Buying a 4K Blu-ray player soon. Best option?

[Mike Flynn]

Hello all:

I'm moving in less than three weeks and am planning to buy a 4K Blu-ray player. I was eyeing getting the TCL C series down the line for the Dolby Vision capability, but it appears that this year is going to be the one for HDR10+.

However, I've seen now that there's a format war with HDR10+ and DV, and the Sony X700, which was what I had been eyeing, does not a date for the release of the DV firmware upgrade.

Is the X700 a good option if I'm looking for a decent unit on a budget, or is there another option reasonably priced/matched (LG, Panasonic, etc.) I should eye instead? I'm trying to stay under $300, albeit the one Panasonic that gets praised is something I'd consider springing for (despite it being almost twice the cost of the X700).

Furthermore, I was wondering if getting a modded unit off eBay for all region capabilities would block the ability to download a firmware update on the unit.

I'm also unsure about a TV, despite wanting the TCL, because I do not know if a TV will be out that does both DV and HDR10+. Will one come out, reasonably priced, or do I have to choose one?

Can anyone help out with any and/or all of this?

[kingdoxie]

Zero titles on disc released or announced for HDR10+ so that should tell you something. No idea about streaming. The TCL looks like a good option, almost bought one myself.

[wesslan]

I would say the upcoming panasonic 820 to have both DV and HDR10+ if needed might be worth it.

[calgarymarc]

I was going to buy an X700 but decided to buy the much better Oppo UDP-203 which is fast and quiet; it's likely the most future-proof too (I think!?), and soon to be discontinued.

If you're on a budget and want a player that supports Dolby Vision, then I would say the X700 is next in line to get the firmware support for it. Those were the only two players that I could find that will support Dolby Vision.

I still haven't purchased a movie or TV show with Dolby Vision, but it's coming, very soon.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Mike Flynn

Hello all:

I'm moving in less than three weeks and am planning to buy a 4K Blu-ray player. I was eyeing getting the TCL C series down the line for the Dolby Vision capability, but it appears that this year is going to be the one for HDR10+.

However, I've seen now that there's a format war with HDR10+ and DV, and the Sony X700, which was what I had been eyeing, does not a date for the release of the DV firmware upgrade.

Is the X700 a good option if I'm looking for a decent unit on a budget, or is there another option reasonably priced/matched (LG, Panasonic, etc.) I should eye instead? I'm trying to stay under $300, albeit the one Panasonic that gets praised is something I'd consider springing for (despite it being almost twice the cost of the X700).

Furthermore, I was wondering if getting a modded unit off eBay for all region capabilities would block the ability to download a firmware update on the unit.

I'm also unsure about a TV, despite wanting the TCL, because I do not know if a TV will be out that does both DV and HDR10+. Will one come out, reasonably priced, or do I have to choose one?

Can anyone help out with any and/or all of this?

I'd take a look at the Panasonic UB420 if you can fit in your budget. Unmatched HDR tone mapping.

[partridge]

I'm looking at the X700 myself. My LG tv isn't likely to ever support HDR10+ but it does support DV, so the Sony looks like a good option. Reviews are very positive when compared to the highly rated X800 too.

Let's hope the DV update does actually happen!

[Mike Flynn]

Is there a release date on these new Panasonic players? And that's going to do DV AND HDR10+? I was hoping to buy one in the next month, but there's zero indication.

I'd go for the Oppo (or for that matter the Panasonic 900), but the price is way out of my budget.

[RustinCohle]

There’s also the new LG UBK90, releasing on Sunday (I believe), that comes Dolby Vision ready. It’s $300.

[Mike Flynn]

Originally Posted by RustinCohle

There’s also the new LG UBK90, releasing on Sunday (I believe), that comes Dolby Vision ready. It’s $300.

Will that be better than the X700? Seems like a nice unit, although I’ve never owned an LG product that wasn’t a cell phone. The Panasonic’s seem nice but out of my budget. This seems like a good deal.

[RustinCohle]

Originally Posted by Mike Flynn

Will that be better than the X700? Seems like a nice unit, although I’ve never owned an LG product that wasn’t a cell phone. The Panasonic’s seem nice but out of my budget. This seems like a good deal.

Considering Sony promised DV on the X800 and it never happened, I would say that ANY DV ready player is better. Plus the build quality is better too.

The X700 is one of Sony's cheap little plastic players and the UBK90 is a nice solid metal (I believe) build. I'll most likely be purchasing it and selling this X800 I have.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Mike Flynn

Is there a release date on these new Panasonic players? And that's going to do DV AND HDR10+? I was hoping to buy one in the next month, but there's zero indication.

I'd go for the Oppo (or for that matter the Panasonic 900), but the price is way out of my budget.

You need to get the Panasonic ub820 minimum for both DV and HDR10+ but will be in $500 range probably, out around June.

[partridge]

X700 is a metal case, not 'cheap plastic' and it's had great reviews. Rated higher than the X800 which is itself a highly rated player.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by RustinCohle

Considering Sony promised DV on the X800 and it never happened, I would say that ANY DV ready player is better. Plus the build quality is better too.

The X700 is one of Sony's cheap little plastic players and the UBK90 is a nice solid metal (I believe) build. I'll most likely be purchasing it and selling this X800 I have.

Sony promised no such thing with the X800. All we ever had on that was speculation/assumption that it would get DV.

[RustinCohle]

Originally Posted by partridge

X700 is a metal case, not 'cheap plastic' and it's had great reviews. Rated higher than the X800 which is itself a highly rated player.

It’s three or four pounds lighter than the X800 and they got rid of a lot of the metal that the X800 had which helped reduce vibration. As far as build quality of the player goes, it would be comparable to one of Sony’s $70 blu-ray players.

[Nothing371]

Originally Posted by RustinCohle

Considering Sony promised DV on the X800 and it never happened,

wrong

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by RustinCohle

It’s three or four pounds lighter than the X800 and they got rid of a lot of the metal that the X800 had which helped reduce vibration. As far as build quality of the player goes, it would be comparable to one of Sony’s $70 blu-ray players.

Sony x800 weighs 8 lb 7 oz (3.8 kg), while the X700 weighs 3 lb 1 oz (1.4 kg). So yes it’s very petite for a player when comparing the two. I think the Sony product page by magnifying the product size to the same as the x800 would confuse consumers.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Nothing371

wrong

Sorry but some store rep started that rumor, neither the x800, or x1000 was ever promised as being capable of DV operation. There are no Sony press announcements stating that.

[RustinCohle]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Sony promised no such thing with the X800. All we ever had on that was speculation/assumption that it would get DV.

Originally Posted by Nothing371

wrong

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Sorry but some store rep started that rumor, neither the x800, or x1000 was ever promised as being capable of DV operation. There are no Sony press announcements stating that.

There may not have been a ‘press conference’ but I personally called Sony to inquire about it, and one of their reps told me it was being worked on. Granted this was five months ago when I first purchased the player, and the rep probably had no idea what I was talking about, but it happened.

[Geoff D]

They may well have confused what you were asking with the actual DV player that was in development at that time. In any case it was promised to you but not to anyone else, so it's not really Big Bad Sony telling porky pies and misleading the world, it was more clueless CSR is clueless.

[Nothing371]

Originally Posted by RustinCohle

There may not have been a ‘press conference’ but I personally called Sony to inquire about it, and one of their reps told me it was being worked on. Granted this was five months ago when I first purchased the player, and the rep probably had no idea what I was talking about, but it happened.

That's so weird. I've never heard of an instance where an internationally outsourced customer service representative had no idea what they were talking about.