What features would you like in your next Oppo BR - e.g. Oppo BDP-113 and BDP-115. - Page 7

It doesn't seem like it takes much "extra effort" to decode captions since most computer DVD playback software I've seen can do it, and that was one place where I never would have expected to find that. I've heard there's a Panasonic DVD recorder/VCR combo with digital TV tuner which can also display closed-captions from DVDs, though I've never seen that work.

Universal has never used regular captions on their DVDs and Warner stopped using them a couple years ago, but regardless there's a lot of material out there that does have them. I'm not hearing-impaired but I've enjoyed being able to turn them on since TVs started having decoders built-in, I've seen songs appearing in movies ID'd onscreen by the artist and the title of the song for example. It would also be nice if A/V receivers started including caption decoders for analog sources like tapes and laserdiscs. I've wondered why the people who really need captions haven't expressed more concern about this- I wrote to the National Captioning Institute recently and they just replied "The law doesn't require it for pre-recorded video, only broadcasts, and we don't know anything else about it."

Added- My main connections of course are through my receiver hooked via HDMI to the TV with analog sources upconverted to 1080p, but I also have a component connection going to the TV from the Blu-Ray player to get captions from that, and have a standard video hookup from the receiver to the TV to get captions from everything else (it requires all video processing be turned off for them to appear.)

Three simple things would make the BD-95 perfect for me:
1) Balanced outputs for the rest of the channels.
2) Heatsinks sufficient to eliminate the fan (if the Anthem P5 can be fanless, surely the Oppo can be).
3) More-substantial disk tray. (I know it won't improve the sound or video, it just would improve the "feel" of the unit, and anyone who thinks those things don't matter should look at iPhone sales.)

^ So you're OK with your next Blu-ray player being the size of a P5?
--Bob

Looks like Dan Wright (Modwright) is close to finalizing his digital input mod for the BDP-95. This is a recent quote from Dan over on Audiocircle...

AVCREC version to record ATSC broadcasts

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AVCREC

If adding enough heatsinks to get rid of the fan requires increasing the player's footprint, that's an excellent tradeoff IMHO. I can find space for a larger player. I can't remove the fan myself.

During quiet passages, our system has no hiss, and no hum. It took rather a lot of effort to get to that point (grounded conduit, new AC wiring to a new breaker panel, etc.). And so now the loudest ambient noise in the room is the Oppo's fan.

Personally, I'd like to see them gut all Internet based streaming. That's becoming mainstream and they will never keep up with the multitude of devices which are becoming far too cheap to ignore. Throw that time into improving local HD streaming...

Though I agree with you in a way, I don't see it happening. Just take a look at how frequently people requested Netflix (and other) streaming in the BDP-83 thread. It's a major selling point, even if they don't have every service that's out there. Taking that away would hurt sales significantly and would be listed in just about every review in the con column.

Explain what you are asking for with local HD streaming?

I think that's past tense. Right now it's costing them a sale. Mine. They have a lousy Netflix app (no 5.1 and 1080p) and no announced plans to ever update it. Regardless of how silly it is it taints the player (in my eyes). Going forward what devices won't have Netflix built in and they already start at $60. Not good press when a $60 device out performs your high-end player. They have a niche market and they should play to it. I find it hard to believe in this day and age someone throwing $500 out for a Blu-ray player doesn't have another Netflix streaming device or a half dozen by the time a new model ships.

Honestly, I don't know. Generically, I'm saying local streaming is a niche market more suited to a niche Blu-ray player and one that could drive sells. Such as competing against the high-end local streaming devices than the cheap Internet based streamers. As far as features... again I'm not familiar enough to know where they could use the newly acquired free coding time.

IMHO anything (even internet host streaming) added becomes a foundation for new features to come. Take DLNA support, was there is 83, but the decoder wouldn't recognize numerous codecs, file types, and interface was lacking. Then the 93 is released as DLNA compliant device, supporting numerous codecs, file types and offering a interface that was usable. Now you have DLNA Premium which is a extension to existing standard that I am unsure when it would be incorporated. (read here). There is also stuff like airplay with video, Orb BD as a alternative to normal DLNA, that uses a BD disk to run a client on the BD player. Then there are requests about player accessing network shares. Feel free to make what you want known here.

Ah, just get a Synology NAS. The 2411+ is a great bang for the buck with PLENTY of space (expandable to 72TB+). It also includes nice features like DLNA/Media Server support for PS3/360, iTunes Server, print server, BT client, Time Capsule backup, plus much more. Great performing NAS unit that will accommodate an ever expanding BD/DVD/CD collection.

I personally could live without any sort of 'streaming' on a BD player- my current player doesn't have any, the only time I turn it on is when I'm actually going to play a disc. My TV has stuff including Netflix and Vudu built in which are nice, but given that a recent firmware update has messed up the TV's picture I'm thinking my next TV won't have that stuff and instead I'll get a separate box for that. When I replace my BD player it will be for how well it plays discs, not how it does any other stuff.

*BR/DVD-V/DVD-A/SACD/CD drive
*Dual HDMI out, where at least one is able to output native BR formats (1080p24, 3D). If 1080p48
*No other audio/video outputs (no DACs)
*Excellent support for streaming BR-spec content from NAS/DLNA
*Possibly internal 2.5" user-replacable HD

As long as the above features are working very well, I would rather see a price reduction than features like upscaling to 4k.

When 4k displays become available and prices become sane, they will have internal upscaling from 1080p->4k. I fail to see the point in doing this in the source, if anything, an OPPO released in 2012 may have worse 4k upscaling than a good 4k display released in 2013-2014.

-k

I would like to have:

- a better video processor than Mediatek + Qdeo => Uniphier please!
- manual progressive/film mode!
- no analog outputs!
- 4K Upscaling (not essential though)
- internet mini browser and IMAP mail client which announces when new mails have arrived.
- Better IR sensor

A price of $149.99.

^ How much more are you willing to pay for the addition of that feature?
--Bob

I wouldn't want an Oppo player that cost $150 if it meant build quality was equivalent to other BD players that cost that or less.

"Build Quality"?

They may not look quite as fancy (no solid black brushed alum. faceplates, etc.), but the build quality on every other BR player I've owned (four non-Oppo BR players) has been just fine. All are still in service and working perfectly. Two have been passed on to family and friends, two are still in service.

Oppo distinguishes itself in other ways than build quality, most of which are under the hood in the form of better chipsets and software. (Not that it's build quality isn't very nice.)

Yes, they're nice-looking, too, but I'd be more than thrilled to snap up an Oppo that looked like a $150 Sony but performed like an Oppo.

Perhaps the Oppo drive mechanism is better or smoother somehow? Or the jacks are tighter somehow? None of these has been an issue with my Sony or Panny BR players, and you know what, for $150, if it becomes an issue, I can replace it without too much grief.

For $500, I want a LOT more than "build quality".

Again, put the Oppo chipsets and software inside a Sony player (adding a few extra jacks in back as needed, of course), put a nice aluminum faceplate on it, and once it's in the rack you can't tell the difference. I'll happily pay an extra $25-30 for a nicer looking player (that alum faceplate), but if they want me to pay $350 more, there's got to be a LOT more going on than just looks and build quality. This isn't a car, it's a blu-ray player with two moving parts (the tray and the laser pickup). Naturally, I don't want a POS that breaks in 6 months, but I'm not expecting to pass these down to my future children's children, I just want it to perform well until the next big tech comes along (I'd be surprised if many of these BD-93s are still in service in 7 years... not because they're broken, but because they'll have been surpassed).

Fortunately, Oppo delivers on "a lot more than build quality". That's why we love them so much. But I'd be quite happy to see the return of the $300 Oppo players, or less, as long as the quality of the chipsets remains high. And good silicon has little to do with build quality. (up to a point, of course)

I know I'm not typical, but my BDP-93 replaced a Pioneer DV-333 (circa 2002). From a durability point-of-view, I certainly want this sort of hardware to last 10-20 years. From a features point-of-view, we are deep into the territory of diminishing returns. It took nine years for the features differential to get to the point where I'd buy a replacement for my DV-333, and that's when huge differences like SD-to-HD were involved. I imagine it will take me a lot longer when the improvements are more minor, which is all I see on the horizon.

Again, I know I'm not typical, but someone who replaces on a 3-year cycle may find themselves getting pushed out to a six-or-seven-year cycle by the same factors.

Uniphier is used by Panasonic Blu-ray players and their line of smart TV's at this time, have any other BD player brands used it?

You may want a player with no analog outputs, but the market place still has a awful lot of consumers that do. From a business sense having two models one with, one without isn't a smart move. BTW this removing analog has been discussed many times before in the main thread. There are plenty of players out there if you want no analog.

The Qdeo can already do upscaling to 4k, not implemented by FW.

Rather have a computer or tablet that can use the Oppo as a networked bridge to your AV system, then go the route of Samsung trying to convince people that they can get rid of their laptops and just use a HDTV (or as your requesting a BD player) for all their social needs.

Do you want that in kit form, so you can soldier it together?

Why?

Oppo got famous by selling $200 dvd players. They have sold bluray player at the $300 prize range when the competition was selling theirs at $300 too. There isn't any reason why Oppo can't sell a Mediatek based player for $200. It's not as if you are going to see much difference when watching bluray discs.

It's fine if Oppo wants to be in the $500 player market and it's fine if people want to pay $500 for a player. But that's purely by choice. There is no need to roll eye at something that was done previously and could be done gain if the desire was there.

I would love an audio only player or at least one that does not need to be connected to a display to play DVD Audio and Blu Ray Audio much like the current model does not need to be connected for CD or SACD - Maybe a small video screen on the face of the player that can get you through the DVD Audio menus .............

You're referring to the BDP-80 model. The problem is that nobody bought that model. We don't have specific sales numbers, but the gist of it was that not enough were sold to justify the costs of making it. A $200-300 player is in direct competition with MANY players, which is not where Oppo wants to be. We all know it was a great player, but still nobody bought it.

While digital audio players have been suggested (no video), the concept of what you are asking is shown in the just released Pioneer N-50 ($699). Click on this large view of the N50 to see the display.

Certainly a small video screen is very appealing when you don't want to have a HDTV powered or use a small external display for this purpose.

Exactly. I hate it when companies make compromises and reduce the quality of their products to try and satisfy the Walmart crowd. If you think Oppo players are too expensive at $500, go buy something else. I'd rather Oppo produce the best possible products they can at the $500 price point. And quite honestly, at $500, I think the Oppo 93 is a pretty dang good deal.

Looking back at what consumers demanded the BDP-80 did not sell as well as the BDP-83 and the BDP-83SE did. The BDP-83 was replaced with the BDP-93 for the same $499 which offered a lot of new abilities. While the $899 BDP-83SE was replaced with clearly superior $999 BDP-95. As rdgrimes pointed out even though the BDP-80 was a cheaper model, that's not what customers wanted from Oppo.

Given that people now expect even more features from future Oppo players, limiting a vendor to design a player for a set price range is not a good idea.