Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[Muyfa666]

Been running the 9000 for a few days now. I literally got nothing but praise for it.

While the 820 was really good, I could hear the machine spinning the discs, not really a problem as it wasn't very loud, but in comparison I've yet to hear anything from the 9000.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Muyfa666

Been running the 9000 for a few days now. I literally got nothing but praise for it.

While the 820 was really good, I could hear the machine spinning the discs, not really a problem as it wasn't very loud, but in comparison I've yet to hear anything from the 9000.

I bought the 820 when it was first released in late 2017 and recently I bought a 420. The 420 is quieter and is far better at playing discs with small scratches, etc. Maybe Panasonic refined the optical drive quality, or it's just unit to unit variation.

[By_His_Strypes]

I bought my 820 a few days ago, just waiting on Amazon to deliver. It's been delayed in transit. I feel like this will be a better/good companion for the LG-C2.

[Muyfa666]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

I bought the 820 when it was first released in late 2017 and recently I bought a 420. The 420 is quieter and is far better at playing discs with small scratches, etc. Maybe Panasonic refined the optical drive quality, or it's just unit to unit variation.

So basically, you feel the 420 is a better player than the 820? I can't say, never had a 420.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by Muyfa666

So basically, you feel the 420 is a better player than the 820? I can't say, never had a 420.

Not necessarily better, but my 420 unit is running smoother vs my 820.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by UndyAHundy

Unfortunately, I now have to perform this operation about twice a month. The UB820, while it has a quality image, has been the worst trouble I've ever experienced, build quality wise.

Then there's the pixelation and freezing on 4K discs that work fine on other players to contend with.

I thought it was the discs. May get a Sony player again. Had pixelation on Alien 4K recently.

[By_His_Strypes]

Originally Posted by Travis

I thought it was the discs. May get a Sony player again. Had pixelation on Alien 4K recently.

I'm upgrading from the Sony 700, the Dolby Vision function on that unit is very shaky, not to mention you have to turn it on/off manually. I also experienced unit lockups that required it to be unplugged and plugged back in to fix.

[mng]

Originally Posted by Ben_R

I’d be buying what I could and storing it until needed. The player market is extremely limited now. OPPO and Pioneer no longer sell players.

The 820 must be coming up 5yrs old and the 9000 must be the same. The 9000 is a nice unit with an added extra over the 820 and has a metal chassis (if you like that sorta thing), I know I do.

I sold my 9000 to fund a 203 but will be picking up another one and probably an 820 unless something new is released.

I have a hard time justifying the price of a Revon due to it being an OPPO clone and their pricing is nutz considering all the heavy lifting with r&d was done for them.

I am very pleased with my OPPO 203. Not sure if any are available

[Travis]

Originally Posted by By_His_Strypes

I'm upgrading from the Sony 700, the Dolby Vision function on that unit is very shaky, not to mention you have to turn it on/off manually. I also experienced unit lockups that required it to be unplugged and plugged back in to fix.

I forgot about that. Had to unplug my old Sony 700 more than a few times.

Is Panasonic 9000 worth it?

Better player out there?

[UndyAHundy]

Originally Posted by Travis

I forgot about that. Had to unplug my old Sony 700 more than a few times.

Is Panasonic 9000 worth it?

Better player out there?

I'm hoping to hear someone say that the 9000 has neither the pixelation issues with minor scratches and imperfections nor the disc drive jamming issue.

I am definitely tired of them on the UB820, but am reluctant to jump at another Panny when I've encountered the issues on multiple 820s.

[By_His_Strypes]

Originally Posted by Travis

I forgot about that. Had to unplug my old Sony 700 more than a few times.

Is Panasonic 9000 worth it?

Better player out there?

I'm sure it is if one has the bones to buy it. That was too much for me at this time.

[By_His_Strypes]

Originally Posted by UndyAHundy

I'm hoping to hear someone say that the 9000 has neither the pixelation issues with minor scratches and imperfections nor the disc drive jamming issue.

I am definitely tired of them on the UB820, but am reluctant to jump at another Panny when I've encountered the issues on multiple 820s.

I hope that's not a widespread issue w/ the 820. I went through a ton of reviews and hadn't heard of that. I did read about the playback issues on select titles. But, then some said they had no issues with the same titles. I guess I'll find out.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

Not necessarily better, but my 420 unit is running smoother vs my 820.

I often wonder if our issues related to QC, lasers need to be set up correctly for depth, angle, voltages, and I wonder if some batches are a tiny bit out of spec or close to being out. Considering the problems we get with discs and optical drives getting produced in much smaller quantities, I can see the skills involved getting more uncommon.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by chip75

I often wonder if our issues related to QC, lasers need to be set up correctly for depth, angle, voltages, and I wonder if some batches are a tiny bit out of spec or close to being out. Considering the problems we get with discs and optical drives getting produced in much smaller quantities, I can see the skills involved getting more uncommon.

I've no evidence for this but yes, I 100% believe it to be the case that the playback tolerances for 4K UHD are much finer than they were on Blu-ray and that's the cause of some players being absolute dogs while others are bullet proof, even in the same product line. I still can't resolve Heavyhitter's experience of the 820 with my own, as it's been fookin marvellous and has played virtually everything I've ever tried without complaint (it's my default UHD player so it's seen a lot of use). And discs that did actually have repeatable playback issues were physically damaged, I mean properly damaged like a dent in the playing surface. The only boo-boo that seemed to come from nowhere was a partial skip during the UHD of Friday 13th, but that's literally it.

[Naiera]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I've no evidence for this but yes, I 100% believe it to be the case that the playback tolerances for 4K UHD are much finer than they were on Blu-ray and that's the cause of some players being absolute dogs while others are bullet proof, even in the same product line.

This isn’t a fact? 100 GB discs are pushing the envelope of what’s possible with optical media and thus playback tolerances are very narrow, leading to very different consumer experiences with identical hardware.

[Ben_R]

Originally Posted by mng

I am very pleased with my OPPO 203. Not sure if any are available

I didn’t buy new, i’d need to sell a Kidney to be able to afford a 203 NIB I picked up one from an original owner that was multi region modded, boxed as new.

[Jay Mammoth]

Originally Posted by By_His_Strypes

I hope that's not a widespread issue w/ the 820. I went through a ton of reviews and hadn't heard of that. I did read about the playback issues on select titles. But, then some said they had no issues with the same titles. I guess I'll find out.

I have an 820 and have had none of those problems.

[Muyfa666]

I don't know about the general reliability of the 820's, but I had mine almost a year before I got the 9000.

The 820 had approx. 2-3 movies played on it each week, and not one single freeze or glitch during that year.

The 9000 have seen quite a bit of action already, and so far no freezes or glitches.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Naiera

This isn’t a fact? 100 GB discs are pushing the envelope of what’s possible with optical media and thus playback tolerances are very narrow, leading to very different consumer experiences with identical hardware.

I just don’t have any specific technobollox to back it up

[Naiera]