Best region-free 4K player with Dolby Vision?

[rainkins]

I'm trying to decide on a reasonably priced 4K player with region-free Blu-ray functionality. I have a Sony X90J TV and a Denon AVR-S640H receiver with a 2.1 speaker setup. I also have a PS5 that plays 4K discs, but it doesn't have Dolby Vision. For DV discs and RF discs, I have been trying out a friend's Sony UBP-X700 from 220 Electronics. I initially planned to get another X700 for myself, but having to manually toggle DV is annoying, as is the inability to disable the 20-minute auto-shutoff.

I've seen a lot of recommendations for the LG UBK90, but some people have mentioned playback issues, so I'm not sure how common that is. On a minor note, some have also mentioned that the menu screen is white which is very bright in a dark room. Between the two, would you switch to the LG or stick with the Sony?

At a higher price point, I've also seen recommendations for the Panasonic UB820, which has higher-end features like tone mapping. Is this something I need? That is, even with all my TV's advanced video options, will discs still look better with a player that has these features than one without them? And is the difference enough to justify the higher price?

Two other things I've heard about the Panasonic are that the remote doesn't have a subtitle button (I watch everything with subtitles so that's an issue) and that it might work as a region-free player out of the box (without being modded by 220 or a similar company) using the top menu trick. Does this work on all discs? If so, is there any reason to pay the premium for a modded version vs. just getting the retail version?

Finally, I've seen some people recommend to get two players -- a region-free Blu-ray player for BDs from other regions and a dedicated 4K player (which in my case would have to be in addition to the PS5 if I want Dolby Vision on 4Ks). I'd rather not have that many devices taking up space if I don't have to, though!

Thanks so much in advance for any thoughts/advice you can offer for my situation!

[Naiera]

The top menu trick does not work on all discs.

The lack of a subtitle button is a little annoying, but using the disc's own menu takes care of that for me. It does have a menu to access subs directly, which can be brought forth using something like a Logitech Harmony, or a replacement remote for the UB9000 model.

[rainkins]

Originally Posted by Naiera

The top menu trick does not work on all discs.

That's what I was afraid of. Is it just random which discs work? All my non-region discs are region B BDs, mostly from boutique labels like Eureka and Indicator. I don't have (or plan to acquire) any region 2 DVDs, which I know don't work with the top menu trick.

Originally Posted by Naiera

The lack of a subtitle button is a little annoying, but using the disc's own menu takes care of that for me.

Annoyingly enough, I have a few discs, such as older Criterions, that have subtitles but don't have an option for them in the menu, so the subtitle button is the only easy way to access them.

Originally Posted by Naiera

It does have a menu to access subs directly, which can be brought forth using something like a Logitech Harmony, or a replacement remote for the UB9000 model.

Oh, interesting! So the 9000 remote will work with the 820 and has a subtitle button? That's a cool workaround. With that in mind, do you think the 820 would be a good upgrade from the other more entry-level players I mentioned, or overkill for my setup? Thank you!

[Naiera]

I don’t see why a 820 would be overkill for any setup.

[CreasyBear]

Sony X800M2 or Panasonic UB820 should be good for just about everyone.