Product Review: Samsung Electronics UBD-K8500 3D Wi-Fi 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player (2016 Model)

 

This is a blu-ray player that can play 4k ultra-high-definition discs, as well as regular blu-rays and DVDs. It is region 1 locked, meaning it will only play discs from the US and Canada, and any region-free discs, but discs from other countries like the UK will not play on it. When paired with a TV capable of providing a 4k output, you get great picture and sound. There are, however, a couple of cons. First, the remote control is very small, and hence the buttons on it are extremely hard to use, especially if you are watching in a dark room. If you have another Samsung remote, however, that one should work with this player without any additional setup. Second, discs do freeze from time to time, even when the firmware has been updated. When a disc freezes, the only workaround is unplugging the player and plugging it back in. Sometimes the disc will start from where you left off, but most of the time it boots to the menu screen again and you have to find where you left off. I should also note that one time when I played a disc, the player made a weird humming noise, that lasted about two minutes into the playback of the movie, but that only happened when playing that one disc, so it has not been a recurring issue.

Overall, the player is good, especially for one of the more affordable players. You definitely want to keep the firmware up to date and get a good HDMI cable (the player does not come with a cable) to get the most out of the A/V quality.