Samsung unwrapped couple of new Blu-ray players at the just concluded CES. The BD-P4600 (pictured above) is the world’s first wall mountable Blu-ray player which managed to bag the Best of Innnovations award at the CES. BD-P3600 on the other hand, is a traditional looking player encased in deep black with charcoal gray highlights curving along the outer edges.
Both the players are packed with features which includes BD-Live (Profile 2.0), Bonus View, Full HD 1080p playback with DVD upscaling, standard CD playback as well as JPEG and DivX playback too. Another feature that makes these players exciting is the support of Netflix and Pandora streaming. The streaming could be done with the included 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 dongle or over wired LAN. There’s also 1GB of internal memory so that a user can access BD Live or Bonus View right out of the box.
So does the BD-P3600 have the Reon Upscaling chip or better/worse. . . . ? If not Reon what and why?
I do not know which upscaling chip it has, but I had bought the bd-2500 and within the exchange period at Best Buy, I heard that the 3600 with wireless had come out, so I exchanged. FABULOUS IMPROVEMENT. I can’t see how anyone would be disapointed in this unit.
Up to the BD-2550 they were using the Silicon Optix Reon chip. Bottom end of the SO line, but still top of its class and it did an amazing job. Now they have Samsung’s own chip which in their advertising is not mentioned or if it is, it’s a very brief comparison and blurb really says nothing. Whereas, with the previous units they had all kinds of great things to say and boasted about the Reon chip. Really made a big deal about it. I would think that if their own chip was as good if not better, they’d have made all kinds of noise.
That is the main draw back for me in getting one of the new Samsung BD players. Even now I still feel better with a refub’d 2550.
What are the differences between the 3600 and the 4600 other than the cabinets (including the fact that the dongle on the 4600 fits below the box)? I’m not sure I want to pay $50 more for the 4600 unless there is some difference in addition to the cosmetics. (I wouldn’t use a wall mount.)
What are the differences in capabilities between the 3600 and the 4600? If it’s only that the 4600 has a different case, can be wall-mounted, and the dongle can go under it out of sight, that probably wouldn’t make it worth it to me to pay the additional $50.
I have been watching these for a couple of years and almost got the last 2550 with the REON chip in the state for $314.00. No extended warranty. But it just didn’t feel right (if you follow me below). So I have waited and along came the LG BD-390, which I got for $225.00 with a 4 year warranty. And OMG!!!!!!!! What an incredible machine! Built in 802.11b/g/n. It sees all the shared areas on both my Mac and PC without any third party software and plays any media file there is. The main GUI is beautiful, but can be changed. Does Vudu, Netflicks, YouTube and CinemaNow, with more on the way. I played with it for two days before I put a disc in it.
So glad I did not go Samsung. But I do love my Sammy DLP!!!!!! They make a great pair.