Sony UBP-X800 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[cochon]

Originally Posted by gkolb

Any particular reason to open this bad boy up, or was it a slow day??

A bit slow but I seem to be looking for excuses to avoid facing what I should be doing instead of wasting time this way. Sometime ago I discussed with some members how the US player's was made compared to versions sold in other countries, particularly the power supply. I have another version and the idea was to compare them but I thought it will take a few seconds to take the cover but it wasn't so therefore -at least today- the other is not coming undone.

[Rizor]

Originally Posted by cochon

The player upscaling quality is excellent but you may have the wrong settings. First of all some people seem to have the misconception that upscaling produces an improved image, that is nonsense. No upscaling will ever generate detail that is not there to start with. Upscaling is the process of adding extra pixels to fill the screen otherwise a 1080 picture on a 4k display will appear 1/4 of the size.

Those extra pixels are just the same pixels you already have but replicated. Some players do that process better than others but that's all there is, You don't get a 4k quality image and the bigger the screen the more noticeable this will be, in a 55" you may not notice but 75 and over it will start being obvious.

What TV are you using?

If you want the sharpest output from this player make sure the video is set on "direct".

Keep in mind the inputs of many tv will store different settings for every HDMI so make sure the HDMI (on the tv) for the panasonic has the same settings as the one for the sony. You may have the sony one with the noise reducion on and the other in off. Same with sharpness, they could be set at different levels.

My display is a Vizio 65" P Series. My video settings are the same between inputs. I tried different settings in the Sony player (including turning upscaling off) and never found anything as good as my Panasonic's BD player's upscaled image. So while I'd intended on using the Panny only for Region B discs, it looks like I'll be using it as my main workhorse for all BD upscaling to 4K.

Originally Posted by mar3o

There is a thread in here about the Sony 6500 upscaling player applying forced DNR, though it appears only to force DNR when outputting 1080p. When upscaling to 4k, it disables the forced DNR. Go figure. That's another reason I'm avoiding this player, as I can't verify one way or another if this player also suffers from that issue.

Comparing the upscaling of this player and the Panasonic BD player I have, I think the Panasonic does a better job of basically taking the 1080p image and blowing it up. The Sony X800 seems to try to manage the grain/details a bit more. It looks a bit softer and motion has a slight blur to it. Not terrible. Just not as great. So yeah, I'm thinking this model does use some DNR when upscaling.

[cochon]

Originally Posted by Rizor

My display is a Vizio 65" P Series. My video settings are the same between inputs.

It's good to know that you have already checked the TV inputs and they are all set the same way because that is one of the many points in the chain that could be affecting the image when people aren't happy with the detail level but it is not the first point to start troubleshooting this issue.

The very first thing I recommend people to check is while playing a BD press options, in that pop up menu there is one option called "video settings" make sure to select "direct" instead of "auto", if you have that setting on the sony in the factory default mode which is "auto" it will apply some level of DNR in most cases and at times it can be very detrimental.

[Geoff D]

Bingo: don't touch anything in that video settings menu during playback, I always have it on direct and have always been satisfied with the upscaling in this player - and I'm a picky SOB too.

[cochon]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Bingo: don't touch anything in that video settings menu during playback, I always have it on direct and have always been satisfied with the upscaling in this player - and I'm a picky SOB too.

There are some cases in which I find that menu useful, particularly with my projector but those cases are rare and yes, direct is the only mode that should be used.

Funny enough most TV's will also come with DNR also set on at some level as a factory default and when you add to that the players DNR you'll end up with an image resembling DVD instead of 4K.

[mar3o]

Players shouldn't even have an option for DNR since all TVs have that option these days anyways. It just adds confusion, especially when A) it's on by default, and B) previous players have a history of forced DNR issues that can't be disabled.

[cochon]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Players shouldn't even have an option for DNR since all TVs have that option these days anyways. It just adds confusion, especially when A) it's on by default, and B) previous players have a history of forced DNR issues that can't be disabled.

A) Obviously, some people are committed not to be pleased. So no matter what manufacturers do, exactly the opposite is going to be demanded.

B) You don't own one of those players in question to know such claim is correct or whether it is one particular unit which happens to be faulty.

You are instead relying on a very questionable photograph that is included on this thread. The player you referring too is also a very common player of which they'll be thousands around. I find it odd not to find people complaining every where because that i s what would happen if the image produced by that player was only half as bad as that photo indicates.

Unless proper, verifiable information from more than one source have been provided that claim seems very hard to believe.

I find commendable that despite your fears and dis conformity with this brand of players you still seem to want one and are prepared to wait until the company produces one that complies with your specifications.

I am too disloyal with manufacturers, I would just buy another brand instead.

[Old Bones]

I just set up my UBP-X800 with an XBR-X850E , both update via the wifi with no problem . All looks great , haven't changed any settings yet.
Watching Bridge On The River Kwai looks awsome.

[RalphoR]

Great disc to christen your system with!

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by cochon

It's good to know that you have already checked the TV inputs and they are all set the same way because that is one of the many points in the chain that could be affecting the image when people aren't happy with the detail level but it is not the first point to start troubleshooting this issue.

The very first thing I recommend people to check is while playing a BD press options, in that pop up menu there is one option called "video settings" make sure to select "direct" instead of "auto", if you have that setting on the sony in the factory default mode which is "auto" it will apply some level of DNR in most cases and at times it can be very detrimental.

Thanks for that! Just changed mine - had no idea.

[ChicagoMike]

When I play a sacd in the X800, I hear no sound. If I turn off the sound bar HT-CT790, I hear the audio through the tv speakers (XBR-65X850D). What settings do I need to change so that I can hear the audio through the sound bar?

Or do I need to run an HDMI cable from the AUDIO ONLY outlet in order to listen to SACDs?

[cochon]

I use mine through a receiver and I have no problem just using one HDMI connection.

How is it connected? From player a cable to TV and from TV wireless or cable to soundbar? I presume you have the TV on all the time while testing.

My current audio settings on the player are: Just played a SACD

D audio output-auto
DSD out-off
BD mix-off
DTS NEO- off
48kHZ
Dsee-off
DRC -auto
Down mix - surround

Let me know if you had any different and it works with my settings but I think it'll be related to settings on TV or bar

[cochon]

Have you got any old movie with stereo sound? why don't you try it to hear if the sound bar is able to play a stereo track only. I wonder whether it is only playing the center channel.

[HDTV1080P]

Soundbar's are not compatible with DSD audio files. Therefore the Sony player needs to convert the SACD DSD audio signal to PCM. Just turn off the DSD feature in the Blu-ray player and the problem should be solved.

[cochon]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

Soundbar's are not compatible with DSD audio files. Therefore the Sony player needs to convert the SACD DSD audio signal to PCM. Just turn off the DSD feature in the Blu-ray player and the problem should be solved.

I am not into sound bars and may be cheaper ones may not have DSD but at least I know some do DSD.

I hope you are right and that fixes his problem but I find it ridiculous the sound bar is meant to provide you better sound that the TV and in this case the TV can decode DSD but the bar can't? Manufacturers are getting sillier by the minute.

[PaulGo]

This poster on AVS has some nice pictures of the UBP-X800 disassembled.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/149-bl...l#post55336014

[Realist01]

Would anyone know why when i pop in a 4k movie my picture settings on my tv are different? Its as if the player automatically chamesymy settings. Is there an option i should have turned off.

[cochon]

Some TVs may store different settings for different signal types. I would personally adjust the settings for every signal until you have all the same.

The only thing I can think you can change in the player is to force 4K upsampling on every signal. I haven't tried but it might do what you want.

Home>setup>screen settings>output resolution.

[PaulGo]

A 4K signal with HDR is treated differently that non-HDR content. The TV is put in a special HDR mode so the HDR signal can be accurately represented. You can still adjust the settings but the HDR settings should be different than the non-HDR settings.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by cochon

I am not into sound bars and may be cheaper ones may not have DSD but at least I know some do DSD.

I hope you are right and that fixes his problem but I find it ridiculous the sound bar is meant to provide you better sound that the TV and in this case the TV can decode DSD but the bar can't? Manufacturers are getting sillier by the minute.

No flat panel that I know of can decode DSD to PCM. Flat panels do not know what to do with DSD. Also many low end A/V receivers under $500 cannot handle a DSD signal, therefore its understandable why a sound bar is unable to handle DSD also (The latest high-end soundbar's can handle DSD). A few years ago many flat panels could only handle up to 2 channel PCM and could not decode DTS or lossless audio formats. Now many new flat panels can decode PCM, Dolby Digital, DTS, and some might under ideal conditions be able to convert a lossless signal to PCM. Everyone that has a Blu-ray player connected to a flat panel screen with no A/V receiver, should set the Blu-ray player to internal decode all audio signals to 2 channel PCM.