Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[FilmFreakosaurus]

Originally Posted by MEB

It's my belief that (to be as safe as possible), we won't be hosting any Booth Bijou movie nights for at least 1-2 years. Not until there is a vaccine or reliable treatment (drug) to stop the virus in the body. Therefore, no more need to pause films for more than 20 minutes while a large group uses the restroom.

Plus, I'm finding myself buying fewer shiny discs and more films directly on digital. Amazon no longer offers guaranteed release date delivery and I'm not going to Target to pick up a movie.

So, just when Panasonic *might* have gotten off its a$$ and created a fix for the automatic shutoff (firmware version 1.64), I'm not really needing it.

Screw Panasonic. The UB9000 is the last Panasonic product I will ever buy.

Mark

Just remember, you aren't "buying" anything on digital. It's a lease. Your web collection is built upon sand.



You cannot expect Amazon or any other dealer to be getting stuff out on release date due to a pandemic and an influx of online shopping. Heck, even the studios aren't pumping out discs like they normally would unless they were already stamped, packaged, and ready to go before the outbreak, and many titles have been delayed.



That said, I bought a bunch of PIXAR/Disney 4k steel-books from Best Buy online on their last big sale, and they arrived fairly quickly and undamaged. Yup, there are still alternatives to Amazon.

[pbz06]

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

Just remember, you aren't "buying" anything on digital. It's a lease. Your web collection is built upon sand.



You cannot expect Amazon or any other dealer to be getting stuff out on release date due to a pandemic and an influx of online shopping. Heck, even the studios aren't pumping out discs like they normally would unless they were already stamped, packaged, and ready to go before the outbreak, and many titles have been delayed.



That said, I bought a bunch of PIXAR/Disney 4k steel-books from Best Buy online on their last big sale, and they arrived fairly quickly and undamaged. Yup, there are still alternatives to Amazon.

All good, people usually feel better after they rant and let off some anonymous steam. He'll likely buy the next premier player on the market no matter the brand.

There's probably 20million people combined that all together will not buy another Panasonic, Sony, Marantz, LG, Onkyo, Samsung, Honda, Pez, or candy corn. Mostly candy corn.

[Waboman]

Geez, aren’t you preachy and condescending. So he doesn’t like Panasonic. So what. No need to act smug and belittle him. Must have eaten some tainted candy corn in your youth.

[Robert Zohn]

I must say, I share MEB's frustration on this issue. I have a direct and very good relationship with Panasonic NA and the engineers in Tokyo HQ and we have not been able to get most of our requested updates and enhancements made available for the USA UB9000s and UB820s.

With all that said, Panasonic is a very fine company and I appreciate all of their product developments and very high premium quality they build into everything they make and I know we will see firmware version 1.64 and other firmware upgrades shortly for the North American market.

[pbz06]

Originally Posted by Waboman

Geez, aren’t you preachy and condescending. So he doesn’t like Panasonic. So what. No need to act smug and belittle him. Must have eaten some tainted candy corn in your youth.

I'm just bored (and it's exhausting seeing negative comments everywhere for everything).

[Chiefy]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

I must say, I share MEB's frustration on this issue. I have a direct and very good relationship with Panasonic NA and the engineers in Tokyo HQ and we have not been able to get most of our requested updates and enhancements made available for the USA UB9000s and UB820s.

With all that said, Panasonic is a very fine company and I appreciate all of their product developments and very high premium quality they build into everything they make and I know we will see firmware version 1.64 and other firmware upgrades shortly for the North American market.

Ask them to release TV's again in the US! I'd buy another Panasonic TV in a heart beat. And it should have 3D!

[Robert Zohn]

I ask almost every time I speak with them. Sorry to say it's very unlikely we'll see Panasonic TVs back in the US.

[dcx4610]

Just a note but my new 820 came shipped with firmware 1.64 so I'd imagine the release is imminent.

People have to be patient right now. Entertainment isn't exactly top priority and a lot of people aren't working. It will make its way out eventually.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

I ask almost every time I speak with them. Sorry to say it's very unlikely we'll see Panasonic TVs back in the US.

Based on the delayed player availability ramp up, I would say Panasonic would be hard pressed to boost manufacturing capacity to support that. Looking at the Canadian market it seems their TV products take awhile to get delivered.

[Robert Zohn]

I don't know for sure, but I do not think it's a lack of their production ability.

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

I don't know for sure, but I do not think it's a lack of their production ability.

Just think back to how long it took you to get the players when they were readily available in the UK. Also you had a exclusive pretty much, it took like a year later it seemed for Panasonic to deliver lower cost players to the big box stores. The only thing that comes to mind is manufacturing capacity. I am not going to cite this has definitive just it seems this way.

[Robert Zohn]

The delays to Best Buy and other dealers was due to a very kind courtesy Panasonic extended to me for my help in Beta testing and helping with the development of the HDR Optimizer. You and I were also beta testers for the great OPPO BD players!

I had a 7 month exclusive on the UB9000 and a 3 month exclusive on the UB820. Sometimes, when deserved, the little guy wins!

[JohnAV]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

The delays to Best Buy and other dealers was due to a very kind courtesy Panasonic extended to me for my help in Beta testing and helping with the development of the HDR Optimizer. You and I were also beta testers for the great OPPO BD players!

I had a 7 month exclusive on the UB9000 and a 3 month exclusive on the UB820. Sometimes, when deserved, the little guy wins!

We need a lot more little guys to be around!

On the west coast, amazon and other larger sharks did a lot of damage to little guys. The rent is awfully high in Sf Bay Area.

[Robert Zohn]

Thanks John! Rents are very high in Scarsdale NY. It's a very beautiful Village with a very lovely small shopping area we call "Downtown".



Amazon and Big Box store have little to no effect for our local business as these lovely and mostly wealthy folks want to support the local merchants and also enjoy the best possible customer support and service.

Our Nationwide business is also very brisk as we attract the enthusiasts due to our popular annual TV Shootout Evaluation event and my frequent public speaking on panels at CES, CEDIA, IBC, NAB and other a/v events and conventions as well as my discussions and advice on Blu-ray.com. With all this helping our niche, customer referrals and repeat customer business are our best and most flattering ways we have enjoyed much of our continual growth.

Premium a/v has been my lifetime passion and career.

[fistymusic]

Robert, I now think the time is right to branch out and open a store here in Sydney, Australia. We neeeeed a shop like yours.

[RodChester]

Originally Posted by MEB

It's my belief that (to be as safe as possible), we won't be hosting any Booth Bijou movie nights for at least 1-2 years. Not until there is a vaccine or reliable treatment (drug) to stop the virus in the body. Therefore, no more need to pause films for more than 20 minutes while a large group uses the restroom.

Plus, I'm finding myself buying fewer shiny discs and more films directly on digital. Amazon no longer offers guaranteed release date delivery and I'm not going to Target to pick up a movie.

So, just when Panasonic *might* have gotten off its a$$ and created a fix for the automatic shutoff (firmware version 1.64), I'm not really needing it.

Screw Panasonic. The UB9000 is the last Panasonic product I will ever buy.

Mark

Do you happen to have a universal remote that you can program macros into? You could set up a “Potty Break” macro that pauses the film, waits 15 minutes, then plays and a second later pauses again. That right there would give you 35 minutes before a shutdown. The only issue might be the remote not letting you have a 15 minute pause between button presses in a macro.

[Robert Zohn]

@ fistymusic, Sounds very good to me too and hope if your travels every bring you to NY I'd love to show you our a/v showroom and our reference theater.

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

I ask almost every time I speak with them. Sorry to say it's very unlikely we'll see Panasonic TVs back in the US.

Some of those Panasonic OLED TV's look very nice, I do wish they would come back and sell TV's in the USA market again. They sell them in Canada.

Originally Posted by FilmFreakosaurus

Just remember, you aren't "buying" anything on digital. It's a lease. Your web collection is built upon sand.

True, but the conveniences with digital is the selling point for people despite the fact that it's a lease, you don't really own it and it's just there. I buy digital and physical and none of my digital purchases have disappeared yet fortunately. Use Vudu and iTunes Movies. Not going to stop buying physical discs unless they stop making them. Digital though is a very convenient option to buy or rent a movie right away. Some of the prices on digital titles though is absurd and buying physical is a better option. I also like the feeling of playing a movie without relying on the internet to do it. So for me physical is still my format of choice with digital as more of a quick, get it now option. Except I noticed if I really like a movie and buy it digital first I wind up buying a physical copy. It can get expensive, digital isn't cheap. Now streaming stuff for free from Youtube, free movie channels is a different story, that's fun.

Anyway the beauty of it all is physical and digital can coexist. It's fun collecting them either way, it's all a form of entertainment. People that choose one format over the other are missing out imo.

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

I must say, I share MEB's frustration on this issue. I have a direct and very good relationship with Panasonic NA and the engineers in Tokyo HQ and we have not been able to get most of our requested updates and enhancements made available for the USA UB9000s and UB820s.

With all that said, Panasonic is a very fine company and I appreciate all of their product developments and very high premium quality they build into everything they make and I know we will see firmware version 1.64 and other firmware upgrades shortly for the North American market.

That sucks, hope they issue a firmware update and fix the 20 min shutoff issue at some point.

[Waboman]

Originally Posted by pbz06

I'm just bored (and it's exhausting seeing negative comments everywhere for everything).

I hear ya. I'm going a bit stir crazy too.

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

Thanks John! Rents are very high in Scarsdale NY. It's a very beautiful Village with a very lovely small shopping area we call "Downtown".

[Show spoiler]

Amazon and Big Box store have little to no effect for our local business as these lovely and mostly wealthy folks want to support the local merchants and also enjoy the best possible customer support and service.

Our Nationwide business is also very brisk as we attract the enthusiasts due to our popular annual TV Shootout Evaluation event and my frequent public speaking on panels at CES, CEDIA, IBC, NAB and other a/v events and conventions as well as my discussions and advice on Blu-ray.com. With all this helping our niche, customer referrals and repeat customer business are our best and most flattering ways we have enjoyed much of our continual growth.

Premium a/v has been my lifetime passion and career.

Robert, you guys carry the Nintendo Switch? I need to buy a Switch for me the fam. Can't find them anywhere.

[solarrdadd]