Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[ray0414]

Panasonic adding a gamma control makes this player even more invaluable for my Q9FN. Any 2018 Samsung owner NOT using this player is living with alot of crush, but alleviated by the settings on this.

[zeonstar]

Originally Posted by Bladerunner5375

I realize this is a question that was probably addressed earlier in the thread, but i can't find it: can this player automatically read dolby vision, or is it like the Sony x700, where you must turn Dolby Vision "on" and it forces every disc into dolby vision? thx.

It does indeed Automatically Detect Dolby Vision Content.

[zeonstar]

Quick question. Do any of you use the HDR Optimizer in addition to whatever Tone Mapping your TV has? I have an LG C8 for reference and have been using both it's Dynamic Tone Mapping and the Player's HDR Optimizer.

[barrett75]

hi guys, panny 9000 just arrived, it looks astounding. just a little issue: it's connected via stereo analog output to my rega elict-r (brit integrated amp 2 channels) and audio is clearly out-of-sync either with BD or with UHD (in classic HDR, not DV). with my old oppo 83 no problem at all with same connections and same amp. luckily panny player has a delay audio function but in my opinion it doesn't resolve completely this situation. anyone else has the same problem?

[HDTV1080P]

On pages 32-39 in the March 2019 Widescreen Review magazine there is a in-depth article about Panasonics Reference DP-UB9000 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc player. One negative thing mentioned on page 39 is that Panasonic does not support SACD and DVD-AUDIO discs which is the advantage of the OPPO UDP-203/205, Sony UBP-X800, and Pioneer Elite UDP-LX500 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players.



However the article mentions that the Panasonic DP-UB9000 has excellent build quality and all the robotic surface mounted circuit boards are hand inspected, tested, and hand assembled into the chassis. Also the Panasonic DP-UB9000 handles both Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10+ for both streaming apps and 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs (The HDR10+ feature is a advantage of the Panasonic Blu-ray players). In addition, currently when it comes to playing 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray discs that are encoded with some type of HDR, the Panasonic has the best picture quality according to the specs. The article ends saying that the proof rests with an in-depth review. In a future Widescreen Review issue, they plan on publishing a extensive in depth review of the Panasonic DP-UB9000. I hope that the Pioneer UDP-LX500 and the Sony UBP-X1100ES well also receive a review sometime this year.


https://www.widescreenreview.com/wsr...il.php?current (sample March 2019 issue online for a limited time).

[cjake]

Originally Posted by HDTV1080P

(The HDR10+ feature is a advantage of the Panasonic Blu-ray players).

The Oppo 203 and 205 currently support HDR10+ from UHD discs. They just haven't received permission to advertise the feature yet.

[HDTV1080P]

Originally Posted by cjake

The Oppo 203 and 205 currently support HDR10+ from UHD discs. They just haven't received permission to advertise the feature yet.

I hope a future firmware update well mention the HDR10+ feature. I do not currently own a display that handles HDR10+ and I am hoping that future flat panels and projectors well handle all the HDR formats. It is my understanding that the OPPO will handle HDR10+ if one has the proper 4K Blu-ray encoded with HDR10+ and a display that will handle HDR10+.


I have tried to stay away from mentioning that the OPPO UDP-203/205 has HDR10+ since its not a officially advertised feature in the specs. And also OPPO stopped assembling Blu-ray players in Jan of 2018 and is no longer in the Blu-ray player business.

[dlb99]

The HDR Optimiser is a great feature of these players.

Query, what about owners of 2018 Panasonic OLEDs? Is the HDR Optimiser a no-operation on Panasonic's own OLEDs?

My understanding is that both the OLEDs and UHD players both use the same HCX processor. Hence I would assume the HDR Optimiser of the players is the same tone-mapping used by Panasonic's own OLEDs.

But assumptions are sometimes wrong.

As an OPPO owner, is there any benefit to Panasonic's own players with respect to using the HDR Optimiser when connected to a 2018 Panasonic OLED?

Cheers.

[Daz_85]

Anyone experiencing Dolby Vision issues with the 820?

I've played 3 different DV titles so far (MI: Fallout, JW: Fallen Kingdom, Creed II) and I get this strange brief 'flash' effect between certain shots (usually those that cut between darker and more lit), immediately followed by the dynamic change in contrast for each shot struggling to keep up. It's as if the backlight is being dropped and turned up for an instant between each shot and is very distracting. Turning DV off and relying on the HDR10 layer plays absolutely fine.

I have an LG LED TV, and DV content from the onboard TV Netflix app has no problems either. I've tried a different HDMI cable and the same problem occurs.

Could this be an issue with using cheaper HDMI cables?

[sapiendut]

I doubt it’s the cable, but I don’t recall seeing flashing on MI Fallout and JW FK (I don’t have Creed) using 820 and Sony 900E

[spudeus]

I recently had the exact same issue, on last year's UHD Braveheart release. Daytime scenes seemed good, but switching to and from darker (interior/night) scenes there would be very visible 'flash', as though someone were playing with the maximum contrast settings!

Strangely, last week I had watched Cloverfield, a very dimly lit movie w. Dolby Vision, with no issues. Like you, changing to a newer HDMI cable had no effect - turning DV off in the setup menu cleared the problem up. I'm sort of assuming there is an issue with how the UB820 is interpreting certain discs - and this can be solved with a firmware update (fingers crossed).

[Geoff D]

Hmmm. Could that be the metadata lagging behind? I'd place the onus more on the TV rather than the player, though that's easy to say when you haven't tried another DV enabled player with the TV. I take it you guys have made sure that any contrast/motion enhancers etc are turned off in the TV?

[Clark Burk]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Hmmm. Could that be the metadata lagging behind? I'd place the onus more on the TV rather than the player, though that's easy to say when you haven't tried another DV enabled player with the TV. I take it you guys have made sure that any contrast/motion enhancers etc are turned off in the TV?

I would agree. Likely the way the TV is handling the DV. The players are very limited on what if anything they can do to the signal. Most adjustments including optimizer are not permitted. Could also be Dolby’s problems with how the discs were graded.
If there is a firmware update to the Panny it will be under Dolby’s direction as the manufacturers are not allowed to make changes without Dolby’s say so and approval as to how Dolby Vision is handled.

[Daz_85]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Hmmm. Could that be the metadata lagging behind? I'd place the onus more on the TV rather than the player, though that's easy to say when you haven't tried another DV enabled player with the TV. I take it you guys have made sure that any contrast/motion enhancers etc are turned off in the TV?

Indeed, I'm very much in line that any and all processing should be turned off.

Unfortunately I don't know anyone else with either a DV compatible TV or player to try out. Might try getting in contact with LG for the TV and Panasonic for the player to notify them of the issue.

[Geoff D]

The one outlier here is that the Panasonic DV implementation is brighter (at the expense of clipped highlights) than that of other UHD players, so that might also have something to do with it not jiving with the TV.

[Robert Zohn]

I have not noticed Panasonic's UB820 or the UB9000's Dolby Vision HDR rendition having higher peak luminance or more blown-out highlights compared to other BD players. Now of course, I could be wrong as anyone can be, so I must assume it has not been obvious enough for me to notice.

I must also admit that whenever I use any of our UB820s or UB9000s we don't use the Dolby Vision HDR, but instead we use the included SMPTE base layer HDR10 and preserve the DV PQ EOTF, but tone map the dynamic luminance range to whatever peak luminance the display or projector it's feeding is capable to reach. This is the very best way to take advantage of Panasonic's exclusive and most valuable feature, the "HDR Optimizer" with it's various tone mapping luminance selections.

[eddievanhalen]

I recently got a Panasonic DP-UB420 that literally trounces my Sony X-800. When one doesn't have another reference to compare the Sony X-800 looks great but having the Panasonic UB420 now I realize how mediocre the Sony looks.
I have a question for all forum members as most (if not all) know more about video technology than me. I have mid range Samsung 49" HDR set that has a maximum light output of around 600 nits. I have set up the Panasonic player to high to mid light output LCD on the set up menu and of course I'm using the HDR Optimizer. I then played a little with the Dinamic Range setting which I set to +3, the White Level to +4 (this seems to enhance the highlights without blowing them up) and set Black Level to -2, this seems to increase the perceived contrast without crushing blacks, I specially like this with Sci Fi movies set in space like the three Star Trek UHD BD's and The Last Jedi that seem to have a dark grey shade for space instead of inky black (I've watched the three of them on a properly set up OLED at a friend's and they don't look full black either), what do you think of my custom setting keeping in mind that my T.V. is s subpar performer regarding HDR? I see a much better picture and more pronounced specular highlights with this setting on the Panasonic than I've seen before with the Sony X-800 that made my UHD BD movies look flat and boring compared to the Panasonic. Am I going to far with these settings or you think they are right? I don't see any blown parts even with HD BD's like Pacific Rim, Passengers or The Dark Tower.
Thanks in advance for your input.

[jsil]

Hi, Robert Zohn

Do you think Panasonic will add more apps like Vudu etc?

[mogwai_macabre]

Would you guys recommend this player for a 1080p (Epson 5030) projector owner? I'm in need of a new Blu-ray player, and figure I may as well spring for a 4K player. Also interested in playing 4K discs just for updated transfers (I already own a number of discs). Other features like the quality upscaling and subtitle shifting appeal to me as well.

I just want to make sure I'm not going to run into problems playing HDR content on a non-HDR projector. Seems like the HDR optimizer should take care of that? I'm aware the player is overkill at the moment, but I'll be updating to a 4k projector someday (maybe next hardware refresh round?).

[ray0414]

Originally Posted by eddievanhalen

I recently got a Panasonic DP-UB420 that literally trounces my Sony X-800. When one doesn't have another reference to compare the Sony X-800 looks great but having the Panasonic UB420 now I realize how mediocre the Sony looks.
I have a question for all forum members as most (if not all) know more about video technology than me. I have mid range Samsung 49" HDR set that has a maximum light output of around 600 nits. I have set up the Panasonic player to high to mid light output LCD on the set up menu and of course I'm using the HDR Optimizer. I then played a little with the Dinamic Range setting which I set to +3, the White Level to +4 (this seems to enhance the highlights without blowing them up) and set Black Level to -2, this seems to increase the perceived contrast without crushing blacks, I specially like this with Sci Fi movies set in space like the three Star Trek UHD BD's and The Last Jedi that seem to have a dark grey shade for space instead of inky black (I've watched the three of them on a properly set up OLED at a friend's and they don't look full black either), what do you think of my custom setting keeping in mind that my T.V. is s subpar performer regarding HDR? I see a much better picture and more pronounced specular highlights with this setting on the Panasonic than I've seen before with the Sony X-800 that made my UHD BD movies look flat and boring compared to the Panasonic. Am I going to far with these settings or you think they are right? I don't see any blown parts even with HD BD's like Pacific Rim, Passengers or The Dark Tower.
Thanks in advance for your input.

I do something similar. so many great settings on this player.