Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[eChopper]

iFPi codes

http://bluraydefectueux.com/forum/vi...php?f=39&t=208

http://bluraydefectueux.com/forum/vi...php?f=39&t=209

Maybe I just got a bad laser on my Panasonic 9000 cause my 2 copies of American Gangster 4k play well on my Oppo 203. Yet my Oppo willShit itself on other tiles . 4k is a PITA format

[chip75]

Originally Posted by eChopper

iFPi codes

http://bluraydefectueux.com/forum/vi...php?f=39&t=208

http://bluraydefectueux.com/forum/vi...php?f=39&t=209

Maybe I just got a bad laser on my Panasonic 9000 cause my 2 copies of American Gangster 4k play well on my Oppo 203. Yet my Oppo will Shit itself on other tiles . 4k is a PITA format

Only code I got a hit with was for Technicolor Germany with Vertigo's IFPI LZ13.

[CompleteCount]

I just updated via direct download, and all went OK.

Buggered if I can't work out how to disconnect the bloody thing from the wifi.

[RodChester]

Glad to finally have a firmware update. I was really losing hope about ever getting another update. Especially since 1.66 was out for so long without ever being available.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by CompleteCount

I just updated via direct download, and all went OK.

Buggered if I can't work out how to disconnect the bloody thing from the wifi.

I think if you do an EASY (or any) Wi-Fi set-up process it may wipe the original details and you can quit after that. An incorrect password will work too.

[Nori]

Originally Posted by RBBrittain

Older mods used mod chips that weren't affected by firmware updates, except in rare instances where the update changed the region flag's location in memory that the mod chip acted on. 220 & other reputable modders have long offered lifetime warranties on their mods just in case that happens.

Newer players like the UB820, however, are modded by a third party (probably a supplier to 220) who customizes the firmware (perhaps "hacked" is too strong a term) to disable the DVD region lock entirely (in a way that resists so-called "region code enhancements" used by studios to defeat earlier region-free players), enable selecting the Blu-ray region from the remote (that lock can't be disabled entirely), and modify the firmware updater so it only obtains updates from the modder or its firmware provider (not Panny).

If you update these players exclusively over the Internet, they should remain region-free as the third party will only release updates after customizing them. However, if you sideload an unmodded Panny firmware update onto such a player via USB (as Nori did), that will disable the region-free mod. I believe the only recourse in that case is to contact 220 & wait for them to provide a modded version of 1.69 that can be sideloaded like the Panny update.

I'm about to contact 220 myself (edit: just did), but all I need is an ETA for the modded 1.69 so I can install it over the Internet. Mine still shows no online updates from 1.60, apparently the latest modded firmware version; I'm certainly not about to sideload anything.

You were exactly right. They created a file for me to use and it fixed the problem (albeit restored me to 1.60). I'll be sticking to the online updates from now on.

I'm pretty sure in the past flash drive updates worked on my blu ray players from 220 but that might have been around 8 or 9 years ago, and as you said there's a sticker on the back indicating an internal mod was done. Also they used to change region when powered off (pressing 1~3 before powering on), where as now it's done with the disc tray open, and apparently via the new mod method I guess.

Anyway looking forward to 1.69. Did they give you an estimate of when they expect it will be available?

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by Nori

Anyway looking forward to 1.69. Did they give you an estimate of when they expect it will be available?

All I heard is it's been referred to their techs. No ETA yet.

I did find another firmware modding group (open only to those who can contribute code to it) that has a modded 1.69 firmware available, but it has far different region selection instructions from 220's simple method so it's definitely not theirs. Though their firmware mod also enables some hidden features, it's missing a key feature of 220 mods: It requires you to pre-select a region for DVD (to get around RCE blocks) as well as BD; 220's mods (both mod chips & modded firmware) usually contain "RCE resistant" code that totally eliminates the need to select a DVD region. (Alas, that's not possible for BD.)

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by Tuc0

So does this effect the regionfreedom mod? Thanks!

Edit: I see they now have one for 1.69

I believe that's the group I looked at. They have a modded 1.69 available, but so far 220 (or its mod supplier) doesn't.

[rickardl]

Originally Posted by CompleteCount

I just updated via direct download, and all went OK.

Buggered if I can't work out how to disconnect the bloody thing from the wifi.

Set it to "Wired"?

[CompleteCount]

Originally Posted by chip75

I think if you do an EASY (or any) Wi-Fi set-up process it may wipe the original details and you can quit after that. An incorrect password will work too.

Originally Posted by rickardl

Set it to "Wired"?

Just tried both. The bastard still stubbornly connects to Netflix.

Factory reset is the last resort, of course!

[wxman2003]

Panasonic with an update. Sony sending out the VRR update. Time to buy a lottery ticket!

[Cortiz]

Originally Posted by wxman2003

Panasonic with an update. Sony sending out the VRR update. Time to buy a lottery ticket!

What is a VRR update?

[chip75]

Originally Posted by CompleteCount

Just tried both. The bastard still stubbornly connects to Netflix.

Factory reset is the last resort, of course!

I'll bring my player upstairs and take a look, mate.

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by gnicks

So, you won't even believe this... I just tried a firmware update on my 9000 and it is currently downloading 1.69...

The only change they made is "Playability of Blu-ray Disc™."

[chip75]

Originally Posted by chip75

I'll bring my player upstairs and take a look, mate.

Home>Setup>Player Settings>Network>Network Settings>LAN Connection Mode>Wired

that should turn off the Wi-Fi, to delete the settings is a bit convoluted, you need to put in the wrong password after searching for your router then switch to Wired, check the fields are blank and switch back, it should say Wireless Settings: Not Set and the fields in the IP Address / DNS Server should be blank.

[TravisTylerBlack]

Plugged in ye olde ethernet cable to the back of my 820 last night before bed and cued the update. Thankfully everything installed without issue- though it did take a hot minute to fully download and integrate itself.

This morning before work I went ahead and popped in Ghost In The Shell (what else would I be watching at 7am? ​) and sure enough, that pesky flicker is gone!

Now that that's finally settled I feel compelled to admit that I seriously considered splurging on a second UHD player this week purely out of concern for more consistent (AKA any) firmware support. Indeed, after those early reports of DV issues with the new Halloween UHD started rolling in I could feel myself approaching "enough is enough" territory- but then, almost as if Panny could feel our collective nerd rage beginning to brew, the long-fabled firmware update actually dropped. Huzzah!

Needless to say any thoughts of blowing a small fortune on a used Oppo (or one of those new disc-spinners from France) have been now been quietly dispelled. Is my faith in Panny fully restored? Not quite. I do think the continued persistence of people here and elsewhere had a lot to do with this issue finally being addressed. However, if we can get at least one or two updates annually I think that will go a long way in terms of both potential buyer confidence and goodwill with established users.

[gnicks]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

The only change they made is "Playability of Blu-ray Disc™."

Considering that change fixed playback issues with a number of Dolby Vision titles, I'd say it's pretty significant. Or are you still going to tell us those were problems with our discs?

[BijouMan]

Originally Posted by Cortiz

What is a VRR update?

It's an update that Sony is rolling out to their displays to enable the AMD FreeSync Premium Pro functionality as Sony gets ready to add it to their PlayStation 5 interactive entertainment system. VRR stands for Variable Refresh Rate, which is what FreeSync enables. This means that when playing a game, instead of the display refreshing at a fixed rate like 60 or 120 Hertz (times per second), the PS5 will signal to the display every time it generates a frame so that the display always shows every frame and no frames will be skipped. This allows for a much smoother gaming experience.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by BijouMan

The only change they made is "Playability of Blu-ray Disc™."

Originally Posted by gnicks

Considering that change fixed playback issues with a number of Dolby Vision titles, I'd say it's pretty significant. Or are you still going to tell us those were problems with our discs?

Probably more diplomatic than, "About Bloody Time Update".

Tried Vertigo IT on my 820, straight to Chapter 20 worked twice, went back to 19 and it glitched. Didn't knock out the audio, but still Glitchy McGlitchyface.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by TravisTylerBlack

Plugged in ye olde ethernet cable to the back of my 820 last night before bed and cued up the update. Thankfully the everything installed without issue- though it did take a hot minute to fully download and integrate itself.

This morning before work I went ahead and popped in Ghost In The Shell (what else would I be watching at 7am? ​) and sure enough, that pesky flicker is gone!

Now that that's finally settled I feel compelled to admit that I seriously considered splurging on a second UHD player this week purely out of concern for more consistent (AKA any) firmware support. Indeed, after those early reports of DV issues with the new Halloween UHD started rolling in I could feel myself approaching "enough is enough" territory- but then, almost as if Panny could feel our collective nerd rage beginning to brew, the long-fabled firmware update actually dropped. Huzzah!

Needless to say any thoughts of blowing a small fortune on a used Oppo (or one of those new disc-spinners from France) have been now been quietly dispelled. Is my faith in Panny fully restored? Not quite. I do think the continued persistence of people here and elsewhere had a lot to do with this issue finally being addressed. However, if we can get at least one or two updates annually I think that will go a long way in terms of both potential buyer confidence and goodwill with established users. (Though I'm not holding my breath.)

Yep, I've been eyeing up other players (and then laughing at the Reavon) because of how spotty the 820 is - was - with DV but this update has indeed put that to bed.

I even got an email this morning from Panny customer service telling me that the update was now live and that they hope it fixes the DV problems I was having. I first raised this issue with them in April 2020 and a few emails went back and forth before they said they would pass it on to their technical department and get back to me, that was the 28th April and was the last I heard from them...until now. I gotta say, that's pretty damned classy.

Sure, it's taken an absolute fookin age to get this fixed (ye olde pandemic didn't help) which I've bemoaned many, many times on here, but to take the time to go back through their correspondence and let people know it's been sorted is that extra touch of quality customer service on their behalf.

Panasonic: THANK YOU!