Will this be a boost for the HD-DVD format?

Samsung deserves to pay for selling defective equipment. Companies need to learn how to treat their customers, because without them their company would go bottom-up.

HD in any format is going to take a while to get up to speed. I personally hope Blu-Ray (or Beta-Ray as it should be called) dies quickly to a newer format. Blu-Ray is just stupid.

why wouldnt they offer a firmware update?

That is the problem with BluRay having no idea of what the standards should be and are still putting in new requirements, well after players started to go on the market. Since the player played all movies up until the BDA created new guidlines late last year it is a problem with the movie maker failing to provide minimum requirements. Since BluRay disks are really computer programs (some type of Java)that show video they need to start labeling the requirements like other software does.

Should be an interesting battle between content owners wanting to keep changing the machines to prevent being ripped off and machine owners who have to keep getting updates to watch the newest videos.

See this is going to be the FIRST of many law suits against Blu-Ray. Then companies will say... look at HD-DVD.. they don't have firmware updates. Firmware updates are just a pain in the ass. HD-DVD is easier... let's go back to that! Sadly this format war is not over.

You're only talking about one player that probably sold very few copies. While Samsung may choose to settle (offering the complainants a free player, perhaps), there are several reasons why it may not be as simple as updating the firmware:
- the firmware may not be upgradeable, or
- the upgrade may take more space than is available on the flash rom, or
- it may not be possible to drop in a larger rom into the mainboard.

However, Samsung may also stick to the principle that the player worked as advertised when it was sold. While probably a bad PR move, it makes sense. CDs evolved over time too, so that some early drives would play all the audio cds that were out there. No one suggested that the manufacturers should upgrade them. Standards are never fixed forever.

Sorry, but the format war probably is over. Blu-ray won.

I have a new samsung surround sound player (HT-X30)and if you connect the (Samsung LEM87BDX) TV sound via optical.. u get lip sync lag after a few mins or so.. it only corrects when you turn off and on the system..

I can get 5.1 sound if I connect via my 360 Elite optical cable.. and TV is connect via red and white sound cable..

but its not what I paid for.. switching wires and remotes all the time...

I called samsung and they said that there is no firmwire update avaliable yet but they will contact me if or when one becomes avaliable..

how long will this be.. I feel to just return it to the shop..

samsung may not ever have a firmwire fix.. and a year later id be stuck with it..

open format should always win.

I hate that sony and blu-ray is going to win, as this is bad for consumers.

licensed formats have controlled pricing in the past, so dont expect many or any bargain bin blu-ray discs.

but why let the consumer decide which format is the best of them when you can buy market share, its all just crap!

I can only assume that the general public does not understand all the facts about the formats. Why would anyone want to support one company for every DVD (Blu-ray) ever sold? With the uprades in HD coming the argument that space is moot.
Sorry to rant but I have not talked to any unbiased person that can Unequivocaly say that Blu-Ray is better than HD-DVD. Some are better in areas the other is weak. My deciding factor is internet connection. In this day and age I think any new product has to take it into account.

When the BDA said people with profile 1.0 & 1.1 players might have severe difficulties just playing profile 2.0 discs why would anyone take the risk?

Not only is HD DVD the complete article it is an incredible spec/price deal.

This whole thing is ridiculous. This is why I chose to support HD DVD. I know I will be bashed, but hear me out first. 1. Both formats offer the same picture quality, and you need a state of the art surround system to hear the difference with audio on Blu-Ray. There, I said it, a HD fan SAID Blu has better audio options.
Now, the HD DVD spec has been the same from the start. Sure, there have been firmware updates, but it's been improvements, not additions. The specs on Blu-Ray are NOT complete. That's why the have “Profiles”. 1.0 was the start. Then 1.1 came out. Most advanced players could get to 1.1 without problems. Thing is, the 2.0 profile requires more hardware (an additional AV decoder, network jack, OS interface for configuration, dedicated audio encoder), something that can't simple be changed. Samsung did NOTHING wrong, the people setting minimal standards did something horribly wrong here. The ONLY current Blu-Ray player that can use the 2.0 profile (big surprise here) is the PS3. Even with an out of court settlement, there is the HUGE issue of everyone with a set-top player.
I looked BOTH formats over, and saw the advantages on both. Space is not an issue as it's presented to be. Look at King Kong for an example, and then tell me why do we need interviews with a backdrop to be in 1080P with lossless audio?

You say that Blu-ray has better audio. Did you know that some blu-ray players can't even decode DolbyTrueHD ?

HD DVD owners know this all too well. I bought a Blu Ray player that did the same thing so I canned it and got the top of the line Toshiba model. I wonder how this will impact on Sony's bottom line. I feel bad for many unsuspecting Blu Ray player owners that have no idea that their players are obsolete as soon as they purchase them. Can't wait to see the spin masters try to turn this one around...

Being a techno geek all my life, this is so like back in the 1970's with the war of VHS vs BETA.

It's so similar that it's scarey. In those days, VHS won because of pricing. Beta (sony) was WAY over priced so sales where low. Yet, Beta did produce a better quality picture (higher res than VHS) and cooler options (pause without noise in picture, shuttle etc).

Price talks. But now, this war, it's different. It's not just price. It's more of which major movie maker is going to support moreso, which format.

So here we are again. The customer is getting screwed, all over again... CAH-CHING $$$$$

I refuse to get caught up in this again.

I'm waiting whatever number of years is necessary before getting any HD disk player.

If others just stopped buying any of them, then these companies would have to quickly product a stable product or die trying.

Best to wait people!