BD Player Passes Simplay Test

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 5/7/2007

Sunnyvale, Calif. — Simplay Labs, the HDMI testing and standards unit of Silicon Image, said Samsung’s BD-P1200 Blu-ray disc player is the first high-definition DVD player to pass the Simplay HD Testing Program.

The Simplay HD Testing Program helps consumers identify HD components, such as HDTVs and next-generation DVD players, that will work together to provide a consistent “plug-and-play” user experience and maximize users’ access to premium HD content.

Samsung’s second-generation BD-P1200 Blu-ray Disc player features an HDMI v1.3 connection. Simplay said the unit underwent “stringent testing for performance, robustness, and interoperability.”

Simplay Labs asserts that “without proper testing, HD products may not interoperate because there are many variables in implementing HD interface functions.”

Simplay Labs requires interface testing as well as real-world compatibility testing. Interoperability testing involves plugging devices into a suite of other HD devices available on the market. This suite of tests offers a thorough verification not found with other testing services.

“We are committed to giving consumers an unsurpassed user experience,” said Byungjun Chun, Samsung Electronics sales & marketing senior manager of Samsung Electronics America. “To help us achieve that, we use Simplay HD testing to provide assurance of compatibility.”

The BD-P1200 will bear the Simplay HD logo, joining two other Samsung products that have previously passed Simplay testing — the Samsung R155 DVD recorder and the Samsung LN-T3253H, 32-inch LCD HDTV.

“We are thrilled to see Samsung join the growing number of quality-conscious manufacturers that value our testing program and are taking steps to ensure that their products meet Simplay HD approval,” said Joseph Lias, Simplay Labs president. “The Simplay HD logo will give consumers the peace of mind that their CE products will work together, and should mean fewer returns for Samsung and retailers of Samsung products.”

Samsung is among two dozen manufacturers participating in the Simplay HD Testing Program. Some other member companies include Bose, Hewlett-Packard , JVC, LG Electronics, Microsoft, Pioneer and Yamaha.