Samsung BD-P1000 Blu-ray Player Defect Announced
By Thomas J. Norton July 20, 2006 — Samsung has announced that the first production run of its BD-P1000 Blu-ray Disc player, which includes all players now in use and in stores, has an error in the programming of a Genesis chip used in the design. A noise reduction feature in that chip which cannot be user defeated has apparently been set to a level high enough to noticeably soften the image—an error that could account for the mixed reports on the player and the Blu-ray Disc format that have been published to date, here and elsewhere.

Samsung is working on a firmware fix that will be available as soon as possible to for both existing players and future production units. Early word is that the change will be downloadable onto a CD-ROM, which may then be loaded into the player to perform the update. But it also appears likely that the change will not be available until September, either as a download or in full production new players.