Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[teddyballgame]

Originally Posted by raybestos

I'm tempted to get this player, especially now since it is on sale for $349, but it appears the lack of lossless audio format support (DTS-HD, etc) in .mkv and raw .m2ts files is a total deal killer

Yep, they intentionally nerf'd the USB and Ethernet playback capabilities in an effort to curb piracy. I wouldn't hold my breath on that ever changing either. This player is mainly focused on handling discs really well. Something like the Nvidia shield would work a lot better with your back up files.

[pbz06]

Originally Posted by WKoA13

Interesting. I have a Sony A8H. Wonder what the 1500 setting plus the Sony's "advanced contrast" setting would look like (I assume the Advanced Contrast is their version of LG's DTM?).

Keep it on the OLED setting and do not us advanced contrast enhancer.

- signed calibrated A9G owner

[RustinCohle]

So far I've only watched two movies on this thing, but the sound I'm getting out of my soundbar now is a lot louder. I haven't changed any settings either. Everything on the player is set to auto and is using the same HDMI cables. However, I used to have my soundbar set to around 22 with my old player, and now 18 is about the same volume level as 22 was.

Not a problem. Just something I noticed.

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by RustinCohle

So far I've only watched two movies on this thing, but the sound I'm getting out of my soundbar now is a lot louder. I haven't changed any settings either. Everything on the player is set to auto and is using the same HDMI cables. However, I used to have my soundbar set to around 22 with my old player, and now 18 is about the same volume level as 22 was.

Not a problem. Just something I noticed.

I would assume it's the jump in processing power vs. your previous player. The 820 as well as the 9,000 are excellent players, video and audio quality wise.

More Power!!!

[Moonloop]

Any chance of Disney app ever being added to 9000 services ??

~M~

[wxman2003]

I have been experimenting around with the 9000, and have found an interesting quirk with my E6 OLED. If I convert the DV disc to SDR2020, it's actually brighter and more vibrant than the BD disc playing on another player. If however, I turn off DV on the 9000 and convert the base HDR10 layer to SDR2020, the image is darker and duller than the BD disc. The same hold true for all my HDR10 discs that I tried to convert to SDR2020. They all are darker and colors muted compared to the BD disc. Just the opposite with all my DV discs if converted to SDR2020, and leaving DV enabled in the 9000. The reason why i prefer converting DV to SDR2020 is that DV on my tv crushes blacks below 1.5%, while converting to SDR2020, the crush is no longer there, yet I get the better color and it brighter. By brighter, I mean specular highlights. Plus there is still some tone mapping going on as I don't see the clipping that I see on the BD disc. I think with DV toggled on in the 9000, it still triggers my tv into thinking it is DV, even though it doesn't use the DV picture modes, thus the reason why the image can get brighter than the BD disc.

I don't think the HDR10 base layer of the DV disc is being converted to SDR2020 even though it shows that on the info screen on the tv. The colors look flat. It should not look significantly duller, color wise compared to DV layer displaying as DV HDR on my tv, or DV being converted to SDR2020, with DV toggled on in the player. Every DV disc I have acts that way, and every HDR10 disc I have is duller when converted SDR2020 and then sent to the tv. The HDR10 discs playing back as HDR10, look vibrant, but dull when converted to SDR2020. So that's why I am guessing my tv does not recognize the conversion to SDR2020 from the 9000 from HDR10 discs.

[PoorSignal]

Originally Posted by raybestos

I'm tempted to get this player, especially now since it is on sale for $349, but it appears the lack of lossless audio format support (DTS-HD, etc) in .mkv and raw .m2ts files is a total deal killer

I also assume the 820 won't play an mkv with embedded Dolby vision inside the mkv track? I believe the Oppo 203 is the only player which will accomplish this, but I might be wrong. Hopefully I am wrong. Can anyone please answer this question definitively?

Even the Enhanced firmware, which you've linked to (THANKS, by the way!), does not remove this limitation. It seems such an artificial limitation, and like it would be really simple to lift the restriction.

Even a legitimate new firmware release could enable it to play lossless audio in container files. Ridiculous! A $500 player should have this capability, for sure.

Or, have I missed something, and such a firmware has already officially been released?

The streaming engine is horrible, even IF it did played MKV files with sound I think you would not be satisfied, and they are probably never going to change the firmware to do this.
For example it had to do playback (Apps and what not) are forced in 60hz.

You could buy other streaming player however.

The only thing this player does well is playing discs.

[raybestos]

Originally Posted by PoorSignal

The streaming engine is horrible, even IF it did played MKV files with sound I think you would not be satisfied, and they are probably never going to change the firmware to do this.
For example it had to do playback (Apps and what not) are forced in 60hz.

You could buy other streaming player however.

The only thing this player does well is playing discs.

Yeah, even my cheap ($20 brand new, 10 years ago and still going strong!) standalone Sony BD player can play an .mkv with an embedded DTS-HD track! Who is Panasonic kidding?

This is yet another example of paying tons of money for less functionality. It's maddening the way some (*cough* Apple, Panasonic, *cough) manufacturers righeously lock down their products, intentionally limiting functionality Other brands of player stream / play almost any type of file you can throw at them, *in addition* to playing discs well! It's the functionality that counts, and Panasonic's lost a sale to me, and probably many others for their FU for people who like to stream files over a NAS, play from backups, etc.

It's good to have choices...

[chip75]

We have to remember that anything above disc playback is a courtesy gift from the manufacturer. I wouldn't recommend buying any player for playback from external sources, the function can be removed at any time.

[nachoju95]

Originally Posted by raybestos

Even the Enhanced firmware, which you've linked to (THANKS, by the way!), does not remove this limitation. It seems such an artificial limitation, and like it would be really simple to lift the restriction.

Likewise, if regionfreedom will make the Enhanced Firmware to remove that restriction, if you have the DP-UB820P model (which I understand is the EEUU model) they will not accept you to give you the Enhanced Firmware because that model does not accept PAL input signals. I tried to request it because I want ONLY the external subtitles feature but they answered this:

Hello,
The "External Subtitle" functionality is not tied to PAL/NTSC support but our contributor application form does not permit applications without PAL support for the DP-UB820P.
Regards,

Notice this for those who have the DP-UB820P model and want to request the Enhanced Firmware. The rest of the models support NTSC and PAL.

[RustinCohle]

Is there any instruction manual for programming this remote to my TV? So the TV power/volume buttons work? There’s nothing in the extended manual or the short one that comes with the player. Can’t find anything online really..

[chip75]

Originally Posted by RustinCohle

Is there any instruction manual for programming this remote to my TV? So the TV power/volume buttons work? There’s nothing in the extended manual or the short one that comes with the player. Can’t find anything online really..

Input the 2-digit code while pressing [I/O] of TV operation button on the
remote control. Test by turning on the television.

Panasonic 01/02
LG 10/11
SAMSUNG 20/21/22
SONY 30
VIZIO 40/41

The function was dropped for European players if I recall and you may only be able to control a Panasonic TV with the current remotes, I have the older remote that works with my LG.

[cupboy]

The sale prices on these players ends tomorrow so tomorrow is your last chance for the discount prices.

[RustinCohle]

Originally Posted by chip75

Input the 2-digit code while pressing [I/O] of TV operation button on the
remote control. Test by turning on the television.

Panasonic 01/02
LG 10/11
SAMSUNG 20/21/22
SONY 30
VIZIO 40/41

The function was dropped for European players if I recall and you may only be able to control a Panasonic TV with the current remotes, I have the older remote that works with my LG.

Yeah this didn't work. Thanks though.

Another interesting thing I noticed is that when I turn the player on, and the TV switches inputs, the soundbar doesn't change inputs. It did with my old player, but now I have to manually change it to HDMI 1 on my soundbar.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by bnmdjm

Have you (or anyone else) also noticed some mild, inconsistent stuttering in the Back to the Future trilogy in DV on the 820? I have cleaned the disc and am using certified HDMI cables straight to my TV to eliminate as many possibilities as I can, but I'm still getting random stutters (they're almost more like microstutters as it's barely perceptible but drives me crazy).

No sir I did not. But as my TV uses the player-led DV system (where it's decoded inside the player) it might not be the same as how you're viewing it. What TV you has?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by RustinCohle

Yeah this didn't work. Thanks though.

The remote probably just works with Panasonic TVs then. If you have an 820 and need the feature, it's worth picking up an older remote, it more or less matches the 9000 remote with backlight, but drops the HDR button (that's available through the options).

[nachoju95]

Originally Posted by FrightNight

It's as I said before. If you don't understand the FAQ, that firmware is not for you!

The NTSC/PAL thing is about the display device...

Thanks, I had read the FAQ, but the NTSC / PAL does not affect the functionality of external subtitles, the truth is that it does not interest me that it is multi-region, I just wanted the function of external subtitles hahaha

I'll keep waiting if in another update enable that option

[punisher]

Originally Posted by PoorSignal

The streaming engine is horrible, even IF it did played MKV files with sound I think you would not be satisfied, and they are probably never going to change the firmware to do this.
For example it had to do playback (Apps and what not) are forced in 60hz.

You could buy other streaming player however.

The only thing this player does well is playing discs.

I bought one during the sale and can verify that it is no good for playback of video files via the USB. Great disc player with lot's of settings but I rip and back up of my 4K discs and Criterion blus and it struggled badly. A handful played perfectly but most did not and the failure to deliver sound on my Criterion back ups was very surprising.My refurbed LG ubk90 can do it all, not as good as my OPPO 203 ,but it can handle anything that I throw at it with zero issues. I only paid 100 bucks for it a year ago so keep your eye out for them when they become available from BUYDIG or WOOT if you want to playback files as I do.

Oh yeah..that remote..

[DOULG1VEN]

After a few hours of testing with the HDR optimiser on and off, there's no way anyone can tell a difference, unless you specifically pause a frame with something very bright/specular highlights and manually go between HDR optimiser ON/OFF. The optimiser ON keeps some detail that otherwise would be blown out/clipped, but the amount of frames this happens in during most movies can be counted on a single hand. I think I was over hyped by everyone recommending this player lol

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by punisher

I bought one during the sale and can verify that it is no good for playback of video files via the USB. Great disc player with lot's of settings but I rip and back of my 4K discs and Criterion blus and it struggled badly. A handful played perfectly but most did not and the failure to deliver sound on my Criterion back ups was very surprising.My refurbed LG ubk90 can do it all, not as good as my OPPO 203 ,but it can handle anything that I throw at it with zero issues. I only paid 100 bucks for it a year ago so keep your eye out for them when they become available from BUYDIG or WOOT if you want to playback files as I do.

Oh yeah..that remote..

Hmmm. If only someone was there to tell people, repeatedly, that the Pannys are bloody awful for file playback. What? Oh.

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I think he means "no Atmos with file/network playback", we've had several posters go bananas over this but it's worth reiterating once again, for any new viewers joining this thread: PANASONIC UHD PLAYERS DONT PLAY LOSSLESS DOLBY/DTS AUDIO FROM VIDEO FILES (MKV etc) OVER NETWORK OR USB. THIS MEANS NO DTS-HD OR TRUEHD, AND BY EXTENSION NO IMMERSIVE DTS:X OR ATMOS. And don't ever expect this to change, Panasonic simply do not consider external file playback to be a high priority.