Other Source Component Reviews

As I mentioned earlier, the BD-P4600 also supports Netflix and Pandora, and each of these functions requires its own setup code that you must enter on both Websites in order to link to your accounts. This took very little time but required the use of a computer. [As we were wrapping up this issue, Samsung informed us it had inked content deals with Blockbuster and YouTube for this player as well.—Ed.]

Video Performance
Last year, some of Samsung’s Blu-ray players incorporated HQV Reon-VX processing, which delivered outstanding performance. This year’s crop of players employs a proprietary system that delivers solid performance, but it stumbles on the 2:2 cadence HD test from the Spears & Munsil High Definition Benchmark Blu-ray Edition, which should only affect the playback on certain discs, including some concert videos. The deinterlacing performance on both HD and SD material is exceptional, and the player passes both above-white and below-black information, which makes calibration much easier. Real-world deinterlacing performance is good on film-based material: the opening sequence of Star Trek: Insurrection (DVD) looked jaggie free. But it failed our 2:2 cadence test in SD, as it had in HD.

Scaling from 480i to 1080p was very good, but it fell just short of the Pioneer BDP-320 and OPPO BDP-83. The picture was fairly sharp, but it exhibited some slight ringing around bright objects, and tight weaves in fabric weren’t as clearly defined compared with the aforementioned players.

Real-World Performance
The BD-P4600 is a strong performer in the speed department. It took a mere 18 seconds to power on versus 12 for the OPPO BDP-83. Load times for Java-intensive Blu-ray Discs were just as impressive. Disney’s release of Race to Witch Mountain loaded in 46 seconds to the trailers, and 48 additional seconds to access the menus—within a couple of seconds of the OPPO. The PS3 is slightly faster in both of these tests, but I find its fan too loud for serious movie watching.

I watched a wide variety of Blu-ray Discs on the Samsung and found its performance to be exceptional. Its 1080p/24 output matches that of the OPPO. It bitstreams the audio flawlessly, and the internally decoded signals sent out as PCM sounded just as good—as they should. Navigation through the various menus on Blu-ray Discs was very fast, but chapter skipping was slower than I’m used to with the OPPO.

A couple of discs wouldn’t load on the player (Paramount’s The Soloist and Fox’s release of Dollhouse: Season One, but as mentioned elsewhere in this round-up, these discs both have had reported playback troubles in a multitude of players on release). The OPPO was one of the affected players, but it released a beta firmware update within days to affected users, a tribute to the company’s fantastic customer support. It’s been a few weeks now, and a firmware update isn’t available from Samsung to address these playback problems, but hopefully one is forthcoming.

As a longtime user of a TiVo Series3 HD DVR, I’ve become very familiar with Netflix video streaming. The BD-P4600 equals the video and audio quality of TiVo, although the shows take a bit longer to stream. They load almost instantly on TiVo versus a 10-second wait on the Samsung. I’ve recently discovered the hilarious NBC comedy 30 Rock, which is available from Netflix streaming in HD. The video quality is subpar in comparison with Blu-ray, but it subjectively looks nearly as good as the overcompressed Comcast cable feed into my home. The audio is limited to stereo versus the Dolby Digital 5.1 found on most network TV shows, but for casual watching of sitcoms and TV shows, the lack of discrete surround never detracted from my experience. I have a fast cable Internet connection, so I never had any issues with the shows pausing to refill the buffer. But your experience may differ depending on network traffic in your area.

Another nice feature is the addition of Pandora Radio, a great Internet music service. Its ability to customize radio stations based upon your listening preferences is outstanding, and the (highly) compressed audio streams offer enough quality for casual listening while you work around the house or as background music during a party.

Wrap Up
A wall-mountable player isn’t something I need or desire, but if you’re looking for a unique form factor, the Samsung is a solid performer. Its Blu-ray playback is excellent, although its DVD performance isn’t quite as good as the category leaders. The streaming capabilities work very well, and it offers Wi-Fi Internet access (if you can get it to recognize your network) and speedy loading of Blu-ray Discs. The price is a little steep at $450. Its unique mounting option comes with a stiff price premium.