Received mine a few days ago (factory direct refurb for $160) ... plays wonderfully through my Infocus 4805 PJ when using DVI.

I am using Video 2 mode on the OPPO.

This player replaces the Zenith DVB318 ... which was not bad but the improvement is noticeable.

Also, I have programmed my URC remote to operate the OPPO ... let me know if any JP1-user here wants to program their JP1 capable remote ... I can upload the file.

Thank you.

Max

>>>I'd keep your old Zenith hooked up also for watching 'non-anamorphic' DVD's -using the zoom button on the remote. The Oppo is horrible for those. I have both the Oppo and Zenith connected to my 50" Samsung----there has been extensive discussion on this thread about the Oppos zoom mode but if you are using its DVI connection- my opinion is that its unwatchable on 'non-anamorphic' discs...something about the Faroudja processor being by-passed once you use the zoom....check it out for yourself and see. Overall though, I've found the Oppo to produce a cleaner and slightly sharper image than the Zenith- although the Zeniths picture seems a little brighter.

Hi,

I'm in the market for an upscaling (720/1080) DVD player and so far, I'm pretty impressed by the features of the OPPO. I've never heard of the brand before reading this thread though, but I hope I can trust you fellows on this board.

At this point, the only thing holding me back is the fact that if I do get this DVD player, I'd end up with an additional remote control! I already have 3 at home (HDTV receiver, TV, amp). I doubt that my Sony/Philips/Yamaha remotes have pre-defined codes for the OPPO.

How are you guys coping with an extra remote control?

Thanks,
Kevin

The Oppos great if you use digital connection only- DVI or HDMi and your displays native resolution is 720p....and other situation and I think there are better choices available out there....and the Oppo is useless with 'non-anamorphic' DVD's.

....and the Oppo is useless with 'non-anamorphic' DVD's.

I would have to disagree with that one. It really depends on your system. My Oppo does a great job with non-anamorphic DVDs.

I would have to disagree with that one. It really depends on your system. My Oppo does a great job with non-anamorphic DVDs.


I'm not sure anybody's oppo is great with non-anamorphic widescreen DVDs if you are using the oppo's zoom: the players are all the same. If you are using the display device's zoom, and it's a good one, then things may well be fine. Both the above posters probably meant non-anamorphic letterbox widescreen DVDs.

Dave

When watch these non-anamorphic letterbox widescreen DVDs I would set the OPPO with WIDE instead of WIDE/SQUEEZE then set my Optoma Ezpro745 from 16:9 to 4:3 the movie for example The Abyss.

When watching StartWar III then I set the OPPO back the wide/sqeeze and the PJ to 16:9 with all other things constant.

Last night, I was watching Batman Begins (good flick) on the Oppo and noticed that during many of the extremely dark scenes (of which there were quite a few), I noticed that the dark sections of the scenes had greenish-sparkles to them. I'm not sure how exactly to describe it, but it was almost like the Oppo was having a difficult time displaying really dark scenes. Is this an example of what's known as "dithering", or is it something completely different ? If it's dithering, I've read here that the solution is to crank down the brightness. Any advice would be appreciated - thanks. (I'm running the Oppo to Samsung DLP via DVI-HDMI at native 720P)

stumacdo,

Probably dithering by the display. If the effect is annoying try reducing the display's brighness down one or two notches.

Paul

I have playing around with my new Oppo this weekend and I am trying to figure out why I am not getting a full widescreen when I have the Oppo in the 720p setting. When I set it to 480p it thens switches to the full wide screen like my other dvd players do. It seems that when it upscales to 720p or 1080i it shrinks the picture and everybody is squattier. Is there something I am doing wrong or need to set.
I have played around with the settings in setup under tv display, but nothing changes. There is about a 2" additional black bar on top and bottom in 720p compared to the 480p. But all my other dvd players always displayed properly. All my movies are in widescreen and I know that there are 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 aspects ratio. My tv is a 4:3 sony kv36-hs510, but I prefer the widescreen movies to get the full image as was on the movie screen.
Thanks

Thanks Paul and hsinnott for your response.

I just checked the back of my Philips 42PF9976 and there's no DVI input, only ONE HDMI... and it's currently used by my Sony HDTV receiver. Grrr...

By the way, hsinnott, what do you mean by:

Oppo is useless with 'non-anamorphic' DVD's

Is there some maximum length that the Oppo can drive DVI-HDMI and Component cables? Is 25' or even 33' going to be a problem? Is there some point beyond which additional hardware required to drive the long cables and what is this box called?
Thanks!

The shift occurs on all the OPPO players with 1111B firmware, no matter which remote you have. BUT... it depends on your display. There is no shift on my Samsung DLP.

Gary

My Panasonic RPLCD has the shift, since the 1111b firmware. If only the brightness changed from 1022 to 1111b, then then how does Oppo explain the shift? That tells me something else was changed and not noted, which has now caused a problem with some of our screens. Was there an explanation?

My Panasonic RPLCD has the shift, since the 1111b firmware. If only the brightness changed from 1022 to 1111b, then then how does Oppo explain the shift? That tells me something else was changed and not noted, which has now caused a problem with some of our screens. Was there an explanation?

Maybe when you upgraded, you resetted certain settings to default that was keeping your display aligned? Have you checked different resolutions and Video modes? etc.

Maybe when you upgraded, you resetted certain settings to default that was keeping your display aligned? Have you checked different resolutions and Video modes? etc.

Nothing was changed, other than defaults from the update and all setting I use were put back as before. This is a known problem, incase you weren't aware of it. Oppo is aware of it, but I wanted to know why this would occur and if someone had already asked and got an explanation.

Nothing was changed, other than defaults from the update and all setting I use were put back as before. This is a known problem, incase you weren't aware of it. Oppo is aware of it, but I wanted to know why this would occur and if someone had already asked and got an explanation.
Yes, it is known and accepted. I don't think a technical explaination has been given though.

In programming, a "single" change and build can have unforseen consequences -- sometimes unrelated to the change itself. The build process might pick up an old or unexpected file, for example.

Paul

In programming, a "single" change and build can have unforseen consequences
Yes, I agree to that! (I am a programmer so... ;)) First of all, nice job on the "first post" Paul.

I may have found another glitch on the Oppo. Something I didn't notice until now. I was comparing one of my home made DVD using the Oppo and my previous player and noticed a difference in the menus. On the Oppo, the menu highlight was shifted 1 or 2 pixels to the left. Which made the selected menu item "unclear".
So I checked a couple of commercial DVDs and the problem was there also. I did the test with the s-video, component and DVI output. All had the same behavior. BTW, this is only visible when the highlight is applied over some item's text.

Anybody noticed that? I know, it's not a big deal. Just annoying...

Yes! I have many times. I didn't want to bring it up because it seemed incidental, or possibly my fault. Although I don't know how.

Specifically, looking at the Seven Years in Tibet DVD (Superbit), when the short movie clip plays introing the Superbit menu, it looks crisp and fine. And then when the menu settles on the still frame, it becomes "unclear" as you said and jaggy.

I would be most psyched to see Oppo fix this.

Yes, I agree to that! (I am a programmer so... ;)) First of all, nice job on the "first post" Paul.

I may have found another glitch on the Oppo. Something I didn't notice until now. I was comparing one of my home made DVD using the Oppo and my previous player and noticed a difference in the menus. On the Oppo, the menu highlight was shifted 1 or 2 pixels to the left. Which made the selected menu item "unclear".
So I checked a couple of commercial DVDs and the problem was there also. I did the test with the s-video, component and DVI output. All had the same behavior. BTW, this is only visible when the highlight is applied over some item's text.

Anybody noticed that? I know, it's not a big deal. Just annoying...

My Oppo is arriving early this week. (crosses fingers) Can you guys recommend some DVD's that are good for checking for the macroblocking bug? I think I've heard The Incredibles thrown around. Any particular scenes?

Hi All,

I have the Oppo hooked up to the pio 4312 plasma. If I set the HDMI color setting to 3 on the PIO, the only way for the Oppo to pass BTB is set the brightness to +3. I was wondering if anybody else with their OPPO brightness setting at +3 as I am bit concern with burn in at this setting. Setting the HDMI color to 4 and Oppo brightness at 0 can also pass BTB. But the the color is not as vibrant when HDMI color is 4. Is there anyone in this forumn with the Oppo hook up to a PIO plasma?

Specifically, looking at the Seven Years in Tibet DVD (Superbit), when the short movie clip plays introing the Superbit menu, it looks crisp and fine. And then when the menu settles on the still frame, it becomes "unclear" as you said and jaggy.

I would be most psyched to see Oppo fix this.
That's exactly what I meant. I think I'll check with OppoDigital about this. Maybe they never noticed this ( Or maybe it's not on their priorities list right now :) ).

Thanks for the reply.

I have playing around with my new Oppo this weekend and I am trying to figure out why I am not getting a full widescreen when I have the Oppo in the 720p setting. When I set it to 480p it thens switches to the full wide screen like my other dvd players do. It seems that when it upscales to 720p or 1080i it shrinks the picture and everybody is squattier. Is there something I am doing wrong or need to set.
I have played around with the settings in setup under tv display, but nothing changes. There is about a 2" additional black bar on top and bottom in 720p compared to the 480p. But all my other dvd players always displayed properly. All my movies are in widescreen and I know that there are 1.85:1 and 2.35:1 aspects ratio. My tv is a 4:3 sony kv36-hs510, but I prefer the widescreen movies to get the full image as was on the movie screen.
Thanks


This shouldn't be a problem. The oppo slightly underscans DVDs so you should always get the full picture in any of the settings

From your post it's not clear what settings you have played with: the TVs or the oppo's? Have you set the oppo to your TV type in it's menu (the DVD tray needs to be ejected and it's the menu furthest to the right)? It's likely that the oppo's defaulted to think you have a widescreen TV. Also, have you tried Wide-Squeeze mode?

What happens at 720p is that the aspect ratio gets locked by the player. So you might not be able to adjust the settings on your television to get the picture to display properly. You need to use the oppo's settings. At 480p your display device's aspect ratio setting will kick in that may have caused the problem.

Otherwise something more obscure.

Dave

Yes! I have many times. I didn't want to bring it up because it seemed incidental, or possibly my fault. Although I don't know how.

Specifically, looking at the Seven Years in Tibet DVD (Superbit), when the short movie clip plays introing the Superbit menu, it looks crisp and fine. And then when the menu settles on the still frame, it becomes "unclear" as you said and jaggy.

I would be most psyched to see Oppo fix this.
I wouldn't count on it happening too soon. I asked them about this last month, and here's the reply I got:

2) This is an issue with the sudden drop out of video. Because the text is no longer being read as a progressive frame, only one field is processed, creating the jagged image. There is no work around at this time.

The first problem will be addressed in future firmware.

The "first problem" they mention was the incorrect default subtitle settings, so it suggests that they probably won't have a fix for the "jaggies" on still menus in the near future. Note that it only happens on discs where the menus are static images; for instance, on the Star Wars DVDs, where there's always video going somewhere in the background, there's no problem.

I wouldn't count on it happening too soon. I asked them about this last month, and here's the reply I got:

The "first problem" they mention was the incorrect default subtitle settings, so it suggests that they probably won't have a fix for the "jaggies" on still menus in the near future. Note that it only happens on discs where the menus are static images; for instance, on the Star Wars DVDs, where there's always video going somewhere in the background, there's no problem.

Isn't that a bit of a silly thing to fault on though?

Isn't that a bit of a silly thing to fault on though?
Yeah -- it's not a big deal, more of a niggling little annoyance. Considering Oppo's extreme helpfulness, though, I figured it was worth bringing up with them to see what they said.

Last night, I was watching Batman Begins (good flick) on the Oppo and noticed that during many of the extremely dark scenes (of which there were quite a few), I noticed that the dark sections of the scenes had greenish-sparkles to them. I'm not sure how exactly to describe it, but it was almost like the Oppo was having a difficult time displaying really dark scenes. Is this an example of what's known as "dithering", or is it something completely different ? If it's dithering, I've read here that the solution is to crank down the brightness. Any advice would be appreciated - thanks. (I'm running the Oppo to Samsung DLP via DVI-HDMI at native 720P)
Green sparkles can also be an indication of a DVI problem. In an earlier post, one user had them so bad it looked like green snow. In his case, the DVI port was bad and he had his unit replaced. I also experienced them a few weeks ago, after running the Oppo without incident for several months. I powered everything down, disconnected and reconnected the DVI cable and powered up. The sparkles went away for a while, when they came back this process didn't work. I went to Fry's and bought an "upscale" DVI>HDMI cable (I needed a longer one anyway), and since then haven't had any sparkles. I'm not a believer in the high priced, "Monster" type cables, but I do thing that good quality interconnects are important. Also check that your cable isn't running near a power cord or outlet.

Check into an HDMI switcher (2:1 Gefen HDMI Switcher With Discrete IR Remote Control (2x HDMI inputs, 1x HDMI output) at lenexpo-electronics or ramelectronics. To connect the Oppo you would then only need to get an HDMI to DVI adapter and run your sound through the digital connection on your A/V receiver.

Thanks Paul and hsinnott for your response.

I just checked the back of my Philips 42PF9976 and there's no DVI input, only ONE HDMI... and it's currently used by my Sony HDTV receiver. Grrr...

By the way, hsinnott, what do you mean by:


Check into an HDMI switcher (2:1 Gefen HDMI Switcher With Discrete IR Remote Control (2x HDMI inputs, 1x HDMI output) at lenexpo-electronics or ramelectronics. To connect the Oppo you would then only need to get an HDMI to DVI adapter and run your sound through the digital connection on your A/V receiver.

Also, do most people use the brightness/contrast settings on the player when calibrating, or on their display, or both? Seems like it'd be simpler to just pick one or the other, and then even simpler to set the Oppo to be neutral and use the display for all calibrations (unless of course your display doesn't give you enough room to adjust).

Ideally, you should set the DVD player for a flat, neutral output and do all of your adjustments at the display. However, if your display doesn't allow enough fine tuning, or if you're running mulitple sources into the same input and can't save separate settings for each, you can then use the DVD player to adjust the fine tune the picture a little more.

I would like to nstall the last firmware of Oppo.

The software is made for the black remote and I received the new remote control today.

My problem it is that I use a Harmony 628 remote and that I do not dare to make the upgrade because on the Harmony web site, it does not seem to have 2 different number of models for the gray remote control and the black remote.

Just hold tight with the 1022 firmware. Oppo has confirmed that they will be releasing a new version of the latest firmware for the silver remote.

Green sparkles can also be an indication of a DVI problem. In an earlier post, one user had them so bad it looked like green snow. In his case, the DVI port was bad and he had his unit replaced. I also experienced them a few weeks ago, after running the Oppo without incident for several months. I powered everything down, disconnected and reconnected the DVI cable and powered up. The sparkles went away for a while, when they came back this process didn't work. I went to Fry's and bought an "upscale" DVI>HDMI cable (I needed a longer one anyway), and since then haven't had any sparkles. I'm not a believer in the high priced, "Monster" type cables, but I do thing that good quality interconnects are important. Also check that your cable isn't running near a power cord or outlet.

Thanks for the advice - will keep an eye on it. I think that if it was a DVI issue, it would be applicable to all scenes, not just the ones that are extremely dark. I'm also not a big fan of the high-priced cables, as the ones that shipped with the Oppo itself seem o.k. I'm going to try crank down the brightness as another poster recommended and see if that helps. If not, maybe I will try replace the cord. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice - will keep an eye on it. I think that if it was a DVI issue, it would be applicable to all scenes, not just the ones that are extremely dark.If the green speckles are only visible in very dark scenes, then it is more than likely DLP dithering - normal behavior for your display. DLP mirror response is too slow to represent the darkest shades correctly, so dithering is used (moving greenish speckles). At the recommended viewing distance, your eye averages the dithering and cannot normally detect it.

Just make sure that your TV's brightness level is properly calibrated with Avia/DVE. If you do not have either of those, adjust the brightness untill the dithering just stops in the black bars above and below the movie.

Gary

Make sure that you are using a brightness of "-3" with the 1022 firmware as your spring board (assuming you are not calibrating to RGB Standard).

The "first problem" they mention was the incorrect default subtitle settings, so it suggests that they probably won't have a fix for the "jaggies" on still menus in the near future.
Hi Dixie Flatline, I wasn't talking about the jaggies in my original post. Jagged edges on menu highlights will exist as long as the DVD technology stays that way. It has nothing to do with the player.
I don't want to get too technical but the way color overlays are done on DVD menus is sure to produce crude text and symbols. No antialias text is permitted. So it's normal to get some jaggies on highlights and subtitles. Note that there is a way to smooth subtitles when mastering the DVD but the studios don't always go for this solution.

For the highlights, the "solid pixels" are not so apparent if they are perfectly aligned with the menu text. They kind of "blend in". But if the "subpicture" (which is the real name) is shifted a bit, then you will see some jagged edges and colors that are not in the right place.

This seems to be the case with the Oppo player, if they just shift the subpicture to the right where it belongs, everything will be perfect and you won't notice those jaggies as much. At least on menus. Subtitles are another thing. :)

Make sure that you are using a brightness of "-3" with the 1022 firmware as your spring board (assuming you are not calibrating to RGB Standard).

I thought with the latest firmware release, we should be setting the brightness to 0 and modifying at the display ? Is that incorrect - should I set the brightness at -3 in the Oppo menu and then modify display as needed ?

I thought with the latest firmware release, we should be setting the brightness to 0 and modifying at the display ? Is that incorrect - should I set the brightness at -3 in the Oppo menu and then modify display as needed ?

Brightness should be at 0 for the latest firmware, which is 1111B. Neuromancer stated to use -3 for the 1022 firmware.

I received the new remote yesterday. I thought they glow in the dark. Mine glow so very faintly I can not see/read any of the keys on the remote.

Hi Dixie Flatline, I wasn't talking about the jaggies in my original post. Jagged edges on menu highlights will exist as long as the DVD technology stays that way. It has nothing to do with the player.
I don't want to get too technical but the way color overlays are done on DVD menus is sure to produce crude text and symbols. No antialias text is permitted. So it's normal to get some jaggies on highlights and subtitles. Note that there is a way to smooth subtitles when mastering the DVD but the studios don't always go for this solution.
Mike, the problem I was talking to Oppo about is where the entire screen will go jaggy when the menu is a still image, not just the text. I.e., everything will be smooth and detailed in the transition between menus, but at the end of the transition half the vertical resolution on the screen suddenly disappears, because the last 240-line field the player finds gets bobbed up to a 480-line frame, and all curved or diagonal lines on the screen suddenly become jaggy. The most obvious examples I've seen of this are on the scene-select menus of Winged Migration and The Fifth Element (Ultimate Edition), which have still frames illustrating the scenes on the menu. By comparison, it doesn't happen on the scene-select menus of the Star Wars DVDs, because those have little video loops illustrating each scene. As long as there's some sort of moving video in the menu, the full resolution is retained.

I received the new remote yesterday. I thought they glow in the dark. Mine glow so very faintly I can not see/read any of the keys on the remote.

The keypads need to be constantly bombarded with light to keep them glowing. If you have them locked away in a drawer, or anywhere were it can't receive direct light (sun or artificial) during the day, then the pads will be very very faint.

I know that the divx certification means it supports certain max resolutions, but has anyone experimented to see what the MT1389 can actually do in this box?

For example, will it decode 856x480 or 960x540 ?

The keypads need to be constantly bombarded with light to keep them glowing. If you have them locked away in a drawer, or anywhere were it can't receive direct light (sun or artificial) during the day, then the pads will be very very faint.

Thanks will try that.

I know that the divx certification means it supports certain max resolutions, but has anyone experimented to see what the MT1389 can actually do in this box?

For example, will it decode 856x480 or 960x540 ?

720x480 is the current maximum. I know they want to include 960x540, as that is the standard for most television encodes. OPPO has yet to determine what their theortetical maximum is.

720x480 is the current maximum. I know they want to include 960x540, as that is the standard for most television encodes. OPPO has yet to determine what their theortetical maximum is.

From the divx site, the interesting numbers are:

720x480x30 and 720x576x25
40500 macroblocks per second.

playing with numbers, you get

(720x480) / (16x16) * 30 = 40500 macroblocks/second
(720x576) / (16x16) * 25 = 40500 macroblocks/second

if we use film frame rate and work backwards

40500 / 24 * (16x16) / 480 = 900 pixels horizontally
and
40500 / 24 * (16x16) / 540 = 800 pixels horizontally

The first result means you could do a square pixel 16x9 480p 24fps encode and still meet the macroblock per second constraint.

The second result means you could do an anamorphic 16x9 540p 24fps encode and still meet the macroblocks per second constraint (I think).

If the "720" above isn't a hardcoded limit, but simply one parameter to the "real" constraint (ie macroblocks per second), then it would seem *possible* to support some other desirable encodings within that constraint. (And of course, there is the possibility that the chipset is capable of exceeding that processing limit.)

Hence my original question. Was wondering if anyone had actually tried it. (If not, I may give it a whirl)

Where can I buy a refurbished Oppo? thanks

Just got my refurb'd Oppo from the eBay auction (I missed the delivery yesterday, my fault.)

Set it up, and "Space Balls" in 720p looked almost like it was in HD. :D I popped in the "Lord of the Rings" DVD, and while it looks *great*, there's still black bars across the top and bottom. I assume that's because it's a 2.35:1 or something, right? There was slight macro-blocking, but certainly very good. I checked out 1080i, and it still looked great, though a bit jaggy. I turned DNR on high, and haven't played with anything else. Plugged in the digital coax for audio, and didn't have any of the problems I had with the Samsung 841 or 850 (had to play with the cable on each, for some reason.) All in all, I'm glad I returned the Samsungs and went with the Oppo. One thing I liked about the Samsung, but the Oppo doesn't do, is that to switch resolution, I have to stop the DVD. It's not a problem, I'll leave it in 720p since that's where it looked best IMHO.

One issue with the new "black" remote: the buttons seem to "stick" when you press them down. What happens is that the top of the button goes in too far, and gets stuck under the lip of the hole, forcing me to play with the button for a second to get it unstuck. That caused an issue with FF/RW, and play/pause. Not a huge problem, and since I'm planning on getting the Logitech Harmony 880, I shouldn't have to worry about it too much.

edit: tacos - I posted the above before I saw your question. Oppo sells them on eBay, under the seller name "oppodigital", I believe. Well worth the savings IMHO. Plus there's a publick coupon from eBay/PayPal that saves enough to cover shipping (I think it expires on the 18th.)

I wanted to add, the one I got had a very small, faint dent on the top, at about the 3pm position. I couldn't even tell, and of course when I put it in the cabinet, I can't see it. ;)

I just had an interesting conversation with a Oppo tech support. Did you guys know that hardware on current Oppo DVD player can upscale to 1080p?.... it just haven't been tested, yet. The tech guy said that once the current bugs are fixed, they will look into enabling 1080p scalability feature as long as the chip isn't altered from the factory. New firmware can easily enable this feature once they're tested. We'll see when this actually happens, but it would just be an awesome feature for those who owns native 1080p display panels.

Mike, the problem I was talking to Oppo about is where the entire screen will go jaggy when the menu is a still image, not just the text.
Yes, I see. That's a different problem. I must admit I didn't notice that yet. Or if I did, I probably thought the DVD was badly authored. I have the Winged Migration DVD so I'll git it a try.

I'll still drop a note to Oppo to see if they can do something about centering the subpicture layer. I know it's no big deal but maybe they can fix it with not much extra work.

Thanks for the clarification.

The second result means you could do an anamorphic 16x9 540p 24fps encode and still meet the macroblocks per second constraint (I think).
Interesting calculations... I didn't try to encode any material with a resolution higher than 720x480. The reason is that I have some divx files that are 960x528 24fps and they don't play correctly. The sound plays fine but no video at all.

But I never thought about encoding as anamorphic. Divx is not my preferred choice for encoding video but that could be a fun experiment. I think I'll give it a try and feed it to the Oppo. :D

Where can I buy a refurbished Oppo? thanks

Call OPPO Digital at 650-961-1118. They sell refurbished units over the phone.

Can this unit play region 1 or region 3 dvd's ?

many thanks

Not sure if someone else have this problem.

I have some DVD-R disc, if I put them in the Oppo it will recognize them as datadisk instead of DVD Video.

These disc work normally on other player though (Denon, Sony, LG, Philips)

Thanks

Can this unit play region 1 or region 3 dvd's ?

many thanks

It will play any region 1-6, just set the region code to 0.

There is a hidden menu accessed by going into setup and entering 9 2 1 0 on the remote, then selecting 0 on the remote. The Oppo ships set to region 1.

Not sure if someone else have this problem.

I have some DVD-R disc, if I put them in the Oppo it will recognize them as datadisk instead of DVD Video.

These disc work normally on other player though (Denon, Sony, LG, Philips)

Thanks

No problems with dvd-r, dvd+r, dvd+rw, dvd-rw, or dvd+r dl discs for dvd movies. How are you burning your movies?

Not sure if this has been asked before, it didn't come up in any searches among the two main Oppo threads.

Will the Oppo be able to play HD DVD discs with a firmware upgrade? Or is this a hardware issue that can only be addressed with the purchase of an HD DVD compatible/dedicated player?

Not sure if this has been asked before, it didn't come up in any searches among the two main Oppo threads.

Will the Oppo be able to play HD DVD discs with a firmware upgrade?Nope.

Or is this a hardware issue that can only be addressed with the purchase of an HD DVD compatible/dedicated player?Bingo!

-Terry

Just got my refurb'd Oppo from the eBay auction (I missed the delivery yesterday, my fault.)

I popped in the "Lord of the Rings" DVD, and while it looks *great*, there's still black bars across the top and bottom. I assume that's because it's a 2.35:1 or something, right? There was slight macro-blocking, but certainly very good. I checked out 1080i, and it still looked great, though a bit jaggy. I turned DNR on high, and haven't played with anything else.


To limit macroblocking on LOTR try adjusting the brightness on your dispay downwards a little--at least until the background in the titles appears totally black. Also turn DNR all the way off, all it does is create ghosting effects, espeically in dark scenes. DNR should never really be above medium and should only be on at all for the poorest quality DVDs. LOTR is about as good as it gets and the pq will suffer if DNR is on. If you have, or can get hold of, a calibration DVD, e.g., Avia or DVE you'll imporve things no end and limit MB too.

Dave

To limit macroblocking on LOTR try adjusting the brightness on your dispay downwards a little--at least until the background in the titles appears totally black. Also turn DNR all the way off, all it does is create ghosting effects, espeically in dark scenes. DNR should never really be above medium and should only be on at all for the poorest quality DVDs. LOTR is about as good as it gets and the pq will suffer if DNR is on.I'll turn DNR off and see how it looks. I was pretty impressed with it on, so if it gets better with it off, sweet!

If you have, or can get hold of, a calibration DVD, e.g., Avia or DVE you'll imporve things no end and limit MB too.I have Avia, but I found it pretty useless - it's actually fairly dated (1999!) IMHO. It talks about CRT and things that are a few years old, to say the least. :cool: I ran it with the Samsung 850 I had (sent it back) and the test screens looked decent and all, maybe I'll try again with the Oppo.

I'll turn DNR off and see how it looks. I was pretty impressed with it on, so if it gets better with it off, sweet!

I have Avia, but I found it pretty useless - it's actually fairly dated (1999!) IMHO. It talks about CRT and things that are a few years old, to say the least. :cool: I ran it with the Samsung 850 I had (sent it back) and the test screens looked decent and all, maybe I'll try again with the Oppo.

Avia is dated but the grayscale and pluge tests are still true as are the colour tests. I may get pulled up here, but the only thing that is CRT specific on Avia is the contrast test, but even there the ramps are useful. DVE is more up to date and it is a good complement.

Hope you find something that looks good.

Dave

The Avia DVD is the most important DVD in my collection. Without it, I would just be guessing at my display's adjustments. I also find it very helpful in calibrating my sound system. Even though I don't own a CRT tv, I can appreciate why they discuss the test patterns as they relate to both CRT and the newer display technologies. The picture quality on a high-end CRT display is hard to beat.

No problems with dvd-r, dvd+r, dvd+rw, dvd-rw, or dvd+r dl discs for dvd movies. How are you burning your movies?

These were backup using DVDxCopy before, with the setting 'Alternate UDF' and 'External Nero Burning Engine'.

These were backup using DVDxCopy before, with the setting 'Alternate UDF' and 'External Nero Burning Engine'.

I believe dvd-videos are supposed to be iso9660 format but don't quot me on that

Does anyone have any release info on Oppo's DVD recorder? Other than "coming in 2006" or course.

I believe dvd-videos are supposed to be iso9660 format but don't quot me on that

Thank you for your reply. I think I set that setting for Alternate UDF as that's what people were stated using DVDXCopy as most compatible across all DVD-Player before. Those backup discs work fine on other players so I never questioned it.

I just copied a disc from DVD-R to DVD+R (booktype: DVD-ROM), still show up as a data disc. So I suspect it is what you've said on the UDF format. Wonder if Oppo will support this in the future since most player supports it.

Thanks

Thank you for your reply. I think I set that setting for Alternate UDF as that's what people were stated using DVDXCopy as most compatible across all DVD-Player before. Those backup discs work fine on other players so I never questioned it.

I just copied a disc from DVD-R to DVD+R (booktype: DVD-ROM), still show up as a data disc. So I suspect it is what you've said on the UDF format. Wonder if Oppo will support this in the future since most player supports it.

Thanks

If you did a straight copy, then you are still using UDF. Setting the booktype is completely different. If you have nero, there is an option for dvd-video, just copy over the files in your video_ts folder in your UDF DVD into the video_ts folder in the new burn. I'm guessing that you can also create a iso9660 dvd and create those folders and move the files and that may work also.

I'm guessing that since the Oppo supports viewing of files such as jpg, mp3, mpeg, and divx avi, it will assume discs seen as data discs as data discs and not movie discs and in turn show the file browser.

I'm guessing that since the Oppo supports viewing of files such as jpg, mp3, mpeg, and divx avi, it will assume discs seen as data discs as data discs and not movie discs and in turn show the file browser.

Thank you. However, when I put in the Philips DVP642 (DiVX player), it will play the disc as a DVD Video and not as a data disc though.

Thank you. However, when I put in the Philips DVP642 (DiVX player), it will play the disc as a DVD Video and not as a data disc though.

What are the other burning options available in your software? I know I could never get UDF to work using Nero (straight) and had to use the DVD_Video profile to get anything to burn correctly. Have you tried any of the other burning methods?

What settings should I be using on the OPPO? This kind of question is being asked over and over again (on both threads), so here's a quick summary. Paul has already done a fantastic job in the first post of this thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=4924650&&#post4924650), arranging tons of useful information in a simple format. READ IT! Some of the information below is included in his "TIPS/FAQ" section, under "DV971H SETTINGS". Also make sure you read OPPO Digital's FAQ section (http://www.oppodigital.com/opdv971h_FAQ.htm)... and their excellent new manual!

Use firmware 0316 or later for best results.

VIDEO: (Note that these settings are for the DVI/HDMI output only)

Set the player to the native resolution of your display, using the DVI button on the remote (first stop the disk). If, for some reason, that resolution is not compatible with your display, pick the resolution that looks best.
If your TV can do 4:3 pillar-boxing well, you might want to leave the player in "Wide" mode. If not, "Wide/SQZ" mode pillar-boxes automatically, with a slight loss of horizontal resolution on 4:3 DVD’s only.
Most of the OPPO fans have concluded that the following settings offer the most natural picture:
Sharpness OFF
Brightness 0
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Truelife OFF
CCS OFF
Noise Reduction OFF
Before evaluating the results with the above settings, it is essential that you properly calibrate your display with Avia/DVE... at least the brightness, contrast, and saturation. If you skip this step with any player, you will not be getting a good picture. For best results, you should also calibrate grayscale and gamma in your display’s Service Menu (ideally by an ISF-qualified calibrator). Otherwise, pick the "Cinema/Theater/Movie" mode in the User Menu before you start tweaking the display. Note that the Avia RGB filters were designed with CRT color primaries in mind. DLP and other technologies have slightly different primaries, so the Saturation result may not be 100% accurate for those display types. My DLP looks best with Saturation set between -5% and -10%. Trust your eyes to help you pick a Saturation setting that looks the most natural, not necessarily the most vibrant, particularly in skin tones.
With the latest firmware, the OPPO’s default brightness and contrast settings are set correctly for Studio RGB (the DVD standard; digital values 16-235). A small number of displays expect PC RGB at their input (the PC standard; digital values 0-255). In such a case, try setting the OPPO’s Brightness to -6 and Contrast to +4 as a starting point, and recalibrate the display.
The Truelife and NR features can sometimes be useful to tweak for bad DVD transfers. For example, set NR to LOW and Truelife OFF for best performance with noisy images or macroblocking.
Experiment and have fun.
AUDIO:
If you intend to use the digital output to a receiver (either optical or coaxial), set the "SPDIF Output" to "Raw", and "LPCM Out" to the highest bit-rate that your receiver supports.
If you intend to use the 6 analog outputs, set the "Downmix Mode" to "5.1 CH". You must use the analog outputs to listen to DVD-Audio tracks.
Audio appears on the digital and analog outputs simultaneously, except for DVD-Audio, which is only available through the analog outputs.
The bass management, and other audio settings apply to the analog outputs only and have no effect on the digital output.
If you experience an A/V sync problem, use the analog outputs and set the "Audio Delay" to compensate for video delay in the player and display.
Gary

Great work Gary!

Paul

What are the other burning options available in your software? I know I could never get UDF to work using Nero (straight) and had to use the DVD_Video profile to get anything to burn correctly. Have you tried any of the other burning methods?

In DVDXCopy there is ISO/UDF and Alternate UDF options, and using Nero Burning Engine. But previously, the Alternate UDF seems to be more compatible with DVD players before.

I spoke with the customer service at Oppo today and they were very helpful. They believe that player like the Philips (or other player that support data disc) may have a second pass/scan for Video_TS folder structure and interpret as video disc instead. And regular player would play these disc as normal Video disc.

Hope they can have this function in the future firmware, as this is a truely wonderful player.

Thanks.

Thanks for the advice - will keep an eye on it. I think that if it was a DVI issue, it would be applicable to all scenes, not just the ones that are extremely dark. I'm also not a big fan of the high-priced cables, as the ones that shipped with the Oppo itself seem o.k. I'm going to try crank down the brightness as another poster recommended and see if that helps. If not, maybe I will try replace the cord. Thanks.

I had this exact same issue with green sparkles appearing in just the dark parts of scenes. I replaced my DVI cable and the problem went away. I didn't use an expensive one either- just a generic for less than $20.

I just got the Oppo today, and spent all evening playing with it. I'm sad to say that I have a couple of big problems with it.

My TV is a Sony KD-34XBR960, connected to the Oppo with the supplied DVI-HDMI cable. The Oppo has the lastest firmware (111B).

First problem: something is wrong with the Oppo's 480p signal. Every few seconds, the image quickly "jumps" up and down by a few scanlines. Also, the entire top portion of the screen "twitches" in a rightward-leaning direction during bright pictures. This effect is most obvious with the Avia overscan bounce pattern. I may try to record some video of this later to show what I'm talking about. (I'm not the first to have problems with 480p -- see this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6434601&&#post6434601).)

Second problem: the Oppo's 1080i signal has a very noticeable flicker/strobe effect, most clearly seen in bright white areas of the image. It's very easily seen on the Oppo's logo screen. (This has also come up before -- see this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6642274&&#post6642274).)

720p, on the other hand, is absolutely perfect. No flickering, no jumping. It looks great.

However, I'm still greatly disappointed about 480p and 1080i. Those modes are completely useless. I could live without 1080i, but I was planning to use 480p to avoid the Wide/Squeeze loss of resolution with 4:3 material.

Is there any chance these problems could be fixed in future firmware revisions? I'm thinking of just returning the Oppo and trying a Panasonic S77 or S97 instead.

Don't be too grumpy.

Firstly, the loss of resolution in Wide-Squeeze mode is minimal and some report not seeing it at all on some display devices. The 720p 4:3 picture is still stunning.

Secondly, if 720p works well then stick to that. A lot of display devices can't make use of all the oppo's outputs and 720p is probably what it does best.

Dave

I had this exact same issue with green sparkles appearing in just the dark parts of scenes. I replaced my DVI cable and the problem went away. I didn't use an expensive one either- just a generic for less than $20.


I've ordered a new DVI-HDMI cable from one of the site sponsors (BetterCables.com). It's coming today so I'm hopefully going to test it this weekend. Will advise if it indeed was a cable issue rather than the 'dithering' sometimes associated with DLP displays.

I just got the Oppo today, and spent all evening playing with it. I'm sad to say that I have a couple of big problems with it.

My TV is a Sony KD-34XBR960, connected to the Oppo with the supplied DVI-HDMI cable. The Oppo has the lastest firmware (111B).

Your problems seem to be more the result of your Sony TV not properly synching the signal. This appears to be quite common with Sony.

I bought the Oppo, to use with my Fujitsu 5001 plasma. The Fujitsu has a resolution of 1365 x 768, and the Oppo will not sync to it at 720p or 1080i. But it does seem to work at 480p, so I'll probably keep it, though I wish the guys at Oppo customer service would know which machines it will work with, and which ones it won't work work with.

I bought the Oppo, to use with my Fujitsu 5001 plasma. The Fujitsu has a resolution of 1365 x 768, and the Oppo will not sync to it at 720p or 1080i. But it does seem to work at 480p, so I'll probably keep it, though I wish the guys at Oppo customer service would know which machines it will work with, and which ones it won't work work with.

Actually, it is the Fujitusu that will not synch with the Oppo. That is asking a lot of Oppo to have tested the player with every manufacturer, probably impossible. There is a thread of dvd and display user combo's, which may be a good resource for finding what does and doesn't play well together.

Is there any chance these problems could be fixed in future firmware revisions? I'm thinking of just returning the Oppo and trying a Panasonic S77 or S97 instead. All 3 resolutions are rock-solid on my displays. However, OPPO has stated that there are still a few small DVI sync problems to be worked out. The Faroudja chip reportedly has some minor problem with 1080i sync that may not be fixable. In upcoming firmware releases, OPPO has promised to fix whatever is possible to fix. In the mean time, pursue the sync problem with Sony too.

can someone point me in the direction of any news on this supposed new oppo dvd player coming out in february? i've searched but to no avail. i need a dvd player, but don't know if i should wait or not. if anyone has any information on this it would be greatly appreciated.

--soheil

can someone point me in the direction of any news on this supposed new oppo dvd player coming out in february? i've searched but to no avail. i need a dvd player, but don't know if i should wait or not. if anyone has any information on this it would be greatly appreciated.

--soheil

damn bro, you are on this board too? :p

I haven't heard anything about the new player lately....just pull the trigger on this model bro, you'll love it.....

I just got the Oppo today, and spent all evening playing with it. I'm sad to say that I have a couple of big problems with it.

My TV is a Sony KD-34XBR960, connected to the Oppo with the supplied DVI-HDMI cable. The Oppo has the lastest firmware (111B).

First problem: something is wrong with the Oppo's 480p signal. Every few seconds, the image quickly "jumps" up and down by a few scanlines. Also, the entire top portion of the screen "twitches" in a rightward-leaning direction during bright pictures. This effect is most obvious with the Avia overscan bounce pattern. I may try to record some video of this later to show what I'm talking about. (I'm not the first to have problems with 480p -- see this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6434601&&#post6434601).)

Second problem: the Oppo's 1080i signal has a very noticeable flicker/strobe effect, most clearly seen in bright white areas of the image. It's very easily seen on the Oppo's logo screen. (This has also come up before -- see this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6642274&&#post6642274).)

720p, on the other hand, is absolutely perfect. No flickering, no jumping. It looks great.

However, I'm still greatly disappointed about 480p and 1080i. Those modes are completely useless. I could live without 1080i, but I was planning to use 480p to avoid the Wide/Squeeze loss of resolution with 4:3 material.

Is there any chance these problems could be fixed in future firmware revisions? I'm thinking of just returning the Oppo and trying a Panasonic S77 or S97 instead.

I see these problems on my KV-30HS420 as discussed early in one of the two major Oppo threads. There is apparently a service menu fix for the "jumping" 480p. I haven't tried it though. So it seems this is more of a display issue than a player issue.

I also see the 1080i "strobing" effect that you describe. I have been using 720p and have been quite happy with it although there appears to be some additional edge enhancement applied when using this resolution. This is not the case with 1080i.

Thanks,
Mark

I see these problems on my KV-30HS420 as discussed early in one of the two major Oppo threads. There is apparently a service menu fix for the "jumping" 480p. I haven't tried it though. So it seems this is more of a display issue than a player issue.

I also see the 1080i "strobing" effect that you describe. I have been using 720p and have been quite happy with it although there appears to be some additional edge enhancement applied when using this resolution. This is not the case with 1080i.

Thanks,
Mark
I had written about this earlier. On my 34" Sony 480p is simply useless. It jumps like it's on springs. 1080i "pulses" and is distracting. 720p is gorgeous. I don't know all the reasons why these items are true, but it does seem odd. I'm perfectly happy to stick with 720p, but I do hope Oppo can address the 1080i issue if that's possible.

I see these problems on my KV-30HS420 as discussed early in one of the two major Oppo threads. There is apparently a service menu fix for the "jumping" 480p. I haven't tried it though. So it seems this is more of a display issue than a player issue.

I also see the 1080i "strobing" effect that you describe. I have been using 720p and have been quite happy with it although there appears to be some additional edge enhancement applied when using this resolution. This is not the case with 1080i.

Thanks,
Mark

Even this EE is likely to be display based. I use 720p exclusively and see no additional EE, indeed the oppo sends one of the 'purest' signals I've seen (you do have sharpness, truelife, etc, turned off?).

Dave

Even this EE is likely to be display based. I use 720p exclusively and see no additional EE, indeed the oppo sends one of the 'purest' signals I've seen (you do have sharpness, truelife, etc, turned off?).

Dave

I don't doubt that. My display is not native 720p. It is 1080i. So, I would expect to see some artifacts from the additional layer of processing. It still looks exceptionally good though. I have no sharpness, SVM, or TrueLife enabled either.

Thanks,
Mark

Even this EE is likely to be display based. I use 720p exclusively and see no additional EE, indeed the oppo sends one of the 'purest' signals I've seen. Dave

This is my observation as well. OPPO is one of the cleanest signals I have seen.

The 720p resolution is superior on my Sony HS-51 because it does not process 1080i as well, particularly deinterlacing.

Just got my Oppo yesterday after following this forum for a while. I try both the compenent and DVI-HDMI and found that the HDMIC make no difference for the PQ, but makes the picture more greenish. Oppo is connected to Sony Hs51 project. I setup the Oppo according to Paul's first post. I used both 720 and 1080 all the same. Please let me know if if miss something. Thanks in advance

What level of calibration have you made to your HS-51?

You might want to note, a component 480i signal will trigger a unique setup of picture settings -vs- the HDMI at verious resolution.

You may need to re-calibrate the OPPO 720 HDMI input to get back your proper picture performance.

Also, most of us HS-51 owners on the fourm, have made custom white balance changes under the projector service menu. You can learn more about these calibration changes in the main HS-51 thread.

How do you have the sharpness set on the HS-51? I should be set to the lowest setting to eliminate any extra detail processing the projector.

I can see a very clear image improvement between the 480i component and 720p HDMI of the OPPO. Infact the 480i component output is substandard IMHO.

It sounds like you have a projector calibratio issue.

Thanks for the respone. I just found out that I did W/B changes recommended by you from Sony h51 forum. And still I didn't see the difference between componeent and HDMI and picture still green with HDMI. Anyhting elso I should do? Thanks again

Last night I ventured into my tv's service menu to adjust screen geometry (center the picture and adjust the picture's height-to-width ratio to 1:1). I used the Avia video test pattern with the cross hatches and circles. I centered the picture vertically, stretched the picture horizontally so that the center circle in the test pattern was a perfect circle, and then I centered the picture horizontally. I'm using 480p/Wide on the Oppo and 'normal' on my Sony KF-50WE610 (RP LCD). The problem I have is that when I switch sources to my Samsung STB (I use a DVI Switcher), non-HD material that has been upconverted to 720p or 1080i is shifted to the right now. 480p is ok. Is this because of the image shift problem that some people were posting a few pages ago?

I have just gotten the Oppo player this past week and have watched a few DVDs and I am having issues. Every once in a while the screen will flash a streaky-static type image accross it. This doesn't happen with every DVD. I have only watched 5 DVD's and it has done it with 3 of them (The Insider, EpisodeIII and Sahara). It also did it while watching a DivX movie.

It is connected to my Zenith Z50PX2D via the included DVI-HDMI cable using 720p. Could this be a bad cable or is the player defective? The TV NEVER has done this with HD content or through the DirecTivo.

Has anyone had this problem and found a solution?

I have just gotten the Oppo player this past week and have watched a few DVDs and I am having issues. Every once in a while the screen will flash a streaky-static type image accross it. This doesn't happen with every DVD. I have only watched 5 DVD's and it has done it with 3 of them (The Insider, EpisodeIII and Sahara). It also did it while watching a DivX movie.

It is connected to my Zenith Z50PX2D via the included DVI-HDMI cable using 720p. Could this be a bad cable or is the player defective? The TV NEVER has done this with HD content or through the DirecTivo.

Has anyone had this problem and found a solution?

Have you tried playing dvd on another dvd player without this problem occuring?

Yes, I have played the same DVD on a different player and didn't see this. BUT that other player was using component out and not DVI (I don't have another DVI upscaling player to test this with).

Last night I ventured into my tv's service menu to adjust screen geometry (center the picture and adjust the picture's height-to-width ratio to 1:1). I used the Avia video test pattern with the cross hatches and circles. I centered the picture vertically, stretched the picture horizontally so that the center circle in the test pattern was a perfect circle, and then I centered the picture horizontally. I'm using 480p/Wide on the Oppo and 'normal' on my Sony KF-50WE610 (RP LCD). The problem I have is that when I switch sources to my Samsung STB (I use a DVI Switcher), non-HD material that has been upconverted to 720p or 1080i is shifted to the right now. 480p is ok. Is this because of the image shift problem that some people were posting a few pages ago?

Are you using the 1111B firmware? It might be worth dropping down to the 1022 firmware if you are.

Also, the OPDV971H's resolutions are not made the same. 480p has very high YC delay on blue and red, and shifts to the left on my friends Olivia and Sharp LCD (which is not apparent at 720p or 1080i). So, out of curiosity, does 720p suffer from the same shifting?

Just a note...

I do not notice any Y/C errors at any of the DVI resolutions on the HS-51. They all look close enough to call the same.

Every once in a while the screen will flash a streaky-static type image accross it. No other reports of this, except perhaps a bad HDMI connection, or trying to use a cable that is too long. Is your HDMI connector under a bit of strain... like a tight turn, or pressure on the cable from the back of the cabinet, or from other cables? That would be my first guess.

Gary

Thanks for the respone. I just found out that I did W/B changes recommended by you from Sony h51 forum. And still I didn't see the difference between componeent and HDMI and picture still green with HDMI. Anyhting elso I should do? Thanks againBut did you do the W/B and other necessary calibrations with the OPPO in place? You are supposed to recalibrate your display every time you change your player, because there may be significant differences from one player to the next.

Gary

Just a note...

I do not notice any Y/C errors at any of the DVI resolutions on the HS-51. They all look close enough to call the same.

When I tested the unit last, I believe the 480p output had B: 0 / R: -.22 / G: -.07. Will have to run the tests again and see what I come up with.

I haven't been following the Oppo threads because there is just too much info but now I have a question. I want to install the latest firmware but it says not to if you dont have the black remote. I dont, so does that mean I'm done getting firmware updates going forward or what. Why can I not install the firmware, and what do I do since I dont have the black remote?

No.

It means you should:

1) Buy the new and improved remote from OPPO for $5.

or

2) Wait until they release the software update for the original silver remote equipped player.

I would suggest option #1, because the remote is just super.

Are you using the 1111B firmware? It might be worth dropping down to the 1022 firmware if you are.

Also, the OPDV971H's resolutions are not made the same. 480p has very high YC delay on blue and red, and shifts to the left on my friends Olivia and Sharp LCD (which is not apparent at 720p or 1080i). So, out of curiosity, does 720p suffer from the same shifting?

Yes, I'm using the 1111B firmware. Did this YC delay at 480p problem appear with the 1111b firmware version or was it present in previous versions too? If it wasn't a problem in 1022, then I'll probably go back to that version. The only reason I'm using the 480p output resolution is because my display locks 720p and 1080i into Full Screen mode. I realize that I could set the Oppo to Wide Squeeze and output at 720p but I'd prefer to output at 480p if at all possible. I didn't check to see if 720p suffered from the same shifting problem but should be able to investigate this further tomorrow morning. I'll let you know what I find out.

dusterscott,

I don't recall what my YC levels were when I tested the 1022 firmware. I think they may have been slightly better, but I could be delusional.

What if I'm using a harmony any way. Does it even matter then? Are the harmony codes for the "black" remote?

What if I'm using a harmony any way. Does it even matter then? Are the harmony codes for the "black" remote?

The Harmony codes are for the Black remotes.

Are you using the 1111B firmware? It might be worth dropping down to the 1022 firmware if you are.

Also, the OPDV971H's resolutions are not made the same. 480p has very high YC delay on blue and red, and shifts to the left on my friends Olivia and Sharp LCD (which is not apparent at 720p or 1080i). So, out of curiosity, does 720p suffer from the same shifting?

Thanks for your help Neuromancer. I ended up keeping the 1111b firmware going with the 720p/Wide Squeeze setup on the Oppo. Problem solved.

I am considering buying the OPDV971H to use with 32' HDTV LCD or 42' plasma.

I guess I still need to learn how to efficiently read a thread, but I've spent about 1 hour reading the first 10 or so pages of this thread where there is a lot of talk about shimmering, lip-syncing and macro-blocking problems with the player. I don't seem to be able to find any info about those issues in the last 10 or so pages of this thread.

Does that mean that the problems have been fixed in the firmware updates since then? I know that there is, supposedly up to date, first post which lists some of the above problems, but I am confused why nobody mentions them anymore.

Could somebody comment on current status of shimmering, lip-syncing and macro-blocking?

I am considering buying the OPDV971H to use with 32' HDTV LCD or 42' plasma.

I guess I still need to learn how to efficiently read a thread, but I've spent about 1 hour reading the first 10 or so pages of this thread where there is a lot of talk about shimmering, lip-syncing and macro-blocking problems with the player. I don't seem to be able to find any info about those issues in the last 10 or so pages of this thread.

Does that mean that the problems have been fixed in the firmware updates since then? I know that there is, supposedly up to date, first post which lists some of the above problems, but I am confused why nobody mentions them anymore.

Could somebody comment on current status of shimmering, lip-syncing and macro-blocking?

Those problem still exist but have been greatly minimized with newer firmwares. Oppo keeps improving the unit, be it with firmware, or releasing a completely new and vastly improved remote control. I personally have never had much of a problem with lip-sync but others are still having intermittant problems; others have a lip-sync problem that is fixed by using one of the new audio delay settings. I had major problems with shimmering with the earlier firmware and it is now absent in my system. Macroblocking is also much less, though I still see some macroblocking on occasion; it is not bothersome. Oppo has promised but still not delivered a gamma control, I think this could be used to further tame macroblocking.

All the problems mentioned are system dependent to some degree.

Last night I ventured into my tv's service menu to adjust screen geometry (center the picture and adjust the picture's height-to-width ratio to 1:1). I used the Avia video test pattern with the cross hatches and circles. I centered the picture vertically, stretched the picture horizontally so that the center circle in the test pattern was a perfect circle, and then I centered the picture horizontally. I'm using 480p/Wide on the Oppo and 'normal' on my Sony KF-50WE610 (RP LCD). The problem I have is that when I switch sources to my Samsung STB (I use a DVI Switcher), non-HD material that has been upconverted to 720p or 1080i is shifted to the right now. 480p is ok. Is this because of the image shift problem that some people were posting a few pages ago?

This might be nothing to do with the 1111b firmware. I posted a while ago (on the 1022b fw) that 480p caused serious cropping issues on 4:3 content if the oppo was in wide mode and the display does the aspect ratio. As you have done I settled for wide-squeeze mode which gives a perfect geometry (with some resolution loss which is negligible through an ae700).

Dave

Could somebody comment on current status of shimmering, lip-syncing and macro-blocking? Shimmering is gone with the new default Sharpness setting. Lip-sync has been improved to some degree with the audio delay feature (and OPPO is still working on it). Macroblock-enhancement will continue to be a problem with any Faroudja player... Thankfully, it only affects certain displays, and proper calibration of your display (with macroblock reduction in mind) can eliminate it - or at least reduce it to acceptable levels. OPPO has also provided some excellent new tweaks to help.

Gary

CJayB, GSB - thanks very much for the answers.

I just bought an OTTO DV971H for my Samsung HLR4266W and then proceeded to read about the MB issue. What should I be prepared to do? I'll be using DVI to HDMI on display.

Thanks

I just bought an OTTO DV971H for my Samsung HLR4266W and then proceeded to read about the MB issue. What should I be prepared to do? I'll be using DVI to HDMI on display. OTTO?

I have a Samsung HLP4674W and I was able to virtually eliminate the macroblock-enhance bug with a good calibration and a few simple tweaks. Start by reading this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6652621&&#post6652621) and this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6722751&&#post6722751) (read the relevant links too). Report your results here. We'll help you as best we can.

Gary

CURRENT DEFECTS:

1. Faroudja's intermittent VIDEO delay (lip-sync) problem. Only occurs on the DVI output. Video begins to lag the audio (badly) at an arbitrary point during DVD playback. Sync will be temporarily restored if you rewind or stop the DVD and resume play. Some DVD’s seem more likely to cause it than others, but the problem is entirely random, and usually cannot be repeated by rewinding the scene that triggered it. Entering the setup menu while the DVD is playing, will definitely trigger the problem.

Has firmware fixed this? Does this problem happen on every single one of these players that uses the dvi input or is it tv specific? Is there anyway to fix it? This sounds REALLY lame to me and might cause me not to purchase this player. Having to stop or rewind a dvd movie to fix the audio is pretty ridiculous imo.

OTTO?

I have a Samsung HLP4674W and I was able to virtually eliminate the macroblock-enhance bug with a good calibration and a few simple tweaks. Start by reading this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6652621&&#post6652621) and this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6722751&&#post6722751) (read the relevant links too). Report your results here. We'll help you as best we can.

Gary

When people say they calibrate the display to minimize macroblocking, I have to wonder if what's really happening is that they are losing dynamic range in the picture. The bottom line is that the DVD player is outputing those blocks on the digital signal when it is sent to the display. The brightness/contrast of the set is setup to make all those blocks appear one color (or fewer colors) which really is just compromising the PQ in different way. A less jarring way, but a compromise nonetheless when compared to an non Faroudja player.

Or is this just completely wrong?

Has firmware fixed this? Does this problem happen on every single one of these players that uses the dvi input or is it tv specific? Is there anyway to fix it? This sounds REALLY lame to me and might cause me not to purchase this player. Having to stop or rewind a dvd movie to fix the audio is pretty ridiculous imo.

It is very disc and television specific. Some users will never experience this issue, some will experience only occassionally, and others have to take extreme action to keep all their discs playing correctly.

I have owned the Oppo for about 8 months and I have rarely seen the lip sync problem.
I don't think that firmware can eliminate it but changing the time delay could help. I have watched many movies and it has become a non issue for me. I am using it with a Panasonic AE900 projector.

When people say they calibrate the display to minimize macroblocking, I have to wonder if what's really happening is that they are losing dynamic range in the picture. The bottom line is that the DVD player is outputing those blocks on the digital signal when it is sent to the display. The brightness/contrast of the set is setup to make all those blocks appear one color (or fewer colors) which really is just compromising the PQ in different way. A less jarring way, but a compromise nonetheless when compared to an non Faroudja player.

Or is this just completely wrong?

My experience is the contrary--the tweaks done to remove MB enhancement seem to increase the dynamic range of the picture. I certainly experience better depth of field, better articulated grayscale, more realistic flesh tones and a more zingy picture beginning with GSB's advice (posted just above) and adjusting for my system.

Dave

OTTO?

I have a Samsung HLP4674W and I was able to virtually eliminate the macroblock-enhance bug with a good calibration and a few simple tweaks. Start by reading this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6652621&&#post6652621) and this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6722751&&#post6722751) (read the relevant links too). Report your results here. We'll help you as best we can.

Gary

yes OPPO.....was late, and I was Tired.

Thanks for the links

OK now i'm starting to get pissed....What are the silver remote owners ? Second class users ? Why can't i get the same firmeware upgrades...Always makes me wonder when companies start leaving some users behind cause of a change THEY made....

OK now i'm starting to get pissed....What are the silver remote owners ? Second class users ? Why can't i get the same firmeware upgrades...Always makes me wonder when companies start leaving some users behind cause of a change THEY made....

Maybe you could dig deep into your pocket for a $5 bill and get the new remote control.

OK now i'm starting to get pissed....What are the silver remote owners ? Second class users ? Why can't i get the same firmeware upgrades...Always makes me wonder when companies start leaving some users behind cause of a change THEY made....

Well you can allways get the new remote (http://www.oppodigital.com/proddetail.asp?prod=971Remote) for quite cheap...
Or if you have a programmable remote (Ex. URC HTM series or Philips Pronto), you can use the HEX-codes (http://www.oppodigital.com/Download/remote%20code.txt) to get the functions of the new remote.

So I wouldn't call this leaving behind - OPPO is offering a workable solutin IMHO.
Hope that helps

I have the old black remote (the 2nd remote). Are there any new (additional) buttons on the new remote or is it just laid out better? I use my MX 500 anyway but if the new remote had additional buttons that I could program then it would probably be worth the effort of getting a new one.

My experience is the contrary--the tweaks done to remove MB enhancement seem to increase the dynamic range of the picture. I certainly experience better depth of field, better articulated grayscale, more realistic flesh tones and a more zingy picture beginning with GSB's advice (posted just above) and adjusting for my system.

Dave

I've found exactly the same thing. The more I've tweaked to eliminate macroblocking, the better the picture looks from the Oppo.

I've found exactly the same thing. The more I've tweaked to eliminate macroblocking, the better the picture looks from the Oppo.

Same here. And it's very important to calibrate your display to the NTSC video standard - no matter what tv you have or what sources you have.

Does anyone with the Westinghouse LTV-32w1 also have the Oppo player? What are your MB experiences? What are your dvi lip sync issues, if any?

Thanks.

I have the old black remote (the 2nd remote). Are there any new (additional) buttons on the new remote or is it just laid out better? I use my MX 500 anyway but if the new remote had additional buttons that I could program then it would probably be worth the effort of getting a new one.
It's definitely laid out better, and the "grip" is better too with the tapering of the case.

There's one new button called "Slow" that was not on the black remote, otherwise I believe the rest are the same.

I really think it's worth it to get the new remote, especially for just $5.

And it's very important to calibrate your display to the NTSC video standard - no matter what tv you have or what sources you have.

really? even if you have a Pal Source and 720p display? I think with new firm Pal is well supported.

regards

OK now i'm starting to get pissed....What are the silver remote owners ? Second class users ? Why can't i get the same firmeware upgrades...Always makes me wonder when companies start leaving some users behind cause of a change THEY made....


E-mail OPPO and they will send you a new firmware which was supposed to replace the 1111B, but was never added to their website because the feature added is not usable until DivX fully certifies the OPDV971H. If anyone is wondering, it has a date of 1128 (6 days after the 1111B was officially released).

You are not a second class citizen, you just have to be a little more patient.

really? even if you have a Pal Source and 720p display? I think with new firm Pal is well supported.

regards

Sorry, I was speaking about non-pal sources. I must admit I don't know much about the PAL format and wasn't even thinking about that. I'm sure you knew what I meant. Wouldn't it be important to calibrate your display to a recognized standard if you're watching PAL material too?

OK now i'm starting to get pissed....What are the silver remote owners ? Second class users ? Why can't i get the same firmeware upgrades...Always makes me wonder when companies start leaving some users behind cause of a change THEY made....

Oppo has promised that future firmwares will continue to support both remotes. The 1118b firmware was rushed out so that it would be available on players sold before the holidays, and they didn't have time to include both sets of remote codes. Going forward, they will provide both.

In addition to the legacy silver remote owners, a number of universal remotes only contain the old "silver" codes. Oppo knows this, and isn't going to drop support for all of those users or force them to buy a new black remote they don't want.

When people say they calibrate the display to minimize macroblocking, I have to wonder if what's really happening is that they are losing dynamic range in the picture. The bottom line is that the DVD player is outputing those blocks on the digital signal when it is sent to the display. The brightness/contrast of the set is setup to make all those blocks appear one color (or fewer colors) which really is just compromising the PQ in different way. A less jarring way, but a compromise nonetheless when compared to an non Faroudja player.

Or is this just completely wrong? Just the opposite.

Reducing contrast on a digital display like DLP, can contribute to macroblocking and banding, because it reduces the number of digital steps available to render a smooth grayscale ramp. Using the FULL range of available contrast can minimize the problem, because it uses all the digital bits (steps) available to you.

Macroblock-enhance can be particularly bad on digital-input displays that lack sufficient bit-depth. Most displays use 8-bit processing, which causes minor banding or false-contouring (especially problematic in the non-linear digital gamma correction circuit). This, coupled with a sub-optimal contrast range, can have a cumulative effect on source material that already has banding or macroblocking.

Faroudja macroblock-enhance was initially a serious problem on both of my Samsung DLP TV's, until I properly calibrated them. I used the method documented here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=5120358&&#post5120358), which maximizes contrast ratio to the Red output (the color in shortest supply on the Samsung DLP). This method will squeeze out every last bit of contrast that your set can give, while remaining D65 accurate all the way to 100% white. Macroblock-enhance is gone, and the result is absolutely stunning.

Unlike phosphor CRT's, there is no need to reduce contrast on a digital microdisplay like DLP, because contrast does not adjust the intensity of the bulb, nor does it cause any burn-in or blooming effects, it only adjusts the percentage of time that the mirrors are on. Any reduction in contrast is simply a waste of available light and precious digital steps.

Tweaking the Saturation control on the player and TV can help reduce macroblocking too.

More interesting references:

Here's what the DVE manual has to say under the heading "Chapter 14: Reverse Gray Ramps & Steps":
This pattern is also capable of revealing information about the bit depth of video processing. Look at the ramps in the pattern These should appear smooth from black to above white. If there are vertical lines or noise in any areas of the ramps, the system more than likely does not have enough bit depth to properly handle the video signal.Here are Kris Deering's comments on the Panasonic DVD-S77 (HDMI) Player:
Aside from the macroblocking issue, the Faroudja continues to be one of our favorite de-interlacing/scaling solutions. It is one of only a few true 10 bit video processing chips available, and its diagonal line processing is still the best in the industry. Since the S77 has an HDMI output, it can deliver a true 10 bit video signal if the output is never converted to DVI. There is a common misconception in the electronics world that DVI and HDMI are identical except for HDMI’s ability to carry multi-channel audio signals on top of video. This is not true. DVI outputs 8 bit RGB signals only and cannot carry 10 bit video like HDMI can. In fact, HDMI is actually capable of 12 bit transmission as well. What does this buy you? Well if you are lucky enough to have a display with an HDMI input, you can significantly reduce the contouring artifacts that are commonly associated with digital displays. A lot of this may depend on the internal processing of your display though too. This is one of the gripes I’ve had with DLP based projectors and displays. Most are DVI-based and only incorporate 8 bit processing internally. So contouring in gray ramps is quite evident. You’ll also usually see it in skies and underwater scenes. If you are lucky enough to have a display with an HDMI input, and with high bit processing, this is pretty much eliminated. Gary

really? even if you have a Pal Source and 720p display? I think with new firm Pal is well supported.

regards

I have used both PAL (DVE) and NTSC (Avia) to calibrate. As I mostly watch PAL I tend to push towards DVE. However, there is very little difference (if any) in the final result on my AE700, which displays PAL and NTSC equally. The only problem iwwh PAL is the whole memory issue and the 60Hx thing--when will that get sorted? I've been watching a few NTSC DVDs (The Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection) and it's been nice not to have to reset contrast and brightness.

Dave

really? even if you have a Pal Source and 720p display? I think with new firm Pal is well supported.

regards

I have used both PAL (DVE) and NTSC (Avia) to calibrate. As I mostly watch PAL I tend to push towards DVE. However, there is very little difference (if any) in the final result on my AE700, which displays PAL and NTSC equally.

PAL still isn't well supported: there's the whole memory issue and the 60Hz on Panny thing--when will that get sorted? I've been watching a few NTSC DVDs (The Hitchcock Masterpiece Collection) and it's been nice not to have to reset contrast and brightness every time.

Dave

Can the Oppo play DVD +R DL discs?

Sorry if this has been answered already. It isn't on the first page, the search function seems to ignore 2 letter words, and "double" justs gets complaints about double-posting.

My first suggestion / complaint / wish is that it had HDMI with correct HDCP out. Perhaps they will include the HDCP signals as an option in the future. Also, as I understand it, the Oppo uses 10 bit internally but the DVI is only 8 bit, resulting in downgrade of quality.

My second suggestion is the DVD tray is flimsy and appears to be very fragile, and could break easily. Please make it more solid!

Still a very nice player. I'll continue to buy their products and just upgrade / sell my current one.

Thanks.

I have used 10 Verbatim DVD+R DL discs so far, without a single issue in the Oppo.

I like the fact that it is not HDCP compliant, given all the post in other threads about the handshaking issues. Glad I don't have to worry about that with DVI to HDMI cable.

The loading tray bends, because it is flexible. No reports yet of it breaking to my knowledge, so I don't think it is as fragile as it looks.

Can the Oppo play DVD +R DL discs?

Thanks.
Zero problems playing Verbatim or TDK DL disks. I prefer Verbatim but Fry's is only carrying TDK lately. The Verbatim seem to play better on players other than the Oppo. The Oppo has played everything I've put in it, it's the most forgiving player I've owned. Makes you wonder about the crummy laser pickups that other manufactures are using. I had a Toshiba that I gave away because it wouldn't play anthing except commercial disks and they had to be perfectly clean, even though the specs said it would accept -R, and +R DVDs.

73ChargerFan,

I will echo the other two posters by saying I have not had a single coster. I use primarily Verbatim, but I also have some Memorex, Fujii Film, and TDK Dual Layer discs that all play without a hitch.

There is a new DVD unit in the works which will have HDMI support. The Tray, though, will be identical to the current model. If you don't like it now, you won't like it then.

Hagendos,

I hope the DVD loader in the OPDV971H plays everything, as the Sanyo loader they are using is not cheap (OEM is probably around 8 dollars).

My second suggestion is the DVD tray is flimsy and appears to be very fragile, and could break easily. Please make it more solid! This comes up pretty often. My kid smacked the OPPO tray so hard that it hit the deck below. No damage was done. The tray is designed to be flexible, it is certainly not flimsy.

With the same impact, my Pioneer player would have broken... if not the tray, then for sure, the loading mechanism.

Gary

My previous DVD player was made by Sony, about a $400 unit 6 years ago, still works flawlessly. You really could place a 2 liter bottle of coke on it, it is so sturdy. Looks like going from a diesel truck to a Geo Metro.

Thanks for the responses. I look forward to the HDMI version and will get one when they come out.

question regarding sound setup in the oppo menu.

for surround sound, does it really matter on the oppo setting what the speaker size is marked for (small or large)

Is there any way to get my oppo dvd player to recognize and play wmv format?

Thanks

question regarding sound setup in the oppo menu.

for surround sound, does it really matter on the oppo setting what the speaker size is marked for (small or large)

If you are using optical/coaxial, these features are inconsequential.

If you are using the multi-channel analog audio cables, then you will want to use Small for everything and subwoofer to On, otherwise you will get very little subwoofer bass response.

Is there any way to get my oppo dvd player to recognize and play wmv format?

Thanks

There is no way to play back WMV videos at this time.

Is there any way to get my oppo dvd player to recognize and play wmv format?

Thanks

You'll need to convert to a format the Oppo would recognize, such as mpeg, mpeg2, divx, or xvid...

Thanks Neuromancer, someone needs to figure out a way to do it.

If you are using optical/coaxial, these features are inconsequential.

If you are using the multi-channel analog audio cables, then you will want to use Small for everything and subwoofer to On, otherwise you will get very little subwoofer bass response.


cool..thanks, I'm using the digital coax

My OPPO doesn't start where I left off on DVD's. It goes back to the beginning. Always. Can anyone say "annoying"?

PS I have 1111B

My OPPO doesn't start where I left off on DVD's. It goes back to the beginning. Always. Can anyone say "annoying"?

PS I have 1111B

Yes, I can...Annoying!

Mr. Dover,

Congratulations!

Mr. Dover,

Congratulations!

I was being serious, I find it very annoying as well. Wasn't sure whether it exhibited this behavior when playing back DVDs as I usually only use the Oppo for playing back DiVX/XViD files and it doesn't remember where it was but I kind of understood this since a disc can have many folders/files as opposed to a standard DVD structure :)

My OPPO doesn't start where I left off on DVD's. It goes back to the beginning. Always. Can anyone say "annoying"?

PS I have 1111B

The 1022 firmware added a really klunky way of saving a breakpoint for a single disk. From the release notes:

9. Memory function to resume playing a movie from where it was left off.

This function works for DVD-Video discs only. To use the function, press the “EJECT” button on the remote. The player will show “Saving Breakpoint…” on screen and eject the disc tray. You can then turn off the DVD player using the “POWER” button on the remote. The tray will retract and the player will turn off. Next time when you turn on the DVD player, it will prompt “SELECT Key: Jump to the breakpoint; other key: Play from beginning”. At this point you can press the “SELECT” key to resume playback from the saved breakpoint. If you press any other key or do not press a key, playback will start from the beginning.
The memory function can remember 1 breakpoint only. Any new “EJECT” operation will overwrite the previous breakpoint with a new one.


Steve.

The 1022 firmware added a really klunky way of saving a breakpoint for a single disk. From the release notes:

9. Memory function to resume playing a movie from where it was left off.

This function works for DVD-Video discs only. To use the function, press the “EJECT” button on the remote. The player will show “Saving Breakpoint…” on screen and eject the disc tray. You can then turn off the DVD player using the “POWER” button on the remote. The tray will retract and the player will turn off. Next time when you turn on the DVD player, it will prompt “SELECT Key: Jump to the breakpoint; other key: Play from beginning”. At this point you can press the “SELECT” key to resume playback from the saved breakpoint. If you press any other key or do not press a key, playback will start from the beginning.
The memory function can remember 1 breakpoint only. Any new “EJECT” operation will overwrite the previous breakpoint with a new one.


Steve.

Thanks for the info...obviously I wish this was automatic as is with every other player I've ever owned, but more importantly I hope they add something similar for non DVD-Video discs.

Ben,
It definitely doesn't save the stop point on DVD's either, although at this point I don't know whether it's the OPPO or the operator as I just bought mine. I've owned several DVD players before the OPPO, all of which saved the stop point. One of them even saved the stop points of up to 10 DVD's.
I like the picture of the OPPO via DVI-D to my Panasonic 50" 8UK plasma display. I thought I'd try here for some answers before emailing OPPO regarding this issue.

nt

Ven,
Thanks for the response. Let me clarify one thing though. I'm referring to the OPPO not saving the stop point when I leave the disc IN the player. If I stop a movie and power off the player or just power off the player, and then power on the player the next day, the OPPO will start the disc from the beginning, as though I just put it in the tray.

Ben,
It definitely doesn't save the stop point on DVD's either, although at this point I don't know whether it's the OPPO or the operator as I just bought mine. I've owned several DVD players before the OPPO, all of which saved the stop point. One of them even saved the stop points of up to 10 DVD's.
I like the picture of the OPPO via DVI-D to my Panasonic 50" 8UK plasma display. I thought I'd try here for some answers before emailing OPPO regarding this issue.

This has been answered several times before, but I will explain it real quickly. The OPDV971H completely turns itself off when it is shutdown. There is a minimal power draw for the IR port, as it can receive and interpret a single button command: Power.

Because of this, OPPO originally said that any non-solid state memory (everything except the firmware) would be lost during this period (as there is no power going to the CPU to run the previous instructions). In November they found a loophole in their own design and added the 1 BreakPoint feature.

However, no one knows if this feature will ever become more robust in the feature. It was a stroke of luck that they gave us the current iteration of disc memory. It will take an act of God to make it better.

Ven,
Thanks for the response. Let me clarify one thing though. I'm referring to the OPPO not saving the stop point when I leave the disc IN the player. If I stop a movie and power off the player or just power off the player, and then power on the player the next day, the OPPO will start the disc from the beginning, as though I just put it in the tray.

You have to press Eject during playback, then press the Power button on the remote. Power up again, then press select.

Pressing Power button before you press Eject, or pressing Eject while not in the middle of playback, will not trigger the BreakPoint.

Neuromancer,
You've got to be kidding me. That's ridiculous. I've never had a DVD player that I couldn't power off in the middle of a disc and power on a week later at the same point on the disc. OPPO better have a firmware solution for this oversight soon or I'll be buying some......just kidding.

I speak the truth. We are lucky to even get the BreakPoint as it is. Personally, it is a useless feature, as I will never stop a movie in the middle of playback (sleep be damned!). However, I can understand your frustration, and you can only hope they improve upon it in the future.

I speak the truth. We are lucky to even get the BreakPoint as it is. Personally, it is a useless feature, as I will never stop a movie in the middle of playback (sleep be damned!). However, I can understand your frustration, and you can only hope they improve upon it in the future.

You must not have a wife or kids...:D

With my Sony DVD player, you hit the ... guess??

STOP button

or the POWER button

either way you get a brief message on the screen "Hit Play to resume at this spot."

My antique is very intuitive.

You must not have a wife or kids...:D

I have a girlfriend. She knows better than to interupt "me" time.

I speak the truth. We are lucky to even get the BreakPoint as it is. Personally, it is a useless feature, as I will never stop a movie in the middle of playback (sleep be damned!). However, I can understand your frustration, and you can only hope they improve upon it in the future.

Just for calibration discs it is worth it not to have to go through the crap at the beginning of the disc. I always have to wait so long for the OPPO while the Sony is ready to go in a few seconds. Thats also one of the reasons I dumped my SDI RP82. It had 5 memory locations but you had to tell the player to remember the location, but it was also very slow. I still need to sell it. I'll have to add it to my list of thing to put on Ebay. It's grown to over 40 items, by them time I get around to selling them they won't be worth anything.

My new Oppo sits behind a glass door. The player cannot be moved further back on the shelf, so that the tray would not hit the glass if it was accidentally ejected.

As I let my family loose with this player, am I being overly concerned about someone hitting the eject buttom with the glass door closed?

Does this player has some sort of safety mechanism that will prevent a full opening of the tray, or will this player start grinding plastic gears?

Thanks

My new Oppo sits behind a glass door. The player cannot be moved further back on the shelf, so that the tray would not hit the glass if it was accidentally ejected.

As I let my family loose with this player, am I being overly concerned about someone hitting the eject buttom with the glass door closed?

Does this player has some sort of safety mechanism that will prevent a full opening of the tray, or will this player start grinding plastic gears?

Thanks

The disc tray will recall if, for 8 seconds, the tray can't fully eject. There is a noticeable pressue as the disc tray is attempting to eject itself.

Can someone post close up picture for oppo power supply and motherboard (inside picture)


Thanks

The disc tray will recall if, for 8 seconds, the tray can't fully eject. There is a noticeable pressue as the disc tray is attempting to eject itself.

OK thanks, so will "noticeable pressure" be harmful to the machine after several inadvertant ejections that are blocked by a closed door?

Can someone post close up picture for oppo power supply and motherboard (inside picture)


Thanks

Here's a pic at the Audioholics review: http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/avhardware/images/OppoDV971H_insides_lg.jpg

Hope it helps :)

Can someone post close up picture for oppo power supply and motherboard (inside picture) See this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=4920302&&#post4920302).

When using the digital output on the OPPO has anyone had a audio sync problem when using the optical output? Is the coaxial output having more of a problem with the audio snyc

OK thanks, so will "noticeable pressure" be harmful to the machine after several inadvertant ejections that are blocked by a closed door?

I would say no. Although you can feel the preasure, you do not hear the common signs of an abused motor.

When using the digital output on the OPPO has anyone had a audio sync problem when using the optical output? Is the coaxial output having more of a problem with the audio snyc

I find I have more sync problems with the coax output.

Using the optical output I have had (1) sync problem during playback of SWIII: AOTC. I hit stop and play and the movie picked back up and played in sync through the rest of the film.

I use the coaxial output and get sync problems very occasionally. I'll try switching to the optical output and see if that reduces the occurence. I only have a couple of dvd's that are problematic. I'll share my findings tomorrow.

Hi guys!

I have the oppo with the latest firmware. With brightness and contrast at default levels I cannot see the BTB bars on DVE(PAL) no matter how much I raise the brightness on my display (Sanyo Z4). If I just raise oppo brightness +1 everything is OK.

Do you think that this is normal behaviour? I mean it seems that it clips BTB data from brightness 0 and below. Any comments?

I just got a 971H and it has the latest remote control. Unfortunately, all the buttons seem to be incorrectly mapped and I can not use it.

I live in the SF Bay Area and picked up my unit from the Oppo office itself. So I had asked them to program the 1022 firmware instead of the latest (1111B) since I did not want the screen shift issue. Is the older firmware incompatible with the newer remote?

Please let me know what a quick fix for this is. If I try to install the 1111B firmware, will it be even possible since all my remote buttons are mismatched?

Thanks!

update: I tried programming my Harmony remote with OPDV971H functions (not using the learn feature, but just the device select from the software menu). It exhibits the same behavior as the Oppo remote. So, either my DVD player is messed up OR Harmony has codes for the newer remote only and my player is expecting an older remote...

Hi guys!

I have the oppo with the latest firmware. With brightness and contrast at default levels I cannot see the BTB bars on DVE(PAL) no matter how much I raise the brightness on my display (Sanyo Z4). If I just raise oppo brightness +1 everything is OK.

Do you think that this is normal behaviour? I mean it seems that it clips BTB data from brightness 0 and below. Any comments?If there is any clipping of BTB via the DVI connection, it is not the OPPO. Sounds like a display issue (unless you are using the component output).

Gary

I just got a 971H and it has the latest remote control. Unfortunately, all the buttons seem to be incorrectly mapped and I can not use it.

I live in the SF Bay Area and picked up my unit from the Oppo office itself. So I had asked them to program the 1022 firmware instead of the latest (1111B) since I did not want the screen shift issue. Is the older firmware incompatible with the newer remote?

Please let me know what a quick fix for this is. If I try to install the 1111B firmware, will it be even possible since all my remote buttons are mismatched?

Thanks!

Yes, the older firmware is compatible with the new remote (1022 is compatible with all three remotes). Use this procedure to enable the codes for the new remote (documented in the first post of the thread):

Change Remote Function (black and 3rd remote users):

1. Turn on your DVD player and display device.
2. Eject any disc that may be inside of the DVD player. Remove the disc and close the tray.
3. Wait for the display message "No Disc" to appear in the upper left corner of your display device.
4. Press and hold (hard) the Stop button on the front panel of the DVD unit (NOT THE REMOTE) for 5 seconds. Release.

The message "New RC" will appear briefly in the upper left hand corner of your display unit.

Paul

I find I have more sync problems with the coax output.

Using the optical output I have had (1) sync problem during playback of SWIII: AOTC. I hit stop and play and the movie picked back up and played in sync through the rest of the film.

I switched from a coaxial cable to an optical cable tonight and watched one of my problematic dvd's that has the audio/video sync issue. It still comes and goes throughout the Genesis - Live at Wembley DVD even with the optical cable. It's really bad on track 2 (Abacab). I'll try the other DVD out tomorrow morning and report back.

Thanks Paul! Everything is working fine now.

Yes, the older firmware is compatible with the new remote (1022 is compatible with all three remotes). Use this procedure to enable the codes for the new remote (documented in the first post of the thread):


:o

I experiencing a new HT life with my new projector and found by the way, that the sync issue has been improved. Looks like not only the receiver (different lags between my Dolby Headphones and Dolby sourround receiver) but also a difference between LCD TV and projector.

(Maybe the speed of light helps here ;-) )

Hi all!

Some russians made modded firmware for oppo 971h. I just found it at bbk985s.narod.ru

Now I am upgrading my player.

This news switched me from read-only mode on this forum to read-write!

I hope it'll work!

I would say no. Although you can feel the preasure, you do not hear the common signs of an abused motor.

Thanks

Hi all!

Some russians made modded firmware for oppo 971h. I just found it at bbk985s.narod.ru

Now I am upgrading my player.

This news switched me from read-only mode on this forum to read-write!

I hope it'll work!

What does this "modded" firmware offer?

Firmware updates based on OP971-D-1022
OPPO971 v.9
+ Changed ugly file icons
+ Removed UOPs (prohibited user operations)
+ Pan&Scan mode works for all anamorphic DVD
+ Full width file list browser
+ Changed Audio Setup: Equalizer moved to new page, added Super bass, Bass boost, Treble boost settings
+ Extended SPDIF setup
+ Buttons "|<<" и ">>|" jupms to previous, next mp3.
+ Saves volume level after power off.

Firmware updates based on OP971-D-1022
OPPO971 v.9
+ Changed ugly file icons
+ Removed UOPs (prohibited user operations)
+ Pan&Scan mode works for all anamorphic DVD
+ Full width file list browser
+ Changed Audio Setup: Equalizer moved to new page, added Super bass, Bass boost, Treble boost settings
+ Extended SPDIF setup
+ Buttons "|<<" и ">>|" jupms to previous, next mp3.
+ Saves volume level after power off.

Sounds interesting...have you applied this update? Are you able to install prior, official, firmware updates?

Yes. I just installed this fw and it works.

But I think it's better to have data cable for resque player if anything goes wrong.

You can read about reanimating dead players here:

http://mtz.softpedia.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=2

Duckbill, you are a braver man than I. Some of those updates sound appealing (especially disabling PUOPs), but I would never risk installing "unofficial" firmware.

Duckbill, you are a braver man than I. Some of those updates sound appealing (especially disabling PUOPs), but I would never risk installing "unofficial" firmware.

Same opinion here. I'll wait for Oppo's official releases.

I switched from a coaxial cable to an optical cable tonight and watched one of my problematic dvd's that has the audio/video sync issue. It still comes and goes throughout the Genesis - Live at Wembley DVD even with the optical cable. It's really bad on track 2 (Abacab). I'll try the other DVD out tomorrow morning and report back.

I should note, I has similar sync issues with both the 2910 and 3910. Perhaps the sync challanges are another benefit of the DCDi processing.

Same opinion here. I'll wait for Oppo's official releases.I have mixed emotions about it. Some manufacturers (specially DVD burners) "unofficially support" user-derivitive FWs. Anyone know Oppos stance on this?

I have mixed emotions about it. Some manufacturers (specially DVD burners) "unofficially support" user-derivitive FWs. Anyone know Oppos stance on this?

They have no stance, though it does void your warrenty (however, this does not mean that they will not service your unit). Officially, none of these changes have ever been implimented in official beta firmware.

The only real problem with using the European or hacked firmware is the risk of a bad installation. If the installation fails at any time, you will not beable to use your OPDV971H anymore until OPPO services it.

Another problem is if the Russian model is using the standard BBK remote, or the one that shipped with the US model. Why I note this is that BBK uses an entirely different IR Code for their remotes. If the hacked firmware is using this remote code, you are still out of luck.

EDTI: One thing I had completely forgot about is missing features. If the MTK hack changed any nodes that are associated with the Faroudja chipset, say by by to your DVI output.

I'm *not* giving it a try.

Paul

Is there any way to get my oppo dvd player to recognize and play wmv format?

Thanks

If you're interested in converting WMV to DVD format go here:

http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=vso_DivXtoDVD (you will
find a free version, slower than current multi-channel / thread)

I'm getting a slight shift in image position, do I need to revert to 1022 or is there some internal adjustment?

I'm getting a slight shift in image position, do I need to revert to 1022 or is there some internal adjustment?

I would revert back to the OP971-D-1022 firmware (http://www.oppodigital.com/opdv971h_firmware_1022_download.html). Make sure you change your brightness to "-3".

Just received my Oppo! I will be comparing this once it is calibrated to my good old Panasonic RP82 and CP72(If anyone needs one let me know). Some quick questions:

1. I just updated the firmware to the latest firmware 111B
2. Under settings - should video be set to 1 or 2(says DVI Only)? Video I assume set to Wide but what is wide/sqz? (16:9 squeeze?)
3. Is everyone using the default video settings on the Oppo then calibrating on the display? If not, what is the optimal settings?
4. On the audio side of things, I set the SPIDIF to raw and downmix to 5.1.
5. Anyone using the dvd playe to set their speakers to large or small? What about channel delay? better to calibrate with the receiver?
6. Other settings that have been discussed would be og great help.

Thanks in advance guys!

Congrats on the Oppo ugabuga!

1111B is good.

Video 2 will provide 2:2 cadence with PAL material, component is supposed to be disabled with Video 2. Wide squeeze will auto format the output for 16:9 for widescreen, 4:3 for standard (with slight loss of resolution with the 4:3 material).

Default settings: Brightness, contrast, saturation: 0. Sharpness = OFF, TrueLife = OFF, CCS = OFF.

Paul

They have no stance, though it does void your warrenty (however, this does not mean that they will not service your unit). Officially, none of these changes have ever been implimented in official beta firmware.

The only real problem with using the European or hacked firmware is the risk of a bad installation. If the installation fails at any time, you will not beable to use your OPDV971H anymore until OPPO services it.

Another problem is if the Russian model is using the standard BBK remote, or the one that shipped with the US model. Why I note this is that BBK uses an entirely different IR Code for their remotes. If the hacked firmware is using this remote code, you are still out of luck.

EDTI: One thing I had completely forgot about is missing features. If the MTK hack changed any nodes that are associated with the Faroudja chipset, say by by to your DVI output.

As far as I understand this site contains two versions of the firmware - on main page modded for BBK remote and on oppo971.html - original 1022 version with some improvements.

As for me - I love this "hack". Wide browser is that I asked from oppo support for loooong time. BTW DVI works perfectly.

As far as I understand this site contains two versions of the firmware - on main page modded for BBK remote and on oppo971.html - original 1022 version with some improvements.

As for me - I love this "hack". Wide browser is that I asked from oppo support for loooong time. BTW DVI works perfectly.

What is a 'wide browser'?

Dave

Neuromancer

Hello.
I have read that a "major" firmware release for PAL users would be released in December.
Do you have some inside information, or anyhow know when it will be released?

What is a 'wide browser'?

Dave
"Wide" browser shows up to 50 letters in filenames instead of 14 by official firmware.

I'm getting a slight shift in image position, do I need to revert to 1022 or is there some internal adjustment?

I got the image shift on 720P, so I went to 1080i and it works fine on my Panny 50 6UY plasma. In my short time of checking it out (2 days) I didn't notice any difference between the two. I also haven't noticed a difference in PQ from my poorly rated Elite DV-37 and the Oppo. But removing a disc and inserting it quickly and replaying a scene isn't the best way to compare. I have yet to watch a movie, but I expected to see a bigger difference in PQ than I have. :(

I got the image shift on 720P, so I went to 1080i and it works fine on my Panny 50 6UY plasma. In my short time of checking it out (2 days) I didn't notice any difference between the two. I also haven't noticed a difference in PQ from my poorly rated Elite DV-37 and the Oppo. But removing a disc and inserting it quickly and replaying a scene isn't the best way to compare. I have yet to watch a movie, but I expected to see a bigger difference in PQ than I have. :(

What calibration DVD did you use?

What calibration DVD did you use?

Avia.

I had to swap out the component board I used with the Elite (no DVI output) with DVI for the Oppo, so I have to use my satellite component input for the Elite player, and in my initial trial, I did fail to adjust my Elite settings for that input – big difference. It is just so difficult to remove a disc and insert it into another and remember everything you were looking at. After a dozen or so times of swapping back and forth this morning, I can clearly see more intense color with the Oppo, whereas the Elite appeared to be more washed out. As far as clarity, I’m not really seeing much difference, but a side-by-side evaluation might help me out and I’m unable to do that. At this point my eyes are shot. :)

I used Pay It Forward as my demo disc.

From Oppo's Site...

Get an OPDV971H in time for Christmas! Free upgrade - get FedEx Over Night service for the same price as FedEx 2nd Day service. Orders with FedEx Over Night service placed by Thursday, 2:30 PST will be shipped out on Thursday and delivered on Friday, December 23. Offer applies to domestic orders only.

Ok so I bought the Oppo yesterday since I was using a $60 Toshiba I bought at Target. I hope I can tell a difference.

Two questions. I have a brand new Toshiba 51HC85 and it has selectable 540p or 1080i resolution. I see a lot say that the player works best at 720p. Can I feed my TV a 720p signal and put the TV on 1080i or should I just match the 1080i's?

Also on the website they state -

-High resolutions include 480p, 540P, 576p, 720p, 1080i
-Up Convert from 480i to 720p/1080i

What is the difference between the 1080i resolution and the 1080i up convert????? If you set it on 540p is that not up converting as well? Sorry if this has been answered, I read a lot of both threads but didn't see anything.

Thanks

Ok so I bought the Oppo yesterday since I was using a $60 Toshiba I bought at Target. I hope I can tell a difference.

Two questions. I have a brand new Toshiba 51HC85 and it has selectable 540p or 1080i resolution. I see a lot say that the player works best at 720p. Can I feed my TV a 720p signal and put the TV on 1080i or should I just match the 1080i's?
Also on the website they state -

-High resolutions include 480p, 540P, 576p, 720p, 1080i
-Up Convert from 480i to 720p/1080i

What is the difference between the 1080i resolution and the 1080i up convert????? If you set it on 540p is that not up converting as well? Sorry if this has been answered, I read a lot of both threads but didn't see anything.



Thanks

Try to match the native resolution of the display. But check all the other resolutions and see what looks best.

There is no difference; it's two ways of saying the same thing

Try to match the native resolution of the display. But check all the other resolutions and see what looks best.

There is no difference; it's two ways of saying the same thing


Thanks. I guess I will have to wait and see then. I emailed them and they said that one of the chips doesn't do as well with the 1080i. All I know is that watching a dvd now everything is edgy with blocks all over the screen and fuzzy. I hope this one will help. HDTV looks good though.

Try/ensure Oppo settings: Sharpness = OFF, TrueLife=OFF, CCS=OFF.

Ensure the sharpness control on the display is also at the lowest or near lowest setting.

Paul

I previously had the 1022 firmware. This morning, I installed the 1111b firmware. However, I can't seem to access the option to select Video1 or Video2, as this option remains dim. I need Video2, since I use DVI and I also play non-Region 1 DVDs from time to time. Can someone please tell me how to access the Video1/Video2 option? Also, I have a Hitachi plasma TV; since I play mostly Region 1 DVDs but also play Region 2 (PAL), etc. DVDs, should I set the Oppo to NTSC or Auto? Thanks very much in advance.

Jim

Right now I keep the sharpness at 57. I usually like to take it up to the point where things look edgy then drop it back about 5 clicks. Is the oppo sharper than standard DVD players? Also I read the magazine websites reviews and it said the TruLife kicks in one of the chips and it helps the picture. Or maybe that was someone in the Amazon reviews. I can't remember now.

jrh,

Eject the disc and then make the change -- the setting can't be changed "on the fly".

Paul

Thanks, Paul. :) That did it! What about the setting for NTSC/Auto? Also, since I seem to recall that you have a Hitachi plasma, do you set the Oppo to Wide or Wide/Sqz?

Jim

SightSeeker1,

Not all componets are the same that is why some displays will allow the storing of different settings for each input.

There are DVD calibration discs such as Avia or Digital Video Essentials that guide one through the settings of a TV/DVD player including sharpness. For your display for the DVD input, it may be that the sharpness setting has to be set lower to eliminate the "edge enhancement" sharpness controls introduce.

Setting the Oppo's sharpness to "off" is the setting to start with to eliminate the edge enhancement that can be caused by the player.

Paul

Jim,

I use NTSC and the disc must be ejected (or no disc loaded) to make the selection. There is the P/N key on the remote to make the selction as well (eject the disc for this method also).

I use the Wide/SQZ though there is some penalty in resolution for 4:3 material (16:9 is unaffected). If the penalty is objectionable, I output to 480p and then resize using the display's control.

Paul

SightSeeker1,

Not all componets are the same that is why some displays will allow the storing of different settings for each input.

There are DVD calibration discs such as Avia or Digital Video Essentials that guide one through the settings of a TV/DVD player including sharpness. For your display for the DVD input, it may be that the sharpness setting has to be set lower to eliminate the "edge enhancement" sharpness controls introduce.

Setting the Oppo's sharpness to "off" is the setting to start with to eliminate the edge enhancement that can be caused by the player.

Paul

Yea I know about those disks but haven't got one yet. I used the THX calibration disk on Signs to set everything. My POS DVD player couldn't even pick up all of the black boxes or the backdrop to the THX logo on the brightness screen. That is when I knew I needed a new DVD player.

Is that a BTB test?

Thanks, Paul! I should be all set now. :)

Jim

I don't have Signs or a disc that has the THX optimizer (I should get one!), but from what I recall, that is a test to set black level (brightness).

One of the optimizer tests does have a pattern that can be used to adjust sharpness.

Paul

Jim,

You're welcome!

Paul

I don't have Signs or a disc that has the THX optimizer (I should get one!), but from what I recall, that is a test to set black level (brightness).

Paul

Yea it has a screen that tells you that it is going to be a brightness test and that you should adjust your brightness so that you see 13 blocks on the top of the screen and the THX logo with a backdrop/shadow behind it. It also states that some players can't produce all of the blocks and the shadow and in that case you should make adjustments for 7 blocks.

Sure enough I only saw the 7 blocks and no backdrop. That is the main reason I bought the Oppo. When I watch a move and there is a dark scene the darks are black. No shading at all. I hope it's not the TV.

Regarding the "Signs" THX Optimizer.

I believe there is a defect with the BTB test on this disc. I have never been able to see the BTB in the drop shadow using any dvd player I own. The THX Optimizer BTB test works on all other THX discs I own so I know it's the "Signs" disc.

What settings are used on the display?

Some modes such as "Vivid" or "Sports" will "auto black crush" low level brightness to black -- some people like the WOW! effect, others notice that detail is being lost.

Unfortunately, some sets have a non-defeatable "auto black crush".

Typically, I find that a "Cinama" or "Movie" mode is the least invasive and is a good place to start to make adjustments.

Paul

Regarding the "Signs" THX Optimizer.

I believe there is a defect with the BTB test on this disc. I have never been able to see the BTB in the drop shadow using any dvd player I own. The THX Optimizer BTB test works on all other THX discs I own so I know it's the "Signs" disc.


Oh for shits sake!

What settings are used on the display?


I have it set on film mode but I never can tell what is going on with it. I'll even pause a dvd and can't tell. I have read the Toshiba CRT owners thread and there have never been any complaints. I'll just cross my fingers and see what happens. I just hate spending money when I don't need to. That ticks me off about the signs disk!!!

There is a 3-4 pixel border all around the image in all DVI resolutions.



From wish list item 2.

Was this fixed or is it still a problem ??

I have a new pio 5060 using DVI-HDMI and wouldnt want to create burn in ??

Thanks

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=4924650&&#post4924650

Pete,

Not fixed yet.

It only happens with certain displays, usually projectors or other displays that allow for precise border to border width/height adjustment. Most (but not all) consumer direct view displays have a certain amount of overscan that will compensate for the smaller picture. I have both a Panasonic LCD direct view and a Hitachi plasma that have about 3% overscan and there is no problem with a 3-4 pixel dark border -- it isn't seen. Oppo has a good return policy if there is a problem.

Paul

Paul,

I have a Pio 5060 plasma and just hooked it up yesterday and noticed a 1/4 inch black frame on the screen and was wondering if this was normal for my screen. I have played 3 dvd movies using full mode and just noticed that small frame.

I have hooked it up using s-video and still see the frame but wondering now if Its burn in ??

Not yet hooked up to HDTV so cannot compare.

Pete

How about over the air TV? My Hitachi has a black border/frame around the picture area, but upon close inspection it's easy to see where the border ends and pixels begin. Have a close look at the screen wtih no picture or device connected and see where the very dimly lit pixels begin and then compare that position with the output of the DVD player.

Paul

Neuromancer

Hello.
I have read that a "major" firmware release for PAL users would be released in December.
Do you have some inside information, or anyhow know when it will be released?

None. OPPO has been having extreme difficulty isolating the PAL bugs. They are still very much at a loss as to why the PAL settings get "lost" everytime a disc is used, and why the syncronization is off on select display devices (such as the Panasonic AE700/900). I've received every beta, but none of them have addressed these conditions.

I know they were very sincere in their statement of a December release. They wanted a Christmas miracel, but it seems the Grinch of Software Bugs is giving them a very hard time.

EDIT: I even tried the "unofficial" firmware, as well as the latest BBK firmware, and even those exhibit the same exact problems

Paul,

Thanks I think you're right over the air and without signal I see the small border around the screen. Will do more tests and ask Pio user if they have similar border than mine.

Thanks for your knowledge

Pete

Right now I keep the sharpness at 57. I usually like to take it up to the point where things look edgy then drop it back about 5 clicks. Is the oppo sharper than standard DVD players? Also I read the magazine websites reviews and it said the TruLife kicks in one of the chips and it helps the picture. Or maybe that was someone in the Amazon reviews. I can't remember now.Experiment with the sharpness if you like, but most prefer it completely OFF on both the player and display.

A firmware update addressed the Truelife issue you mentioned from some reviews. For best results, you can now leave Truelife OFF. Again, experiment if you like, but Truelife can worsen macroblocking at times and can introduce other undesirable artifacts.

Gary

Pete,

You're welcome! I will edit that list to indicate that "some" displays will have issue. Thanks for reading the first post of the thread!

Paul

Paul,

I've read the first post, and see that OPPO support DIVX/Xvid files stored on CD-R or DVD+R. Here's a few questions:
1. What's the max resolution of DIVX/Xvid files that OPPO can support?
2. Which file extensions does OPPO support fo DIVX/Xvid files? (eg, mpg, avi, etc)
3. Does it support MPEG 2 Transport Stream file (.TS) or any other format that has 720p/1080i resolution?

If it can work, then would be a great start point to enjoy those downloadable HDTV clips.

Thanks!

this here is from the oppo faq on there website....

DivX/XviD Questions

Q: What DivX / XviD subtitles does the OPDV971H player support?
A: The OPDV971H player supports .SRT, .SMI, .IDX and .SUB formats, and can be enabled/disabled using Subtitle key on remote.

Q: What is the highest supported DivX resoluton for OPDV971H?
A: Currently, 720 by 480 is the highest DivX resolution that the OPDV971H supports.

yes .ts would be great!!, but that alot of bandwith/bitrate, your talking what a HD Dvd would be.

Paul,

I've read the first post, and see that OPPO support DIVX/Xvid files stored on CD-R or DVD+R. Here's a few questions:
1. What's the max resolution of DIVX/Xvid files that OPPO can support?
2. Which file extensions does OPPO support fo DIVX/Xvid files? (eg, mpg, avi, etc)
3. Does it support MPEG 2 Transport Stream file (.TS) or any other format that has 720p/1080i resolution?

If it can work, then would be a great start point to enjoy those downloadable HDTV clips.

Thanks!

Don't know much about DivX, but I think all your questions have been asked on this thread several times. As I remember the oppo only supports SD DivX files.

Dave

Paul,

If you have a panny direct view, is it a family of the pt50lc13? I just rcvd the Oppo and would love to get it setup correctly. I ran AVIA without much trouble. I ran a color saturated cartoon movie for my son last night and noticed the Macroblocking, what settings do you have to eliminate this?

Also, I noticed horizontal banding, but it actual looks like its the first-surface-mirror inside the set. Ever heard of this? I am going to investigate further with some settings and see what it might be.

Thanks,
Ray

Experiment with the sharpness if you like, but most prefer it completely OFF on both the player and display.

A firmware update addressed the Truelife issue you mentioned from some reviews. For best results, you can now leave Truelife OFF. Again, experiment if you like, but Truelife can worsen macroblocking at times and can introduce other undesirable artifacts.

Gary

Thanks I'll try all the different combinations out. I went through the Toshiba owners thread last night and learned that it has this feature called SVM that can't be directly disabled. They have a workaround for it that I tried and the picture is way better. Some movies I have are just terrible like Twister for instance. It looks like VHS quality on my screen while movies like Sin City look like HD. I hope the Oppo clears things up. Comes in next Thursday.

SightSeeker1,

"Twister" (a guilty pleasure!) is an early DVD mastering that was mediocre to begin with that's never been updated. It needs a new transfer -- badly.

Paul

occammd,

The Pansonic LCD is a TC-22LH1 -- really direct view ;) -- not projection.

Which animation? I have some Looney Tunes Golden Collections, Jonny Quest, and a few classic Disney: Snow White, Bambi.

Paul

Just wanted to confirm something. The Oppo does NOT send 480p via component? I am getting a new 1080p TV so it has HDMI ports but my brother wants to get a new player but he only has component inputs.

I am still thinking about it. I am not sure if I should spend the money to get another DVD player with blueray comming out (for me when the PS3 comes out), but it would be nice to have an upconverting player on my new set.

I have to ask how much better is the picture vs. standard component progressive out (480p)? Do you think it was worth the price you paid?

Just wanted to confirm something. The Oppo does NOT send 480p via component? I am getting a new 1080p TV so it has HDMI ports but my brother wants to get a new player but he only has component inputs.

I am still thinking about it. I am not sure if I should spend the money to get another DVD player with blueray comming out (for me when the PS3 comes out), but it would be nice to have an upconverting player on my new set.

I have to ask how much better is the picture vs. standard component progressive out (480p)? Do you think it was worth the price you paid?
I have a crt direct-view 34" Sony set and I find that the upconversion is ok, but what's really magical is the Oppo's deinterlacer. IMHO, it's clearly better than the one in my tv, and better than any other player I've ever seen. And yes, the enhancement in PQ is very noticeable. Well worth my $200.

Thanks Paul.

Not to throw the thread off but do you have a DVD that really shines on the Oppo that you say wow that looks so much better on here than my other DVD players? I want to buy a good DVD to play on it when it comes in. Anything but a kids movie.

Luffy,

The Oppo DV971H only outputs 480i via the component -- and the picture quality is only fair. The DV971H really shines via the DVI. If component and inexpenive is necessary then a Pioneer DV588A would probably do better. For the Oppo the quality comes in several areas:

Navigation: no layer change pauses and lightning quick chapter changes -- courtesy of the MediaTek chip,

Deinterlacing: Lack of jagged edges and other onscreen artifacts -- courtesy of the Genesis/Faroudja processing.

No player is perfect (have a look at the first post of this thread) but I'm extremely happy with the Oppo.

Paul

SightSeeker1,

My WOW! discs tend to be of the classic type -- Ben Hur (especially the new Warner transfer), Wizard of Oz, Adventures of Robin Hood, Singin' in The Rain, Gone With the Wind. These last four all utilize the Warner UltraResolution process and are all wonderful with marvelous color and detail. Lawrence of Arabia (Superbit) is a great film but it is hampered by some unfortunate edge enhancement -- otherwise it's outstanding. For more recent titles, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the the Ring is a favorite. The Aviator looks great and has some incredible sequences but the two-strip Technicolor look to the film's early part may have the uniformed wondering what wrong with the system.

Paul

No player is perfect (have a look at the first post of this thread)

Really? I am still looking for something wrong with my 5910!?!

Thanks I'll check out a couple of those. I just got the remastered fifth element disk to watch on it.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006GVJE4/102-0522389-8009746?v=glance&n=130

The re-did the audio and video. DTS should sound good on my new set up. I've got 5 brand new speakers sitting on stands I have never heard a peep out of yet because I'm waiting on my VSX-815 my GF bought me for Christmas. lol

Look harder. ;)

Paul

"The Fifth Element" is a popular WOW! disc selection. It's well done.

Paul

Just saw this in new posts.....Rate your oppo.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=621003

"Twister" (a guilty pleasure!) is an early DVD mastering that was mediocre to begin with that's never been updated. It needs a new transfer -- badly.

The original 1997 Twister DVD is a case study in bad digital compression. Any time there is fine object detail in motion (like, you know, any time there's a tornado), the image becomes a pixelated mess. The movie actually did get a remastered Special Edition re-release in 2000 that has better digital compression, though it is sourced from the same video transfer and has edge enhancement issues.

I just got an Oppo DVD player and 65" HP DLP TV and when I use the component or s-video outputs from the Oppo it looks ok. When I go DVI-to-HDMI there are times it looks outstanding; however other times, especially like close up face shots I can see large areas of either red or green. These areas aren't uniform and really kill the image. Is this common with the player? I tried out LoTR, Battlestar Galatica 2nd Season, Spiderman 2, and American Pie and all the movies have the blue/red issues. Are there any setting to get rid of this? I didn't see anything that would fix this.

After all the reading and needing a replacement for my V INC. Bravo D1 that a child broke, I ordered one yesterday.

They had marked overnight fed ex the same price as 2 day fed ex for a christmas special.

At 3pm today the box showed up :D

Now I can't wait to get home and compare it to my Denon 2910 and my Denon 3800.

It will be hooked into my Pioneer 503 ( 503CMX ) 50 inch 3rd gen plasma via the dvi input. Unfortunately to get DVI on this panel I had to buy an Aurora A303 card and that does one signal D/A conversion on the way in.

My Bravo had a custom screen resolution setting, which I dearly wish Oppo would add to their unit.

I found the 2910 to be a bit grainy though firmware updates have improved that and the green push. I am hoping macroblocking won't be too much of a problem

I understand the Oppo has it, but not nearly as bad as the Denon 2910. I bought one of the very first 2910's and it has seen about 7 firmware revisions. Its a solid unit and the firmware fixes have helped alot but I am hoping for 3 things with the Oppo

1) First and foremost LESS macroblocking , god I can't stand that stuff :mad: , ruins all my sci fi material.

2) More detail visible , as many have suggest on here.

3) Less graininess, for all its good points, the 2910 just can't seem to lose that grainy, slightly flat image quality.

I am sure there will be other bonuses.


As far as settings goes for the plasma, as it has 5 dedicated inputs, would anyone familiar with this player, esp this player and a plasma , best of all a pioneer plasma care to make suggestions for the settings? :cool:

The original 1997 Twister DVD is a case study in bad digital compression. Any time there is fine object detail in motion (like, you know, any time there's a tornado), the image becomes a pixelated mess.

Boy, that brings back memories. Twister was one of the first DVDs I (and many others I imagine) bought. What a piece of cr*p. Made you wonder about DVDs in general back then. Fortunately, better days were ahead. :D