Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[SmittysGelato]

Yea my DP-UB820 is probably a lemon too. I have playback issues on scratch-free discs. Also on discs that worked the first time. I do have an extended service plan on it so I will have to send it in to see if Panasonic can do anything about it.

[B.inthe6]

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

Yea my DP-UB820 is probably a lemon too. I have playback issues on scratch-free discs. Also on discs that worked the first time. I do have an extended service plan on it so I will have to send it in to see if Panasonic can do anything about it.

I had pixelation issues with "After Hours" 4k as well on my (EDIT: pre Covid) 820, until I upgraded the firmware to 1.69. I used ethernet to the player for upgrade which is preferable I think. Pretty straightforward to follow procedure. That upgrade really does address 4K issues as intended I have found.

[Loneliest rider]

Originally Posted by Cherokee Jack

Multiple employees at Best Buy were familiar with Panasonic’s recent reliability issues when I went in to buy my new one. The one guy said it was a chip issue and that the latest model has fixed whatever had been plaguing some of the old units. I’ve read speculation that Panasonic was using inferior parts during the COVID shortages and that would fit the timeline for when I bought my last unit.

The latest model with the ESS DAC should be safe then, but how to determine the manufactuing date of the older models?

Another matter below.

[Show spoiler]You can never be 100% certain that your new unit is actually new and not a returned item, but mine was sold as such and came with the 1.69 firmware pre-installed about a year ago. That's what I find strange, that it's the older Burr Brown model but came with the newest firmware. Properly packaged of course, nothing suspicious there. So if this unit is new, it would mean that Panasonic still kept manufacturing the older models after the new model's release in 2021. Can this be possible or have I received a used player?

[Loneliest rider]

So all units that came with the 1.69 firmware pre-installed are of this bad batch then unless they are newer models with the ESS DAC. The 1.69 was released online in september 2021.

It's strange that my 9000 came with that firmware pre-installed despite being the older model. The new one appeared in stores in the summer of 2021, so that would mean that Panasonic either continued to manufacture the older model well past that, or that my unit is actually a returned one whose previous owner updated the firmware.

Unless the firmwares are made public months after they've been installed into the players at the factories. That I don't know.

[sapiendut]

Originally Posted by locomotive

Maybe some here can help me

Bought the panasonic ub9000 like a year ago.
But i notice by some movies or most that the screen sometimes gets a flickering stroke at the downside of the screen.
It happens fast like a second but still noticeable yesterday with the tecas chainsaw massacre super mario bros dog soldiers etc.

Anybody does have the same problem?
Or knows how to fix this.

Try unplug and replug the power. Of that fails, try resetting the player.

[Tok]

Would not be surprised at all if parts that would have been scrapped pre-COVID were being used during the pandemic due to shortages.

[SmittysGelato]

Originally Posted by B.inthe6

I had pixelation issues with "After Hours" 4k as well on my 820, until I upgraded the firmware to 1.69. I used ethernet to the player for upgrade which is preferable I think. Pretty straightforward to follow procedure. That upgrade really does address 4K issues as intended I have found.

It was more than just pixelation. I checked my player for firmware updates too but it said none were available.

[Cherokee Jack]

So has anyone on here had their 820’s pixelation successfully fixed by Panasonic? I’m hesitant to start a repair process since my old unit isn’t under warranty and I wouldn’t be surprised if they fail to recreate the issue and just send it back to me as is. I’m considering selling it at a heavy discount to someone who just wants a reliable mostly region-free Blu-ray player…

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

It was more than just pixelation. I checked my player for firmware updates too but it said none were available.

After the usual pixelation, my After Hours UHD started freezing in the disc menu when I tried putting it back in the 820 after checking for scratches (there were none). First time I’ve seen that with the player. Ended up lugging my PS5 into the media room that night and the disc played without issue. It’s a shame Sony didn’t give the PS5 Dolby Vision as it’s been very reliable for me as an emergency backup.

[B.inthe6]

Originally Posted by Matt89

So the disc tray on my machine won't eject again. Since it first happened a few months back it's done it again about 10-15 times and it's driving me f*cking crazy.

What is it with some Pannys being great machines and others being duds? I'm ready to chuck this f*cking thing out the window.

Not sure this is relevant but the tray transport on my newer 820 (sept. 2022) is noticeably slower, smoother, & quieter than my older model (pre covid). This kind of skips over the "inferior parts" covid years but it's something that really stood out upon 1st impressions of the new one. I have had ZERO issues with it (new unit).

[SmittysGelato]

With After Hours and The Phantom Menace the audio eventually goes out too. I have taken some videos that I might post somewhere, or at least take screenshots to demonstrate the damage.

Edit: I put together an album showcasing the playback errors: https://forum.blu-ray.com/album.php?albumid=5122

[aviosis]

Oh wow new firmware update y’all. Any idea what this one resolves?

[thebarnman]

Originally Posted by aviosis

Oh wow new firmware update y’all. Any idea what this one resolves?

I don't know but I just updated it myself. I came here to see if anyone had any information about it. I was hoping it would resolve a problem with "The Rape of the Vampire" (1968) but no luck, it still won't play it but it will play on my Sony UHD Blu-ray player.

It went from 1.69 to 1.76.

[aviosis]

Originally Posted by thebarnman

I don't know but I just updated it myself. I was hoping it would resolve a problem with "The Rape of the Vampire" (1968) but no luck, it still won't play it but it will play on my Sony UHD Blu-ray player.

Ugh I’ve been having issues with a couple of new 4K releases as well - Criterion’s Ranown Westerns The Tall T and Sony’s 65 have major persistent issues on the Panasonic that are not apparent at all on my Sony 4K X800M2 player that I mostly use for SACD playback. I suspect I’ll find out more titles in my collection have this problem with the Panasonic 820 as well….

[rickardl]

Originally Posted by aviosis

Oh wow new firmware update y’all. Any idea what this one resolves?

31/Aug/2023
Ver 1.76
Playability of Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc™

[Sango]

I also just updated mine to 1.76 as well for the UB9000.

Wondering if there are hidden updates which they did not mention in the notes.

[thebarnman]

Originally Posted by aviosis

Ugh I’ve been having issues with a couple of new 4K releases as well - Criterion’s Ranown Westerns The Tall T and Sony’s 65 have major persistent issues on the Panasonic that are not apparent at all on my Sony 4K X800M2 player that I mostly use for SACD playback. I suspect I’ll find out more titles in my collection have this problem with the Panasonic 820 as well….

You and I have the same players and I also only use the Sony for music discs.

The problem with "The Rape of the Vampire" (1968) is it loads fine but in the menu area, there is no menu...just the artwork so there's no PLAY option. On the Sony it works fine.

[0xd]

WARNING: A free softmod (RegionFree) was just released yesterday for 1.69 over at avforums. It is very possible this exploit no longer works for 1.76. Don't update to 1.76 if you have any interest in freely applying the RegionFree patch.

There is also one report of a vendor purchased region free device that bricked when updating to 1.76.

[thebigcheese3k]

Originally Posted by Loneliest rider

So all units that came with the 1.69 firmware pre-installed are of this bad batch then unless they are newer models with the ESS DAC. The 1.69 was released online in september 2021.

It's strange that my 9000 came with that firmware pre-installed despite being the older model. The new one appeared in stores in the summer of 2021, so that would mean that Panasonic either continued to manufacture the older model well past that, or that my unit is actually a returned one whose previous owner updated the firmware.

Unless the firmwares are made public months after they've been installed into the players at the factories. That I don't know.

Is there a different model number for this version? I’ve been considering buying a 9000 and would hate to buy a defective one. I’ve very rarely had issues with my 820

[sapiendut]

You can simply get a lemon regardless. As the number selling UHD player on the market for the past 5 years, of course there will be a high number of lemons although percentage wise is still very little. One of my 9000 was bought when it was first release and the second 9000 when the version with new DAC was released. Both 9000 and 820 experienced zero problem and most users are not having problem either. Of course only people with problem will be posting their problems. People with zero problem won’t be posting anything.

[Andrew Woo]

I just checked and both my players tell me that 1.69 is the latest firmware version. Nothing newer to install.