As Summer Camp & Prayer for me a decent Piano Player - Part Two

As we have seen, the rumors about the dishes throughout the week as punishment for the delay was not true, and soon we found ourselves in Ugwam Mess Hall, which is certainly an appropriate name. The camaraderie of a dining room full of enthusiastic scouts, the conviviality of the Lodge, with its cheerful fireplace crackling rock solid, and the comfort that came to eat our first (and best) meal of the week quickly erased memories of the bus travel and our concern for the rest ofweek.

Guys, we were always wrong.

Penetrating the bleat of a trumpet raw flash into our little tent 4-Scout sleep 6:30 sharp, abruptly ending our first hot night. We do not know that this is the only boring night of the week. Rock, the ex-tent with our leader, sniffed and muttered that he had gone to sleep inside We left and went for breakfast. We knew from the stern ads the night before, during breakfast each tent would be checked for cleanliness,cleaning and, of course, beds are made in the prescribed manner Scout. We giggled about how Rock was about to do so.

We underestimate Rock.

After breakfast we all made for personal inspection of our uniforms, hair, teeth and sections of other scouts. To our surprise, there was Rock, looking spiffy in her new dress Scout. The captain in charge of the inspection team has announced that all the tents tents were approved, except Teepee # 34 and Scout would come Shinnforward.

"Scout Shinn, why not get out of bed?" The captain asked Stern.

"It 's been - it was ages I did it for breakfast - Fair" I prayed in wide-eyed innocence.

"Then why do you feel like you just left? Some effort was made to straighten out."

"But I did it! Perhaps .........." Suddenly I remembered to stay in Rock, and began to explain. But Rock was on the line of scouts behind me, and then I rememberedswitch beds with me the night before. My stomach sank.

"Scout Shinn, are you a scout?" questioned the captain gruffly. It sounded like a stupid question from a scout, but I thought I had better answer.

"Yes, sir."

"Well, Scout Shinn, have you ever heard that the Scouts are clean, tidy and follow directions?"

"Sir Yes Sir,"

"And did you find our information to make your bed and tidy your tent?"

"Well, I .........."

"Ademerit. Report to the Scoutmaster Seaverson in the kitchen immediately. And to see that happen again. Who else is in Teepee # 34? "

Rock put his right hand.

"Scout Riggotoni, you would be responsible for Test # 34, and make sure that Shinn Scout does his duty?"

"Yes sir!" Rock beamed.

My stomach dropped a notch further. Now he was not only the ad hoc boss, the boss was allowed.

The thing I remember most of the dishes that first morninghot water. It was hot, and I was miserable. I missed the first morning of work, and I knew that tomorrow would be a day behind everyone.

At lunch, Scout Riggotoni hit his arm around me and said, "Okay, Shinn. It 's your first year at camp. We all have to learn." That was sweet of him, I thought, and the master head, apparently thought so too because then I saw him rock pat on the back in a gesture of apparent praise for helping a young, rebellious Scoutas I.

The bathroom in Camp Ugwam - at least the only one who could use - it was a long outbuilding, perhaps with 20 holes on a long bench, with no partitions between each "station". I took a long look at the door, saw some older boys gathered in a group on the other side to look at something and laugh out loud, and I decided I could wait until I got home.

It 'been a long week.

After lunch we were running drills, and we went left and we were good and we marchedthrough the trees and most of the world. This was probably the easiest part of the field for me, because I had joined the school band from a year earlier as a trombone player, and knew my left foot from my right, and what 'About Face' to say. Some of the other scouts apparently not, because there have been several head-on collisions before the drill was over.

After drilling we were excused for the afternoon to go with all the necessary recreation. I wanted to go home, and wonderedwhat was over the hill and down to Soda Springs. I thought I could use the phone, and had visions of my father and my mother and my brother's large collection of me and calls me "Duane" instead of Scout Shinn. But the warnings early evening on the bears in the mountains outside of the field sufficiently discouraged me from my vision.

Willie wanted to go swimming, and I thought it sounded too good. We have moved our suitcases, heading for the lake located directly behind the lodge,and took a leap of faith directly in the fresh waters of Lake Ugwam. If I hit the water I am reminded that sometimes I have cramps in my legs at night in bed, and sure enough, in the thin air of 6,000 feet and the icy water of Lake Ugwam, my hamstrings cramps in both legs as the unauthorized Scout knot I always wanted to be able to commit. If you've ever had the glorious experience cramps in both hamstrings at once, is that I was very happy to bringshore at all, even thought it was just a few meters away. That ended my swimming for the week and for the next five afternoons were spent trying to get some sleep ', because the cramps, which started with 33 degree water, then continued every night, probably because height to work on fresh muscle stiffness.

In any case, I knew that I was not cut out for a scout, and dreamed a lot about baseball fields at low elevation, beds with firm mattresses and a bathroom withdoors on them. Willie, the exchange of data occupied in the meantime taken every baseball fan, he could bring to light, the head cook, a widow whose husband had once played third base for the Portland Beavers of the old Pacific Coast League included. Willie not only a series of charming shops baseball got from old times, but also a nice preview of sweets prepared for dinner, because the widow, she was happy that someone was interested enough to listen to his stories of baseballhusband's career. Willie curiosity was surpassed only by his energy level, and many nights when I was struggling to get my legs stretched out, I hear this "knock - crack - Swoosh -. Whack 'Teepee outside noise # 34 E' sideline was a night week, and Willie has some practical joke in extra throwing stones and hitting them with his club. Scoutmaster Why are some not the end, I will never understand, but nobody ever said anything about it. Perhaps the othercampers and counselors thought it was a bear breaking branches, or the spirit of some Indian warrior haunt the battlefield where he died 100 years ago. Perhaps it is added to the mystery field. If my cramps gradually disappeared, I fell asleep on.

The last night of camp was the culmination of our training scout, when we all were needed for the mysterious "Midnight March Manhood" go through the forest. Only the sound gave me chills, and the conversation aroundfield, more than all but the very oldest scout felt the same. The scout leaders have done their best all week to build this event in our thoughts, and make it the most frightening sound as possible. I am sure that their motives were good, but in the spirit of fancy pictures of 9 years of the paths of darkness at midnight and the spirits of Indian warriors and bears and mountain lions and lost forever in the High Sierra was enough to force us to do home security andcivilization. But that night was feared fast approaching, and the only thing that keeps me going was the knowledge that if I survived the night, the dawn, the bus and return to the comfort and warmth and familiarity of home to Bring all represented - as Cooking Mama, the lack of Riggotoni Scout, and a bathroom with a door.

After dinner Friday night we were ordered to retire to our tents, lying motionless on the bed, and prepare mentally and spirituallyThe big test of strength and courage and ingenuity that lay immediately ahead. None of us had no idea that meant - to prepare mentally and spiritually - as we lay on our beds and scared ourselves silly thoughts of the worst would soon come to pass. I remember praying, "Dear God, I know I'm not too well in the past, but if you put me through this night, God I promise to practice my piano lesson days every 30 minutes. Please?"

L 'dreaded event began with a fire of 10 hours. It 'began innocently, with songs and skits, and roast a marshmallow. Then came a story in which every other captain passed on the stories of the Indian tradition, scout forever lost in the woods, and the spirits of Indian warriors who still patrol the hills above Camp Ugwam, looking for a Scout who doesn t 'follow orders and leave the designated route. Eyeballs are grown, and the circle of scouts movedimperceptibly closer to the fire, and away from the darkness behind.

The last captain was the best storyteller of all (who had apparently saved the best for the second), he told a story absolutely horrible Indian warrior spirit that has possessed the body of one of our scouts around the campfire. Without moving your head below the minimum, we have the eye one another suspiciously for any tell-tail sign that the dreaded warrior Indian inhabiting the body of the Scoutnext to us. As the story continues with the stories of raids and scalping, I thought of my father, who was bald rock, and I wondered briefly if I had always been told was true - that he had a high fever as a teenager and had lost its you - or he could have attended a Boy Scout camp when she was nine years in Missouri, and 200-year-old warrior spirit had found wandering a bit 'from the runway and separated from her hair.

Slowly I raised my left hand to feel if my hair stillintact and then find out it was still there - standing in terror Stark.

When the narrator has worked the story of a climax in a barely audible whisper, and every eye and every ear was glued Scout Scout attention to him terrified, the shrill voice of the captain's head broke the silence with "Fast, Scout Follow me ! The ultimate test of your courage began. We need to Midnight Survival Test starting Ugwam and quickly move along the path, as we have justword that has received the dreaded Warrior Spirit is on the warpath, and close behind us! "

Approximately 76 million goosebumps Scout immediately formed a line close behind the captain, with the end of the line to fight for a place down the line. The survival of the fittest is undoubtedly at work, and the youngest of nine soon found themselves at the end of the line, the smallest of the small end.

Me

I repeated my prayer quickly, desperate,this time upping the ante. "Make that one hour, O Lord. I really practice my piano lesson hours will be a solid every day if only he put me through this." The darkness behind me was absolutely terrifying, and once I had the courage to look back and saw that the darkness behind every fear I had ever known, I vowed never to look back and kept my vow. I also increased my time to practice the prayer-promise to swap an hour and a half, and threw in the offer to quitpicking my nose as a sweetener.

The route wound through the pines and firs around huge boulders, fallen logs in, along the lake that you could barely make out the light of the quarter moon, and who knows where. The only lights were our little bar of each torch Scout Scout-made problem. The outlines of the trees and branches and rocks and boulders in the dark conjured images of all the stories that we just heard, and dug a few more from the recesses of ourmemories. My imagination is added to the terror, as I see the movie I had seen the week before - Frankenstein Meets Dracula. headless horseman would not have added to my anxiety. It was total.

From the darkness behind me came a quiet hand, around my mouth, taking my screams of terror private, and the next thing I knew was on the ground with his mouth covered and three dark figures held me down. Surprisingly, my fear subsided a bit, 'as I imagineoccurs when one is in danger of death. I would like about the figures bending over me, the spirits of Indian warriors to take my scalp, but instead took my pants. The largest of the three threatened me not to tell the captain if I was a Scout who died. Because I thought I was a scout to die anyway, that was a welcome message for a second chance at life. Maybe I would have survived after all. Maybe my prayers have been heard ad. Practicing the piano sounded veryIn contrast to my current condition.

The three riders of the night he disappeared again into the darkness from whence they came, and I sprint back to the end of the line, which fortunately I could still see in the distance caused by the torches carried out every Scoot. I was so happy to be back, although I'm still at the end of the line and Pantless, I actually have enjoyed the rest of the way - as a person from the dead could enjoy seeing the top half of the cemetery -that has been relatively quiet compared to my recent descent into hell and back.

As we marched to the field, we lined up in front of the lodge for inspection under the light of outdoor lamps that stood on either side of the lodge door. We stood at attention - 299 scouts in full uniform and standing in his underwear.

"Scout Shinn, step forward."

"Yes, sir."

"Scout Shinn, where in the world are my pants?"

"I do not know, sir."

"You do not knowwhere the pants? "

"No, sir."

Snickers roll across the line of the Scouts of attention.

"Why do not you know where your pants?"

"Well, sir, I had about the virility of midnight in March, when I started."

"More giggles from behind me."

"Have you had when you started the Midnight manhood in March, but you should not buy. I give them to a cold beer, perhaps?

Storms of laughter behind me.

"No, sir."

"Then perhaps have been takenwith the spirit of the Indian warrior dead? "

"Yes, sir, I think so."

Scout on the floor, their sides. Adult Scout Master doubled in hysteria.

Apparently the main thought that captain would be a good place to leave the problem, perhaps for fear of being camper Year 'by a voice to infuse the spirit of the dead warrior scalps Indian scout not only selected, but also in-panting Scouts move away from the path. In any case, whenOnce again his composure and the volume of the deceased was a bit 'of rice, said the group, asking them to go directly to their tepee. I was very grateful, and I was the first to leave.

I was frozen then, of course, not having the pants in half an hour or so, so when I went to our tent, I immediately opened the bag mother had so carefully packed for me, on two pairs of pants, three shirts, a sweater and a jacket. What was left of myScout uniform.

I crawled into bed that way, and fell asleep praying: "Lord, if thou me in some way on the bus tomorrow, no one could see me, I promise to practice one hour and forty minutes a day. I really mean, God, and if you somehow make me invisible on the bus, so kids do not laugh at me, I practice two hours a day, including weekends. .... ......... ... E ............................. "

Update: You'll be relieved to know that Scout Shinnindeed survive, and lived with his promise to maintain more or less. He currently teaches piano at PlayPiano.com in Medford, Oregon. Willie McTavish works for the San Francisco Giants in the PR department. Scout Riggotoni Trust and is a respected leader in the block Folsom State Prison in Folsom, California.

Tags : Pocket Squares Movies Review Daily Casio Watches Store

Hugh Laurie - Gifted Actor and Piano Player

The next time you're watching TV and Gregory House sits down by the piano at the end of an episode, watch his fingers carefully. The British actor that plays Dr. House, Hugh Laurie, is both an accomplished actor and a professional musician.

If you ask Hugh Laurie about his musical skills, he'll likely give you a humble and self-effacing answer. For instance, Laurie often describes himself as a "frustrated musician" and says that he "trifles" with the piano and guitar.

Since the early days of his acting career on British programs like A Bit of Fry and Laurie and Poor White Trash and Wooster, Hugh Laurie has been composing and recording original music. In fact, Laurie stated that his life's secret dream is to play in a jazz trio in the lounge of a small hotel. He quips that the group would be called the Hugh Laurie Five, even though there would only be three musicians.

Laurie has played music with two noteworthy musical groups. In the late 1990's, Laurie played in a band called Poor White Trash with Lenny Henry and Ben Elton's wife Sophie. Another well-known English actor, Adrian Edmondson from The Young Ones, was also a member of the group for a time. The group played soul and blues with a touch of funk.

More recently, Hugh Laurie plays with the Los Angeles charity group called Band from TV. The band was formed when Greg Grunberg realized that a tremendous amount of interest was generated when celebrities got together to jam. He saw an opportunity to play fundraisers for charity with fellow celebrities. So, when he guest starred on an episode of House, he asked Hugh Laurie to play with the group. The group made its debut at the TV Guide after party for the 58th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2006.

Other celebrities that have played with Band from TV include Teri Hatcher, James Denton, Bonnie Somerville, Bob Guiney, Jesse Spencer, Chris Kelley, Barry Sarna, Bryan McCann, Jon Sarna, Brad Savage, Chris Mostert and David Anders.

The band covered the Rolling Stones' hit "You Can't Always Get What You Want" for the House M.D. Original Television Soundtrack, and they frequently play charity events to benefit various causes. They released an album entitled Hoggin' All the Covers in 2007.

Laurie also makes music a family affair. He plays guitar and piano, while his two sons play saxophone and drums. His daughter joins in on clarinet, and the family plays together. Clearly, the kids get their musical talent from their father.

Hugh Laurie has showcased his musical talent on shows like Saturday Night Live and Inside the Actor's Studio. In addition to playing and recording music, Hugh Laurie enjoys piloting private planes, driving motorcycles and skydiving.

So, the next time you see an old episode of House MD and you catch Hugh Laurie playing "What a Friend We Have In Jesus" during the episode, now you'll know the good doctor really can tickle the ivories. Hopefully, future episodes of the hit show will highlight Laurie's talent for music, since Dr. House's character is all the more soulful while he's playing his piano.

Friends Link : Buy Cheap Sport Jackets | LOWER Prices Support Kids

Samsung BD-P1400 Reviews of the Multi-Region Blu-Ray Disc Player Version

Region code Areas

The multi-region version plays all REGION A And B Blu-Ray Disc movies on any TV with HDMI input.

A/1North America, Central America, South America, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia.

B/2Europe, Greenland, French territories, Middle East, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, plus all of Oceania.

C/3India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mainland China, Pakistan, Russia, Central, and South Asia.

Reviews of the BLU-RAY BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player (the is no difference in basic specifications for the
Region A version and the Region A and B Multi-region version so all reviews stand for both versions.):

It's good: Excellent image quality on Blu-ray movies; outstanding soundtrack support with onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD High Resolution and bitstream output for Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio; relatively low price compared to other standalone Blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player s; Ethernet port for updating firmware.
MDOJ,

My BD-P1400 arrived late yesterday! The firmware was updated last night via internet download and burning a CD. First impressions:

Video - !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Audio - !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FYI: There is no image or sound quality difference, or any other type of difference, in the USA Region A version of the multi-region Region A and B version of the Blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player.

I have tried a regular DVD and one BRD so far and am very pleased. Load
times are very acceptable. No negatives from me on this unit so far. Will
report more later when I get some of the more seemingly problematic BRDs.

The BD-P1400 has classic Samsung style. The front of the unit is all glossy black, with a thin strip of silver along the bottom.

Got my Samsung BD-P1400 last night and boy was I excited!! Before this review, let me start by saying that this is the first and only Blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player that I have owned and that I may not make some of the comparisons you are looking for. If I don't, just lemme know! I also want to say that I have NOT upgraded to the latest firmware yet as my modem is not near a TV.

Picture

Excellent, duh...... inky blacks, great contrast, detail, everything you expect from Blu

Design: Wonderful looking BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player , the best yet I think. Face is very open, not cluttered, and the piano gloss finish rocks. Good remote too.
Load Times Wonderful. I have 5 movies so far and they all loaded in approx. 15 seconds. Then there was the new F4 Silver Surfer.... This is a BD+ title from Fox and many have had complaints about its load time. The BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player gave me no problem, and the multi-region version from Planet Omni will be even more incredible. Let me say again that this is right out of the box, no firmware update yet!

FYI: There is no image or sound quality difference, or any other type of difference, in the USA Region A version of the multi-region Region A and B version of the Blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player.
Sound

I have not played with the sound much as I don't have my Onkyo TX-SR705 yet. I did notice that there is an option to set the speakers from small to large in analog 5.1 out mode. There are other discussions and reports of people getting full DTS-MA bitstream from this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player (after firmware upgrade) on other threads and forums. I'm getting very anxious to try this out!

Others

The rest of the stuff is pretty standard. 128x max forward, unit resumes same position in the movie even after powered off, pretty good response times from remote keys, etc.

All in all, this is a dynamite BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player. With the firmware upgrade, this guy will do just about anything that you can expect from a blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player right now!!

In addition to Blu-ray discs, the Samsung BD-P1400 can play standard-definition DVDs and CDs.

FYI: There is no image or sound quality difference, or any other type of difference, in the USA Region A version of the multi-region Region A and B version of the Blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player.

The BD-PBD-P1400's high-resolution soundtrack support is excellent. It has onboard decoding for Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, and DTS-HD High Resolution, which means it can output these soundtracks either in PCM format over the HDMI output or via the analog outputs. For newer receivers, the BD-P1400 also offers bitstream output for high-resolution soundtracks. So if you have a newer receiver with onboard Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding, you can set the BD-P1400 to output audio over HDMI in encoded bitstream format--letting your receiver do the decoding, rather than the BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player.

There should be absolutely no sound quality difference whether you let the receiver decode or the BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player decode, but some AV fans just love seeing the "Dolby TrueHD" light on their new receiver. If you need a Code free Converting DVD Disc Player for $79.95 Planet Omni also has that and they come with 2 warranties. So far, I am really happy with this purchase. I was not sure I made the right deal because of the negative reviews I read but bought it anyway.

I really don't know why people get upset when it only takes two minutes to get ready to play. I have used it several times with Blu-Ray disks rented from Netflix with no problems. I am still waiting for the eight free movies.

Connectivity is also solid. There's an HDMI output capable of carrying both 1080p video signals and high-resolution audio.

For high-def analog video, there's a component video output (limited to 1080i), and there's an S-Video output and a composite output for standard-def output. (As with all DVD BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player s, there is no DVD upscaling available via component video). On the audio side, there's the aforementioned HDMI output, along with 5.1-channel analog outputs, both optical and coaxial digital audio outputs, and stereo analog outputs.

Rounding out the connectivity is an Ethernet port, which enables you to upgrade the firmware from the Internet--a feature that's been common to HD DVD Players, but very rare among Blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Players.

FYI: There is no image or sound quality difference, or any other type of difference, in the USA Region A version of the multi-region Region A and B version of the Blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player.

The BD-P1400 did a good job of rendering the opening sequence of Star Trek: Insurrection, demonstrating its 2:3 pull-down prowess. Next up was Seabiscuit, and the BD-P1400 did a solid job with the difficult introduction, with few to no jaggies on the black and white photos.

MDOJ,

Just a quick update on the Samy BD-P1400. I have rented some BR's from Netflix and have really been enjoying the BD-P1400 - how about you? All the techno mumbo jumbo aside, as far as I'm concerned this is a great BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player.

I hope that the head dudes in charge of this forum will make a sticky for the Samsung BD-P1400 - hint - hint! watching home movies here...not saving lives.

The Samsung is a REALLY good unit for the price. The multi-region version is just $849.95 from Planet Omni and considering they use a double motherboard specially imported which must cost a fortune plus the intensive labor it's a real great bargain, IMHO.

I was able to plug my unit directly into my modem with a network cable (as per Samsungs directions in the user manual) and the BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player found it's new firmware and loaded it up without the need for me to get on the computer, burn disks...etc. Very cool.

The Samsung has a great image and with the current update I can listen to DTS-HD Master Audio (Sony can't say that for twice the price!).

With the pace at which the technology is moving I think it is very difficult for a manufacturer to manufacture these units, get them to market and have them totally "current" with the new disk technology, (which is changing daily), but Samsung has provided me with a unit that I can just plug into my modem and get an update when they have it available. I think that is AMAZING.

A little patience and understanding can go a long way. After all...it wasn't that long ago that when you bought an electronic component, you couldn't update it at all. I am sure Samsung will come thru with an update soon. I have not run into any disks I could not play as of yet.

Having never seen a 1200 in action, I can't help you - but the BD-P1400 PQ is excellent, but that's what Blu is all about - right?

I have tried several BD's from Netflix as well as a few standard def DVD's. All were great. As far as the handshake issue, I'm not really sure what that is.... and for the off, then play thing... why would you want to do that in a movie anyways?

Great BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player, I couldn't be more happy I got the new BD-P1400 last week. returned the 1200 to get it. (plus 100 price difference in my favor. PROS= the pic quality is by far the best I've seen, even better then the panny I had.

Controls are easy and setup just the same. I don't like it loses the signal at the beginning of the discs.
AUDIO= I am not able to use all the audio features due to my ONKYO being a few years old. I have it setup with a digital optical cable, the sound is really excellent except for the POPS I get every now and then.

As for the BD discs, POTC about 2 minutes, have had no problem, and the multi-region version from Planet Omni will be even more incredible, with any other BD movies. I did notice that after I hit pause and went to hit play, the movie would play for a minute and then stop. I had to hit play again. No big deal.

Used the Ethernet port to download new firmware, can't tell the difference though. I am sorry I am not that technical but this is my blue collar review. any??????s I will answer the best I can

Just finished watching Casino Royale - spectacular!

I have a Playstation 3 that has awesome picture quality for both Blu-Ray and upscaling of Standard DVD's since a software upgrade. We use this for our main HD TV in the family room. I needed another BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player for a second HD TV we just had hung in our bedroom.

I waited for the BD-P1400 to become available since I already committed to the Blu-Ray format and wanted the latest technology available. I cannot say enough about the sound quality that this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player offers, it is unbelievable. The picture quality is excellent and on par with the Playstation 3. I am seriously considering purchasing a second BD-P1400 for our main set because of the outstanding sound. Great BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player especially for the money.

By far the best Blu-ray I ever tested. Never watch cartoons but now I'm spending a lot of time watching with my kids.

This is a great Blue Ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player. DTS HD MA bitstream finally. I have owned this product for about two months and am thrilled with it; it is really a good deal. I only use my Blu Ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player to play Blu Ray movies, since the sound is piped into a Samsung 5-disc receiver. The picture quality is amazing. I own four Blu Ray discs (which I purchased on Amazon at $14.99 each) and they all play beautifully, with no problem, and the multi-region version from Planet Omni will be even more incredible, and a crystal clear picture.

I bought this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player in December. I hooked it up with an HDMI cable to a Sony Receiver. The Cable Box from Comcast is also hooked up to the receiver. The receiver is connected to a 42 inch Panasonic 1080P Plasma. Three HDMI cables, that is it.

It has worked flawlessly from the beginning with every Blu-Ray disc we have tried. We get about one a week from Netflix. I can play Pirates of the Caribbean 3. Not sure why the other reviewer could not.

The picture quality is stunning with Planet Earth. I guess I can credit the Panasonic TV mostly for that.

I did the version 1.2 firmware upgrade in December. I just did the version 1.5 firmware upgrade yesterday Feb 5th. I downloaded both and created the ISO CD.

To me it works fast. So you have to wait a few seconds for it to boot up, so what? Go get the DVD while you are waiting.

Most computers nowadays take minutes to boot. I imagine it will never get better, likely probably worse over time since these are in essence computers, and the more technology advances the slower these machines are to turn on and load up.

After doing the firmware upgrade, I checked my settings and noticed they had been reset. If you have a digital receiver, you should make sure that the audio is set to 'bit rate' and not PCM if you want surround sound.

I also had no problem, and the multi-region version from Planet Omni will be even more incredible, playing regular DVDs or CDs either. So when it becomes obsolete, it will replace my other DVD BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player and improve the quality of the regular DVDs with my other older 720P Samsung set.

I don't think anyone should delay buying because of the format war. The minute you buy anything nowadays, it becomes obsolete and is eventually a throw away. So you at least enjoy it while you can, life is too short. At the prices today what the heck, it is cheap, buy now before the dollar becomes worthless! You can get an entire home theatre 1080P HDMI based system with speakers for less than $[...] right now. Thank you China! I got my HDMI cables from Planet Omni, $19.95 for 2 meter length, superb images and sound!

Before I hooked this up, I updated the firmware via the Ethernet port. Once that was done I have had no problem, and the multi-region version from Planet Omni will be even more incredible, with the BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player at all. I debated whether or not to buy this due to some negative reviews, but the deal was just too good to pass up for a stand alone. Those of you that have had problems with this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player have every right to complain about them here, that's what these reviews are for.

However, the people complaining it isn't 1.1 or 2.0 (no BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player is 2.0 yet) should stop. Nowhere in the description does it say this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player is supposed to be 1.1. If you want to inform people there are updates coming and this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player will not be able to benefit, go ahead, but to say it is horrible and obsolete because of it being 1.0 is misleading. I have a feeling most people want to just watch the movie and would rarely use the features of 1.1 (like picture in picture commentary).

If that's you, this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player is perfect. If you need a 1.1 BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player, get the panasonic. For me this one will work fine for the next couple of years while Blu-ray gets its act together and finalizes an emerging product. I hope those of you that have had problems were able to get them resolved and can now enjoy the BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player as I do.

I have had no problem, and the multi-region version from Planet Omni will be even more incredible with the Samsung BD-PBD-P1400. I just plugged it in, connected it to the internet and started the firmware upgrade utility. After about 20 minutes, the firmware upgrade was successful and I played my first movie without a glitch. Every movie I've played since has also played flawlessly. You can also upgrade the firmware by burning a CD or if you don't have internet, Samsung will send it to you.

This product works just fine on blu-ray disks, also on non-European format DVDs, and on music CD-ROMs. I have found no problem, and the multi-region version from Planet Omni will be even more incredible with it. It even does a superior job of showing plain DVDs on my 40" TV, where my previous DVD BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player only would take up part of the screen.

One clever and undocumented touch is that it seeks out the right TV input choice once a disk is inserted. It may help that the TV is also a Samsung.
I got this on Nov.30, 2007, and unlike what other reviewers have said, the BD-P1400 does start back where you stopped. Everything else looks and works great.

I'm editing this review on March 13, 2008, to reflect my experience with the machine. It appears to me that whether a DVD will start back where it stopped depends on how the DVD was manufactured, NOT on the BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player . Some DVDs, such as "LOST, Season 3", don't even have chapter/scene makers on them, much less the ability to restart after a stop.

Some DVDs, such as "3:10 to Yuma", actually have their own system for marking where you stop or where you may want to go back to, but otherwise require a restart from scratch. But some DVDs do restart where stopped.

My chief complaint with Blu-Ray (not necessarily with this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player in particular) is that it takes FOREVER for a DVD to start up, then if you do have a DVD that won't restart from where it stopped, you have to go through the painfully long start-up again.

I've learned to NEVER PAUSE a DVD, which causes it to shut down the BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player after a few minutes. Instead, I keep it going at 1/8 speed, then when I come back, I can easily back up to where I was -- a lot faster than a restart.

If there is a better BR BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player anywhere near this price range, I haven't heard of it. Now that HD DVD has died, I hope that DVD makers will focus their attention on making BR DVDs work more easily and FASTER.

This is a great player. The only issue is the firmware upgrade. I used CD-R/RW burning method...easiest and fastest. Burn *.iso image using nero burning rom software. The instructions are in [...]/support. I have both HD-DVD and blu-ray. so far blu-ray is better. HD looks like upconverted DVD. Read the instructions carefully i.e. the new Blu-ray "Live Free Die Hard" contains a note letting you know the software upgrade may be needed.

Lastly, remember this is HDMI 1.3 compatible...so in order to use 1.3 capabilities, you need a cable and TV which is HDMI 1.3 compatible also....the picture is great. Buy this BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player and upgrade the software right away.

I have read and continue to see many complaints about different blu-ray and hd-dvd BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player s not working like people hoped. I can say that with this model I have had absolutely zero issues.

I am sure some people will write that it doesn't load this or doesn't do that, but it hasn't affected me. I have not found a single disc that has not played perfectly. What people have to remember is that in this day and age everything is like a computer, you may have to update, it is part of life now, get over it.

Will the manufacturers eventually get this flawless, probably so but in the mean time I will be enjoying my movies now. If you are an early adopter like I am on technology then any issues you might run into will be no big deal. The BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player is easy to setup, easy to play and loads reasonably fast. Glad I bought it and already thinking about a second one for different room.

Complete satisfaction with this product. Greatly enhances my regular dvd's. I was really surprised about this claim, but the Samsung does as advertised. The blu-ray disc audio is very good. Can't wait until hooking this up with my new surround system.

This product is money well spent for the viewing pleasure it gives. I highly recommend this product.

For its price this is a steal. The audio and video quality here is great, the quality and selection of Blu-ray is top notch and you can be fairly confident you'll be getting blu-ray format movies made for you for years to come. One of the better options for a dedicated BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player if you're not interested in the PS3.

Before deciding to purchase my Samsung BD-P1400 I studied many of these customer reviews and they were very useful. I also read a dedicated AV Science forum online concerning this model BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player. First, all of the information and customer reviews highlight the endemic problem that implementation of newer Blu-Ray standards is occurring gradually. Moreover, features are evolving, meaning that we are all taking some chances when we purchase any Blu-Ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player (that is not a PS3).

I personally have no interest whatsoever in owning a game console. Second, many of these reviews describe in conscientious detail the kinds of problems that people are having, as well as whether and how the problems have been overcome. This review adds data to that second category - practical problems.

When my BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player arrived the very first thing I did was install the latest firmware downloaded from the Samsung web site. I suggest the method that uses a cd rather than a direct network connection; in either case the manuals and web site offer complete directions. Be sure to *confirm that the update was successful* by restarting the BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player , re-inserting the firmware cd, and comparing the disk version to the installed version.

What problems have I had? In a month of watching Netflix discs I have had not one single hiccup, not a single blue screen, no refusals to play any of the BDs or SD-DVDs that others have had problems with - I have had *nothing but perfect performance*! True, some of the other criticisms like slower controls are inherent to the technology. But my BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player has been flawless and my expectations have been significantly exceeded. Without hesitation, I give my BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player five stars.

Pros: My favorite feature, by far, is the 24 frame per second output mode. Movies display exactly as they were intended - be that good or bad - and 'judder' in slowly-panned scenes is significantly improved compared to 30 FPS. This alone, in my opinion, warrants the relatively modest price tag. [In direct comparisons using my 50" plasma TV, the video quality of movies from the BD-P1400 at 24 FPS is clearly superior to the same discs when played through advanced computer video cards that cost the same!] I also like the features and layout of the remote control, which doubles up to control my Samsung TV. Yes, these are basic features within the realm of Blu-Ray, but they have been very capably implemented.

Cons: My only nit-pick is that I would like a set-up feature that allowed the audio and video outputs to be delayed relative to each other by a selectable increment. This would allow perfect lip-sync when using older (i.e. slower) audio decoders/receivers that are not HDMI 1.3 compliant. However, to my knowledge this feature is not offered on *any* new Blu-ray BD-P1400 Blu-Ray Disc Player , since the HDMI 1.3 standard incorporates an automatic synchronization feature if all the components are HDMI 1.3 compatible.

Maybe I've been lucky, but I have not had a single 'playability' issue using the latest build of the latest firmware. Based on this - 5 stars.

Let's hope that Samsung will support this model well into the future by further optimizing the operating firmware, as needed.
In brief: Outstanding picture quality---my wife and I say, even for stills, "Polaroid picture!", breathtaking.

The unit has all the requisite connections. I play it through a Yamaha av-tuner with 7.1 channels, via HDMI, but other connections are available.

There is a simple blue-ringed on-off button, and a tray open-close button; that's it on on-board controls. The remote has several levels of sophistication: It is easy to find and use the power, pause-play-rewind-fast/slow controls, those you will use 99% of the time. The remote also provides movie menu controls (e.g., language), player menu controls, and options for controlling other devices---learn to use them only if/when you need them. There was absolutely no setting up to do---plug and play! Great neuro-ergonomics, i.e., intuitive ease of use.

In over three weeks of regular usage, we have noted some glitches, but it's not clear if it is the player itself or the emerging technology. Several times, the unit went into "Stop" mode as if the button had been pushed; I had to hit "Play" to get the movie started again. Mildly distracting.

What would I also like? Perhaps controls for the av amplifier as well, although that unit has all the buttons needed for TV, player, and amp. Maybe better backlighting on all buttons. This is one heck of a deal, recommended to anyone wanting to get into blu-ray.
Good BluRay DVD. Easy to use. High definition DVD's look great but regular DVD's look better too.

No problems found yet.

the Samsung 1400 is significantly superior to the Toshiba HD-A3. The BD-P1400 supports not only TrueHD, but DTS-HD MA bitstream output over HDMI. The A3 can only extract the DTS 'core' and cannot send bitstream DTS-HD MA out. Only the HD-A35 and the XA2 can do that, but both are significantly costlier than this player. The BD-P1400 can also output full 1080p/24 video, while the A3 can only send out 1080i and does not support 24fps output.

Both are slow to load up, but the A3 is significantly slower, taking almost 2 full minutes to warm up the player and display video on your monitor/screen. The PS3 takes less than 30 seconds btw. The A3 is also very noisy, distractingly so especially because it is a high pitched noise that is hard to ignore.

Overall, the BD-P1400 is a high functioning blu-ray stand alone player, that supports lossless audio output (PCM, TrueHD, and DTS-HD MA) and 1080p/24. I would still recommend a four hundred dollar PS3 over the BD-P1400, but if you really want a standalone player, you can't go wrong with the BD-P1400.
I don't actually own this player, but I have a friend who bought one and he loves it.

This is a excellent blu ray and I am very happy with my purchase, I recommend this player to everyone and the price is great.

It did NOT disappoint in the slightest. I have not had any problems playing any DVD Blu-ray or not. I have not had to download any firm-ware to solve ANY issues. The BD-P1400 worked straight out of the box. The only thing that comes close to a con is that it's slow on start-up and loading.

I am very satisfied with this player and I'm happy. All I can report is that mine works perfectly so far, and I have recommended it to many of my friends when asked for an opinion.

Works wonderfully with my new Samsung plasma... Haven't experienced any issues expressed by other reviewers. Connected with an HDMI to TV and optical audio to Home Theater... Breathtaking PQ and sound.

This Blu-Ray player is first-class. Easy setup. This is my first Hi-Def player, and I am very happy with my purchase. I did the latest firmware update per the instructions in the manual, and it has functioned flawlessly. The player has a modern, slick, glossy appearance. The sounds are incredible, and the images are too beautiful to be described. Very easy to install and use. I never knew the difference that a Blu-ray player can make in the movie watching experience. I am not an expert, just a regular mom that purchased the blu-ray player for family viewing.

I have had this player for about a month now...After updating the firmware, it has been flawless. Amazing picture, quiet unit, looks great in the entertainment rack along with my HD DVD player.

The upconversion is wonderful! Best part is I can use optical and take advantage of the new audio codecs.

I give this player 5 stars!

Not a single problem. I even have it in a tight spot with 2" clearance above top and open back with No overheating problems. None of my movies have locked up or have been unable to play. I have tried Live Free or Die Hard, all the Harry Potters, Planet Earth and others. Firmware 1.5 arrived on Jan 24th and it has seemed to fix all the problems others were having. I would definitely recommend this player to others.

I have a PS3 and a Sony 300 S Blu-ray player, and they are both excellent blu-ray players. However, I love my new Samsung 1400 BD it can decode DTS HD sound, and it makes for a wonderful movie watching experience. The first thing a new owner should do is go to samusung.com and download the latest firmware update (it is a fast simple process). There are also instructions on the owner's manual that explains how to update the player. I have watched the latest Blu-ray releases from Fox, Disney, Sony, etc. and the picture/sound quality is outstanding. Very pleased with the product.

My Links : Buy Discount Wool Womens Coats | LOWER Prices