Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by mdhaus

Usually, it's just the letters that go black. But I've had a few instances where there was more than that. LOL...A couple weeks ago, I booted up "Run Lola Run" and only the photo was visible on the main menu - the entire menu section on the bottom was a huge black bar, as was the area along the right that you needed to be able to see in order to select audio and subtitle settings. I ended up having to start the movie, then adjust the audio track and subtitle features on the remote after it had begun.

I really don't think it's a problem with the player...I think it's a glitch with TCL's Dolby Vision software on the TV.

I'm not having any problems with the screen going black.

Just curious when you bought both players? Was it early on in 2018 or later?

[captainsolo]

I managed to get an Indicator disc to work last night on the 820 by alternating hitting pop up menu and top menu on the remote at the region warning screen.

Then I ran into the bizarre putting mono in a 5.1 pcm container thing. Had it not been for the mention in this thread I would have never known that it was indeed a weird player thing. Absolutely bizarre they did that. I spent quite some time in settings and other things trying to figure out what was going on and looking for settings to disable.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

I managed to get an Indicator disc to work last night on the 820 by alternating hitting pop up menu and top menu on the remote at the region warning screen.

Then I ran into the bizarre putting mono in a 5.1 pcm container thing. Had it not been for the mention in this thread I would have never known that it was indeed a weird player thing. Absolutely bizarre they did that. I spent quite some time in settings and other things trying to figure out what was going on and looking for settings to disable.

Yep, yet another weird Pannysonic "feature"

[captainsolo]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

Yep, yet another weird Pannysonic "feature"

I was tearing my hair out late at night: “I just wanted to watch this obscure Hammer film with a mono track why are you spitting out 5.1 pcm?!?”
When I saw the info say LPCM 1.0 with 5.1 PCM output…there were choice words said…

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by PUsokrJosh305

Going back to this, has anyone actually used the Dynamic Range Adjustment Slider? And if so, what does it do? I just want to know to be sure I'm using it right. Sorry if I'm sounding like a broken record, but I just want to know if I'm doing the right thing here.

A follow up to this:

I finally can say that I have figured out the solution to the issues with LG's Dynamic Tone Mapping. Now the solution only works if you have one of the Panasonic 4K Blu-ray players because of the HDR Optimizer and Menu.

As many of you know, LG's DTM has issues with overcooking/over brightening the picture (especially in the midtones). I am a full supporter of using DTM, because for the most part it does a great job with the picture. But it still annoyed me that some scenes are way too bright.

Now I also have a Panasonic 820 and I use the HDR Optimizer set at Super High Luminance. I believe that LG TVs do a great job tone mapping HDR content up to about 1,400 nits. That's why I have it at that setting. But that still didn't solve the over brightening issues with LG's DTM.

The solution to it is actually the Dynamic Range Adjustment on our Panasonic Players. I started messing around with it and discovered when adjusting the slider down, it brings the picture back down to how it should look. The setting I have it on now is -6. I have been bouncing between -5 or -6, but I believe -6 is right.

There are no overblown areas and the picture looks almost identical to a Dolby Vision version of a film like The Avengers or the first 2 Harry Potter films. I have gone back and forth between the HDR10 version on the Dolby Vision versions to compare. Now when I plug in almost any film, it just looks right. Because now I have a dynamic picture rather than a static APL picture that looks right and not overblown like it would be on default!

I would love to hear from any of you who have LG TVs and a Panasonic 4K Player with the HDR Optimizer to see what you think about this. I personally believe it solves the problem to almost perfection.

[mdhaus]

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

I wonder if I bumped up to the 75 inch if it would still have the problem. So far I have been through 2 65 inch sets that do the same. Im exhausted. I can't really find any other sets with the same black levels and brightness even when I bump up to the 2000 range.

You'll likely run into the same issue - I have a 75-inch Series 8 QLED MiniLED model. That's the one that occasionally has the odd glitch. My older 55-inch TCL model does not have it.

I've just learned to live with it. I have a ton of 4K titles with Dolby Vision and it only rears up on a few of them. When it does, I've been able to get around it.

LOL...When Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was re-released with Dolby Vision in the recent Sony Classics box set, I wondered if the entire movie would be a crap-show on that TV, since the authentic way to watch it is with Mandarin language and English subtitles. But luckily, all of the subtitles display fine and the glitch does not show up.

[mdhaus]

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

Just curious when you bought both players? Was it early on in 2018 or later?

I bought the Panasonic 820 in July 2020 and I bought my Panasonic 9000 in September 2021.

I bought the 55-inch TCL in November 2017 and I bought my 75-inch TCL in May 2020.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by mdhaus

You'll likely run into the same issue - I have a 75-inch Series 8 QLED MiniLED model. That's the one that occasionally has the odd glitch. My older 55-inch TCL model does not have it.

I've just learned to live with it. I have a ton of 4K titles with Dolby Vision and it only rears up on a few of them. When it does, I've been able to get around it.

LOL...When Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was re-released with Dolby Vision in the recent Sony Classics box set, I wondered if the entire movie would be a crap-show on that TV, since the authentic way to watch it is with Mandarin language and English subtitles. But luckily, all of the subtitles display fine and the glitch does not show up.

I wouldn't mind the menu glitch but im also having picture and audio drop outs. But thank you.

[mdhaus]

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

I wouldn't mind the menu glitch but im also having picture and audio drop outs. But thank you.

Were you having those with the previous unit you had, too? Perhaps a bad cable? Or a bad motherboard?

[captainsolo]

I was watching the Dolby Vision It Happened One Night UHD and suddenly at a crucial moment I started getting glitches and hiccups in picture and sound. I paused and rewound and it kept happening in slightly different spots. Finally I restarted the chapter, paused and waited a few minutes and then resumed playback with no issues.
The disc is spotless and I’ve watched other discs with zero issues so far.

[HeavyHitter]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

I was watching the Dolby Vision It Happened One Night UHD and suddenly at a crucial moment I started getting glitches and hiccups in picture and sound. I paused and rewound and it kept happening in slightly different spots. Finally I restarted the chapter, paused and waited a few minutes and then resumed playback with no issues.
The disc is spotless and I’ve watched other discs with zero issues so far.

Welcome to the 820. I've had several discs like that...Poltergeist was the latest. I will say though, just make sure they are truly spotless. I've seen the most tiny, almost indistinguishable spec on a disc trip up my unit and removing it allowed it to play fine.

[MarkGubarenko]

Originally Posted by captainsolo

I was watching the Dolby Vision It Happened One Night UHD and suddenly at a crucial moment I started getting glitches and hiccups in picture and sound. I paused and rewound and it kept happening in slightly different spots. Finally I restarted the chapter, paused and waited a few minutes and then resumed playback with no issues.
The disc is spotless and I’ve watched other discs with zero issues so far.

I’ve screen this movie yesterday on my 824, and everything went great without any hiccups.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by mdhaus

Were you having those with the previous unit you had, too? Perhaps a bad cable? Or a bad motherboard?

TV? Yes, I exchanged that and same problem. It's something with the player. I bought another Panasonic UB820 just to see if it acts the same. If it does it goes back and I have to start looking for a new TV because im not doing this a third time. Cables have been swapped and this is the second tv to act this way with this player so I can't just get the same model again.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by mdhaus

Were you having those with the previous unit you had, too? Perhaps a bad cable? Or a bad motherboard?

Bough another Panasonic UB820 and the exact same results. Menus blacked out and drop outs started right away.

Can anyone recommend another player? I know the Panasonic is the best thing right now but....how about the second best thing. I just need something that can play discs dependably. Thanks.

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

Bough another Panasonic UB820 and the exact same results. Menus blacked out and drop outs started right away.

Can anyone recommend another player? I know the Panasonic is the best thing right now but....how about the second best thing. I just need something that can play discs dependably. Thanks.

It's possible the TV is having handshake issues with the player, especially playing Dolby Vision content. I know for my LG C9, I have a small signal loss when starting up a Dolby Vision movie but then it comes right back after a few seconds. So, it's possible you are having major issues with the TV communicating with you TV. What are your settings by chance?? If you can, take a picture of them and maybe we can see if it's a setting within the player. If not, it's possible it's a TV issue.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by PUsokrJosh305

It's possible the TV is having handshake issues with the player, especially playing Dolby Vision content. I know for my LG C9, I have a small signal loss when starting up a Dolby Vision movie but then it comes right back after a few seconds. So, it's possible you are having major issues with the TV communicating with you TV. What are your settings by chance?? If you can, take a picture of them and maybe we can see if it's a setting within the player. If not, it's possible it's a TV issue.

I have checked every setting 100 times.I have switched cables. I have been through 2 players and 2 tvs. My Oppo BDP-103 that upscales to 4K plays fine. This TV simply doesn't like the panasonic. I would buy another tv but the only tv this good in my price range is the Hisense U8H and that has motion issues that I know would drive me nuts. The cheapest solution is to buy a 200 dollar player and be done with it. Im exhausted.

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

I have checked every setting 100 times.I have switched cables. I have been through 2 players and 2 tvs. My Oppo BDP-103 that upscales to 4K plays fine. This TV simply doesn't like the panasonic. I would buy another tv but the only tv this good in my price range is the Hisense U8H and that has motion issues that I know would drive me nuts. The cheapest solution is to buy a 200 dollar player and be done with it. Im exhausted.

What TV do you have (make and model number)? Maybe we are missing something here with the settings on your TV.

[PuppetMasterBlu]

Originally Posted by PUsokrJosh305

What TV do you have (make and model number)? Maybe we are missing something here with the settings on your TV.

TCL R65655 And I doubt it. I just wanted something simple that works.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

TCL R65655 And I doubt it. I just wanted something simple that works.

Is it worth trying something like an HDFury? it does sound like the TV's the issue.

On an LG note is anyone using the hidden HDR menu? I think you can adjust what the display expects before it gets tone mapped.

[PUsokrJosh305]

Originally Posted by PuppetMasterBlu

TCL R65655 And I doubt it. I just wanted something simple that works.

Have you made sure the HDMI mode on your TV is set to just HDMI 2.0? It's possible the Auto setting maybe messing up the communication with the Panasonic 820 player.