Is the Zidoo Z9X a turnkey 3D MVC player?

[starmike]

I have an Oppo BDP-93 which plays my 3D discs fine, but I get nervous that someday some disc is going to become unplayable. It's happened before to expensive discs.

I started backing up my 3D discs and subsequently started making MVC MKV files. My Shield Pro doesn't play well with 3D files of ANY kind (I tried everything), so as a test I set up my old gaming PC to do 3D with Stereoscopic Player and it works fine, but I don't want to use a whole gaming rig to do this (mouse, keyboard, drivers, updates, etc.). Can a Zidoo Z9X be a turnkey solution? I just want to point it to the MVC MKV files and have it auto switch my Epson projector to 3D like Stereoscopic Player does.

Why not use my old gaming rig? It has some issue where I think it's overheating. I get WHEA errors randomly so it's not reliable. I put thermal paste on the CPU a few months back and it worked for a while but it's acting up again. My current gaming PC doesn't crash but it's in another room. Also, I don't want to downgrade my current PC's graphics driver to work with 3D like I had to with my old PC. Too much trouble.

Also, does the Z9X support Atmos? I have a couple of 3D Blu-Rays that are in Atmos and I don't want to lose that.

[BLMN]

Yes the Z9X will play 3D MKV, will also play side by side and top/bottom files and 3D iso files as well. The Z9X can do atmos and dts x audio.

[starmike]

Originally Posted by BLMN

Yes the Z9X will play 3D MKV, will also play side by side and top/bottom files and 3D iso files as well. The Z9X can do atmos and dts x audio.

Excellent, thank you. I just want to make sure that my investment in 3D doesn't disappear.

[Energy Crisis]

Originally Posted by starmike

I have an Oppo BDP-93

This thread: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=336073

[starmike]

Originally Posted by Energy Crisis

This thread: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=336073

Oh interesting! Thanks. I’ll try that.

EDIT: I tried it. Followed the directions to the letter. The MVC files I tested with played fine with Stereoscopic player, but only played in 2D from a USB stick as an .m2ts file. I'll just wait for the Zidoo to show up and see how that works.

[randomfellow]

Zidoo is ridiculously awesome for 3D. It will play frame packed MKV files or full 3D BD ISO rips no problem.

If you have full width SBS videos it won't just send the SBS video stream to the projector as is, it'll send it as frame packed full resolution 3D (you need 3D or SBS in the filename, I forget which one).

And with support for Dolby Atmos and subtitles (including adjusting the depth) you can put together top of the line versions of 3D films. Particularly for the Japanese Marvel releases it's been great.

[cdx47]

Originally Posted by randomfellow

If you have full width SBS videos it won't just send the SBS video stream to the projector as is, it'll send it as frame packed full resolution 3D (you need 3D or SBS in the filename, I forget which one).

Frame-Packed is actually 2 1080p images, one for each eye while SBS is only 1080p in total. That's why I use full Over/Under which is the only other FHD3D resolution 3D format besides frame-packed. SBS is an official part of the HDMI 1.4 3D standard so I don't think any conversion would be necessary.

[starmike]

I got my Zidoo in today. Flawless. I added my MVC folder and it played everything without a problem. The only oddity was that Prometheus has the eyes reversed. It's flagged as 3D ID 13 whereas everything else is ID 14. I'll try flipping the ID tomorrow and see how it works.

But yeah, it set my Epson 3D projector to 3D automagically. The remote works fine, but the light button has this strange behavior where you tap the light button and it flicks on for a moment and shuts off again, and you have to press it again.

I made two folders - one for MKV backups and one for disc images. Both worked.

The nice thing is that it supports Atmos too, so San Andreas worked in 3D and Atmos together which is nice because I don't think my BDP-93 supports Atmos. This sure as hell beats running all those drivers and software on a PC.

[randomfellow]

Originally Posted by cdx47

Frame-Packed is actually 2 1080p images, one for each eye while SBS is only 1080p in total. That's why I use full Over/Under which is the only other FHD3D resolution 3D format besides frame-packed. SBS is an official part of the HDMI 1.4 3D standard so I don't think any conversion would be necessary.

I do a lot of 3D conversions and always output as 3840x1080 full resolution SBS. The Zidoo outputs those as full HD frame packed 3D - if I check the video stream on the receiver it shows frame packed the same as a 3D BD. The projector automatically switches to 3D and the only adjustment I have to make on the Zidoo is set the aspect ratio.

It's really great, I get full HD 3D resolution without having to jump through hoops trying to create an MVC 3D video file.

[cdx47]

Originally Posted by randomfellow

I do a lot of 3D conversions and always output as 3840x1080 full resolution SBS. The Zidoo outputs those as full HD frame packed 3D - if I check the video stream on the receiver it shows frame packed the same as a 3D BD. The projector automatically switches to 3D and the only adjustment I have to make on the Zidoo is set the aspect ratio.

It's really great, I get full HD 3D resolution without having to jump through hoops trying to create an MVC 3D video file.

Interesting. I'm not sure that 3840x1080 is part of the official spec but my conversion software has the option. My VR hmd also has a Full SBS option which even on downloads which say "Full SBS" I have never seen used because they always end up being standard (half) SBS. I have a Zidoo but don't have a 3D TV or blu-ray player. Good to know though

[oddbox83]

It's not official 3D spec. They are technically profile 5 at the stage (beyond Blu-ray and HD), so need a media player that will play that. Normally one that does both 3D and 4K, but as you've found it can be played when the player does both.

I've played with 3840x1080 full SBS recently as a halfway point in converting Blu-ray 3D movies to anaglyph so I can still watch them.

[starmike]

Been fiddling with it off and on since I got it and I love it still. There are only two thing that bug me a bit:

1. Why doesn't the thing play MVC LR or RL properly? It should be able to read the flag.
2. Is there any way to keep this thing in 3D mode, or at least delay playing a 3D video for a bit when it starts? My projector has to keep switching between 2D for the menus and 3D for the videos.

[sevenlilies1937]

Originally Posted by starmike

Been fiddling with it off and on since I got it and I love it still. There are only two thing that bug me a bit:

1. Why doesn't the thing play MVC LR or RL properly? It should be able to read the flag.
2. Is there any way to keep this thing in 3D mode, or at least delay playing a 3D video for a bit when it starts? My projector has to keep switching between 2D for the menus and 3D for the videos.

not sure about an answer for 2, but have you found the option to exchange eye view in the settings when viewing a video that has the R/L switched? shouldn't have to do it, but it's an easy fix per video when watching

[starmike]

Originally Posted by sevenlilies1937

not sure about an answer for 2, but have you found the option to exchange eye view in the settings when viewing a video that has the R/L switched? shouldn't have to do it, but it's an easy fix per video when watching

You can change the setting from LR to RL after the video starts using the remote, but that's the only way I found to do it, and it's slow. I might have to use the setting to assign a button on the remote because the menu is SO slow.

I set the 3D flag using mkvtoolnix and it made no difference. After that failed I saw that other users had the same problem with the Z9X and 3D flags, so I think what I might do is simply have to start the video, pause it (while my projector switches into 3D mode anyway....see issue #1) and then swap eyes for known titles.

Firmware version is 1.0.98

Titles I have to swap (so far):

Blade Runner 2049
Prometheus

Bottom line: it seems like the Z9X ignores LR/RL flags

EDIT: I should mention that using the discs in my Oppo doesn't require swapping eyes, so it's definitely something in the Z9X.

[bhampton]

I'm not sure if they fixed it or if it matters to you but I stopped using my Z9X because it maps PCM to the wrong channels.

Granted, most of the time you can't tell. I didn't notice until listening to music that was in 5.1 PCM.

Old Sony BDP which can be $7 at my second hand store are often great at 3DBD and sometimes SACD.

[starmike]

Originally Posted by bhampton

I'm not sure if they fixed it or if it matters to you but I stopped using my Z9X because it maps PCM to the wrong channels.

Granted, most of the time you can't tell. I didn't notice until listening to music that was in 5.1 PCM.

Old Sony BDP which can be $7 at my second hand store are often great at 3DBD and sometimes SACD.

I use my Oppo for SACD/DVD-A, but I ran audio 7.1, DTS-X, and Atmos test files through the Z9X and they played fine.

[bhampton]

If you have the 5.1 mix of Dark Side of the Moon it's very easy to hear that the PCM is mapped to the wrong channels.

The newer ATMOS mix of DSotM kind of solves this problem but knowing it doesn't do PCM well was a problem for me. I have a lot of older discs on which PCM is the lossless track.

I still have the Z9X and 40TB of NAS storage but I got bored with the whole notion some time ago. I only watch generally one movie at a time so the having to load a disc thing is not really a problem for me.

I have a Solar Array on the house and having 4 NAS units running 24/7 was using too much energy going to waste which is why I soured on the idea.

[starmike]

Originally Posted by bhampton

If you have the 5.1 mix of Dark Side of the Moon it's very easy to hear that the PCM is mapped to the wrong channels.

The newer ATMOS mix kind of solves this problem but knowing it doesn't do PCM well was a problem for me. I have a lot of older discs on which PCM is the lossless track.

I have both versions, but I use my Oppo for SACD, the Z9X was mainly for 3D backups (ever since my expensive and out of print Wizard of Oz box set Blu cracked I've been backing up everything and needed a 3D solution). I'd be concerned if the Z9X was my only device, but I have a Shield and an Oppo for non-3D stuff.

[sevenlilies1937]

Originally Posted by starmike

You can change the setting from LR to RL after the video starts using the remote, but that's the only way I found to do it, and it's slow. I might have to use the setting to assign a button on the remote because the menu is SO slow.

I set the 3D flag using mkvtoolnix and it made no difference. After that failed I saw that other users had the same problem with the Z9X and 3D flags, so I think what I might do is simply have to start the video, pause it (while my projector switches into 3D mode anyway....see issue #1) and then swap eyes for known titles.

Firmware version is 1.0.98

Titles I have to swap (so far):

Blade Runner 2049
Prometheus

Bottom line: it seems like the Z9X ignores LR/RL flags

EDIT: I should mention that using the discs in my Oppo doesn't require swapping eyes, so it's definitely something in the Z9X.

I should mention I actually have a Z9S, so I'm guessing the problem is similar but who knows if it's exactly 100% the same. Out of all of my files it's hard to remember the few that require switching, from what I remember:
Epic (2013)
Pan

there's definitely more but I can't remember off the top of my head...

[Spectra]

Edge of Tomorrow was reversed LR stream from memory on my Z9X