Sony UBP-X700 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[weberrygt]

That's awesome!

I have the Sony UBP-x800... I really wish they would give that a DV update! If not, I may just wait until next Black Friday and get this or some other DV-enabled player. I should say... an HDR/DV/HDR10+/HLG/somethingelse/allotherformats enabled player

[PS3_Kiwi]

Originally Posted by weberrygt

Why do all these companies have to make it so difficult? I am a simple videophile - I love movies, and I love watching them. I know enough to follow what you are outlining, but what about the average consumer? How many people are going to buy TVs, players, receivers, only to find out that they are missing something? This can't be good for the market overall.

There is no such thing as a "simple videophile"

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by mar3o

Is DVD-audio something that can be enabled with firmware, or is that something that needs to be supported by the drive itself and the x700 just won't have a capable drive? Maybe they just forgot to list it under the specs?

It has to be supported, and implemented in the player, hardware disc reading capability and decoding chip elemental, and not through firmware update...software.

It is well indicated by its omission, logo wise and type of discs reading specs.
None can be found. It doesn't support Bluetooth either and neither the special audio processor for MP3 and CD; DSEE HX audio enhancer. And no certified High Resolution Audio.
• https://www.sony.com/electronics/blu...specifications

This player is a budget 4K player, very. Its main attraction is Dolby Vision, supposedly firmware upgradeable sometimes in April.

I don't see this new player retailing more than $199.99 or $249.99 @ the very maximum.
Personally, I would wait till it's on sale after getting the Dolby Vision firmware update, say this Fall.
As much that I like competition, I don't see this player positioned as . . . threatening.
The plus is Dolby Vision on the cheap. ...Ninety-nine bucks when on sale.
____

* Bonus: https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/11/...-dolby-vision/

[Archivy]

Originally Posted by weberrygt

What about the average consumer? How many people are going to buy TVs, players, receivers, only to find out that they are missing something?

The "average consumer" won't care. After all, we're talking about a format war among dynamic metadata formats. That's really geeky. Reality check: All UHD blu-rays will play on all average consumers' UHD blu-ray players. And we're still unsure if the average consumer will ever truly make the jump to UHD blu-ray at all. Putting two and two together, realistically, the average consumer is not going to care much about an optional dynamic metadata format within a content transport format that they might not even jump to at all.

Originally Posted by weberrygt

Why is there such a competition? Is this always the case when it comes to something new? I was not aware of this world when Blu-rays and HD-DVDs began, but was it the same situation back then?

It was WORSE back then. Not all High def discs played on all high def players. BDs only played on bd players, and HD-DVDs only played on HD-DVD players.

Going further back in time, there was a battle between Dolby Digital and DTS. Some studios (e.g. Universal) released two versions of films like Apollo 13, one with DD and a separate one with DTS. Consumers like me bought the one that our equipment was capable of playing. It wasn't that difficult to figure out which one to buy.

And, again, the dynamic metadata format war some people are currently fretting about is much more of a niche war than wars of yore AND, this time around, again, all discs will play on your UHD player via the static metadata layer regardless of which dynamic metadata format you're equipped to play.

I really don't see how the current war is at all as worrisome as those of yesteryear.

Originally Posted by weberrygt

But why can't there just be one standard

Money and ego. Each party thinks they're superior to the competitors, so why work with each other.

Originally Posted by weberrygt

is this getting out of hand?

Nah.

[Archivy]

Originally Posted by E6AtmosVuduDV

20th Century Fox and Warner Bros will be carrying the HDR10+ dynamic metadata format for some of their 4K Blu Ray Disc Movies.

Everyone should understand that you will need a HDR10+ Disc Player as well as a HDR10+ TV. If your TV is only rated for HDR10 and can't be FW updated to HDR10+ you are out of luck. You will only be able to watch the HDR10 version of the disc.

Everyone must think carefully on what kind of TV they wish to purchase in the future. If you decide to buy the Sony UBP-X700 you must buy a Dolby Vision TV. And your AV receiver must have DV pass-thru.

The same goes for Broadcast or Streaming boxes. I gather its the same for Gaming boxes.

The Crazy Thing is...

Some TV's like the Sony Z9D been promised DV FW since 2016.

The Sony UBP-X700 is promised its DV FW by August 2018.

While true, this line of thinking leads to paralysis. If you want to be more assured of choosing the TV and player with the "winner" of the dynamic metadata format war, you're going to have to sit on the sidelines at least to 2019. And I guarantee that, come 2019, there will be something else coming down the pike that will create buying paralysis until 2020, etc. It's a perpetual state of paralysis. You never end up buying for fear of buying into losing technology.

What I suggest, instead, is that if you want to buy new equipment, please do so based on the most reasonable information available to you at that moment rather than sitting around waiting for the situation to resolve itself; it never will.

This hobby is supposed to be FUN. Don't forget that!

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

As of early Last Year I've already set my sights for a Period.
Roughly an AV World to be happy with for like 5 years.

Thats E6AtmosVuduDV.
My E6 OLED. A 3D World. Exceptional Visuals 1080p, 3D 1080p, HDR10, Dolby Vision. With the "First" of my DV 4K UHD Player.

Exceptional Sound from my Klipsch and SVS Bass 5.1.2. Height Speakers World.

Vudu streaming with HDX, 3D, DV.

AVRs Accordingly. Better speakers and setups accordingly

And DV Toys add ons.

I will always have Fun reseaching New on the Horizon AV. And Enjoying what my current Scope has or will have to offer. ie., Z9F, A1F, 940F, Pana UB820, OPPO etc. Even Merging my Ancient 12 inch Platter Movie LD's thru the New AV World.

Call these Baby Steps.

8K for me will be years away.

[mar3o]

Originally Posted by LordoftheRings

It has to be supported, and implemented in the player, hardware disc reading capability and decoding chip elemental, and not through firmware update...software.

It is well indicated by its omission, logo wise and type of discs reading specs.
None can be found. It doesn't support Bluetooth either and neither the special audio processor for MP3 and CD; DSEE HX audio enhancer. And no certified High Resolution Audio.
• https://www.sony.com/electronics/blu...specifications

This player is a budget 4K player, very. Its main attraction is Dolby Vision, supposedly firmware upgradeable sometimes in the Summer of 2018.

I don't see this new player retailing more than $199.99 or $249.99 @ the very maximum.
Personally, I would wait till it's on sale after getting the Dolby Vision firmware update, say this Fall.
As much that I like competition, I don't see this player positioned as . . . threatening.
The plus is Dolby Vision on the cheap. ...Ninety-nine bucks when on sale.
____

* Bonus: https://www.engadget.com/2018/01/11/...-dolby-vision/

It's a shame that Sony decided to cheapen their player so much and it's only their 2nd gen UHD player. Ugh. Why do companies do it? Why always the race to the bottom?

The only reasons I backed away from the x800 was the lack of Dolby Vision (which my LG TV supports), and the many reports of freezing, which I figured might be ironed out by their next player. I really liked what I heard about the build quality and quiet operation of the x800, and I was really hoping all that would carry over to the new player. Sadly, it seems to be shaping up to have corners cut in several areas. I hope this player isn't using a cheaper drive or components inside. I was hoping for improvements, not steps back.

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

Sony x800 at Best Buy price now back up to $249. So is Crutchfield.com.

Isn't the x700 scheduled to be stocked at Best Buy in January?
Its going to be interesting shopping for a HDR/DV Player. For at Best Buy the LG UP970 is back up to $299.

Gosh these players was like $129 to $149 late 2017.

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

weberrygt asked...

I have not had the opportunity to watch DV yet from physical media. I have the TV, but not the player. Reviews seem mixed - some swear by it, some don't see much difference, and some have complaints. But why can't there just be one standard, or will there ever be one? And now we are talking about HDR10+, HLG, etc.*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voeP...ature=youtu.be

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by mar3o

It's a shame that Sony decided to cheapen their player so much and it's only their 2nd gen UHD player. Ugh. Why do companies do it? Why always the race to the bottom?

Sony is not alone; Samsung players, LG players, Panasonic players, Philips players, Microsoft players, they all have some affordable models "cheaply/plastic" made that anyone, even the owners of 720p TVs can buy. Hi-end audio/video products they play as much as beautiful pictures and sound 10% (a free measure) better...it all depends.

The year 2018 has just started, the X700 has just been announced, it won't get Dolby Vision till April, roughly another three months. So right now this is just another me too light small plastic made cheap player with DV in the "air". By then, April 2018, the price will have shrink too along with the plastic. But then, Sony is not unique.

The only reasons I backed away from the x800 was the lack of Dolby Vision (which my LG TV supports), and the many reports of freezing, which I figured might be ironed out by their next player. I really liked what I heard about the build quality and quiet operation of the x800, and I was really hoping all that would carry over to the new player. Sadly, it seems to be shaping up to have corners cut in several areas. I hope this player isn't using a cheaper drive or components inside. I was hoping for improvements, not steps back.

I like the little X800, it's cute and has a bit of heft to it. Inside its guts it won't win any beauty pageant contest award though. Open it and it reveals what it's made of. The video chip is a year old, unable to get a Dolby Vision and HDR-10+ firmware update. It is already obsolete in this fast growing plastic world.

When Blu-ray players first came to the scene back in 2006, one of the prerequisites was firmware updates. Today it is no more, only Oppo players keep that tradition alive by planning ahead and putting custom video processors powerful enough to keep up with the climate changes.

The Panasonic 900 limousine needs a new set of tires, new mirrors and a new engine.

The times they are a changin', ...CD players from yesterday weighting 40 pounds are on eBay for hundred bucks. They are bought for display, parts, romance, nostalgia, history, museums, ...all that past jazz from the forties and the Charleston before.

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa7T...ature=youtu.be

[Pieter V]

Player is already out, 269 euros here in the Netherlands:

https://www.bol.com/nl/p/sony-ubp-x7...pe=typedsearch

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

I got maybe 4 or 5 remotes at home now that looks almost just like that one. Ones from a Sony DVD Portable. One from a Sony Blu Ray Portable. 3 are from Sony small footprint Disc Players brought from Costco over the years.

[mar3o]

Gotta laugh (or cry) when $200 media players from small tech companies ship with full-size backlit remotes but premium UHD players from the biggest tech giants in the industry can't bother to throw an LED backlight in. Heck, you can buy a full-backlit learning remote from Amazon for $25. The only backlit remote I own belongs to my Mede8er media player. My Yamaha Aventage receiver isn't backlit, nor is my $1,600 LG UHD TV, or either of my blu-ray players from Panasonic. It's like they don't understand how frustrating it is to use a remote in the dark.

The remotes they give us now are like remotes you'd expect to get with a $30 Wal-Mart-brand DVD player, not a UHD player from Sony.

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

In the dark. Watching from my OLED a DV Blu Ray disc movie. My most important button is the pause button.

On that Sony remote in the dark it would be Heck to find pause and press it. And God knows what I would hit with my Fat finger.

My Thinking. Sony X800 and Sony Z9D TV both had their Debut at IFA the Berlin Trade Show. September 2017. Sept 2016. Im hoping Sony Disc Player x900(new debut) with DV and Sony Z9F with DV appears this September's IFA. And I hope both will have large backlit remotes.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by Pieter V

Player is already out, 269 euros here in the Netherlands:

https://www.bol.com/nl/p/sony-ubp-x7...pe=typedsearch

I like the little heart logo instead of Favorite. What a little cute touch.
I remember the huge remote controls for flagship receivers and pre/pros ...Marantz, Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo/Integra...

The remotes for 4K BR players are certainly mini remotes that can operate on a lithium watch battery, almost credit card size...to go along with very tiny players made of cheap plastic.

That new Sony remote is even smaller than the small one that comes with the X800 player.
Without Oppo we would be lost.

[E6AtmosVuduDV]

That new Sony remote is even smaller than the small one that comes with the X800 player.
Without Oppo we would be lost.

How you programmed your OPPO Backlit remote to work on your Sony x800???

[LordoftheRings]

Splain that to me real good.

About getting the Oppo remote to control the Oppo player?
For the Sony X700 you can buy a universal remote for not much and put all your audio/video gear inside.

[mar3o]

My Panasonic remote has the Netflix button right underneath the stop and pause buttons, in the middle of the remote, so it's easy to hit it when trying to hit the pause button. And as soon as you hit it, it stops playback and takes 30 seconds for you to load up the Netflix app and then you have to exit and start the movie all over again and find where you left off. All that could be eliminated by them throwing in a cheap LED bulb. I hate that remote.

[Snikt]

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