Meathead

https://www.cnet.com/news/samsung-to...tag=CAD590a51e

https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnarc.../#a26705157768

Both 4K and regular blu-ray players... This can't bode well for physical media.

b2net

Ugh

story

Ugh, indeed. Samsung is trying to make every screen in the universe, I'm surprised about this. I recently heard one of their biggest money makers is screens in vehicles, it's just a huge cash cow. It's possible the ROI on players is way low compared to other items, but yeah, this isn't good for physical media futures...

Coral

It's not surprising.

As I pointed out in the Criterion thread, this seems to be the trend.
Oppo's bailed on DVD/BD/UHD players - which used to be their bread and butter. Sony didn't include 4K UHD in their PS4 Pro, and MS looks to be releasing a console without an optical drive.

Shiny discs just don't attract many people any more.

OldBoy

Nooooooo...............

Gizmo

After their first BD player back in 2006 I would never touch another Samsung product. What a gigantic POS.

What's weird is they sell 4k TVs so to not have a disc player to go along with it is just baffling. Couldn't they just re-badge a cheap player with their logo?

OldBoy

I’ve never had Samsung. Thought it was like a cheapie player that didn’t get great reviews from what I saw. I buy everything Sony. I just like their stuff...

Paul_SD

Over the last several days I was starting to question the wisdom of hoarding several Oppo players that aren't getting used, when the likelihood of my ever needing them would be far enough into the future that something even better would probably be available at that point, and I could get a decent ROI on them now if I sold at least one of them off.

Then I see news like this and all of a sudden that taken-for-granted future doesn't look as flush with options as it once did.

PhantomStranger

Samsung's exit is grim news for physical media fans. I was thinking that UHD would have a good 4-5 more years of life, but everything is moving against it.

Hazel Motes

I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that a most people either use an XBOX or PS4. I haven't owned a videogame console since Nintendo 64 some 20 years ago, but last year I picked up an XBOX because it was onsale for quite cheap and it didn't make sense to buy a 4K player for around the same price when an XBOX did the same thing but also A LOT more. So yeah, this is bad news. But I don't know if its the death blow some may think it is.

orangerunner

I can't help but think this is more of a symbolic decision by Samsung to help establish their brand as "forward-thinking-only" regardless of whether or not disc players still play a significant role in their overall sales figures.

In a competitive electronics business, the perception that a company is still waddling in the optical disc business may damage its reputation as a cutting-edge brand. Apple has held this opinion for over ten years now.

"Let an inferior brand like RCA fill the void" is probably the rationale.

Gizmo

melasnus

I remember it.
For some reason, Samsung has never made a great disc player.
Strange when you consider they make very good TVs.

That is weird.
Maybe they will have internal players someday...

Sonic

More baffling is why I don't understand a bunch of grown old ass men on the internet being so emotional like a female, over plastic toy garbage that Samsung is exiting on. The only person that gives a care for 4K Samsung players are those that collect them funko pop crap and probably have most of their home furnished in plastic.

A company should focus on it's great strengths. Samsung needs to stick with TV's and their phones. That is what they make best.

I'm happy this is happening. No more plastic clutter, no more market flooded with cheap crap.

fumanstan

DJariya

I have a Samsung Galaxy S8 and a 2016 Samsung 4K HDTV.

If they don't feel they can be competitive in the 4K and BD disc player market, so be it. They are just 1 player in the field.

For the record, my 4K BD player is a Sony.

mrhan

Physical media is still always going to look better than streaming but the majority of people don't give a shit. I'm sure that's what Samsung is banking on.

Sonic

I should have refrained and added that Samsung makes some darn great washing machines.

orangerunner

Of course you have to remember that a market flooded with cheap plastic crap does provide fierce competition which helps lower the price on the well-built players. Without it, be prepared to pay a lot more.

melasnus

According to most videophile old timers, from DVD to 4K UHD, the manufacturer rankings have been :
1) Oppo
2) Panasonic
3) Sony

Unfortunately, we've now lost Oppo.
The new king of the hill is Panasonic...long live The King.

Gizmo

E Unit

faust69

I have a Samsung 4k player and i think it's garbage. Them exiting the market is fine with me. I hate that I spent money on this POS and can't wait to replace it with something better. And I don't even like their TVs either. I own an LG.

Gizmo

E Unit