Official OPPO BDP-83 Owner's Thread [technical talk only] - Page 17

Wish I held off on my Pan BD55K now. It will work fine until you guys finish putting the Oppo through it's paces. But I have no doubt it will live up to the expectations based on what gonk and others have put forth..plus Oppo's history.

Hi folks, I just received an invitation from Oppo, about an hour after the stated participation deadline. I was able to purchase and received a confirmation.

So, it seems they're still working on the list of 50, either from people that opted out or some other reasons.

That could explain the short list on page 1 - invites are still going out.

With your AVM 50 you would need to connect only HDMI.

Set the Oppo for HDMI LPCM output and leave it that way.

The Oppo will decode all tracks (both Blu-Ray lossless tracks, and SD-DVD, traditional lossy tracks) and send HDMI LPCM to the Anthem.

The Oppo will detect that the AVM 50 is limited to 5.1 channel HDMI LPCM input and will down-mix any 7.1 tracks you select from Blu-Ray -- mixing the rears content into the side surround channels to make 5.1 channel output. If you have a 7.1 speaker configuration you would then use PLIIx in the Anthem to extract the rear channel content from the side surrounds and steer it to the rears.

There's no need to do anything different for SD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray playback.

--------------------------------------------

I don't know the answer to your question about whether all the audio outputs are live simultaneously since I only ever use HDMI from the Oppo, but I suspect the answer is yes except that you can't get high-bandwidth Optical/Coax digital audio output of TrueHD or DTS-HD MA tracks due to copy protection.
--Bob

Thanks for the reply. Although not necessary, my thought was to have the AVM 50 decode the traditional lower bandwidth Dolby Digital and DTS audio for SD-DVDs and have the BDP-83 decode the high bandwidth Dolby True HD and DTS MA tracks.

This is nice to know.....I'm still waiting for my invite.....albeit, patiently!

I added two more to EAP Participants list, but finding new EAP participants requires reading ever post and that's a lot!

Note two people earlier declined and aren't shown on the list. Of course their generosity enables others to get onboard.

I just read through the FAQ's page. Great great job. It has sooo much info! Awesome.

jimi

I can't take the teasing.

A copy is included with the Oppo player. It will also be available for sale on-line. I don't have the specifics yet.

I am one of the chosen few, My Oppo shipped today. My Pan BD55 which has been flawless, will be sold on E Bay probably for more than what I paid if the Oppo is superior (which I am sure it will be).

Since I have never been in this position before of being picked for something special, I felt it was a sign to get the Oppo.

I have many questions but I will try the unit out myself. Oppo generous return policy will prevent a big loss if I want to keep the Panny.

Thanks to all the Beta testors whose names I seen on many other AVS forums. They are a tough group when reviewing a product and that was what decided it for me. I don't think Oppo could of picked a better group to make their product perfect.

The list has 21 as of now. If some people have not ordered their 83 as yet, then I am sure OPPO will move down the list this weekend. Is this correct if OPPO wants to make sure that all 50 players are in their sample size?

I'm expecting mine on March 3rd, but would gladly accept it sooner.

I'm not totally happy with the BD55 analog output interface. With my Arcam receiver and speaker configuration it's not the best match. The Oppo interface and using 80Hz as the crossover default instead of 100Hz, would be perfect! Although, in most aspects the 55 is a very good player.
Enjoy your assessment, I am sure you will!

You are making a huge assumption that all 50 people were from AVS and reported as much.

I'm scared to post, you all have convinced me, that my ability to buy technology has exceeded my ability to understand it. But, as it is with women, I know a good thing when I've found it.

Is there a reference link or thread someone can point me too, so that I might better understand the whole sampling rates / channels etc.

For instance - a couple of basic questions:

1. I'd like to use my Yamaha RX-V 863 as the "tuner" for my system and it allows direct pass through of video via HDMI but my sound decoding shows up as PCM - if I get a BDP-83 - should I still let the Yamaha process the sound (and get this LPCM thing) or is there a better solution with the BDP-83 (e.g. let the BDP do the decoding.

Oh ****, this is probably a stupid question, after a couple of beers, pardon my stupidity.

Well, my BDP-83 hasn't arrived yet, but as far as my 983 is concerned I personally found that sending 1080i looked tons better than 720p to my 720p projector. This might be more a function of my specific setup though, particularly my HK receiver which fiddles with any video unless it's 1080, which is too much for it to handle so it passes it through.

Sure, but there's really no point. The Oppo does a fine job of decoding the traditional tracks and the AVM 50 does a fine job of using the HDMI LPCM that results.

My advice? Keep it simple. HDMI LPCM all the way.

Really the only other thing you might want to try is 5.1 channel analog audio to the AVM 50. If you have ARC set up on your AVM 50, my advice would be to let the AVM 50 process even that analog input (i.e., Analog-DSP as the audio input type). The gains from ARC will far outweigh any minor loss re-digitizing that audio input.
--Bob

Originally, I was going to pass on the Oppo but after trying to watch Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull on my Sony BDP-S550 and having it hang at the 59 min. mark with known issues with this title, I decided to go ahead and place my order for the Oppo and try it out as a part of the EAP.

I ordered the unit today at noon EST and it shipped in at 4PM Pacific time. Fedex says it will be here on Wed. 3/4.

WOW!! If the Oppo is as good as the shipping dept. appears to be and if it can play the Indy disc, I think its going to be a keeper.

Take a look at the first post in this sticky thread found in the Amps, Receivers, Processors forum here. It goes into some of the things that modern receivers have to do or might do for the various styles of audio -- according to how much you pay for:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=738511

Now take a look at this other sticky thread from the same forum -- again look in the first post. It is a table of what's known about current receivers that might be good to pair with the Oppo:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=940065

If you already have a receiver, and it is not too old, you might even find it in that list. But in any event you'll see the sorts of things that differentiate modern receivers and pre-pros. [A receiver includes built-in power amps for your speakers. A preamp-processor (pre-pro) does not and has to be paired with separate power amps.]

Finally take a look at THIS sticky thread, also from the same forum, that covers some of the basics of terminology and feature sets:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=968859

OK, now with that background, and the manual for your current receiver, you will likely be able to suss this out on your own.

Does your receiver include the ability to decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA audio tracks? If not, then you want the Oppo to do that. The Oppo will output HDMI LPCM (the simplest form of high-bandwidth, multi-channel, digital audio) when it does that.

Does your receiver have the ability to input high-bandwidth, multi-channel HDMI LPCM and do the right thing with it? (See that first thread I cited for "right thing"?) If so then you are good to go.

If not, there's another way to go. The Oppo will also output all of its audio as multi-channel analog audio -- 6 RCA audio cables for 5.1 analog audio for example. Does your receiver have a multi-channel analog audio input? If so, and if you can't make an HDMI solution work, then that's the way to go.

If not, then it is probably time to consider getting a new receiver.
--Bob

Denon (2930, 3930) is still king when it comes to having a "ZERO" perceptible SD DVD layer change.

Part of the issue here is that the optical disc drive has to have support for seamless layer change buffering during SD-DVD playback.

Blu-Ray optical disc drives haven't gotten there yet.

Of course from Blu-Ray's perspective, it's only SD-DVD, so they are in no hurry to just make SD-DVD look better. But it makes it tough for a manufacturer, like Oppo, who would really LIKE to do this...
--Bob

I just received the email from Oppo inviting me to he EAP. It came through 2 hours ago while I was out shopping... was checking BD prices at amazon while shopping at Best Buy and decided to check my email... showed it to my wife so we've been discussing the pros and cons of purchasing the player right now. The question isn't if I'll get the Oppo, but when. We were planning on waiting a couple months... I honestly didn't think I'd get picked as I never win anything...(a co-worker bought me 15 $1 scratch-off's for our Christmas exchange this year... out of all of them I won $1.) anywho... I need to make the final decision ASAP. If I get it I'll probably be selling my Sharp BD player to help fund the purchase.

My crystal ball says that maybe one in 1000 would ever consider returning this player. Of those, 99% will be doing it because of issues with some other piece of hardware like an AVR that won't play nice. Be afraid, be very afraid, this machine is addictive. And if you have a large DVD library, it's necessary.

And everyone thought the beta testers were sitting around, drinking beer and watching movies.

The Spears & Munsil documentation is now available at: http://www.oppodigital.com/Download/..._Benchmark.pdf

-Bill

I know. Some signed up but circumstances have changed i.e. economy or got a player.

ahhh....no wonder I was never picked to be a beta tester. I mean all I do in my HT is sit around a drink beer.

Just a couple brief comments. I haven't actively participated in the BDP-83 threads since September when I started testing. I've also owned a Sharp BD-HP20U, and a PS3.
Primary display: Sharp LC-46D64U. I use an Onkyo TX-NR905 as a pre/pro with an external amp.

Initially I was excited as everyone else about some of the obvious features such as the elegant looks, heavy duty build, awesome remote, fast loading times, 1080p setup menu, etc. Not only does it do everything it should do WELL, but it has a lot of cool extras.

One thing about the BDP-83 that I haven't seen talked about so much yet is the reliability. With my Sharp BD-HP20U, I would often wonder when watching a movie, if I would be able to finish watching it. Besides requiring constant firmware updates, which they all do (and the BDP-83 makes this VERY easy), it also just seemed to choke up a lot, and I shouldn't have to worry about such things when I want to watch a movie. With the BDP-83 I am confident that I won't have a problem, and when I do, it's related to some bug being worked out in the beta firmware.

Part of this confidence also has come with my dealings with the OPPO company. The attention they've put into this player, and making it rock solid, listening to our suggestions and comments (and yours), and actually trying to implement them. The frequency with which firmware updates have been put out, dramatically fixing exactly the things we were having issues with. It makes me confident that when I put a movie in, it's going to work and work well. The problem with BD-players I've found, is that many can't get this simple, basic yet critical functionality down pat.

As far as the PS3, which for the most part has also given me the same confidence (although mine died after only 2 months of minimal use, and I had to send it back and received a scratched up refurbished one as a replacement - quite different treatment than what I would expect from OPPO), there were always several standout issues with the PS3 for me as a BD player. No bitstreaming, the clunkiness of using a game machine for a BD player, using the game controller as a remote (I won't buy the remote....and I won't buy an IR dongle), no SACD/DVD-A (at least on mine), and biggest of all- the noise.

The noise on the PS3 bothers me. I even waited for the new 80 gig player, foregoing BC (which I now regret), because it had the quieter fan found in the 40 gig model, and the fan noise still bothers me.

My experience has been a little different from some of the other beta testers with fan noise on the BDP-83 from what I've read here. I have been able to hear my fan come on at times, and once or twice, only during a quiet scene, was able to hear it from my sitting position watching a movie. This was only during 1 or 2 movies in particular, and only during a very quiet scene. The other times I've heard it was only when a disc was not playing, but perhaps afterwards, when removing the disc when I was up close. There have been a number of improvements made both mechanically and firmware wise which have improved things here, but there may be a case here or there where it can be heard. The EAP will be good for determining this I think. Also, I have it on top of a stack of several other pieces of equipment, including my Sherbourn 7/2100a amp, and my DirecTV HR20 (which gets very hot, and produces some serious noise!). Overall though, I would say the player is very quiet, if not silent, and this is a huge plus over the PS3 for me.

Honestly my disappointments so far have all been limited to "big brother" type issues which affect the industry. The region issue, things like what was written earlier about the chipmakers refusing to support ISO playback because of piracy issues. Everything else I believe with this company that if it can be done, it will be done. Heck I even remember Neuromancer a while back saying he's been asking for mkv container support for eons and look even that's here now.

What I would like to see: Network streaming abilities. I'm not talking about Netflix because I wouldn't set up an account with them anyway. Just the ability to stream from my PC to the player over ethernet. And for the list of these supported formats to increase.

edit: and I've drank quite a few beers while watching movies these past 6 months

In my opinion, I don't think it's an issue. I have the BDP-83 just underneath and to the left side of my 60" display and in a dark room I do not find it particularly distracting.