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Need suggestion to select a media player

post #1 of 23
7/28/12 at 11:39am
Thread Starter 
I am seeking suggestions for a Media player to play dvd-iso and bd-iso files.


My setup:
Sony Qualia 004 with 145" wide screen.
Lexicon MC12 (no HDMI) - therefore I need Toslink or spdf audio out from media player.
Currently, one Xtremer Pro and another Xtremer sidewinder.

All my videos are .ISO files. I need a unit which plays dvd-iso and bd-iso files (with BD menu navigation working).

.ISO is absolutely essential (shocked that a WD unit I bought and sent overseas didn't play .iso and I had to ship another asus unit).

I need a minimum of three but would prefer 4 or 5 USB inputs for external hard drives.

An internal hard drive is not necessary but if it can take a 3tb hard drive, I can live with two USB input unit.

I noticed that these units are in the $100 to $200 range but I don't mind a $500 unit, if it has amazing audio and video quality. I don't like HTPC units unless someone can convince me otherwise.

Currently, I have a asus unit on a 32" lcd TV and it seems to work just fine. I don't know if ASUS is good enough.. Therefore, I am seeking advice.
thank you.
Edited by audvid - 7/29/12 at 7:55am
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post #2 of 23
7/28/12 at 3:00pm
Dune Smart Series if you dont mine spending over $300 dollars for it. There is also PCH and media player based on the 1186 realtek chip will play ISOs. The cheapest BD DVD ISO media playef would be the Netgear NEOTV550, which its been discontinued. You can find it new for $85 dollars.
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post #3 of 23
7/28/12 at 3:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GusGus748s View Post

Dune Smart Series if you dont mine spending over $300 dollars for it. There is also PCH and media player based on the 1186 realtek chip will play ISOs. The cheapest BD DVD ISO media playef would be the Netgear NEOTV550, which its been discontinued. You can find it new for $85 dollars.

Those $85 days are long gone brother! :-)
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post #4 of 23
7/28/12 at 3:48pm
If you are only planning on playing ISO files from attached hard drives, the oppo bdp-93 with the older ISO capable firmware has no equal. It even plays 3D ISO files flawlessly. It will run you about $500 and there is one for sale here on avs classified...
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post #5 of 23
7/28/12 at 3:55pm
XBMC
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post #6 of 23
7/28/12 at 3:55pm
HTPC. The most flexible and the most versatile.
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post #7 of 23
7/28/12 at 4:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiddles88 View Post

HTPC. The most flexible and the most versatile.

what part of " I don't like htpc" confused you?rolleyes.gif
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post #8 of 23
7/28/12 at 8:35pm
Dune players are horribly over priced. Their technology is several years old, using old chipsets and their prices just keep going up. I'm guessing their home media player area won't be around much longer. People just aren't going to drop over $300 for a media player.
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post #9 of 23
7/29/12 at 5:09am
Thread Starter 
I see that Dune HD Smart H1 1080P Media Player is in my price range..
I don't mind buying the OPPO 93 either.. the unit in classifieds seems fine to me. I would probably buy the oppo, if its interface/functionality would be very similar to that of a typical media player.
Would there be a difference in picture quality between the Dune HD Smart H1 1080P Media Player and Oppo 93?

Thank you
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post #10 of 23
7/29/12 at 5:33am
Yes, the picture quality of the oppo is a notch up from the Dune and it is
much more "tweakable" in regards to picture quality, although the Dune is no slouch either.
I have both in my main system.
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post #11 of 23
7/29/12 at 6:29am
Thread Starter 
Would the oppo 93 work the same as a media player, with my .iso files on hard drive?
Meaning - would it have the following functionality?
1. access the list of movies on the hard drive and display them as does a media player.
2. would it play bd-iso files.
3. would bd-iso and dvd-iso file play back have the common menu functionality?
Thank you
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post #12 of 23
7/29/12 at 7:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by audvid View Post

Would the oppo 93 work the same as a media player, with my .iso files on hard drive?
Meaning - would it have the following functionality?
1. access the list of movies on the hard drive and display them as does a media player.
2. would it play bd-iso files.
3. would bd-iso and dvd-iso file play back have the common menu functionality?
Thank you

if you are looking for a "juke box" type display then the answer is no. the oppo will display a simple list of your movies and you simply click on it and it will play it like you were playing a disc
plays bd iso files exactly as if playing a disc.
don't know what #3 means but playing a bd iso file or DVD ISOfile is exactly like playing the disc assuming you did a one to one rip of the dIsc...
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post #13 of 23
7/29/12 at 7:38am
Thread Starter 
Thanks for your reply. You have also answered #3. Reason for # 3. "would bd-iso and dvd-iso file play back have the common menu functionality?" question was, at a few places I read that there was a possibility that certain media players didn't support the menu functionality in a BD-ISO, as would be normally usable in a BD player.

I don't know what a juke box type display is. My current media players are xtreamer and asus. They are simplistic in the sense that they simply display the content folders of my hd. I assume OPPO would display the same folders and I can open such a folder and then select the .iso files. I have about 400 movies on two hard drives. For example, the movie "Gold Finger" will have a file folder named "gold finger" on the hard drive and the folder has the .iso file in it, along with .jpeg for front and back covers (I don't really care about the cover .jpeg files anyway). That's the way they were stored. I don't want to go back and change all 400 files. So, can I use the oppo to see the list of these folders and select a movie from the folder?

The guy who is selling the oppo has not used its .iso playing functionality.. Hence my questions to you.

Since you have the dune and the OPPO... here is a repeat of my prior question.
1. I don't know what "tweakability" of an OPPO is. Typically, I don't modify the video settings on the DVD/BD players. Having said that, is there a visitble audio and video advantage for the OPPO?

I have a "feeling" that the OPPO would have superior picture but I don't know anything about the Dune..

After being a home theatre enthusiast for 17 years, I have just about run out of patience to "tweak" or "a/b" test.. I would rather rely on the advice of someone like you, who owns both units.. Yes, I am taking the lazy way out.. but thanks to avs, I am able to find knowledgeable people..

So.. thanks for advice.. and btw, what's your bottomline advice? oppo 93 or dune?
Edited by audvid - 7/29/12 at 7:54am
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post #14 of 23
7/29/12 at 7:44am
I think the bottom line will depend on you. If you want the best picture and audio quality, I would say oppo. If you want excellent picture and sound quality, with a Jukebox, I would suggest the Dune! Remember if you get the Oppo you cannot update your FW or it will not continue playing ISO's. So, do not connect it to the internet.
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post #15 of 23
7/29/12 at 8:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by audvid View Post

Thanks for your reply. You have also answered #3. Reason for # 3. "would bd-iso and dvd-iso file play back have the common menu functionality?" question was, at a few places I read that there was a possibility that certain media players didn't support the menu functionality in a BD-ISO, as would be normally usable in a BD player.
I don't know what a juke box type display is. My current media players are xtreamer and asus. They are simplistic in the sense that they simply display the content folders of my hd. I assume OPPO would display the same folders and I can open such a folder and then select the .iso files. I have about 400 movies on two hard drives. For example, the movie "Gold Finger" will have a file folder named "gold finger" on the hard drive and the folder has the .iso file in it, along with .jpeg for front and back covers (I don't really care about the cover .jpeg files anyway). That's the way they were stored. I don't want to go back and change all 400 files. So, can I use the oppo to see the list of these folders and select a movie from the folder?
The guy who is selling the oppo has not used its .iso playing functionality.. Hence my questions to you.
Since you have the dune and the OPPO... here is a repeat of my prior question.
1. I don't know what "tweakability" of an OPPO is. Typically, I don't modify the video settings on the DVD/BD players. Having said that, is there a visitble audio and video advantage for the OPPO?
I have a "feeling" that the OPPO would have superior picture but I don't know anything about the Dune..
After being a home theatre enthusiast for 17 years, I have just about run out of patience to "tweak" or "a/b" test.. I would rather rely on the advice of someone like you, who owns both units.. Yes, I am taking the lazy way out.. but thanks to avs, I am able to find knowledgeable people..
So.. thanks for advice.. and btw, what's your bottomline advice? oppo 93 or dune?

Did I miss what display you were using? That would be a factor as well. I am running a 120" screen and can easily tell my oppo from my dune. It is not that the dune is BAD, just that the oppo is better. The picture adjustments available to "tweak" the picture to your preference is what I was referring to. Once you get it set to what YOU like then you can just leave it there. I have different setting for Blu-ray and 3d Blu-ray because that is how I like it.
I am on vacation right now and my I laws watch their Sony tv on VIVID mode and after 15 minutes I can feel my retinas starting to catch on fire and ignite what grey matter is left in my skull. Last year, I did them a "favor" and did a calibration for them... They HATED it, so back on VIVID it went...

If you buy the oppo you will not ever be able to update the firmware. Also, you will NOT be able to at many of the new Blu ray releases, so keep that in mind as well. But do far, I have yet to find an an encrypted Blu ray file the oppo would not play..
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post #16 of 23
7/29/12 at 9:25am
ok, just backtracked and saw your first post. if I were you I would go with the oppo with that set up. if I paid that much for all that nice equipment I would definely want the best picture quality available...
sorry for the double post, but I am typing on my phone on vacation..
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post #17 of 23
7/29/12 at 9:57am
Thread Starter 
I did buy the oppo.
Thanks for the advice.
I didn't even realize that oppo was an option.
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post #18 of 23
7/30/12 at 1:22am
correct me if i'm wrong but if you buy an oppo today it will come with the new firmware without the ISO support and there's no way to use an older one. right ?confused.gif
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post #19 of 23
7/30/12 at 4:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Eric View Post

correct me if i'm wrong but if you buy an oppo today it will come with the new firmware without the ISO support and there's no way to use an older one. right ?confused.gif

Correct, although there is supposedly a way to be able to roll back the firmware with some type of mod but talk about it here on AVS is forbidden.... I have not researched it further as I have two "good" units...
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post #20 of 23
7/30/12 at 11:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by GusGus748s View Post

Remember if you get the Oppo you cannot update your FW or it will not continue playing ISO's. So, do not connect it to the internet.
Do not connect to internet? Would the OPPO update automatically if I connect it to the internet? I would think not! Am I wrong? I would want to connect it to the internet (if it has hulu capability).
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post #21 of 23
7/30/12 at 2:12pm
Turn off the "notify of updates" in the main set up menu and you will be fine. It will no automatically update if that is what you are worried about. Also, beware! Netflix sucks on the 93 for me. Have not tried Hulu..
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post #22 of 23
8/1/12 at 5:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GusGus748s View Post

I think the bottom line will depend on you. If you want the best picture and audio quality, I would say oppo. If you want excellent picture and sound quality, with a Jukebox, I would suggest the Dune! Remember if you get the Oppo you cannot update your FW or it will not continue playing ISO's. So, do not connect it to the internet.

Dune may be stable but the price increase is a bad sign. In addition that jukebox that people usually use with a Dune has to be managed from a windows PC and not a Mac or other computer. I suppose you could run Windows in a virtual machine and get around things that way, but that would mean having to buy Windows on top over paying quite a premium for a media player based on older chipsets. If you already have Windows then I suppose that's not an issue. Still there is something wrong with a company that only supports Windows. I understand the Jukebox is not built in, which is yet another hassle. At least PCH has support for all platforms, has a built in jukebox and has a jukebox that will run without a computer.

philip
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post #23 of 23
8/4/12 at 11:34am
Thread Starter 
I bought the OPPO 93 from bakerwi on this forum.
It arrived looking almost brand new. - Thanks Bakerwi!
Anyway, It does recognize one USB hub - a non powered cheap version.
It did not recognize a powered USB hub.
Some times, if I swap USB drives, it is not seeing them.
Any tricks to make the OPPO see the USB devices? Refreshing it? I have been powering it down, pulling electrical cord and that made usb reconition happen a few times.
Thanks
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