Panasonic 2018 flagship UB9000 w/HCX video processor & dynamic conversion adjustment

[archieleach]

Hi I have purchase Panasonic UB90000 , and I quite impressed with it’s build ,as I am from Australia which is region B for Blu-Rays and Region 4 DVDs , I am fan of
criterion blu-Rays which are region locked to A . To my knowledge there has been no modification UB9000 to a Multi-region I have looked online made phone calls
the only mod was for DVDs , My guess is the build of the player , as purchasers know that it is great when playing 4K UHD that it shows it’s colours literally, For my Criterion and fox titles I have to us my OPPO 203 , wish I could have played
my just received Criterion blu-ray release of Fail-Safe when first saw that film as
it scared the Sh#t out of me it would have could to view it on the UB9000, But it looks like it is not in the cards ...

[Geoff D]

Many Criterion discs will actually work in some Panasonic players using the 'Top Menu' trick: when the region lock screen comes up press STOP then TOP MENU. It doesn't work for every single US Criterion BD ever but most of mine work on my region B Panny using this method.

[Istria]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Many Criterion discs will actually work in some Panasonic players using the 'Top Menu' trick: when the region lock screen comes up press STOP then TOP MENU. It doesn't work for every single US Criterion BD ever but most of mine work on my region B Panny using this method.

It's the same for a region B UB9000.

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Many Criterion discs will actually work in some Panasonic players using the 'Top Menu' trick: when the region lock screen comes up press STOP then TOP MENU. It doesn't work for every single US Criterion BD ever but most of mine work on my region B Panny using this method.

Correct, surprised this trick isn't more well known. It will not work on Region A,B,C etc locked discs. If it's not locked the top menu trick works fine for just regular region coded discs that otherwise wouldn't play in a Region A,B,C etc player. So if you have a region A player and try and play a Region B disc and the trick doesn't work it likely means the disc is locked to it's region. Same for Region B only players trying to play a Region A disc.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by danny24

Correct, surprised this trick isn't more well known. It will not work on Region A,B,C etc locked discs. If it's not locked the top menu trick works fine for just regular region coded discs that otherwise wouldn't play in a Region A,B,C etc player. So if you have a region A player and try and play a Region B disc and the trick doesn't work it likely means the disc is locked to it's region. Same for Region B only players trying to play a Region A disc.

How is region locking different from region coding? If the 'invalid region' screen still comes up first then the coding has done its job, no? And I know of no other brand of player (Panny derivatives excluded) that can do this with Criterion discs, it's a bug that no-one ever bothered to correct because Panasonic players have never had that big of a footprint in the US.

[eChopper]

I’ve played all recently released Criterion Blu rays , including Fail safe on my Aussie Panasonic 9000 using the trick Geoff mentioned

[Mobe1969]

Originally Posted by eChopper

I’ve played all recently released Criterion Blu rays , including Fail safe on my Aussie Panasonic 9000 using the trick Geoff mentioned

I still can't get the trick to work. I must be doing something wrong.

[eChopper]

When the Criterion message that disc is region locked comes up

Immediately press STOP then TOP Menu a few seconds later

About 5 seconds after than you’ll see the Criterion “c” logo appear on ur top left hand screen which means your good to go

[Troy73]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

How is region locking different from region coding? If the 'invalid region' screen still comes up first then the coding has done its job, no? And I know of no other brand of player (Panny derivatives excluded) that can do this with Criterion discs, it's a bug that no-one ever bothered to correct because Panasonic players have never had that big of a footprint in the US.

You are correct Geoff. There’s no difference. Region locked/Region coded is the same thing as far as access to the discs content.

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

How is region locking different from region coding? If the 'invalid region' screen still comes up first then the coding has done its job, no? And I know of no other brand of player (Panny derivatives excluded) that can do this with Criterion discs, it's a bug that no-one ever bothered to correct because Panasonic players have never had that big of a footprint in the US.

From my experience some discs work and some don't. Yes the disc has done it's job with the "invalid region" screen but if the top menu trick doesn't work it means the disc is region locked and you need an actual Region B player to get it to play. So while discs are region coded and the "invalid region" screen does it's job some discs aren't truly region locked meaning they can be accessed. It does not mean they are region free, they are still Region B. It's really kind of complicated. I have an Oppo 203 with the region code chip and if I change it to B the discs that won't play in the Panny with top menu trick work with the Oppo when changed to Region B.

Glad the Region A Criterion's are working though.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by danny24

From my experience some discs work and some don't. Yes the disc has done it's job with the "invalid region" screen but if the top menu trick doesn't work it means the disc is region locked and you need an actual Region B player to get it to play. So while discs are region coded and the "invalid region" screen does it's job some discs aren't truly region locked meaning they can be accessed. It does not mean they are region free, they are still Region B. It's really kind of complicated. I have an Oppo 203 with the region code chip and if I change it to B the discs that won't play in the Panny with top menu trick work with the Oppo when changed to Region B.

Glad the Region A Criterion's are working though.

If the top menu trick doesn't work then it's because it's been authored in a way that doesn't allow it, IMO it's not the region coding/locking/whatever that's doing it but some sort of loophole in the UOP (user operation prohibition) system. If Criterion's authoring house wanted to put a stop to it completely then they'd do what most other authoring houses do: don't allow any key presses or menu buttons to be used on the 'invalid menu' screen apart from the eject button, everything else is locked out.

[Cortiz]

I grabbed an UB9000 open box at my local Best Buy in excellent conditions for $549 . I also have an Oppo 203 and a Sony X1100ES and I'm now debating which one to sell . I don't need 3 players.

[LordoftheRings]

Originally Posted by Cortiz

I grabbed an UB9000 open box at my local Best Buy in excellent conditions for $549 . I also have an Oppo 203 and a Sony X1100ES and I'm now debating which one to sell . I don't need 3 players.

You scored nice with that 9000.

* Only you knows what to do with all your great toys ...
We don't live in your shoes, in your home, with your family, and we don't have the same number of rooms and displays.
You have three great players, now you just need the Pioneer LX500 and Oppo 205 to complete your collection.

[danny24]

Originally Posted by Cortiz

I grabbed an UB9000 open box at my local Best Buy in excellent conditions for $549 . I also have an Oppo 203 and a Sony X1100ES and I'm now debating which one to sell . I don't need 3 players.

If you like the features of the Oppo which isn't available on the Panny and Sony, than sell the Sony I guess. Your call. Of course a perfect setup would be a 203 and UB9000. Oppo though will not provide firmware updates anymore if that bothers you and the Panny has a better picture than both the Sony/Oppo (a hair better really). I hope you make a decision that works best for you. Of course you could make a grand on the 203. your decision. good score and price on the UB9000. The Sony player would be a good choice to when you want to give the Panny a rest.

[barrett75]

anyone tried xlr balanced outputs? i know player is NOT a true balanced one but how's XLR comparing to the RCA? thanks