Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[Robert Zohn]

Originally Posted by cjake

If you check one of the AV forums that is more popular in Europe, Sevenoaks currently has an unadvertised in-store only price of GBP 199 for the UB820. Some Richer Sound stores are price matching as well.

Thanks for letting us know and I stand corrected that they have an in-store further promotion that brings the UB820 down to GBP 199. This is a very very strange anomaly that is totally unexplainable or have any logic, but I see it's true and the hot news on avforums.

Hope everyone who wants one is buying them quickly as the worldwide availability is very limited and when Sevenoaks and Richer Sound sell out they will be reordering them at much higher price than they are selling them for.

As a Panasonic direct dealer if anyone in the USA had a sale like that I would personally buy all of their inventory and when we sell them our new improved gross profit would be very greatly improved from our much higher direct dealer net cost.

[IITravel01]

I received my UB820 from BestBuy.com on Friday. Plugged it in and was surprised to see it had the current Firmware 1.47 already installed. How long ago was the last firmware upgrade for this player?

[elwaylite]

Lotta trolls in this thread lately.

[Mobe1969]

Originally Posted by King Crimson

The 900 has the HCX and HDR10 Optimizer???

It is exactly the same physical build chassis and quality. The new one (surprise surprise) has some updated firmware. The 900 isn't the equivalent of the 9000. It is of the 820, price wise too. Same retail price here.

[King Crimson]

In the audio section is setup should I select downmix option to stereo if I want 2.0 channel audio to stay 2 channel? So 2.0 audio does not extend to the rears or up mix to surround I mean??

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

It is exactly the same physical build chassis and quality. The new one (surprise surprise) has some updated firmware. The 900 isn't the equivalent of the 9000. It is of the 820, price wise too. Same retail price here.

The point I am making is the 820 or 9000 is not the same as the 900 as the 900 lacks the main selling points of these 2 new panny models.

[JustinZed]

Originally Posted by IITravel01

I received my UB820 from BestBuy.com on Friday. Plugged it in and was surprised to see it had the current Firmware 1.47 already installed. How long ago was the last firmware upgrade for this player?

1.47 was released on October 11, 2018. http://av.jpn.support.panasonic.com/.../ub420_us.html

[elwaylite]

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

It is exactly the same physical build chassis and quality. The new one (surprise surprise) has some updated firmware. The 900 isn't the equivalent of the 9000. It is of the 820, price wise too. Same retail price here.

Love forums. When wrong, just double down.

[sapiendut]

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

It is exactly the same physical build chassis and quality. The new one (surprise surprise) has some updated firmware. The 900 isn't the equivalent of the 9000. It is of the 820, price wise too. Same retail price here.

Entirely different video processor chip. You think creating a new firmware and a new video processor does not cost anything in the R&D stage? SMH.

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

Thanks Danny, I do appreciate your feelings, but wanted to ask what objection you would have in doing business with the exclusive USA authorized dealer?

We are very easy to find as this is widely discussed on all a/v user forums and a simple Google or any search engine query fetches my company as the 1st or second listing. So we're very easy to find by anyone looking for information or to buy the UB9000.

I'm an engineer and am dedicated to premium audio and video. I helped with the development of the UB820 and UB9000 and for my support Panasonic valued back priority allocations of these highly respected BD players.

You and anyone doing business with us will enjoy the personalized and skilled service and support from a dedicated dealer who knows these products better than any other retailer and you will get the product delivered in a proper double box to ensure its original pristine condition, something no other retailer does.

My post was misunderstood I don't have an objection dealing with Value Electronics, you have one of the best run a/v stores in the industry Robert.

I just don't like that this model isn't widely available. I understand you will be exclusively selling the UB9000 till May so I guess it will have a wider release after May. I would have preferred to buy it from Best Buy for my own reasons but I will most likely wind up buying it from your store.

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT9Y...ature=youtu.be

[hgwy407]

Originally Posted by TheEqualizer

Unfortunately, none of the "suggestions" from that guy resulted in better products. This years Panasonic UHD players are the same crap as last years.

That sounds like a very informed, if not deeply forensic, review of a product and a respected dealer. Thank you for the detailed and unbiased review. By the way, quick question....how do you hide your bias and anger so well?

[LordoftheRings]

If I was driving around New York I would stop by Robert's store and spend few thou on electronic stuff.

But first I'd have to clear the borders, without mentioning the name "marijuana", and clear the custom tarrifs on my way back home to Canada (Montreal downtown family).

He has good 3D TV on sale, and the Panasonic 9000 supports it.
Home we have Panasonic OLED and Sony 3D 4K TVs, but without the American dollars (we live in loonies polar bear moose country...igloos and all that snow/ice).

The Panasonic 820 yes we do, and for 499 loonies, same as in the USA (American loonies).
In couple years plastic might get banned and aluminum back with a vengeance.
And remote controls? ...Banned too; you talk directly to the player for menu setups and information...voice activated commands.

Hey, I like to think ahead into the future; there is no law against it.
We're a funny bunch, all of us without exception. No one is above or below, we're all on the same level...planet Earth. The only difference between some is how serious they are with money.

Happy Holiday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygrR...ature=youtu.be

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

Yep. Bob. Thats what I need. SERIOUS MONEY.
Our trees in the backyard don't grow $Money.

Enjoy your Trees this Holiday Bob.

[MEB]

Originally Posted by E6AtmosVuduDV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT9Y...ature=youtu.be

Nicely done, thanks for the review!

But thanks a lot for making me even more impatient for my UB9000 to arrive.



Mark

[sapiendut]

Originally Posted by E6AtmosVuduDV

Yep. Bob. Thats what I need. SERIOUS MONEY.
Our trees in the backyard don't grow $Money.

Enjoy your Trees this Holiday Bob.

My money grow on money tree... too bad nobody is willing to be paid with that money

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by E6AtmosVuduDV

Yep. Bob. Thats what I need. SERIOUS MONEY.
Our trees in the backyard don't grow $Money.

Enjoy your Trees this Holiday Bob.

THX for reposting the video, I was just about ...

And Happy Holiday to you too E6AtomasVuduMagicDolbyVision.

* Here on my island money grows on trees; I rake them all before it falls.
True, that's how I made my money; from trees...planting them and harvesting them, and investing.

[TheEqualizer]

Originally Posted by hgwy407

That sounds like a very informed, if not deeply forensic, review of a product and a respected dealer. Thank you for the detailed and unbiased review. By the way, quick question....how do you hide your bias and anger so well?

DMP-UB70X, DMP-UB90X, DMP-UB3XX, DMP-UB4XX, DP-UB3XX, DP-UB4XX, DP-UB8XX, DP-UB900X

- No Source direct output selection
- Streaming network services output at 60 Hz only
- No decoding and no bitstreaming of lossless audio for file and network playback
- Optical drive just a cheap plastic construction with error correction capability being the worst in the industry
- and and and

There's hasn't been any technical evolution in these devices since the release of Panasonic's first UHD player (DMP-UB900) except a slightly improved firmware to "overcome" problems of the HDR specification with regard to handling luminance requirements that exceed display device capabilities.

[rustyk]

Originally Posted by TheEqualizer

DMP-UB70X, DMP-UB90X, DMP-UB3XX, DMP-UB4XX, DP-UB3XX, DP-UB4XX, DP-UB8XX, DP-UB900X

- No Source direct output selection
- Streaming network services output at 60 Hz only
- No decoding and no bitstreaming of lossless audio for file and network playback
- Optical drive just a cheap plastic construction with error correction capability being the worst in the industry
- and and and

There's hasn't been any technical evolution in these devices since the release of Panasonic's first UHD player (DMP-UB900) except a slightly improved firmware to "overcome" problems of the HDR specification with regard to handling luminance requirements that exceed display device capabilities.

Out of interest what streaming services support 120Hz? I've seen this mentioned before but I've never seen 120hz streaming on any of my other devices either.

I thought the decoding/bitstreaming thing was actually a purposeful limitation because technically there's no *legal* way to obtain/playback those types of video files? If so, seems a bit harsh.

I just bought a UB420 to play through my 4k projector and I cannot wait to play around with the tonemapping and output options. I don't know if that was just a firmware update from the 900 or not, but I don't really care because the feature will be useful for me and the players are very reasonably priced.

*edit* wanted to say thanks to the others on the thread who helped me with my dolby vision questions. Have a happy new year!

[grodd]

The Dolby Vision playback and the HDR tone mapping aren't small upgrades. I upgraded my 900 and was very happy to do so.

Panasonic continues to be the best player on the market for picture quality, and possibly the most reliable as well.

I'm happy and wouldn't trade it for any player on the market no matter the price.

[cjake]

Originally Posted by rustyk

Out of interest what streaming services support 120Hz? I've seen this mentioned before but I've never seen 120hz streaming on any of my other devices either.

I thought the decoding/bitstreaming thing was actually a purposeful limitation because technically there's no *legal* way to obtain/playback those types of video files? If so, seems a bit harsh.

I just bought a UB420 to play through my 4k projector and I cannot wait to play around with the tonemapping and output options. I don't know if that was just a firmware update from the 900 or not, but I don't really care because the feature will be useful for me and the players are very reasonably priced.

*edit* wanted to say thanks to the others on the thread who helped me with my dolby vision questions. Have a happy new year!

The poster was referring to the inability to stream Netflix and Amazon titles at their native frame rate; 24 Hz.

It is the HDR Optimizer that makes the UB820 and UB9000 the best UHD HDR players available today. It is why many of us bought this player. Nothing else matters to me. I have two Oppo 203 players that I now use only for playback of network stored media. I use my UB820 for all UHD disc and Netflix/Amazon because of its superior tone mapping ability.