Official OPPO BDP-83 Owner's Thread [technical talk only] - Page 1286

Has anyone used "Optrix" to clean a BluRay? There's a lot of audiophiles out there who swear by (not at) this stuff, not only for cleaning but also for improving sound quality. I have a problematic disc I'm thinking about giving an Optrix treatment to see it will stop skipping and freezing up. What does anyone think?

I haven't used Optrix, but I would be concerned about its effect on the hardcoat of Bluray: CDs and DVDs are probably not as sensitive as the surfaces there are standard plastic.

I vaguely recall someone on a forum mentioning that their Bluray collection was ruined after being submerged under water as a result of flooding for a period of time, whereas their DVDs and CDs were relatively unaffected.

Anyone else want to comment on this? Or, what do you use to clean BluRays?

Simple setup question regarding analog out from 5.1 SACD or Stereo SACD into my Classe SSP-800- The only way I can get Oppo to output not in PCM is to unplug the HDMI cable to my Classe. Stop the Oppo, then restart it and the audio is correct. Before I start looking into how to turn off or disable all video in my Classe, what am I missing in my Oppo setup?

The Optrix product leaves some kind of residue on the disc, which is a pretty bad idea for BD discs. Questions about that aside, all you need for cleaning a BD is running water and a soft lint-free cloth.
Run water to remove grit, then wipe dry. Stubborn smudges can be cleaned with any household glass cleaner, but again rinse thoroughly before wiping.

+1

NO cleaner or ANY coating will improve the sound or picture of any disk, it's all marketing BS and/or placebo effect.

solved my own problem. Simple but not intuitive. Anytime a HDMI connection is active the Oppo automatically outputs PCM. Solution was to set up Classe with No Video input when Source was 5.1 Bypass.

OK, I was just trying to solve a skipping/freezing problem with my Mormon Tabernacle Choir "Once upon a Christmas" BD. Can a static build-up cause this and will running plain old tap water over the disc get rid of it?

Not every playback issue with a BD disc is caused by dirt. As often as not its a flaw in the disc itself and likely won't be visible. If cleaning it doesn't fix it, its a bad disc. I've had brand new discs with fatal flaws, it happens.

The strange thing is, though, this is a replacement BD since I sent the first one back because of similar (but worse) problems. When I received this new one, I put it in the player and had the same problem that I did with the first disc in that I was not able to navigate the disc's menu and select the 5.1 sound format so I began playback anyway and was met with similar freezing/audio skipping. I wrote to Oppo and they told me to erase "persistent storage" and make sure BD Live was turned off. I followed these instructions, played the disc and it played from beginning to end without a hitch. So I thought this problem was overcome. Well, "WRONG-O." I'm breaking in a new receiver so I chose this disc since the video is "drop dead gorgeous" having been shot in the Mormon's Conference Center in Utah, which has a seating capacity of 20,000, plus the powerful and majestic Dolby True HD 5.1 audio which can easily move one to tears. Anyway, I had the same problems I had before prior to clearing "PD." Couldn't select the 5.1 audio from the menu and initial skipping/freezing at the beginning of playback. Here's my question. Why didn't this disc playback fine the second time? I cleared "PD" a second time and the bulk of the program played fine until the final two minutes when it began skipping/freezing. I hadn't seen this before at the end. So, I'm not sure what it going on. Any ideas? Also, after clearing PD, is it adviseable to "reboot" the player. Bill McClean said to do this. Thanks.

Maybe your it's your player that needs a little cleaning(?)

I've thought about cleaning the lens, but honestly I've never had a problem with any other disc thus far. And, I'm a little timid about going inside to perform this procedure.

Send the problem disc off to Oppo for them to look at, they'll be sure to get it back to you. Just give them a call and arrange to send it in. If it plays one time after erasing persistent storage, then there's a good argument for FUBAR programming on the disc. But even so they'd be happy to have a look at it. Turn off BD-Live, erase persistent storage, power off the player then try it again. Alternatively you can try disconnecting Ethernet from the player in addition to turning off BD-Live.

BD live is off and I plan to again erase persistent storage again, powering off the player afterwards. I don't have any network cable connected. I contacted Oppo over the weekend about this (they are there on Saturdays, believe it or not) and they basically for the most part blame the disc; but my question is why does it play OK one time and then not play the next. I'll post results after I try again tonight, BUT I think I'll wash off the disc under warm running water and carefully dry it, just in case there is a weird spot which likes to change locations and FUBAR (I think I first heard this term when I was in the Army) playback.
"Ten-Hut!"

That really is a symptom of Persistent Storage issues. The java programming on a disc can put junk in storage that it sees the next time and becomes confused.

But: I wonder if a Mormon Tabernacle Choir disc has any java programming on it?

Could be your player needs maintenance, although it is suspicious that it happens only on this disc. That makes us suspect the disc is marginally damaged.

-Bill

Besides the main program, usually their discs have in the menu an audio choice between 2-channel and 5.1 audio, subtitles on or off, and a few extras such as "behind the scenes." I washed my disc with plain water and dried it, from inside-out, with a soft, lint-free cotton cloth. I even wiped down the surface in the case directly beneath the disc. When I cleared PS the other night, I failed to turn off the player afterward, so I'll do this tonight, and maybe the disc will play; however, I'm afraid I won't have time to view the whole thing. If I get past the menu and it works OK, and if there are no freeze-up/dropouts during the intro, I'll at least know that the rest of the disc will probably play OK; but I may skip to the end to see what happens there. This is really a wonderful disc, so I'm hoping to "get it right" tonight. More later. Thanks!

Well, I really opened up a "Pandora's Box" tonight. I erased PS and then turned off the player right after I highlighted the OK button, thinking that if I left that menu the PS wouldn't be erased. Was this OK? Anyway, after powering back up, I put in the Mormon disc and the menu page came up with their music playing in the background as usual. There are four menu choices along the bottom of the screen, which include "extras," "selections" one other item, and "set up." There is supposed to be a little icon beneath these items which moves underneath and is supposed to highlight the wanted item. Well, this little icon wasn't there, so I had no way of choosing the set-up menu. I stopped the disc and reloaded it three times, before I got the icon to appear. After going into "set-up" another small icon is supposed to be there so you can move it to select the desired sound format and subtitles on or off. Well, that icon wasn't there, so I couldn't play the disc. I took it out and then l put in my "Expendables 2" (a guilty pleasure) disc and waited for what seemed like an eternity to load. I had watched this disc once before and remembered having a little trouble with its menu on that occasion. Before the menu appeared, about six previews played, and afterwards came the usual choices with the first being "set-up". After highlighting this, three choices can be scrolled thru for sound with the main choice being DTS MA "Neo something or other." After highlighting this, you should be able to drop down to the bottom menu items again and go to "Play Movie." Well, I never was able to do this, no matter what remote key I pushed. I remembered that this was a problem the first time, but somehow I got it to work. So I took that disc out and put in my "Home Alone 2" BD, which played perfectly, allowing me to navigate the menus, etc and play the movie. I then stopped this and put in my David Foster "Hitman Returns" disc. The first page appeared which is supposed to have some menu options there, but none of the options appeared so I couldn't play this either, even though I had played this BD thru completely late last week. I put the first David Foster "Hitman" disc in and I was able to navigate the menu and play the disc. What seems to be going on here, at least tonight, is that older discs will play but newer ones won't, even though they have played before. I think my player needs some work. What do you guys think? Also, if I write to Oppo about this, is there any way I can send them this page so I won't have to re-write everything? Whew! BTW, I forgot to add that I finally got the Mormon disc to play thru the menu portion without a "FUBAR" and then it skipped a couple of times during the intro credits and then played back fine for about 5 minutes. Then I went to the end of the concert about 2 minutes before it was over and the picture froze several times and the audio dropped out like it had before but it seemed worse this time. For a time, after a freeze, I almost was unable to stop playback but I finally got it to stop. Whew again!

I'm losing track of your problems and what you've done to correct them.

Reinstalling current firmware would be my next step if you haven't already done that.

For contacting OPPO: this is the link to your last post: http://www.avsforum.com/t/1124287/official-oppo-bdp-83-owners-thread-technical-talk-only/38550#post_22924595

Try cut and paste. And paragraphs now and then.

-Bill

What's wrong with PCM? SACD at 24/96 PCM into the SSP should sound the bomb!

I took a short break and went to eat. When I came back, I fired everything back up and played the Hitman Returns disc and the menu magically appeared again, it navigated OK and I played a little of that disc and it was fine. Strange, eh? I didn't play the "Expendables" again or the Christmas disc. Maybe that Mormon disc is fouling up my player somehow. I get my firmware discs from Oppo, so you think I should reload it? Can doing this cause any problems and how would this have become corrupted? Can Oppo do any diagnostics thru the player's network connection? Just curious.

If I were having inconsistent behavior in the player I would (1) open it up and clean it, paying particular attention to the laser head, and (2) reinstall the latest firmware.

How could firmware become corrupt? Don't know. Cosmic rays. It doesn't happen often but since what you are reporting is so odd, it is worth a try.

OPPO will do both the cleaning and firmware install for you if you want to ship the player back to them. Contact them and ask about any cost.

I'm not aware of any remote diagnosis via network.

-Bill

It's for this problem that having the ability to rip a title without DRM and Java and play it back from a repeatable digital copy on an Oppo 93 (without the laser being an influence) is a valuable thing for a consumer. Unfortunately the Oppo 83 can not do this, so one is left with the vagaries of authoring and laser deterioration to contend with.

I fear for the future of the Oppo 83 with the increasingly complex DRM and authoring being used on Bluray titles. Even if Oppodigital provide firmware fixes, one will not be able to view afflicted titles as quickly as one might want.

I called tech support at Oppo and told him of my problems last night. He had me turn everything on and first checked firmware and (again) had me clear persistent storage. then he wanted me to put in the Mormon Christmas BD, which I did and it immediately began exhibiting most of the same menu problems it has always had. He thinks it's the disc abd wants me to send it in to them. Also, he made the comment that there are a lot of poorly authored BDs out there and more coming out all the time. Great! One thing I did learn from him, however, which will enable me to greatly reduce use of the menus, is that the player automatically selects the main audio format (DTS-MA, DOLBY TRUE HD, etc) without having to select same from the set-up menu. I never knew that. Hopefully that will reduce having to deal with "fussy" menus , so I can just hit "Play Movie." Having said that, it occurs to me that maybe a firmware upgrade might address some of these issues on the 83. After all, there hasn't been one for a year. And, then again, with the advent of the newer players, maybe Oppo doesn't want to support the 83 anymore. If that's the case, there will be a lot of disappointed 83 owners out there who must either continue to deal with problematic discs, or upgrade to the 103 and "call it a day."

To be fair to Oppodigital, it is problematic disc authoring that tends to be the issue rather than the Oppo 83 itself. I think Oppodigital are very gracious in attempting to workaround these issues for a long time after they have ceased production of the 83, because it is not strictly their fault.

However, as authoring becomes increasingly problematic, the lead time in issuing fixes will likely drive the consumer to other options.

One workaround for problematic discs is to rip them using AnyDVD HD and burn them to BD-R/E media. Removing the DRM can work wonders for playability, especially if SpeedMenu is used (although it comes at a price of no longer knowing what all the titles are on the disc, so viewing the extras can become pot luck, but at least they are there and selectable).

Obviously it is more complex than the same process with an Oppo 93 or Oppo 103, but it can be done.

It has always puzzled me why the studios insist on tricky DRM, which disadvantages legitimate purchasers and encourages some of them to the dark side of ripping, just so they can view the discs they paid for.

The 'easiest' solution to problematic disc authoring is to get a PS3 as standby player. That's the route I've taken.

For some reason my player no longer plays Blu ray discs. It will play for 5-10 minutes freeze up stop and then turn off. This will happen w/any disc I try, including movies that I've owned for years. When I put in a regular DVD SACD or CD no problem the OPPO 83 runs normal.

Blu-ray uses a different laser and that may be dirty or otherwise need repair.

Could be iit just needs internal cleaning, but contact OPPO and ask for their advice. They have a contact form on their web page.

-Bill

What would a fair price be for the 83 now-a-days? I have seen anywhere from $275 up to $500 local (Just plain stupid of the person). Is $275 fair or would cheaper be better? If I can't get one cheaper than $275 I might as well go with a 103 for $500 because it would be brand new. Just curious some thoughts on this.

I saw a listing of the oppo 83 from ebay for 225 or so.

Jacob