Delay-


I'd like to point out that if I remember correctly Oppo usually states estimated shipping dates for preorders/backorders. EDIT: "Estimated ship date of March 10, 2008"

So, for those who don't understand english:

es·ti·mate
1. to form an approximate judgment or opinion regarding the worth, amount, size, weight, etc., of; calculate approximately: to estimate the cost of a college education.
6. a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done, submitted by a person or business firm ready to undertake the work.

(Dictionary.com)


So, you guys should calm down. The beta has been very good, it's worth the wait, no reason to be upset if they feel they need some extra time. I'm sure they have their reasons.

Whom said that?

EDIT: E-mailed my man at OPPO and here is his response:

"There will be no delay in the launch of the DVD player. However, the launch will be staggered. The main reason for this is that all units which are currently in our warehouse have to be manually updated to the latest firmware release. This process is time consuming, so not all product will be ready for release on Monday, March 10. Some accessories, such as the upgraded power cable and the User's Manual, also had manufacturing problems. The stock of these accessories and the total number or pre-orders are offset.

What this means is that only partial stock will be available on the March 10 date for shipment. More stock will be upgraded, tested, packed and released on a constant basis with all pre-orders expected to be shipped to customers within 2~3 days of the original ship date of March 10.

We have not determined, however, the preferential treatment of shipments. That is, do we send out first stock to those who purchased a faster delivery service, or do we keep it fair and send out stock based on first come, first serve?

We are dialogging this situation very seriously but have no formal release plans at this time."
Well there you go, looks like they have good reason.

[QUOTE=tuleggi;13300786]From the Oppo europe website ww.opposhop.com in this comparison page they say that the Film Mode Inverse 2:2 Pull Down (PAL movie) is supported... would there be a difference with the European model?
QUOTE]

No, I don't think there is any difference between US and European models. Europrean model always follows US model.

The European model has a tweaked firmware which is geared towards PAL decoding. The problem is this breaks 3:2 and 3:3 cadence detection of NTSC sources in many cases.

OPPO has sent me a new DV-980H PAL beta firmware, but this firmware still has the 3:2 3:3 error.

I'd expect a Euro version to have a SCART output as well

The European model has a tweaked firmware which is geared towards PAL decoding. The problem is this breaks 3:2 and 3:3 cadence detection of NTSC sources in many cases.
Will this be available for download by US customers? The vast majority of my DVD collection is PAL...

It will be released once they figure out a way not to break NTSC playback in the process. Keep your eyes on the DV-980H thread for updates.

I am not upset my 970 PQ &SQ is quite nice- and like it very, much so I am not OUT. However, if it is a day or two- fine. However, a week or two it should be stated- just good Public Relations
Since the 983H got the 2007 Product of the year award from whom ever. And we are now in 3/2008 & on page 67 that might go to page 189 before it is all over. Just talking here since we a'nt listing to the 983H.. Just like the old commercial, "where's the Beef?"
;^)
If I were sitting in SONY HQ, they day I knew HD was dead I would have crammed the entire engineering team in to a room and state. I want the next Generation 6(7-8-9) Blue ray on my desk in 4 months. And fix all the issues we have heard about- flagship level add in SACD (maybe DVD-a)+ a good music capabilities. Announce it to the public and sell it for $? $325-430. It would kick out a lot of competition{ including Oppo} and place SONY back on the charts. If they stay with their $500+ player course,{ because the higher end audio/video customers are not going w/ SONY} Sony stock is going to be kicked very hard. Sony has name recognition but not rich feature /quality image.

It will be released once they figure out a way not to break NTSC playback in the process. Keep your eyes on the DV-980H thread for updates.
Oops--I should've read more carefully; I thought that was in reference to the 983!

No no no. PAL is working perfectly for the DV-983H.

Does the 983 have a detachable power cable? I hate the 981 fixed cable

Whom said that?

EDIT: E-mailed my man at OPPO and here is his response:

"There will be no delay in the launch of the DVD player. However, the launch will be staggered. The main reason for this is that all units which are currently in our warehouse have to be manually updated to the latest firmware release. This process is time consuming, so not all product will be ready for release on Monday, March 10. Some accessories, such as the upgraded power cable and the User's Manual, also had manufacturing problems. The stock of these accessories and the total number or pre-orders are offset.

What this means is that only partial stock will be available on the March 10 date for shipment. More stock will be upgraded, tested, packed and released on a constant basis with all pre-orders expected to be shipped to customers within 2~3 days of the original ship date of March 10.

We have not determined, however, the preferential treatment of shipments. That is, do we send out first stock to those who purchased a faster delivery service, or do we keep it fair and send out stock based on first come, first serve?

We are dialogging this situation very seriously but have no formal release plans at this time."

Don't Panic. The answer is 42.

Well I was one of the first to order AND have 2 day shipping so I get to muscle in the front of the line....:D

Does the 983 have a detachable power cable? I hate the 981 fixed cable

Only the OPDV971H had a fixed power cable. The DV-970HD and the DV-981HD used a standard polarized power cable.

The DV-980H and the DV-983H use a IEC C17 power cable. Think of the power cable you use for your PC, but without the ground.

The reason for this is that the decoder is squeezing the image. You lose roughly 180 lines of resolution when this occurs. This is corrected in the DV-983H as the ABT solution is doing the pillarboxing.

So, this sounds like a good reason as any to upgrade from the 981 (if you watch 4:3 material), correct? I have a 46" CRT RPTV (Tosh 46H84, with HDMI). I ask because you had previously indicated negligible difference between the 2 models if one was not using a large front projector.

If you are going to be playing back anything pillarboxed or zoomed, then the DV-983H is a no brainer, as these functions are done through the scaler rather than the decoder.

Thanks all again for your answer!

I definitly will purchase a 983h so even in US I do not need the SCART and there is no fixed release date for the European version!

But now at this range of price (arrgh ;-) ) I have also anothe option available and I also would like to have your opinion, 2 doubts:

1) is the Oppo 983H much better (audio and video point of view) than the Kiss DP-1600 that has a better chip that allow to see Divx in HD (H.264) and has Wifi?

2) If I go for the Kiss, technically speaking, I see that it does not have a 5.1 analog connection but my 5.1 system (Teufel Concept-F, very good Q/P ratio!) has no digital output... how can I do? sorry Im really newbie, I hope I am not too much OT

Thanks!

We have not determined, however, the preferential treatment of shipments. That is, do we send out first stock to those who purchased a faster delivery service, or do we keep it fair and send out stock based on first come, first serve?
"We are dialogging this situation very seriously but have no formal release plans at this time."
So can we drop in at HQ on the 10th to pick-up in person??

Local pickups usually take priority.

I am not upset my 970 PQ &SQ is quite nice- and like it very, much so I am not OUT. However, if it is a day or two- fine. However, a week or two it should be stated- just good Public Relations
Since the 983H got the 2007 Product of the year award from whom ever. And we are now in 3/2008 & on page 67 that might go to page 189 before it is all over. Just talking here since we a'nt listing to the 983H.. Just like the old commercial, "where's the Beef?"
;^)
If I were sitting in SONY HQ, they day I knew HD was dead I would have crammed the entire engineering team in to a room and state. I want the next Generation 6(7-8-9) Blue ray on my desk in 4 months. And fix all the issues we have heard about- flagship level add in SACD (maybe DVD-a)+ a good music capabilities. Announce it to the public and sell it for $? $325-430. It would kick out a lot of competition{ including Oppo} and place SONY back on the charts. If they stay with their $500+ player course,{ because the higher end audio/video customers are not going w/ SONY} Sony stock is going to be kicked very hard. Sony has name recognition but not rich feature /quality image.

Product of the year 07 was from HomeTheatreHifi. Apparently the super beta unit he had was good enough that he couldn't give that award to any other unit. I'll admit, I do like the beta unit I have, though I have to remind myself the limits of DVD.

I think your statements of what Sony should do are highly unrealistic. Their product development team for Bluray would be in the thousands, they'd need a big "Room". They could definitely add SACD, but that would require a different decoder, and why would sony EVER include DVD-A???

They wouldn't release such a player for $325 because the amount of work that would go into wouldn't warrant such a low price tag, at least not for a first time product with such features. Besides, look at Outlaw, Lexicon, NAD, Esoteric, etc... they charge thousands of dollars for CD players, and most audiophiles would consider those to be "high end", not a $500 bluray player.

I'm sorry, but I must say your reasoning is a little flawed here.

We have not determined, however, the preferential treatment of shipments. That is, do we send out first stock to those who purchased a faster delivery service, or do we keep it fair and send out stock based on first come, first serve?
"We are dialogging this situation very seriously but have no formal release plans at this time."
So can we drop in at HQ on the 10th to pick-up in person??Only if they send you a email saying its ready for local pickup. You can request that.

quick question, the 983 auto-pillarboxes 4x3 dvd's when sending out 1080p?

Like all other OPPO players you can set it to 16:9/Auto which will automatically pillarbox 4:3 media.

We could debate this forever- and we would be both right & wrong at the same time. The amount of money Sony will make on each unit is very small; in comparison to what they will make by selling a disk it’s self. If one factors in all the development cost-admin. - Labor-Warranty repairs- E-house commissions- shipping big boxes-storage associated with each player .. In comparison were the really money lays : sales of disk themselves and royalties for both software for the machines and movie companies.
Sony’s cost to get the player into your hands >$ 335+$60 profit—one unit sold~$400
DVD disk costs $5+25 profit’ average each owner purchases 20 DVD= $500
The Movie companies (SONY PICTURES included) need a boost; Blue Ray is their last/best hope. People have not been buying DVD as much as the market has matured and people now Netflix or neighbors lending movies to each other- others use a media center but never purchase the DVD it’s self. [At an Estate sale, two months back they were selling bundles of current DVD movies for $5 for 3) there were over a 200+].
More people who have BR- cheap or expensive players the more royalties’ Sony receives. JoeQpublic is not going to pay $300+ for a dedicated DVD player that plays only $30 BR disk and plays Sdvd- just nicely… my original premise is, if SONY wants to sell it’s own brand of players it needs to step up to the plate. Moreover, I am sure the latest- brightest-newest idea is just below the horizon. So, Sony needs to get moving or Oppo will have brand recognition may take market lead in the next generation of players. {I own Sony stock so I have vested interest- but I am purchasing OPPO}. I know this is OT so I will stop here.
Best,
db



Product of the year 07 was from HomeTheatreHifi. Apparently the super beta unit he had was good enough that he couldn't give that award to any other unit. I'll admit, I do like the beta unit I have, though I have to remind myself the limits of DVD.

I think your statements of what Sony should do are highly unrealistic. Their product development team for Bluray would be in the thousands, they'd need a big "Room". They could definitely add SACD, but that would require a different decoder, and why would sony EVER include DVD-A???

They wouldn't release such a player for $325 because the amount of work that would go into wouldn't warrant such a low price tag, at least not for a first time product with such features. Besides, look at Outlaw, Lexicon, NAD, Esoteric, etc... they charge thousands of dollars for CD players, and most audiophiles would consider those to be "high end", not a $500 bluray player.

I'm sorry, but I must say your reasoning is a little flawed here.

We could debate this forever- and we would be both right & wrong at the same time. The amount of money Sony will make on each unit is very small; in comparison to what they will make by selling a disk it’s self. If one factors in all the development cost-admin. - Labor-Warranty repairs- E-house commissions- shipping big boxes-storage associated with each player .. In comparison were the really money lays : sales of disk themselves and royalties for both software for the machines and movie companies.
Sony’s cost to get the player into your hands >$ 335+$60 profit—one unit sold
DVD disk costs $5+25 profit’ average each owner purchases 20 DVD= $500
The Movie companies (SONY PICTURES included) need a boost; Blue Ray is their last/best hope. People have not been buying DVD as much as the market has matured and people now Netflix or neighbors lending movies to each other- others use a media center but never purchase the DVD it’s self. [At an Estate sale, two months back they were selling bundles of current DVD movies for $5 for 3) there were over a 200+].
More people who have BR- cheap or expensive players the more royalties’ Sony receives. JoeQpublic is not going to pay $300+ for a dedicated DVD player that plays only $30 BR disk and plays Sdvd- just nicely… my original premise is, if SONY wants to sell it’s own brand of players it needs to step up to the plate. Moreover, I am sure the latest- brightest-newest idea is just below the horizon. So, Sony needs to get moving or Oppo will have brand recognition may take market lead in the next generation of players. {I own Sony stock so I have vested interest- but I am purchasing OPPO}. I know this is OT so I will stop here.
Best,
db
Bluray as won the format war, they have no need to slash prices at this point since current competition doesn't exist and media players are not yet mature/cheap enough to be a proper substitute product in the market (if they were no one on this site would be buying bluray players)

My point earlier was that with R&D included, which they will want to recoup in some way, the type of player you are asking for won't be sold for $325, I'm pretty sure it would cost more than that.

We have not determined, however, the preferential treatment of shipments. That is, do we send out first stock to those who purchased a faster delivery service, or do we keep it fair and send out stock based on first come, first serve?
I don't mind Oppo charging me immediately for my pre-order, so long as they fulfill the orders on a first-come, first-served basis. If they give priority to those who paid for more expensive shipping, I'm gonna be miffed. This would, in a sense, amount to geographic discrimination, as those who live closer to Oppo HQ will be much less likely to have paid for the expedited service.

Okay, I guess two or three days doesn't make that much difference. But I'm impatient, dammit!

If you are going to be playing back anything pillarboxed or zoomed, then the DV-983H is a no brainer, as these functions are done through the scaler rather than the decoder.

Right now I'm using a Oppo 970 and a 32" LCD and have several non-anamorphic disks that I zoom (970 zoom feature) and a bunch of 4:3 stuff, would the 983 improve the PQ? I do intend getting a 40-42 1080p LCD this year.

The DV-983H can improve your current picture quality. The Zoom on the DV-983H is pretty damned good.

Ok im gonna ask this one more time. Will there be a considerable advantage in pq on the 983 vs a 980 when when running only in 720p on a 126 inch screen. Please shed some light:confused:

How tall is the 983? Does anyone know the exact measurements?

Thx!

jd

Ok im gonna ask this one more time. Will there be a considerable advantage in pq on the 983 vs a 980 when when running only in 720p on a 126 inch screen. Please shed some light:confused:

yes

How tall is the 983? Does anyone know the exact measurements?

2" H x 16.8" W x 10.5" D according to the Secrets review.

yes

Well then... I believe im sold:D

Thanks all again for your answer!

I definitly will purchase a 983h so even in US I do not need the SCART and there is no fixed release date for the European version!

But now at this range of price (arrgh ;-) ) I have also anothe option available and I also would like to have your opinion, 2 doubts:

1) is the Oppo 983H much better (audio and video point of view) than the Kiss DP-1600 that has a better chip that allow to see Divx in HD (H.264) and has Wifi?

2) If I go for the Kiss, technically speaking, I see that it does not have a 5.1 analog connection but my 5.1 system (Teufel Concept-F, very good Q/P ratio!) has no digital output... how can I do? sorry Im really newbie, I hope I am not too much OT

Thanks!


Whoa. Kiss!
Red alert!
Stay away, stay away.

It'll only bring you sorrow. No matter what the specs says, their firmware is buggy. I've had a Kiss (not the DP-1600) and suffice is to say, I was relieved when I managed to get rid of it...

(For DivX in HD, use a PS3, mkv2vob and stream through Tversity. (You get Blu-Ray, and gaming as well).)

Please note that the 983 is the only player to ever score 100 on Secret's Benchmark test, the only caveat being a slight layer change due to the Mediatek chip.

Cheers

This waiting is driving me nuts :(

This waiting is driving me nuts :(So is the lack of mini-reviews other then the secrets review! :D

Kris's Secrets writeup is the only mini-reviews you need right now.

Her's a review for ya...

"IT'S GOOD"

Her's a review for ya...

"IT'S GOOD"

If it was "Great," you could have sold us. Oh well.

If it was "Great," you could have sold us. Oh well.yeah how come its not "great" but only "good"? ;)

"it's Great!!!"

"it's Phenominal!!!"

"it's Stupendous!!!"

I think Smarty-pants needs to take a vacation.

"it's Stupendous!!!"Thanks!

I did find Mike over on ***************.com (http://www.***************.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/140626/) had a few comments concerning the Oppo 983H:

"From some early viewing it appears to be the best upscaling DVD player I've seen to date. I did some preliminary comparison with a 980HD and there is a noticeable difference. The 983 has deeper colors and a slightly sharper picture."

Regarding a comparison to video scaling & de-interlacing from the iScan DVDO V30.

"You're right, although for DVD use, there's no real difference between the two.

A quote from DVDO:

"To be perfectly clear, the Oppo DV-983H uses Anchor Bay for deinterlacing (ABT102) and scaling (ABT1018). There are devices like the Toshiba HD-A20/A30/A35 that use Anchor Bay for scaling only. The main reason that more manufacturers don't uses Anchor Bay's deinterlacing is that the ABT102 is an FPGA implementation of these algorithms (versus an ASIC) which costs more than most manufacturers want to spend.

The VP30 (with ABT102 card installed) and the VP50 have exactly the same processing capabilties when it comes to deinterlacing standard definition. The VP50 does have a 10-bit input capability to this deinterlacer whereas the VP30 is limited by an 8-bit input. Given that we are talking about a DVD player implementation (8-bit) in the Oppo, this should not matter."

"it's Great!!!"
"it's Phenominal!!!"
"it's Stupendous!!!"


Well now I just think you're blowing smoke up my arse.

Whoa. Kiss!
Red alert!
Stay away, stay away.

It'll only bring you sorrow. No matter what the specs says, their firmware is buggy. I've had a Kiss (not the DP-1600) and suffice is to say, I was relieved when I managed to get rid of it...

(For DivX in HD, use a PS3, mkv2vob and stream through Tversity. (You get Blu-Ray, and gaming as well).)

Please note that the 983 is the only player to ever score 100 on Secret's Benchmark test, the only caveat being a slight layer change due to the Mediatek chip.

Cheers

Thank you!
yes I have notice that previous models of Kiss had buggy firmware but apparently the DP-1600 was made to overcome the buggy DP-600 with similar capabilities (therefore I think it is also a hardware matter not only firmware).
Well for the DVD playback thanks, it is now clear for me that oppo is better.

Could some betatester tell me what kind of compressed format the Oppo 983H is capable to read? ultra divx? nero?

ouff difficult to find detailed informations now but as you all I would like to purchase it now! ;-)

Neuromancer, can you tell us if all of the ABT performance is available via 480p component?

Also, if am using 480p component for picture, will I still get high bandwidth PCM audio out of the HDMI port? My TV lacks HDMI, but my receiver is good to go.

Thanks!

I did find Mike over on ***************.com (http://www.***************.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/140626/) had a few comments concerning the Oppo 983H:

"From some early viewing it appears to be the best upscaling DVD player I've seen to date. I did some preliminary comparison with a 980HD and there is a noticeable difference. The 983 has deeper colors and a slightly sharper picture."

Regarding a comparison to video scaling & de-interlacing from the iScan DVDO V30.

"You're right, although for DVD use, there's no real difference between the two.

A quote from DVDO:

"To be perfectly clear, the Oppo DV-983H uses Anchor Bay for deinterlacing (ABT102) and scaling (ABT1018). There are devices like the Toshiba HD-A20/A30/A35 that use Anchor Bay for scaling only. The main reason that more manufacturers don't uses Anchor Bay's deinterlacing is that the ABT102 is an FPGA implementation of these algorithms (versus an ASIC) which costs more than most manufacturers want to spend.

The VP30 (with ABT102 card installed) and the VP50 have exactly the same processing capabilties when it comes to deinterlacing standard definition. The VP50 does have a 10-bit input capability to this deinterlacer whereas the VP30 is limited by an 8-bit input. Given that we are talking about a DVD player implementation (8-bit) in the Oppo, this should not matter."

Killer! Can't wait. Only a few more days to go.:D

Neuromancer, can you tell us if all of the ABT performance is available via 480p component?

The ABT is completely bypassed when using component.

Also, if am using 480p component for picture, will I still get high bandwidth PCM audio out of the HDMI port? My TV lacks HDMI, but my receiver is good to go.

I would go with the DV-980H in this situation. The DV-980H fully supports this functionality.

. The main reason that more manufacturers don't uses Anchor Bay's deinterlacing is that the ABT102 is an FPGA implementation of these algorithms (versus an ASIC) which costs more than most manufacturers want to spend.

They are using a Xilinx Spartan FPGA. The retail cost of this chipset is something like $90.00. I've seen them sell for about $60.00 in bulks of 100+. You also need the flash ROM as well, an additional $10~13.

If you are going to be playing back anything pillarboxed or zoomed, then the DV-983H is a no brainer, as these functions are done through the scaler rather than the decoder.Looking forward to seeing how well non-anamorphic video's look like using the 983H zoom capabilities compared to the 980H.

ditto:D

I think Smarty-pants needs to take a vacation.

Well, I haven't really had a sebatical since before my first son was born, so that would be about 4 years ago. Yah, I DO need a vacation...:D

Looking forward to seeing how well non-anamorphic video's look like using the 983H zoom capabilities compared to the 980H.

They look better. I was surprised at how good they do look. (I mean how GREAT they look :D)

since, i will have the 970 & 983 here next week-right?
It is going to be interesting to see how much difference the two AVR/player
setting will change after AVR-avia-RS SPL calibrations is done.
With both audio- music and Movie and the PQ setting.
Any of the Beta testers want to make any Calibration setting suggestion, just to help us save some time or a setting combo that we may not have thought about?

i pre-ordered my 983!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 questions for you guys if you have time...

1) Can anyone point me to some articles or give me an executive summary of the results on page 2 of the Secrets review (http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/dvd-player-and-cd-player-reviews/dvd-players/oppo-digital-dv-983h-dvd-player---the-rest-of-the-story_2.html)? I'm not sure what those THD measurements indicate (if anything). In general, are those numbers acceptable for output from a DVD player like the Oppo? I didn't know if there's like a "baseline" THD or whatever number that suggests performance isn't adequate...

2) Since the 983 does not support SACD DSD over HDMI, does this just mean that any audio being fed over HDMI will be processed as (multichannel?) PCM in the unit before being passed over HDMI? Also, stupid subquestion...can CD (stereo) audio only be fed out of the Oppo by the analog outs, or can it be converted and then passed over HDMI? Thanks!

any chance we can get the manual on line so we can read up on it over the weekend?
never mind- i just found it.

Thrand1's post offers a link to the second page, but in case anyone doesn't realize that he's talking about something different from the benchmark - here (http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/dvd-player-and-cd-player-reviews/dvd-players/oppo-digital-dv-983h-dvd-player---the-rest-of-the-story.html) is the audio follow-up to Secrets' video benchmark, posted this morning.

any chance we can get the manual on line so we can read up on it over the weekend?
never mind- i just found it.

Found it where?

Ahhh... i found it too...

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/images/stories/march-2008/oppo-dv-983h-dvd-player-instruction-manual.pdf

2) Since the 983 does not support SACD DSD over HDMI, does this just mean that any audio being fed over HDMI will be processed as (multichannel?) PCM in the unit before being passed over HDMI? Also, stupid subquestion...can CD (stereo) audio only be fed out of the Oppo by the analog outs, or can it be converted and then passed over HDMI? Thanks!
SACD is output as multichannel PCM via HDMI, as is done on the 970HD and 981H (and as is offered as an option with the 980H). CD output doesn't need to be converted before being passed over HDMI or optical or coaxial - the PCM stereo can be output through any one of those three digital connections.

any chance we can get the manual on line so we can read up on it over the weekend?
never mind- i just found it.

you found the manual?

Secrets (http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/images/stories/march-2008/oppo-dv-983h-dvd-player-instruction-manual.pdf) is hosting the manual right now. OPPO should have the official website up tonight.

Found it where?

Ahhh... i found it too...

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/images/stories/march-2008/oppo-dv-983h-dvd-player-instruction-manual.pdf

Thanks for the link. Something to look at until my preorder comes in. This is my first oppo so I am like a kid in a candy store. I think the oppo is going to play really nice with my NAD T785 AVR and my Pioneer 50" plasma.

Also thanks Smarty-pants, Neuromancer, Kal Rubinson and others for telling us as much as you could without violating your NDA

2) Since the 983 does not support SACD DSD over HDMI, does this just mean that any audio being fed over HDMI will be processed as (multichannel?) PCM in the unit before being passed over HDMI? Also, stupid subquestion...can CD (stereo) audio only be fed out of the Oppo by the analog outs, or can it be converted and then passed over HDMI? Thanks!

This is what I was thinking as I was trying to make a decision on whether to buy the 980 (with DCD for SACD) or the 983 (only DSD to PCM). I ended up, with help from other forum members here and a call into Oppo, getting the 983. Two reasons. I don't have but a few SACD's and am probably not going to buying a whole lot more, and I have a 92" front projector that will greatly benefit the improved picture of the 983.

What I wanted to know was if I could use the HDMI outputs for all my multi-channel audio and my DVD's, and then hook up analogs (just two of them for stereo) for all my red book CD listening without having to switch the output everytime I wanted to go from one to the other and the answer from Oppo was that it will output both simutaneously. This works out perfect for me as Oppo has stated that not only has the video quality been improved, but so has the analog output stage of the audio. That way I get the best of both worlds. So what I'm trying to say is, you can run your two channel stereo stuff through the HDMI output, but unless you have some very high quality D to A conversion by way of a high end processor, it probably won't sound as good as using the internal DAC's in the Oppo and hooking up analog. At least that's what I'm hoping for:)

What I wanted to know was if I could use the HDMI outputs for all my multi-channel audio and my DVD's, and then hook up analogs (just two of them for stereo) for all my red book CD listening without having to switch the output everytime I wanted to go from one to the other and the answer from Oppo was that it will output both simutaneously. This works out perfect for me as Oppo has stated that not only has the video quality been improved, but so has the analog output stage of the audio. That way I get the best of both worlds. So what I'm trying to say is, you can run your two channel stereo stuff through the HDMI output, but unless you have some very high quality D to A conversion by way of a high end processor, it probably won't sound as good as using the internal DAC's in the Oppo and hooking up analog. At least that's what I'm hoping for:)
All audio outputs are active simultaneously on OPPO's players, so you can certainly use the HDMI for multichannel audio (multichannel PCM from DVD-A and SACD, bitstreamed DD and DST from DVD's) and stereo analog output for CD's without making any changes in the 983H. I'd recommend disabling Pro Logic II in this scenario, but that's probably appropriate in your case anyway...

I have a good question for you guys that are already familiar with the 983. I run my projector @1080i as opposed to 720p. I have heard a lot of talk about the ABT chip in here in regards to it's scaling and de-interlacing and how good it is. Running @1080i I am of course viewing an interlaced picture. Do you think it would be better to run at 720p and use the de-interlacer on the 983 or is there not a difference between that and viewing without the de-interlacing at the higher resolution? Personal opinions please.

All audio outputs are active simultaneously on OPPO's players, so you can certainly use the HDMI for multichannel audio (multichannel PCM from DVD-A and SACD, bitstreamed DD and DST from DVD's) and stereo analog output for CD's without making any changes in the 983H. I'd recommend disabling Pro Logic II in this scenario, but that's probably appropriate in your case anyway...

Yeah, I have a VSX-92 and listen to two chanel stuff in "Direct" mode. I have never been a fan of listening to stereo signals in anything other that just that. Except back in the day when Yamaha has that cool quasi surround/stereo thing back in the 80's. It was pretty fun:)

I have a good question for you guys that are already familiar with the 983. I run my projector @1080i as opposed to 720p. I have heard a lot of talk about the ABT chip in here in regards to it's scaling and de-interlacing and how good it is. Running @1080i I am of course viewing an interlaced picture. Do you think it would be better to run at 720p and use the de-interlacer on the 983 or is there not a difference between that and viewing without the de-interlacing at the higher resolution? Personal opinions please.

I don't know the specifics of the ABT implementation, but I have always understood that scaling always requires progressive signals. So deinterlacing always occurs, except on players producing 480i. The 1080i signal is reinterlaced from (I presume) 1080p.

-Bill

Hi all,

I have tried to keep them all [Y/N] and separate so anyone can give fast answers:

[1] DTS Audio CDs.
[a] Will the 983 support these???
[b] Will it spit out the bitstream via the Toslink digital out???
[c] Can it decode these internally and spit them out via the analog outs???

[2] DVD-Audio
[a] Will it spit out the bitstream via the Toslink digital out???
[b] Does an external receiver have to have a special chipset to decode these via the toslink???

[3] Super Audio-CDs
[a] Will it spit out the bitstream via the Toslink digital out???
[b] Does an external receiver have to have a special chipset to decode these via the toslink???

Thanks in advance.

The excitement is gettin' palpable.......:D

A darn good manual at that. It is well written. It explains everything in English you can actually understand. I am pre-reading it before I purchase the 983. I may have to hire them to write my daughter's college application essays. :-)

I have a good question for you guys that are already familiar with the 983. I run my projector @1080i as opposed to 720p. I have heard a lot of talk about the ABT chip in here in regards to it's scaling and de-interlacing and how good it is. Running @1080i I am of course viewing an interlaced picture. Do you think it would be better to run at 720p and use the de-interlacer on the 983 or is there not a difference between that and viewing without the de-interlacing at the higher resolution? Personal opinions please.
Always send a signal to your projector in its native resolution [480,576,720,1080] and format [interlaced or progressive].

Sending it anything else will only make it do extra work to get it back into its native resolution as projectors always display at their native resolution.

Do NOT be confused by the display that projector menus give, telling you what they are displaying. That is not what they are displaying but what the input is.

The output is always at their default resolution so they dont mention it.

My Mitsubishi HD1000U always says 480i coming in from my component.
When I hook up the 983 to my projector, I will be spitting out 720p to it and thats what it will say as the input.

Hope this helps.

The ABT is completely bypassed when using component.



I would go with the DV-980H in this situation. The DV-980H fully supports this functionality.

Well, crap! Sounds like my display's lack of HDMI is finally starting to cause some trouble.

But the 980H uses the decoder to squeeze the image, right? I watch a lot of 4x3 material, and I sometimes like to zoom. I was hoping to use the great 4x3 performance of the 983.

any release date for Europe yet ??

Mark.

none.

Always send a signal to your projector in its native resolution [480,576,720,1080] and format [interlaced or progressive].

Well, the AVS forum motto is "it depends".

I would recommend trying all the combinations, calibrating carefully and picking the one you like the best. Then fool with it again after a few months. From time to time turn to the wife and say "beautiful color, eh?" and watch her roll her eyes.

If you have a display whose native resolution is one of the supported signal types, then it is very likely that is a good one to pick.

-Bill

oh well Neromancer

at least we can look forward in the next few weeks to the touted 980H patch they've been promising now the 983 is out of the door - :)

A darn good manual at that. It is well written. It explains everything in English you can actually understand. I am pre-reading it before I purchase the 983. I may have to hire them to write my daughter's college application essays. :-) I agree. Its uncommon to find a user manual that is legible and understandable these days, nevermind well written. Good job OPPO!

Gary

Looks like those who waited to pull the trigger on the pre order will be waiting a little longer. The pre order site now says sold out, check back in April. Of course there is a possibility of picking one up on ebay.

http://www.oppodigital.com/proddetail.asp?prod=DV983H

Ha...... they must have had higher demand than they anticipated because wasnt it only a few pages ago where they said they had 'plenty of stock to cover preorders' or something similar? I would sure hate to be working in their warehouse next week!

They do have plenty of stock for pre-orders. Which is why the pulled FUTURE pre-orders.

They do have plenty of stock for pre-orders. Which is why the pulled FUTURE pre-orders.Thats good news as I am in the queue. I still consider the demand impressive. ;)

In spite of all the people who want a Oppo all-in-one SD/BR player, how long do you want to wait?

For most of us you will probably end up with two dedicated players, one being a Oppo 983H and the other your choice of BR player.

They do have plenty of stock for pre-orders. Which is why the pulled FUTURE pre-orders.

That is a new concept - FUTURE PRE-Orders....you would have thought they they would like to guage demand by at least continuing to take orders. But maybe they have to get their programmer to come up with a new category or simply wait until Monday (when pre is no longer operative) :)

you would have thought they they would like to guage demand by at least continuing to take orders.

They could, but here is the problem: They charge right away for the pre-order. In order to keep the customer happy, as they do not have a specific ship schedule, it is not in their interest to continue to allow for pre-orders.

They could, but here is the problem: They charge right away for the pre-order. In order to keep the customer happy, as they do not have a specific ship schedule, it is not in their interest to continue to allow for pre-orders.
I'd have to say it's rudimentary way to control that issue, but looks like it will get the job done. I think their planning could've been slightly better. Why does this remind me of the 970HD release?

There is no difference from this launch than the previous launches, aside from actual pre-orders being allowed. The DV-970HD, DV-980H, and DV-981HD all had rough, and abrupt, launches. OPPO and Launch Planning do not coincide, as they are too interested in appeasing the customer rather than corporate politics.

Well, the AVS forum motto is "it depends".

I would recommend trying all the combinations, calibrating carefully and picking the one you like the best. Then fool with it again after a few months. From time to time turn to the wife and say "beautiful color, eh?" and watch her roll her eyes.
If you have a display whose native resolution is one of the supported signal types, then it is very likely that is a good one to pick.

-Bill

Hahah....oh...it's been done:) Anyhow, I have an older projector where I can pick what res to display with and right now that is 1080i, but it will do 720p if that's what I send it.

Hi all,

I have tried to keep them all [Y/N] and separate so anyone can give fast answers:

[1] DTS Audio CDs.
[a] Will the 983 support these???
[b] Will it spit out the bitstream via the Toslink digital out???
[c] Can it decode these internally and spit them out via the analog outs???

[2] DVD-Audio
[a] Will it spit out the bitstream via the Toslink digital out???
[b] Does an external receiver have to have a special chipset to decode these via the toslink???

[3] Super Audio-CDs
[a] Will it spit out the bitstream via the Toslink digital out???
[b] Does an external receiver have to have a special chipset to decode these via the toslink???

Thanks in advance.

1- Yes to all

2 - I think you'll need an HDMI output to do that unless you have the 983 do the converting and use the analog outs. Although I think you can do this but at a lower bitrate via the optical or coaxial ouputs.

3 - Same as above

They do have plenty of stock for pre-orders. Which is why the pulled FUTURE pre-orders.

One statement contradicts the next, they pulled pre orders because they have plenty of stock for pre orders?

No, the statement implies that there is enough stock for all those who pre-ordered but there is a stock issue which may arise for future purchases.

As a precaution they pulled the ability to continue pre-orders to ensure that everyone who makes an order gets a unit.

I can't wait for some reviews.

Here's the audio review from ecoustics (not very comprehensive though - in fact its very poorly conceived):

http://www.ecoustics.com/secrets/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=289&Itemid=73

I have placed a pre-order with the Australian Dist and I'm hoping to see it in a month! Just wanted to confirm with someone that there is a remote code to change the 983 to region free as I have read in the manual that it is region 1 locked. Thanks to everyone who has answered my questions over the last couple of months

Can someone please post a link to the Secrets review of the 983's video quality, I can't seem to find it.
Thanks.

Can someone please post a link to the Secrets review of the 983's video quality, I can't seem to find it.
Thanks.
Here you go (http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cd-dvd-player-product-reviews/dvd-players/oppo-digital-dv-983h-dvd-player---a-secrets-dvd-benchmark-review.html)...

I have placed a pre-order with the Australian Dist and I'm hoping to see it in a month! Just wanted to confirm with someone that there is a remote code to change the 983 to region free as I have read in the manual that it is region 1 locked. Thanks to everyone who has answered my questions over the last couple of months

It can be made region free just like all the other Oppo models.

Looks like those who waited to pull the trigger on the pre order will be waiting a little longer. The pre order site now says sold out, check back in April. Of course there is a possibility of picking one up on ebay.

http://www.oppodigital.com/proddetail.asp?prod=DV983H

Wow. Glad I preordered when I did.:eek:

Wow. Glad I preordered when I did.:eek:

Looks like they changed the language now to say temporarily unavailable, check back later. March, April, May, who knows?

I would love to see a shootout comparison of this player against the Toshiba HD-XA2 and one of the high end Denon DVD players that uses the Realta chip.

It would be great to see how this squares up against these 2 powerhouses in the SD upconverting arena.

BTW- Did I hear right that Oppo is planning a Blu-Ray player? What is that chance it would combine all the best of the 983 with a Blu-Ray player?

The way the hardware is implemented will not allow it. Personally, I think 1080/24 is somewhat over rated, just like 1080p in general. Never-the-less, that feature is becoming more "in demand" and thus could be considered the 983s greatest shortcoming. The player is still fantastic, and I love the pic it produces... even without 1080/24.Earlier in this thread there was some discussion that a software solution could be implemented for 24 FPS. Has OPPO ruled out a software solution in a future firmware?
Also after reading the manual, I'm wondering how they do the NTSC to PAL conversion for film. Do they use a 2:2 cadence and speed it up to 50Hz? This could be a "Poor Man's" solution for 24FPS support for those of us that have a projector(display device) that supports 50Hz.

A software solution has likely been ruled out. The reason why they do not have a software solution in the player is that it can introduce juddering, the very artifacting you are trying to remove by running a DVD at 24Hz.

BTW- Did I hear right that Oppo is planning a Blu-Ray player? What is that chance it would combine all the best of the 983 with a Blu-Ray player?

They only have the license for BD technology but have no solution. Right now they are only investigating possible hardware solutions for future implementation.

And a likely BD player would use the DV-983H as a pedigree for DVD playback.

But the 980H uses the decoder to squeeze the image, right? I watch a lot of 4x3 material, and I sometimes like to zoom. I was hoping to use the great 4x3 performance of the 983.


No, DV-980H's decoder doesn't squeeze the image.

I don't mind Oppo charging me immediately for my pre-order, so long as they fulfill the orders on a first-come, first-served basis. If they give priority to those who paid for more expensive shipping, I'm gonna be miffed. This would, in a sense, amount to geographic discrimination, as those who live closer to Oppo HQ will be much less likely to have paid for the expedited service.

Okay, I guess two or three days doesn't make that much difference. But I'm impatient, dammit!

Don't worry. OPPO is a company of integrity. They will ship the orders on a first-come, first-served basis.

Don't worry. OPPO is a company of integrity. They will ship the orders on a first-come, first-served basis.Hopefully Monday! ;)

And a likely BD player would use the DV-983H as a pedigree for DVD playback.Now that's an interesting insight. ;) I know it's a bit OT for this thread -- but sure hope you're right.:D

Neuromancer,
How do they do the NTSC to PAL conversion? If this is NDA territory, please answer tomorrow.
thanks,
Earlier in this thread there was some discussion that a software solution could be implemented for 24 FPS. Has OPPO ruled out a software solution in a future firmware?
Also after reading the manual, I'm wondering how they do the NTSC to PAL conversion for film. Do they use a 2:2 cadence and speed it up to 50Hz? This could be a "Poor Man's" solution for 24FPS support for those of us that have a projector(display device) that supports 50Hz.

A software solution has likely been ruled out. The reason why they do not have a software solution in the player is that it can introduce juddering, the very artifacting you are trying to remove by running a DVD at 24Hz.

Don't know how they are handling the NTSC to PAL conversion. Might want to contact OPPO directly and ask them, or I will try to contact my inside man tonight.

I am also interested in 'hands-on' information once this unit is released. After picking up a Tosh A2 last fall, I have been reluctant to buy into BR, and have thought that a TOP NOTCH upscaling SD player might be survivable for a time, AND serve as the permanent source for playing old DVD's. Then at some point perhaps add a BR player. The cost of this is reasonable IF it truly is the ULTIMATE CD/DVD player...so...

...we await the actual reviews/experience from you pre-order folks.

...we await the actual reviews/experience from you pre-order folks.

And us pre-order folks await FedEX shipment tracking #s. (Then we await the unboxing... then the calibration... then the watching of the SD DVDs!! FINALLY

(BTW I've gone sine Oct without watching any DVDs just to see them on the 983 on my new 1080p LCD set.)

So I was skimming through the manual...Is there no true frame advance--just a slow-motion feature?

So I was skimming through the manual...Is there no true frame advance--just a slow-motion feature?

The oppodigital.com.au webpage now has been updated to have all the product details for the 983, so you can now probably whip them an email if you wish to ask them directly.

DV-983H page is now live on the OPPO Site. (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv983h/dv983h_features.asp)

DV-983H page is not live on the OPPO Site. (http://www.oppodigital.com/dv983h/dv983h_features.asp)

It is for me.

Try doing a ctrl-F5 and/or Shift-F5 (if you are using IE)

(or clearing your cache?)

Oppo could have really differentiate its self by including a headphone output in this unit. Anybody remember the days of audiophiles when cd players had headphone outputs. For those late night quiet listening sessions, nothing beats the sound coming directly from the source.

Oppo could have really differentiate its self by including a headphone output in this unit. Anybody remember the days of audiophiles when cd players had headphone outputs. For those late night quiet listening sessions, nothing beats the sound coming directly from the source.

There's a headphone out on 99.9% of all receivers. What am I missing:confused:?

:D;)

And us pre-order folks await FedEX shipment tracking #s. (Then we await the unboxing... then the calibration... then the watching of the SD DVDs!! FINALLY

(BTW I've gone sine Oct without watching any DVDs just to see them on the 983 on my new 1080p LCD set.)

has anyone gone in for overnite shipping?

There's a headphone out on 99.9% of all receivers. What am I missing:confused:?

:D;)

This is why manufacturers get away with cutting corners all the time. Direct sound is the most pure. Turning the receiver on just to use headphones is a waste of electricity.

LOL, isn't running a home theater a waste of electricity?:D

Seriously though, on some level I do kind of agree with you.
So the biggest short-comings of this nearly perfect dvd player...
-no DSD for SACD
-no 1080p/24hz
-no headphone jack
-pricey for some people

:)

LOL, isn't running a home theater a waste of electricity?:D
:)

I setup a bicycle generator on mine...... but I can only last for a 15 minute viewing before the lights go out!

the oppo ad at the top of this page still doesnt have the 983.:(:confused::mad:

:D

It's 1AM and I haven't found any reference to this in the thread, but may have missed it somewhere. Oppo's website shows the 983 to feature DD EX and DTS Surround, but no mention of Dolby True HD or DTS Master Audio. I purchased the Integra 9.8 to decode these bitstreams, but can't be sure the 983 (or the 980) will pass them through. The 980 actually suits me fine otherwise. Can anyone say for sure?

It's 1AM and I haven't found any reference to this in the thread, but may have missed it somewhere. Oppo's website shows the 983 to feature DD EX and DTS Surround, but no mention of Dolby True HD or DTS Master Audio. I purchased the Integra 9.8 to decode these bitstreams, but can't be sure the 983 (or the 980) will pass them through. The 980 actually suits me fine otherwise. Can anyone say for sure?

Oppo dvd players that are currently on the market do NOT play hidef media like HD-DVD or Blu-ray. The DV-983H is a STANDARD DEFINITION dvd player.

Is there no true frame advance--just a slow-motion feature?

This would truly suck. So no way to advance frame by frame? I hate my Blu-Ray player because of this. I mean what good is Basic Instinct in High-Def with no frame by frame feature :D

Hello :D.
Is there any way to know precisely what is output on tha HDMI output when the oppo is feed with DVD-Audio and SACD?

OPPO Digital has now posted a discussion and side-by-side comparison chart of the 983, 981 and 980 here http://www.oppodigital.com/dv983h/dv983h_comp.asp

Dana

Shipping day is here! Should have mine by Wednesday. wOOOt!:D

Oppo dvd players that are currently on the market do NOT play hi def media like HD-DVD or Blu-ray. The DV-983H is a STANDARD DEFINITION dvd player.

Bear with someone that is learning what all the terms mean. Are you saying that only hi def discs are encoded with the latest audio bitstreams, and it takes a hi def player to pass those bitstreams, as well as video? Guess I need to find a bd that will upconvert sd as well as pass the Dolby True HD and DTS Master Audio bitstreams. I've liked what I've read here about oppo, and maybe their bd player will be all of that and more.

gordie.m,

Yes, you are correct.... SD DVD players will not decode the new lossless codecs. Not to mention, a lot of the Hidef players don't actually have the on board processing of these new codecs and can only pass them down stream to a capable pre/pro/receiver that can.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, Oppo's Bluray Player is a long away off, its only in pre-planning stages in terms of getting the necessary licenses and such, there is no tenative relase date any time this year.

Hello :D.
Is there any way to know precisely what is output on tha HDMI output when the oppo is feed with DVD-Audio and SACD?Sure. Just ask your AVR or prepro to display what it is getting. :D

Okay... The 993H is released, so let's hear some beta tester reviews, please.

???

You mean actual reviews of the production 983, don't you? Another couple days...

Yes.. of the production model.

I'm just looking forward to people's opinions and comparison's who have used the product.

gordie.m,

Yes, you are correct.... SD DVD players will not decode the new lossless codecs. Not to mention, a lot of the Hidef players don't actually have the on board processing of these new codecs and can only pass them down stream to a capable pre/pro/receiver that can.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, Oppo's Bluray Player is a long away off, its only in pre-planning stages in terms of getting the necessary licenses and such, there is no tentative release date any time this year.

Thanks for that info. My Integra will decode, so I will have to decide between the 980 and 983 for now, and wait for the BD players to work out their handshake issues and firmware.

I've posted my 983 beta summary notes in the other 983 thread:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13342161#post13342161

-Bill

Hi all,

Can anyone answer for sure whether VOB file playback from a USB stick on the 983 will use the ABT chips and go out the HDMI???

Thanks in advance.

As I understand the player's design, all video playback that goes through the HDMI output will go through the ABT chips.

I'd like to suggest that we start migrating discussions to the Future Official 983H thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1001832) that neuromancer started the other day, since it'll be easier to find questions and answers as folks start receiving their players without the couple thousand "waiting for the 983H" posts. :)

As I understand the player's design, all video playback that goes through the HDMI output will go through the ABT chips.

I'd like to suggest that we start migrating discussions to the Future Official 983H thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1001832) that neuromancer started the other day, since it'll be easier to find questions and answers as folks start receiving their players without the couple thousand "waiting for the 983H" posts. :)

I second the motion, I now have my FEDEX tracking number. See you at the new thread.

I have migrated to the Future Official 983H Thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1001832) for all those who have inquiries. I will still check here, but the main posting will be at Future Official 983H Thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1001832)

Hi all,

Can anyone answer for sure whether VOB file playback from a USB stick on the 983 will use the ABT chips and go out the HDMI???

Thanks in advance.

It can, but you will not get any of the IFO/BUP benefits, so you will get no menus, alternative audio or subtitle streams, and each VOB file will have a long pause in between as the player buffers up the next content.

This would truly suck. So no way to advance frame by frame? I hate my Blu-Ray player because of this. I mean what good is Basic Instinct in High-Def with no frame by frame feature :D

Press Pause then the Forward or Reverse buttons to frame step one fram back or forward.

This thread doesn't seem necessary now? Yes? No? Going, going... ??

larry

This thread doesn't seem necessary now? Yes? No? Going, going... ??

larry

GONE..... SOLD! :) Couldnt resist....

PoopScooper,

Can you update my thread to remove the "Future" and "Pre-Order" portions? Only then will I not be shedding a tear for this thread.

I added OPPO to the title too.

This thread has served it's purpose (and then some...). Please use the new "official" thread: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1001832

larry