Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by danny24

My Oppo 203 pretty much remembers where I am at on any disc in the player almost all the time. I don't even have a USB stick plugged in for persistent storage.

The OPPO 'officially' has persistent storage pre-loaded, 1GB I believe, and it's got a better player-led resume feature in general as it can remember like five (?) different bits of non-Java software.

That said, try it with a Paramount UHD and see how you get on because the same applies: a Java disc overrides the player's resume function but if that same disc doesn't have its own Java resume applet then it'll start over every time. I've got an OPPO 203 as well...

[MEB]

Is there a way to tell which discs have a Java resume applet? I mean, before actually trying them?

Mark

[guile]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

What is the file format and audio?

It is the Youtube app in the UB820 but "only" on my purchased movies/library.

Although I have selected 4K resolution, my entire library will only display in 480P...and there is nothing I can do to change the resolution. Again, watching any other 4K videos on Youtube works without issue.

It is ONLY my "purchased" movies library that will display in no higher resolution than 480P.

[evoll]

Yeah that's one thing I did like about the oppo is the screen saver that would come up when leaving a movie paused especially for a oled. Sometimes for work I will get calls I have to take and put a movie on pause but like others have mentioned is with this unit it just shuts off.

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by bobbyg53

“Out of Africa” standard blu-ray disc is one example of an older “dim” title that plays back with a pronounced visible difference in luminance and darkly shaded color reproduction when the display type is set to the high 1,500 nit vs. standard 1,000 nit display setting with our Sony X900E.

“Brooklyn” standard blu-ray disc is a newer “bright” title that reacts similarly to the two different display type settings with the Sony X900E. This standard blu-ray disc looks better with the standard 1,000 nit display setting, “blown out” with the high 1,500 nit display setting.

Perhaps we have a defective UB820, or Panasonic is doing something with the display type setting that can and does affect playback of standard blu-ray titles with certain displays.

Hmm. I think you have something setup in the menus that is converting SDR to HDR when it shouldn't be.

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by DJR662

Kris, I finally got around of properly setting up my Sony 385ES last month (in conjunction with an ALR screen). I also had it calibrated for both SDR and HDR. I am still using HDR output with the Panansonic though and I must say I really think it looks great.

On the Sony I have HDR contrast set to max, low lamp mode (I try to avoid using high for as long as possible), ACE is off, brightness/color/hue is at 50, D65 and the DI is set to full at 59. On the Pana the optimizer is set to projector ofcourse with toggling the dynamic range adjustment setting between 2 and 4 depending on the content. I also tried the SDR2020 setting with a 2.2 and 2.4 gamma, but I think it looks kind of washed out/too bright real quick. I played around with the brightness setting to get back a good contrast, but somehow I could't really get it right to my liking. Perhaps I need to take more time experiencing with this but since I was very content with the picture in HDR output mode already, I just left it at that.

Am I correct in saying that by using SDR2020, the main advantage would be bypassing the Sony HDR curve in order to get a brighter picture while at the same time being able to get more shadow details as much as the projector allows?

HDR Contrast should not be set to MAX. That is setting the clipping point of the tone map and setting it really low. Put on the UHD of The Meg and you'll see this immediately. The contrast setting for HDR is mildly adjusting the tone map but mainly adjusting where it clips.

With the SDR output you should get a punchier image that adjusts automatically for the content instead of having to futz with the contrast control all the time. You should never have to touch the brightness control of the projector, once set properly it should not be moved. I think your experience comes down to setup and calibration. I have the Sony 885 and 995 here right now and there is no contest on which way provides the better image overall.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by MEB

Is there a way to tell which discs have a Java resume applet? I mean, before actually trying them?

Mark

Not really. But most 'major release' BD/4K discs from Universal, Fox, Lionsgate, Warners, Sony and Disney carry a disc-led resume feature nowadays, and this works on the Panny without any need for external persistent memory. Of the majors it's Paramount who persist with leaving it off while using Java at the same time (grrrrr!), and you won't often find a disc-led resume on discs from most indies - yer Arrows, yer Kinos, yer Shouts etc - either, but in the case of the latter then they don't often use Java so the player-led resume function will suffice as long as you don't take the disc out of the player.

[guile]

Originally Posted by The Beast Within

How are those with projectors finding these players? Am thinking of picking up the UB820, and I have the Benq W1700/HT2550 projector. Currently using the Panasonic DMP UB400. I'd assume with the low nits on my projector that this player would be of benefit... Any advice or thoughts appreciated!

I don't know your projector but I think the player is phenomenal! My JVC looks the best it has EVER looked using this player but...

...you will have to definitely have do some tinkering to get it to where you want. Best $500 I've probably spent this year!

[The Beast Within]

Originally Posted by guile

I don't know your projector but I think the player is phenomenal! My JVC looks the best it has EVER looked using this player but...

...you will have to definitely have do some tinkering to get it to where you want. Best $500 I've probably spent this year!

Thanks for the response, I went ahead and ordered it anyway, hopefully I'll have it by the weekend! I don't mind spending time with it to get it set up, ill just be happy that im going to get the most out of what i have. Seems to be plenty of good advice going around for it anyway. Im reading that best results for projector are setting it to SDR and tone mapping from the player, so I'll start from there

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by MechaGodzilla

Well, I am. It's been interesting to follow and learn.

I'm surprised you haven't said anything about 480i playback yet, though! That's one thing I'd really like to know about.

As Spider-Man once said: are you sure you wanna know?

I've done lots of back and forth with 480i content and, best as I can figure it, there's still something very fishy going on with the Panny. PAL 576 has always been fine, and still is on the 820. But dat 480i is looking very jagged, just as it has on every prior iteration of this machine that I've used, particularly on video-based 480i content like the Jaggies test and Hockey clip on Spears & Munsil 2nd Ed. DVD (both under 'Edge Adaptive') or on Archer Season 7 DVD.

With film-based stuff it's not so blatantly obvious because the inherent instability of most DVD-era transfers and the general lack of a lot of geometric shapes in real world content tends to obfuscate the problem, although diagonal lines still show quite pronounced aliasing. But the stability of video combined with cleaner, straighter lines e.g. animayshun brings up the jaggies something chronic and Archer looks super badly deinterlaced. Not impressed. As for why our US cousins aren't experiencing this, perhaps its only the Euro firmware which is borked like this? Dunno.

[MechaGodzilla]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

As Spider-Man once said: are you sure you wanna know?

I've done lots of back and forth with 480i content and, best as I can figure it, there's still something very fishy going on with the Panny. PAL 576 has always been fine, and still is on the 820. But dat 480i is looking very jagged, just as it has on every prior iteration of this machine that I've used, particularly on video-based 480i content like the Jaggies test and Hockey clip on Spears & Munsil 2nd Ed. DVD (both under 'Edge Adaptive') or on Archer Season 7 DVD.

With film-based stuff it's not so blatantly obvious because the inherent instability of most DVD-era transfers and the general lack of a lot of geometric shapes in real world content tends to obfuscate the problem, although diagonal lines still show quite pronounced aliasing. But the stability of video combined with cleaner, straighter lines e.g. animayshun brings up the jaggies something chronic and Archer looks super badly deinterlaced. Not impressed. As for why our US cousins aren't experiencing this, perhaps its only the Euro firmware which is borked like this? Dunno.

Dang, that's a shame, but not entirely unexpected.

I would guess most don't notice because A) they don't have your sharp/critical eyes, B) they don't think to look for it to begin with, and/or C) because of what you note about it being less apparent with live-action, film-based stuff. For the owners of these players that bother popping in a DVD at all, I reckon that's what they're more likely to watch the few times they do.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by MechaGodzilla

Dang, that's a shame, but not entirely unexpected.

I would guess most don't notice because A) they don't have your sharp/critical eyes, B) they don't think to look for it to begin with, and/or C) because of what you note about it being less apparent with live-action, film-based stuff. For the owners of these players that bother popping in a DVD at all, I reckon that's what they're more likely to watch the few times they do.

The lack of any kind of aspect ratio selection/control on the Panny 4K decks (starting with the faux-K BDT700 upscaler that laid the groundwork) spoke volumes as to how much they cared about DVD playback. Even in their previous BD players, like my resident BDT310, DVD had an odd quirk which overscanned 4:3 content by about 5% on all sides so it doesn't seem like it's always been at the forefront of their endeavours. While they corrected that particular overscanning quirk for this latest generation of Uniphier chip, they've introduced more DVD oddities and don't seem in the least bit interested in fixing it.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by bobbyg53

The Color Gamut Output remains set to BT.2020 (Auto) full-time, regardless of standard blu-ray or 4k HDR disc playback. Firmware version is 1.47

The UB820 recognizes that the X900E is HDR-capable and displays/reports BT.2020 HDR during 4k HDR disc playback. It displays/reports Rec.709 during standard blu-ray disc playback.

I would not assume that SDR to HDR conversion is occurring, but there is a clear and unmistakeable difference in standard blu-ray output between the 1,000 nit and 1,500 nit LCD display type settings on the Sony X900E.

The Sound & Vision review article states "Panasonic’s DMP-UB820 is the first player to offer advanced onboard tone mapping for High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) playback." That said (about SDR playback), why wouldn't the UB820 standard blu-ray disc playback output levels be different between the 1,000 and 1,500 nit LCD display type settings?

That's Kris's own review, when he references tone mapping there I take it to mean 'from' HDR to SDR, not that SDR content itself is affected by it.

[DJR662]

Originally Posted by Kris Deering

HDR Contrast should not be set to MAX. That is setting the clipping point of the tone map and setting it really low. Put on the UHD of The Meg and you'll see this immediately. The contrast setting for HDR is mildly adjusting the tone map but mainly adjusting where it clips.

With the SDR output you should get a punchier image that adjusts automatically for the content instead of having to futz with the contrast control all the time. You should never have to touch the brightness control of the projector, once set properly it should not be moved. I think your experience comes down to setup and calibration. I have the Sony 885 and 995 here right now and there is no contest on which way provides the better image overall.

And here I was thinking I had a great looking picture.

Will definitely look into this again next time.

[Kris Deering]

Originally Posted by bobbyg53

The Color Gamut Output remains set to BT.2020 (Auto) full-time, regardless of standard blu-ray or 4k HDR disc playback. Firmware version is 1.47

The UB820 recognizes that the X900E is HDR-capable and displays/reports BT.2020 HDR during 4k HDR disc playback. It displays/reports Rec.709 during standard blu-ray disc playback.

I would not assume that SDR to HDR conversion is occurring, but there is a clear and unmistakable difference in standard blu-ray output between the 1,000 nit and 1,500 nit LCD display type settings on the Sony X900E.

The Sound & Vision review article states "Panasonic’s DMP-UB820 is the first player to offer advanced onboard tone mapping for High Dynamic Range (HDR) and Standard Dynamic Range (SDR) playback." That said (about SDR playback), why wouldn't the UB820 standard blu-ray disc playback output levels be different between the 1,000 and 1,500 nit LCD display type settings?

I'm aware of what the Sound and Vision article says, I wrote it!

Tone mapping ONLY applies to HDR content. The display selections in the setup menu ONLY apply to the HDR output and only when the Optimizer is set to ON (which is only available with HDR). So again, I think you have a setup issue going on.

[hgwy407]

My 820 has been hanging at startup quite often. I will see the “welcome” banner on the display with a black screen followed by a F99 error code. I have to hold down the power button on the unit for several seconds before trying again. This happens about half of the time I start the player. The problem occurs with and without discs in the tray. I have the latest factory firmware and have done no mods to the player. I have to also add this unit has been used very lightly and is in a well ventalated cabinet. Any ideas on how I can solve the issue? Thank you, I appreciate any advice.

[Geoff D]

Gah. The Panny won't even play Dolby Digital Plus audio in a video file.

[guile]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Gah. The Panny won't even play Dolby Digital Plus audio in a video file.

Or...VC1 encoded movie files

[Geoff D]

No VC-1, I can live with that.

[guile]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

No VC-1, I can live with that.

I actually have a TON of VC-1 encoded files

I would love to see this fixed with a firmware update but somehow I doubt it's very high on Panasonic's priority list. In fact it's probably not on the list at all.