Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Player Thread

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

JohnAV or anyone else know if Oppo is officially done with firmware updates for this player. They haven't released a new firmware in almost a year and looking at firmware updates for their past players doesn't give me a good feeling about this.

that's a good question. i'm almost willing to bet that they are done supporting it. of course no sooner than i say that, a firmware will pop up outta nowhere for the 83's!

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

JohnAV or anyone else know if Oppo is officially done with firmware updates for this player. They haven't released a new firmware in almost a year and looking at firmware updates for their past players doesn't give me a good feeling about this.

Any existing support would only extend to loading or playback issues based on recent and upcoming releases. At this time because it is almost 4 years old, you won't see any operational improvements. Yes your right its been almost a year, last release was BDP83-59-0117 (March 07, 2012).

The player has a had a long life since the early adopters that I recorded. The player has certainly garnered high praise from its many users and critics. The most interesting deviation Oppo did was producing the 83SE kit along along the same time that Nuforce offers BDP-83SE NuForce Edition.

[movie]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

that's a good question. i'm almost willing to bet that they are done supporting it. of course no sooner than i say that, a firmware will pop up outta nowhere for the 83's!

So, if I buy the 103, does that mean after about 4 years or so, when oppo stops supporting it for updates, that I won't be able to play some newer titles?

[Nighteyes]

Originally Posted by movie

So, if I buy the 103, does that mean after about 4 years or so, when oppo stops supporting it for updates, that I won't be able to play some newer titles?

Are there any newer titles the 83 has problems playing to begin with? If not, why issue a new FW just for the sake of it?

[movie]

Originally Posted by Nighteyes

Are there any newer titles the 83 has problems playing to begin with? If not, why issue a new FW just for the sake of it?

I have no idea, as I don't own an oppo bd player. I should have asked I guess, if the "83" has any problems playing any newer titles since no recent firmware has been announced. Just makes me uneasy putting out $500+ dollars only to read on this thread that it looks like oppo won't support the 83 possibly with updates. I tend to own my electronic gizmos for more years than most and like it that way.

[Aerodude73]

Originally Posted by Nighteyes

Are there any newer titles the 83 has problems playing to begin with? If not, why issue a new FW just for the sake of it?

Originally Posted by movie

I have no idea, as I don't own an oppo bd player. I should have asked I guess, if the "83" has any problems playing any newer titles since no recent firmware has been announced. Just makes me uneasy putting out $500+ dollars only to read on this thread that it looks like oppo won't support the 83 possibly with updates. I tend to own my electronic gizmos for more years than most and like it that way.

I'm not too worried - Also, I'm sure if someone sent OPPO an Email, they'd get a fairly quick reply, in regards to all this (recent) concern

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by Nighteyes

Are there any newer titles the 83 has problems playing to begin with? If not, why issue a new FW just for the sake of it?

You don't issue firmware for the sake of releasing firmware. However, new firmware will need to be released to a) fix compatibility issues with existing and new releases and b) to renew and update the ACCS keys.

Sony still releases updates, on an as needed basis, for it's first, and all subsequent, blu-ray player(s) from 2006.

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by Nighteyes

Are there any newer titles the 83 has problems playing to begin with? If not, why issue a new FW just for the sake of it?

I read on the AVSforum thread for the player that Finding Nemo BD has severe audio dropouts when the player is set to bitstream the [corrected] lossless audio. The word from Oppo is for now set the player to decode the audio and output PCM. There are Oppo beta testers participating in that thread, so that tells me that Oppo is actively researching that issue with that BD for the player, i.e., they still very much support the player.

Originally Posted by movie

I have no idea, as I don't own an oppo bd player. I should have asked I guess, if the "83" has any problems playing any newer titles since no recent firmware has been announced. Just makes me uneasy putting out $500+ dollars only to read on this thread that it looks like oppo won't support the 83 possibly with updates. I tend to own my electronic gizmos for more years than most and like it that way.

It was $500 when it was new, for $500 now you can get a 103 with 3D and 4k support. If you want an 83 you can buy a used on on eBay or the likes for around $300. I paid around $400 for mine on eBay, sold as used but was a showroom demo unit and the authorized Oppo dealer gave me a warranty for sold as new. I also like to own my electronics for many years, have had my 83 for a couple years and plan on enjoying it for years to come, and have no concerns about Oppo supporting it. I have zero interest in 3D, 4k sounds nice but it years away, and have many DVD films that aren't available on Blu-ray, and the 83 has by far the best DVD upconverting I've ever seen. Pretty darn good Blu-ray player as well.

[solarrdadd]

Originally Posted by movie

So, if I buy the 103, does that mean after about 4 years or so, when oppo stops supporting it for updates, that I won't be able to play some newer titles?

i don't know, like is said for the 83, it may seem like no more updates and BAM, one shows up out of the blue. they haven't done an update for quite a while on the 80 series. it may be that they will at some point but that their focus is and should be on their newer models.

i would also expect that their focus for or so years from now would also be on their newer model players and not (as much) on the 103. this is business in this type of thing. technology moves and we either deal with it as it is or we move along with it. not saying it's right, but, i understand.

how about 4 years or so from now you post here on the status of the level of support your getting with the 103. for me, so far, i'm not having any issues that require a firmware update for the 83 i have in my bedroom so, perhaps nothing has come up that it needs it.

we'll just have to wait and see...

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by The Duke

I read on the AVSforum thread for the player that Finding Nemo BD has severe audio dropouts when the player is set to bitstream the DTS Master Audio.

Well, that's a pretty severe issue if Finding Nemo is bitstreaming DTS-MA instead of the TrueHD track that's on the disc!

[Show spoiler]I have an 83

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Well, that's a pretty severe issue if Finding Nemo is bitstreaming DTS-MA instead of the TrueHD track that's on the disc!

[Show spoiler]I have an 83

OK, you got me. I have no interest in that movie so wasn't paying that much attention. Corrected my post to say bitstreaming the lossless audio.

And when/why the hell did Disney switch to TrueHD audio? Seems like everyone is using DTS Master Audio, I've even forgot what that TrueHD logo looks like on my Onkyo receiver.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by The Duke

OK, you got me. I have no interest in that movie so wasn't paying that much attention. Corrected my post to say bitstreaming the lossless audio.

And when/why the hell did Disney switch to TrueHD audio? Seems like everyone is using DTS Master Audio, I've even forgot what that TrueHD logo looks like on my Onkyo receiver.

Why not?

Most studios switched because of the authoring tools. Dolby has an impressive new toolset. Unfortunately not a lot of firmware is ready for it.

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Why not?

Most studios switched because of the authoring tools. Dolby has an impressive new toolset. Unfortunately not a lot of firmware is ready for it.

If it's in the BDA spec, firmware should be ready for it. Why should player manufactures have to issue new firmware for models they no longer sell because Dolby finally got with the program and made TrueHD easy to use on Blu-ray? DTS got this one right - one audio codec for lossless audio for newer hardware and the legacy DTS within the same codec for legacy hardware that can't do lossless.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by The Duke

If it's in the BDA spec, firmware should be ready for it. Why should player manufactures have to issue new firmware for models they no longer sell because Dolby finally got with the program and made TrueHD easy to use on Blu-ray? DTS got this one right - one audio codec for lossless audio for newer hardware and the legacy DTS within the same codec for legacy hardware that can't do lossless.

Explain the crackle when decoding many DTS 7.1 tracks on the BDP-83 if "they got it right"? Not to mention the Destroy The Speakers bombs which are still present for unpatched devices.

TrueHD tracks must be accompanied by a DD lossy track which is more compatible with a wider variety of devices. Most HDTVs will accept a DD signal via HDMI, they will *not* accept a DTS one.
Not to mention the core track bloats the codec that for material with little to no information the bitrate has to remain high. TrueHD can go to nearly 0kbps for silence. A DTS-HD MA 5.1 track will remain at 1536kbps...quite a waste, and still double the 640kbps DD companion track.

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Explain the crackle when decoding many DTS 7.1 tracks on the BDP-83 if "they got it right"? Not to mention the Destroy The Speakers bombs which are still present for unpatched devices.

TrueHD tracks must be accompanied by a DD lossy track which is more compatible with a wider variety of devices. Most HDTVs will accept a DD signal via HDMI, they will *not* accept a DTS one.
Not to mention the core track bloats the codec that for material with little to no information the bitrate has to remain high. TrueHD can go to nearly 0kbps for silence. A DTS-HD MA 5.1 track will remain at 1536kbps...quite a waste, and still double the 640kbps DD companion track.

Ok. When you please explain why "unfortunately not a lot of firmware is ready for" the "new impressive new toolset" released 6 years after the introduction of the format.

[movie]

Originally Posted by solarrdadd

i don't know, like is said for the 83, it may seem like no more updates and BAM, one shows up out of the blue. they haven't done an update for quite a while on the 80 series. it may be that they will at some point but that their focus is and should be on their newer models.

i would also expect that their focus for or so years from now would also be on their newer model players and not (as much) on the 103. this is business in this type of thing. technology moves and we either deal with it as it is or we move along with it. not saying it's right, but, i understand.

how about 4 years or so from now you post here on the status of the level of support your getting with the 103. for me, so far, i'm not having any issues that require a firmware update for the 83 i have in my bedroom so, perhaps nothing has come up that it needs it.

we'll just have to wait and see...

Well, since nobody seems to be having any problems on their 83, then I guess it's going to be ok really. Thanks for the reply!

[movie]

Originally Posted by The Duke

It was $500 when it was new, for $500 now you can get a 103 with 3D and 4k support. If you want an 83 you can buy a used on on eBay or the likes for around $300. I paid around $400 for mine on eBay, sold as used but was a showroom demo unit and the authorized Oppo dealer gave me a warranty for sold as new. I also like to own my electronics for many years, have had my 83 for a couple years and plan on enjoying it for years to come, and have no concerns about Oppo supporting it. I have zero interest in 3D, 4k sounds nice but it years away, and have many DVD films that aren't available on Blu-ray, and the 83 has by far the best DVD upconverting I've ever seen. Pretty darn good Blu-ray player as well.

I learned from my old oppo upconverting dvd player that I should have spent a few more bucks and got their higher end model with the better chip for the upconvert. I realized this when I purchased a used toshiba hd-dvd player that upconverts much better than my oppo. With the 103, time is on my side, so have to digest if it is worth putting out the extra $$$ since at the moment I only use my TV speakers.

[rdodolak]

Originally Posted by movie

Well, since nobody seems to be having any problems on their 83, then I guess it's going to be ok really. Thanks for the reply!

It's not that nobody is having problems. Does the player play most titles, yes, does it have problems with some titles, yes.

I know i had some issues with recently released, at the time, Fox titles where the picture would display in a small window in the upper left corner. This was shortly after the last firmware was released almost a year ago. I did email Oppo about it and they stated they would look into the problem. Since no new firmware has been released since then I assumed Oppo decided not to fix it at this time and may never fix it now. I'll have to go back and check those titles again to see if they're still having that specific issue.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by The Duke

Ok. When you please explain why "unfortunately not a lot of firmware is ready for" the "new impressive new toolset" released 6 years after the introduction of the format.

DTS-MA couldn't even be decoded for over a year after the introduction of the Blu-ray format!

TrueHD was there on the PS3 launch date (we won't even mention it was there from day one on HD DVD), and several first generation BD players were able to firmware update to it.

[movie]

Originally Posted by rdodolak

It's not that nobody is having problems. Does the player play most titles, yes, does it have problems with some titles, yes.

I know i had some issues with recently released, at the time, Fox titles where the picture would display in a small window in the upper left corner. This was shortly after the last firmware was released almost a year ago. I did email Oppo about it and they stated they would look into the problem. Since no new firmware has been released since then I assumed Oppo decided not to fix it at this time and may never fix it now. I'll have to go back and check those titles again to see if they're still having that specific issue.

That's interesting. I wonder if they fixed that or not, would be good to know as it seems to be a little annoying to have to view that little pic box whilst watching a movie lol. I guess it could be ignored, but you know how the mind works when it wants to avoid somethings, sometimes it does the opposite and things stick out like a sore thumb. I don't have as many titles as others, only about 190 or so, but so far I don't remember have any video problems with my Sony except that some titles load a little too slow.