Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[teddyballgame]

Originally Posted by chip75

And if you don't want to use those features (or any on-line ones) it's preferable to leave it off.

Not everyone likes or uses smart features and there have been cases where updates have bricked the machine. So some folks like to be off the grid.

Yep anything that doesn't NEED to be on the network stays off at my house. I don't want any 3rd party assistance or updates being pushed to me

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Gold Ranger

I wish they made DV/HDR10+ 120ghz tvs without smart features!

They do...just don't connect them to the internet

[HeavyHitter]

I forget his user name, but I wonder if the individual who put together that detailed document specifying issues and sent it off to Panasonic made a difference?

[mdhaus]

I'm very happy that Panasonic released this update. It's about time!

That being said, I would be interested in finding out what drove this process for them. Was it because the feedback they received became too big for them to ignore? Or perhaps the Dolby Vision glitch was having enough of an effect....and always would, based for example on the new Halloween disc having a similar problem....that they knew that they would have to fix it or the player would be perceived as being more and more inferior?

I'm curious what led them throughout this process. It's very strange that they didn't release anything for so long. I really hope that they get back to a cycle of regularly releasing them.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

I forget his user name, but I wonder if the individual who put together that detailed document specifying issues and sent it off to Panasonic made a difference?

That they remembered to send out a message to people about the new firmware a full 18 months after the last correspondence would indicate that they've been aware of it as an ongoing issue, but it may have taken matey's itemised list to give them all the problem discs to check and thus isolate the fault(s). And not just Panny but Dobly too, as it's their tech.

[Gold Ranger]

The update FIXED Black Panther Infinity Saga disk!

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by PUsokrJosh305

But you also said that Spider-Man: Far From Home Also looked bad without Dolby Vision, and that’s a Sony Movie. That leads me to believe your HDR Settings are a little off.

I watched the Spider-Man: Far From Home UHD and it looks just as beautiful as the song that plays during the Marvel Studios logo.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

I forget his user name, but I wonder if the individual who put together that detailed document specifying issues and sent it off to Panasonic made a difference?

None of the features I highlighted are in the new update. Would have loved automatic output resolution switching like OPPO (have to manually switch resolution when playing non-UHD Blu-ray Discs and DVDs,) and I haven't checked to see if the player still keeps outputting Dolby Vision when you go to an SDR bonus feature on a UHD disc like Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (it will go from Dolby Vision to HDR10(+) and HDR10(+) to SDR, but not Dolby Vision to SDR while disc is loaded.)

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

I forget his user name, but I wonder if the individual who put together that detailed document specifying issues and sent it off to Panasonic made a difference?

I had forgotten all about him. Would be nice if his document did help with this update. But as with how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, the world may never know.

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

I watched the Spider-Man: Far From Home UHD and it looks just as beautiful as the song that plays during the Marvel Studios logo.

Agreed! I can flip between the HDR10 version and Dolby Vision version of the films and they look just about the same to me. He also has to realize Far From Home isn’t a colorful delight either. The picture is a bit more darker than Homecoming.

[newtbludger]

was just watching Rocketman and the movie froze about 30 minutes in. Freezes regardless of if Dolby Vision is on and at the exact same spot. This is the second time I've had a disc do this where I've had to go out and buy a new one. It's shit like this that makes me want to stop buying movies. I already don't have much time to watch my collection and when I do I get shit like this.

[JWgrayhawk]

Originally Posted by chip75

And if you don't want to use those features (or any on-line ones) it's preferable to leave it off.

Not everyone likes or uses smart features and there have been cases where updates have bricked the machine. So some folks like to be off the grid.

There's been some speculation- at least in the Sony X7/800 threads- that turning off BD-live might alleviate some of the freezing problems. No idea to the veracity of that, just my limited experience leaving it off on my X800 M2 and not having freezing problems. But smallest of sample sizes and correlation does not equal causation...

The thinking I read was that maybe the player trying to connect to the internet could cause a freeze. But why a player would try to connect during a movie I can't imagine and never saw any explanation for that...

[danny24]

Originally Posted by newtbludger

was just watching Rocketman and the movie froze about 30 minutes in. Freezes regardless of if Dolby Vision is on and at the exact same spot. This is the second time I've had a disc do this where I've had to go out and buy a new one. It's shit like this that makes me want to stop buying movies. I already don't have much time to watch my collection and when I do I get shit like this.

Did you upgrade your firmware? they just issued a new firmware update.

[nathan_393]

Originally Posted by JWgrayhawk

There's been some speculation- at least in the Sony X7/800 threads- that turning off BD-live might alleviate some of the freezing problems. No idea to the veracity of that, just my limited experience leaving it off on my X800 M2 and not having freezing problems. But smallest of sample sizes and correlation does not equal causation...

The thinking I read was that maybe the player trying to connect to the internet could cause a freeze. But why a player would try to connect during a movie I can't imagine and never saw any explanation for that...

All my experience as a developer tells me the issue in that case isn’t likely to be internet related. I’d imagine the problem is coming from a background daemon somewhere, but not necessarily an internet-related process. That could also explain the inconsistent freezes on some Sony players.

But, as you wisely note, testing with a larger pool of data would help eliminate potential problem causes.

Insofar as to what made Panasonic finally make the update, I’d wager somebody bought Knives Out, made it right to the penultimate scene, had it freeze right at the 2 hour mark, and got angry enough to write a patch. (That scenario reminds of me seeing Last Jedi on opening night. A fire alarm went off during the encounter between Kylo and Luke. We all had to leave and they handed us refunds on the way out the door. Try telling Star Wars fans to be calm after that, though. It was ugly.)

[newtbludger]

Originally Posted by danny24

Did you upgrade your firmware? they just issued a new firmware update.

Yeah I did. This has nothing to do with the players past dolby issues. Seems to be a disc error. I ordered a new one but stuff like this just annoys me to no end. It's annoying buying a movie brand new then months later when you finally sit down to watch it the disc ends up being messed up.

[eChopper]

Originally Posted by newtbludger

was just watching Rocketman and the movie froze about 30 minutes in. Freezes regardless of if Dolby Vision is on and at the exact same spot. This is the second time I've had a disc do this where I've had to go out and buy a new one. It's shit like this that makes me want to stop buying movies. I already don't have much time to watch my collection and when I do I get shit like this.

I hear ya

Don’t give up on movies

Grab an Oppo 103 or 105 and never worry about a movie freezing or pixelating again

For 35 mm films there is NO difference between the UHD and the Blu ray from the same 4k scan for resolution/ detail. Heck even for large format films there’s no difference other than slightly better contrast and slightly better colour from seated distance .
4k is a format where only you can decide if the headphuck is worth it

[NKB2017]

Originally Posted by Waboman

I had forgotten all about him. Would be nice if his document did help with this update. But as with how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, the world may never know.

Yes, that was really decent of that guy. Maybe it was his message to Panasonic that kick-started this update ?

[nathan_393]

Originally Posted by eChopper

I hear ya

Don’t give up on movies

Grab an Oppo 103 or 105 and never worry about a movie freezing or pixelating again

For 35 mm films there is NO difference between the UHD and the Blu ray from the same 4k scan for resolution/ detail. Heck even for large format films there’s no difference other than slightly better contrast and slightly better colour from seated distance .
4k is a format where only you can decide if the headphuck is worth it

Not trying to start a debate, but I am curious: my understanding (years ago) was that 35mm film probably topped out in resolution between 3k and 4k, which would mean 4k does provide additional detail. (Whether our human eyes can resolve that detail is another story.)

But you’re saying it sounds like 2k is where 35mm trails off? Genuinely new information for me and I’m just wondering where I can read up more on this and update my own understanding.

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by PUsokrJosh305

But you also said that Spider-Man: Far From Home Also looked bad without Dolby Vision, and that’s a Sony Movie. That leads me to believe your HDR Settings are a little off.

I said the colors were washed out/muted.
It needed the DV setting on to look bright and vibrant.

[Gold Ranger]

Originally Posted by nathan_393

Not trying to start a debate, but I am curious: my understanding (years ago) was that 35mm film probably topped out in resolution between 3k and 4k, which would mean 4k does provide additional detail. (Whether our human eyes can resolve that detail is another story.)

But you’re saying it sounds like 2k is where 35mm trails off? Genuinely new information for me and I’m just wondering where I can read up more on this and update my own understanding.

He's wrong.
Don't listen.
4k is roughly 35mm, not 2k.