For anyone who's in this round of "pre"-orders....
I placed my order last week...status said it should ship 5/22-28.
Others who are in this window and said their unit already shipped. When did you place your order. I'm too excited about getting this to miss out on this round!

I ordered mine on 1st May via the pre-order email that went out.
My unit arrived today!!! Yay! Can't wait to get home and play with it tonight.

I'm in Australia too, so pretty quick shipping.

Hey guys I need help with the PAL/NTSC question as well. I bought the 983H and found the code to make it a region free player. My family watches a lot of BBC and British Murder Mystery series and I would like to get some PAL discs from overseas....if I have a compatible tv, does the 983 send a straight PAL signal to the tv or does it do the conversion to NTSC as the manual states. If it has to do the conversion, how much are we losing with the extra step... just trying to figure this all out. Thanks

If your TV can display both NTSC and PAL then you just set the Oppo to tv type 'auto' and it will send PAL if the dvd is PAL and will send NTSC if the dvd is NTSC. Thats how I understand it anyway.

If your TV could only do PAL then you would set TV type to PAL and the Oppos would send PAL directly and if the dvd is NTSC then it will convert it to PAL to send to the PAL only TV. (and the other way around for NTSC - TV Type NTSC / Oppo set to NTSC / PAL disks would be converted to NTSC)

If your TV can display both NTSC and PAL then you just set the Oppo to tv type 'auto' and it will send PAL if the dvd is PAL and will send NTSC if the dvd is NTSC. Thats how I understand it anyway.

If your TV could only do PAL then you would set TV type to PAL and the Oppos would send PAL directly and if the dvd is NTSC then it will convert it to PAL to send to the PAL only TV. (and the other way around for NTSC - TV Type NTSC / Oppo set to NTSC / PAL disks would be converted to NTSC)

That is also exactly as I understand it and it was confirmed by my retailer (CRT Projectors in the UK - excellent firm) who ship the 983H with the setting set to AUTO for exactly the reasons you describe.

Keith

I do not think so. I live in the reign of PAL-N (the PAL-M is for Brasil, Pal-N is for Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay), and PAL B or I does not work properly. But maybe is the 50 or 60 Hz issue only.

I have the RJTech 1200 player, which is NTSC/PAL, but PAL is seen in B&W thru' analogue cable.

My ordinary CRT TV Set (not the LCD) is NTSC/PAL-N (so it manages 50 or 60 Hz, right?) and, as I told before, PAL is shown in B&W.


Hello and sorry for the confusion. I thought you were living in Brasil. Yes your fears about PAL-N are justified. PAL 2 (mainland EU) DVD's use subcolor carrier of 4.43MHz, thus you'll get B&W picture with analogue connection. I think this can be avoided with digital connection or with oppo set to transcode PAL discs to NTSC internaly before output.

Hey guys I need help with the PAL/NTSC question as well. I bought the 983H and found the code to make it a region free player. My family watches a lot of BBC and British Murder Mystery series and I would like to get some PAL discs from overseas....if I have a compatible tv, does the 983 send a straight PAL signal to the tv or does it do the conversion to NTSC as the manual states. If it has to do the conversion, how much are we losing with the extra step... just trying to figure this all out. Thanks

I'm not sure what you mean by "a compatible TV." I have a NTSC LCD display. I order PAL Region 2 UK DVDs from the UK. I set my OPPO 983 so it knows my TV is NTSC. I use the Video 2 setting for upconversion. The two are connected by HDMI. Voila! The 983 does all the rest and what you get is a gorgeous picture just as if you were playing a NTSC DVD.

Dana

All of the reviews I am reading is the 983h and it's 1080p output however, my TV is 1080i. Would I get the same great performance out of the 983h with 1080i??? Does the ABT/vrs flex it's muscle with 1080i, or will it make no difference? Again, considering an upgrade IF it can outperform my Sammy bd-p1200 with the Reo?HQV. A 96er in the Benchmark.
Jon

Both ABT chips are still used when producing 1080i.

What is the native resolution of your display, and what type is it?

-Bill

Being impressed by picture quality in every aspect with this player I can report another advantage I observed.
I connect to a Optoma dlp projector (HD65) and slight rainbows I saw with the oppo 971 have disappeard after switching to 983. Anybody else had this experience?
Calibration for contrast and brightness are identical with the 971.

Hello and sorry for the confusion. I thought you were living in Brasil. Yes your fears about PAL-N are justified. PAL 2 (mainland EU) DVD's use subcolor carrier of 4.43MHz, thus you'll get B&W picture with analogue connection. I think this can be avoided with digital connection or with oppo set to transcode PAL discs to NTSC internaly before output.

As far as Oppo Customer Service said, apparently it wil be no problem thru' HDMI.
But again all the issue about the PAL subcolor carriers is not an easy thing to understand. Euro PAL uses 625 lines with subcarrier of 4.43 Mhz, but PAL-N uses same 625 lines, but with color subcarrier of 3,5820 MHz (close to NTSC) with frequency at 50Hz. (and Brazilian PAL-M is closer to NTSC with 525 lines at 29,97 frames per second but with subcolor carrier 3,5756 MHz).
This turn things a little wierd as no one can said: "Yeah, you can watch PAL in PAL as simple as that".

And most important, no one has said yet in this forum: "Yes, Oppo is right. I can watch any PAL in my LCD PAL-N or PAL-M thru' HDMI or component or whatever". No one yet.

I know I have the chance to insert PAL DVD and send it to the LCD in NTSC, but this is a function I can get now from a u$s 39 chinese player. Like I said before, I have an RJTech 1200 who plays even a "mexican tortilla", and other chinese player (brand?) who plays NTSC/PAL-N in color, but their performances are not up to the one all of you are talking about the OPPO 983 on a 1080p LCD.

Also I have no chance to buy, try and return if I do not like the device, 'cause I have to buy the Oppo 983 while travel to USA, but I will check it when back at home. So, the return policy does not apply for me.

And, foremost, new Blu rays at same $ 400 price range are coming its way. And if upconverting/upscaling is the key of this Oppo 983 device, but the rest will offer some similar performance plus a more mature Blu-ray..... well, you can see all my concerns....

And most important, no one has said yet in this forum: "Yes, Oppo is right. I can watch any PAL in my LCD PAL-N or PAL-M thru' HDMI or component or whatever". No one yet.

It seems that no one else here is in your situation, so how can we assure you? I would trust Oppo's opinion, but if that is not good enough and you have no opportunity to test the playuer locally, then the best approach would be to send a test PAL disc to Oppo and ask them to try it for you.

And, foremost, new Blu rays at same $ 400 price range are coming its way. And if upconverting/upscaling is the key of this Oppo 983 device, but the rest will offer some similar performance plus a more mature Blu-ray..... well, you can see all my concerns....


No one can solve that problem for you.

-Bill

I just got my 983H and have the same problem and in my case I'm using HDMI @ 1080P.

This appears to be a bug and I need to be able to change HUE by perhaps one notch to get it perfected in my case.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Also, now that I have watch a few discs I noticed a few times quick flashes (less than amount of time of 3 frames per occurance, I believe) of what appears to be disruption to the picture but it has happened so quickly I cannot say if it is the HDMI timing bug. Just decided to check the forum for this UNRESPONSIVE HUE control and see if I have a defective unit ... Now I know I need to contact OPPO CS.

Perhaps I was spoiled by my 971H the picture improvement does not seem that great. Speaking of which, I have a few suggestions for firmware improvements:

* Add back the original SCREEN SAVER option. Currently it turns off the VIDEO SIGNAL, which locks my Samsung into a SLEEP MODE and I cannot use the remote to change INPUT when it is in SLEEP. This may be arguably a Samsung bug (if sleep mode is engaged by lost of video signal, the unit should leave the option for the remote to switch INPUT mode instead of dead locking into the mode until the sleep is broken by either WAKING the same INPUT or cold boot), but there is another better reason for having a bouncing logo...and that is it serves to remind you the screen is and the OPPO are both still on. With my LED LCD I will not be able to tell it is on when there is no signal and that is a BAD THING when you want to be reminded it is still on easily. If the original OPPO 971H screen saver is added back into this firmware, please also change the logo to a smaller one so less energy is used by sets like mine and plasmas (both of which vary their energy draw greatly by the actual display content with BLACK=minimal electricity to run the panel).

Lastly, not sure how many 971H owners that upgraded, but the 983 seems to have a softer picture than the 971H and I had to notch the SHARPNESS up by 1 as much as I hate to do it..




I'm really happy with my 983H, running with my Optoma HD7100 DLP projector (720p); the HD7100 has DVI with HDCP, so I run the Oppo through an adaptor cable. It works great...

...except yesterday, for the first time, I tried to adjust the Oppo's Hue control (kind of a crummy DVD). The Hue adjustment is disabled in the projector when you use DVI, but I was happy that the Oppo had this control. Unfortunately, adjusting the Hue in the Oppo made absolutely no difference to my picture, and I discovered that this is definitely the case when I tried my Avia disc. (All the other controls in the Oppo work great.) Any idea what the problem is? Is it something to do with running the Oppo into DVI rather than HDMI? Thankfully, the hue normally looks great set at "0," but I would like to have the option to adjust if need be. Insights?? Do you think my Oppo's defective?--or is it a compatibility issue? (I hate to swap out the Oppo--I've been really, really happy with it--this is absolutely the first lack I've discovered.)

I've sent a question to Oppo's customer service too, but I think people in this forum might have even better ideas.

Thanks!

I just got my 983H and have the same problem and in my case I'm using HDMI @ 1080P.

This appears to be a bug and I need to be able to change HUE by perhaps one notch to get it perfected in my case.

Does anyone else have this problem?

I never noticed it before, but you're right. The player HUE control doesn't work. Report this to Oppo and see what they say.

Intermitent flashes: I've never seen that. A cable problem?

-Bill

I never noticed it before, but you're right. The player HUE control doesn't work. Report this to Oppo and see what they say.

Intermitent flashes: I've never seen that. A cable problem?

-Bill

I woud say the intermitten flashes are a cable issue. Probably a defective or low quality cable that is struggling with HDMI 1.3. I had this problem once - green flashes - and a cable change solved it. Worth a try anyway.

Keith

Flashes or dropouts? That's supposed to be fixed. Hope so, I just ordered my 2nd 983.

Hallo everyone,
I am an owner of OPPO 983H.
I upgraded a firmware and everything works very well and I think colors are beautifull.
With OPPO I received a CD which contains some option to calibrete a DVD, but I realy don't kow how to use it at all.
Anyone can tell me, if do I need to use this CD to set up my DVD and how to do it.
I already made a setup by myself ( audio, screen and hdmi), thanks.

With OPPO I received a CD which contains some option to calibrete a DVD, but I realy don't kow how to use it at all.
Anyone can tell me, if do I need to use this CD to set up my DVD and how to do it.
I already made a setup by myself ( audio, screen and hdmi), thanks.


Post 213 on Page 8 (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13363146&highlight=vrs) has some useful info and a link.

Is it normal that sometimes copied dvd's not original sometimes stops and sometimes for a few seconds sound is missing and in a few seconds it starts?
Never notice this with original DVD's.
Is it something wrong with OPPO or DVD ???

Is it normal that sometimes copied dvd's not original sometimes stops and sometimes for a few seconds sound is missing and in a few seconds it starts?
Never notice this with original DVD's.
Is it something wrong with OPPO or DVD ???

DVD.

-Bill

Lastly, not sure how many 971H owners that upgraded, but the 983 seems to have a softer picture than the 971H and I had to notch the SHARPNESS up by 1 as much as I hate to do it..

I would have said the reverse. The 971 and 981 seem softer than the 983 at it's default sharpness.

-Bill

I would have said the reverse. The 971 and 981 seem softer than the 983 at it's default sharpness.

-Bill
Thanks Bill,
I was affraid that there is something wrong with my OPPO ,
I hate returns:)

DVD.

-BillI don't completely agree with that assessment, Bill. I have backed up most of my collection to avoid wear-and-tear on the originals and I've noticed the same behavior. I don't see the same with my other players, and I suspect the 983 is overly sensitive when using DRDRs (dual layer in particular). I only use top quality media and burners.

I don't completely agree with that assessment, Bill. I have backed up most of my collection to avoid wear-and-tear on the originals and I've noticed the same behavior. I don't see the same with my other players, and I suspect the 983 is overly sensitive when using DRDRs (dual layer in particular). I only use top quality media and burners.

You're right, it is possible. I have seen some recent hesitation and halting with burned media, but presumed it was my aging collection or faulty burning techniques. The 983 could be extra sensitive or have some "issue".

I'll start collecting examples, see if the older players behave differently, see if copying to new media makes a difference, that sort of thing. If the 983 seems to be at fault, I'll send it all to Oppo.

-Bill

Much appreciate you taking the time to do this. I can't give exact examples nor is it very consistent and I don't have time to do a thorough comparison. It usually happens in the second layer and I've played those chapters on the 970, without seeing a problem.

Flashes or dropouts? That's supposed to be fixed. Hope so, I just ordered my 2nd 983.

The dropouts have been fixed by the FW update. But a dodgy HDMI cable can still cause flashes like the ones the other user was reporting. Another thing he could try is making sure the HDMI cable is seated properly - it's so easy for them to come loose - who designed these things!

Keith

Same here !! My 983 hesitates and halts when playing many of my DVD+R double layer discs. Those discs play perfectly on my Oppo 971.

Same here !! My 983 hesitates and halts when playing many of my DVD+R double layer discs. Those discs play perfectly on my Oppo 971.

If you are willing to loan them a disc, contact Oppo and ask if they want to see it. Give them chapter and time index info when you send it.

-Bill

The best place to start is to do a quality scan on some of the Burned DVDs.

Burners tend to react differently with various types of Media. I have a Pioneer that loves Taio Yuden DVD-R, but dislikes Verbatim DVD+R DL. The DVD+R DL burned on the Pio get a lower than usual burn score than the -R media, which average a score of 92.

I have a Lite-On burner that likes the Verbatim DVD+R DL media, and creates burns with scores approaching 95. The same media averages 65 on the Pioneer burner.

Some DVD players will play the lower burn quality (65) media, but a large number of players will choke on them.

Nero CD Speed can be found here: http://www.cdspeed2000.com/

This procedure can prove to be VERY important when archiving important titles, as time tends to lower the quality of a burn. I've been doing this for nine years now, and have lost many discs to age. Fortunately, the newer dye formulas in Verbatim and Taio Yuden discs are showing a marked improvement over time. I've also learned not to burn faster than 4X. If you think I'm blowing smoke, just take a look at some burned discs under a microscope and see just how tenuous things begin to look at faster burn speeds.:eek:

The best place to start is to do a quality scan on some of the Burned DVDs.

Burners tend to react differently with various types of Media. I have a Pioneer that loves Taio Yuden DVD-R, but dislikes Verbatim DVD+R DL. The DVD+R DL burned on the Pio get a lower than usual burn score than the -R media, which average a score of 92.

I have a Lite-On burner that likes the Verbatim DVD+R DL media, and creates burns with scores approaching 95. The same media averages 65 on the Pioneer burner.

Some DVD players will play the lower burn quality (65) media, but a large number of players will choke on them.

Nero CD Speed can be found here: http://www.cdspeed2000.com/

This procedure can prove to be VERY important when archiving important titles, as time tends to lower the quality of a burn. I've been doing this for nine years now, and have lost many discs to age. Fortunately, the newer dye formulas in Verbatim and Taio Yuden discs are showing a marked improvement over time. I've also learned not to burn faster than 4X. If you think I'm blowing smoke, just take a look at some burned discs under a microscope and see just how tenuous things begin to look at faster burn speeds.:eek:


Interesting. I had no idea. Don't have any burned dvd-r's but do have cdr's. Same thing for them?

New 983 just shipped, woot!:)

...

Lastly, not sure how many 971H owners that upgraded, but the 983 seems to have a softer picture than the 971H and I had to notch the SHARPNESS up by 1 as much as I hate to do it..

I confess. I'm in the same boat. I raised Sharpness to +1 and it looks better to my aging eyes. :)

Actually, that's no joke. I wear eyeglasses. If you've had an eye exam that includes correction for astigmatism and wondered what the term means, it involves difficulties in seeing fine detail. And the presence of astigmatism increases with age. (Ahem.) More here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astigmatism#Ophthalmic_astigmatism

All of which is to say that it's not OPPO Digital's fault if some of us prefer different adjustments on our 983. We just don't see alike. ;)

Dana

New 983 just shipped, woot!:)

Mine too!!!! One question for all you 983 owners. Is it worth upgrading the HDMI cable, or is the one Oppo supplies of decent quality?

Mine too!!!! One question for all you 983 owners. Is it worth upgrading the HDMI cable, or is the one Oppo supplies of decent quality?

Very decent quality. I suspect it's supplied by monoprice, a AVS Forum sponsor.

Dana

We just don't see alike. ;)
Dana

I assume meant that literally, but makes sense metaphorically too. :D

Very decent quality. I suspect it's supplied by monoprice, a AVS Forum sponsor.

Dana

Well I received my 983 player about an hour ago and have it hooked up to my tv (samsung 46" 650). My initial impression was "hmm" as I did not get as good a picture as I was expecting (I tested using Black Hawk Down). I played the dvd in my ps3 and noticed a much clearer (sharper and better color-balanced) picture.

I decided to swap the hdmi cable supplied with a Monster 1000HD 2m cable that I had spare and the quality of the picture improved considerably. It made no sense to me as I doubt Oppo would ever supply an inferior cable with their superior product. It is probably just the cable that I received. Am curious to know if anyone else has experienced a better picture with a hdmi cable other than the one supplied? [By the way, I am not in the camp that believes Monster = better quality. I bought all my Monster cables on Amazon.com before I learnt about Blue Jeans and Monoprice].

Side note: I was able to setup my Harmony One to work with the 983 without any issues, device was in the db and also setup an activity automatically.

p.s. thanks for all the folks who post valuable information on AVS, helps us new to the game get educated very quickly. May you have good karma.

I am only using component connections right now. I will test the HDMI as soon as I get my new tv, but as weird as this sounds, my oppo needed breaking in. As I mentioned earlier my initial testing gave me a very dark picture. After moving it up in my rack, the picture got better, and it has continued to improve over the last week. IT looks great now. I just don't understand why watching a few movies would make it better. But it is noticeable enough that my wife has picked up on it. We have a three year old and he loves Meet The Robinsons, and we have watched it 3 times now and it has looked brighter and more detailed each time. Go figure....

I am only using component connections right now. I will test the HDMI as soon as I get my new tv, but as weird as this sounds, my oppo needed breaking in.

That's not 'weird' -- one sees these claims often, often with 'even my wife could hear/see it" -- but it's not true, either.

As I mentioned earlier my initial testing gave me a very dark picture. After moving it up in my rack, the picture got better, and it has continued to improve over the last week. IT looks great now. I just don't understand why watching a few movies would make it better.

It shouldn't. But it might make you more used to the way it looks.

But it is noticeable enough that my wife has picked up on it.

and there we go.

We have a three year old and he loves Meet The Robinsons, and we have watched it 3 times now and it has looked brighter and more detailed each time. Go figure....

I believe the term in psychology is 'accomodation'.

I confess. I'm in the same boat. I raised Sharpness to +1 and it looks better to my aging eyes. :)

Actually, that's no joke. I wear eyeglasses. If you've had an eye exam that includes correction for astigmatism and wondered what the term means, it involves difficulties in seeing fine detail. And the presence of astigmatism increases with age. (Ahem.) More here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astigmatism#Ophthalmic_astigmatism

All of which is to say that it's not OPPO Digital's fault if some of us prefer different adjustments on our 983. We just don't see alike. ;)

Dana

THis is where calibration discs come in handy.

Oh boy....My 983 shipped out today :D....Hopefully it will be here in time for the lokng weekend...plus my wife is going away next week...Home Theater Galore!!!

Both ABT chips are still used when producing 1080i.

What is the native resolution of your display, and what type is it?

-Bill

Bill,

I have the Sony kdfE60a20 which I understand is 1080i native. I have never favored the 720p pic from HDcable, std dvd via hdmi, HDdvd or Blu-ray when I have experimented. From what I know the scaler and other "stuff" are superior to some of the newer Sony's even if the black level may not be as strong.

Jon

krabapple, I appreciate your feedback, but I will have to respectfully disagree on this one. First off my wife is a IT Specialist whose specialty is with web-page accessibility. She is also an artist and digital photo nut. She has a very good understanding of color especially in reference to that displayed on monitors and televisions. She calibrated our Toshiba RPTV so close that when the professional calibrator came out all he had to do was adjust settings in the service menu very slightly and was able to converse with him about color temp. and other things that went right over my head. So when I say my wife even noticed, it means she is seeing a clear difference in the way the information is being displayed on the tv. Most of this is from the picture on the display gaining brightness over time. I have not adjusted the brightness on the set yet nor in the player, so why would the image gain brightness...I guess you could blame it on a faulty connection or lousy power conditions, or the guns in the tv getting old, but otherwise, there is a difference in the brightness to say the least. Now I will give your theory credence with regard to image detail. The 983 has so much more detail than the XA2 that it does look different and it has required getting 'used' too. As such we are seeing more detail in movies as we watch more and more. That is probably psychological in nature.

by the way, the new shipment comes with the latest firmware update, DV983H-06-0430. I just validated.

by the way, the new shipment comes with the latest firmware update, DV983H-06-0430. I just validated.

Thats good to know. I just saw an email that my 983H shipped and was wondering exactly that...thanks.

It seems that no one else here is in your situation, so how can we assure you? I would trust Oppo's opinion, but if that is not good enough and you have no opportunity to test the playuer locally, then the best approach would be to send a test PAL disc to Oppo and ask them to try it for you.
-Bill


Bill.

The problem is not about the DVD discs.
The problem is about the different version of TVs/LCDs sold in different countries.

Mine is NTSC/PAL-N/PAL-M. Some will have PAL-I or -D or -B, or whatever...

Am I supposed to send my 46" Bravia to Oppo for them to test?. They must know the difference between the PALs.
Example:
PAL-B is 625 lines, 25 fps, 50 hz, color subcarrier 4,4336 (mostly Europe).
PAL-N is 625 lines, 25 fps, 50 hz, but color subcarrier 3,5820
PAL-M is 525 lines, 29,97 fps, 60 hz, color subcarrier 3,5756 (more near to NTSC than PAL)

There are more versions but just consider these for now.
So PAL is a wide world of differences itself. It is not "all the same" is it seems.

Most NTSC/PAL players only consider the most pure PAL version (Euro PALs or PAL-B).

So the different LCDs systems are the issue to be consider and that is why OPPO says its player is UNIVERSAL.
Oppo maybe can answer exactly which kind of PAL they deliver.
If they deliver all of them and is so easy to understand, why not to stated that clearly enough for everybody to know?.

If I must watch a PAL DVD sent by Oppo in NTSC, well... I already have a machine that does that. Allright, it is not the wonder Oppo could be, but at the amount Oppo has valued its machine is not much to ask for a clear detail on the issue. Guessing is not an option at that price.

Sorry for boring with this subject, but there are still so many colors in the world than black and white.

Thank Bill and the rest of you for the comments.

Well I received my 983 player about an hour ago and have it hooked up to my tv (samsung 46" 650). My initial impression was "hmm" as I did not get as good a picture as I was expecting (I tested using Black Hawk Down). I played the dvd in my ps3 and noticed a much clearer (sharper and better color-balanced) picture.

I decided to swap the hdmi cable supplied with a Monster 1000HD 2m cable that I had spare and the quality of the picture improved considerably. It made no sense to me as I doubt Oppo would ever supply an inferior cable with their superior product. It is probably just the cable that I received. Am curious to know if anyone else has experienced a better picture with a hdmi cable other than the one supplied? [By the way, I am not in the camp that believes Monster = better quality. I bought all my Monster cables on Amazon.com before I learnt about Blue Jeans and Monoprice].

Side note: I was able to setup my Harmony One to work with the 983 without any issues, device was in the db and also setup an activity automatically.

p.s. thanks for all the folks who post valuable information on AVS, helps us new to the game get educated very quickly. May you have good karma.
I think I did same think and place the same monster cable but not because of picture quality but because of lenght of the cable.
OPPO cable which I received was too short and I didn't even check picture quality and replaced it with Monster 1000hd which was longer and I had it at home, but picture quality with Monster cable is excellent I believe with OPPO supposed to be either.

We have a three year old and he loves Meet The Robinsons, and we have watched it 3 times now and it has looked brighter and more detailed each time. Go figure....

I'd be more impressed if instead of a 3-year old you had a photometer and showed me actual measurement data proving that the brightness increased each time you watched Meet The Robinsons.

Bill.

The problem is not about the DVD discs.

My mistake. I thought you were asking about PAL discs authored to different PAL standards

Am I supposed to send my 46" Bravia to Oppo for them to test?.

Are you saying your Bravia is manufactured specifically for your country, for the variety of PAL signal used there? That it won't work correctly with other PAL standards?

If it is a world-wide model, then it must handle all the varieties, yes?

Oppo maybe can answer exactly which kind of PAL they deliver.
If they deliver all of them and is so easy to understand, why not to stated that clearly enough for everybody to know?.


They've said it doesn't matter once the signal has been prepared for HDMI. If that's not enough for you, I think you should give up on the 983 and move on to some other player.

I believe the PAL varieties matter only for analog broadcast signals. The HDTV standards are a different system. Upscaling DVD players produce HDTV signals.

-Bill

wojtek, I don't know how to take your post, but I will take it all in jest. I do understand that my methods are not scientific. I am not asking you to take me on faith. I was bringing up a curiosity that I am having with this player, but feel free to be unimpressed with my lack of objective research. My wife does have some camera accessories that measure brightness and light levels but I honestly have no idea if I could use those on this set, I will ask her. It is a moot point anyway. I pre-ordered a pioneer elite plasma today. I am sure to have a much different set of observations on it than with an 9 year old toshiba rptv. I promise not to reference my three year old for critical evaluations again!

My 983 will be arriving tommorrow via Fedex............:cool::cool::cool:

WOW.. i am very happy because my video performance of 983h is improved after updated to DV983H-06-0430 Firmware.

anyone got better performance after updated the firmware ???

Takes 8 days via FedEx ground to get to the East Coast!!!

As far as Oppo Customer Service said, apparently it wil be no problem thru' HDMI.
But again all the issue about the PAL subcolor carriers is not an easy thing to understand. Euro PAL uses 625 lines with subcarrier of 4.43 Mhz, but PAL-N uses same 625 lines, but with color subcarrier of 3,5820 MHz (close to NTSC) with frequency at 50Hz. (and Brazilian PAL-M is closer to NTSC with 525 lines at 29,97 frames per second but with subcolor carrier 3,5756 MHz).
This turn things a little wierd as no one can said: "Yeah, you can watch PAL in PAL as simple as that".


Yes it is a problem. And unfortunatly you live in the second most obscure PAL region (Brasil beeing the first). :) And it seems you're the only one here from that region.

wojtek, I don't know how to take your post, but I will take it all in jest. I do understand that my methods are not scientific. I am not asking you to take me on faith. I was bringing up a curiosity that I am having with this player, but feel free to be unimpressed with my lack of objective research. My wife does have some camera accessories that measure brightness and light levels but I honestly have no idea if I could use those on this set, I will ask her. It is a moot point anyway. I pre-ordered a pioneer elite plasma today. I am sure to have a much different set of observations on it than with an 9 year old toshiba rptv. I promise not to reference my three year old for critical evaluations again!

Vonbek777 - yes, I was kidding (a poor joke - my apologies).

But I do believe in measurements and have a hard time believing that brightness goes up by itself each time you turn the player on. Moot point anyway - enjoy your player!

Are you saying your Bravia is manufactured specifically for your country, for the variety of PAL signal used there? That it won't work correctly with other PAL standards?

If it is a world-wide model, then it must handle all the varieties, yes?

-Bill

Bill

Juts check the different Bravia sites in the world. You will get surprised by the wide variety of designs for each and every region.
Just 3 examples:
SONY USA offers only NTSC Bravia sets.
SONY Argentina/Brazil offers NTSC/PAL-N/PAL-M
SONY India offers NTSC/SECAM/PAL-M, B/G, D/K, I, NTSC 3.58/(AV In) NTSC 4.43, PAL 60

World design? Well, the Indian one looks more "Worldy" than the others.....

Yes it is a problem. And unfortunatly you live in the second most obscure PAL region (Brasil beeing the first). :) And it seems you're the only one here from that region.

I'm afraid you are right in both cases.

I will get again to Oppo Customer Service and, maybe, if they deliver a proper answer, I will post it for another pariah like me. All southamerica has the same problem but, lets face it, our countries have other more important problems than this little one.

If you get a piece of news about this issue I will appreciatte you post it.

I am willing to buy the Oppo 983 not before end of August as I will be in the States by that time. I had some time to follow this issue.

Best for all of you.

Takes 8 days via FedEx ground to get to the East Coast!!!
Mine shipped yesterday, being delivered today via Fedex. I live in SoCal so next day delivery.

hi.
I haven't posted in a while but I just wanted to say that i will definitely be purchasing a 983 once they come back into stock on a regular basis and have all of the bugs straightened out.

I find it kind of funny that when comparing the 983 to other upscalers, the only one that gets mentioned as being close is the Toshiba HD-XA2 . how come no one mentions the Denon 2930 or the even higher scale Denon models? I have never owned one but for the money they charge they have to be good. right?

Actually I did own a Denon 1920 for a short time and was very frustrated on how it would choke on so many discs. i had to return it. The audio was excellent though.

I have had a Oppo 981 for a long time and have been so happy with it! However i must buy the 983 because i want the best Oppo possible. That is why I have never invested in Blu-Ray. I will never buy another dvd player again unless its an OPPO. I will not buy a Blu-ray player until OPPO comes out with theirs. I will not be a guinea pig for this new technology.

I have a Sony Sony KD-34XBR970 for a display and standard dvd's look amazing at 1080i (it dosen't do 1080p. Its a tube television. The last hi-def tube television sony made)

I really wish OPPPO would also make a AV Receiver. Now wouldn't that be the greatest thing ever!!

Looking forward to your responses.

Yes it is a problem. And unfortunatly you live in the second most obscure PAL region (Brasil beeing the first). :) And it seems you're the only one here from that region.

I live in Brazil and can´t really understand this issue. Here PAL-M is only used for broadcasting. All brazilian DVD´s are NTSC and every TV set made in the last 10 years accepts the NTSC system also. Even the old VHS tapes were already sold in NTSC. I´ve never seen any PAL DVD here in Brazil.

I have a 983 and the PAL feature was never important in my decision to buy it. Maybe when I get an european DVD (unlikely, I think) I will test it. And, as Oppo stated, through HDMI there should be no problem.

By the way, I never imagined I could get such an incredible picture quality from my SD DVD´s. I already had a 980 and even with my 40" LCD panel I could easily notice the difference. Thanks, Oppo, the 983 is making me watch again most of my collection.:D

I thought I would raise the visibility of another possible DivX issue as I was up late last night messing around with my setup, some Macross Frontier fansubs, and a USB flash drive. First, here is some information:

HDTV Aspect Ratio -- 16:9
Color Space -- RGB Video
Direct Connection -- HDMI
Video Resolution -- 704x396
Subtitle Style -- Hardcoded

I played through the resolution tests on my copy of Digital Video Essentials to make sure that the 983H was not cropping any picture information on DVDs before testing DivX output. I used the HDMI lead in my preliminary tests, but followed those up with a secondary round of tests using an HDMI to DVI connector and running the DVI port on my LCD-TV in PC mode. I changed the color space setting on the 983H to PC when using the HDMI to DVI lead. The DVE tests were all successful, as expected.

When switching to DivX files, I noticed that the subtitles were cropped on the screen. This happens whether or not I am feeding my LCD with the HDMI or the HDMI to DVI lead. I started these tests using the 983's 1:1 mode. After changing the 983's zoom mode to underscan, I was able to alleviate the issue somewhat, but not completely. Underscan is the best mode for hardcoded subtitles, but it is still missing some of the picture when compared to the output of the same videos played on my computer.

Now, my LCD allows for adjustments to the horizontal and vertical position of the picture, so I thought it best to validate that this was cropping and not overscan from the Sharp LCD. When using the position controls to move the image around, I noticed that the DivX feed was actually cut off. There was no additional visual information "below the border," so this appears to be coming straight from the 983.

Is this by design? I read through a couple other threads in the forum and have discovered that cropping isn't limited to the 983, but (like the other DivX issues already mentioned) also affects its older siblings -- for instance, the 980.

I have a 720p projector and an older oppo ( with the dvi input ) and I was wondering if I should upgrade. Thanks.

The Denons are an interesting bunch. I am in the midst of a very thorough upgrade and have been researching everything for over a year and I was seriously considering the Denon 5308 receiver and 3800 blue ray player....I am glad I waited for some real reviews to come in. There are a lot of very happy Denon owners, but there are some who have had issues with HDMI and other things. I am upgrading to a Klipsch RF-83 7.1 system too and I had worries about the 5308 having enough power. I bought the Oppo for sd dvd content and for sacd and dvd audio support since I have a few of those. But I am going the Pioneer Elite route for the rest of my gear this year. I suspect Pioneer will have some issues with their new products too, but as a personal choice I like Pioneer Elite better. Having said that, the new Denon DVP-602CI video processor looks interesting!

I have a 720p projector and an older oppo ( with the dvi input ) and I was wondering if I should upgrade. Thanks.

Things to consider: is your projector DVI also? If so, does it have HDCP? None of the HDMI players will work without HDCP.

Have you had any macroblocking problems with this setup? Faroudja-chip players like the 971 and 981 enhance macroblocking on some displays.

The 971 (which is what I presume you have) has better deinterlacing than the 980, but the 980 seems a bit sharper. It depends on the look you like.

The 983 is the best Oppo yet, but of course costs $399.

-Bill

Greetings

just got my 983 today

I want to rack mount this player: usually use a Middle Atlantic RSH:

are there other alternatives? I recall some of the earlier Oppo players had optional rack ears?

I don't think any of the Oppo players were "rack montable". You'll have to use a "rack shelf". Not sure it it would be a good fit or not, or if they still have them, but I think I saw some on clearance at partsexpress.com.

I don't think any of the Oppo players were "rack montable". You'll have to use a "rack shelf". Not sure it it would be a good fit or not, or if they still have them, but I think I saw some on clearance at partsexpress.com.

Thanks

I like the Middle Atlantic RSH series custom rack mounts but they do not list the Oppo 983 yet: they do list the 981...does anyone know if they are the same size?

Thanks

I like the Middle Atlantic RSH series custom rack mounts but they do not list the Oppo 983 yet: they do list the 981...does anyone know if they are the same size?

The 983 is both wider and thicker than the 981.

-Bill

I live in Brazil and can´t really understand this issue. Here PAL-M is only used for broadcasting. All brazilian DVD´s are NTSC and every TV set made in the last 10 years accepts the NTSC system also. Even the old VHS tapes were already sold in NTSC. I´ve never seen any PAL DVD here in Brazil.

I have a 983 and the PAL feature was never important in my decision to buy it. Maybe when I get an european DVD (unlikely, I think) I will test it. And, as Oppo stated, through HDMI there should be no problem.

By the way, I never imagined I could get such an incredible picture quality from my SD DVD´s. I already had a 980 and even with my 40" LCD panel I could easily notice the difference. Thanks, Oppo, the 983 is making me watch again most of my collection.:D

In a nut-shell the problem is that PAL (EU) DVD's are encoded with color subcarrier of 4.43MHz which PAL-N sets can not handle properly. And those discs if displayed on PAL-N standard TV over analogue produce black & white picture. I think Mantas wants to enjoy watching PAL movies without internal conversion to NTSC and needs some other assurance about the HDMI proposal.

Yes, is remarkable what oppo can do out of SD. :)

The 983 is both wider and thicker than the 981.



Correct:

Oppo 983 Dimensions: 16-7/8 x 10-1/2 x 2-1/8 inches / 430mm x 267mm x 53mm

Oppo 981 Dimensions: 16-1/2 x 10-5/8 x 1-5/8 inches / 420mm x 270mm x 41mm

I find it kind of funny that when comparing the 983 to other upscalers, the only one that gets mentioned as being close is the Toshiba HD-XA2 . how come no one mentions the Denon 2930 or the even higher scale Denon models? I have never owned one but for the money they charge they have to be good. right? You asked exactly the same question before, and I answered it here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=13514773&postcount=903).

Gary

I live in Brazil and can´t really understand this issue. Here PAL-M is only used for broadcasting. All brazilian DVD´s are NTSC and every TV set made in the last 10 years accepts the NTSC system also. Even the old VHS tapes were already sold in NTSC. I´ve never seen any PAL DVD here in Brazil.

I have a 983 and the PAL feature was never important in my decision to buy it. Maybe when I get an european DVD (unlikely, I think) I will test it. And, as Oppo stated, through HDMI there should be no problem.

By the way, I never imagined I could get such an incredible picture quality from my SD DVD´s. I already had a 980 and even with my 40" LCD panel I could easily notice the difference. Thanks, Oppo, the 983 is making me watch again most of my collection.:D


Great to hear from a brazilian guy.
Well, as PAL-M was so wierd, you are in the NTSC realms since the times of VHS. I already have many VHS and DVDs from Brazil (even broadcasting TV shows, that they came already converted to NTSC).
Do you see any Brazilian show in PAL DVD? No.
But there is plenty of titles form Euro TV shows and films that comes in PAL.

Here in Argentina we CAN see PAL VHS & DVDs made in UK, Germany or even Australia while image is sending thru' a VHS/DVD player that stated specifically PAL-N (besides NTSC).
But when you buy a PAL machine designed for Europe you get black & white in your TV set.
Maybe is different over HDMI, but nobody is sure. That is all about.

Again, you are almost in NTSC world and you stated that do not buy Euro/Aussie PAL DVDs.

Did you try your Oppo 983 sending a signal in PAL from an Euro PAL DVD in your LCD? (which must be NTSC/PAL-N/PAL-M for sure,... at least Sony sells the same LCDs in Brazil and Argentina by the way)
It comes out in color in any of the PALs (-N or -M) your LCD must support?
Or you simple send any PAL converted in NTSC by the Oppo itself, as most people does?

Can you get a PAL DVD and do the test for me/us?
Can you feed the LCD by HDMI and also by component to see what the results are?
Thank you in advance.

Now I am in touch again with Oppo customer service, and I will be back when they answer me more accuratly.

[QUOTE=raveer;13917867]In a nut-shell the problem is that PAL (EU) DVD's are encoded with color subcarrier of 4.43MHz which PAL-N sets can not handle properly. And those discs if displayed on PAL-N standard TV over analogue produce black & white picture. I think Mantas wants to enjoy watching PAL movies without internal conversion to NTSC and needs some other assurance about the HDMI proposal.
QUOTE]

Thank you, Raveer, for your understanding. As you stated, I need to be sure that PAL thru' HDMI will work properly in a PAL-N LCD.

I get DVDs from all over the world. Why convert them if I can watch them as they were created in first place?.

My 983 arrived this weekend and I've had a chance to play with it for about 5-6 hours now.

Current setup: JVC RS-1 projecting onto a 80" Carada screen. Integra DTC-9.8 and Toshiba HD-D2 HD-DVD player as my primary source before the Oppo arrived.

Setup was a breeze. HDMI cable into a open slot on the 9.8, update the Harmony 890 remote from the on-line database and follow the brief, clear instructions Oppo's manual.

(A quick side note - I'd forgotten how quickly a DVD player boots up as compared to a HD player. Score one for DVD.)

First I checked out my original non-SuperBit version of The Fifth Element and the "Aziz, Light!" scene that I used before for a comparison of the HD-A2's built in scaler vs the Reon in the 9.8. Wow. It's just a gorgeous picture and I can easily see how people would say that this player could end up delaying them diving into HD. If you know what to look for, you can spot the differences between the upscaled picture and native HD, but you have to look for them. If you A/B between the upscaled image and native HD then the differences are noticeable, but if you look at the image without any context your average viewer will be very happy.

Next up, beginning of Raiders of the Lost Ark. I intended to just watch the opening scenes with the golden idol but got all the way to when Indy and Marion arrived in Egypt before I managed to tear myself away. On well recorded material the image from this player is stunning.

So I switched to less well encoded material - the primary reason why I bought the player. On TV shows which cram four hour long episodes onto a single disc the image I was getting from the HD-A2 was definitely lacking, even with the 9.8's Reon helping. I tried an episode from the second season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and while the image was a little soft, it had none of the artifacts that I saw previously.

Another complaint that I had with the HD-A2/9.8/RS-1 combo was that non-anamorphic material wasn't handled well over HDMI. Older 4:3 material like episodes of Star Trek DS9 were stretched to 16:9 somewhere in the chain and as the RS-1 was locked at 16:9 mode in HDMI mode, the only way I could get an image with the proper aspect ratio was to drop back to component. The 983 handled the non anamorphic material with ease, properly pillar-boxing the 4.3 image and passing a 1080p image over HIMI to the projector. Again, the image was visibly softer than well encoded DVD material but for a pretty compressed non-anamorphic disc, the image was certainly watchable.

All in all I'm pretty pleased with the purchase.

In a nut-shell the problem is that PAL (EU) DVD's are encoded with color subcarrier of 4.43MHz which PAL-N sets can not handle properly. And those discs if displayed on PAL-N standard TV over analogue produce black & white picture. I think Mantas wants to enjoy watching PAL movies without internal conversion to NTSC and needs some other assurance about the HDMI proposal.


If you use HDMI or Component, there will be no problem with color or audio.

HDMI transmits color in digital format: RGB or YCbCr. There is no difference between NTSC, PAL-B and PAL-N for color encoding. The difference is whether the TV supports the refresh rate (horizontal and vertical frequencies). As long as your local Bravia LCD TV supports PAL 50Hz 576p(625p), 720p, 1080i or 1080p refresh rates, it will work.

When using component, color is carried by the Red and Blue wires as separated Cb/Cr signal. Again there is no difference for color encoding. The key is still refresh rate.

When using composite, the situation is different. Color must be modulized to the color subcarrier. Most likely the player's composite output will not work with your TV.

Audio is not an issue since with HDMI, it's sent in digital format. With component or composite, you will use separated audio cables.

We have other customers from Argentina using our DV-980H and DV-981H models without a problem.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.


Unless someone come with other opinion, it seems that this one ends all my fears. I go for the Oppo 983 !!!

By the way, they answered me in less than one hour!!! That's pretty amazing.

Unless someone come with other opinion, it seems that this one ends all my fears. I go for the Oppo 983 !!! Yay and hooray! I'm sure we're all relieved. I hope it works out for you.

Gary

My 983 arrived this weekend and I've had a chance to play with it for about 5-6 hours now...

All in all I'm pretty pleased with the purchase. Glad to hear it. Thanks for sharing your impressions.

Gary

Is it possible to select color space (e.g. 6500K) in the player to force output of color accuracy to f.ex. 6500K ?

NO, but the default settings of the 983 are on par with 6500k already.

I just recieved my 983 today, and I am very impressed so far. Upon opening up the delivery package, the first impression I got was quality. The player was fit in a nice cloth bag, all the contents were tightly and safely packed, and after just opening the box I got the feeling that this was sent by someone who cares about their product. The HDMI cable is not just a spaghetti-diameter wire that I got with my Toshiba and Sony HD players, but a thick, solid looking cable. Same with the power cord. The DVD player itself is very nice looking, and seems very solid and well built. The DVD tray has a solid feel to it as well. It has a professional, subtle look that quite frankly makes my Sony and Toshiba HD players look like gaudy kids toys. I was most surprised at how well the user interface is: very nice-looking, intiutive, and easy to set-up. The remote is to me the weakest link, I love the back-lit buttons but I detest tiny buttons and wording on any remote. I use a Harmony One to control everything, so this is a non-issue for me anyway.

I haven't had time to do any calibrations beyond the initial set-up, but the first DVD I watched was Atonement, because I had just watched it with my Toshiba HD-A30. I was immediatly impressed. I didn't expect there to be that much of a difference, but there was. The movie looked amazing, much better than I had thought any SD DVD could ever look. Overall, my first impressions are that this is one fine product, by far my favorite HT component that I have bought in a long time.

The player was fit in a nice cloth bag

Everyone loves the bag! I hope whoever thought of that got a big Christmas bonus. It's been a feature of all reviews since the first Oppo player.

by far my favorite HT component that I have bought in a long time.


I wish every vendor tried as hard, produced such quality products, and was as easy to deal with.

-Bill

I just recieved my 983 today, and I am very impressed so far. Upon opening up the delivery package, the first impression I got was quality. The player was fit in a nice cloth bag, all the contents were tightly and safely packed, and after just opening the box I got the feeling that this was sent by someone who cares about their product. The HDMI cable is not just a spaghetti-diameter wire that I got with my Toshiba and Sony HD players, but a thick, solid looking cable. Same with the power cord. The DVD player itself is very nice looking, and seems very solid and well built. The DVD tray has a solid feel to it as well. It has a professional, subtle look that quite frankly makes my Sony and Toshiba HD players look like gaudy kids toys. I was most surprised at how well the user interface is: very nice-looking, intiutive, and easy to set-up. The remote is to me the weakest link, I love the back-lit buttons but I detest tiny buttons and wording on any remote. I use a Harmony One to control everything, so this is a non-issue for me anyway.

I haven't had time to do any calibrations beyond the initial set-up, but the first DVD I watched was Atonement, because I had just watched it with my Toshiba HD-A30. I was immediatly impressed. I didn't expect there to be that much of a difference, but there was. The movie looked amazing, much better than I had thought any SD DVD could ever look. Overall, my first impressions are that this is one fine product, by far my favorite HT component that I have bought in a long time.

I just received my 983H yesterday and.....well you took the words right out of my mouth. Very impressive from the detail in their packaging to the Player itself......and I agree the only weak link ( if you want to have something to pick on ) is the remote control. Over all a really great product and a lot of R & D went into the making of this Player, but I must say as an HD-XA2 owner the Oppo does not "blow" the XA2 out of the water... The XA2 definitely holds its own with SD DVD's, so a big improvement in PQ was simply not there. I have it set to 1080p60 to Pioneer 6010FD set to Dot By Dot. Is this the best possible PQ setting?

Question, are you using HDMI and upscaling the sd content? The reason I am asking, is I had the XA2 and the Oppo 983 did blow it out of the water but I was just using component connections without upscaling. I have had people call me a liar in other forums because of my love for this oppo player over the XA2 and I am trying to figure out the discrepancy in opinions. I am wondering if the HDMI makes all the difference?

I took delivery on my 983H yesterday and I'm very impressed with it. I even noticed a huge difference in pq on my 37 inch Sharp Aquos LCD tv (will be getting a new tv this summer) in 1080i from the 983H and the other dvd players (Pioneer DV-410V and Sony DVP-NS700H) that I tried. I prefer the 1080i output instead of 720p, because my tv does a terrible job from upscaling a 720p signal to 768p, but does a great job from downscaling a 1080i signal to 768p. These things I noticed on my 37 inch Sharp Aquos lcd from the 983H that I did not noticed on the other dvd players that I tried:
1. 983H has a more detailed picture.
2. Sharper picture.
3. Clear picture.
4. Vibrant colors on screen.
5. Brighter picture.
6. Smooth and flimlike picture.

The 983H is the best dvd player that I used so far and its worth the extra money from the other dvd players that I tried out, and it looks like a keeper.

I just received my 983H yesterday and.....well you took the words right out of my mouth. Very impressive from the detail in their packaging to the Player itself......and I agree the only weak link ( if you want to have something to pick on ) is the remote control. Over all a really great product and a lot of R & D went into the making of this Player, but I must say as an HD-XA2 owner the Oppo does not "blow" the XA2 out of the water... The XA2 definitely holds its own with SD DVD's, so a big improvement in PQ was simply not there. I have it set to 1080p60 to Pioneer 6010FD set to Dot By Dot. Is this the best possible PQ setting?

I don't know the answer to your question, but you might want to try 480p out to your Kuro. I'm not sure, but I believe it was miata that didn't see much, if any, difference. Maybe you will, though.

Everyone loves the bag! I hope whoever thought of that got a big Christmas bonus. It's been a feature of all reviews since the first Oppo player.


-Bill

That is so very true. It's a relatively small thing that probably doesn't cost much. But it adds so much class to the product and the company. It was a brilliant idea.

Not only does Oppo make a great product, but they really know how to market it effectively.

Question, are you using HDMI and upscaling the sd content? The reason I am asking, is I had the XA2 and the Oppo 983 did blow it out of the water but I was just using component connections without upscaling. I have had people call me a liar in other forums because of my love for this oppo player over the XA2 and I am trying to figure out the discrepancy in opinions. I am wondering if the HDMI makes all the difference?

Yes, I am using HDMI for both the Oppo and Toshiba with both set to 1080p.

I don't know the answer to your question, but you might want to try 480p out to your Kuro. I'm not sure, but I believe it was miata that didn't see much, if any, difference. Maybe you will, though.

Thanks, I will give it a try.

Is oppodigital.com the only place to get this player?

I think the HDMI must be my problem. MY old toshiba supported 1080p via component so I was able to watch HD material on the XA2 at 1080p. It was fantastic. Really sold me on my desire to upgrade my home theater this year. I only sold my XA2 and 40+ movies last week on Ebay because I am going blueray and didn't want a player plugged in that I will only use once in a while. I couldn't upconvert sd 480 signals though because I was using component. For me anyway, there is a difference in the oppo and the xa2 at the 480p level. It is hard to explain but the oppo seems a little softer than the xa2 in image but the softer image has much more detail to it. You can see a lot of little things like textures in clothes and so forth that weren't noticeable on the XA2. My guess is that when the sd material is upscaled on either player those things I notice are even more obvious on both players and the difference in pq is negligible....this is where I am getting hammered by people who love the XA2, but I didn't get a chance to see what they were talking about. I have seen some sd stuff upconverted at stores and such, I think I am in for a big change when I get my new tv.

Is oppodigital.com the only place to get this player?

Some resellers might have it: http://www.oppodigital.com/wheretobuy.html

-Bill

Folks,

How well/badly does the 983H read scratched DVDs?

The place I rent from has horrible discs. My Pioneer DV-47 plays them all without a hitch, but my Bravo D1 has trouble with some of them.

Don't want a player that cannot play my rented discs.

So, would appreciate any insight into this before I spend money on the 983.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Folks,

How well/badly does the 983H read scratched DVDs?

The place I rent from has horrible discs. My Pioneer DV-47 plays them all without a hitch, but my Bravo D1 has trouble with some of them.

Don't want a player that cannot play my rented discs.

So, would appreciate any insight into this before I spend money on the 983.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

I've had no particular difficulty. Some discs are scratched so badly I run them through a motorized polisher that uses liquid abrasive to smooth out the scratches.

-Bill

I've had no particular difficulty. Some discs are scratched so badly I run them through a motorized polisher that uses liquid abrasive to smooth out the scratches.

-Bill

Bill, what exactly is the device that you use? Is it an inexpesive machine?... or are you referring to the big expensive industrial type that rental stores use. I'd love to find a solution like that if it was affordable.

Bill, what exactly is the device that you use? Is it an inexpesive machine?... or are you referring to the big expensive industrial type that rental stores use. I'd love to find a solution like that if it was affordable.

It's a Xinix; all plastic and about $30. Pretty cheap construction but I've put a lot of discs through it. I saw one at Best Buy once, but bought mine from cyberguys.com.

It has a cleaning mode, which is just alcohol for removing fingerprints, and a repair mode which uses liquid abrasive and rubber buffers. Refill kits are available.

DVDs have pretty good error recovery code, but it depends on the type of damage. Discs covered with so many fine scratches the surface looks frosted will often play without trouble. Even sharp radial scratches (from the hub to the rim) can be polished down so the disc will play. The worst are circular scratches, like the grooves of a vinyl LP. This defeats the built-in error recovery.

-Bill

$30, that's awesome. I'll have to definately check it out. THANKS Bill! :D

Two questions for the veteran 893H owners; Is the remote control suppose to have a backlight? If yes, how do you activate it? And I'm a little confused about the power buttons; Why is there a power on/off button and than two separate on button / off button?:confused:

Thanks, Bill, for the feedback.

Has anyone encountered an occasion where a DVD that didn't play on the 983H played well on another player?

Two questions for the veteran 893H owners; Is the remote control suppose to have a backlight? If yes, how do you activate it? And I'm a little confused about the power buttons; Why is there a power on/off button and than two separate on button / off button?:confused:

No backlight. The buttons are "glow-in-the-dark" type.
Can't remeber why the extra on/off buttons, should be in the manual or someone else might explain.

Two questions for the veteran 893H owners; Is the remote control suppose to have a backlight? If yes, how do you activate it?
The buttons glow - no backlight.
And I'm a little confused about the power buttons; Why is there a power on/off button and than two separate on button / off button?:confused:
It's for folks with universal remotes that can do macros - there's the power on/off toggle, plus discrete on and off commands that make writing macros very much easier.

Thanks, Bill, for the feedback.

Has anyone encountered an occasion where a DVD that didn't play on the 983H played well on another player?

I've actually found the opposite. One DVD that played flawlessly in the 983 didn't play well in my PC. I've only had one DVD that didn't play in the 983, and that didn't play in any of the other 3 DVD players I had either.

No backlight. The buttons are "glow-in-the-dark" type.
Can't remeber why the extra on/off buttons, should be in the manual or someone else might explain.

The buttons glow - no backlight.

It's for folks with universal remotes that can do macros - there's the power on/off toggle, plus discrete on and off commands that make writing macros very much easier.

Smarty-pants & gonk -Thank You! :)

I received my 983 (Fedex showed up at 10pm last night). I hooked 'er up tonight and the only image I could get when going through my Denon 4806CI was with 480p. So, I hooked the 983 directly to my Mitsubishi 1080p DLP and same thing - only image I could get was with the Oppo set to 480P. Damn. Any ideas?

I received my 983 (Fedex showed up at 10pm last night). I hooked 'er up tonight and the only image I could get when going through my Denon 4806CI was with 480p. So, I hooked the 983 directly to my Mitsubishi 1080p DLP and same thing - only image I could get was with the Oppo set to 480P. Damn. Any ideas?

With HDMI cable? Did you try to change the resolution of the player by pressing the HDMI button on the remote of player? You have to make sure that the player is not playing back a disc when you do that. All playback must be stipped whrn trying to change the resolution. Have you changewd anything in the setup menu? Make sure that in setup, primary output is at HDMI.

Yes, I used the "HDMI" button on the Oppo remote to change the resolution. No disc. I am trying to use the setup menu. Only 480P would work.

UPDATE: so check this out - I was using a very expensive Monster HDMI (p/n M1000HD)cable to go from the Oppo to the TV and from the Oppo to the Denon receiver. I took the Oppo out of the rack and moved it over to the TV and used Oppo's HDMI cable and the handshake worked with 1080P between the Oppo and the TV. WTF??????

I've actually found the opposite. One DVD that played flawlessly in the 983 didn't play well in my PC. I've only had one DVD that didn't play in the 983, and that didn't play in any of the other 3 DVD players I had either.
Thanks a lot. Makes my purchase decision a lot easier. :)

Yes, I used the "HDMI" button on the Oppo remote to change the resolution. No disc. I am trying to use the setup menu. Only 480P would work.

UPDATE: so check this out - I was using a very expensive Monster HDMI (p/n M1000HD)cable to go from the Oppo to the TV and from the Oppo to the Denon receiver. I took the Oppo out of the rack and moved it over to the TV and used Oppo's HDMI cable and the handshake worked with 1080P between the Oppo and the TV. WTF??????

That's weird, never heard of a cable only doing 480p. Just for kicks, I would now try the Monster cable AGAIN just to see if it repeats the same scenario. If it is indeed a bad cable, remember that Monster cables are guaranteed for life ;):).

Yup. It does it only fails with the long cable (16') going from the rack to the TV. The short (1m) M1000HD going from the Oppo to the Denon results in a good handshake. Totally weird - only 480P works on the 16' cable. This does solve another mystery: I had this Denon upgraded from a 4806 to 4806CI (which gives you 1080P upscaling). Now I know why 1080P from the 4806CI to the TV never would work. Screw Monster. I only purchased them because I bought the TV at Best Buy and I used the rewards points to get "free" monster HDMI cables. Any recommendations on a 16' HDMI cable so I can watch my Oppo this weekend? Circuit City?

I got my 983 in today and just got done setting it up. I was not expecting much especially after watching a stack of Blu Ray movies over the past week but it turns out I was impressed. The PQ on this player is stunning. Its so clean and vibrant and the color fidelity is impressive. Never seen such a deep blue and deep red in my life. Now I am not going to blow sunshine and say it has the resolution you get with a Blu Ray. It does not!! However even compared to Blu Ray it looks so warm and natural. The picture is completely absent of any processing looks and does not look the least bit plastic like my XA2 does. I would say the XA2 still has the edge when it comes to overall detail but I would still take the 983 any day. Reason is the XA2 has a fake plastic look to the picture and depending on the transfer so heavy processing artifacts. Also the 983 has far more user adjustments for different types of disc (anamorphic and non anamorphic plus wide screen and not wide screen). Something I don't seem to have on my XA2.

Dare I say it...this player is more fun then my move to Blu Ray. It seems to ad a whole new meaning to my DVD collection. To be honest Blu Ray is a bit over rated. Oh it looks nice but it also looks very unnatural and plastic in its current state. Really its no different then when DVD first came out. The first few generations of players were really not that good either.

The thought has crossed my mind about benching Blu Ray and going back to regular DVD's for a while. Not only is the software considerably cheaper but with this 983 they look so natural and film like its almost a better experience then what I am currently getting with Blu Ray.

I was also impressed with how well it was boxed. I felt guilty take it out of the box. Mine came in a brown cardboard box with the Oppo written on it. It has a white cover sheet explaining features and inside the player was packaged in some kind of paper felt or fabric cover. A very nice touch!!

I will definitely be buying another Oppo in the future. If they can do to Blu Ray what they have just done to DVD I am sold. No doubt Blu Ray is in its infancy and can be worlds better but every Blu Ray player I have seen does not provide a natural looking picture like this 983 does.

Yup. It does it only fails with the long cable (16') going from the rack to the TV. The short (1m) M1000HD going from the Oppo to the Denon results in a good handshake. Totally weird - only 480P works on the 16' cable. This does solve another mystery: I had this Denon upgraded from a 4806 to 4806CI (which gives you 1080P upscaling). Now I know why 1080P from the 4806CI to the TV never would work. Screw Monster. I only purchased them because I bought the TV at Best Buy and I used the rewards points to get "free" monster HDMI cables. Any recommendations on a 16' HDMI cable so I can watch my Oppo this weekend? Circuit City?


I guess as far as B&M stores go, one is as good as another... Circuit City, Best Buy or where-ever. They won't be cheap though, especially that length. If you can wait for one to ship, the cables from Monoprice.com are rated VERY GOOD and can be had for great prices.

I got my 983 in today and just got done setting it up. I was not expecting much especially after watching a stack of Blu Ray movies over the past week but it turns out I was impressed. The PQ on this player is stunning. Its so clean and vibrant and the color fidelity is impressive. Never seen such a deep blue and deep red in my life. Now I am not going to blow sunshine and say it has the resolution you get with a Blu Ray. It does not!! However even compared to Blu Ray it looks so warm and natural. The picture is completely absent of any processing looks and does not look the least bit plastic like my XA2 does. I would say the XA2 still has the edge when it comes to overall detail but I would still take the 983 any day. Reason is the XA2 has a fake plastic look to the picture and depending on the transfer so heavy processing artifacts. Also the 983 has far more user adjustments for different types of disc (anamorphic and non anamorphic plus wide screen and not wide screen). Something I don't seem to have on my XA2.

Dare I say it...this player is more fun then my move to Blu Ray. It seems to ad a whole new meaning to my DVD collection. To be honest Blu Ray is a bit over rated. Oh it looks nice but it also looks very unnatural and plastic in its current state. Really its no different then when DVD first came out. The first few generations of players were really not that good either.

The thought has crossed my mind about benching Blu Ray and going back to regular DVD's for a while. Not only is the software considerably cheaper but with this 983 they look so natural and film like its almost a better experience then what I am currently getting with Blu Ray.

I was also impressed with how well it was boxed. I felt guilty take it out of the box. Mine came in a brown cardboard box with the Oppo written on it. It has a white cover sheet explaining features and inside the player was packaged in some kind of paper felt or fabric cover. A very nice touch!!

I will definitely be buying another Oppo in the future. If they can do to Blu Ray what they have just done to DVD I am sold. No doubt Blu Ray is in its infancy and can be worlds better but every Blu Ray player I have seen does not provide a natural looking picture like this 983 does.

You're not going to sell that BR player... you like it too much :D.
The price of HD software is definately high compared to SD. There are some sales here and there, and prices are coming down a pinch. However there is a good stop-gap, and that is Netflix or BlockBuster. Just rent your BRs and watch all you new and old SD-DVDs on your 983 :).

Hey Guys & Gals

A couple of questions....

I tried playing some video clips from my Blackberry memory card on the 983...The video works fine but no audio...the message on the screen says audio codec not supported....

1) Is there something I can do to get the oppo to play the audio like converting these to a different file type on my pc, or changing some settings on the OPPO?

2) Is this one of the situations where I should send OPPO a sample file or is Blackberry Model/Service provider/Software version/File Type sufficient?

Thanks...

Is oppodigital.com the only place to get this player?

I ordered mine from audioholics.com (http://store.audioholics.com/product/1782/75/oppo-dv-983h-1080p-up-converting-universal-dvd-player)

The shipping wasn't free like they advertised but $12.00 isn't a deal breaker. Plus free shipping and a 10% grand opening sale discount.

Haven't got it yet so can't comment about availability and delivery time.

LOL, they've been having that Grand Opening sale for MONTHS :D

I got my 983 in today and just got done setting it up. I was not expecting much especially after watching a stack of Blu Ray movies over the past week but it turns out I was impressed. The PQ on this player is stunning. Its so clean and vibrant and the color fidelity is impressive. Never seen such a deep blue and deep red in my life. Now I am not going to blow sunshine and say it has the resolution you get with a Blu Ray. It does not!! However even compared to Blu Ray it looks so warm and natural. The picture is completely absent of any processing looks and does not look the least bit plastic like my XA2 does. Good to hear how well it compares.

Gary

Totally weird - only 480P works on the 16' cable. This does solve another mystery: I had this Denon upgraded from a 4806 to 4806CI (which gives you 1080P upscaling). Now I know why 1080P from the 4806CI to the TV never would work. Screw Monster. I only purchased them because I bought the TV at Best Buy and I used the rewards points to get "free" monster HDMI cables. Any recommendations on a 16' HDMI cable so I can watch my Oppo this weekend? Circuit City? Don't get us started on those severely overpriced underperformers! Monoprice.com or BlueJeansCable.com are unanimously a much safer bet.

Gary

The XA2 definitely holds its own with SD DVD's, so a big improvement in PQ was simply not there. I have it set to 1080p60 to Pioneer 6010FD set to Dot By Dot. Is this the best possible PQ setting? Sounds about right. With the Reon processing in the XA2, the improvements with the 983 will be more subtle - the biggest improvement being a more "natural" looking image. Your settings are correct, just check on the 6010FD threads, if there are any other display settings that should be tweaked or turned off for best results.

Gary

I tried playing some video clips from my Blackberry memory card on the 983...The video works fine but no audio...the message on the screen says audio codec not supported.... The OPPO players cannot support every available audio/video format. You need to find out exactly what type/format of files you are dealing with, and whether the player supports them. But if the player clearly says "audio codec not supported", it probably means just that. Perhaps you could convert them to a supported format with the appropriate PC tools.

Gary

Dare I say it...this player is more fun then my move to Blu Ray. It seems to ad a whole new meaning to my DVD collection. To be honest Blu Ray is a bit over rated. Oh it looks nice but it also looks very unnatural and plastic in its current state. Really its no different then when DVD first came out. The first few generations of players were really not that good either.

The thought has crossed my mind about benching Blu Ray and going back to regular DVD's for a while. Not only is the software considerably cheaper but with this 983 they look so natural and film like its almost a better experience then what I am currently getting with Blu Ray.





Exactly my thoughts and findings too. The 983H has such a *film like* presentation to it. Blu-ray is fantastic for detail resolution but to my eye it doesn't look all that film-like. More like really good quality video. The Oppo makes all my SD discs look like films! Smooth and natural looking as you say.

Keith

I got my 983 in today and just got done setting it up. I was not expecting much especially after watching a stack of Blu Ray movies over the past week but it turns out I was impressed. The PQ on this player is stunning. Its so clean and vibrant and the color fidelity is impressive. Never seen such a deep blue and deep red in my life. Now I am not going to blow sunshine and say it has the resolution you get with a Blu Ray. It does not!! However even compared to Blu Ray it looks so warm and natural. The picture is completely absent of any processing looks and does not look the least bit plastic like my XA2 does. I would say the XA2 still has the edge when it comes to overall detail but I would still take the 983 any day. Reason is the XA2 has a fake plastic look to the picture and depending on the transfer so heavy processing artifacts. Also the 983 has far more user adjustments for different types of disc (anamorphic and non anamorphic plus wide screen and not wide screen). Something I don't seem to have on my XA2.

Dare I say it...this player is more fun then my move to Blu Ray. It seems to ad a whole new meaning to my DVD collection. To be honest Blu Ray is a bit over rated. Oh it looks nice but it also looks very unnatural and plastic in its current state. Really its no different then when DVD first came out. The first few generations of players were really not that good either.

The thought has crossed my mind about benching Blu Ray and going back to regular DVD's for a while. Not only is the software considerably cheaper but with this 983 they look so natural and film like its almost a better experience then what I am currently getting with Blu Ray.

I was also impressed with how well it was boxed. I felt guilty take it out of the box. Mine came in a brown cardboard box with the Oppo written on it. It has a white cover sheet explaining features and inside the player was packaged in some kind of paper felt or fabric cover. A very nice touch!!

I will definitely be buying another Oppo in the future. If they can do to Blu Ray what they have just done to DVD I am sold. No doubt Blu Ray is in its infancy and can be worlds better but every Blu Ray player I have seen does not provide a natural looking picture like this 983 does.
That's the opposite of my impression wrt how Blu-ray vs. SD DVD look. I find my good Blu-ray discs have an almost 3D look to them that really enjoy, whereas my SD DVDs seem a bit fuzzy and flat. I haven't received my 983 yet, and perhaps that will change my opinion, but this is with my 980 and 981 (as well as a few other DVD players).

Also, on SD DVD the thing I miss the most is the lossless multi-channel audio. I have never been a fan of lossy audio compression, be it Dolby Digital, DTS, MP3, etc. My BDs simply sound better than any of my DVDs.

I will say that I will be very pleased if my impression of the 983 comes close to yours. I own close to 1000 DVDs and would love to see that kind of improvement (too bad he audio will still fall short, nothing Oppo can do for that).

My setup includes a Pioneer DVP-95HD, JVC DLA-HD1, Yamaha RX-Z11, and an Outlaw Audio 7900.

omg I have to say i'm somewhat frustrated with my 983. had a ton of hdmi dropouts last night watching "Gambling City" (italian release on noshame). i'm also quite annoyed with the aspect ratio problems with xvid files which was not an issue with the 980. i really hope oppo addresses these issues with a firmware update.

omg I have to say i'm somewhat frustrated with my 983. had a ton of hdmi dropouts last night watching "Gambling City" (italian release on noshame). i'm also quite annoyed with the aspect ratio problems with xvid files which was not an issue with the 980. i really hope oppo addresses these issues with a firmware update.

Audio or video dropouts?:eek:

omg I have to say i'm somewhat frustrated with my 983. had a ton of hdmi dropouts last night watching "Gambling City" (italian release on noshame). i'm also quite annoyed with the aspect ratio problems with xvid files which was not an issue with the 980. i really hope oppo addresses these issues with a firmware update.
Am about to order one!! And you're making me nervous... :(

I thought Oppo fixed HDMI dropouts with a firmware fix. The first post in this thread gives a summary of those firmware fixes. Are you sure yours has the latest firmware installed?

Am about to order one!! And you're making me nervous... :(

I thought Oppo fixed HDMI dropouts with a firmware fix. The first post in this thread gives a summary of those firmware fixes. Are you sure yours has the latest firmware installed?

I had to return my first one for that problem. I understood that it was fixed and my new one is scheduled to be delivered today!!:eek:

After one day with my 983, I'm quite impressed. One quick question. I know the 983 is tuned to deliver great audio, and I'm sure it does through analog, but I was noticing excellent detail on DD tracks over HDMI. Is this a placebo effect (my first thought) or is it possible for different players to sound noticeably different while bitstreaming audio?

After one day with my 983, I'm quite impressed. One quick question. I know the 983 is tuned to deliver great audio, and I'm sure it does through analog, but I was noticing excellent detail on DD tracks over HDMI. Is this a placebo effect (my first thought) or is it possible for different players to sound noticeably different while bitstreaming audio?
Not likely in my opinion. I would expect the bitstream to be either correct (i.e., identical between players) or not (with non-subtle effects such as dropouts or terrible noise).

I ordered mine from audioholics.com

The shipping wasn't free like they advertised but $12.00 isn't a deal breaker. Plus free shipping and a 10% grand opening sale discount.

Haven't got it yet so can't comment about availability and delivery time.


Next batch scheduled for July! I love the comment: "Usually ships within one month."

Looks like its going to be a wait.

... but I was noticing excellent detail on DD tracks over HDMI. Is this a placebo effect (my first thought) or is it possible for different players to sound noticeably different while bitstreaming audio?

Maybe placebo effect, but I noticed that too, comparing the HDMI to the 981.

omg I have to say i'm somewhat frustrated with my 983. had a ton of hdmi dropouts last night watching "Gambling City" (italian release on noshame). More detail required.
Do you have the latest firmware with the dropout fix? Are you using the OPPO cable? What display? What resolution? Is the player connected direct to the display? If going through a receiver, what is it, and what's the other cable? Have you tried replacing the cable? Have you checked the connections? Have you checked that there is nothing exerting pressure or pulling on on the connectors, like a tight bend against a wall? Is the disk in good condition? Is that the only disk with problems?
Gary

More detail required.
Do you have the latest firmware with the dropout fix? Are you using the OPPO cable? What display? What resolution? Is the player connected direct to the display? If going through a receiver, what is it, and what's the other cable? Have you tried replacing the cable? Have you checked the connections? Have you checked that there is nothing exerting pressure or pulling on on the connectors, like a tight bend against a wall? Is the disk in good condition? Is that the only disk with problems?
Gary

Gary,

What has using the OPPO cable to do with anything? Isn't a cable a cable?

Gary,

What has using the OPPO cable to do with anything? Isn't a cable a cable?

There are some tests that would say 'No'. They aren't made equal and some can fail tests at higher resolutions, especially if it is an older cable.

Sounds about right. With the Reon processing in the XA2, the improvements with the 983 will be more subtle - the biggest improvement being a more "natural" looking image. Your settings are correct, just check on the 6010FD threads, if there are any other display settings that should be tweaked or turned off for best results.

Gary

Thanks for the advice! :)

After one day with my 983, I'm quite impressed. One quick question. I know the 983 is tuned to deliver great audio, and I'm sure it does through analog, but I was noticing excellent detail on DD tracks over HDMI. Is this a placebo effect (my first thought) or is it possible for different players to sound noticeably different while bitstreaming audio?

I've been an audiophile for 40 years (of course, only 26 or so have been digital). It is definitely possible (I'd actually say probable) that different players will sound different. I can't tell you why (although "simple" things like power supply and resonance matter), but I've found this to be true with different transports and the same DAC.

Hi!

I'm new to the Forum and this is my second post, first on this Thread.

I was one of the lucky few that received my 983 from the second batch and love most everything about the player.

My experience playing a few scratched music cd's on the other OPPO players that I've owned (970 & 980) were not very good.

However, playing them through the 983 is flawless.

Gary,

What has using the OPPO cable to do with anything? Isn't a cable a cable? At higher frequencies (high bandwith) cables must have a very specific characteristic impedance with good twisting and shielding for signal integrity and noise immunity. If the cable construction or materials are inferior, signal degradation results. With HDMI signals, a bad cable causes drop-out errors or no signal at all. This problem becomes much worse as cable length increases, or resolution (bandwidth) increases.

OPPO's cables are excellent.

Gary

Finally got mine today-I love the pq but have noticed an odd thing with the transport-when I put pressed dvds and most burned dvds in it's nearly silent but any audio cd and some burned dvds-primarially dl's and the transport sounds like an outboard motor-can't figure it out. It has no problems reading anything I load it with-but the noise is driving me crazy.

I took delivery on my 983H yesterday and I'm very impressed with it. I even noticed a huge difference in pq on my 37 inch Sharp Aquos LCD tv (will be getting a new tv this summer) in 1080i from the 983H and the other dvd players (Pioneer DV-410V and Sony DVP-NS700H) that I tried. I prefer the 1080i output instead of 720p, because my tv does a terrible job from upscaling a 720p signal to 768p, but does a great job from downscaling a 1080i signal to 768p. These things I noticed on my 37 inch Sharp Aquos lcd from the 983H that I did not noticed on the other dvd players that I tried:
1. 983H has a more detailed picture.
2. Sharper picture.
3. Clear picture.
4. Vibrant colors on screen.
5. Brighter picture.
6. Smooth and flimlike picture.

The 983H is the best dvd player that I used so far and its worth the extra money from the other dvd players that I tried out, and it looks like a keeper.
I really enjoy using the 983H more than my Panasonic DMP-BD30 blu-ray player. I'm now considering to sell my blu-ray player and wait for the Oppo blu-ray player.

Hi!

I'm new to the Forum and this is my second post, first on this Thread.

I was one of the lucky few that received my 983 from the second batch and love most everything about the player.

My experience playing a few scratched music cd's on the other OPPO players that I've owned (970 & 980) were not very good.

However, playing them through the 983 is flawless.

Plus, my Blu-Ray collection is looking marvelous! :D

Perpendicular, I'm perplexed by your last sentence. Since the 983 has nothing to do with blu-ray, are you saying that life is just plain good for you in both the SD DVD and blu-ray realms?
- Esau

Aren´t the DVDTimes review supposed to be added to the Front Page?

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=67760

That's the opposite of my impression wrt how Blu-ray vs. SD DVD look. I find my good Blu-ray discs have an almost 3D look to them that really enjoy, whereas my SD DVDs seem a bit fuzzy and flat. I haven't received my 983 yet, and perhaps that will change my opinion, but this is with my 980 and 981 (as well as a few other DVD players).

Also, on SD DVD the thing I miss the most is the lossless multi-channel audio. I have never been a fan of lossy audio compression, be it Dolby Digital, DTS, MP3, etc. My BDs simply sound better than any of my DVDs.

I will say that I will be very pleased if my impression of the 983 comes close to yours. I own close to 1000 DVDs and would love to see that kind of improvement (too bad he audio will still fall short, nothing Oppo can do for that).

My setup includes a Pioneer DVP-95HD, JVC DLA-HD1, Yamaha RX-Z11, and an Outlaw Audio 7900.

Do report back when you've had chance to evaluate the 983!! I'd be interested in what you say because until I got my Oppo 983H I'd have said exactly the same as you. But not now...

Keith

Not likely in my opinion. I would expect the bitstream to be either correct (i.e., identical between players) or not (with non-subtle effects such as dropouts or terrible noise).

It's true that the 1s and 0s will be 'right' or 'wrong' but there are other things that can afect the final sound - the DAC for example. I too notice that my SD DVDs sound better on the 983H than they did before. Not a massive difference but it's there.

Keith

Gary,

What has using the OPPO cable to do with anything? Isn't a cable a cable?

I had a cable that worked just fine with HDMI picture, but when you also let it handle audio, it couldn't do it properly. I got dropouts and stuff. Maybe a faulty cable or maybe there is a difference after all between so-called 1.2 and 1.3 cables. Either way, a change of cable fixed it.

Keith

I've been an audiophile for 40 years (of course, only 26 or so have been digital). It is definitely possible (I'd actually say probable) that different players will sound different. I can't tell you why (although "simple" things like power supply and resonance matter), but I've found this to be true with different transports and the same DAC.
Well, I've been a software engineer for over 40 years and still would call this a placebo effect. These are highly compressed bitstreams and incorrect bits can play havoc with decompression algorithms.

Thank you wmcclain, RapalloAV, kbarnes701 and Mark or me? ... for the info about the superb PAL quality :D
Now i like to order one :)

OPPO/ABT can choose to bias the Auto De-interlacing Mode toward film, video, PAL, etc. Hence the European firmware will bias to PAL and the US firmware will bias to NTSC.
Gary

I don't understand the reason to program different firmware. :confused:
If the dvd is PAL then the De-interlacer should bias PAL functionality.
If the dvd is NTSC then the De-interlacer should bias NTSC functionality.

Is it not possible to use 1 universal firmware in both the European player and the American player?

Hi all,I can't seem to find the OPPO remote code for SA explorer-8300 hd.Any help appreciated.Thanks in advance.

Does anyone know if the OPPO can convert PAL to NTSC out?
I have some pal discs, but always get confused with "pal and ntsc compatible" and if it only plays or can actually convert. This player, as with many others seem to lump the two features together.
Thanks

Does anyone know if the OPPO can convert PAL to NTSC out?
I have some pal discs, but always get confused with "pal and ntsc compatible" and if it only plays or can actually convert. This player, as with many others seem to lump the two features together.
Thanks

The answer is a big YES. Full pal to ntsc converion, OR if you prefer, and you display can handle it, you can choose to not convert.

Hi all,I can't seem to find the OPPO remote code for SA explorer-8300 hd.Any help appreciated.Thanks in advance.
The 8300HD's remote does not have a code for the OPPO players. Instead, I'd recommend enabling the "Alt RC Code" option in the 983H's setup (general page, if I remember correctly). If you do this, a Toshiba could should do the trick for you. The code I've used successfully with an 8300HD's remote was 0503.

Thanks! i almost forgot to ask -Does anyone know where it can be shipped as an all region player?

Thanks! i almost forgot to ask - are Oppo ship as all region players?

No, not right out of the box. From the first post in this thread, to make it region free:

Press Setup.
Press "9210" in quick succession. A new window will appear.
Press "0". Your region is now multi-region.
Press Setup to Exit.

thanks, mike!

Mine just came in today, but I only had a few minutes to play with it before I had to leave the house. I popped in and watched episode 3 of Dexter Season 1 to test out a scene at a hockey arena, and I must say that I'm a little disappointed.

I was hoping that the 983 would make all of the aliasing in the background (there are several hard metallic edges in this scene) go away, or at least tone it down a bit, but it looked just as bad as any other player I've tested this with.

Granted, this was only about a 10 minute viewing session and I haven't messed around with any settings yet, so maybe I'll have better results tomorrow when I can get the player hooked up to my projector.

Keep in mind that some transfers may be inherently flawed - errors built into the encoded signal - and even the best decoding, deinterlacing, and scaling will end up just recreating such errors. Definitely try an assortment of different discs...

Yeah, I plan on watching a lot of different discs come tomorrow night.

Just got my 983 today and connected it up to my Yamaha RX-Z11 via HDMI and I get no video and only intermittent audio. The 983 is replacing a 980 that works fine over HDMI (component video is ok). I'm afraid that I'm experiencing a compatibility problem between the 983 and the RX-Z11 (video works fine if I plug directly into my JVC DLA-HD1 projector). Anyone else seen this? (the 983 did come with the latest firmware version).

Got my 983 today too, got it all set up and watched one DVD rental from netflix. So far so good. PQ is slightly better than using a PS2 for a transport and letting the Sony XBR4 do the scaling. I am not complaining, I did not expect to see a huge difference on my 46" screen. This would be a credit to the XBR4's scaling and de-interlacing capabilities, since it stacks up so well to the state of the art oppo. Build quality is definitely a step up from the 981 I had for a couple of weeks. I like the styling of this unit better too. Returned the 981 because it got picky about playing less-than-perfect DVDs. Hopefully I will not have the same issues with the 983.
Cheers,
Funk

Edit: scratch that- the 983 is much better than the XBR4's internal scaler. Just watched Raiders of the Lost Ark and the PQ was outstanding!!!!!

Finally got mine today-I love the pq but have noticed an odd thing with the transport-when I put pressed dvds and most burned dvds in it's nearly silent but any audio cd and some burned dvds-primarially dl's and the transport sounds like an outboard motor-can't figure it out. It has no problems reading anything I load it with-but the noise is driving me crazy. May be a plastic part in the loading tray vibrating at a specific drive RPM. Try moving the player or twisting it a little. If it persists, contact OPPO.

Gary

I don't understand the reason to program different firmware. :confused:
If the dvd is PAL then the De-interlacer should bias PAL functionality.
If the dvd is NTSC then the De-interlacer should bias NTSC functionality.

Is it not possible to use 1 universal firmware in both the European player and the American player? You're misunderstanding the word bias. PAL and NTSC DVD's are automatically detected and de-interlaced for both US and European FW. However, the sophisticated motion-adaptive de-interlacing takes time to detect the cadence and respond appropriately (at a bad DVD edit, for example). In order to improve the speed and accuracy of detection and cadence locking, the US FW is designed to favor NTSC material, whereas the European FW favors PAL.

Gary

I popped in and watched episode 3 of Dexter Season 1 to test out a scene at a hockey arena, and I must say that I'm a little disappointed.

I was hoping that the 983 would make all of the aliasing in the background (there are several hard metallic edges in this scene) go away, or at least tone it down a bit, but it looked just as bad as any other player I've tested this with. Gonk is right. A scene shot at a hockey arena, may have been recorded with a lower-resolution video camera. I have disks like that too... its the source material, not the de-interlacing.

Gary

Aren´t the DVDTimes review supposed to be added to the Front Page?
http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=67760 Neuromancer may be on vacation. That's another great review. I'm sure it will be added.

Gary

I have had the 983 for over a month now and the more I use it the better it looks. I don't know if anyone else out there can say this, but I swear the video quality seems to get better over time, must be an illusion but does anyone else think this?

After spending some more time testing the problems I'm having with the HDMI connection to my RX-Z11 I've noticed that when I set the output resolution to 480p the link between the 983 and Z11 works as expected (I get video and audio, but no multi-channel audio [as expected]). By increasing the output resolution from the 983 I can still receive video up through 1080i, but at 1080p I lose it. At 1080p the Z11 signal info display for video briefly flashes 1080p input periodically, but never sticks. Note that with video resolutions above 480p the Z11 signal info claims that it's receiving 3/2/.1 channels at 88.2kHz (I was playing a multi-channel SACD at the time), but the front panel icons for the channels do not light up and I get no sound. As I mentioned before, the 983 drives my projector directly at 1080p fine; and my DV-980H player works with the Z11 fine as well, so the problem is only between the 983 and the Z11.

This seems like some kind of handshaking/synchronzing problem between the 983 and Z11. Note that the HDMI icon on the front panel of the Z11 does light up, so it appears to detect that there's an HDMI signal there, just can't decipher it I guess.

Anyone else with a 983 & RX-Z11 out there? If so, how is yours working?

Bob

After spending some more time testing the problems I'm having with the HDMI connection to my RX-Z11 I've noticed that when I set the output resolution to 480p the link between the 983 and Z11 works as expected (I get video and audio, but no multi-channel audio [as expected]). By increasing the output resolution from the 983 I can still receive video up through 1080i, but at 1080p I lose it. At 1080p the Z11 signal info display for video briefly flashes 1080p input periodically, but never sticks. Note that with video resolutions above 480p the Z11 signal info claims that it's receiving 3/2/.1 channels at 88.2kHz (I was playing a multi-channel SACD at the time), but the front panel icons for the channels do not light up and I get no sound. As I mentioned before, the 983 drives my projector directly at 1080p fine; and my DV-980H player works with the Z11 fine as well, so the problem is only between the 983 and the Z11.

This seems like some kind of handshaking/synchronzing problem between the 983 and Z11. Note that the HDMI icon on the front panel of the Z11 does light up, so it appears to detect that there's an HDMI signal there, just can't decipher it I guess.

Anyone else with a 983 & RX-Z11 out there? If so, how is yours working?

Bob

I am no expert at all, but the symptoms you describe sound like your cable cannot successfully deliver the signal's higher bandwidth at 1080p. Are you using the Oppo supplied cable? I do know there are different data ratings for HDMI cables, so maybe a higher-rated cable will help.

Are there any sort of instructions on how to use the DVD that came with the 983?

I currently have a Meridian G98 and am replacing my Runco VX2 (720p) with a VX22 (1080p). I have been running SD DVD's over component cables 480p and letting the Runco external processor up convert to 720p. I have tried different ways but this seems the best of them. With that said, I am not real happy with the video quality at all.

I have read so much about Oppo that is seems like it's worth a try given that they are inexpensive. Are these players that good? It looks like the Oppo 983 is the new flagship player so I am thinking of giving this a try.

If anyone has any experience with this or other Oppo models, can you let me know what you think, and what is the best way to send video out of it... compoment or HDMI and should I let the Oppo up convert to 1080p or let the Runco do it?

I am using an 861. How good or bad is the audio out of the Oppo for home theater?

Thanks,
Ken

I currently have a Meridian G98 and am replacing my Runco VX2 (720p) with a VX22 (1080p). I have been running SD DVD's over component cables 480p and letting the Runco external processor up convert to 720p. I have tried different ways but this seems the best of them. With that said, I am not real happy with the video quality at all.

I have read so much about Oppo that is seems like it's worth a try given that they are inexpensive. Are these players that good? It looks like the Oppo 983 is the new flagship player so I am thinking of giving this a try.

If anyone has any experience with this or other Oppo models, can you let me know what you think, and what is the best way to send video out of it... compoment or HDMI and should I let the Oppo up convert to 1080p or let the Runco do it?

I am using an 861. How good or bad is the audio out of the Oppo for home theater?

Thanks,
Ken
1080p over HDMI is probably best for most. HOwever, if your projector is 720 and has decent scaling you might want to send 4080p oever HDMI.

You can't take advantage of the ABT processing if you are using component, so HDMI will be better. The scaling of the ABT system is also excellent and gives you lots of flexibility with scaling and stretching non-anamorphic DVDs.

After spending some more time testing the problems I'm having with the HDMI connection to my RX-Z11 I've noticed that when I set the output resolution to 480p the link between the 983 and Z11 works as expected (I get video and audio, but no multi-channel audio [as expected]) ...

Bob

Bob,

Why do you expect it to not have multi-channel audio output? I was under the impression that HDMI transmits MC audio.

Bob,

Why do you expect it to not have multi-channel audio output? I was under the impression that HDMI transmits MC audio.
Because the HDMI spec allocates audio bandwidth based on the video bandwidth being used, and a 480p video resolution doesn't use enough bandwidth to allow multichannel PCM to pass on the audio side.

Are there any sort of instructions on how to use the DVD that came with the 983? Here's a start, from Jeffhdz: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13363146#post13363146

Gary

Thanks Gary. FWIW, there is a noticeable improvement in PQ with the 983H over my old JVC $100 480P DVD player. I wouldn't call it earth shattering by any means. However, there is a really, really nice improvement in audio quality.

The answer is a big YES. Full pal to ntsc converion, OR if you prefer, and you display can handle it, you can choose to not convert.
So if I buy NTSC discs from the U.S., they will play here in Australia on my PAL TV set? ( I have set my 983 to region free).
Hopefully the answer is another big YES.

So if I buy NTSC discs from the U.S., they will play here in Australia on my PAL TV set? ( I have set my 983 to region free).
Hopefully the answer is another big YES.
Yep.

So if I buy NTSC discs from the U.S., they will play here in Australia on my PAL TV set? ( I have set my 983 to region free).
Hopefully the answer is another big YES.

YES! :D:D:D (sorry gonk, I just needed to say that :))

YES! :D:D:D (sorry gonk, I just needed to say that :))
:) - You say it so well, how could I fault you for it?...

Hi all,

Just got mine today.

I have a slight problem though. I have it connected straight to my 720p projector ( Panasonic AE900) with a Blue Jeans 25 foot HDMI cable. Using digital coax for audio into a Yamaha 3800.

When I set the Oppo to 720p the picture has a lot of noise and grain in the image ? Looks worse than a normal picture on a 576i DVD player. There is lots of noise around the edges of text and the edge of buildings and stuff. But when I set it to 1080i it looks way better.

I have gone through all the settings in both the Oppo and projector but cant find anything that makes any difference.

Any ideas why this might be ? And dose this mean buy outputting a 1080i signal the Oppo is not doing the deinterlacing ? Maybe that’s the problem with my 720p picture ? Could the Oppo be doing a bad job of deinterlacing and my projector is a lot better at it or conflicting with it ?

This is with PAL format too by the way. Oppo settings all Auto.

I am no expert at all, but the symptoms you describe sound like your cable cannot successfully deliver the signal's higher bandwidth at 1080p. Are you using the Oppo supplied cable? I do know there are different data ratings for HDMI cables, so maybe a higher-rated cable will help.
This could be, but I've tried several different cables (and yes, one of them was the cable that came with the 983, another was the cable that came with the 980). Also, these same cables work just fine with the 980 so although I can't rule out it being a cable problem, it seems not too likely to me at this point.

Bob,

Why do you expect it to not have multi-channel audio output? I was under the impression that HDMI transmits MC audio.
Mostly due to the silence that I hear while the SACD is playing (vs. music when I switch back to the 980). Also, even though the Z11's signal info screen in its GUI says the right 3/2/.1 88kHz audio signal, the front panel icons on the Z11 don't light up for *any* channels. So it does appear that the Z11 is seeing something there that tells it to expect multi-channel audio data but nothing is actually coming through.

Hey Y'all,

Gary answered a question for me in the 971 thread yesterday. It was the answer I wanted to hear, so I'm adding the 983 thread to my subs.

I'm going to keep my trusty 971 hooked up to the 50" GW II until the bulb dies. I've also ordered a Samsung LN52A650 so I signed up with OPPO for a 983 pre-order.

Does anyone have an estimate for the turn-around time from signing up to actually receiving the 983? I mean are we talking days, weeks, or months?

Thanks!

-Toonces

BTW - It's just incredible that I've now been reading the AVS forums for four years this month. Time does indeed fly when you're having fun!...:D

Using the Contrast/Brightness section of the VRS disc, I noticed that for the below black bar to disappear, my display's brightness was 6 notches higher than with DVE. I rechecked with DVE, and below black was showing. I then tried THX Optimizer on The Incredibles disc and found it's optimum setting to be within one of DVE.

Have others noticed this? Since the DVE setting is darker, the contrast is better, so I'm going with this. It's just surprising that two calibration discs meant for the same purpose could have such significantly different levels. Isn't black black when it comes to video levels on the same equipment?

BTW, the 983H is amazing to my eyes. It delivers sharpness and detail that I did not think was possible with SD DVD. After 4 years of searching for a great DVD player under $1,000, I am thrilled to have found what might be the best for $400.

I have a slight problem though. I have it connected straight to my 720p projector ( Panasonic AE900) with a Blue Jeans 25 foot HDMI cable. Using digital coax for audio into a Yamaha 3800.

When I set the Oppo to 720p the picture has a lot of noise and grain in the image ? Looks worse than a normal picture on a 576i DVD player. There is lots of noise around the edges of text and the edge of buildings and stuff. But when I set it to 1080i it looks way better.

I have gone through all the settings in both the Oppo and projector but cant find anything that makes any difference.

Any ideas why this might be ? And dose this mean buy outputting a 1080i signal the Oppo is not doing the deinterlacing ? Maybe that’s the problem with my 720p picture ? Could the Oppo be doing a bad job of deinterlacing and my projector is a lot better at it or conflicting with it ?

This is with PAL format too by the way. Oppo settings all Auto. Have you verified this issue with multiple DVD's? Does it occur on NTSC disks too? The 983 de-interlaces for the 1080i output (then re-interlaces it), so de-interlacing is not the issue. The 25 foot cable may be a problem. Check for cable kinks, stress on the connectors, and try the OPPO cable to see if it helps. If not, contact OPPO.

Gary

Gary answered a question for me in the 971 thread yesterday. It was the answer I wanted to hear, so I'm adding the 983 thread to my subs.

Does anyone have an estimate for the turn-around time from signing up to actually receiving the 983? I mean are we talking days, weeks, or months? Nice to have you here. It seems that OPPO is receiving monthly batches of players. If the backorders are not too large, you could be in luck. Check with OPPO.

Gary

Using the Contrast/Brightness section of the VRS disc, I noticed that for the below black bar to disappear, my display's brightness was 6 notches higher than with DVE. I rechecked with DVE, and below black was showing. I then tried THX Optimizer on The Incredibles disc and found it's optimum setting to be within one of DVE.

Have others noticed this? Since the DVE setting is darker, the contrast is better, so I'm going with this. It's just surprising that two calibration discs meant for the same purpose could have such significantly different levels. Isn't black black when it comes to video levels on the same equipment? Go with DVE. I'll check the VRS disk tonight.

BTW, the 983H is amazing to my eyes. It delivers sharpness and detail that I did not think was possible with SD DVD. After 4 years of searching for a great DVD player under $1,000, I am thrilled to have found what might be the best for $400. Good to hear. The 983 is definitely a killer player.

Gary

Ok well i did what you said and it doesn't matter what DVD i try (PAL or NTSC) it still shows the same grain and excess noise around the edges of objects. Even with sharpness turned all the way down.

The 25 foot Blue Jeans cable is brand new and is the best one they make. I got it the same day as the Oppo. And it works brilliantly with 1080i so it should do 720p no sweat. I gave the Oppo cable a try anyway and it dose the same thing.

I can live with it set to 1080i. Its looks sweet. It just seems very wrong that when set to 720p ( the same as my 720p projector) it looks unwatchable.

I don't want to send it back as i am in Australia and its a real hassle so i might just ask Oppo and see what they think it is and leave it on 1080i if nothing will fix it.

The turn around time from when I put my name on the preorder list to when I actually got my 983 was only 2 weeks. I think your image problem is probally because your hdmi cable is too long.

:) - You say it so well, how could I fault you for it?...

Thanks Gonk and Smarty.

;)

Well my second 983 is on the truck out for delivery today. Hope very much it doesn't have dropout or any other problems. *makes sign of the cross*

I have no issues with drop outs or any other problems since I feed my 720p projector with a 720p dvd signal and audio goes out seperatly via coax.
Any reason for me to put the firmware upgrade on the player (besides for future equipment changes)?

Dose anyone here know how the IR IN/OUT ports work on these ?

I am having a lot of trouble getting it to respond to any remote commands including my MX800 universal remote with IR Blaster. It takes several button presses to get it to respond sometimes. And sometimes it is fine. It is doing it with all the buttons not just a couple.

So I am hoping this IR IN/OUT port thing can bypass the players IR pickup and make a more stable connection ? So how do they work exactly ? My IR blaster has plug in repeaters that have the same style of plug as the one on the back of the Oppo. Could I use a cable to connect to two in that way or would it blow something up ?

Thanks for any help.

I'm just using my AVRs remote (used Learning mode) for the 983 and still have issues with some commands. Pause doesn't like to learn and work but play does. Arrows learned and work great. The AVR's remote is faster/better response than the 983's remote BUT at times the 983 unit just gets stubborn and refuses to accept remote commands from the AVR remote!

I love the 983's picture. I can guarrenty this: 983 + Fifth Element SB (or Indian Jones Lost Ark) + Sony 52XBR4 = absolute joy!

But the remote thing is a pain. Luckly I just sit and watch. Although a solution would be good in the near future.

Using the Contrast/Brightness section of the VRS disc, I noticed that for the below black bar to disappear, my display's brightness was 6 notches higher than with DVE. I rechecked with DVE, and below black was showing. I then tried THX Optimizer on The Incredibles disc and found it's optimum setting to be within one of DVE.

Have others noticed this? Since the DVE setting is darker, the contrast is better, so I'm going with this. It's just surprising that two calibration discs meant for the same purpose could have such significantly different levels. Isn't black black when it comes to video levels on the same equipment?

Go with DVE. I'll check the VRS disk tonight.

Gary

Thanks, Gary. I'm sticking with DVE settings. I was just surprised to see the difference. I'd like someone else to verify just in case there's something I'm doing wrong with VRS, although I can't think of what that would be.

I had read about the 980/983 pause IR command issue and was not looking forward to this issue. To my surprise, I was able to learn the pause cmd into my MX-500 on the first attempt. No problem.

Got my new (2nd) 983 today and have spent a couple of hours testing it with 3 different dvds. All was going well when I had a video dropout on "Elizabeth, The Golden Age". I thought this can't be happening to me again:mad:. Checked cable connections again and reinserted my 970 that didn't have any problems. Haven't bothered to check firmware status yet as I thought it was supposed to be shipped with the latest. 983 is hooked directly to the tv with audio connected via optical. Right now I'm trying to remain calm and not curse myself for buying this thing again.

Got it from Oppo direct, right? Check the fw. Check the cable. Check the disc. No reason to panic yet :)

I watch a lot of TV animation on DVD. I really wanted to love the 980, but some shows, like Futurama for instance, looked TERRIBLE. I knew the deinterlacing was a bit rough on the 980, but the combing and stuttering actually gave me a headache, like I was on some acid trip or something. Anyway, I still would like to own an oppo for sacd, hdcd, etc. So the question is, can the 983 deliver the goods on animation? I am VERY sensitive to combing and jaggies in particular.

That is one thing that has impressed me with the PS3, it handles animation extremely well, but man, is it power hungry (like, 160 watts to play a dvd). I couldn't find it on their website, how much power does the 983 use. 14watts or so like the 980?

oh yeah, one other question. does the 983 output true 44.1Khz for CD, or is it resampled to something else?

Got it from Oppo direct, right? Check the fw. Check the cable. Check the disc. No reason to panic yet :)

Ugh, 1:00 am. Didn't sleep worth a hoot. Not in panic mode yet Smarty:). In 2 hours of watching I only saw one dropout but with my history of this thing you can imagine my reaction. Going to go check firmware now......
OSD pop-up says:
MVER:05.00.01.07 BATCHDV983-06-0430
That looks to be the latest released last month. Yes, I got this direct from Oppo.
Nothing wrong with cable(s) or the disc's, have watched these and other movies flawlessly on my 970 since I returned my first 983. Looks like I have plenty of time before I have to go to work so I'll pop in another movie & install toothpicks under my eyelids.

Nothing wrong with cable(s) or the disc's, have watched these and other movies flawlessly on my 970 since I returned my first 983.
The 970 doesn't do 1080p. Cables can make a huge difference with the increased bandwidth. Use the OPPO-supplied cable direct to the display.
Hope very much it doesn't have dropout or any other problems. *makes sign of the cross* Have you considered exorcism?

Gary

Using the Contrast/Brightness section of the VRS disc, I noticed that for the below black bar to disappear, my display's brightness was 6 notches higher than with DVE. I rechecked with DVE, and below black was showing. On my display (Sony KDL46V25xx LCD), the blacker-than-black (third) bar disappears at exactly the same Brightness setting when using DVE or the VRS test disk (invisible at 49, just visible at 50 - it helps to look at my LCD from a very off-axis angle to see it appear). Not sure whats up with your setup. Better check again.

Gary

The 970 doesn't do 1080p. Cables can make a huge difference with the increased bandwidth. Use the OPPO-supplied cable direct to the display.
Have you considered exorcism?

Gary
Did use the Oppo cable when I had the dropout and it is hooked directly to the tv. Switched to my super duper Monoprice hdmi cable and looked in the yellow pages for exorcists. Finding none I wore my black and white altar boy outfit and prayed the rosary in latin. Sat for hours unblinking (hell of a hobby ain't it?) watching 3:10 to Yuma with no dropouts. What a great picture. I REALLY hope this works out and I don't have to return it.:)

Fixed my unresponsive remote problem.

When trying to see if the IR in/out jack on the back would work through my Yamaha 3800 IR out jack i covered up the IR sensor on the front of the 983 with some black cloth tape. Then while testing to see if the tape had stopped the signal from the remote getting through i discovered it still worked through the tape and was working better than ever.....

Just as well because the IR jack thing didn't work anyway. It just made the lights on the front flash red and blue like it was in error.

This is with a Universal Remote MX800 and MRF200 base station by the way. Not the Oppo remote if anyone is wondering. It only worked because my IR blaster on the MRF200 was over loading the sensor on the 983.

Fixed my unresponsive remote problem.

When trying to see if the IR in/out jack on the back would work through my Yamaha 3800 IR out jack i covered up the IR sensor on the front of the 983 with some black cloth tape. Then while testing to see if the tape had stopped the signal from the remote getting through i discovered it still worked through the tape and was working better than ever.....

Just as well because the IR jack thing didn't work anyway. It just made the lights on the front flash red and blue like it was in error.

This is with a Universal Remote MX800 and MRF200 base station by the way. Not the Oppo remote if anyone is wondering. It only worked because my IR blaster on the MRF200 was over loading the sensor on the 983.

has anyone been able to use the rear IR port successfully?

Well, I probably own the 2 best standard definition DVD players on the market. The XA2 and the Oppo 983! It's probably a little redundant owning both, but with the demise of HD DVD I wanted to preserve my XA2 for as long as possible. I've been enjoying it so much as an upconverting DVD player that it replaced my Oppo 971H as my primary DVD player, which is why I jumped at the 983 when it became available. Picture quality wise I think both are very similar, giving the edge to the 983.

Why is there a "discussed" pause remote command issue that I never heard of!? The supplied remote buttons are slow and often ~50% don't respond. My learning remote gets prefectly fast (very nice) response from the 983 but the pause never works (have tried to learn/relearn many times!). I am guessing I"m not overloading the IR receiver with my universal because it's mainly the "pause" command that's an issue.

I wouldn't think something like remote IR commands would be an issue.

I have the 970 & 983( i have yet seen a dropout either V nor audio) using both the Oppo HDMI cable and a longer BJCABLE.
I played them side by side -just to see the different after 3 months with the 983. PQ and DVD audio is dead on-w/983
i watched the golden compass 3 time over the last week. Did not have a drop out. Even my wife said after watching the PQ. asked how much better would BR look, i said some what better- a little more detail in the darker areas,&etc... she said it isn't worth it the PQ is gorgeous.
*Note- HDMI for Video--- coaxial for Audio--- & 5.1AnalogMch

Have been reading this thread and am impressed by the rave reviews of this player. My problem is that i have gotten hooked by the convenience of streaming my ripped DVDs via xbmc. Anybody think there is a chance that Oppo may one day build a similar device that would support 480i input (video processor rather than a pure player I guess?) that could be paired with a HTPC type device (read xbmc on linux). XBMC frontend and streaming with oppo picture quality would be a killer combination. Are there video processors on the market today in the same price/performance range as this Oppo player? Seems like the Anchor Bay processors are significantly more expensive. Sorry the question is a little off topic.

I'm curious how Xvid/DivX/Vob playback from USB devices work with regard to the ABT processing. Is everything that comes from the 983 treated by the ABT102?

FYI. A few of this available from OPPO for phone orders only. Just ordered.

I have the 970 & 983( i have yet seen a dropout either V nor audio) using both the Oppo HDMI cable and a longer BJCABLE.
I played them side by side -just to see the different after 3 months with the 983. PQ and DVD audio is dead on-w/983
i watched the golden compass 3 time over the last week. Did not have a drop out. Even my wife said after watching the PQ. asked how much better would BR look, i said some what better- a little more detail in the darker areas,&etc... she said it isn't worth it the PQ is gorgeous
I think that this depends on your TV size and quality a great deal. With my DLA-HD1 projector and 100" screen I see a significant difference between DVDs and BDs. With BDs the overall picture detail is greater (not just darker areas) and everything is sharper. Also, the BDs have an almost 3D look to them that my DVDs totally lack.

bwillcox- i agree with you. I have 50"NECxr5A at ~11'. With 100" projector i would think the BR PQ would be significantly better(more pixs). We were talking about our room. My LV Home theater ;^). can only have so many pieces of gear. i.e. one DVD player- that can do everything.
Music is as important as video... But i would like to see better content-acting /story telling in the todays Movies. We watched the restored Metropolis last week. The DVD lets you choice to watch in the original movie style(as if you were back in a 1927 movie theater)-framing was different than the restore/modern PQ.
This player handle the movie experience wonderfully.

I have the 970 & 983( i have yet seen a dropout either V nor audio) using both the Oppo HDMI cable and a longer BJCABLE.
I played them side by side -just to see the different after 3 months with the 983. PQ and DVD audio is dead on-w/983
i watched the golden compass 3 time over the last week. Did not have a drop out. Even my wife said after watching the PQ. asked how much better would BR look, i said some what better- a little more detail in the darker areas,&etc... she said it isn't worth it the PQ is gorgeous

That's what I was thinking when I watched 3:10 To Yuma last night. There was a lot of closeups of the actors and I was pleased with the amount of detail and competely natual skin tone. Blu ray better? I guess so. Worth it to me? Nope.

called OPPO (very nice folks)

the rear IR [in] port is a 3 pin jack that has power on the tip (powers optional device): I have seen this in recent gear such as the DirecTV HR21 Pro...

OPPO will send a 3 pin to 2 pin adapter upon request

or just do it yourself (splice a 3 pin pigtail to a 2 pin and test it for pinout: leave the tip unconnected):

tip is power out: do not use for IR IN!
ring is + (the middle contact)IR signal in
sleeve is ground

it works!

I'm curious how Xvid/DivX/Vob playback from USB devices work with regard to the ABT processing. Is everything that comes from the 983 treated by the ABT102?

Yes; I watch a lot of Xvid Eurosport rips and they look better than you could reasonably expect.

That's what I was thinking when I watched 3:10 To Yuma last night. There was a lot of closeups of the actors and I was pleased with the amount of detail and competely natual skin tone. Blu ray better? I guess so. Worth it to me? Nope.I agree. Sure it lacks the same amount of detail as observed in Blu-Ray version, but is it worth paying so much more for the Blu-Ray version of the same movie when the Oppo 983H does a decent job increasing detail and enhancing colors on the SD version? Nope. :)

Yes; I watch a lot of Xvid Eurosport rips and they look better than you could reasonably expect.

And you can access all of the ABT parameters i.e aspects, deinterlacing mode etc?

I agree. Sure it lacks the same amount of detail as observed in Blu-Ray version, but is it worth paying so much more for the Blu-Ray version of the same movie when the Oppo 983H does a decent job increasing detail and enhancing colors on the SD version? Nope. :)


I love my 983, and think it performs better than I expected it to, but it is not even in the same league as BR. I question why people keep comparing it to BR, I don't see the point. BR is in a different league, and SD-DVD's will never be in that league. I also don't think it's fair to compare the two, as I see the Oppo as a perfect DVD player that has nothing to do with BR. I'm not bashing either format, I enjoy both, as many of the lesser known titles that I have are not available in BR and probably never will be.

I also seriously question why anyone who can't appreciate the near perfection of BR would bother to spend $400 on a DVD player when they could get a $100 model, the differences in performance between the 983 and $100 players (such as the Pioneer 400) are much more subtle than the differences between DVD and BR.

has anyone been able to use the rear IR port successfully?

I have it working great with my Pronto 7500 and RFX6500 RF-IR

Especially impressed when Oppo supply a PCF with the IR codes ready to go!

I love my 983, and think it performs better than I expected it to, but it is not even in the same league as BR. I question why people keep comparing it to BR, I don't see the point. BR is in a different league, and SD-DVD's will never be in that league. I also don't think it's fair to compare the two, as I see the Oppo as a perfect DVD player that has nothing to do with BR. I'm not bashing either format, I enjoy both, as many of the lesser known titles that I have are not available in BR and probably never will be.

I also seriously question why anyone who can't appreciate the near perfection of BR would bother to spend $400 on a DVD player when they could get a $100 model, the differences in performance between the 983 and $100 players (such as the Pioneer 400) are much more subtle than the differences between DVD and BR.

It's kind of simple. The 983 creates an experience that is good enough for certain people while Blu-ray standards, hardware, and software evolve. Appreciation for quality improvement for $400 when you have hundreds or thousands of discs that are improved seems like small change. Moving to Blu-ray is only a starting point for building or rebuilding a collection with more cost and more potential for problems along the way.

It's never really only about quality. It's really about value. After all, none of us have the absolute best CE equipment available. We make decisions on how to enjoy our media within our own constraints. To my eyes, the 983 is a tremendous value as, is DVD software. The improvement offered by this player and current market conditions make the decision to move toward Blu-ray a bit more difficult for some of us. Is it HD? Obviously not. Is it quite good? Absolutely. Is it a major upgrade over the Pioneer 400 (which I had previously)? Clearly, IMO.

I purchased my 983 simply because I grew tired of waiting on a blu-ray player to become available. I purchased my Mitsu DLP back on Labor Day weekend 2006 and I thought by Christmas '06 there would be a mature product. Nope. Then I thought Christmas '07. Nope. Now, I am waiting for the Sony S550 to come out this Fall (maybe), which should be the first "complete" blu-ray player. Meanwhile, my HD content has been from the satellite box. Yuck. The 983 provides a noticeable improvement but it is by no means like 'night and day.' It is a shame blu-ray is two years behind HD DVD, and SD DVD playback sucks on the sub $2000 blu-ray players. Yeah, I know, PS3 is still the 'best' PQ out there. That just sums it up right there - the 'best' is a game console. I'll just keep waiting and while doing so, enjoy SD DVDs on the Oppo.

I agree. Sure it lacks the same amount of detail as observed in Blu-Ray version, but is it worth paying so much more for the Blu-Ray version of the same movie when the Oppo 983H does a decent job increasing detail and enhancing colors on the SD version? Nope. :)

Oh man. Don't agree at all.

I love the Oppo. It does a terrific job with well engineered SD DVDs. But to think it comes close to BD? Sorry, but I don't buy that. It's not just the detail in the BD. It's the color rendition and so many other factors.

Perhaps you're lucky. You can't appreciate the significant improvement in BR and will save money not having to buy a BD player or BD movies. Perhaps you have only a 22" HD set and the upconverted SD DVD looks good.

Me, not the slightest bit of hesitation is purchasing a BD of a SD DVD I already own and putting the SD DVD into the trash.

Just got a reply from Oppo about my 720p picture quality problem to my Panasonic AE900 projector.

They said they are getting an AE900U in to test.

Now that's customer service right there ;) Thank you so much Oppo.

Oh man. Don't agree at all.

I love the Oppo. It does a terrific job with well engineered SD DVDs. But to think it comes close to BD? Sorry, but I don't buy that. It's not just the detail in the BD. It's the color rendition and so many other factors.

Perhaps you're lucky. You can't appreciate the significant improvement in BR and will save money not having to buy a BD player or BD movies. Perhaps you have only a 22" HD set and the upconverted SD DVD looks good.

Me, not the slightest bit of hesitation is purchasing a BD of a SD DVD I already own and putting the SD DVD into the trash.I was talking about value, not comparing SD image quality and level of detail compared to BR.

For most movies out there I rather buy the SD version because the Oppo 983H increases the color and detail enough to be quite watchable on a large display then getting the BR version because the number of movies I purchase monthly is significant. Later on I will be updating some titles to a BR edition but the vast amount of titles are not worth upgrading to BR version.

BTW my smallest computer monitor is a 30" display so haha! :p

To get back to my question about Xvid and other files from USB devices. Can anyone check if ABT processing is for all content that exits the 983 via HDMI?

Just got a reply from Oppo about my 720p picture quality problem to my Panasonic AE900 projector.
They said they are getting an AE900U in to test.
Now that's customer service right there ;) Thank you so much Oppo.

Well, i'm a bit nervous now since i ordered the 983 yesterday at opposhop. :)
I have the Panasonic AE900E, this is the european model with scart instead of component.
I recently used a Denon 2930 and Oppo 971 on it with a Profigold PGV 1010.
Lenght is 10 meter (33 feet).
The 2930 had a small amount of 'moving micro worms' in brighter scenes.
The 971 didn't have that, but maybe i couldn't see because he was a lot less sharp.

I am using mine in 1080i and it is a much better picture than in 720p so even if it dosent look any good in 720p it should be a lot better in 1080i. The other resoultions below 1080i all look the same as 720p dose with the micro worms as you describe them.

I will let you know if i hear back from Oppo with what they find.

I wasn’t sure where to post this, so I’m posting it on both the 980 and 983 sites.

I recently did a direct comparison of both players in my video system. Both were new, and were powered up for 24 hours before doing any serious viewing and listening. In addition, both played DVDs for 4 hours beforehand. My display is the Pioneer Kuro 110, and my audio (2 channel) is a Cambridge integrated amp, Merlin TSMs, and PSB subwoofer. The Merlins run full-range, with the sub used only to “fill in” below. I was using the analog outputs of the players into my amp, and HDMI out to my display. Settings were the same on both players, and I played extensively with various audio settings after some initial listening.

I loved the video improvement of the 983 over the 980, but the sound was clearly not as good; the most obvious things were a relative overall harshness, and less full – and less well-defined - bass. I do not listen to CDs, SACDs, or DVD-As on my video system, so it’s very possible that what I heard does not apply to listening only to audio (i.e., the 983 may be better at that.)

Just wanted to add this information to the collection of findings and opinions on this great site. I hope it helps.

I agree. Sure it lacks the same amount of detail as observed in Blu-Ray version, but is it worth paying so much more for the Blu-Ray version of the same movie when the Oppo 983H does a decent job increasing detail and enhancing colors on the SD version? Nope. :)
Well the decision of whether it's worth it to spend the money applies to all of this stuff. It is purely subjective and there can be no right or wrong answer. If you have a large screen TV (regardless of type) and a high quality sound system, then Blu-ray *may* be important to you. It is for me. I appreciate the lossless multi-channel sound as much as the improved picture quality. Will I ever replace all of my DVDs (I own about 1000)? Of course not, that's why I wanted the 983.

I do have a disappointing story to tell, however. It is looking like my 983 and my Yamaha RX-Z11 aren't HDMI compatible. Oppo is sending me a replacement 983 to rule out the possibility of a defective unit, but I'm not holding my breath. My 983 works fine direct to my projector. It's only when I route it through the Z11 that the problem shows up (high-res video doesn't work and multi-channel audio [from SACD] is silent). My DV-980H works fine with the Z11. The engineer at Oppo that I've talked to says they have never tested with the Z11 (though they have with lower models in the Yamaha line) and that since the 983 and Z11 both use the same ABT upscaler chip he suspects that this may be causing a compatibility issue.

...

I loved the video improvement of the 983 over the 980, but the sound was clearly not as good; the most obvious things were a relative overall harshness, and less full – and less well-defined - bass. I do not listen to CDs, SACDs, or DVD-As on my video system, so it’s very possible that what I heard does not apply to listening only to audio (i.e., the 983 may be better at that.)

Just wanted to add this information to the collection of findings and opinions on this great site. I hope it helps.
My only concern regarding the audio on the 983 is that it can't output DSD signals over the HDMI link (due to its internal parts/design) as the 980 can. I'm not certain just how important this really is (since I believe that my Z11 will convert the DSD signal to PCM early on due to the fact that its internal DSP processing is all based on PCM signals) but the (sometimes) purest in me kinda likes that the 980 sends over the DSD signals. :)

Mine arrived yesterday. Only took 5 days to Denmark. It got the latest "firmware". Had to pay $150,50 in local VAT. Total came to: $619,50 ...which mean I saved the shipping if I had bought it from Sweden.

Hooked it up today using HDMI (Video) & Digital Coaxial (Audio).

TV-system set to: AUTO

Video set to: 720P - as my Panasonic PX70 maxes to 720P.

Everything works like a charm. :)

Kept everyting else set to factory settings. Has anybody any suggestions as to tweak the image to its highest potential?

Great image all the way.

And you can access all of the ABT parameters i.e aspects, deinterlacing mode etc?

Aspect yes, but I have not tried to mess with the deinterlacing modes. MotoGP is at Mugello this weekend so I'll play around while I watch and let you know.

FWIW the Xvid playback quality is much better than the 981 which exhibited a fair amount of macroblocking during fast motion scenes, especially over red & white striped rumble strips at racetracks. The difference in switching to the 983 is dramatic; much more lifelike.

I loved the video improvement of the 983 over the 980, but the sound was clearly not as good; the most obvious things were a relative overall harshness, and less full – and less well-defined - bass. I do not listen to CDs, SACDs, or DVD-As on my video system, so it’s very possible that what I heard does not apply to listening only to audio (i.e., the 983 may be better at that.) That doesn't sound right. The 983 has the same audio section as the 980, but it has been optimized, including upgraded caps and power supplies, etc. I assume you used the identical audio setup in the menus of both players, and you're not using 7.1 downmix (which will artificially synthesize the extra channels from 5.1 material)?

Gary

Kept everyting else set to factory settings. Has anybody any suggestions as to tweak the image to its highest potential?

Great image all the way. Good show! Keep the default video settings, and calibrate the display.

Gary

That doesn't sound right. The 983 has the same audio section as the 980, but it has been optimized, including upgraded caps and power supplies, etc. I assume you used the identical audio setup in the menus of both players, and you're not using 7.1 downmix (which will artificially synthesize the extra channels from 5.1 material)?

Gary

Correct to your question. I agree that it's strange. I thought it would be the other way around. I can only guess, and that guess is that the ABT video processing is affecting the sound differently; but who knows. I told Oppo about it, by the way.

Well the decision of whether it's worth it to spend the money applies to all of this stuff. It is purely subjective and there can be no right or wrong answer. If you have a large screen TV (regardless of type) and a high quality sound system, then Blu-ray *may* be important to you. It is for me. I appreciate the lossless multi-channel sound as much as the improved picture quality. Will I ever replace all of my DVDs (I own about 1000)? Of course not, that's why I wanted the 983.Completely right, I'm in the process of upgrading several components in one of my systems, such as getting one of the new Pioneer BR drives (not available yet) that have considerable faster start up and play time then the 2 min wonders currently selling, and replacing my AV receiver with a much better model. But rather then listen to the "BR is the only thing that matters chant", I recognize that 98% of media out there is still SD so it doesn't bother me to wait a bit longer before diving in. For now as I said the Oppo 983H does a wonderful job of taking SD-DVD's and making them better on large displays. Its not BR but its good enough for someone who has watched movies for years before digital movies were playing at the theaters. :)

I do have a disappointing story to tell, however. It is looking like my 983 and my Yamaha RX-Z11 aren't HDMI compatible. Oppo is sending me a replacement 983 to rule out the possibility of a defective unit, but I'm not holding my breath. My 983 works fine direct to my projector. It's only when I route it through the Z11 that the problem shows up (high-res video doesn't work and multi-channel audio [from SACD] is silent). My DV-980H works fine with the Z11. The engineer at Oppo that I've talked to says they have never tested with the Z11 (though they have with lower models in the Yamaha line) and that since the 983 and Z11 both use the same ABT upscaler chip he suspects that this may be causing a compatibility issue.The Yamaha RX-Z11 uses a ABT1018 scaler and the lower models (983/1800/3800) use ABT1010 scaler. This is interesting because of same chip in Oppo 983H and Yamaha RX-Z11. Hope the Oppo can resolve the issue for you.

I will have to disagree with jfz about his findings on the sound quality between the 980/983. Even though the 983 has a 12 volt output compared to the 981's 9 volts (sans the loudness effect), there is a significant difference (not night & day), with the 983 which produces a smoother overall quality to the sound when listening to cd, sacd & dvd-audio. The 983 helps discern the difference in quality between discs (how well they are mastered, etc) better.

I will have to disagree with jfz about his findings on the sound quality between the 980/983. Even though the 983 has a 12 volt output compared to the 981's 9 volts (sans the loudness effect), there is a significant difference (not night & day), with the 983 which produces a smoother overall quality to the sound when listening to cd, sacd & dvd-audio. The 983 helps discern the difference in quality between discs (how well they are mastered, etc) better. I agree, and most other reviewers would too. Something else must be wrong.

Gary

Correct to your question. I agree that it's strange. I thought it would be the other way around. I can only guess, and that guess is that the ABT video processing is affecting the sound differently; but who knows. I told Oppo about it, by the way. You told us about your equipment, but how about your listening environment? To fully appreciate the subtle differences with these players, you need a fairly high-end, acoustically treated room. Even then, shifting your listening position, even just a few inches, due to room modes, can affect how bass is perceived, which you described as "less full – and less well-defined". A properly controlled blind test would also be a far more reliable test method.

Gary

Aspect yes, but I have not tried to mess with the deinterlacing modes. MotoGP is at Mugello this weekend so I'll play around while I watch and let you know.

FWIW the Xvid playback quality is much better than the 981 which exhibited a fair amount of macroblocking during fast motion scenes, especially over red & white striped rumble strips at racetracks. The difference in switching to the 983 is dramatic; much more lifelike.

Thanks. I'll check tomorrow since it seams I have a 983 arriving to work then. I guess it's playtime and since I have the VP50Pro in the house I'll be doing some comparison with regards to how the 983 stacks up to the VP50Pro/980 combo.

To get back to my question about Xvid and other files from USB devices. Can anyone check if ABT processing is for all content that exits the 983 via HDMI?

Maybe just email service@oppodigital.com and ask them?

Well, i'm a bit nervous now since i ordered the 983 yesterday at opposhop. :)
I have the Panasonic AE900E, this is the european model with scart instead of component.
I recently used a Denon 2930 and Oppo 971 on it with a Profigold PGV 1010.
Lenght is 10 meter (33 feet).
The 2930 had a small amount of 'moving micro worms' in brighter scenes.
The 971 didn't have that, but maybe i couldn't see because he was a lot less sharp.
Here is the reply i just got from Oppo. I must say i am very impressd with the customer service from Oppo. More than impressd. A+ and a gold star to Oppo. ;)


Tim,

We got our PT-AE900U connected and test the 983H. Indeed resolutions 480p and 720p has more edge enhancement artifacts around edges. 1080i looks better. We compared with an Optoma HD81 projector using the same DVD player, and the HD81 does not show such edge enhancement. This leads us to believe that the edge enhancement was caused by the scaling process inside the PT-AE900U projecotr. The 983H has a very detailed and true-to-origin output, so the edge transition in the video is well preserved.

We found that by reducing the sharpness setting of the PT-AE900U to -5 or -6, we can get a clean picture similar to 1080i mode. Reducing sharpness on the DVD player to -2 does not help. With the PT-AE900U set at -5 sharpness, we verified the resolution test pattern and did not see any degradation.

Hope this information is helpful to you.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.

Thanks. I'll check tomorrow since it seams I have a 983 arriving to work then. I guess it's playtime and since I have the VP50Pro in the house I'll be doing some comparison with regards to how the 983 stacks up to the VP50Pro/980 combo.

Confirmed; you can play with all the settings you asked for while viewing XviD files.

Here is the reply i just ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... star to Oppo. ;)

Tanx Tim :confused:;)

When mine arrives, I let let you now.
Maybe within 1 or 2 weeks because of slow money transfer via post.

Confirmed; you can play with all the settings you asked for while viewing XviD files.

Spanks!

I will have to disagree with jfz about his findings on the sound quality between the 980/983. Even though the 983 has a 12 volt output compared to the 981's 9 volts (sans the loudness effect), there is a significant difference (not night & day), with the 983 which produces a smoother overall quality to the sound when listening to cd, sacd & dvd-audio. The 983 helps discern the difference in quality between discs (how well they are mastered, etc) better.

It sounds like you are comparing the 983 to the 981, not the 980. Also, as I said, my comparision was *not* with CDs, SACDs, and DVD-As. Kal Rubinson and others have said that audio only (i.e., without video circuitry engaged) sounds slightly better on the 983 (compared with the 980), and I have no reason to dis-believe them.

I agree, and most other reviewers would too. Something else must be wrong.

Gary

Gary,

The reviews I've seen have only talked about audio generally (i.e., so there's no way to know whether they are talking about audio with DVDs or with CDs, SACDs, etc.) Kal Rubinson's article in Stereophile was specifically about audio *only* playback.

John

You told us about your equipment, but how about your listening environment? To fully appreciate the subtle differences with these players, you need a fairly high-end, acoustically treated room. Even then, shifting your listening position, even just a few inches, due to room modes, can affect how bass is perceived, which you described as "less full – and less well-defined". A properly controlled blind test would also be a far more reliable test method.

Gary

Hi Gary,

Thanks for responding with suggestions.

I've been a serious audiophile for 40 years. The room has been carefully treated, and I'm very familiar with room modes, standing waves, echo, first reflections, etc. I mentioned harshness in addition to the bass as being just the most obvious differences (there were others). For what it's worth, I have a separate, very high-end audio-only system elswewhere in the house. I only mention this because I'm used to great sound, and used to hearing subtle differences. Having said that, the Merlin TSMs are extremely accurate and revealing, and are highly thought of in the audiophile community.

Please understand, I don't mean to argue with you; only to explain that I believe I've "covered the bases" that need to be covered that are "outside" the players. I'm very open to other suggestions regarding the players themselves, however, as I really wanted to buy the 983 based on the video; and I appreciated you asking about the settings and 7:1 downmix.

John

It appears I am not getting analog audio output from my 983.

I have written Oppo service to figure this out (awaiting a reply), but perhaps you guys can offer some suggestions as well.

I am using the analog outs to feed a second zone LCD, HDMI feeds Main to my HT PJ.

My set up for this part of my system is
Oppo 983 component + L/R audio -->
Integra 9.8 pre (DVD input) -->
Vizio LCD component + L/R audio input

I use this same setup with a Tivo S3 (component + L/R audio) thru the Integra and it works fine to the Vizio.

I have also confirmed the analog inputs for DVD on my Integra 9.8 pre work with another DVDp.

I have tried just the L/R outs and all 5.1 analog outs as well, nothing. HDMI gives me audio just fine.

I have even set downmix to L/R audio, I have set primary output to Component, nothing?

If I have missed some simple setting in the menu or someone can suggest other diagnostic steps, please advise.

TIA

Hi Gary,

Thanks for responding with suggestions.

I've been a serious audiophile for 40 years. The room has been carefully treated, and I'm very familiar with room modes, standing waves, echo, first reflections, etc. I mentioned harshness in addition to the bass as being just the most obvious differences (there were others). For what it's worth, I have a separate, very high-end audio-only system elswewhere in the house. I only mention this because I'm used to great sound, and used to hearing subtle differences. Having said that, the Merlin TSMs are extremely accurate and revealing, and are highly thought of in the audiophile community.

Please understand, I don't mean to argue with you; only to explain that I believe I've "covered the bases" that need to be covered that are "outside" the players. I'm very open to other suggestions regarding the players themselves, however, as I really wanted to buy the 983 based on the video; and I appreciated you asking about the settings and 7:1 downmix.

JohnHello John. Good for you. I respect your informed opinion.

Gary

It appears I am not getting analog audio output from my 983.

I have written Oppo service to figure this out (awaiting a reply), but perhaps you guys can offer some suggestions as well.

I am using the analog outs to feed a second zone LCD, HDMI feeds Main to my HT PJ.

My set up for this part of my system is
Oppo 983 component + L/R audio -->
Integra 9.8 pre (DVD input) -->
Vizio LCD component + L/R audio input

I use this same setup with a Tivo S3 (component + L/R audio) thru the Integra and it works fine to the Vizio.

I have also confirmed the analog inputs for DVD on my Integra 9.8 pre work with another DVDp.

I have tried just the L/R outs and all 5.1 analog outs as well, nothing. HDMI gives me audio just fine.

I have even set downmix to L/R audio, I have set primary output to Component, nothing?

If I have missed some simple setting in the menu or someone can suggest other diagnostic steps, please advise.

TIA

Have you tried turning off the hdmi audio? hdmi audio and analog audio may not have a signal at the same time.

Have you tried turning off the hdmi audio? hdmi audio and analog audio may not have a signal at the same time.

I don't see any way in the Oppo menu to specifically turn off HDMI audio, only to set Primary video to Component vs HDMI. Did I miss something?

Reading thru the manual about connecting the analog audio outs, it does not mention anything about turning off HDMI audio.

Rmassey, go to setup menu and the middle icon is the audio setup. The first thing is "hdmi audio" where you can turn it off.

Rmassey, Also make sure that you did not turn the volume down with the OPPO remote for the digital volume on the player. This would also cause no sound from the analog audio out.
I just called OPPO and they confirmed that all audio outputs are active at the same time,so you can disregard the hdmi audio off setting for this problem.

Rmassey, Also make sure that you did not turn the volume down with the OPPO remote for the digital volume on the player. This would also cause no sound from the analog audio out.

Yup, checked that one, vol is maxed.


I just called OPPO and they confirmed that all audio outputs are active at the same time,so you can disregard the hdmi audio off setting for this problem.

Good to know. I was hoping for both active at the same time.

Have you tried turning off the hdmi audio? hdmi audio and analog audio may not have a signal at the same time.
The OPPO players provide analog and digital audio output simultaneously. There's no need to turn HDMI Audio off to use the analog out.
I don't see any way in the Oppo menu to specifically turn off HDMI audio, only to set Primary video to Component vs HDMI. Did I miss something?

Reading thru the manual about connecting the analog audio outs, it does not mention anything about turning off HDMI audio.
The Audio Setup menu has an HDMI Audio setting that can be "Auto," "PCM," or "Off." If you are using the HDMI connection for your main listening purposes, use "Auto." I use "Off" because I have a DVI display and a processor without HDMI audio support.
Rmassey, Also make sure that you did not turn the volume down with the OPPO remote for the digital volume on the player. This would also cause no sound from the analog audio out.
I just called OPPO and they confirmed that all audio outputs are active at the same time,so you can disregard the hdmi audio off setting for this problem.
This is definitely something worth checking, as it is the most likely culprit.

HDMI autio is set to Auto
Remote volume is max at 20
Confirmed Integra 9.8 DVD analog input works with old SS player

I also hooked up the Oppo directly to a NEC TV I have in my rack - no sound.
Hook up my Tivo S3 to the same TV input, I get sound.

thanks for the suggestions.

I called Oppo and they are stumped as well, only mentioned to check the vol level on the remote,

So Looks like I will get player # 2 on the next batch.

It sounds like you are comparing the 983 to the 981, not the 980. Also, as I said, my comparision was *not* with CDs, SACDs, and DVD-As. Kal Rubinson and others have said that audio only (i.e., without video circuitry engaged) sounds slightly better on the 983 (compared with the 980), and I have no reason to dis-believe them.

I've never owned a 981 and have found personally that both the 980 & 983 do absolutely nothing to the sound quality when turning off the video section. I've tried real hard to hear a difference but just can't. Sometimes I think it sounds a bit smoother on top but after several plays with different discs, I cannot justify it.

Yes.....I, too, respect your opinion of what you are hearing. Everyone's system is different. :)