LG's BH100 Super Multi Player unboxed

Well this is more like it. After waiting forever between the initial announcement and first retail availability of the first wave of HD disc devices, LG's BH100 really rocketed to the shelves, and has just participated in its first unboxing (that we've heard of) mere weeks after the announcement at CES. We're a little disconcerted by that big front-and-center dent on the box, but the unit itself looks just dandy, and gadgetaholic promises a full review in the coming days. But that's not what you're here for, you just wanted to see this little guy ripped from his Styrofoam cocoon and flap his little Red and Blue wings, so hit the read link for the whole event. Fly, BH100, fly.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jan 22nd 2007 9:59PM]

For such an expensive unit you'd expect a box that wasn't dented up like it was for a $39 VCR at Walmart.

[adamgrounds @ Jan 23rd 2007 8:20PM]

im still not too crazy about the button placement.

[Jeffrey @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:18PM]

Not only is the box terrible...the unit itself looks mad ugly. LG should be ashamed of themselves.

[Jimbo @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:39PM]

That's really nice, but if I really feel the need to be able to play both formats, I'll spend my 1200 bucks on a 360, HD-DVD drive add-on, and a 60 GB PS3.

[Brien @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:35AM]

What Jimbo said.

[Veritas II @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:52PM]

PS360 FTW!

[SOCOMRAIDER @ Jan 22nd 2007 10:53PM]

I can tell from the orange sticker that the unit came from Best Buy.

[enzo @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:33AM]

And I can tell from the dent that it fell off of a truck... from best buy.

[Castle @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:04PM]

What's the deal with the colored buttons on the remote? Noticed the PS3 remote has the exact same thing.

http://gadgetaholic.com/images/stories/lg_unboxing/DSC02844.jpg

[lwin @ Jan 23rd 2007 1:33AM]

The 'colored buttons on the remote' are for applications with color-coded menus, such as teletext.

[LJKelley @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:08PM]

UGLY... And didn't anyone else notice that it only has the Blu-Ray logo on the box, but no Official HD-DVD Logo? Strange...

I'm gonna stick with HD-DVD for the 360... screw Blu-Ray!!

[MaX PL and the 360 r4pe Tr4iN @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:16PM]

this player is funny. its so obvious LG supports BluRay based on the box alone.

its blue. its got the BluRay logo. and its called the super blue player.

blue blue blue. looks like they want the word blue to be synanomous with high definition so consumers purchase more of the "blue" format.

whatever, i'm more of a hd dvd supporter but at this point i could care less about either format because i wont be spending any money on movies. especially movies costing more than 20 dollars.

[saq @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:02AM]

"its blue. its got the BluRay logo. and its called the super blue player."

Well, it COULD just be the fact that both blu-ray and HD-DVD use a blue laser. Nahhhhh.

[Deluxe @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:20AM]

ZOMG Engadgets logo and link text is blue so they must be anti HD DVD - quick gather the dungeons and dragons team and unpack the katanas.

[Jared @ Jan 22nd 2007 11:31PM]

I can even use my composite cables! SWEET!

[Tyler @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:25AM]

Actually, the reason as to why it only has a Blu-Ray logo is because it is not officially supported by the HD DVD forum due to its lack of iHD, the key interactive media format specific to the format. However, the player can play back HD DVDs because both HD DVD and Blu-Ray use the same video formats (VC1, MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-2, etc.), audio formats (Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD, Dolby Digital Plus, etc.) and the like. It is safe to assume the player has rudimentary support for HD DVD to navigate the menus and the like, but any of the U-Control (for example) type of content seen in Universal movies would be privy to the end user. Unfortunate, but nothing a firmware update can't fix :D.

[MaX PL and the 360 r4pe Tr4iN @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:28AM]

nice analogies; too bad in this instance the association of the color blue and bluray makes sense.

[Deluxe @ Jan 23rd 2007 12:43AM]

Careful Max... http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/5783/engadgethateshddvd3fj.jpg

[Dave @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:50AM]

LG, listen, better drop hd dvd and release Blu-ray only player. Not only hd dvd does not allow you to ship it but it will lower the cost!

[applesucksLeo @ Jan 23rd 2007 3:54AM]

DL.TV reviewed it at CES. It isn`t a true HD-DVD player and isn`t even allowed to use their logo. It has very minimal HD-DVD functionality.
No thanks !
Robert Heron and Patrick Norton blew the cover on this "sort of" half-assed device.

[Kevin @ Jan 23rd 2007 9:52AM]

This might not be such a bad idea. They get to use HD DVD technology in this player and yet since its not 100% compatible and hence won't be able to carry the HD DVD logo, technically, they don't have to pay them the royalty fees? Maybe they shoulda done it for Blu-Ray too and just call it the Super Multi Blue player, wait it already is!

[barrington.thompson @ Jul 26th 2007 7:34PM]

Interesting point made about not having to pay royalties.

Most likely a secret deal was done:
1) LG would still have to pay the royalties and
2) would agree not to place the, 'HD DVD' logo on the player.

This would explain why the threat of a law suit disappeared quickly.

It would probably be impossible for LG to use HD DVD technology and also refuse to pay HD DVD licensees.

If there was away around paying the licence than it shouldn't be long before Blu-ray and HD DVD are replaced. This is because Blu-ray was only available, because HD DVD missed a loop hole. I have heard of some american students I think it was found a loop hole that both HD DVD and Blu-ray missed. The chinese are working on EVD DVD I think it is called, which would make things extremely interesting. At least one person have found a method of avoiding HDCP encription, which also makes things extremely interesting.

If royalties don't have to be paid than it shouldn't be long before the equivalent of the first sub £500/U$500 or less is available.

[Camperton @ Jan 23rd 2007 10:22AM]

I'll wait for a true dual player.

These big companies are like lumbering dinosaurs taking forever to simply get from point A to B.

With all that money, power and resources at their disposal you'd think they could get something right the first time... just once.

[tekdroid @ Jan 23rd 2007 11:43AM]

The more I watch, the more I'm convinced these supposedly next-gen formats are going nowhere.

[casselk @ Apr 5th 2007 6:16PM]

This player, sitting on my av-rack right now by the way, is very nice. It looks good and the video presentation from bluray, HD-DVD, and DVD are all outstanding. It is without a doubt one of the best players out right now. I don't miss iHD functionality because it just plays the movies with stunning detail which is all I want out of a player anyway. It is capable of higher video quality than any of your cheaper players and equals the best available. My unit purchased in February from Best Buy does not output 1080p to my JVC HD-61FN97. This issue is the one major drawback of this player right now. 1080i looks incredible on a 61inch screen and my TV's upconversion processing is awesome, but I want to use my gear to its full potential. LG said that this is a handshake problem and firmware update will take care of it. The update is available in Windows format on LG support site. Being a proud Mac owner this doesn't help me. They told me that they would ship the update via DVD as soon as it was available but I haven't seen it yet.

[barrington.thompson @ Jul 26th 2007 8:58PM]

Camperton,

I agree with you.

However, it appears that, 'The Establishment' are so incompetent what do you expect from a bunch of grossly negligent and incompetent idiots.

Until, I read your posting I had assumed that they were deliberately being incompetent to rip people off but now they probably just completely incompetent.

That would also explain why Microsoft probably still has not solved the three light problem to-date.

There are no guarantees, but just maybe the new Samsung dual (Blu-ray and HD DVD) player maybe the first excellent dual player (should have all relevant features), but I shall believe it when I see it - hopefully before 2008.

[barrington.thompson @ Jul 26th 2007 8:46PM]

The best advice for people in the UK is to wait until excellent HD (high definition) Freeview (preferably, with twin digital tuners (record two channels whilst watching a third)) products are created.

The products should also have recordable dual (Blu-ray and HD DVD) players with PVR (Pause Video Recorders) - players should be created hopefully in 2008.

The principal advantages, no expensive Cable or Satellite subscriptions to pay to obtain HD.

If the products and the programmes (720p, 1080i and 1080p) are excellent then it would be excellent, but I do not believe it until I see it.

I cannot remember the source but it should be correct that OFCOM, has allowed four channels for HD (high definition) channels on Freeview (after the switch off – 2007 to 2012) the rest will probably be sold to telephone companies (government - ripping people off, besides the TV Licence).