4K player recommendations for a 1080p set

[cuzzin]

So my last generation Pioneer Elite Kuro is still going strong. I've certainly gotten more than my money's worth out of it. However, my current Blu-ray player (Sony BDP-S5500) is really beginning to piss me off. It almost never recognizes discs on the first try anymore. I usually have to eject and re-insert the disc multiple times before it finally works. So I think it's time I cough up for a new player.

I like the idea of future-proofing. I've actually been buying 4K/Blu-ray combo discs for a while now. I did the same with 3D Blu-ray discs, but unfortunately that format became obsolete before I ever got around to upgrading. So on the off-chance that 4K is still around when the time comes, I figure having a 4K player ready to go wouldn't be the worst idea. What are some solid choices for 4K players that will have everything I would want once the time to upgrade comes, while also bearing in mind it will be used mostly for 1080p content for the immediate future?

[oddbox83]

Panasonic UB9000 is the one to beat currently on the market. Probably a good choice for playing 4K discs in 1080p rec.709 as well.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by oddbox83

Panasonic UB9000 is the one to beat currently on the market. Probably a good choice for playing 4K discs in 1080p rec.709 as well.

Not the best idea to recommend a $998 player to someone not owning a 4K TV.

The $399 Panasonic UB820, $198 Sony x800m2 are less expensive and would likely suffice with the last being not expensive for someone to test the waters with.

Players are not being compared in the guise of future proofing, just what works acceptably for now.

[jibucha]

either

- - - LG ($175) @ Walmart (UBKM9)

or

- - - Sony ($199) @ Best Buy (UBP-X800M2)

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by JohnAV

Not the best idea to recommend a $998 player to someone not owning a 4K TV.

Believe me, the thought crossed my mind, but I took this bit literally.

Originally Posted by cuzzin

What are some solid choices for 4K players that will have everything I would want once the time to upgrade comes, while also bearing in mind it will be used mostly for 1080p content for the immediate future?

So this will be a great player for whatever flavour of HDR an eventual 4K TV has and in the meantime has superb options for downsampled output.

The Sony's are currently a hellish choice for someone who might one day upgrade to a Dolby Vision TV, because they have a really silly on or off implementation.

A cheaper Panasonic player might be a more sensible compromise based on what is currently on the market. LG players feel cheap, and are cheap. They always have been IMO. They make good TVs but have never quite arrived with disc players.

[tezster]

IF you're going to be playing UHD discs on a 1080p display, and you're looking for a player that will do a good job of "down-coverting" the signal, then the Panasonic UB820/UB9000 offers the best tone-mapping capabilities.

However, if all you'll be doing is playing the 1080p copy of the disc from a 4K/UHD combo back, then it doesn't really matter as much which UHD player you get in terms of the overall PQ you'll receive on your SDR display.

[zen007]

I have used/ am using 4K players from Panasonic (UB820), Samsung (M9500) and Sony (X800 and X800M2), and I would give the vote to Panasonic.

If your next TV is going to have DV, I would suggest the 820. If not (or if DV's compatibility in future is not a concern now), the 420.

[wozman]

Originally Posted by cuzzin

So my last generation Pioneer Elite Kuro is still going strong. I've certainly gotten more than my money's worth out of it. However, my current Blu-ray player (Sony BDP-S5500) is really beginning to piss me off. It almost never recognizes discs on the first try anymore. I usually have to eject and re-insert the disc multiple times before it finally works. So I think it's time I cough up for a new player.

I like the idea of future-proofing. I've actually been buying 4K/Blu-ray combo discs for a while now. I did the same with 3D Blu-ray discs, but unfortunately that format became obsolete before I ever got around to upgrading. So on the off-chance that 4K is still around when the time comes, I figure having a 4K player ready to go wouldn't be the worst idea. What are some solid choices for 4K players that will have everything I would want once the time to upgrade comes, while also bearing in mind it will be used mostly for 1080p content for the immediate future?

Was in your shoes little over a year ago, Pioneer Kuro still going strong and had a Panasonic ST60, decided to go with the Panasonic DMP-UB400 as my entry level 4K player at the time and up-converted to my Panasonic ST60 Plasma, 4K discs played great. I then upgraded to the Oppo-203 when I heard they were being discontinued and since then loaned my Panasonic DMP-UB400 to my parents for there new 4K TV, and they haven't any complaints. I would go with a Panasonic if I was you for the time being. There Entry level 4K players fit the bill, however if you want to future proof with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision you will need to uptick the model (UB820? like mentioned above). I have currently purchased a Panasonic GZ1000 OLED and being a fellow Pioneer Kuro Owner like you, when time comes for your display upgrade look no further then Panasonic OLEDs. Outstanding picture quality. like over a decade ago when we purchased our Kuro's.

[MonolithicErik]

Sony X800M2 to hold you over until you get that 4K, then put that in the bedroom and grab the Pioneer UDP-LX500 for your primary big screen. My 2 cents.

[NDcowboy]

I just tested my $150 Black Friday score Panasonic UB420 on my 1080p projector. I LOVE IT!! And this is coming from someone who owns an OPPO 203. Same internals as the ub820. Just no analog outs or display unfortunately. But it plays nicer with my 1080p PJ than the oppo does, and I love the HD Optomizer adjustments. And guess what.. it’s still on sale for the same price I paid at BB.

[cuzzin]

Thanks for all the suggestions. The Panasonic UB820 seems to be particularly popular around here. Skimming through some reviews for that model, it appears to be well-founded praise. Perhaps I'll go for that one. However, now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just go for a $100 Blu-ray player for the meantime, because surely a better, more current 4K player model would be available come upgrade time. Decisions, decisions...

Originally Posted by wozman

I have currently purchased a Panasonic GZ1000 OLED and being a fellow Pioneer Kuro Owner like you, when time comes for your display upgrade look no further then Panasonic OLEDs. Outstanding picture quality. like over a decade ago when we purchased our Kuro's.

Really? I have not done a whole lot of research on the current display tech, due to still being happy with my Kuro, but the more 4K discs I buy, and the more prominent HDR becomes, the more jealous I'm becoming that I'm missing out. However, I'm just bracing for the impact on my wallet of having to replace not just my Kuro with its modern-day, technological equivalent, but also having to upgrade other tech, like my beloved Marantz AVR; not to mention my speakers, which would need to be swapped out for Dolby Atmos-compatible ones. Argh!

But all that being said, for whatever reason, I was under the impression that LG makes the best OLEDs available. So your saying that it is Panasonic is interesting. I know, back in the plasma days, were it not for Pioneer, they would have been king of that technology as well.

[ftsoh76]

I ordered a Panasonic UB420 based on the recommendation of this thread. I do not need Dolby Vision for now since my 2018 Samsung QLED TV does not support DV and I am planning to hold on to it for at least 10 years.

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by cuzzin

But all that being said, for whatever reason, I was under the impression that LG makes the best OLEDs available.

LG make all the OLED screens IIRC. It's what the other companies put on the back end that makes the difference.

Personally, there's not a great deal in it as a good OLED is a good OLED, period, but Panasonic now having the best HDR support is a big feather in their cap.

[zen007]

Originally Posted by ftsoh76

I ordered a Panasonic UB420 based on the recommendation of this thread. I do not need Dolby Vision for now since my 2018 Samsung QLED TV does not support DV and I am planning to hold on to it for at least 10 years.

Should work well with the Samsung TV esp. because of the HDR optimizer. I recently compared Panasonic 820 and Sony X800M2. Below is what happened:

a) In MI4 Dubai hotel sequence, when Benji has his back against the bright window, the Panasonic 820 (I guess because of HDR optimizer) revealed relatively more details in the highlights. I did not have patience to do more tests as this immediately showed me the difference
b) Wonder Woman disc froze/skipped on X800M2. On UB820, it worked properly. After playing it on 820, it played relatively better on X800M2 but still had some minor skipping
c) The PQ (though through an A/B) appeared more “4K like” on UB820. I am not sure if the difference can be perceived in casual viewing though as 4K content in casual viewing looks good even on my Apple TV 4K (streaming)

[zen007]

Originally Posted by cuzzin

But all that being said, for whatever reason, I was under the impression that LG makes the best OLEDs available. So your saying that it is Panasonic is interesting. I know, back in the plasma days, were it not for Pioneer, they would have been king of that technology as well.

The panel could be LG’s but the processing may differ esp. on high end models. Also it could depend upon the model year where 2019 line up could be better on brand x and 2020 better on brand y. Some lineups may handle motion relatively better and so on

Iirc, Panasonic GZ2000 uses an innovative cooling technology to allow this particular line to get more brighter than other OLEDs. Also Panasonic spent some time on doing specific calibration. Therefore, this one is a winner. I am not sure how other Panasonic models, which do not use this tech and maybe the calibration, fare among the competition

[cuzzin]

Merry Christmas to me. This didn't stay on my wishlist long. Thanks again for the recommendations. I don't think I would have even been looking at a Panasonic player otherwise.

[Bluyoda]

It's amazing how similar our situation was.
I am still using my strong-going 50inch Kuro (last gen) as well, but looking to upgrade to a 65inch OLED soon, as I just want a bigger screen.
Have been using an OPPO UHD-203 for a year now, and it does a great job at displaying DV UHDs on my Kuro.
I wish 3-D were still supported, so I'd have even more of a reason to upgrade, but chaces are slim, I guess.
How long have you had yours? I've been using mine daily for 10 and a half years now. It's amazing how durable they are.
Still wows me to be honest. Such great panels.

[wozman]

Originally Posted by cuzzin

Thanks for all the suggestions. The Panasonic UB820 seems to be particularly popular around here. Skimming through some reviews for that model, it appears to be well-founded praise. Perhaps I'll go for that one. However, now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just go for a $100 Blu-ray player for the meantime, because surely a better, more current 4K player model would be available come upgrade time. Decisions, decisions...



Really? I have not done a whole lot of research on the current display tech, due to still being happy with my Kuro, but the more 4K discs I buy, and the more prominent HDR becomes, the more jealous I'm becoming that I'm missing out. However, I'm just bracing for the impact on my wallet of having to replace not just my Kuro with its modern-day, technological equivalent, but also having to upgrade other tech, like my beloved Marantz AVR; not to mention my speakers, which would need to be swapped out for Dolby Atmos-compatible ones. Argh!

But all that being said, for whatever reason, I was under the impression that LG makes the best OLEDs available. So your saying that it is Panasonic is interesting. I know, back in the plasma days, were it not for Pioneer, they would have been king of that technology as well.

Congrats on the Pany Player purchase. I'd prob have that model too, if I didn't score one of the last Oppo's out there.

my opinion, the reason Panasonic OLEDs don't get the pub. it deserves is because they are not in the US market anymore.

We get both here in Canada (LG and Panasonic) (Include Sony too if you may) and I was blown away with the Panasonic, add that it comes with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, its a win win.

[wozman]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

It's amazing how similar how situation was.
I am still using my strong-going 50inch Kuro (last gen) as well, but looking to upgrade to a 65inch OLED soon, as I just want a bigger screen.
Have been using an OPPO UHD-203 for a year now, and it does a great job at displaying DV UHDs on my Kuro.
I wish 3-D were still supported, so I'd have even more of a reason to upgrade, but chaces are slim, I guess.
How long have you had yours? I've been using mine daily for 10 and a half years now. It's amazing how durable they are.
Still wows me to be honest. Such great panels.

My Pioneer Kuro is still rocking too, Unbelievable display pushing 10 years later better picture then some LEDs on the market today. Notice I didn't say OLEDs but it is what it is.

Only issue I had with my Kuro was the flashing "blue light of death" found a dealer in NY from Ebay, and took a chance on it, and sent him the mother board for the replacement part. Knock on wood still running since that repair. Smartest $200 investment I ever made, as I love this thing, only negative is the obvious, lack of 4K and Dolby Vision.

[Noremac Mij]

Xbox One X and Panasonic 820. In that order.