s, three Samsung DVD players, and the Blu-Ray palyer you blogged about (verdict is still out – could be damaged during shipping). These have been reliable products for me…

By: Patrick Koster

Patrick Koster — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:12:33 +0000

Hi Terry,

I purchased the player from Amazon.com a few days ago and once it arrived I did the necessary hardware and network setup along with a firmware update. Must say that synching with services like Pandora and Netflix was very simple – in no time I was watching episodes of 30 Rock and jamming to some of my favorite artists!

Unfortunately, when I went to play some DVD discs it rejected a couple that played just fine in my Samsung DVD player. Also, the player screamed like a banshee while the discs were spinning…I think something may have happened to the device mechanics during shipping – so I am doing an exchange with Amazon.com (love those guys) and will let you know how the new player works out.

By: Terry White

Terry White — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 01:03:37 +0000

L.S. thanks. It was due to a bad customer service experience years ago. It just keeps me from wanting to try them again. However, if I were in the the market for another Blu-ray player, I’d seriously look at this one.

By: L.S

L.S — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:49:42 +0000

Love your blog…but how could you not like Samsung products!? Really TW, I have been impressed and pleased with every Samsung TV and the performance over other purchases.

By: Christopher Crews

Christopher Crews — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:24:52 +0000

This player currently stands as ‘King of the Hill” for those seeking the fastest load times and compatibility with the Blu-Ray 2.0 spec along with Uncompressed PCM, DTS-MA, and Dolby TruHD Audio.

This BD Player loads faster than the venerable PS3 as well as the latest Sony offerings which for me sealed the deal after using a 1st generation player that took 2-3 minutes at times to load some of the Java based discs.

The only drawback is the side loading/slot mechanism. This location is not the best for those that house their gear in a cabinet or rack but that is the only drawback to operation, If you were planing to set it out on a TV stand or wall mount then there is no problem with space for loading discs then.

The Netflix, YouTube, Blockbuster and Pandora streaming capabilities all function out of the box after setting up your accounts to work with these media providers. I was pleased with the quality and speed of the Netflix download that I tried yesterday and my YouTube videos played neatly on the large screen.

This player has my highest recomendations and the only other I would consider comparing it to right now is the OPPO which has taken the Home Theater enthusiasts by storm but alas is only available online.

By: Terry White

Terry White — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:24:05 +0000

Yep, it has both which is my point. It gives users the option of connecting ether way.

By: Todd Rains

Todd Rains — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:18:16 +0000

Terry, as far as I can tell the BD-P4600 has BOTH Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity. Just like you said, “Having a Wi-Fi “option” would be best.” And it has just that!

By: Terry White

Terry White — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:31:51 +0000

Warren, while I agree 100% that a wired internet connection is best for heavy downloading, the reality is that MOST people don’t have a wired ethernet connection near their TV’s. I’ve also done comparisons of downloading movies to TiVo HD and Apple TV over Wi-Fi and Ethernet and saw no appreciable difference in speed since my over all internet/Wi-Fi connection was faster or as fast as the service delivering the movie. Having a Wi-Fi “option” would be best.

By: Warren Shaw

Warren Shaw — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:29:03 +0000

I appreciate your product expertise. One major issue with Wi-Fi is that even under the fastest standard, wireless download speeds are only 20-25% of that over wired ethernet. Where this makes a big difference is in downloading HD movies where the speed difference can substantially lengthen wait times. In addition, the quality of the connection is lower with potential signal breakup at various times depending on what other equipment is being used in the house. I follow a practice of using wired ethernet through a router for all equipment making heavy use of the internet. It just works better. If I have to run a wire, the I do so.