Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[morris_schaffer]

One more. The HDR optimizer, is that a trick you setup once or does it require tweaks along the way depending on the disc you're spinning? Furthermore, I understand it takes the rooms light conditions into consideration, but how would that work really? Perhaps more to the Point, should I even enable the HDR optimizer?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

One more. The HDR optimizer, is that a trick you setup once or does it require tweaks along the way depending on the disc you're spinning? Furthermore, I understand it takes the rooms light conditions into consideration, but how would that work really? Perhaps more to the Point, should I even enable the HDR optimizer?

Well considering that UHDs can be mastered to different levels depending on creator's intent and HDR/Dolby Vision can be mastered to different containers it is unfortunately something you might have to play around with. We don't say HDR is The Wild West of formats for nothing.

If you have a 700 nits OLED you should certainly give the Optimizer a go, the room settings are handy if you're not in a zero light environment, the same goes for the sliders. If you find things too dark you can get a bit more brightness and if you find things a bit too bright, you can introduce more contrast and highlight detail.

[morris_schaffer]

Originally Posted by idlebrain

This helps for people with older receivers without 4K/HDR/DV passthrough. Video HDMI goes to TV/Projector and Audio HDMI goes to receiver.

I'm also reading this:

'On the back of the unit, there's a video/audio HDMI out port and a dedicated audio out HDMI port, so you don't have to pass the video signal through your A/V receiver; you can connect it directly to your TV to preserve its integrity and quality. (That was a popular feature that I believe Oppo pioneered, so it's nice to see Panasonic following in their footsteps'

Indicating it's not just a matter of old VS new receiver, but rather a way to somehow ensure An even better video Quality.

[fmier]

Just got the UB820 I purchased from Best Buy and it came with firmware 1.66 and sent it to 220 Electronics to mod it and make it region free (as I live nearby)... it’s the first time they see that firmware so fingers crossed

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

I'm also reading this:

'On the back of the unit, there's a video/audio HDMI out port and a dedicated audio out HDMI port, so you don't have to pass the video signal through your A/V receiver; you can connect it directly to your TV to preserve its integrity and quality. (That was a popular feature that I believe Oppo pioneered, so it's nice to see Panasonic following in their footsteps'

Indicating it's not just a matter of old VS new receiver, but rather a way to somehow ensure An even better video Quality.

Not really. Both ports offer the same exact quality you would get from an HDMI 2.0 a or b port (not sure which version they are). Again, the reason why the 820 has 2 ports is so that in case if you have an older receiver, you can connect the main HDMI Video/Audio port to the TV and the other to your old audio receiver. This is actually how my setup currently. Now once you have a newer A/V receiver, you can just connect the main HDMI port directly to the receiver and then the receiver to the TV. It really doesn't matter.

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by trekky76

Cinema is the correct one. But I can't say for you since yours got re-calibrated from what I understand. Cinema Home follows a higher/brighter curve for tonemapping so I understand now why DTM Off in HDR10 looks dimmer to you. Dolby Vision Cinema Home = HDR10 Cinema with DTM On.

I was contemplating using Cinema Home and DTM On for a while but finally settled on Cinema with DTM Off. Instead opting for Peak Brightness on Low for both modes. I watch movies in a completely dark room.

I was able to take a look to see what I'm using in Dolby Vision Mode and as it turns out, I'm using just Cinema Mode (User). Again, my TV is calibrated so it may be different from TVs that are not. But, I could hardly tell a difference between HDR 10 with Dynamic Tone Mapping set to "On" with the Panasonic 820 set to Super High Luminance (1,500 nits) and Dolby Vision. If anything, the only difference would be the brightness/contrast with the HDR 10 presentation being a bit more vibrant. The Dolby Vision Presentation is slightly dimmer.

I also noticed the 820 seems to do better when functioning with HDR 10 than Dolby Vision. Like when you stop a movie playing in Dolby Vision, it takes the player a bit longer to get to the home menu than when you stop a movie playing in HDR 10.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by PUsokrJosh305

Both ports offer the same exact quality you would get from an HDMI 2.0 a or b port (not sure which version they are).

Not 100% about the 820, but the 420 can't output 4K HDR from both outputs at the same time, you can get away with 1080p, but not 4K HDR.

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by chip75

Not 100% about the 820, but the 420 can't output 4K HDR from both outputs at the same time, you can get away with 1080p, but not 4K HDR.

I did not realize that at all (I've never tried to do it since I have a 1080p receiver and not 4K). I guess really, the 2nd port should only be used for audio (which it's preferred anyways in the settings).

[DOULG1VEN]

Having a ton of freezing issues today. Have tried 5 different movies and every single one starts freezing and showing weird artifacts within minutes. Rewinding fixes this but then it will freeze in a different spot

Edit: every single disc is freezing with artifacts..

[Noremac Mij]

Panasonic will most likely get out of the UHD player market soon.

[Waboman]

I will most likely never own a solid gold toilet soon. See? It’s easy to spout nonsense.

[Robert Zohn]

@Noremac Mij, that's not my take on Panasonic's position in the UHD BD player business. In fact, Panasonic is very successful in the BD player market.



Tune into my UB9000 live webinar presentation hosted by Sound & Vision live with Panasonic's executive Bill Voss. This Friday, December 18th 12pm EST. Here's the link to register

[Bluyoda]

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

Do you know the remote trick?

On the Panasonic or the Oppo?

[morris_schaffer]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

On the Panasonic or the Oppo?

Pana

EDIT: When you get the error message, you press stop and then the top menu button repeatedly and that will bypass the lock though not for all movies I understood. For me, living in Europe it's pretty amazing that it works with most region A criterions so I can finally buy The Great Escape and Silence of the Lambs.

Anyway, I placed the order for the UB820 earlier today. Pretty excited though I'm also sure I probably won't see a huge difference between the UB820 and my Xbox one X. But I hope it's at least perceptible.

[Mobe1969]

Originally Posted by Robert Zohn

Thank you Mobe1969! I'l check our new UB9000 shipment that's scheduled to be delivered tomorrow.

Did you check the firmware on the stock? Be amazing if the new ones are showing a newer firmware that 1.66!

[gates70]

Originally Posted by Mobe1969

Did you check the firmware on the stock? Be amazing if the new ones are showing a newer firmware that 1.66!

I received mine last Friday or something and it's still in the box, so maybe I can check later. Was going to wait for my new theater to be finished building, but I think I'll connect it on the TV for now.

[RustinCohle]

Experienced my first freezes on my 820. I was watching The Hateful Eight and it froze around 1:05 and 1:45. Put the disc in my Xbox to try and replicate it and it played fine. So just an issue with the player I guess..

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Waboman

I will most likely never own a solid gold toilet soon. See? It’s easy to spout nonsense.

It's not nonsense, they're going to stop making these silly UHD players and go back to making Laserdisc decks.

[cupboy]

Originally Posted by gates70

I received mine last Friday or something and it's still in the box, so maybe I can check later. Was going to wait for my new theater to be finished building, but I think I'll connect it on the TV for now.

It's a good idea to start using it right away since the warranty for labor is only 90 days, and labor is the expensive part.

Just got a quote from Krell for a repair to my amp and the parts are something like $20 and installing them is $500 (4 hours at $125/hr.).

[Noremac Mij]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

It's not nonsense, they're going to stop making these silly UHD players and go back to making Laserdisc decks.

And most like would sell the same amount of units, if not more.