Now I have a question for the experts out there. Given that the images are identical is there any reason to use over the other? From one I read you get the same features for zooming , etc whether you are outputting 480p or 1080p.

If the picture quality is almost identical, you should use 1080p - here is why. When the player does 4:3 pillar boxing, at 480p you have a total of 720 pixels per line. Adding the borders will reduce your usable pixels to less than 720, resulting loss of actual image info. At 1080p, after deducting the pixels used by the borders, you still have more than 720 pixels available for UP-scaling so the ABT chips can do their magic.

Check out the HT guys podcast for 3-18 concerns the Oppo 983H as their main topic.

Listen Now - mp3 (http://cdn2.libsyn.com/hdtvpodcast/HDTV-2008-03-18.mp3)

News:
Microsoft Shows Ultimate Home Theater Setup at UltimatePC .com
Flat-Panel Growth To Continue: Vendors
TiVo to Deliver YouTube to TV Sets
Microsoft's Ballmer: We'll Support Blu-ray

Other:
New Fuse Makes Stereos Sound Fantastic

Today's Show:

Oppo DV-983H 1080p Up-Converting Universal DVD Player (MSRP $399)

"We really liked the Oppo Digital DV-983H. So who should spend $399 on it? If you are really into movies and have a large collection of DVDs this is the player that will do the best with everything you have. If you have a front projector and don't want to spend $3000 on a video processor this player will do the same thing, at least for your DVDs, for a fraction of the cost. If you are a videophile and you want the absolute best video performance the 983 is for you. Finally, if you just can't bring yourself to buying a Blu Ray Player this is the unit for you."

...I totally get that HDMI is tricky business and so if they think they can fix it, I'm happy to wait a reasonable time for a firmware upgrade. If they can't, then I might call it a day and wait for the next best thing.

I believe in Oppo though. I waited for this to be released from last Thanksgiving and I'm not giving up on them unless they give up on me. ;) Well said. OPPO takes issues like these very seriously, and they give everything they've got to fix them. Unless it turns out to be a hardware limitation, they'll find a way to fix it with firmware.

Gary

OK. Spent a little time this evening going through the resolution patterns, moving plates, jaggle tests and the image is almost identical in 480p or 1080p. I put in Star Wars II to see if that would be a tie breaker. No way. The results were simply too close to call. I guess that must mean that both the Kuro and the 983 are both first class video scalers.:)

Now I have a question for the experts out there. Given that the images are identical is there any reason to use over the other? From one I read you get the same features for zooming , etc whether you are outputting 480p or 1080p. In theory, if the scaling is identical, there is no real advantage either way. But in practice, as Jeffhdz observed, there could be potential image aspect ratio caveats, overscan or other problems. I would always let the player do the scaling unless the display obviously does a BETTER job (scaling just as accurately, but with no edge enhancement, for example).

Gary

According to a Swedish forum "Minhembio.com" OPPO won´t be selling this model in Europe. I find this strange as the 983H is a multivoltage player (100-240v)

Here is what the person from OPPO said:

We wont be taking in this player in Europe.We will focus on present models & Blu-ray(future) instead. Best regards, Stephen

Not sure who Stephen is, but can anyone who has contact to OPPO confirm this? I mean why on earth make a multivoltage player then?

I have just connected my 983 and started a love affair. I played action scenes from King Kong and my wife asked if this was Blue ray (translates to high WAF). Now the screen looks three dimensional with the Mits 3100 projector and 120 inch Stewart screen. The audio is very nice out of the analog channels. Does this player require any burn-in? I will play it awhile longer before critical assessment if it does. There may be some advantage to a little burn-in, particularly with capacitors in the audio section, but the difference isn't going to be significant.

Gary

I just googled (without success) for some screenshots of the OSD to get an impression about the look&feel. Have anybody found some shots? What's about the interaction using the remote control? Is it fast and intuitive?

I just googled (without success) for some screenshots of the OSD to get an impression about the look&feel. Have anybody found some shots? What's about the interaction using the remote control? Is it fast and intuitive?
I haven't put any screen shots in my 983H review (http://www.prillaman.net/oppo983_review.html), but I may go back and do that for this very reason. In the meanwhile, I've got a shot of the splash screen in my 980H review (http://www.prillaman.net/oppo980_review.html) (looks the same on the 983H) and one of the file browser in my 981HD review (http://www.prillaman.net/oppo981_review.html).

The remote control responsiveness is quick, and I've found the menu and file browser navigation to be quite intuitive (although that sort of thing can vary some from person to person).

Well said. OPPO takes issues like these very seriously, and they give everything they've got to fix them. Unless it turns out to be a hardware limitation, they'll find a way to fix it with firmware.

Gary

Amen to that. OPPO Digital has now responded to my report on minor problems with playing PAL 4:3 Region 2 DVDs when the 983 is set to 16:9 Wide/Auto.

Dana,

Thank you for the feedback. We have forward your results to our firmware engineers for diagnostic testing.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.



Dana

Hi -

I'm afraid there may be a real compatibility issue here. I also have a Pio 94txh receiver and am having roughly the same issue.

I just received the 983 today and hooked it up to a Monoprice HDMI 1.3a certified cable that I had been using without any previous issue with my last DVD player (Pioneer 59AVi). Regardless of what DVD I play, and only in 1080p mode, I have random audio dropouts occuring every few seconds. When I decrease bandwidth down to 1080i or below, the dropout goes away. When I switched out cables to the Oppo provided 6 ft HDMI, I had the same issue. To be fair, I haven't hooked the Oppo directly to my HDMI on my Samsung 5089 DLP as it's a bit of a chore to get to the connections, but I will give it a shot over the next day or so to confirm that the problem disappears. I'll update this thread or reply to it once that test is complete.

This problem is not exclusive to NTSC playback. When testing Lost Highway in PAL as well as State of Play (great BBC miniseries FWIW), there are the same dropouts in 1080p mode. Direct NTSC playback vs. PAL conversion to NTSC doesn't appear to make a difference.

Problem was reported to a super nice Oppo rep today and apparently, he had also received a second Pio 94 incompatibility audio dropout issue today so this is now being forwarded to the engineers.

Also, I don't know if it's related but as a side note, in Raw mode, I'm also finding that the audio is just ever so slightly ahead of the video. I could correct on my Pio but it would screw up my other HDMI applications that are working properly such as my PS3 and my Dish 622 DVR.

I hope this is fixable as I was truly looking forward to what otherwise appeared to be a fantastic DVD player.

Best,

RobbW

I'm having video dropouts. I ordered the super monoprice cable hoping it fixes the problem. Will know by this weekend.

I played action scenes from King Kong and my wife asked if this was Blue ray (translates to high WAF).

You have a wife who knows what Blu-ray is???

Does she have a sister?

:D

Hi, I am following this forum for a while now and wonder if the OPPO player can be made code free or at leat allows me to play DVD's from Europe, especially Germany?

Yes, the unlock code sequence is in the 1st post.

You have a wife who knows what Blu-ray is???

Does she have a sister?

:D

LOL, my wife showed a glimpse of interest a few days ago when she asked me if I got my Bluetooth player yet... :D.

I am going to wait for the oppo blu ray player when it comes out... here is why?

."Watching the same movie on standard DVD with the 983H lacked that last bit of detail and clarity (a direct result of the source not containing the additional detail afforded by higher resolution), although it still yielded very good picture quality. This is not a failing of the 983H's video performance, but simply a reflection of the reality of comparing a standard definition source to good HD content – when the HD content is doing everything right, no video scaling will let DVD match it, whether we're talking about the 983H's ABT chips, Reon, Realta, Gennum, or any other of the quite good scaling solutions available today."

In reference to European distribution.

I would not believe that. CRTprojectors have put a 2nd week of April date for UK shipments and there are an offical distributor.

Anyways as far as misinformation is concerned, the latest edition of HomeCinema which has just previewed the 981 and only given it a 4 star rating much to my annoyance describes Oppo as being a swedish company! So the real story is taking a little while to travel over here.

I am going to wait for the oppo blu ray player when it comes out... here is why?

."Watching the same movie on standard DVD with the 983H lacked that last bit of detail and clarity (a direct result of the source not containing the additional detail afforded by higher resolution), although it still yielded very good picture quality. This is not a failing of the 983H's video performance, but simply a reflection of the reality of comparing a standard definition source to good HD content – when the HD content is doing everything right, no video scaling will let DVD match it, whether we're talking about the 983H's ABT chips, Reon, Realta, Gennum, or any other of the quite good scaling solutions available today."

And here is why I DID buy it - 500 plus standard DVD's which I dont expect to replace on Blu Ray (yes, I have a Blu Ray player - BDP-95FD) and the PQ on this players is superb! Also, the price of comparable players (such as the Denon 3930CI) is about 1/4. No complaints here, only praises.

Wow; $399 for a SD player that can't even do DSD via HDMI.

I assume everyone buying this player already has a blu-ray player? (Since a PS3 is also $399).

So it can't do DSD. Big deal - SACD over PCM is just as good for human hearing and FAR more compatible with the bulk of AVRs that are out there (with HDMI 1.1). I certainly would not want to replace my AVR (or add a bunch of cables) just to support a DVD player!

Some of you seem to not get what the market for this player really is. It's not for everyone, but I think they nailed it.

-Dave

Wow; $399 for a SD player that can't even do DSD via HDMI.

I assume everyone buying this player already has a blu-ray player? (Since a PS3 is also $399).

Well, the PS3 does not make sd look as good as the 983 does. People buying this player want their sd-dvds to look the best they possibly can. Also, not everyone belives that BR is the "cat's meow" yet, since all the players are still in a virtual "beta" stage.

OK. Spent a little time this evening going through the resolution patterns, moving plates, jaggle tests and the image is almost identical in 480p or 1080p. I put in Star Wars II to see if that would be a tie breaker. No way. The results were simply too close to call. I guess that must mean that both the Kuro and the 983 are both first class video scalers.:)

Now I have a question for the experts out there. Given that the images are identical is there any reason to use over the other? From one I read you get the same features for zooming , etc whether you are outputting 480p or 1080p.

Hi Miata,

Nice test! You saved me one. :D

Have compared the deinterlacing between the 983 vs Kuro?

From what I've read, deinterlacing is much tougher than scaling.

Wow; $399 for a SD player that can't even do DSD via HDMI.

I assume everyone buying this player already has a blu-ray player? (Since a PS3 is also $399).

Bad assumption. Why would I want a game machine as a DVD player. You assume everyone plays games? NOT!

Thanks alot, I guess I found my new player

Bad assumption. Why would I want a game machine as a DVD player. You assume everyone plays games? NOT!

The PS3 is a really good BluRay player... but only a fair DVD player. Mine has never had a game played on it. The good thing about it is that it isnt plagued with all the problems the other stand alone players have. However, mine will be on ebay as soon as good Profile 2 players become available and 'debugged' by the customers. Its just too noisy and hot to be my long term solution. Im not crazy about the slot load either. The 983 will be in the rack for years as I dont think a BR player (except for perhaps a Realta powered Denon or an Oppo BR) will touch it as their focus is elsewhere.

Wow; $399 for a SD player that can't even do DSD via HDMI.

I assume everyone buying this player already has a blu-ray player? (Since a PS3 is also $399).

Before you say this, you should try listening to SACD converted within the oppo (PCM). I have heard both DSD and PCM and I cannot tell the difference. I think if you had done a blind test, you would agree. Also, in order to play DSD your receiver must support it, which many do not. Its funny to me how peole make such a big deal over the $399. price tag and feel that Oppo should have everything under the sun. Lets be realistic, for the oppo to support everything anyone would want the player would have cost much more.

I do not have a BR player, and I hve no interest in a gaming system like the PS3 to be my BR player. I personally will wait for BR to become more of an accepted standard (bugs worked out and a profile that is stable) before diving into it. For now the oppo 983 gves me the best picture and sound for my extensive SD collection as well as my SACD's.

I am going to wait for the oppo blu ray player when it comes out... here is why?

."Watching the same movie on standard DVD with the 983H lacked that last bit of detail and clarity (a direct result of the source not containing the additional detail afforded by higher resolution), although it still yielded very good picture quality. This is not a failing of the 983H's video performance, but simply a reflection of the reality of comparing a standard definition source to good HD content – when the HD content is doing everything right, no video scaling will let DVD match it, whether we're talking about the 983H's ABT chips, Reon, Realta, Gennum, or any other of the quite good scaling solutions available today."
You are quite right that for pure picture quality, Blu-ray will beat out any sort of upscaled DVD. That's why the 983H isn't for everyone, as some people are already transitioning away from standard DVD. If someone has a large library of standard DVD's that they would rather not replace with Blu-ray discs (either because of the cost involved, the time it will take for the movies to be reissued, the likelihood that some will never be reissued, or some combination of those), though, the 983H becomes appealing.

Not sure who Stephen is, but can anyone who has contact to OPPO confirm this? I mean why on earth make a multivoltage player then?

Stephen handles European distribution (OPPO.SE). OPPO Digital, Inc only operates in the US and has a few authorized international resellers.

What this means is that there will be no European DV-983H. So local European purchases, such as from OPPOShop.com or LivingCinema.nl, will not likely occur with this product.

I would not believe that. CRTprojectors have put a 2nd week of April date for UK shipments and there are an offical distributor.

CRT works direct with OPPO Digital. So products which are sold through OPPO Digital (US) are also sold through CRTProjectors.co.uk.

Anyways as far as misinformation is concerned, the latest edition of HomeCinema which has just previewed the 981 and only given it a 4 star rating much to my annoyance describes Oppo as being a swedish company! So the real story is taking a little while to travel over here.

Well, their European operations are based in Sweden. So they are right in that regard.

I am going to wait for the oppo blu ray player when it comes out... here is why?

."Watching the same movie on standard DVD with the 983H lacked that last bit of detail and clarity (a direct result of the source not containing the additional detail afforded by higher resolution), although it still yielded very good picture quality. This is not a failing of the 983H's video performance, but simply a reflection of the reality of comparing a standard definition source to good HD content – when the HD content is doing everything right, no video scaling will let DVD match it, whether we're talking about the 983H's ABT chips, Reon, Realta, Gennum, or any other of the quite good scaling solutions available today."All that is true, but acquiring various videos on BR format might take considerable time to occur, or it might never happen. A lot of older films or television series might never be ported to BR from SD. You will probably encounter cheap BR players way before a sizable percentage of videos is available in BR format. Of course this depends on what you care for, but for myself who has been collecting DVD's for a decade I personally am quite satisfied with the improved PQ that the Oppo 983 offers and plan to eventually get a BR player but not until they get cheaper, offer much faster response times, standards mature, and the media cost becomes more reasonable.

Any educated guesses on when new stock will be available for ordering? Are we talking days or weeks? (Sorry, I'm impatient to get one.)

Oppo told me today it would be three weeks. ^

Good to know. Thanks.

Hi everybody!
I live in Spain and I would like to buy a DV-983H, but I have a lot of doubts:
- I can buy the device in oppodigital.com, but I don't know if I will have to pay additional taxes once the package is in my country. Besides that, if I would have a problem with the device, I would have to send it back to USA, buf...
- I can buy the device in crtprojectors.co.uk, but these guys overprice Oppo products a lot. For instance, 980H is much more expensive in their page (188 euros plus shipping costs) than in oppodigital.com (148 euros, including 40 euros due to shipping costs)
- I can wait for an European model (with SCART) and buy it in opposhop.com but this solution would be even more expensive (980H costs 198 euros plus shipping costs).

Does anybody know other online shop in Europe where I can buy a 983H?


Well i live in france and i had to order mine on oppodigital.com.

First of all, opposhop.com that is an oppo sweden's website told me that they don't plan to import the 983 yet.

The Oppo's UK reseller (crtprojectors.co.uk) don't know when they will get it (and don't know their retail price too).

So oppodigital.com is the good choice, you might have taxes to pay such as customs duties and VAT (it's a 19.6% sales tax in france:eek:) but sometimes customs miss your package....

It seems there won't be any european (with scart) version of the 983!

Do the Toshiba A30 and the A35 have the same chipset as the 983?

They have the same ABT 1018 scaler, but not the special sauce that is the ABT 102 de-interlacing solution.

They have the same ABT 1018 scaler, but not the special sauce that is the ABT 102 de-interlacing solution.

special sauce... LMAO:D

Its all gravy, I tell you!

Gary

I expect that someday there will be a blu ray player at hopefully not too exorbitant a price point that will do all of things that blu ray is supposed to do(e.g., profile 2.0, etc.) and also include one of the higher end upconversion systems(e.g., optimal ABT, Realta, or Gennum). A player like that may ultimately make the 983 unnecessary for viewing video. It won't, however, replace the various Oppos players' capacity for playing DVD-Audio, SACD and HDCD. In the meantime, the earlier adopters of new technology will continue to lead the wave. I also expect that some indeterminate timepoint after february, 2009, all of the major network and cable TV stations will have their all or most of their analog broadcasts upconverted to the best high def programming available. Think about it. It's not a huge investment for an American television network to spend 30,000 or so US dollars for a pro level upconversion system, especially when people are used to high def images as standard. BTW, no slight to our friends outside of the US. I'm ljust ooking at things from the perspective of someone in the US anticipating the FCC changes to broadcast television to come about next february.
- Esau

Any educated guesses on when new stock will be available for ordering? Are we talking days or weeks? (Sorry, I'm impatient to get one.)

I'm a little bit fuzzy about when I signed up for email notification...I think is was about 1 week ago. But I got the email today and just ordered one now.

Neuromancer,
I'd like to hear your thoughts on the 983 vs. the 980 with vp50. Are they equivalent in picture quality? What are the advantages of the 983 and what are the advantages of the vp50?

Well said. OPPO takes issues like these very seriously, and they give everything they've got to fix them. Unless it turns out to be a hardware limitation, they'll find a way to fix it with firmware.

Gary

Indeed - talk about over the top, fantastic technical support! After I placed my call yesterday, I received an e-mail firmware to try from OPPO for the 983. After loading it on to my USB thumb drive and updating the player, the problem has vanished completely! NO MORE AUDIO DROPOUTS IN 1080P MODE with my Pioneer VSX-94txh!

I can't even begin to express how impressed I am with that kind of attention and turnaround. In my wildest dreams, I never expected to report a problem, and have it taken seriously that quickly along with an actual fix e-mailed within 24 hours!

Who does that? :D

RobbW

Indeed - talk about over the top, fantastic technical support! After I placed my call yesterday, I received an e-mail firmware to try from OPPO for the 983. After loading it on to my USB thumb drive and updating the player, the problem has vanished completely! NO MORE AUDIO DROPOUTS IN 1080P MODE with my Pioneer VSX-94txh!

I can't even begin to express how impressed I am with that kind of attention and turnaround. In my wildest dreams, I never expected to report a problem, and have it taken seriously that quickly along with an actual fix e-mailed within 24 hours!

Who does that? :D

RobbW

Apparently, only OPPO! That's why we all are talking so fondly of their customer service.

Buddy

Indeed - talk about over the top, fantastic technical support! After I placed my call yesterday, I received an e-mail firmware to try from OPPO for the 983. After loading it on to my USB thumb drive and updating the player, the problem has vanished completely! NO MORE AUDIO DROPOUTS IN 1080P MODE with my Pioneer VSX-94txh!

I can't even begin to express how impressed I am with that kind of attention and turnaround. In my wildest dreams, I never expected to report a problem, and have it taken seriously that quickly along with an actual fix e-mailed within 24 hours!

Who does that? :D

RobbW

LOL, it sure would be nice if they really could write a firmware fix in less than one day, but of course they have been working on it for a while. It is still a beta firmware so please make sure that if you experience any problems that you report them right away to Oppo.

Indeed - talk about over the top, fantastic technical support! After I placed my call yesterday, I received an e-mail firmware to try from OPPO for the 983. After loading it on to my USB thumb drive and updating the player, the problem has vanished completely! NO MORE AUDIO DROPOUTS IN 1080P MODE with my Pioneer VSX-94txh!

I can't even begin to express how impressed I am with that kind of attention and turnaround. In my wildest dreams, I never expected to report a problem, and have it taken seriously that quickly along with an actual fix e-mailed within 24 hours!

Who does that? :D

RobbW

Shoot, I need to call them up. I'm getting audio dropouts at 1080i w/ my 94TXH.

LOL, it sure would be nice if they really could write a firmware fix in less than one day, but of course they have been working on it for a while.

Actually, this firmware was wrote in a day. Literally.

Neuromancer,
I'd like to hear your thoughts on the 983 vs. the 980 with vp50. Are they equivalent in picture quality? What are the advantages of the 983 and what are the advantages of the vp50?

The VP50 has the advantage of being able to take multiple sources and de-interlace/scale them properly. The disadvantage is that you may be spending some time properly tuning input sources.

The DV-983H offers similar performance but without the hassle (usually) of having to change the video preference (Film, Video, Odd/Even, etc). It is also a self contained unit and updates occur more often with the OPPO product.

And here is why I DID buy it - 500 plus standard DVD's which I dont expect to replace on Blu Ray (yes, I have a Blu Ray player - BDP-95FD) and the PQ on this players is superb! Also, the price of comparable players (such as the Denon 3930CI) is about 1/4. No complaints here, only praises.

+1
I have over 400 DVD movies and about 150 DVD concerts.... many of these will never be on blue ray, nor would I want to double dip on many of them if they were. So, the 983 makes perfect sense. I will eventually add a BD to my arsenal, but the existing collection will look steller with the 983.

John

Actually, this firmware was wrote in a day. Literally.

:o

+1
I have over 400 DVD movies and about 150 DVD concerts.... many of these will never be on blur ray, nor would I want to double dip on many of them if they were. So, the 983 makes perfect sense. I will eventually add a BD to my arsenal, but the existing collection will look steller with the 983.

This is one thing a lot of people forget when talking about Blu-Ray: Your current DVD library is not going to magically turn into Blu-Ray discs. You will need a quality DVD player for several more years as you slowly begin to replace your DVD library.

I just googled (without success) for some screenshots of the OSD to get an impression about the look&feel. Have anybody found some shots? What's about the interaction using the remote control? Is it fast and intuitive?
I've updated my 983H review (http://www.prillaman.net/oppo983_review.html) with a few pictures that might interest you - two shots of the setup menu OSD, one of it playing a CD that includes CD text, and one of it playing an SACD.

Actually, this firmware was wrote in a day. Literally.

I can hear the echo's of "oi", "hey" & "ya what?" coming from the 980 thread as i type.:rolleyes: p.s nice grammar.

I am wondering how the SQ of the 983 is with 2 channel CDs. I have the Onkyo 805 as a pre-pro was thinking how it would do with 2 channel via HDMI or analog output.

Thanks, Bill

Do you recommend the extended warranties? or longer HDI cables? I won't be getting my HDTV till June or July but want to get the player while I can.

1) The 983 layer change has been imperceptible on every DVD I've tried; don't let fears of problems with this keep you from this player.

I'll have to check this out for myself (layer change fanatic here :))

I'll have to check this out for myself (layer change fanatic here :))


I need to backpeddle on this slightly. I watched "Contact" the other night and did notice the layer change. Still, it was very, very quick and is not a deal breaker for me. (I'm a layer change fanatic too.)

For Onkyo Users: My hookup is from the 983 to Onkyo 805 via HDMI then to Mitsubishi 65732 TV, also via HDMI. If playing dvd audio/sacd or cd the Monitor must be set to "off" on the Onkyo initially for sound. It doesn't matter if tv is on or off. If the monitor is in the "ON" position initially you will get no sound. After switching to "OFF" and sound is heard then you can switch back to monitor "ON' for both sound and picture if you want the tv on. Easy button push on the 805. This process may apply to other setups? As for my opinion of the 983 in general it is way beyond my expectations in both sound and vision. Superb product!

Do you recommend the extended warranties? or longer HDI cables? I won't be getting my HDTV till June or July but want to get the player while I can.

Consumer Reports doesn't recommend extended warranties. With electronics, it is likely that if there is a manufacturing defect it will show up early. And OPPO provides world-class service in any event.

I'd wait until you get your HD TV and know the actual distance involved between the player and the TV, not to mention any other equipment, before buying a longer cable. Unless you know already that a six footer won't work.

Frankly, I'd wait until you need the OPPO 983 before buying it. By June or July, the supply will have caught up with demand. And OPPO will have issued one or like more firmware updates by then, too, which will be preinstalled.

Dana

Consumer Reports doesn't recommend extended warranties. With electronics, it is likely that if there is a manufacturing defect it will show up early. And OPPO provides world-class service in any event.

I'd wait until you get your HD TV and know the actual distance involved between the player and the TV, not to mention any other equipment, before buying a longer cable. Unless you know already that a six footer won't work.

Frankly, I'd wait until you need the OPPO 983 before buying it. By June or July, the supply will have caught up with demand. And OPPO will have issued one or like more firmware updates by then, too, which will be preinstalled.
That makes since. Preinstalled. I like that.

Dana


Thank you.

Consumer Reports doesn't recommend extended warranties. With electronics, it is likely that if there is a manufacturing defect it will show up early.

I could be wrong - but I thought they recommended them for digital displays.

p.s nice grammar.

Grammar is my bag. This is a FAQ/Dump, I am not going to waste my late night hours writing soliloquies. I am writing on these forums on my own personal time; my time is more precious than the English language.

Bagging on people's grammar in what can best be described as a glorified BBS is fruitless. Well, not fruitless, as I gave you positive reenforcement.

I could be wrong - but I thought they recommended them for digital displays.

Large ticket items which are expensive, large, heavy or not easily replaced should have extended warranties associated to them.

For something like a DVD player, which is small and highly portable, sending it in for repair, or acquiring a replacement, is usually more cost effective than a warranty.

Large ticket items which are expensive, large, heavy or not easily replaced should have extended warranties associated to them.

For something like a DVD, which is small and highly portable, sending it in for repair, or acquiring a replacement, is usually more cost effective than a warranty.


You mean DVD player as in the 983h right? I mean they don't warranty DVD's do they?

Yes, DVD player.

I could be wrong - but I thought they recommended them for digital displays.

No longer. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/news/november-2006/why-you-dont-need-an-extended-warranty-11-06/overview/extended-warranty-11-06.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=2&searchTerm=extended%20warranties

In years past, we’ve said that rear-projection microdisplay TVs might be one of those products for which a warranty is advisable, but even for these products, an extended warranty looks like a poor investment for most consumers, judging by new data.
...

We have long advised against extended warranties. In fact, we feel so strongly that consumers are being misled about them that last year we took out a full-page ad in USA Today ... to warn shoppers.

In general, we have found extended warranties to be a bad deal for the customer. The most cautious consumers might want to consider an extended warranty for a repair-prone brand, provided that the warranty is both inexpensive and comprehensive and the cost of repairs tends to be high.

Dana

Grammar is my bag. This is a FAQ/Dump, I am not going to waste my late night hours writing soliloquies. I am writing on these forums on my own personal time; my time is more precious than the English language.

Bagging on people's grammar in what can best be described as a glorified BBS is fruitless. Well, not fruitless, as I gave you positive reenforcement. Heh! There he goes with another soliloquy!

Gary

Hi! I'm new to this forum (well I lurked for a few months).
I just bought the Panasonic TH37PX80E Plasma and now I want to substitute my old Akai dvd player with an Oppo. Wich one should I get, considering that I live in Italy? My DVDs are all (well almost all) PAL region 2.
Should I go for a 983 or the 981 will do the job fine on my tv? Will I see the difference between the two on my 37"?
I see that 981 has some MB problems, but not on every tv. How about the Panasonic?
I didn't consider the 980 because the low quality on PAL material.
Suggestions?

I got my order in yesterday and received the player today...how come all ground shipping can't be like that! Just wanted to pass along the quick turn around from Oppo.:D

Hi! I'm new to this forum (well I lurked for a few months).
I just bought the Panasonic TH37PX80E Plasma and now I want to substitute my old Akai dvd player with an Oppo. Wich one should I get, considering that I live in Italy? My DVDs are all (well almost all) PAL region 2.
Should I go for a 983 or the 981 will do the job fine on my tv? Will I see the difference between the two on my 37"?
I see that 981 has some MB problems, but not on every tv. How about the Panasonic?
I didn't consider the 980 because the low quality on PAL material.
Suggestions?

Welcome to the AVS Forum and this thread in particular!

As far as playing PAL Region 2 DVDs is concerned, you can't go wrong with either player. (Presuming that OPPO Digital fixes the 16:9 Wide/Auto bug with the 983 which we know they will.)

As regards compatibility with your particular TV, I leave to others.

Dana

Bad assumption. Why would I want a game machine as a DVD player. You assume everyone plays games? NOT!

Oh I love the irony. The bad assumption was yours. Where in my PS3 manual will I find where it says I'm required to also play games with it? I've had it a couple of months now and haven't bought a game yet.

Think of that as the icing on the cake. After seeing Blu-ray with my own eyes and hearing PCM 5.1 through my Ascend/MarantzSR7002 setup, I can assure you, I think of the fact that it also plays games as ancillary, at best.

There are probably also some professionals interested in the 983, and I realize that. I have little doubt that if i was blind-tested with a PS3 upcoverting (its quite good at it) vs. this player and told to tell which was which, I'd probably get it right 50% of the time because I'd have to resort to guessing.

Before you say this, you should try listening to SACD converted within the oppo (PCM). I have heard both DSD and PCM and I cannot tell the difference. I think if you had done a blind test, you would agree. Also, in order to play DSD your receiver must support it, which many do not. Its funny to me how peole make such a big deal over the $399. price tag and feel that Oppo should have everything under the sun. Lets be realistic, for the oppo to support everything anyone would want the player would have cost much more.

I do not have a BR player, and I hve no interest in a gaming system like the PS3 to be my BR player. I personally will wait for BR to become more of an accepted standard (bugs worked out and a profile that is stable) before diving into it. For now the oppo 983 gves me the best picture and sound for my extensive SD collection as well as my SACD's.

>Interesting you mention blind tests. As i just said to another responder, I doubt I could tell a difference between this player upconverting and my PS3. I wonder how many of you could too.

>Most receivers support DSD. That's SACD right? I have a 4 year old, el-cheapo Sony dolby digital receiver in my closet with 5.1 multi-channel inputs. I didn't think it was even possible today to buy a dolby digital type receiver (not 2 channel) that lacked these.

>As mentioned earlier, I don't have much interest in gaming either. But I think blu-ray (and netflix to feed me the disks) is the bomb. I've seen it with my own eyes.

Oh I love the irony. The bad assumption was yours. Where in my PS3 manual will I find where it says I'm required to also play games with it? I've had it a couple of months now and haven't bought a game yet.

Think of that as the icing on the cake. After seeing Blu-ray with my own eyes and hearing PCM 5.1 through my Ascend/MarantzSR7002 setup, I can assure you, I think of the fact that it also plays games as ancillary, at best.

There are probably also some professionals interested in the 983, and I realize that. I have little doubt that if i was blind-tested with a PS3 upcoverting (its quite good at it) vs. this player and told to tell which was which, I'd probably get it right 50% of the time because I'd have to resort to guessing.

There would be no guessing. Just did a blind test yesterday with PS3 PQ vs 983 PQ... 983 wins hands down. This was a quick unofficial test at a friend's house while playing cards, drinking, cigars, ect..
Nothing professional or anything like that, so please no tech questions.
It was done on a 120" screen, Mits 1080p.
I can see though, that on a smaller screen, that it may be hard to tell the difference to an untrained eye.
One of the guys actually got on his laptop and ordered a 983 while we were there. I think he must have liked it... :D.

There would be no guessing. Just did a blind test yesterday with PS3 PQ vs 983 PQ... 983 wins hands down. This was a quick unofficial test at a friend's house while playing cards, drinking, cigars, ect..
Nothing professional or anything like that, so please no tech questions.
It was done on a 120" screen, Mits 1080p.
I can see though, that on a smaller screen, that it may be hard to tell the difference to an untrained eye.
One of the guys actually got on his laptop and ordered a 983 while we were there. I think he must have liked it... :D.

OK, well gosh, 120". If everyone here has a 120" screen, then obviously that is a different situation. That being said, if anyone here has a 120" and doesn't have a blu-ray player, then does this forum have a "virtual-slap" feature so I can send that person one!

I have no arguments at all with anyone who also owns a blu-ray player, regardless of your screen size. I might consider getting one of these eventually just so I can say I have the best possible SD too.

I'm just saying since they're now the same price, put the cart before the horse. To me, the cart is a blu-ray player. I'd break down and cry now if I had to "disable" blu-ray in Netflix.

>Most receivers support DSD. That's SACD right? I have a 4 year old, el-cheapo Sony dolby digital receiver in my closet with 5.1 multi-channel inputs. I didn't think it was even possible today to buy a dolby digital type receiver (not 2 channel) that lacked these.
Almost all receivers built in the last eight or nine years support multichannel analog, but that is not DSD. And when looking at using the analog output of SACD players, you'll need to look carefullly to find ones that don't convert DSD to PCM internally before converting to analog - from what I've read, most SACD players that also do DVD-Audio convert the DSD bitstream to PCM before converting to analog rather than including DAC's that can handle DSD.

DSD is a digital audio signal that can only be delivered via IEEE-1394 (iLink or FireWire) or HDMI v1.2+. The current generation of HDMI v1.3 receivers are generally supporting DSD, although I'd recommend checking the specs closely rather than assuming that HDMI v1.3 guarantees DSD support. Also, I'd check real closely to see how many can carry DSD all the way through the digital audio section to the DAC's without doing a conversion to PCM.

Almost all receivers built in the last eight or nine years support multichannel analog, but that is not DSD. And when looking at using the analog output of SACD players, you'll need to look carefullly to find ones that don't convert DSD to PCM internally before converting to analog - from what I've read, most SACD players that also do DVD-Audio convert the DSD bitstream to PCM before converting to analog rather than including DAC's that can handle DSD.

DSD is a digital audio signal that can only be delivered via IEEE-1394 (iLink or FireWire) or HDMI v1.2+. The current generation of HDMI v1.3 receivers are generally supporting DSD, although I'd recommend checking the specs closely rather than assuming that HDMI v1.3 guarantees DSD support. Also, I'd check real closely to see how many can carry DSD all the way through the digital audio section to the DAC's without doing a conversion to PCM.

Thank you gonk for clarifying my original statement. I also agree that anyone looking for DSD all the way through the digital audio section to the DAC's without doing a conversion to PCM sould look very closely at the specs. I know my new NAD T785 does not do this, but does handle the PCM conversion from the Oppo by automatically switching into "Direct Mode."

Almost all receivers built in the last eight or nine years support multichannel analog, but that is not DSD. And when looking at using the analog output of SACD players, you'll need to look carefullly to find ones that don't convert DSD to PCM internally before converting to analog - from what I've read, most SACD players that also do DVD-Audio convert the DSD bitstream to PCM before converting to analog rather than including DAC's that can handle DSD.

DSD is a digital audio signal that can only be delivered via IEEE-1394 (iLink or FireWire) or HDMI v1.2+. The current generation of HDMI v1.3 receivers are generally supporting DSD, although I'd recommend checking the specs closely rather than assuming that HDMI v1.3 guarantees DSD support. Also, I'd check real closely to see how many can carry DSD all the way through the digital audio section to the DAC's without doing a conversion to PCM.

Ok thanks for that; I learned a lot. I'll have to check and see if my Marantz SR7002 that I just bought supports it. I know it's full HDMI 1.3

Hey guys,
I've search this thread but didn't find a definite answer...I read many pages ago where people were having problems with their 16:9 and 2.35 images being vertically stretched in a certain mode. Is this an animorphic stretch that will enable the use of an external animorphic lens and are you able to consistently do this with a certain mode (Wide, etc.)?

Thanks,

Hey guys,
I've search this thread but didn't find a definite answer...I read many pages ago where people were having problems with their 16:9 and 2.35 images being vertically stretched in a certain mode. Is this an animorphic stretch that will enable the use of an external animorphic lens and are you able to consistently do this with a certain mode (Wide, etc.)?

Thanks,

If what you are asking is, "does the 983 perform the proper stretch/scaling required for a 2.35 CIH setup with an anamorphic lens", then yes, the 983 does have that feature.

One of the guys actually got on his laptop and ordered a 983 while we were there.


It was available to order???

:confused:

It was available to order???

:confused:

Well, maybe it wasn't. I'm not sure. That's what he told me he was doing as I was leaving.
Are they not allowing orders right now?

Most receivers support DSD. That's SACD right? I have a 4 year old, el-cheapo Sony dolby digital receiver in my closet with 5.1 multi-channel inputs. I didn't think it was even possible today to buy a dolby digital type receiver (not 2 channel) that lacked these.But that's an older and decidedly sub-optimal way to do SACD today.

But that's an older and decidedly sub-optimal way to do SACD today.

gonk beat you to it.

But sense you mentioned it, maybe this is one of the reasons SACD is practically dead today; because when it was out, so very few people had the equipment to play it correctly. My former SACD player was a Pioneer 563, if I'm remembering right.

It was available to order???

:confused:

Well, maybe it wasn't. I'm not sure. That's what he told me he was doing as I was leaving.
Are they not allowing orders right now?

Ok, went to the site and indeed they are NOT taking orders right now. I'll have to call that dude and see if he really did try to order one or if he was just blowing smoke...:rolleyes::D.

gonk beat you to it. I see but I respond as I read new (to me) posts. I don't read them all and then go back. Oh well, so I am redundant. :rolleyes:

But sense you mentioned it, maybe this is one of the reasons SACD is practically dead today; because when it was out, so very few people had the equipment to play it correctly. My former SACD player was a Pioneer 563, if I'm remembering right.That was certainly a contributing factor. It is sad that, today, one can buy an inexpensive player, like the Oppos, and feed the DSD or PCM from an SACD directly, via HDMI, into a number of AVRs and prepros. This would be the time to introduce SACD!!

Oh, am I late on that one, too? ;)

I see but I respond as I read new (to me) posts. I don't read them all and then go back. Oh well, so I am redundant. :rolleyes:

That was certainly a contributing factor. It is sad that, today, one can buy an inexpensive player, like the Oppos, and feed the DSD or PCM from an SACD directly, via HDMI, into a number of AVRs and prepros. This would be the time to introduce SACD!!

Oh, am I late on that one, too? ;)

LOL:D... maybe late, but not wrong. SACD came wayyy before it's time. Sony COULD probably make a come-back of it, but not now, not with their new baby... Blu-ray.

LOL:D... maybe late, but not wrong. SACD came wayyy before it's time. Sony COULD probably make a come-back of it, but not now, not with their new baby... Blu-ray.Indeed. One can only hope that we will see BlueRay music-only discs. No file size issues for multichannel 24/96 programs of uncompressed PCM!!!

Until then, the 983 connects to the Integra DTC-9.8 via HDMI for SACD in the small system and the 980 connects to my Meridian Ref 861 via 3xS/PDIF for SACD in the big system. As I have nearly 2000 SACDs, it is worth the effort.

Hi! I'm new to this forum (well I lurked for a few months).
I just bought the Panasonic TH37PX80E Plasma and now I want to substitute my old Akai dvd player with an Oppo. Wich one should I get, considering that I live in Italy? My DVDs are all (well almost all) PAL region 2.
Should I go for a 983 or the 981 will do the job fine on my tv? Will I see the difference between the two on my 37"?
I see that 981 has some MB problems, but not on every tv. How about the Panasonic?
I didn't consider the 980 because the low quality on PAL material.
Suggestions?

Hey folks,

A new AVS Forum member from Italy asked a question on the previous page about compatibility of the 983 with his plasma. Any comments for him?

(I answered his question about 983 vs. 981 playing PAL Region 2 DVDs. Both are great! ;) )

Dana

I see but I respond as I read new (to me) posts. I don't read them all and then go back. Oh well, so I am redundant. :rolleyes:
Never underestimate the positive value of redundancy. ;)

Never underestimate the positive value of redundancy. ;)

+1

Never underestimate the positive value of redundancy. ;)You can say that again. :cool:

You can say that again. :cool:

say what?

Almost all receivers built in the last eight or nine years support multichannel analog, but that is not DSD. And when looking at using the analog output of SACD players, you'll need to look carefullly to find ones that don't convert DSD to PCM internally before converting to analog - from what I've read, most SACD players that also do DVD-Audio convert the DSD bitstream to PCM before converting to analog rather than including DAC's that can handle DSD.


Where did you read that?

I'd expect that to be true whenever speaker delay or other DSP is implemented in the player, but otherwise, many players I've seen have some sort of 'pure' mode that will convert DSD direct to analog, for the purist.

Some players, of cousre, do explictly output DSD as PCM...like the Oppo 983.



DSD is a digital audio signal that can only be delivered via IEEE-1394 (iLink or FireWire) or HDMI v1.2+. The current generation of HDMI v1.3 receivers are generally supporting DSD, although I'd recommend checking the specs closely rather than assuming that HDMI v1.3 guarantees DSD support. Also, I'd check real closely to see how many can carry DSD all the way through the digital audio section to the DAC's without doing a conversion to PCM.


Like it matters that much? DSD is commonly converted to 88.2 kHz/24 bit PCM, and anyone who claims they can hear the difference between that format and native DSD, had best have some serious ABX results to back it up.

gonk beat you to it.

But sense you mentioned it, maybe this is one of the reasons SACD is practically dead today; because when it was out, so very few people had the equipment to play it correctly. My former SACD player was a Pioneer 563, if I'm remembering right.

I doubt that's a significant reason for its marketplace failure...

And btw, when you insist on playing DSD 'natively', you automatically lose things like room correction, speaker delay , DPL IIx and any other DSP that can really enhance home audio...and all of which make a far, far more audible difference than DSD vs PCM per se.

I've updated my 983H review (http://www.prillaman.net/oppo983_review.html) with a few pictures that might interest you - two shots of the setup menu OSD, one of it playing a CD that includes CD text, and one of it playing an SACD.

Awesome review, thanks!

Another newbie question. How do the firmware updates work? Do they come on a DVD? Downloaded via phone lines or what? And how often are they released?

Another newbie question. How do the firmware updates work? Do they come on a DVD? Downloaded via phone lines or what? And how often are they released?
1. Install them via a DVD-R or flashdrive. EDIT: CD-R.
2. You download them and burn it to a DVD-R or flashdrive. EDIT: CD-R.
3. From their website.
4. Sporadically.
Access the website and see what's there.

1. Install them via a DVD-R or flashdrive.
2. You download them and burn it to a DVD-R or flashdrive.
3. From their website.
4. Sporadically.
Access the website and see what's there.


That would be a CD-R.

Where did you read that?

I'd expect that to be true whenever speaker delay or other DSP is implemented in the player, but otherwise, many players I've seen have some sort of 'pure' mode that will convert DSD direct to analog, for the purist.

Some players, of cousre, do explictly output DSD as PCM...like the Oppo 983.
It's been a while since I saw much said about it, but I remember reports about the older universal players (this was probably four years back, maybe longer, when DVD-A and SACD support were just starting to show up in the same box) having to convert DSD to PCM.

Hi! I'm new to this forum (well I lurked for a few months).
I just bought the Panasonic TH37PX80E Plasma and now I want to substitute my old Akai dvd player with an Oppo. Wich one should I get, considering that I live in Italy? My DVDs are all (well almost all) PAL region 2.
Should I go for a 983 or the 981 will do the job fine on my tv? Will I see the difference between the two on my 37"?
I see that 981 has some MB problems, but not on every tv. How about the Panasonic?
I didn't consider the 980 because the low quality on PAL material.
Suggestions? The Panasonic TH37PX80E Plasma is a European model, not available in the USA, so you may not find anyone here who could comment on it. The Faroudja processor does a really good job with de-interlacing tasks, and I doubt you'd see much of a performance difference between the 981 and the 983, especially on a 37" screen. But some Plasma models are susceptible to Faroudja's macroblocking artifact, so the 981 could be more of a risk.

Gary

Maybe that was discussed before but I haven't found any related posting:

Obviously the divx logo is missing for the 983 in the list of certified standards! What does this mean? Does the 983 not provide full divx compatibility?

Indeed. One can only hope that we will see BlueRay music-only discs. No file size issues for multichannel 24/96 programs of uncompressed PCM!!!

Until then, the 983 connects to the Integra DTC-9.8 via HDMI for SACD in the small system and the 980 connects to my Meridian Ref 861 via 3xS/PDIF for SACD in the big system. As I have nearly 2000 SACDs, it is worth the effort.

I can easily imagine(in fact, I fully expect) smaller companies like Chesky and AIX to come out with blu ray music discs at some time in the future. There are also artists like Peter Gabriel who might be interested in releasing part of their catalogue in blu ray music format. With enough market saturation for blu ray players, a larger company like Sony(with obviously no small investment in blu ray) might want to introduce some of their extensive music catalogue in blu ray as well. While there are a lot of folks in the iPod generation who are happy to listen to compressed mp3's on their home system, I'm fairly certain that experiencing the same music on a blu ray disc can be a real ear opener for those same folks and possibly end up generating a new wave of sales for the recording industry. That, plus factoring in the lure of blu ray videos and profile 2.0 internet connectivity with many of the the same discs. Also, recordable CD's are available for pennies on the dollar. The same won't be true for some time for recordable blu ray discs, which would be another factor in the recording industry's favor. Heck, you could even include heavily compressed mp3's for download on the same blu ray disct o keep the portable iPod listeners happy. OK, off my soapbox and back to the 983.
- Esau

OK, well gosh, 120". If everyone here has a 120" screen, then obviously that is a different situation. That being said, if anyone here has a 120" and doesn't have a blu-ray player, then does this forum have a "virtual-slap" feature so I can send that person one!

I have no arguments at all with anyone who also owns a blu-ray player, regardless of your screen size. I might consider getting one of these eventually just so I can say I have the best possible SD too.

I'm just saying since they're now the same price, put the cart before the horse. To me, the cart is a blu-ray player. I'd break down and cry now if I had to "disable" blu-ray in Netflix.

I think most people that have a 120" screen may have a Blu-Ray player, you may be missing the one of the selling points of the 983, that is for using with standard DVD collections.

A bit OT, but -
When I get a hold of a 983, I can't wait to try out a SACD disc. (The 983 would be driving a Denon 4306 with Axiom speakers). So, I've got to ask you SACD experts: what would be a good disc to get to explore SACD sound for the first time, in the rock genre?

Amazon reviews indicate that "Dark Side of The Moon" sounds great as well as "Brothers in Arms" (but damn that disc is EXPENSIVE). Any other good choices?

Now if I could just get that email stating I could order a 983!

-Dave

I placed an order last night also. At least i tried to. They are sold out for now. Darn!

A bit OT, but -
When I get a hold of a 983, I can't wait to try out a SACD disc. (The 983 would be driving a Denon 4306 with Axiom speakers). So, I've got to ask you SACD experts: what would be a good disc to get to explore SACD sound for the first time, in the rock genre?

Amazon reviews indicate that "Dark Side of The Moon" sounds great as well as "Brothers in Arms" (but damn that disc is EXPENSIVE). Any other good choices?

Now if I could just get that email stating I could order a 983!

-Dave

I can't make any specific recommendations, but you should check out this site (http://www.sa-cd.net/). It has a very comprehensive listing of SACD titles and reviews, and if you click on "Titles" on the menu bar, I think you can narrow it down by genre as well. I would have to second that PF SACD though, I've heard nothing but rave reviews about it.

i received my oppo dv-983h yesterday. was not able to really test it but my initial impression was, WOW. the piece is very well put together. the dvd drive drawer feels so much stiffer and stronger compared to my previous oppo db-981. i was did not get to put the included disc in the player, what does it do? also, did anyones oppo bag covering the dvd player include velcro? my 981 bag did, just wondering..............

Received mine this afternoon. Six days from CA to Italy, custom clearing included, really good service. I've to go through a pj (Sanyo Z4) re-calibration, but first impression is very good.

Obviously the divx logo is missing for the 983 in the list of certified standards! What does this mean? Does the 983 not provide full divx compatibility?

It is DivX certified, but DivX is slow in actually announcing/updating their product line, so the DV-983H doesn't list the logo on their player.

Does anyone know if there's a guide about ABT DVD test included in the 983 package?

Ha! I originally suggested including an MP3 file on every disc when DVD-A and SACD were only twinkles in the eyes of their corporate parents!

Does anyone know if there's a guide about ABT DVD test included in the 983 package?

See this post about Using the ABT Demonstration Disc (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13363146#post13363146).

See this post about Using the ABT Demonstration Disc (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13363146#post13363146).
Thank you

Here is a Q? Maybe Kal could answer.
Current Speaker config. [Mch 6 cable analog]
SACD Priority- SACD
Down-mix 5.1
All speakers small-woofers-on
HDMI- off>output raw>
AVR- Ext. In—by pass the AVR

If I wanted to do some serious listening to 2ch CD.
Would it be better to go into the system and change everything to 2ch stereo?
Ø SACD priority- Stereo
Ø Down Mix- Stereo
Ø Fronts- large {I have descent PSB Silveri Towers}
Ø Sub: ON or I will play around & see if OFF works also.
Ø AVR- Stereo

I guess what I am asking is, does any of the –auto or Mch settings create any signature/color to the sound. Where as maybe direct setting[stereo] may marginal create a nicer sound or sound stage.
[This is not a debate over Mch vs. 2 ch] if we just play a 2ch stereo CD where would we get the best sound. I played with it last night for a few minutes but was interrupted, I might have heard a difference but it could just have been the “new stetting imagination”.
Your Thoughts

also, did anyones oppo bag covering the dvd player include velcro? my 981 bag did, just wondering..............
Their most recent players (both 980H and now the 983H) have come packaged in bags with a longer flap and no velcro.

Here is a Q? Maybe Kal could answer.
Current Speaker config. [Mch 6 cable analog]
SACD Priority- SACD
Down-mix 5.1
All speakers small-woofers-on
HDMI- off>output raw>
AVR- Ext. In—by pass the AVR

If I wanted to do some serious listening to 2ch CD.
Would it be better to go into the system and change everything to 2ch stereo?
Ø SACD priority- Stereo
Ø Down Mix- Stereo
Ø Fronts- large {I have descent PSB Silveri Towers}
Ø Sub: ON or I will play around & see if OFF works also.
Ø AVR- Stereo

I guess what I am asking is, does any of the –auto or Mch settings create any signature/color to the sound. Where as maybe direct setting[stereo] may marginal create a nicer sound or sound stage.
[This is not a debate over Mch vs. 2 ch] if we just play a 2ch stereo CD where would we get the best sound. I played with it last night for a few minutes but was interrupted, I might have heard a difference but it could just have been the “new stetting imagination”.
Your ThoughtsI cannot help you as I use the same settings for 2channel CD as I do for other discs, regardless of the number of channels, and I use the HDMI output. When I did use the analog outputs, I did not use bass management in the player, nor do I now. Sorry.

That would be a CD-R.OK. Never went that route since I always used the flashdrive. I will fix my post.

Among the many virtues of OPPO Digital DVD players is that the manuals are clearly written. (I believe Gary had a hand in editing the 981 manual into conversational English. Many thanks!)

That being said, the 983 manual provides the following guidance for HDMI audio settings on page 23.

To get the best possible audio via HDMI, you may need to set the following options on the DVD player’s setup menu, depending on your HDMI-capable receiver configuration:

• If your receiver supports HDMI v1.1 Multi-Channel PCM audio, most likely it also support DTS and/or Dolby Digital decoding and has surround speakers. Please set these DVD player options:

o Speaker Setup Page > Down-mix to “5.1 CH”
o Speaker Setup Page > Front Speaker to “Large”
o Speaker Setup Page > Center Speaker to “Large”
o Speaker Setup Page > Surround Speaker to “Large”
o Speaker Setup Page > Subwoofer to “On”
o Audio Setup Page > HDMI Audio to “Auto”
o Audio Setup Page > Digital Output to “Raw”

This seems to contradict recommendations elsewhere on the AVS Forum for other DVD players when using HDMI audio to AVRs to set the player speaker settings to small, distance to zero, db to zero so as to bypass the player's own speaker settings.

Is the advice given for the OPPO 983 settings when using HDMI for audio also applicable to other players as well?

Dana

A bit OT, but -
When I get a hold of a 983, I can't wait to try out a SACD disc. (The 983 would be driving a Denon 4306 with Axiom speakers). So, I've got to ask you SACD experts: what would be a good disc to get to explore SACD sound for the first time, in the rock genre?

Amazon reviews indicate that "Dark Side of The Moon" sounds great as well as "Brothers in Arms" (but damn that disc is EXPENSIVE). Any other good choices?

Now if I could just get that email stating I could order a 983!

-Dave

I first SACD I listened to on the 983 was Dark Side of the Moon. It is Amazing.

A bit OT, but -
When I get a hold of a 983, I can't wait to try out a SACD disc. (The 983 would be driving a Denon 4306 with Axiom speakers). So, I've got to ask you SACD experts: what would be a good disc to get to explore SACD sound for the first time, in the rock genre?

Amazon reviews indicate that "Dark Side of The Moon" sounds great as well as "Brothers in Arms" (but damn that disc is EXPENSIVE). Any other good choices?

Now if I could just get that email stating I could order a 983!

-Dave

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8685913#post8685913

Great multi-page thread about top 10 DVD-A/SACD choices. Of course, this link takes you to my particular post because, well, um, I am right and everyone else is wrong. :eek:

Take care,

RobbW :)

P.S. Now that I have heard DSoTM in multi-channel, do yourself a favor and avoid the commercially sold multi-channel CD in favor of the OUTSTANDING "homemade" 4.1 channel DVD-A quad-mix that has been posted around the internet. I forget the whole story about it but if I remember correctly, someone gained access to Alan Parson's original quad masters and made this DVD-A for the fans. It's worth tracking down and isn't ridiculously hard to find.

P.S.S. I'm amazed at how well these sound going across the 983 PCM. I was definitely in the DSD or nothing camp when it came to hi-res audio but I truly don't feel like I'm missing anything by going through the 983. I was really expecting to continue to look for a separate transport for my SACD/DVD-A's but I have now stopped looking. I'm just not hearing a transparency/soundstage quality loss of any consequence and that is extremely surprising to me.

Now playing:
Oppo 983
Pioneer VSX-94TXH
Boston Acoustics 6 channel VRI-595s/Center VR-12
SVS PB12-Plus/2

Among the many virtues of OPPO Digital DVD players is that the manuals are clearly written. (I believe Gary had a hand in editing the 981 manual into conversational English. Many thanks!)

That being said, the 983 manual provides the following guidance for HDMI audio settings on page 23.

This seems to contradict recommendations elsewhere on the AVS Forum for other DVD players when using HDMI audio to AVRs to set the player speaker settings to small, distance to zero, db to zero so as to bypass the player's own speaker settings.

Is the advice given for the OPPO 983 settings when using HDMI for audio also applicable to other players as well?

Dana
Actually, those recommendations look good to me - as long as you are only focusing on HDMI output. Setting the speakers to large will cause the player to not do any bass management, while zero'ing out channel trim and channel delay with also skip those adjustments. That allows the receiver to handle those tasks using what will in many cases be a more robust DSP and the settings you've already calibrated it for.

Those recommendations are not so good for the multichannel analog output, but that portion of the manual isn't talking about that output. With the multichannel analog connections, very few receivers will be able to provide any bass management or other processing, in which case it is up to the player to do it. That is when the standard advise is to use "small" for all speakers and to make distance adjustments.

Actually, those recommendations look good to me - as long as you are only focusing on HDMI output. Setting the speakers to large will cause the player to not do any bass management, while zero'ing out channel trim and channel delay with also skip those adjustments. That allows the receiver to handle those tasks using what will in many cases be a more robust DSP and the settings you've already calibrated it for.

Those recommendations are not so good for the multichannel analog output, but that portion of the manual isn't talking about that output. With the multichannel analog connections, very few receivers will be able to provide any bass management or other processing, in which case it is up to the player to do it. That is when the standard advise is to use "small" for all speakers and to make distance adjustments.

Gonk,

As usual you are responsive and helpful! Many thanks.

Dana

You can say that again. :cool:

say what?

'that again'.:eek:

:D

Among the many virtues of OPPO Digital DVD players is that the manuals are clearly written. (I believe Gary had a hand in editing the 981 manual into conversational English. Many thanks!) This time around, I could only find about 4 minor grammatical flaws. OPPO Digital has a phenomenal Customer Service Rep who deserves most of the credit for their impeccable manuals.

Gary

This time around, I could only find about 4 minor grammatical flaws. OPPO Digital has a phenomenal Customer Service Rep who deserves most of the credit for their impeccable manuals.
I agree entirely. I picked over the 983H's manual pretty hard but couldn't find a lot to comment on - and even though I was being really picky, none of my comments related to anything major (readability, organization, and such). They do a very good job in-house with their documentation.

To get the best audio settings for 2 channel analog here are my recommendations:

General Setup:
DVD-Audio set to DVD-Audio

Speaker Setup:
Downmix - Stereo

Audio Setup:
EQ – None
Sound Field – Off
Digital Output – Raw
LPCM Rate – 192K
Audio Tone – 00
HDMI Audio – Off
SACD Over HDMI – DSD

I also set the player onto DIM mode, which switches off the LED display when playing – this helps improve background silence, as LEDs are notoriously noisy (in the electrical sense).

Most importantly use the "Audio Only" mode when playing, which switches off all the video circuitry this improvement is the most audible of the lot.

Arrived about 2 hours ago.. Works great, loads fast.
Box had a big puncture in it which would have been around the back panel near the power input... no damage to the unit though.

Hooked up easy, remote seems a little slow to me. Will get it going with the Harmony 890 in a few minutes.

One thing I read in here,... made me reconsider something

I have a Sony 60A2000 tv. I never figured the 4:3 in native mode (with black sidebars) was a problem.. the book seems to warn against doing that. I know on plasmas that could be an issue.. I am pretty sure the Sony won't have that issue 'cause it's rear projection. Can anyone confirm that?
I will be playing some other dvd's soon....
But on the first cd, it loaded so much faster than my Yamaha DVD-S2500, and loaded without having to log in, etc.... like on the PS3.. that I'm already satisfied enough to say i love this player.

Arrived about 2 hours ago.. Works great, loads fast.
Box had a big puncture in it which would have been around the back panel near the power input... no damage to the unit though.

Hooked up easy, remote seems a little slow to me. Will get it going with the Harmony 890 in a few minutes.

One thing I read in here,... made me reconsider something

I have a Sony 60A2000 tv. I never figured the 4:3 in native mode (with black sidebars) was a problem.. the book seems to warn against doing that. I know on plasmas that could be an issue.. I am pretty sure the Sony won't have that issue 'cause it's rear projection. Can anyone confirm that?
I will be playing some other dvd's soon....
But on the first cd, it loaded so much faster than my Yamaha DVD-S2500, and loaded without having to log in, etc.... like on the PS3.. that I'm already satisfied enough to say i love this player.


SXRD should not have a problem with burn-in.

If I were you I'd confirm this on the Rear Projection forum.

Yeah I'm 99.999999% sure it doesn't. That was the reason I bought it. The warning in the manual made me just rethink it for a split second.

I'm curious... does everyone (who has capability) upconvert all SD discs to 1080p?
I just set it to that and it looks fine, I think.. Was just curious if most did that.

I have a Sony 60A2000 tv. I never figured the 4:3 in native mode (with black sidebars) was a problem.. the book seems to warn against doing that. I know on plasmas that could be an issue.. I am pretty sure the Sony won't have that issue 'cause it's rear projection. Can anyone confirm that?

You dont have to have 'black' bars. In the setup menu just change the 'Border Level' setting to a lighter shade of black or grey. That should alleviate any concerns you may have.

Bill

who would be interested in a SDI mod for this puppy ? ;)

-Gary

who would be interested in a SDI mod for this puppy ? ;)

-Gary

no need

yeah, thats what everyone said about the 970 and 981 as well ;)

the only need would be for those that have a high end scaler and want to feed a 2nd system the already nice 983 HDMI output

or for those that love what SDI brings to the table and would prefer the newer 983 vs the 981

I am going to work on this anyway :)

-Gary

LOL:D... maybe late, but not wrong. SACD came wayyy before it's time. Sony COULD probably make a come-back of it, but not now, not with their new baby... Blu-ray.

On the other hand, their biggest new baby, the Blu-ray PS3, DOES play SACD, including MC SACD, and I've seen several notes from new PS3 owners who, because they have an SACD player for the first time, are buying SACDs. My sense is that many classical music enthusiasts continue to be loyal supporters of the format, and there is quite a large selection of (mainly) classical SACDs these days. There is an active and enthusiastic SACD group on the Audio Asylum forum.

Jim

Do the other Sony BR players also play SACD??

On the other hand, their biggest new baby, the Blu-ray PS3, DOES play SACD (...)
NOT the cheaper (40GB) model in the current two-model lineup.

I find it an incredible case of disrespect to the very consumers who make SONY great that they don't include SACD in their Blu Ray players. Here we have the company that created the format and I have to use an OPPO SACD player? Something's not right.

Any idea when the 983 will be in stock/ready to ship from Oppo and/or Amazon?

Despite new super hdmi cable from monoprice my 983 still has video dropouts. Guess I'm the only one in the country with a lemon. This sucker is going back to Oppo. :mad:

Despite new super hdmi cable from monoprice my 983 still has video dropouts. Guess I'm the only one in the country with a lemon. This sucker is going back to Oppo. :mad:

I'm sorry to hear that. Wouldn't it actually be impossible for one person to get a bad seed? Too bad it has to be you. I'm sure Oppo will make it right. It just sucks that you have to go through this...:(.

Never had a single problem with my 970. Despite Oppo's and the good people on this forum saying it was probably a cable issue I had my doubts as it persisted on all three of my cables. So then I bought monoprices best hdmi cable and the problem remained. I know Oppo will make it right, one bad player wont break the bank for them. A hassle but there are worse things that can happen to you in this life.

Monoprices best hdmi cable = Walmart's Finest

:p

Last evening tried playing a DVD movie and experienced several audio dropouts and also video dropouts at times. SACDs work just fine.
I tried different HDMI cables and also different HDMI input ports but problem persists. My preamp is an Integra DTC 9.8. Tried playing the same
DVD on HTPC and no issues.
The firmware version DV983H-05-0303
I read earlier in this thread that there are others who had issues and there was a firmware update. I couldn't find a version more current than the one I already have.
http://www.oppodigital.com/dv983h/dv983h_support.asp

I have emailed oppo and while I wait (since it's the weekend), does anyone know of a fix for this or is there a firmware available somewhere else I can download and update.
Thanks,
-Jai

Last evening tried playing a DVD movie and experienced several audio dropouts and also video dropouts at times. SACDs work just fine.
I tried different HDMI cables and also different HDMI input ports but problem persists. My preamp is an Integra DTC 9.8. Tried playing the same
DVD on HTPC and no issues.
The firmware version DV983H-05-0303
I read earlier in this thread that there are others who had issues and there was a firmware update. I couldn't find a version more current than the one I already have.
http://www.oppodigital.com/dv983h/dv983h_support.asp

I have emailed oppo and while I wait (since it's the weekend), does anyone know of a fix for this or is there a firmware available somewhere else I can download and update.
Thanks,
-Jai

The beta firmware is distributed via email, so wait for a response from Oppo. There is an audio dropout fix in the current beta, although the summary doesn't mention your Integra specifically, it would be worth trying:

We made some adjustment to HDMI audio handshake procedure in
order to fix a random HDMI audio drop out issue at 1080p resolution when
the player is connected with Pioneer VSX-94TXH. You may not have this
particular model, but please let me know if you experience any HDMI
audio issue with this new firmware. We want to make sure nothing is
broken by the changes.

This firmware also fixes the aspect ratio issue where some 16:9 titles were detected as 4:3.

-Bill

Hello All,

Since weeks now I followed and read posts in the 3 different threads but I am still wondering ... I currently own an Oppo 981 and it is on a Plasma Panasonic TH42PX75 (720P resolution). I am watching PAL Region 2 DVD's, NTSC DVD's and burnt Divx movies alike (cannot honestly say which ones I am watching the most even if it is probably NTSC DVD's) upconverted to 720P which is closest to my native resolution. My Panny is able to proceed 1080P signal but I do not see the point to upconvert to 1080P than to downconvert it later... I can honestly say I never saw any Macroblocking issue with the 981 (maybe there was but I did not notice it). If I change my Panny, it will be for another 42" (TH42PZ700 or similar but not wider than 42). On the audio side, I do not care much as long it is not less than what the Oppo 981 brings with its digital output (Optical Out).
Knowing the above, would I be able to see a real difference with a 983? When I bought the 981, I barely saw an improvement from my former Panasonic DVD-S77 (already upconverting thru HDMI with Faroudja) for NTSC DVD's. The reason of the change was PAL Region 2 and Divx on the 981 and due to this I never did regret the move. But I cannot say the NTSC part has been a huge improvement. So, will the move from the 981 to the 983 will be something I will sense with my setup?

TIA for your honest opinion.

Knowing the above, would I be able to see a real difference with a 983?

I am pleased with my 981 connected to a 37" LCD. I have a 983 because I was a beta tester, but I would not buy one for this display. There is a difference, and the difference is a perceptible improvement, but in my opinion the upgrade is not essential to one's viewing pleasure. I felt the same way when going from the 971 at 720p to the 981 and 1080p, although I did buy and keep the 981.

Most of us can't keep buying new gear every time a new model with marginal improvements appear. I am now patiently waiting for Oppo's Blu-Ray player.

-Bill

Hello All,

Since weeks now I followed and read posts in the 3 different threads but I am still wondering ... I currently own an Oppo 981 and it is on a Plasma Panasonic TH42PX75 (720P resolution). I am watching PAL Region 2 DVD's, NTSC DVD's and burnt Divx movies alike (cannot honestly say which ones I am watching the most even if it is probably NTSC DVD's) upconverted to 720P which is closest to my native resolution. My Panny is able to proceed 1080P signal but I do not see the point to upconvert to 1080P than to downconvert it later... I can honestly say I never saw any Macroblocking issue with the 981 (maybe there was but I did not notice it). If I change my Panny, it will be for another 42" (TH42PZ700 or similar but not wider than 42). On the audio side, I do not care much as long it is not less than what the Oppo 981 brings with its digital output (Optical Out).
Knowing the above, would I be able to see a real difference with a 983? When I bought the 981, I barely saw an improvement from my former Panasonic DVD-S77 (already upconverting thru HDMI with Faroudja) for NTSC DVD's. The reason of the change was PAL Region 2 and Divx on the 981 and due to this I never did regret the move. But I cannot say the NTSC part has been a huge improvement. So, will the move from the 981 to the 983 will be something I will sense with my setup?

TIA for your honest opinion.

Based on your equipment and needs, I would definately stick with the 981.

Monoprices best hdmi cable = Walmart's Finest

:p

That right? Think a $100 monster cable would fix the video dropouts? If so the 983 is going back to stay because I aint buying it.:eek:

That right? Think a $100 monster cable would fix the video dropouts? If so the 983 is going back to stay because I aint buying it.:eek:

One of these oughtta do it -> http://www.shopallmonster.com/Nav/Monster/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=25649&pid=25649&pin=3847&id=NyDpLuSb9T1tuI=
I recommend the $350 one. If that doesn't fix it, I don't know what could. :D

Any idea when the 983 will be in stock/ready to ship from Oppo and/or Amazon?

The new 983 models well be ready to ship the first week in April. Of course the dealers will be getting the lion's share of units.

A company in Michigan is taking orders for a group deal of highly modified units that early reviews show they are as good as or better than players costing 3 or 4 X the $$$$. Google the modified player to find this info.

If you are serious about a reasonably priced very high quality DVD payer (standard definition) you owe it to yourself to check this out!

Caveat, I have no personal involvement with this company, I just know they do good work.



Modification Package Descriptions

Upgraded IEC Connector-
We add a high quality IEC connector that is cryo-treated to the rear of the chassis for use
with high performance aftermarket power cords.

Ultra Low impedance Rubycon capacitor replacements-
We replace an abundance of Switch Mode Power Supply and DSP/Analog board voltage
rail decoupling capacitors in all critical areas of the player to the ultra low impedance
Rubycon capacitors! We also replace the OEM main SMPS reservoir capacitor with a new
special low impedance version that allows for substantially more storage and filtering.
Very Nice improvement! A HUGE change in total sonic tonality and character and as well
as providing the video section with substantially less noise for cleaner output. The stock
capacitors are very poor in comparison of the factors of impedance and ripple current &
will not let you realize the full potential of this unit!

Ultra High Speed Diode Bridge-
We replace the stock noisy/glary/grainy rectifiers with very low impedance ultra fast
rectifiers. These are absolute superior to the stock diodes rectifiers, removing the glare,
grain and grit from the sound and video and allowing you to realize a much cleaner audio
and video performance! !

Qty: (3) DEXA UWB (Ultra Wide Bandwidth) Ultra Low Noise Voltage Regulators-
The UWB Regulator is a high end replacement to the OEM 7805 +5vdc, OEM 7812 +12vdc
and OEM 7912 -12vdc voltage regulators used to regulate DC voltage in the Oppo.
Unfortunately the OEM 7805/7812/7912 regulators have very poor noise performance.
Especially if there are external noise sources around the OEM regulators, like ripple or
load fluctuations. In comparison to all the OEM regulators, the UWB's have more than 100
times better ripple rejection, 10 times lower noise, and no line and load regulation error.
The result is a drastic improvement across the entire spectrum and more dynamic range.

2ch Analog Output Stage Rebuild-
We delete the OEM Analog Output stage after the DAC Chip (all capacitors, analog
filtering, opamps, etc) in favor for our optimized version using the very best sounding
opamp on the market feeding the new 2ch analog output jacks, bypassing allot of stock
circuitry. We replace the OEM capacitors with Ultra low impedance Rubycons. We feel that
this minimalist approach will most likely be of higher resolution than if you compared it to a
outboard DAC. (The factors of connectors, coupling caps, digital cables, impedance, input
receivers, filters, stock electronics, etc.. come into play in the outboard DAC)

High Performance RCA Connectors for 2ch out-
We add a set of very high quality Vampire RCA jacks for the 2ch output section to vastly
improve the signal integrity over the stock jacks!! These are wired via Silver Wire from the
optimized 2ch output section

HDMI Video Output Board Modifications-
Replace an abundance of OEM capacitors used for critical voltage decoupling in the areas
around the ABT Scaler/Deinterlacer chipsets to the Ultra Low Impedance Rubycon
capacitors for a substantial improvement in video performance.

E-A-R Specialty Composites Vibration Isolation Feet-
E-A-R Specialty Composites is a leading manufacturer in the high performance vibration
isolation and damping material industry. We add a trio of their vibration isolation feet in
specific areas on the underside of the Oppo unit. There is essentially no OEM feet and this
gives the unit a much more stable stance as well as controlling vibrations at certain critical points to enhance the performance of the unit in a whole.

New Modified DV-983H w/D-Clock 1 Year warranty


DEXA D-Clock Reference Clock Upgrade-
The OEM Oppo master clock is a basic pierce oscillator which feeds directly into the ASIC
(DSP) chip . Phase noise and power supply injected noise here is high affecting all audio
and video formats with "jitter". The DEXA clock has an extremely low phase noise oscillator
(around 1.5 picoseconds Jitter RMS) and dramatically improves all areas of CD, SACD and
DVD playback. The ultra-low jitter and noise performance of the D-Clock immediately
releases impressive sound quality from the Oppo DV-983H & shifts the players tonality to
remove hardness & harshness; the overall frequency range is more natural and unforced.
Lower frequencies on CD/SACD/DVD playback have greater impact, weight and control.
Greater dimension is added to music and movies, vocals and instruments having improved
spatial qualities with a more solid, palpable feel. The DEXA clock has a very unique function
of isolating the clock signal ground to the power supply ground, so there is no ground loop,
and also there is no Mains Noise injection for the cleanest clock signal possible.

The DEXA D-Clock now eliminates the need for a dedicated (and costly) external
dedicated power supply due to its inherent mains/ground isolation topologies.
Highly Recommended by all means for the best audio and video performance!
ADDITIONAL UPGRADE!
Oppo DV-983H Scores Perfect 100 at Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity DVD Benchmark Review!!!

That right? Think a $100 monster cable would fix the video dropouts? If so the 983 is going back to stay because I aint buying it.:eek:

Here is a good read on Monoprice vs Monster....

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/hdmi-cable-battlemodo/the-truth-about-monster-cable-part-2-verdict-cheap-cables-keep-upusually-268788.php

Here is a good read on Monoprice vs Monster....

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/hdmi-cable-battlemodo/the-truth-about-monster-cable-part-2-verdict-cheap-cables-keep-upusually-268788.php

Interesting read. The Monoprice 1.3 cat 2 certified 6 ft. cable I bought shouldn't have any problems. The 983 showed the exact video dropouts I had with the previous 3 cables. Something is wrong with the player. Now another poster has also reported the same thing. I could be something that can be fixed with a firmware upgrade but I've boxed it up for shipping back to Oppo so I'll let them deal with it while I watch my trusty old 970 for awhile.

Interesting read. The Monoprice 1.3 cat 2 certified 6 ft. cable I bought shouldn't have any problems. The 983 showed the exact video dropouts I had with the previous 3 cables. Something is wrong with the player. Now another poster has also reported the same thing. I could be something that can be fixed with a firmware upgrade but I've boxed it up for shipping back to Oppo so I'll let them deal with it while I watch my trusty old 970 for awhile. Its not your cables. The OPPO and Monoprice cables are more than good enough for the job. You've done the right thing. Whether it requires a hardware or FW fix, OPPO will take care of it. Don't give up yet! It'll be worth it.

Gary

Last evening tried playing a DVD movie and experienced several audio dropouts and also video dropouts at times. SACDs work just fine.
I tried different HDMI cables and also different HDMI input ports but problem persists. My preamp is an Integra DTC 9.8. Tried playing the same
DVD on HTPC and no issues.
The firmware version DV983H-05-0303
I read earlier in this thread that there are others who had issues and there was a firmware update. I couldn't find a version more current than the one I already have.
http://www.oppodigital.com/dv983h/dv983h_support.asp

I have emailed oppo and while I wait (since it's the weekend), does anyone know of a fix for this or is there a firmware available somewhere else I can download and update.
Thanks,
-Jai

Interesting. Earlier today, I watched LOTR III extended version w/o any issues. I then threw on Perfect Storm and after about 15 mins. I started to get audio dropouts. I backed up to see if I could duplicate the dropouts; they continued but not in the same spots. I sat there frustrated for a few minutes and then the video began dropping out too. The connections all seemed secure. I still have my 981 hooked up and played PS there with no problems, so I'm guessing that it wasn't the processor. Both units are plugged into an Integra 9.8 pre/pro via 3' Monoprice HDMI 1.3a cert. cables. Anyway, I shut everything down, then fired it all back up after a couple of hours & everything was/is working fine. The 983 had been on for several hours; I wonder if it might possibly have been overheating.

I'll be watching a couple more movies tonight and I'll see it this happens again. I'm really having fun with the 983. Eliminating the macro-blocking and green push I had on the 981 has me going through my DVD collection like it was new :D

Last evening tried playing a DVD movie and experienced several audio dropouts and also video dropouts at times. SACDs work just fine.

What resolution do you have the DVD player set to? If you lower the HDMI resolution, does the picture/audio drop out.

How long is your HDMI cable to your receiver and to your display?

Personally, I do not think the beta firmware will resolve this issue, as I am using an Integra 9.8 and haven't had any audio or video dropouts with the stock and beta firmware.

Hello All,

Since weeks now I followed and read posts in the 3 different threads but I am still wondering ... I currently own an Oppo 981 and it is on a Plasma Panasonic TH42PX75 (720P resolution). I am watching PAL Region 2 DVD's, NTSC DVD's and burnt Divx movies alike (cannot honestly say which ones I am watching the most even if it is probably NTSC DVD's) upconverted to 720P which is closest to my native resolution. My Panny is able to proceed 1080P signal but I do not see the point to upconvert to 1080P than to downconvert it later... I can honestly say I never saw any Macroblocking issue with the 981 (maybe there was but I did not notice it). If I change my Panny, it will be for another 42" (TH42PZ700 or similar but not wider than 42). On the audio side, I do not care much as long it is not less than what the Oppo 981 brings with its digital output (Optical Out).
Knowing the above, would I be able to see a real difference with a 983? When I bought the 981, I barely saw an improvement from my former Panasonic DVD-S77 (already upconverting thru HDMI with Faroudja) for NTSC DVD's. The reason of the change was PAL Region 2 and Divx on the 981 and due to this I never did regret the move. But I cannot say the NTSC part has been a huge improvement. So, will the move from the 981 to the 983 will be something I will sense with my setup? I agree with the others. The 983 is absolutely superb, but may be overkill in your situation, since your 981 yields similar performance, and you do not experience any macroblocking issues with your TV.

Gary

I find it an incredible case of disrespect to the very consumers who make SONY great that they don't include SACD in their Blu Ray players. Here we have the company that created the format and I have to use an OPPO SACD player? Something's not right.

It is an extra expense. When you are creating a console which will be losing money for years, you want to be able to reduce the amount of money lost per console, especially for a function which most of the users will not use (note: there have been surveys which showed that only 33% of PS3 owners knew they could play Blu-Ray contents. Just imagine how many knew about SACD).

Sony could be saving $30~50 per unit in this manner. Times that by several million, and you just saved a lot of coin.

Despite new super hdmi cable from monoprice my 983 still has video dropouts. Guess I'm the only one in the country with a lemon.

Do you have another display to try the OPPO on? If not, have them send you a replacement on Monday.

Hi, guys

Just to leave an oppinion of an non-US resident.

I am a happy owner of a Oppo 980. I had never thought a DVD player could output such an incredible picture quality. When I bought my LCD TV, the firtst time I could really enjoy it was with Oppo´s 980.

The problem is that I had to pay shipping and customs fees that raised the cost of my Oppo from $169 to almost $350, and I still think I have made a great deal.

Of course, with the $399 price for the 983, I have to think twice, but believe me, if I lived in the US, this price would easily justify it. I have a PS3, I know BD quality is much better than SD, but I really would like to see how the 983 performs. My huge collection of SD discs deserves the best DVD player already made. Maybe I will visit you just to bring a 983 in my luggage and save all those costs.

Ah, I have also bought from Oppo an DM-31 HDMI switch. The additional costs raised the orighal $100 to almost $200 and I am still very pleased with this little piece of hardware.

Thanks (just regretting Oppo is not in Brazil)

Alvaro Maia
Brazil

Interesting. Earlier today, I watched LOTR III extended version w/o any issues. I then threw on Perfect Storm and after about 15 mins. I started to get audio dropouts. I backed up to see if I could duplicate the dropouts; they continued but not in the same spots. I sat there frustrated for a few minutes and then the video began dropping out too. The connections all seemed secure. I still have my 981 hooked up and played PS there with no problems, so I'm guessing that it wasn't the processor. Both units are plugged into an Integra 9.8 pre/pro via 3' Monoprice HDMI 1.3a cert. cables. Anyway, I shut everything down, then fired it all back up after a couple of hours & everything was/is working fine. The 983 had been on for several hours; I wonder if it might possibly have been overheating.

I'll be watching a couple more movies tonight and I'll see it this happens again. I'm really having fun with the 983. Eliminating the macro-blocking and green push I had on the 981 has me going through my DVD collection like it was new :D

It is interesting you say this, because I had exactly the same thought that it could be an overheating issue. Yes, I had left it on for a long time too (I don't know how long exactly but it was more than a few hours).
I will try a different movie today and see what happens.

What resolution do you have the DVD player set to? If you lower the HDMI resolution, does the picture/audio drop out.

How long is your HDMI cable to your receiver and to your display?

Personally, I do not think the beta firmware will resolve this issue, as I am using an Integra 9.8 and haven't had any audio or video dropouts with the stock and beta firmware.

1080p. I haven't played around with lower resolutions for DVDs. With SACDs, playing at a low resolution like 480 prevents you from getting multi-ch output from the player. It is the standard oppo 6ft cable. I also tried the same length monoprice cable.

Most of us can't keep buying new gear every time a new model with marginal improvements appear. I am now patiently waiting for Oppo's Blu-Ray player.

-Bill

i'm waiting for oppo blu ray too...only if they decide to keep 983 features

i have 981 feeding panny 50" @ 10' which produce awesome divx....and dvds are very very close to my express vu pvr hd programming

i was gonna buy 983 but sitting on fence

It is interesting you say this, because I had exactly the same thought that it could be an overheating issue. Yes, I had left it on for a long time too (I don't know how long exactly but it was more than a few hours).
I will try a different movie today and see what happens.

I thought about the heating issue too but after the dropouts started I lifted the 983 and it was barely warm to the touch. If it is a heating issue the player must be extremely sensitive.:confused:

The 983 had been on for several hours; I wonder if it might possibly have been overheating. It is interesting you say this, because I had exactly the same thought that it could be an overheating issue. Yes, I had left it on for a long time too (I don't know how long exactly but it was more than a few hours). Good, constructive brainstorming here... Keep it up. This might give OPPO something more concrete to go by. Do your players have adequate ventilation, or are they enclosed in a cabinet or stacked on top of other warm equipment?

Gary

You think Oppo reads these forums?

I thought about the heating issue too but after the dropouts started I lifted the 983 and it was barely warm to the touch. If it is a heating issue the player must be extremely sensitive.:confused: Heating can cause drift in electronic equipment even without overheating. I'm not suggesting that this is the cause, but it is a possibility.

Gary

You think Oppo reads these forums? Yes they do. And so do the beta testers, who are here to help. Constructive feedback on this forum can go a long way to helping OPPO diagnose and fix defects.

Gary

OK, I have read through all of their mods at the website, and it appears some effect the video/ABT chips output as well. Can some of you experts here help me with this..... would these mods have a reasonable effect on the audio quality and picture quality via HDMI and coaxial audio out, using the player as a digital transport...... or are these mods primarily an upgrade to the analog audio stages and component video out. Thanks.

John


The new 983 models well be ready to ship the first week in April. Of course the dealers will be getting the lion's share of units.

A company in Michigan is taking orders for a group deal of highly modified units that early reviews show they are as good as or better than players costing 3 or 4 X the $$$$. Google the modified player to find this info.

If you are serious about a reasonably priced very high quality DVD payer (standard definition) you owe it to yourself to check this out!

Caveat, I have no personal involvement with this company, I just know they do good work.



Modification Package Descriptions

Upgraded IEC Connector-
We add a high quality IEC connector that is cryo-treated to the rear of the chassis for use
with high performance aftermarket power cords.

Ultra Low impedance Rubycon capacitor replacements-
We replace an abundance of Switch Mode Power Supply and DSP/Analog board voltage
rail decoupling capacitors in all critical areas of the player to the ultra low impedance
Rubycon capacitors! We also replace the OEM main SMPS reservoir capacitor with a new
special low impedance version that allows for substantially more storage and filtering.
Very Nice improvement! A HUGE change in total sonic tonality and character and as well
as providing the video section with substantially less noise for cleaner output. The stock
capacitors are very poor in comparison of the factors of impedance and ripple current &
will not let you realize the full potential of this unit!

Ultra High Speed Diode Bridge-
We replace the stock noisy/glary/grainy rectifiers with very low impedance ultra fast
rectifiers. These are absolute superior to the stock diodes rectifiers, removing the glare,
grain and grit from the sound and video and allowing you to realize a much cleaner audio
and video performance! !

Qty: (3) DEXA UWB (Ultra Wide Bandwidth) Ultra Low Noise Voltage Regulators-
The UWB Regulator is a high end replacement to the OEM 7805 +5vdc, OEM 7812 +12vdc
and OEM 7912 -12vdc voltage regulators used to regulate DC voltage in the Oppo.
Unfortunately the OEM 7805/7812/7912 regulators have very poor noise performance.
Especially if there are external noise sources around the OEM regulators, like ripple or
load fluctuations. In comparison to all the OEM regulators, the UWB's have more than 100
times better ripple rejection, 10 times lower noise, and no line and load regulation error.
The result is a drastic improvement across the entire spectrum and more dynamic range.

2ch Analog Output Stage Rebuild-
We delete the OEM Analog Output stage after the DAC Chip (all capacitors, analog
filtering, opamps, etc) in favor for our optimized version using the very best sounding
opamp on the market feeding the new 2ch analog output jacks, bypassing allot of stock
circuitry. We replace the OEM capacitors with Ultra low impedance Rubycons. We feel that
this minimalist approach will most likely be of higher resolution than if you compared it to a
outboard DAC. (The factors of connectors, coupling caps, digital cables, impedance, input
receivers, filters, stock electronics, etc.. come into play in the outboard DAC)

High Performance RCA Connectors for 2ch out-
We add a set of very high quality Vampire RCA jacks for the 2ch output section to vastly
improve the signal integrity over the stock jacks!! These are wired via Silver Wire from the
optimized 2ch output section

HDMI Video Output Board Modifications-
Replace an abundance of OEM capacitors used for critical voltage decoupling in the areas
around the ABT Scaler/Deinterlacer chipsets to the Ultra Low Impedance Rubycon
capacitors for a substantial improvement in video performance.

E-A-R Specialty Composites Vibration Isolation Feet-
E-A-R Specialty Composites is a leading manufacturer in the high performance vibration
isolation and damping material industry. We add a trio of their vibration isolation feet in
specific areas on the underside of the Oppo unit. There is essentially no OEM feet and this
gives the unit a much more stable stance as well as controlling vibrations at certain critical points to enhance the performance of the unit in a whole.

New Modified DV-983H w/D-Clock 1 Year warranty


DEXA D-Clock Reference Clock Upgrade-
The OEM Oppo master clock is a basic pierce oscillator which feeds directly into the ASIC
(DSP) chip . Phase noise and power supply injected noise here is high affecting all audio
and video formats with "jitter". The DEXA clock has an extremely low phase noise oscillator
(around 1.5 picoseconds Jitter RMS) and dramatically improves all areas of CD, SACD and
DVD playback. The ultra-low jitter and noise performance of the D-Clock immediately
releases impressive sound quality from the Oppo DV-983H & shifts the players tonality to
remove hardness & harshness; the overall frequency range is more natural and unforced.
Lower frequencies on CD/SACD/DVD playback have greater impact, weight and control.
Greater dimension is added to music and movies, vocals and instruments having improved
spatial qualities with a more solid, palpable feel. The DEXA clock has a very unique function
of isolating the clock signal ground to the power supply ground, so there is no ground loop,
and also there is no Mains Noise injection for the cleanest clock signal possible.

The DEXA D-Clock now eliminates the need for a dedicated (and costly) external
dedicated power supply due to its inherent mains/ground isolation topologies.
Highly Recommended by all means for the best audio and video performance!
ADDITIONAL UPGRADE!
Oppo DV-983H Scores Perfect 100 at Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity DVD Benchmark Review!!!

OK, I have read through all of their mods at the website, and it appears some effect the video/ABT chips output as well. Can some of you experts here help me with this..... would these mods have a reasonable effect on the audio quality and picture quality via HDMI and coaxial audio out, using the player as a digital transport...... or are these mods primarily an upgrade to the analog audio stages and component video out. Thanks. The difference would be minimal. If you have lots of spare cash and a truly high-end listening room (including high-end audio equipment ALL the way from source to speakers) then you MIGHT be able to hear a difference. Then again, whether that difference is actually BETTER, may be a subjective thing. As for the video, I seriously doubt there would be any visible improvement.

Gary

I also ordered some isonode feet for the bottom of the replacement 983 when Oppo sends it. They are 3/4" tall and should help with any heat/vibration issues.:)

The difference would be minimal. If you have lots of spare cash and a truly high-end listening room (including high-end audio equipment ALL the way from source to speakers) then you MIGHT be able to hear a difference. Then again, whether that difference is actually BETTER, may be a subjective thing. As for the video, I seriously doubt there would be any visible improvement.

Gary

With all due respect, you are far more knowledgeable about electronics than myself but is your statement an educated guess or do you have some inside information unknown to us all?

I ask this because you haven't seen or played the upgraded model yet you dismiss it as if it were a waste of money.
Please explain.

No, neither. I actually haven't tested .iso, but someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

I tested it. NO .iso on usb.

I have just ordered a PDP-6010FD and thought it may be a good idea to also buy an up-converting dvd-player. I would prefer the 983H but then I might be waiting for a long time. I could go for the 981HD instead. Do you think I will notice a big difference in the PQ of the two players on the 6010FD?

I have just ordered a PDP-6010FD and thought it may be a good idea to also buy an up-converting dvd-player. I would prefer the 983H but then I might be waiting for a long time. I could go for the 981HD instead. Do you think I will notice a big difference in the PQ of the two players on the 6010FD?

Welcome to the AVS Forum and this thread for your first post! I gather that PDP-6010FD = a Pioneer 60-inch 1080p Plasma HDTV.

Dana

I've often noticed an improvement in sound quality by using some kind of isolation method. First, I upgrade the stock power cord to something beefier, but not super pricey, like the $50 PS Audio or $150 Harmonic Technology cords, then I try a few isolation techniques. I have this one very expensive platform and a few different brands of feet to try, (they're kicking around from my former audiophile days). Mod Squad's Soft Shoes work best with my 981 and they were only about $30. I'd suggest that people try that and some decent cabling before choosing an upgrade/mod. Even if you get a mod, there won't be a weak link in the audio chain to spoil it.

With all due respect, you are far more knowledgeable about electronics than myself but is your statement an educated guess or do you have some inside information unknown to us all?

I ask this because you haven't seen or played the upgraded model yet you dismiss it as if it were a waste of money.
Please explain.It's unlikely the mods will show any perceivable change (good or bad) with digital video. Their claims are analogous with the ones that say gold HDMI cables will give better video than copper. One part may have better "specs" than the other, but in reality it doesn't affect anything that can be seen. For video, it's easy to determine if there is a difference. There's many objective tests that can be performed. If there was an improvement it wouldn't be hard to show and one would think that they'd publish the results as proof instead of just making claims.

Audio is a completely different area. Way too many variables (physical and mental) come into play. Nobody is wrong when they say a mod helped or hurt performance for their player. It's their ears, room, brain, and equipment. If they're happy, good. If not, better luck next time. :)

With modding, you need to do your due diligence. Just swapping parts for better ones doesn't alway make things better. I'm not saying modding doesn't work, but what really helps and what really doesn't? Some modders use the same type of parts/mods for every player they modify. Others study the design of the players and the mods are "custom" to each model. Some modders advertise what they do. Some don't. They all try to sell you something.

larry

OPPO has already beefed up the power cord on the 983. I've been able to buy soft black rubber jar stoppers at my local hardware store (a real hardware store, not a big box one) that work great as feet and spacers. Various diameters and thickness are available for < a buck per.

But my 983 runs cool so no need for any. ;)

Dana

Welcome to the AVS Forum and this thread for your first post! I gather that PDP-6010FD = a Pioneer 60-inch 1080p Plasma HDTV.

Dana

Thanks! :) Yes it is a Pioneer 60-inch 1080p Plasma HDTV. Do you think it will be a big difference, worth waiting for, in the PQ of the 983H vs the 981HD on this display?

OPPO has already beefed up the power cord on the 983. I've been able to buy soft black rubber jar stoppers at my local hardware store (a real hardware store, not a big box one) that work great as feet and spacers. Various diameters and thickness are available for < a buck per.

But my 983 runs cool so no need for any. ;)


Dana

Now you tell me. I paid $20 for the isonodes:o

Thanks! :) Yes it is a Pioneer 60-inch 1080p Plasma HDTV. Do you think it will be a big difference, worth waiting for, in the PQ of the 983H vs the 981HD on this display?
There seems to be consensus here that the bigger the screen, the more likely that a small difference will be perceived between the 983 and the 981. The 981 can exhibit macroblocking on some displays which the 980 and 983 do not because of different upconversion chips. I never had the problem using my 981 with my 47" 1080p LCD. You probably wouldn't either.

OPPO Digital has posted an excellent comparison of the three current players here http://www.oppodigital.com/dv983h/dv983h_comp.asp

If you just can't wait for availability of the 983, you might consider getting the 981 since OPPO Digital offers a 30 day money back guarantee. http://www.oppodigital.com/support.htm If you like it, decision made.

Dana

There seems to be consensus here that the bigger the screen, the more likely that a small difference will be perceived between the 983 and the 981. The 981 can exhibit macroblocking on some displays which the 980 and 983 do not because of different upconversion chips. I never had the problem using my 981 with my 47" 1080p LCD. You probably wouldn't either.

If you just can't wait for availability of the 983, you might consider getting the 981 since OPPO Digital offers a 30 day money back guarantee. If you like it, decision made.

Dana

Then I probably go for the 981. I can sell it later and upgrade to the 983 if i am not completely satisfied with it. Thanks! :)

Good, constructive brainstorming here... Keep it up. This might give OPPO something more concrete to go by. Do your players have adequate ventilation, or are they enclosed in a cabinet or stacked on top of other warm equipment?

Gary

My 983 sits atop a Panny BD30 on an open shelf w/o any air or vent restrictions. The BD30 was in standby mode and cold at the time the dropouts on the 983 began.

FWIW, I watched I am Legend last night w/o any dropouts. I did notice that the disc came out of the player quite warm. (Not as warm as those from my old Denon 2900 though.) If I get time, I'll try leaving the player on for a day and see if the problem comes back.

The new 983 models well be ready to ship the first week in April. Of course the dealers will be getting the lion's share of units.

A company in Michigan is taking orders for a group deal of highly modified units that early reviews show they are as good as or better than players costing 3 or 4 X the $$$$. Google the modified player to find this info.

If you are serious about a reasonably priced very high quality DVD payer (standard definition) you owe it to yourself to check this out!

Caveat, I have no personal involvement with this company, I just know they do good work.



Modification Package Descriptions

Upgraded IEC Connector-
We add a high quality IEC connector that is cryo-treated to the rear of the chassis for use
with high performance aftermarket power cords.

Ultra Low impedance Rubycon capacitor replacements-
We replace an abundance of Switch Mode Power Supply and DSP/Analog board voltage
rail decoupling capacitors in all critical areas of the player to the ultra low impedance
Rubycon capacitors! We also replace the OEM main SMPS reservoir capacitor with a new
special low impedance version that allows for substantially more storage and filtering.
Very Nice improvement! A HUGE change in total sonic tonality and character and as well
as providing the video section with substantially less noise for cleaner output. The stock
capacitors are very poor in comparison of the factors of impedance and ripple current &
will not let you realize the full potential of this unit!

Ultra High Speed Diode Bridge-
We replace the stock noisy/glary/grainy rectifiers with very low impedance ultra fast
rectifiers. These are absolute superior to the stock diodes rectifiers, removing the glare,
grain and grit from the sound and video and allowing you to realize a much cleaner audio
and video performance! !

Qty: (3) DEXA UWB (Ultra Wide Bandwidth) Ultra Low Noise Voltage Regulators-
The UWB Regulator is a high end replacement to the OEM 7805 +5vdc, OEM 7812 +12vdc
and OEM 7912 -12vdc voltage regulators used to regulate DC voltage in the Oppo.
Unfortunately the OEM 7805/7812/7912 regulators have very poor noise performance.
Especially if there are external noise sources around the OEM regulators, like ripple or
load fluctuations. In comparison to all the OEM regulators, the UWB's have more than 100
times better ripple rejection, 10 times lower noise, and no line and load regulation error.
The result is a drastic improvement across the entire spectrum and more dynamic range.

2ch Analog Output Stage Rebuild-
We delete the OEM Analog Output stage after the DAC Chip (all capacitors, analog
filtering, opamps, etc) in favor for our optimized version using the very best sounding
opamp on the market feeding the new 2ch analog output jacks, bypassing allot of stock
circuitry. We replace the OEM capacitors with Ultra low impedance Rubycons. We feel that
this minimalist approach will most likely be of higher resolution than if you compared it to a
outboard DAC. (The factors of connectors, coupling caps, digital cables, impedance, input
receivers, filters, stock electronics, etc.. come into play in the outboard DAC)

High Performance RCA Connectors for 2ch out-
We add a set of very high quality Vampire RCA jacks for the 2ch output section to vastly
improve the signal integrity over the stock jacks!! These are wired via Silver Wire from the
optimized 2ch output section

HDMI Video Output Board Modifications-
Replace an abundance of OEM capacitors used for critical voltage decoupling in the areas
around the ABT Scaler/Deinterlacer chipsets to the Ultra Low Impedance Rubycon
capacitors for a substantial improvement in video performance.

E-A-R Specialty Composites Vibration Isolation Feet-
E-A-R Specialty Composites is a leading manufacturer in the high performance vibration
isolation and damping material industry. We add a trio of their vibration isolation feet in
specific areas on the underside of the Oppo unit. There is essentially no OEM feet and this
gives the unit a much more stable stance as well as controlling vibrations at certain critical points to enhance the performance of the unit in a whole.

New Modified DV-983H w/D-Clock 1 Year warranty


DEXA D-Clock Reference Clock Upgrade-
The OEM Oppo master clock is a basic pierce oscillator which feeds directly into the ASIC
(DSP) chip . Phase noise and power supply injected noise here is high affecting all audio
and video formats with "jitter". The DEXA clock has an extremely low phase noise oscillator
(around 1.5 picoseconds Jitter RMS) and dramatically improves all areas of CD, SACD and
DVD playback. The ultra-low jitter and noise performance of the D-Clock immediately
releases impressive sound quality from the Oppo DV-983H & shifts the players tonality to
remove hardness & harshness; the overall frequency range is more natural and unforced.
Lower frequencies on CD/SACD/DVD playback have greater impact, weight and control.
Greater dimension is added to music and movies, vocals and instruments having improved
spatial qualities with a more solid, palpable feel. The DEXA clock has a very unique function
of isolating the clock signal ground to the power supply ground, so there is no ground loop,
and also there is no Mains Noise injection for the cleanest clock signal possible.

The DEXA D-Clock now eliminates the need for a dedicated (and costly) external
dedicated power supply due to its inherent mains/ground isolation topologies.
Highly Recommended by all means for the best audio and video performance!
ADDITIONAL UPGRADE!
Oppo DV-983H Scores Perfect 100 at Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity DVD Benchmark Review!!!

Give me mods that I can sink my teeth into.

Like custom resolutions.

This player can be a modder's dream...

:)

The difference would be minimal. If you have lots of spare cash and a truly high-end listening room (including high-end audio equipment ALL the way from source to speakers) then you MIGHT be able to hear a difference. Then again, whether that difference is actually BETTER, may be a subjective thing. As for the video, I seriously doubt there would be any visible improvement.

Gary


Well I do have an audiophile system, start to finish (IMO, everythings subjective "smiles"), BUT, this player is for video only, including concerts as well as movies (my redbook CD system is in place). Since I will be using HDMI out, and not component, there is no conversion to analog, which is where I think improvement occurs through better parts. Also audio will be coax out into my Anthem Pre/pro, so again, keeping it digital and letting the Anthem do the conversion. Again, if I were using analog outs on the player, upgrading the caps, resistors, etc, can have an effect. I just couldn't see a cost justification using the player as I intend to. Now if the mods will improve the digital picture out through HDMI, I am all ears :)

John

It's unlikely the mods will show any perceivable change (good or bad) with digital video. Their claims are analogous with the ones that say gold HDMI cables will give better video than copper. One part may have better "specs" than the other, but in reality it doesn't affect anything that can be seen. For video, it's easy to determine if there is a difference. There's many objective tests that can be performed. If there was an improvement it wouldn't be hard to show and one would think that they'd publish the results as proof instead of just making claims.

Audio is a completely different area. Way too many variables (physical and mental) come into play. Nobody is wrong when they say a mod helped or hurt performance for their player. It's their ears, room, brain, and equipment. If they're happy, good. If not, better luck next time. :)

With modding, you need to do your due diligence. Just swapping parts for better ones doesn't alway make things better. I'm not saying modding doesn't work, but what really helps and what really doesn't? Some modders use the same type of parts/mods for every player they modify. Others study the design of the players and the mods are "custom" to each model. Some modders advertise what they do. Some don't. They all try to sell you something.

larry

"It's unlikely the mods will show any perceivable change (good or bad) with digital video"
My point exactly in the previous post, but I am all ears if there IS an improvement.

John

Thanks! :) Yes it is a Pioneer 60-inch 1080p Plasma HDTV. Do you think it will be a big difference, worth waiting for, in the PQ of the 983H vs the 981HD on this display?
I also have the 6010 and got a very good picture by sending it 480i over HDMI from the 980. The Kuros have very good DVD de-interlacing and scaling. I didn't try the 981, but I did try the HD-XA2 which is generally agreed to be better than the 981, and the 980 at 480i produce a very similar image. However, the 983 blew both of them away on my 6010. My observations (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13385070#post13385070). So, you may want to consider the 980 and the 983 -- rather than the 981.

I also have the 6010 and got a very good picture by sending it 480i over HDMI from the 980. The Kuros have very good DVD de-interlacing and scaling. I didn't try the 981, but I did try the HD-XA2 which is generally agreed to be better than the 981, and the 980 at 480i produce a very similar image. However, the 983 blew both of them away on my 6010. My observations (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13385070#post13385070). So, you may want to consider the 980 and the 983 -- rather than the 981.

Ok! This is interesting. So you think I should wait for the 983 then. Anyone willing to sell their 983? LOL

Has anyone received any tips on when the 983 will be available again?

I am quite suprised that the 6010 deliveres a good de-interlacing and scaling on SD material. In the review by ultimateavmag Pioneer KURO PDP-6010FD 1080p 60" Plasma Display (http://www.ultimateavmag.com/flatpaneldisplays/1007piok60/index3.html) the SD video processing was mentioned as one of the lows.

OPPO has already beefed up the power cord on the 983. I've been able to buy soft black rubber jar stoppers at my local hardware store (a real hardware store, not a big box one) that work great as feet and spacers. Various diameters and thickness are available for < a buck per.

But my 983 runs cool so no need for any. ;)

Dana


Do you or can you post a picture of one so I will know what to look for?

Do you or can you post a picture of one so I will know what to look for?

Jar stoppers? I would like to know the same as I have never heard of them.

1080p. I haven't played around with lower resolutions for DVDs. With SACDs, playing at a low resolution like 480 prevents you from getting multi-ch output from the player.

Try using 720p. At 720p the bandwidth is about 1/4 of the bandwidth used for 1080p.

Try bypassing the receiver and see if you get the same audio/video dropouts.

Things I've noticed so far...

1) Pressing info during movie brings up a screen with the movie in a little page tab surrounded by grey with dvd info below...but the gray background is not rectangular and there is a odd black corner in the upper right?

2) The captured image used for background is being horribly compressed (jpeg compression artifacts?) and looks very bad.

3) Open tray time is ~11 seconds from button press when player is off.

4) Layer change is noticeable on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, maybe .25 seconds (much shorter than Xa2 and worse than the seamless ps3).

Need help!:eek:
Oppo has e-mailed me a firmware upgrade. They say to use a usb thumb drive (don't have one) or burn file to cd using ISO9660 ( no Joliet extension) format.
I don't have a clue what they are talking about. Then check the firmware ( don't know how to do that either) which should read 06-0318.
I've boxed the thing up for shipment and don't know whether to demand a rma or not. This is starting to get old. Don't even know if this firmware will solve the video dropouts or not.......

Jar stoppers? I would like to know the same as I have never heard of them.

I wonder if they mean the black round rubber plugs you can use for plugging holes (jars, bottles, etc.)

Need help!:eek:


From oppo's site: http://www.oppodigital.com/dv983h/dv983h_support.asp

Q: I do not have the right software to burn the CD. How do I get free or trial CD-Burning software to burn the CD?
A: We recommend the easy to use BurnAtOnce software, available for downloading at www.burnatonce.net. You can use it to burn the firmware CD from the .iso file. After you install and start the BurnAtOnce software, do the following:

1. Click on "File".
2. Choose "Load New Image..."
3. Choose the saved firmware image file from your computer.
4. Load a blank CD-R disc and click the big "Write" button.
5. Verify that the burned CD has a "983.bin" file.

(I would imagine that nero/burn image would work just as well) and...

Q: How do I check the firmware version of my OPPO DVD player?
A: To check the firmware version, please eject the disc tray. While the TV display is showing the OPPO logo screen and the "OPEN" message, press the "OSD" button on the remote control. The current firmware version will be displayed.

I don't have any "Oppo" products, but I already like the company a lot.
I asked the Oppo folks to notify me when the DV-983H becomes available.

Q: Does anybody here have the Oppo HDMI switch with a "longish" (> 15ft)
MonoPrice cable successfully used (e.g., no dropouts) with 1080p video?

Q: Is there an "AVS thread" for the Oppo switch?

Thanks!

Mike

Need help!:eek:
Oppo has e-mailed me a firmware upgrade. They say to use a usb thumb drive (don't have one) or burn file to cd using ISO9660 ( no Joliet extension) format.
I don't have a clue what they are talking about. Then check the firmware ( don't know how to do that either) which should read 06-0318.
I've boxed the thing up for shipment and don't know whether to demand a rma or not. This is starting to get old. Don't even know if this firmware will solve the video dropouts or not.......
Check out the firmware update section of my review (http://www.prillaman.net/oppo983_review.html#firmware) or the firmware update instructions for the 980H (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv980h/dv980h-firmware-0b-0903.html). It's an easy process, and they've got good documentation on how to do it.

Check out the firmware update section of my review (http://www.prillaman.net/oppo983_review.html#firmware) or the firmware update instructions for the 980H (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv980h/dv980h-firmware-0b-0903.html). It's an easy process, and they've got good documentation on how to do it.

Thanks for the help guys but I'm not overly computer literate and uncomfortable giving this a try. It clearly states of Oppo's website that a diy firmware update can screw things up. I've e-mailed Oppo that they can either send me a replacement or they can give me a full refund. I've had enough.

I don't have any "Oppo" products, but I already like the company a lot.
I asked the Oppo folks to notify me when the DV-983H becomes available.

Q: Does anybody here have the Oppo HDMI switch with a "longish" (> 15ft)
MonoPrice cable successfully used (e.g., no dropouts) with 1080p video?

Q: Is there an "AVS thread" for the Oppo switch? Well, there's a review here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12079388#post12079388) and here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11820599#post11820599), but no general threads that I'm aware of. I'm not using long cables, but I'm using two 1080p players and the HM-31 with no problems.

Gary

Need help!:eek:
Oppo has e-mailed me a firmware upgrade. They say to use a usb thumb drive (don't have one) or burn file to cd using ISO9660 ( no Joliet extension) format.
I don't have a clue what they are talking about. Then check the firmware ( don't know how to do that either) which should read 06-0318.
I've boxed the thing up for shipment and don't know whether to demand a rma or not. This is starting to get old. Don't even know if this firmware will solve the video dropouts or not.......

Read the first post on this thread under CD-R Upgrade Instructions. Surely you must have the ability to burn a CD using your computer? It is likely that the firmware upgrade will solve the video dropout problem. Otherwise OPPO wouldn't have sent it to you.

If burning a CD is not your thing, then OPPO will send you the CD. Just ask them.

Dana

I wonder if they mean the black round rubber plugs you can use for plugging holes (jars, bottles, etc.)

Yes, Quite so. See them here. http://www.widgetco.com/rubber-stoppers Find them at quality hardware stores.

Dana

With all due respect, you are far more knowledgeable about electronics than myself but is your statement an educated guess or do you have some inside information unknown to us all?

I ask this because you haven't seen or played the upgraded model yet you dismiss it as if it were a waste of money.
Please explain. You're right, I haven't seen or played the upgraded model yet. But I'm an electronics research and design engineer with over 20 years of experience in the analog and digital domain, including audio and power supply design. I design with extremely low-noise 24-bit digital-to-analog converters and op-amps. I know the value of using "ultra low impedance Rubycon capacitors" and where and why to use them. I measure the results on oscilloscopes and other equipment worth over 20k a piece.

The DV-983H already uses high-quality capacitors and other components. Absolutely, I agree that there is some margin for tweaking and optimizing by using more expensive components, but the gains will be exceedingly small. Very quickly, you reach the point of diminishing returns, where the cost for every tiny increment in performance rises exponentially. I do understand though, that to some, those small gains may be worth every penny.

Gary

Well, there's a review here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=12079388#post12079388) and here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11820599#post11820599), but no general threads that I'm aware of. I'm not using long cables, but I'm using two 1080p players and the HM-31 with no problems.

Gary

Gary, thank you for the links.

The Audioholics review contains response from Oppo.

"Manufacturer Note on Extender Testing Methodology
In the test we used 2 pieces of 50-foot 22 AWG HDMI cables. For the visual test we used the 1080p60Hz output from our own DVD player and a Sharp Aquos 1080p TV. There was no HDCP or visual problem. For instrument test we used a Quantum Data 802BT HDMI signal generator and analyzer. We did the HDCP test with the Sharp TV, again at 1080p, and found no error in 200 rounds of test. We also did the loop back test (802BT TX – 50ft HDMI – HM-31 input 1/HM-31 output – 50ft HDMI – 802BT RX) at 1080p60Hz, the 802BT measured 0 pixel error on all three TMDS channels. At this point we do not have in-house equipment to test HDMI 1.3 with Deep Color. All HDMI 1.3 test for this switch were done initially at the Silicon Image Shanghai test lab (an official HDMI.org authorized test center), and then confirmed again at Silicon Image Sunnyvale CA test lab (another HDMI ATC). The HDMI 1.3 tests done at the ATCs do not include long cable test but their eye-diagram test has the same effect and is a more scientific way to measure transmission loss."

They used a "heavy-duty" 22 AWG cable; probably the same as used in the M*nster Cable tests.
After reading reviews on Monoprice.com that the cable is very still, I ordered two 24 AWG cables.

Mike

You're right, I haven't seen or played the upgraded model yet. But I'm an electronics research and design engineer with over 20 years of experience in the analog and digital domain, including audio and power supply design. I design with extremely low-noise 24-bit digital-to-analog converters and op-amps. I know the value of using "ultra low impedance Rubycon capacitors" and where and why to use them. I measure the results on oscilloscopes and other equipment worth over 20k a piece.

The DV-983H already uses high-quality capacitors and other components. Absolutely, I agree that there is some margin for tweaking and optimizing by using more expensive components, but the gains will be exceedingly small. I understand though, that to some, that small gain may be worth every penny.

Gary

Gary, I envy your experience...
:)
I worked in electronics industry for 10 years (in my previous "career")
and I have been following audio electronics and later A/V electronics
for three decades...
I agree with you 100.00%.

I would say to somebody with this kind of cash, please donate some of it
to a worthy cause instead of to a High-End purveyer.

If not interested...
Invest in an acoustic treatment of your A/V room/theater room.
It is guaranteed to return "big" in terms of improved audio quality.

Mike

The captured image used for background is being horribly compressed (jpeg compression artifacts?) and looks very bad.

You are asking way too much from this feature. Either they implement a save which is higher quality but uses more memory (thereby reducing the amount of space they have for future releases) or you compress it. Personally I use an anime capture, and it looks fine.
3) Open tray time is ~11 seconds from button press when player is off.
6 seconds for the actual hardware to turn on; another 6~15 seconds to ensure that any disc, if inside, is not spinning before an Eject occurs.
4) Layer change is noticeable on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, maybe .25 seconds (much shorter than Xa2 and worse than the seamless ps3).
Not to say that you have an issue with your player, but layer changes I have seen still show up as very brief pauses.

It is likely that the firmware upgrade will solve the video dropout problem. Otherwise OPPO wouldn't have sent it to you.

Not really. At this point, being a weekend, there is nothing to lose by having him update the firmware to the beta firmware to see if the changes in this firmware do not effect the video performance. That is, there is nothing to lose from trying another firmware release.

Thanks for the help guys but I'm not overly computer literate and uncomfortable giving this a try. It clearly states of Oppo's website that a diy firmware update can screw things up. I've e-mailed Oppo that they can either send me a replacement or they can give me a full refund. I've had enough.First, thumb-drives or flashdrives are cheap and plentiful. Walmart has them for under $15. Second, I have updated the firmware on a 980 and a 980 4-5 times without a hitch and without a miss. Just follow the instructions.

Need help!:eek:
Oppo has e-mailed me a firmware upgrade. They say to use a usb thumb drive (don't have one) or burn file to cd using ISO9660 ( no Joliet extension) format.
I don't have a clue what they are talking about.

The easiest solution is to download a trial Nero Burning ROM (http://www.nero.com/enu/downloads-nero8-trial.php). After you install the software, do the following:
1. Load Nero Burning ROM (not Smart Start).
2. A New Compilation window will appear. In the Upper Left hand corner ensure that the drop down box has CD listed. On the Left select "CD-ROM ISO".
3. Press the ISO Tab (3rd Tab). Ensure that under File the drop downbox for File System is "ISO 9660 ONLY".
4. Press the NEW button.
5. Drag and drop the "983.BIN" file into the Compilation (left) window.
6. Press the Burn Icon (or CTRL+B).
7. Under Write Method ensure the dropdown box read "Disc-At-Once (DAO)".
8. Press Burn and wait about a minute for the disc to be finalized.

Put the disc in the player and follow the onscreen instructions.

I've boxed the thing up for shipment and don't know whether to demand a rma or not. This is starting to get old. Don't even know if this firmware will solve the video dropouts or not.......

At this point you have nothing to lose by trying the firmware upgrade. OPPO will not be able to furnish a player to be sent to you until Monday, and even then it will not be going out until the afternoon. If you can resolve your current issues with a firmware upgrade, then you save OPPO money and yourself additional time if another player has the same issue.

The easiest solution is to download a trial Nero Burning ROM (http://www.nero.com/enu/downloads-nero8-trial.php). After you install the software, do the following:
1. Load Nero Burning ROM (not Smart Start).
2. A New Compilation window will appear. In the Upper Left hand corner ensure that the drop down box has CD listed. On the Left select "CD-ROM ISO".
3. Press the ISO Tab (3rd Tab). Ensure that under File the drop downbox for File System is "ISO 9660 ONLY".
4. Press the NEW button.
5. Drag and drop the "983.BIN" file into the Compilation (left) window.
6. Press the Burn Icon (or CTRL+B).
7. Under Write Method ensure the dropdown box read "Disc-At-Once (DAO)".
8. Press Burn and wait about a minute for the disc to be finalized.

Put the disc in the player and follow the onscreen instructions.



At this point you have nothing to lose by trying the firmware upgrade. OPPO will not be able to furnish a player to be sent to you until Monday, and even then it will not be going out until the afternoon. If you can resolve your current issues with a firmware upgrade, then you save OPPO money and yourself additional time if another player has the same issue.


I copied the 983.BIN firmware Oppo sent me to a USB drive and followed the procedure in post #1. It failed; the screen said "empty".

I also burned it to a CD using Toast, as an ISO file. The 983 reported "Unreadable disc".

I am having beaucoup issues with the 983, running through an Elite VSX-94 to a Pio 6010 all by HDMI.

I had swapped the 983 into the slot formerly occupied by a Denon 2930, which never had any problems, so I think the cabling, AVR and TV are OK.

1. More than 50% of the time when I power the 983 on, nothing happens. No splash screen on the TV, nothing on the Oppo display. The unit does not respond to the remote or the buttons on the unit, except the power off button.

2. More than 50% of the time, the colors are bizzare when I turn it on and it actually boots; the splash screen is violent greens and pinks. I have to power cycle it several times until it comes up normal. Then, when I load a DVD, sometimes it switches back to the greens and pinks when the tray loads.

Not a happy camper; will be on the phone with them tomorrow.

Was hoping to have some fun this weekend comparing it to the 2930, but no such luck.

The easiest solution is to download a trial Nero Burning ROM (http://www.nero.com/enu/downloads-nero8-trial.php). After you install the software, do the following:
1. Load Nero Burning ROM (not Smart Start).
2. A New Compilation window will appear. In the Upper Left hand corner ensure that the drop down box has CD listed. On the Left select "CD-ROM ISO".
3. Press the ISO Tab (3rd Tab). Ensure that under File the drop downbox for File System is "ISO 9660 ONLY".
4. Press the NEW button.
5. Drag and drop the "983.BIN" file into the Compilation (left) window.
6. Press the Burn Icon (or CTRL+B).
7. Under Write Method ensure the dropdown box read "Disc-At-Once (DAO)".
8. Press Burn and wait about a minute for the disc to be finalized.

Put the disc in the player and follow the onscreen instructions.Easiest? How about:
1. Drag and drop the "983.BIN" file into the directory window of the flash drive.
2. Plug the flash drive into the player and follow the onscreen instructions.[/QUOTE]

I was looking at the info at OPPO web site but could not find any
where what DAC it uses. I also tried to look at the info for 980
and could not find what DAC it uses. I wonder why OPPO does
not clearly mention that.

But through folks here, we know that 980 uses Cirrus Logic DAC

I was wondering if 983 uses the same or better. Then I am guaranteed
the same audio performance as the 980.

The 983H uses the same DAC and op-amps as the 980H. They did make some upgrades to the rest of the analog circuit and power supply.

The 983H uses the same DAC and op-amps as the 980H. They did make some upgrades to the rest of the analog circuit and power supply.

Thanks.

Why is it that OPPO does not mention what DAC they are using
in the specs. A lot of manufacturers of DVD/CD players, AVR's
mention the name/model of the DAC. So I wonder why it is
such a proprietary item for some.

Just got my Oppo 983 unboxed and tried a few test discs and it breezed through all I tried with no problems. Then I tried my first movie, American Gangster, and started having audio dropouts, some lasting a fraction of a second, and some 2 or 3 seconds in duration. This was latter followed by a few video dropouts as well. During these video dropouts my projector flashed the HDMI indication on screen which usually means some kind of communication error. The dropouts would occur sporadically every few minutes.

I'm using the HDMI output into my Onkyo 805 then on to my projector. Never had any problems such as this with the Toshiba A35 or Panny BD30 that is also connected in the same manner. My problem sounds like what a few others are experiencing so hopefully Oppo can figure the cause and issue a firmware update to correct it. It really is an excellent picture but the dropouts are something I can't accept. I will call them later today and see if they have any ideas.

My 983 arrived about a week and a half ago, and I've been playing with it (the 983, I mean) ever since. Others have already addressed its stellar performance with film DVDs, so I'd just like to say how amazed I am at the 983's ability to handle video-based material: the results I'm getting are consistently smooth and natural, with scarcely a hint of "jaggies" or aliasing. I am especially impressed by the ABT102's ability to instantaneously track film-to-video transitions, even with the deinterlacing mode set to "Auto." This alone is enough to set the 983 head-and-shoulders above the 981, in my book.

I have found a few bits of footage which cause the 983 to stumble. One example would be the closing credits of the BBC's Doctor Who revival, which consists of scrolling 50i captions superimposed on a 25p background. In "Auto" mode, it takes the 983 about a half-second to realize that it's no longer processing pure 2:2 film, so until that point, the captions are visibly combed. Then, while the credits mostly continue to scroll smoothly, there are a few hiccups when the deinterlacer briefly gets confused and switches back into 2:2 mode. This can be cured by setting the deinterlacing mode to "Video," but that would be a rather drastic solution, as the actual episodes are almost entirely 25p. Anyway, they're only credits, so no biggie.

There is, however, one other type of video footage which completely confuses the 983, and that is footage which deliberately employs inter-field flicker, for a wicked epilepsy-inducing 50hz/60hz stobe effect. This effect was frequently employed during the "Scanimate" animation sequences of the 1970s PBS classic, The Electric Company (dare I admit that I own 40 episodes of this show on DVD?), but I've also found a couple of examples in a 1980 episode of the BBC's Blake's 7. Here (http://www.aracnet.com/~pecurtis/50i.mpg) is the original MPEG2 footage from the DVD (11.57MB), which was intended to be viewed on a true interlaced PAL monitor. From the 983's HDMI output, it comes out as a nasty combed mess--though in fairness, I think it would be impervious to any smart deinterlacing algorithm. AFAIK, the only way to deal with it is by performing a "dumb bob"--that is, independently converting each field to a single frame, without reference to the surrounding fields. (My NEC projector will do this if I feed it with an interlaced signal and set "Deinterlacing=Off" in the Picture Detail menu, and it can also be accomplished on an HTPC running AviSynth.) Here (http://www.aracnet.com/~pecurtis/50p.wmv) is the same footage, bobbed and encoded in WMV9 at 50p for computer viewing (12.22MB). Does anybody know whether the ABT102 can be programmed to perform a dumb bob? If so, perhaps a firmware upgrade could offer this as a deinterlacing option.

As for the 983's PAL<->NTSC facility, I am somewhat disappointed to report that, as with the 981, the framerate conversion is accomplished via nearest neighbor sampling, so there is some slight judder with video-based material. I would prefer a weighted blend, similar to the AviSynth ConvertFPS() function--or better still, motion estimation! (Probably way too expensive at this point.) Still, thanks to the amazing PAL deinterlacing, the overall conversion quality is markedly superior to that of any other standalone DVD player that I've encountered.

Despite all my petty niggles, I do not regret my purchase in the slightest. This is a fantastic machine, and Oppo are to be congratulated.

There is, however, one other type of video footage which completely confuses the 983, and that is footage which deliberately employs inter-field flicker, for a wicked epilepsy-inducing 50hz/60hz stobe effect... From the 983's HDMI output, it comes out as a nasty combed mess--though in fairness, I think it would be impervious to any smart deinterlacing algorithm. AFAIK, the only way to deal with it is by performing a "dumb bob"--that is, independently converting each field to a single frame, without reference to the surrounding fields. That must be a pretty weird and rare cadence. I assume you already tried the "video" and other de-interlacing options on the player?

Gary

My problem sounds like what a few others are experiencing so hopefully Oppo can figure the cause and issue a firmware update to correct it. It really is an excellent picture but the dropouts are something I can't accept. I will call them later today and see if they have any ideas. Interesting. Stay with us though, I'm sure OPPO will be very motivated to find the root cause. The more information they can gather, the better.

Gary

That must be a pretty weird and rare cadence.
Very weird and very rare. It's really more of a cheap video effect than a "cadence" per se: it happens because the vision mixer has deliberately fed the top and bottom fields with completely different signals, so that on an interlaced CRT, the images strobe against one another at a rate of 60hz (or 50hz in PAL). I've only ever seen it on those two programs (The Electric Company and Blake's 7).

I assume you already tried the "video" and other de-interlacing options on the player?
Oh yes.

Like I said, this sort of footage is bound to confuse even the smartest of deinterlacing algorithms. Even the highly sophisticated non-realtime TDeint (http://web.missouri.edu/~kes25c) filter barfs on it, unless I disable all motion adaptation by setting the mthreshl and mthreshc parameters to zero. (That's how I created the bobbed (http://www.aracnet.com/~pecurtis/50p.wmv) version of the B7 footage.)

EDIT: Here (http://www.aracnet.com/~pecurtis/50p-2.wmv) is a downscaled version, which, at 1.78MB, should be less of a hassle to download.

Easiest? How about:
1. Drag and drop the "983.BIN" file into the directory window of the flash drive.
2. Plug the flash drive into the player and follow the onscreen instructions.

User said he did not have a flash drive or other mass media USB drive at his disposal. Assuming the user can at least use a CD burner, my suggestions were the "easiest".

Why is it that OPPO does not mention what DAC they are using in the specs. A lot of manufacturers of DVD/CD players, AVR's
mention the name/model of the DAC. So I wonder why it is
such a proprietary item for some.

If your D/AC does not say Burr Brown on it it is not worth mentioning to most consumers. There is also the issue of information overload. I personally think OPPO has too much crap listed on their website to begin with.

Invest in an acoustic treatment of your A/V room/theater room.
It is guaranteed to return "big" in terms of improved audio quality. Absolutely. Spending your extra cash on acoustic room treatment, and then on more accurate speakers, will make a FAR greater impact to your listening experience!

Gary

I copied the 983.BIN firmware Oppo sent me to a USB drive and followed the procedure in post #1. It failed; the screen said "empty".

Make sure you did not add any extensions to the file. The file downloaded from OPPO should have read "983.BIN" (or "983" if you have extensions hidden).

Also, ensure that your OS is not lowercasing the BIN. The file must be in all caps and contained in the main directory of the USB drive.

I also burned it to a CD using Toast, as an ISO file. The 983 reported "Unreadable disc".

TOAST will not work. The reason for this is that APPLE uses BIN extensions as system files. When burning these to discs the burning software adds additional culls to the burning process, thereby making the disc unreadable.

In your case you will require a ISO so you can do a Image/Burn From Image write in Toast/Disc Utility. You can have OPPO create one for you.

1. More than 50% of the time when I power the 983 on, nothing happens. No splash screen on the TV, nothing on the Oppo display. The unit does not respond to the remote or the buttons on the unit, except the power off button.

How are you connected for power? If you are going through a switch/power conditioner, try connecting directly to your power outlet. And vice versa.

2. More than 50% of the time, the colors are bizzare when I turn it on and it actually boots; the splash screen is violent greens and pinks. I have to power cycle it several times until it comes up normal. Then, when I load a DVD, sometimes it switches back to the greens and pinks when the tray loads.

This can be a colorspace mismatch. What happens if you lower the resolution?

What happens when you change between the colorspace modes (RGB, YCbCr 4:4:4, YCbCr 4:2:2)?

What about going direct into your plasma by bypassing the receiver?

I'm using the HDMI output into my Onkyo 805 then on to my projector. Never had any problems such as this with the Toshiba A35 or Panny BD30 that is also connected in the same manner. My problem sounds like what a few others are experiencing so hopefully Oppo can figure the cause and issue a firmware update to correct it. It really is an excellent picture but the dropouts are something I can't accept.

How long is your cable run between the DVD player and your receiver, and from the receiver to your projector?

If you bypass the receiver, does the video still dropout?

If you lower the resolution, do you still have audio and video dropouts?

It is 1:20AM, so excuse me if I am little punchy. But for all of you users who are having issues with the DV-983H, please try to give us a little more than "my **** is broke." I have had to repeat the same questions over and over again as you guys are failing to report simple things about your setup, or what you have done to try to eliminate the errors.

For you people suffering from HDMI related errors, here are the Big Four questions you should ask yourself and probable solutions:

Question 1: How long is cable connection to your receiver/switch, and how long is the cable connection between the receiver/switch to the display?
Reason for Q: The longer the cable, the more likely you are to experience errors associated to data loss. There is no error correction for HDMI, so the signal is either received or it is not. If it is not received, you may experience video and audio dropouts.
Solution: Try using a shorter cable if at all possible.

Question 2: Have I tried different cables?
Reason for Q: Most dropout errors are caused by poor cabling. Even if another device worked/is working with your current cable, it still may not have the proper impedance, resistance, or other qualities which are required to work with the DV-983H.
Solution: Try another cable to ensure that your errors are not associated to the current cable.

Question 3: What resolution am I running?
Reason for Q: The higher the resolution, the higher the bandwidth of the signal. The higher the bandwidth, the more likely it is that errors can occur.
Solution: Try a lower resolution. 1080i, for example, is half the video bandwidth of 1080p. The lower the resolution, the less bandwidth used, and the less taxing the signal is on your cables and receiving equipment. If a lower resolution still exhibits the same errors, then it is more than likely a defective product or a compatibility error.

Question 4: Have I tried direct connecting to my display device?
Reason for Q: There could be a problem with the communication between the DVD player, your receiver/switch (intermarry device) and your television.
Solution: To rule out the possibility of the error occurring due to a secondary chain, try direct connecting, with the shortest HDMI cable, to your display device.

If at all possible, I always recommend trying your DV-983H on someone else's equipment to see if the error is isolated to your setup (possible configuration or compatibility error) or is indicative of a problem with your specific unit (which can be resolved by a new unit).

Gary, I envy your experience...
:)
I worked in electronics industry for 10 years (in my previous "career")
and I have been following audio electronics and later A/V electronics
for three decades...
I agree with you 100.00%.

I would say to somebody with this kind of cash, please donate some of it
to a worthy cause instead of to a High-End purveyer.

If not interested...
Invest in an acoustic treatment of your A/V room/theater room.
It is guaranteed to return "big" in terms of improved audio quality.

Mike

I find it interesting you say the modded player is expensive. I still want to buy the player and without the upgrades it'll cost $400.00, adding the extras will cost $750.00 more. Now I'm thinking compared to the cost of much of the equipment I see in a large number of members H/T systems this is a bargain low cost entry level high end player. In fact I think my whole system is basically entry level high end. I see others with amps costing 5 or 6 thousand, speakers costing 10-20 thousand a pair, pre-processors at 5 thousand, and the above figures go all the way up to insanity. So I ask why is there so much talk about this is too cheap, that is too expensive considering the huge sums many dedicated members spend on their gear?

Trying to get everything at the absolute rock bottom price or worrying about spending money on a piece you think is great but your still POd because you have to pay for a function you don't need is as crazy as spending $5000.00 on speaker wire. Eventually you can find youself listening to the equipment not the music. I guess I'm saying everone should leave out comments about how people spend their money. I guarantee you there are members here complaining no dvd player is worth more than $100.00 but these same people spend $5000.00 a year or more on liquor, cigarettes and drugs!

I'm done with my rant and If you don't agree please feel free to tell me where I went wrong.

I copied the 983.BIN firmware Oppo sent me to a USB drive and followed the procedure in post #1. It failed; the screen said "empty".

I also burned it to a CD using Toast, as an ISO file. The 983 reported "Unreadable disc".

I am having beaucoup issues with the 983, running through an Elite VSX-94 to a Pio 6010 all by HDMI.

I had swapped the 983 into the slot formerly occupied by a Denon 2930, which never had any problems, so I think the cabling, AVR and TV are OK.

1. More than 50% of the time when I power the 983 on, nothing happens. No splash screen on the TV, nothing on the Oppo display. The unit does not respond to the remote or the buttons on the unit, except the power off button.

2. More than 50% of the time, the colors are bizzare when I turn it on and it actually boots; the splash screen is violent greens and pinks. I have to power cycle it several times until it comes up normal. Then, when I load a DVD, sometimes it switches back to the greens and pinks when the tray loads.

Not a happy camper; will be on the phone with them tomorrow.

Was hoping to have some fun this weekend comparing it to the 2930, but no such luck.

Sorry you are having those problems. I am running my 983 via HDMI directly to my Pro-150FD and then run an optical cable for audio to my Elite VSX-92 - no issues. Have you tried it that way? The advantage is I can set the input up for the 983 specifically.

Thanks for your response.

Make sure you did not add any extensions to the file. The file downloaded from OPPO should have read "983.BIN" (or "983" if you have extensions hidden).

The downloaded file reads "983.BIN" as does the file on the USB jump drive; it is the only file on the drive and is in the main directory.

Also, ensure that your OS is not lowercasing the BIN. The file must be in all caps and contained in the main directory of the USB drive.

The .BIN extension is not lower-cased and is in the main directory..

TOAST will not work. The reason for this is that APPLE uses BIN extensions as system files. When burning these to discs the burning software adds additional culls to the burning process, thereby making the disc unreadable.

In your case you will require a ISO so you can do a Image/Burn From Image write in Toast/Disc Utility. You can have OPPO create one for you.

Oops! My mistake; didn't know that.

How are you connected for power?

Through a Belkin power conditioner. I will try direct.

If you are going through a switch/power conditioner, try connecting directly to your power outlet. And vice versa.

This can be a colorspace mismatch. What happens if you lower the resolution?

What happens when you change between the colorspace modes (RGB, YCbCr 4:4:4, YCbCr 4:2:2)?

Currently on Auto; I will try the other colorspace modes.

What about going direct into your plasma by bypassing the receiver?

I can try that, but I hope that is not the only solution; it would mean more holes in the wall since I have a single HDMI and single component buried in the wall available to connect the VSX-94 and 6010.

I emailed OPPO Customer Service on Saturday March 22 about my unfulfilled expectation that the 983 would have 7.1 CH audio over HDMI, especially since the 980 does.

Here's OPPO Digital's response, received the next day, March 23, Easter Sunday afternoon! Unbelievable.

The 7.1 matrixing is done through the outboard D/AC processor. Because it is a part of the D/AC, there is no way to support 7.1 matrixing over HDMI.

For your situation you will want to use your receiver to apply a DSP for 7.1 matrixing. This will be much more accurate than using our player.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.

So, my conclusion is that while the 983 resembles the 980 platform, it is not an upgraded clone.

I gather that DSP = Digital Signal Processing. Is that a nice way of suggesting that I use Dolby Pro Logic IIx for 7.1 CH playback? I think so.

Anyway, I don't blame anyone but myself for "assuming" that the 983 having "7.1-channel audio with Dolby Digital Surround EX decoding" included HDMI as well as the analog audio out jacks. For the record, it does not.

Finally, props to OPPO Digital Customer Service reps. "World class" is now unfortunately a much misused term. Some employers think that saying it or posting it on a wall is all that's necessary. OPPO lives it. From my experience as a call center customer service rep and team leader for nearly ten years, familiar with competitor practices as well as our own, OPPO holds the high ground not only for promptness but responsive answers. My admiration has no bounds.

Dana

....

What about going direct into your plasma by bypassing the receiver?

Bingo. The culprit seems to be the Monster HDMI cable I had the electrician bury in the wall in Jan 2007 when I had the AV knowledge of a newborn.

I used the included HDMI cable direct from 983 to 6010 and the splash screen shows up perfectly 10 times in a row, 5 on direct wall power, 5 running through the Belkin power conditioner.

If your D/AC does not say Burr Brown on it it is not worth mentioning to most consumers. There is also the issue of information overload. I personally think OPPO has too much crap listed on their website to begin with.

In my opinion not all Burr Brown implementations are great.

I got the new Yamaha RX-V663 AVR which boats a BB DAC.

I liked the sound of 980 via analog more than the sound of
the AVR when fed digital input from OPPO.

Marantz low end AVR's like SR4002/SR5002 also use the Cirrus Logic
DAC and they are known to sound as good or better than the
rest of the mass market AVR's in that price range.

I think the DAC is as important as the video processor. People dont
buy a DVD player just for the video. It wont hurt them to just
add one line about the DAC brand and model. If they claim
on their web site that it has great sound then why are they
ushamed of telling what the DAC is?

And why is it that not everyone is using BB. If a $399 mass market
AVR can use BB, I am sure a $399 DVD player could use it too.

Just my 2cc.

Bingo. The culprit seems to be the Monster HDMI cable I had the electrician bury in the wall in Jan 2007 when I had the AV knowledge of a newborn.

I used the included HDMI cable direct from 983 to 6010 and the splash screen shows up perfectly 10 times in a row, 5 on direct wall power, 5 running through the Belkin power conditioner.

Before you rip the in-wall cable out along with your hair, examine the connections carefully. We've had lots of discussions on the AVS Forum threads about the wonders of HDMI. (Wonder why they ditched DVI? Wonder what they were thinking of to adopt HDMI? Etc.) The fault almost always lies in bad connections. Monoprice, a forum sponsor, offers marvelous 8" HDMI male/female HDMI connector cables - they call them Port Savers but I call them HDMI connection problem-solvers - that have saved my bacon at least twice. Look here http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024010&p_id=2891&seq=1&format=2

Dana

I think that Neuromancer's point is one of perception: people equate Burr Brown to quality, but most people don't know enough about the different DAC chips on the market to know whether seeing a Cirrus Logic CS4361 listed is a good thing or not. That also goes back to the "information overload" issue - if you list the model numbers for a dozen chips used under the hood, some consumers will be able to process that, but others' eyes will just glaze over and they'll ignore the whole thing.

Before you rip the in-wall cable out along with your hair, examine the connections carefully. We've had lots of discussions on the AVS Forum threads about the wonders of HDMI. (Wonder why they ditched DVI? Wonder what they were thinking of to adopt HDMI? Etc.) The fault almost always lies in bad connections. Monoprice, a forum sponsor, offers marvelous 8" HDMI male/female HDMI connector cables - they call them Port Savers but I call them HDMI connection problem-solvers - that have saved my bacon at least twice. Look here http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024010&p_id=2891&seq=1&format=2

Dana

Do you mean to make sure that the HDMI cable ends are secure in the respective ports into which they are plugged?

Do you mean to make sure that the HDMI cable ends are secure in the respective ports into which they are plugged?

Just some background info: http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/whats-the-matter-with-hdmi.htm

HDMI has problems, and connectors are especially troublesome when trying propagate a signal.

-Bill

How long is your cable run between the DVD player and your receiver, and from the receiver to your projector?

If you bypass the receiver, does the video still dropout?

If you lower the resolution, do you still have audio and video dropouts?

I appreciate your help.

1) I have tried two different cables, both of which are 6 feet. One is from monoprice and is their latest HDMI series two 1.3b cable and the other is the cable sent from Oppo which appears to be an equally capable cable. The one from the receiver to the projector is ten feet(from Blue Jean cable-Belden) as the projector is at the rear of the room close to the equipment rack. This is the same setup I had with the Tosh A35, in fact I just disconnected the Tosh and connected the Oppo. Never had any problems with the A35 or the Panny BD30 with dropouts.

2) Disconnecting the receiver and going directly to the projector will make it very difficult to tell when the audio is dropping out as it is the Onkyo that is doing the decoding from raw. The video dropouts were much more infrequent only occurring about 4 or 5 times during the movie.

3) The reason I am using the Oppo is to send a 1080p60 signal. Again I had no problems sending 1080p60 using the same cable with the other two players.

Do you mean to make sure that the HDMI cable ends are secure in the respective ports into which they are plugged?

In short, yes. And in my experience, some of the higher end cables with their heavy, bulky, snazzy ends are among the major offenders. The weight of the plastic covering cause the cables to droop from the terminals, adversely affecting the connection. Then, there's all those little finger strip contacts. If just one is bent out of alignment = trouble in River City. The little Port Savers I rave about indicate that cable manufacturers can make solid HDMI cable connectors that fit snugly at a low price.

If you can wiggle the connections and it affects signal transmission, time for a Port Saver.

Having said all that - and with due respect to the HDMI article to which Bill posted a link - I did have a six foot DVI>HDMI cable that apparently rotted on the shelf. It worked until the day I put it in storage. When I went to use it a couple of years later, I got every color in the rainbow. Substituting another cable hookup - DVI>HDMI adapter>Port Saver - I was back in business.

Dana

In short, yes. And in my experience, some of the higher end cables with their heavy, bulky, snazzy ends are among the major offenders. The weight of the plastic covering cause the cables to droop from the terminals, adversely affecting the connection. Then, there's all those little finger strip contacts. If just one is bent out of alignment = trouble in River City. The little Port Savers I rave about indicate that cable manufacturers can make solid HDMI cable connectors that fit snugly at a low price.

If you can wiggle the connections and it affects signal transmission, time for a Port Saver.

Having said all that - and with due respect to the HDMI article to which Bill posted a link - I did have a six foot DVI>HDMI cable that apparently rotted on the shelf. It worked until the day I put it in storage. When I went to use it a couple of years later, I got every color in the rainbow. Substituting another cable hookup - DVI>HDMI adapter>Port Saver - I was back in business.

Dana

Agree completely. When I got my Onkyo receiver, I used a 'heavy' 22 guage 1M cable which had been working fine in the previous non HDMI receiver situation. In the new application, it didnt work at all but would 'flicker' when wiggled. In the new application, the cable was more taunt since it was routed differently. I substituted another lighter cable and all was perfect from there.

I have the Arcam AVR300. If memory serves it has a Cirrus Logic DAC (don't know which one). It definitely sounds better than the dozen products I've had with Burr Brown DAC's. It may be other things in the design of the Arcam, but I think the Cirrus chip is a significant part of it.

To All,
I made a cradle for my HDMI connector at the 983H. Just a piece of wood ^-^ [anything will work]. The cradle just supports the cable to keep the connector level-so it does not wiggle out from the stress of the weight at the ends. . My HDMI, cable has a ferrous (sp?) ring near the connector—making it heavy at the ends. When I, 1st plugged in the HDMI [- my 970 was using the cradle] I did have some occasional digital- artifact-noise -sparkles etc…
Fix the connector-secure it-, this might eliminate some issues….



In short, yes. And in my experience, some of the higher end cables with their heavy, bulky, snazzy ends are among the major offenders. The weight of the plastic covering cause the cables to droop from the terminals, adversely affecting the connection. Then, there's all those little finger strip contacts. If just one is bent out of alignment = trouble in River City. The little Port Savers I rave about indicate that cable manufacturers can make solid HDMI cable connectors that fit snugly at a low price.

If you can wiggle the connections and it affects signal transmission, time for a Port Saver.

Having said all that - and with due respect to the HDMI article to which Bill posted a link - I did have a six foot DVI>HDMI cable that apparently rotted on the shelf. It worked until the day I put it in storage. When I went to use it a couple of years later, I got every color in the rainbow. Substituting another cable hookup - DVI>HDMI adapter>Port Saver - I was back in business.

Dana

Before you rip the in-wall cable out along with your hair, examine the connections carefully. We've had lots of discussions on the AVS Forum threads about the wonders of HDMI. (Wonder why they ditched DVI? Wonder what they were thinking of to adopt HDMI? Etc.) The fault almost always lies in bad connections. Monoprice, a forum sponsor, offers marvelous 8" HDMI male/female HDMI connector cables - they call them Port Savers but I call them HDMI connection problem-solvers - that have saved my bacon at least twice. Look here http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024010&p_id=2891&seq=1&format=2

Dana

Thanks Dana!

Ordered a bunch.

The HDMI ports on my older Marantz SR7001 were badly scarred after troubleshooting issues for several months. The guy who bought it on craigslist was amazed (surround paint scratched off etc...)

These port savers look great.

What is the bandwidth on those Port Savers? I didn't see it in the description? I assume they are HDMI 1.3? How snug do they actually fit in a device? I haven't had any issues with my HDMI ports, but I do hate that the design of the connector didn't include any sort of method for holding them securely in place (snap, screw, resistance, etc.).

Bingo. The culprit seems to be the Monster HDMI cable I had the electrician bury in the wall in Jan 2007 when I had the AV knowledge of a newborn.

I used the included HDMI cable direct from 983 to 6010 and the splash screen shows up perfectly 10 times in a row, 5 on direct wall power, 5 running through the Belkin power conditioner.

Glad to hear it was just the cable.

What is the bandwidth on those Port Savers? I didn't see it in the description? I assume they are HDMI 1.3? How snug do they actually fit in a device?

I have probably 10 of these HDMI port savers. They are a godsend for testing different cables and allowing for easier installation of components.

They fit as snug as a standard HDMI cable. The benefit is that they have a much lower footpath in terms of how much space you need behind your equipment.

I don't think they will cause any errors associated to HDMI signal transportation.

1) I have tried two different cables, both of which are 6 feet. One is from monoprice and is their latest HDMI series two 1.3b cable and the other is the cable sent from Oppo which appears to be an equally capable cable. The one from the receiver to the projector is ten feet(from Blue Jean cable-Belden) as the projector is at the rear of the room close to the equipment rack. This is the same setup I had with the Tosh A35, in fact I just disconnected the Tosh and connected the Oppo. Never had any problems with the A35 or the Panny BD30 with dropouts.

As I noted in several other posts in the past, just because a previous installation worked, doesn't mean that it was working appropriately. Your cables could have been sufficient enough for your previous equipment, but borderline failing with the DV-983H.

To isolate the cause of the error, I highly recommend bypassing your receiver and see if the same video dropouts occur.

2) Disconnecting the receiver and going directly to the projector will make it very difficult to tell when the audio is dropping out as it is the Onkyo that is doing the decoding from raw. The video dropouts were much more infrequent only occurring about 4 or 5 times during the movie.

Try running optical/coaxial to your receiver while using the HDMI for video and see if the same audio and video dropouts occur. If they do, then it is likely that your player is at fault.

3) The reason I am using the Oppo is to send a 1080p60 signal. Again I had no problems sending 1080p60 using the same cable with the other two players.

As a diagnostic test, I would recommend changing the output resolution to a lower resolution. The reason for this is that the bandwidth at a lower resolution is greatly lower than that of 1080p/60Hz. If the drop outs continue at a lower resolution, then it is highly likely that your player is defective.

If the dropouts do not occur at lower resolutions, then it is likely that your HDMI cable combination is causing the error (though it is impossible to rule out the player as the culprit).

I am not saying that you should be using the DVD player in this setup for the entirety of use, just that you need to do a little sleuthing before you make the claim that your product is defective.

It is 1:20AM, so excuse me if I am little punchy. But for all of you users who are having issues with the DV-983H, please try to give us a little more than "my **** is broke." I have had to repeat the same questions over and over again as you guys are failing to report simple things about your setup, or what you have done to try to eliminate the errors.

For you people suffering from HDMI related errors, here are the Big Four questions you should ask yourself and probable solutions:

Question 1: How long is cable connection to your receiver/switch, and how long is the cable connection between the receiver/switch to the display?
Reason for Q: The longer the cable, the more likely you are to experience errors associated to data loss. There is no error correction for HDMI, so the signal is either received or it is not. If it is not received, you may experience video and audio dropouts.
Solution: Try using a shorter cable if at all possible.

Question 2: Have I tried different cables?
Reason for Q: Most dropout errors are caused by poor cabling. Even if another device worked/is working with your current cable, it still may not have the proper impedance, resistance, or other qualities which are required to work with the DV-983H.
Solution: Try another cable to ensure that your errors are not associated to the current cable.

Question 3: What resolution am I running?
Reason for Q: The higher the resolution, the higher the bandwidth of the signal. The higher the bandwidth, the more likely it is that errors can occur.
Solution: Try a lower resolution. 1080i, for example, is half the video bandwidth of 1080p. The lower the resolution, the less bandwidth used, and the less taxing the signal is on your cables and receiving equipment. If a lower resolution still exhibits the same errors, then it is more than likely a defective product or a compatibility error.

Question 4: Have I tried direct connecting to my display device?
Reason for Q: There could be a problem with the communication between the DVD player, your receiver/switch (intermarry device) and your television.
Solution: To rule out the possibility of the error occurring due to a secondary chain, try direct connecting, with the shortest HDMI cable, to your display device.

If at all possible, I always recommend trying your DV-983H on someone else's equipment to see if the error is isolated to your setup (possible configuration or compatibility error) or is indicative of a problem with your specific unit (which can be resolved by a new unit).

Unit's going back to Oppo for a refund. No more problem.

Unit's going back to Oppo for a refund. No more problem.

:(

Unit's going back to Oppo for a refund. No more problem.

Not interested in a replacement?

Gone through the whole thread and it’d seem that nobody else has this problem. I hooked up the 983 to my Denon 5308 via the supplied HDMI cable (running at 1080p). When I played SACDs, the sound wouldn’t appear for at least 7 seconds to over 40 seconds. After this lag only then the input signal indicators on the 5308 would light up and came the sound. Sometimes during the wait, the Analogue indicator would light up first, then replaced by the DIG/PCM indicator, which sound would then follow.

Talked to OPPO twice, the Rep this morning thought it is a synchronization problem and the latest firmware may fix it. I am not so sure but I will try.

Also, every time I played a stereo only SACD, the Priority setting in the General Setup Menu will automatically change to STEREO, even I had set it to Multichannel originally. That means I have to manually set it back to multichannel after playing a stereo disc. BTW, the Rep claimed this will never happen, and trust me, it did.

With CDs, the delay is usually less than 5 seconds. The Rep said that it is normal with the type of processor used in the 983 - meaning no fix for it.

No problems with DVDAs or DVDs, yet.

Talked to OPPO twice, the Rep this morning thought it is a synchronization problem and the latest firmware may fix it. I am not so sure but I will try.

If your error is caused by a bad re-synchronization of the audio signal, then your error can be resolved through firmware. On the Onkyo 803 it would not synch at all to a 1080p/60Hz signal. With the new firmware, it syncs 50% of the time, and can be forced to resync by changing inputs on the receiver away from and back to the DV-983H input.

It doesn't hurt to try this firmware on your player, especially if it resolves your error.

Also, every time I played a stereo only SACD, the Priority setting in the General Setup Menu will automatically change to STEREO, even I had set it to Multichannel originally. That means I have to manually set it back to multichannel after playing a stereo disc. BTW, the Rep claimed this will never happen, and trust me, it did.

If the rep had not used the final firmware for the player, then they are quoting old information. For much of the pre-production Beta Testing the Audio button acted as a session only toggle (much like the P/N button changes your video output for that power cycle).

With the final firmware release, this WILL change the General Setup. This is due to OPPO using the Audio button as a means of changing the default settings for users who are using the DV-983H without a display.

With CDs, the delay is usually less than 5 seconds. The Rep said that it is normal with the type of processor used in the 983 - meaning no fix for it.

You likely misheard the rep. The delay for the first track with HDMI will always be 2.0 Seconds (this has been true for all of the OPPO HDMI products). There is no inherent 5 seconds delay for this handshaking.

Not interested in a replacement?
No.

Thanks for the help guys but I'm not overly computer literate and uncomfortable giving this a try. It clearly states of Oppo's website that a diy firmware update can screw things up. I've e-mailed Oppo that they can either send me a replacement or they can give me a full refund. I've had enough.Technology is not something you need to avoid, just have a good friend or neighbor help you out. Chances are the firmware update might have fixed your issue.

The firmware can mess your player up, assuming you have done something wrong, such as turning Off the player.

It would not be in OPPO's bes interest to allow the end user to download a firmware and upgrade it themselves if the firmware processes was truly hazardous.

Beyond this, even if the firmware failed and made your unit unsable, you would receive a replacement from OPPO, as you are within their 30-Day purchase protection period.

Unit's going back to Oppo for a refund. No more problem.

Electronics can be defective. Oppo is good, but not that good. So you might be out a week or two , for a replacement. Sometimes in the end, you might realize that the purchase maybe wasn't meant to be and just returning it is better.