Panasonic UB820/UB9000 4K UHD Blu-ray player

[B.inthe6]

Originally Posted by James Luckard

Ah, at least I have that one figured out. If I buy a backup, I plan to open it and use it as my primary player for a month or so, to be sure it's good, then I'll box it up again and go back to my old machine.

I'm using my new one as the daily because if it goes to toast, I'll be needing another backup anyway. Just as well to do it that way until no more are available. My original 820 (emergency backup) has the latest FW update & will be kept updated since it's in good working order & both players handle DV discs well. To be fair, I don't see issues with both players I have now. I have (debatably) learned something from my audiophile days to question my credibility : my 820's feet are seated on a new, clean red brick at each end which tops the stand platform. The bricks are shimmed at one corner with a dime if needed to ensure the brick does not wobble at all if needed. NO vibrations AT ALL, either to or from the player. Just a precaution. Another alternative is to cut a piece of 1" MDF the size of the player and drill undersized holes to screw THREE 1-1/2" drywall screws (1@ the centre front or back edge & 2 @ the opposite corners) down all the way through the board (1/2" exposed). This gives a tripod needle point footing on your stand platform which de-couples the player from the stand & eliminates any possible transfer of player vibration which may feed back to the player from the stand platform. The screws can be tweaked (backed off slightly) to provide exact levelling as well. Colour me anal

[thebarnman]

Originally Posted by Geoff D

plus that oily gunk that infests some batches of discs and cases.

I've always wondered, do you know what the oily gunk is? I've never seen it on the discs themselves, but I'll open up a brand new UHD Blu-ray case and it has that oily stuff along the inside of the plastic case...sometimes with smudges and stuff.

I guess someone has to handle those cases and that's probably how they get smeary on the inside but even so, I've never understood why or how that stuff gets on the inside of the case and/or what it's purpose is.

[B.inthe6]

Originally Posted by thebarnman

I've always wondered, do you know what the oily gunk is? I've never seen it on the discs themselves, but I'll open up a brand new UHD Blu-ray case and it has that oily stuff along the inside of the plastic case...sometimes with smudges and stuff.

I guess someone has to handle those cases and that's probably how they get smeary on the inside but even so, I've never understood why or how that stuff gets on the inside of the case and/or what it's purpose is.

Manufacturing residue I would think.

[Naiera]

I have an apology to make.

I have "promoted" the RegionFreedom a few times on the interwebs, and at least once here, and now that it has been released, though not by the original author, it turns out that it requires LINUX

I assumed that the final "product" would be an executable to run on Windows. I apologise for giving people false hopes. I am disappointed myself. I don't have a Linux machine and the things they're talking about in the AVF thread might as well be Russian to me.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by Naiera

I have an apology to make.

I have "promoted" the RegionFreedom a few times on the interwebs, and at least once here, and now that it has been released, though not by the original author, it turns out that it requires LINUX

I assumed that the final "product" would be an executable to run on Windows. I apologise for giving people false hopes. I am disappointed myself. I don't have a Linux machine and the things they're talking about in the AVF thread may as well be Russian to me.

I started reading it and I was like

No need to apologise though. I'm just glad that someone finally cracked that cockwomble's firmware, ahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa

[chip75]

Originally Posted by Naiera

I have an apology to make.

I have "promoted" the RegionFreedom a few times on the interwebs, and at least once here, and now that it has been released, though not by the original author, it turns out that it requires LINUX

Originally Posted by Geoff D

I started reading it and I was like

No need to apologise though. I'm just glad that someone finally cracked that cockwomble's firmware, ahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa

I did the same, I'm not sure what the OP's original intention was, if it would be more straightforward or need skills which I'll never possess.

I guess eventually someone will just upload a patched firmware file, but I think the chaps who've done the graft are opposed to that.

I was hoping for some little .exe you could execute and select from a list of options and pop the new firmware on a USB stick.

A person can dream ...

[Naiera]

That's how I thought it would be. Download the FW from Panasonic and run an executable on it. Pop the result on a USB stick and then update the player

[Naiera]

Originally Posted by chip75

I guess eventually someone will just upload a patched firmware file, but I think the chaps who've done the graft are opposed to that.

Yes, the guy who now seems to be gone said he would never "appropriate" any Panasonic software. It was always supposed to be us downloading the firmware, patching it somehow, and then updating our players with it. I just figured it would be about a million times simpler.

[ronand]

Originally Posted by Muyfa666

My 9000 is modded, but I couldn't get it to work anyway.

I actually tried using external subs this evening and they didn't work on my rattlebyte modded player. I reloaded the firmware by USB and they did work so maybe the version that was available for online download last week was faulty. So maybe try loading the firmware again and see if that helps

[Muyfa666]

Originally Posted by ronand

I actually tried using external subs this evening and they didn't work on my rattlebyte modded player. I reloaded the firmware by USB and they did work so maybe the version that was available for online download last week was faulty. So maybe try loading the firmware again and see if that helps

Guess I’ll have to try.

With my mod, I use official FW, so I see if I can find that.

[SmittysGelato]

It is scary reading this thread because all of the issues people are having and the fragility of the discs/players feels like such a massive blow for physical media.

As a collector, I never foresaw this situation as a possibility.

[mhanlen1]

Originally Posted by Naiera

I have an apology to make.

I have "promoted" the RegionFreedom a few times on the interwebs, and at least once here, and now that it has been released, though not by the original author, it turns out that it requires LINUX

I assumed that the final "product" would be an executable to run on Windows. I apologise for giving people false hopes. I am disappointed myself. I don't have a Linux machine and the things they're talking about in the AVF thread might as well be Russian to me.

I have been following that thread too... I was super excited, until they started releasing it a few weeks ago with the command line linux "instructions." No thanks- I'm good with the menu trick working on the few Region B arrows I have.

[chip75]

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

It is scary reading this thread because all of the issues people are having and the fragility of the discs/players feels like such a massive blow for physical media.

As a collector, I never foresaw this situation as a possibility.

We've gone from large percentages of homes having VHS and DVD players, to much less with Blu-ray players and even less with UHD spinners.

The good news is those that don't have player issues are less likely to post. But we certainly need tighter tolerances and better disc QC.

[Zapp Brannigan]

Originally Posted by Naiera

I have an apology to make.

I have "promoted" the RegionFreedom a few times on the interwebs, and at least once here, and now that it has been released, though not by the original author, it turns out that it requires LINUX

I assumed that the final "product" would be an executable to run on Windows. I apologise for giving people false hopes. I am disappointed myself. I don't have a Linux machine and the things they're talking about in the AVF thread might as well be Russian to me.

So someone one shared a prepared virtual machine on the av forum. I had an old laptop and decided to give it a go. Now, I know nothing about Linux or coding or any of that stuff. I downloaded virtual box and followed the instructions to a T. After about an hour of going back and forth, and the program said done. I unplugged the USB and restarted my system and followed the regionfreedom pdf instructions, and I'm pleased to say that it worked and some of my 88 Films blu-rays that didn't work with the top menu trick booted right up. It's actually a fairly simple process. I'm just happy someone smarter than me cracked that guy's firmware, and now I have a region free player.

[Naiera]

I'm not sure I can understand the "English" in those instructions. I could get my hands on a laptop that should be perfect for Linux.

[Snikt]

Ok. So I’ve tried several different hook-ups & set-ups for the ub820. It will still randomly freeze up when turning on the player. Guess I’ll have to use quick start because it seems to be the only way it WON’T freeze up.

Question, how often do you wait in between powering up the player? I can turn in it off and on about 3 times, 30 seconds between off & on; before it freezes up on the 4th power on cycle.

[Vilya]

Originally Posted by SmittysGelato

It is scary reading this thread because all of the issues people are having and the fragility of the discs/players feels like such a massive blow for physical media.

As a collector, I never foresaw this situation as a possibility.

The comments in this thread haven't shaken my confidence in physical media, but it has lessened it in Panasonic- and I did not have much to begin with.

The pros and cons of different players are one matter, but all players ought to at least work reliably.

[ronand]

Originally Posted by Muyfa666

Guess I’ll have to try.

With my mod, I use official FW, so I see if I can find that.

What mod are you using?

[Muyfa666]

Originally Posted by ronand

What mod are you using?

No idea. I bought it from TPS UK. No exact specifications on what mod it is.

They do state that no special FW is required when updating thou.

https://www.tps.uk.com/?tab_name=MUL...&choice_type=1

EDIT: Got external subs to work now. Not sure if I did it wrong, or had a bad USB-stick. Seem to work ok, some sync issues, but that could probably be fine tuned.

[ronand]

I would think that its the rattlebyte mod that they use and the firmware can be updated online as the download address in the firmware is modified too (its not stock firmware btw). If you are unsure it would be no harm to confirm with tps. It can be hit and miss getting the subs to work as the file encoding seems to matter.