Sony UBP-X700 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[stvn1974]

I just sold most of my remaining UHDs. I got $286 is store credit. I kept Predator, Unforgiven, Superman The Movie, From Beyond and The Big Lebowski since the BDs are pretty bad and the UHDs still actually work for those titles. I also cancelled all my UHD preorders. Headache over.

[Trixter]

Another voice to add to the conversation: After 18 months of my UBP-X700 freezing, locking up, causing audio dropouts, static/pink screens, etc. I just couldn't take it any more and bought a new player. Because my TV supports DolbyVision, I opted for the Panasonic DP-UB820. It arrives in two days, and I'm expecting it to Just Work(tm).

I had tried everything to fix the UBP-X700, from better airflow to doing a factory reset and never setting up the network; nothing helped. The last straw came last week when watching a favorite movie with a family member that they'd never viewed on anything better than VHS, and having the player lock up right in the middle of a critical dramatic scene. It really nerfed the impact of the movie, and I was livid.

Originally Posted by stvn1974

I just sold most of my remaining UHDs. I got $286 in store credit.

To put toward buying a better player?

[stvn1974]

Originally Posted by Trixter

To put toward buying a better player?

Nope, I a done with the format unless the remastered BD is only available in the UHD/BD combo. When the Sony stops playing SACD it goes in the trash.

[hallowdrew]

Didn't we used to get roughly two X700 firmware updates per year? It's coming up on a full year since the last one on 5/22.

[Dankk]

Man, I wish I would've looked at this thread before buying this player.

This thing blows. I definitely seem to be cursed with freezing issues when the player attempts to change layers on triple-layer discs. What also makes me upset is, the store I bought it from (220-Electronics) advertises it on their site as their "most recommended" blu-ray player, for best value, quality and reliability.

Reliable my ass. I wish I would've noticed the issue sooner so I could've returned it within the return window. Unfortunately for the first month though, I mostly only watched BD-66's and the rare BD-100 that doesn't have the freezing issue, so I didn't really think about it right away.

I would do a manufacturer RMA, except my unit has been modded to be region-free, and I know if Sony sends me a new player then obviously it's not gonna be region-free anymore. So that kind of puts me in a pickle right now.

BD-100s that have frozen up on me when switching to the 3rd layer: Ambulance, The Green Knight, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Hard Target.

BD-100s that have surprisingly not exhibited the issue: 8 Mile, Pulp Fiction, and Once Upon A Time in Hollywood.

I have a hard time believing that network connectivity issues are related to it, since it exclusively seems to happen about 2/3 of the way through the movie, when the layer would be changing. I also don't think my player is overheating... the device is out in the open in a nice, cool 65 degree F room.

For a while I was hoping that the theory about "an invisible layer of gunk on the disc from the factory just needs to be wiped off" was actually true, because it appeared to actually work when I wiped a couple of my discs before playing them. But then I tried it with AQOTWF and the freezing still happened.

I'm gonna call 220-electronics and see if they will still let me send it back and exchange it for another model.

I think I'd like to get the DP-UB420 instead. I know it can't do DV, but my screen isn't DV-capable anyway and the Pannies seem to have a good reputation.

[Dankk]

I called the store, and they are thankfully letting me send back the UBP-X700 for store credit. Unfortunately because it's been more than 1 month, they are charging me a restocking fee; but they will also give me a 5% discount on the DP-UB420 to make up for it.

[Okiephile]

Originally Posted by Dankk

I called the store, and they are thankfully letting me send back the UBP-X700 for store credit. Unfortunately because it's been more than 1 month, they are charging me a restocking fee; but they will also give me a 5% discount on the DP-UB420 to make up for it.

Just be warned the Pannys aren’t bulletproof either, look at their thread. I agree the disc cleaning thing is a joke. A questionable technology imo. I thought cleaning help, but if I just pop the disc out put it back in a little before the freeze it won’t duplicate the problem. If the problem is in exactly the same place every time then the disc is the issue, but that hasn’t been my experience. I have had problems with 7 or 8 out of over 200 so not tragic, but also not acceptable and it always shows up when I’m trying to show off, good luck.

[Scorxpion]

Originally Posted by Dankk

I called the store, and they are thankfully letting me send back the UBP-X700 for store credit. Unfortunately because it's been more than 1 month, they are charging me a restocking fee; but they will also give me a 5% discount on the DP-UB420 to make up for it.

Go for Panasonic, I have my Sony x800m2 as a secondary player facing the exact problem with ambulance and others UHD, the only way to go forward once locked or freeze eject the disc and load the disc again. Even I am still enjoying my UHD MOVIES and I don't care about the hiccups Sony players have , Panasonic is the way to go

[kath2833]

For my player, what I have found works in solving the freezing issue is removing the power cord in the back of the box for a minute then plugging it back in, turning the player on & inserting the disc. I've done that for 2 films that previously froze & have had no issue the entire way through.

[Okiephile]

Just watched Cool Hand Luke a 100 gb disc played without incident!

[DariusTheBluRayGuy]

Honestly I’ve had this player since 2019 and the player is fully updated and I haven’t had any issues with freezing discs or skipping from any film or show I play on the player. The design could be better but it was my first 4K player and it has held up really well for me.

[Nosferatu31]

Originally Posted by DariusTheBluRayGuy

Honestly I’ve had this player since 2019 and the player is fully updated and I haven’t had any issues with freezing discs or skipping from any film or show I play on the player. The design could be better but it was my first 4K player and it has held up really well for me.

Same here. I guess we're the lucky ones.

[DariusTheBluRayGuy]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu31

Same here. I guess we're the lucky ones.

Yeah, we are. For being my first 4K player, I genuinely have no issues with it and has served me well over the years. As long as it get the job done, I’m satisfied with it.

[Yearbook]

The only 4K I've had skipping issues with is True Romance; oddly, played fine later, no prints or scratches on the disc. From memory, have had issues with Before Sunrise and the Wong Kar Wai box(replacements played fine), but I'm a lucky owner as well. It's arguably been my most consistent player since my RCA DVD player from 2000.

[Scorxpion]

What I figured lately not all BD-100 are freezing or skipping, discs made by Sony are working perfect one of them is spiderman no way home but AMBULANCE, HUNTER KILLER STILL FREEZING whereas on my dual Panasonic players no single hiccups. The only way to continue on my Sony player is eject the tray and close it .skip to the chapter where the incident happened and keep watching till the end without any hiccups.it really happens why I don't know maybe others who are not facing it did not encounter yet a troublesome discs.

This is my conclusion

[stvn1974]

I watched both the theatrical and extended cuts of Underworld from the Sony boxset yesterday and they both played flawlessly even thought it is a BD100. If Sony BD100s play on the X700 but other studios won't I wonder if it is something that could be fixed with a firmware update?

[unberechenbar]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

I watched both the theatrical and extended cuts of Underworld from the Sony boxset yesterday and they both played flawlessly even thought it is a BD100. If Sony BD100s play on the X700 but other studios won't I wonder if it is something that could be fixed with a firmware update?

Lionsgate BD100s play without any problems for me on this player too.

[stvn1974]

Originally Posted by unberechenbar

Lionsgate BD100s play without any problems for me on this player too.

I don't even think I have ever owned a Lionsgate film in 4K. The only BD100s that I own that will play all the way through are Underworld, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Taxi Driver and Last Action Hero. All four are Sony.

[stvn1974]

I didn't realize that the John Wick films were with Lionsgate. I watched the second and third films earlier since they are both BD100 and they played all the way through. I guess Sony and Lionsgate are OK to buy for now on. I still have never had a BD100 from Criterion, WB, Paramount, Shout Factory or Synapse play without locking up.

[Alister_M]

I've ever only had issues with a very small number of WB discs. Every other studio's product is fine as long as the disc is clean.