Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[Bill Crosby]

Originally Posted by 0xd

Bought an UB820 earlier this year but new to rattlebytes firmware

I'm less interested in any region-free functionality, but am I understanding this chart correctly when it indicates you can enable 350 nit HDR tonemapping on the UB820?

Is this true? And does it actually "work" ?

In other words, is the difference in tonemapping capabilities (500 nit minimum for the 820 and 350 nit minimum for the 9000) purely just a software thing? Or does the ub9000 have some sort of better image processing chip that makes it more capable

Thanks in advance

[Yogi6807]

The 420 820 and 9000 all use the same hcx processor and share the same firmware.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by kevers7290

Add me to list of those whose (UB9000) remote decided to randomly stop working. I was looking at a replacement but Panasonic wants $130?! Can anyone vouch for the cheap, non-OEM replacements? I really don't want to spend $100 for a freakin' remote.

You can get 900 copies which often turn out to be the OEM version for around $30. You lose the HDR button, but it's a minor inconvenience.

[Papylon]

In my Panasonic UB820, there is software version 1.70. The question is, is it worth updating to version 1.76? What does it change? Does anyone know?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Papylon

In my Panasonic UB820, there is software version 1.70. The question is, is it worth updating to version 1.76? What does it change? Does anyone know?

Panasonic don't really go into details, but it supposedly improves UHD playback. Some of their previous updates were for on-line services, so no real disc benefits.

If you're experiencing issues with certain titles, the update may help, but without Panasonic saying which titles it's a guessing game.

[hansolo]

@Papylon. I think there has already been several comments in this thread how new 1.76 update improves Dolby Vision playability and fixes PQ issues of certain DV titles. Same as with previous 1.69, which fixed DV PQ issues on certain titles. I believe fw 1.70 is stock firmware for new stock (820) players because they have different D/A audio hardware than earlier built models. 1.70 has never been available online as a downloadable install file or as an OTA update.

Have you experienced any DV related issues on your discs?

I keep my player still at 1.69 because I haven't experienced any real issues even with DV and at this point I do not want to loose my region free enhanced firmware. I can also use different brand 4K player if needed.

[Papylon]

Will I lose the ability to play Region 1 DVDs after updating the software? I currently have this capability. It's a modification done with a special service code sent to the UB820 using a special remote control.
@Hansolo. I don't have any problems with DV discs, but I've noticed pixelation in some parts of the image during motion on certain HDR discs.

[hansolo]

I'm not sure. I'm not familiar with the special remote method. I would assume that magic code can still be re-sent after 1.76 update or that the update does not even change your DVD region free status. Maybe someone can answer that. I have done similar remote control soft mods for now very old Philips and Sony DVD players. But back then there was no such a thing as firmware update.

Re: regarding pixelation. Hard to comment. Could be just bad encoding (it's really not that unusual) in the HDR10 layer or very brief read or disc error.

[Papylon]

This is not an advertisement, but I have such a "remote control," and thanks to it, I can finally watch my DVD collection from region 1.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/110602620681

As for pixelation, only some HDR discs have this issue. I believe, although I may be mistaken, that this is due to the transfer of UHD movies that had a theatrical release over 20 years ago. I haven't noticed this issue with new UHD releases.

[Naiera]

That prodarek dude in the RegionFreedom thread has some of the most unintelligible English I've ever had to read

[kevers7290]

Originally Posted by Hedrox

Search "N2QAYA000130" on Amazon, they usually go for $10-12.

Thanks. Do you know if these aftermarket remotes are of a passable build quality? I don't expect it to be as good as an OEM remote at 1/10th the cost, but as long as it does what it's supposed to I'll bite at that price.

[Hedrox]

Originally Posted by kevers7290

Thanks. Do you know if these aftermarket remotes are of a passable build quality? I don't expect it to be as good as an OEM remote at 1/10th the cost, but as long as it does what it's supposed to I'll bite at that price.

The plastic is cheaper and the button illumination feature isn't as uniformly bright as on the original, but it gets the job done. There's also another variant that replaces the manual skip buttons (-10s, +60s) with ones for closed captions and DLNA, but I think the manual skip functions are way more useful.

[bizzle]

Just catching up here and still a little confused regarding the new update and the Top-Menu Region trick. My 820 is not modded, and if I update to the new firmware, will I loose the ability to play certain Region B titles using the Top Menu work-around?

[Hedrox]

Originally Posted by bizzle

Just catching up here and still a little confused regarding the new update and the Top-Menu Region trick. My 820 is not modded, and if I update to the new firmware, will I loose the ability to play certain Region B titles using the Top Menu work-around?

No, you can still use the Top Menu work-around, but you won't need it anymore once the modded firmware makes it region free.

[Ruined]

Trying to decide... The price of an Oppo UDP-203 is currently at an all time high on eBay, and a Panasonic 9000 is at an all time low. I had a 9000 at one point and liked it, but unfortunately it got messed up in an accident

I am wondering if now might be a good time to trade one for the other, with the thought that optical drives don't last forever, and the fact that there are few exclusive features of the Oppo I still use

The oppo has DVD-A/SACD support, and this is a big one for some people, but 100% meaningless for me. The oppo also has file playback support - also meaningless for me.

So then the main differences seem to be-
Oppo has zoom feature - a lot less important now
Oppo has PAL conversion - this affects maybe 6 DVDs I have, though they are DVDs I like a lot that have no Blu version I could probably live without it

So what do you think? Keep the Oppo which is getting up there in years (tho still works 100% fine), or sell it to buy a Panasonic?

I know "why not both," but I'm not going to do that

[chip75]

Has anyone tested how the UK players display UK 4:3 DVDs? After doing the patch I've tested some DVDs and I thought that the pillars looked bigger. I've gone back and forth with my usual player after marking the screen and the Panasonic does have more pillar boxing. There doesn't seem to be any cropping, one is either stretching or squeezing the image.

It's literally millimetres but surprisingly I noticed it!

[Naiera]

Originally Posted by kevers7290

Thanks. Do you know if these aftermarket remotes are of a passable build quality? I don't expect it to be as good as an OEM remote at 1/10th the cost, but as long as it does what it's supposed to I'll bite at that price.

Get one that says Panasonic at the bottom. They're original. I paid about $30 for mine. It has the skip buttons and the subtitle button, but not the HDR button.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by chip75

Has anyone tested how the UK players display UK 4:3 DVDs? After doing the patch I've tested some DVDs and I thought that the pillars looked bigger. I've gone back and forth with my usual player after marking the screen and the Panasonic does have more pillar boxing. There doesn't seem to be any cropping, one is either stretching or squeezing the image.

It's literally millimetres but surprisingly I noticed it!

I can't recall exactly what the 4K ones do but my BDT310 crops the image slightly. Can double check the 4K later with some test patterns from ye olde DVE DVD.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I can't recall exactly what the 4K ones do but my BDT310 crops the image slightly. Can double check the 4K later with some test patterns from ye olde DVE DVD.

Thanks, mate. I took a couple of camera pictures, but I might not have got the exact frame.

[Naiera]

Originally Posted by bl4ck

What exactly is the problem?

The problem is that I have no idea what he's trying to say half the time.