1600 Explained
The 1600 is the same hardware for all regions and countries, however it does not have the same firmware.
ALL units have firmware to support a variety of features, however, they have been limited features depending on the region...
to re-enable some of the feature such as Support for DIVX and other formats... you need firmware from another region and it has to be patched so the player thinks the firmware is useable in this region... ( Brazil firmware has all formats enabled.. ) then you have to set the units Region code back to north america...
these units are 99$ at future shop at the moment on blow out...
they will work with large drives... over 32GB and also include 1TB as Fat32 which has been tested...
youtube feature is nice, if you like youtube..
as for Pandora, BlockBuster... Forget it... if your in canada.
Pandora is geoblocked via IP for American use only...
(yes there is a work around... but its not worth the hassles...)
Blockbuster has already filed for Bankrupt... so they are on the way out...
Now for another comment... I spoke to Samsung in USA as well as Canada.
I also Spoke to Netflix...
The Device WILL according to samsung, have a firmware release by the end Of October to Support NetFlix in canada.
I had also asked why the Sept update did not include netflix, and they did not have any real answer..
My Theory is.. What they did do was to pre test the online Flash Provisioning as a test to see what problems if any would be expierenced when people would upgrade for the Netflix service... '
( instead of the 'Netflix Fried my BD Player..' etc... )
I had also asked why file formats such as Divx were removed from Canadian Systems... they did not have any real answer... and the american samsung rep found this to be somewhat perplexing in nature.
( another amusing comment in the chat with a samsung rep... I had asked him what model of unit he was using at home... it was funny but he told me that in fact, he does NOT use a Samsung product for this purpose in his own home... )
(( Pepsi man is drinking Coca Cola... at samsung... it seems..))
so as it sits... Some time towards the end of october 2010 Netflix will be on the Samsung 1600 boxes in canada as a update...
so yes its a good buy for a Netflix / Youtube / Blueray / MP3 / JPEG unit...
99$ Future Shop... (Blow out)
as for any of the other more recent models... such as the 5500 and the
[email protected] options and apps... they are not worth the cost to upgrade to a more expensive unit... (200$)
anyways got a friend with a 1600 and he is crossing his fingers for a update for netflix...
they should crank out something... so they are saying.. by the end of October.. Could be a Trick or Treat...
you could buy the 99$ Box and get a Rotten Egg ( No Netflix )
you could buy the 99$ Box and Get a Treat (Free Month of Netflix)
In all of this what it looks like to me is that they killed the Divx on the canadian units in favor that people would buy into Netflix for 8$ a month...
Kinda a good idea... but in reality... to limit the device features is not a good idea in my opinion as people would be more inclined to purchase a more compatiable product of alternate manufacture.
it does have youtube...
but if your one of the folks that bought a 1600 back when they were like
$200+ I would be mad as anyone... because samsung definately gave its existing customers the dirty end of the stick. IF they do not support a Suitable Update.