New 4K blu ray players

[fredreed]

Will we see any new updated 4K blu ray players at all this year with better hardware inside them? All I have been hearing are that the current 4K blu ray players models are junk because of the hardware?

[ronboster]

Originally Posted by fredreed

Will we see any new updated 4K blu ray players at all this year with better hardware inside them? All I have been hearing are that the current 4K blu ray players models are junk because of the hardware?

I don't want to regurgitate the other thread...but I've had an Panasonic 820 for a couple years with absolutely zero issues. So to say 4k players are junk hardware is more clickbait than facts (which is what the OP of the other thread seemed to be as much trolling as trying to have an honest dialogue).

If we were likely to have new players, it would have come out at CES. There are several threads already going on new CE hardware discussions, which I haven't been following since I'm not in the market.

[AgentOrange]

I'm not sure I agree with the assessment the existing players are all "junk". I'm pretty happy with my Sony 800M2 so far, like 99% of discs have played perfectly all the way through, and the build quality seems solid (the thing feels like a tank compared to all the late model Sony blu-ray players which are feather light). The one quirk is obviously that you have to manually turn on-off Dolby Vision. It's madness that this software quirk was never addressed in an update or in a further revised "M3" model.

I do think the lack of any new models is concerning. Surely Sony and Panasonic will come out with one more revision eventually for their mainstream players... right? RIGHT? If I were to get a 2nd player I would like to get a "new generation" of player, rather one that's been floating around 4 or 5 years.

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by fredreed

Will we see any new updated 4K blu ray players at all this year with better hardware inside them? All I have been hearing are that the current 4K blu ray players models are junk because of the hardware?

I really doubt there are very many qualified engineers that visit here so truly qualified comments about the state of BD hardware will be few. Take most any manufactured product and there will be a certain % that will not be up to par or defective. Most of us do not post about products that work properly, you only hear from those that have a problem.

I have a Oppo UDP-203, Sony UBP-X1000ES and Sony UBP-X800 UHD Blu-ray players. I have had a very few disc that had playback problems in the Sony’s but played fine in the Oppo.

Prices: Today’s players are a bargain when compared to players of yesteryear. Example of some hardware that I procured: 1985 Pioneer LaserDisc CLD-900 - $1100 ($2657 in 2020) ● 1985 Sony Beta Hi-F SL-HF900 - $1050 ($2536 in 2020) ● 1997 Sony DVP-S7000 DVD player - $1000 ($1619 in 2020) ● 2006 Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray player - $1050 ($1354 in 2020).

Made the Oppo UDP-203 (with 19" rack mount), purchased in late 2016 for ≈ $650 the steal of the decade.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by fredreed

Will we see any new updated 4K blu ray players at all this year with better hardware inside them? All I have been hearing are that the current 4K blu ray players models are junk because of the hardware?

At this point, I don't think there is anything you can do to make UHD Blu-ray players better than they are today.

[CatBus]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

At this point, I don't think there is anything you can do to make UHD Blu-ray players better than they are today.

This. 1080p Blu-ray players had this upgrade cycle to them because the Blu-ray discs were always using new authoring tricks for various things (e.g. using crazy amounts of seamless branching as a form of copy protection, etc). Old players would choke on them, and require updates. Sometimes just firmware, but sometimes also hardware as well.

Now it seems (hopefully) that all of the stupid authoring tricks have played out. A first-gen UHD player can still play pretty much everything you throw at it. I have an Oppo BDP-203 and haven't yet encountered a disc it won't play. Hasn't even had a firmware update in years. I also have a bottom-tier Sony, and the rare issues I've had with it have all eventually been resolved with firmware updates.

So if a new hardware model is released, it'll probably not really be to make the player better. It'll be because some part is no longer available and the manufacturer needs to switch components. They may include updated versions of their streaming apps too. But the core player functionality will likely be as identical as possible. Why change something that works?

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by CatBus

This. 1080p Blu-ray players had this upgrade cycle to them because the Blu-ray discs were always using new authoring tricks for various things (e.g. using crazy amounts of seamless branching as a form of copy protection, etc). Old players would choke on them, and require updates. Sometimes just firmware, but sometimes also hardware as well.

Now it seems (hopefully) that all of the stupid authoring tricks have played out. A first-gen UHD player can still play pretty much everything you throw at it. I have an Oppo BDP-203 and haven't yet encountered a disc it won't play. Hasn't even had a firmware update in years. I also have a bottom-tier Sony, and the rare issues I've had with it have all eventually been resolved with firmware updates.

So if a new hardware model is released, it'll probably not really be to make the player better. It'll be because some part is no longer available and the manufacturer needs to switch components. They may include updated versions of their streaming apps too. But the core player functionality will likely be as identical as possible. Why change something that works?

My 2010 Samsung BD-C6800 still plays the latest discs.

[tcripe]

My LG-UBK90 has had almost zero problems since i bought it 3 years ago.

[Jodi]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

At this point, I don't think there is anything you can do to make UHD Blu-ray players better than they are today.

I have the Panasonic UB9000p1k (MK II), and I could not agree with you more. This player has been out for 4 years now, and there is simply no equal!!

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by Jodi

I have the Panasonic UB9000p1k (MK II), and I could not agree with you more. This player has been out for 4 years now, and there is simply no equal!!

I got mine beginning of last year, so I don't think it's the second version. I actually bought it as "Scratch & Dent" from Crutchfield, and it doesn't have any scratches or dents! It was brand new, never turned on, and loaded up to the initial setup the first time I turned it on.

[Panson]

Originally Posted by fredreed

Will we see any new updated 4K blu ray players at all this year with better hardware inside them? All I have been hearing are that the current 4K blu ray players models are junk because of the hardware?

Get what suits your budget, and hope for the best.

[Naiera]

I’ve played like 50+ discs in my used Panasonic UB824 and have had absolutely zero issues. People who don’t experience any problems with their stuff don’t usually go online to talk about it, the way people who do have issues do.

[fredman]

Originally Posted by Naiera

I’ve played like 50+ discs in my used Panasonic UB824 and have had absolutely zero issues. People who don’t experience any problems with their stuff don’t usually go online to talk about it, the way people who do have issues do.

^This. It's true the discs themselves can be a bit more fussy about cleanliness/handling but SOP is to give 'em a once over with soap/water or lens cleaner for initial playback out-of-the-case (and maybe clean the case of residue as well) and they play just fine. I think a lot of the "my disc glitches/won't play" issues are resolved with an initial cleaning.

[Torgon]

Originally Posted by tcripe

My LG-UBK90 has had almost zero problems since i bought it 3 years ago.

Agree. The only problems I've had are when watching DVDs (yes, DVDs (old TV shows and such not available in other formats)). They can freeze up if you try to FF or RW. Skipping chapters work, but FF or RW and you might freeze up (have to unplug machine to get it unfroze as no button fixes it; not even the power button). 4K disc play great though and that is why I bought it .

[tcripe]

Originally Posted by Torgon

Agree. The only problems I've had are when watching DVDs (yes, DVDs (old TV shows and such not available in other formats)). They can freeze up if you try to FF or RW. Skipping chapters work, but FF or RW and you might freeze up (have to unplug machine to get it unfroze as no button fixes it; not even the power button). 4K disc play great though and that is why I bought it .

Oh thats interesting. Tbh i dont think ive put a standard DVD in my player. Only 4k's and standard Blu's.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by Wendell R. Breland

I really doubt there are very many qualified engineers that visit here so truly qualified comments about the state of BD hardware will be few. Take most any manufactured product and there will be a certain % that will not be up to par or defective. Most of us do not post about products that work properly, you only hear from those that have a problem.

I have a Oppo UDP-203, Sony UBP-X1000ES and Sony UBP-X800 UHD Blu-ray players. I have had a very few disc that had playback problems in the Sony’s but played fine in the Oppo.

Prices: Today’s players are a bargain when compared to players of yesteryear. Example of some hardware that I procured: 1985 Pioneer LaserDisc CLD-900 - $1100 ($2657 in 2020) ● 1985 Sony Beta Hi-F SL-HF900 - $1050 ($2536 in 2020) ● 1997 Sony DVP-S7000 DVD player - $1000 ($1619 in 2020) ● 2006 Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray player - $1050 ($1354 in 2020).

Made the Oppo UDP-203 (with 19" rack mount), purchased in late 2016 for ≈ $650 the steal of the decade.

Today the best steal is the Sony X800M2 (universal and value wise).

For a hiend player (not universal) ... the Panasonic UB9000 (performance video and audio, and build).

* We don't hear much anymore going forward.

[Jodi]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

I got mine beginning of last year, so I don't think it's the second version. I actually bought it as "Scratch & Dent" from Crutchfield, and it doesn't have any scratches or dents! It was brand new, never turned on, and loaded up to the initial setup the first time I turned it on.

Glad you were able to fire that puppy up!

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by Jodi

I have the Panasonic UB9000p1k (MK II), and I could not agree with you more. This player has been out for 4 years now, and there is simply no equal!!

A $1000 4K disc player that can't play a DVD anywhere near as well as a $70 blu-ray player, can't play a SACD, and that can't play a wide variety of common video files has no equal? There are 4K disc players that cost a fraction as much that can do all of the above with ease.

Geoff D puts it best:

Originally Posted by Geoff D

These Pannys are excellent spinners for BD and UHD but my word they are hot garbage for DVD.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

A potato would be better than the Panny for file playback, lol

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by Vilya

A $1000 4K disc player that can't play a DVD anywhere near as well as a $70 blu-ray player, can't play a SACD, and that can't play a wide variety of common video files has no equal?

There are 4K disc players that cost a fraction as much that can do all of the above with ease.

DVD? You still play those? The first Oppo Universal DVD players were the best.
Check on eBay.

The Panasonic 9000 is not for people with large collection of SACDs ...
▪︎https://www.audiosciencereview.com/f...-review.14324/

Optimize your life, get a 4K BR Oppo on eBay (203-05), or a Panny 9000 (or an 820-24 in plastic).

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

DVD? You still play those?

Yeah, you may have noticed that I still have a couple laying around. Not everything has made it to blu-ray, yet alone 4K.

I just expect a $1000 machine that markets itself to be backwards compatible (like all 4K disc players) to be able to do as least as good a job with DVD playback as a blu-ray player that costs 7% as much.

The Pannys can play SACD files via a USB device, but for some ridiculous reason can not play a SACD disc itself. It makes no damn sense.

A player that costs a $1000 should be able to do everything that a far cheaper player can do..and even do it far better.

As for Oppos, I have a 93 and a 203. What I would like to see is a worthy successor not just in terms of quality and versatility, but also in customer service. Oppo stopped production a few years ago, but to this day they still offer the best customer service and support of any consumer electronics company that I have ever done business with.