OPPO Digital Presents: DV-980H (1080p, SACD DSD, 7.1 Surround, USB 2.0) - Page 209

I'd contact Oppo. I don't see that you have any other option in your case?

Can 88kHz/24bit files be burned to DVD-A?

In case anyone is curious, oppo charges a flat $42.00 for any repairs out of warrant. Seems reasonable enough.

Can you try resampling a file to this frequency using something like Audacity or foobar2000 and see if it works?

There are a number of DVD-A discs (commercial) that use 24/88. It's used for technical reasons where the master is a certain sample rate or even also is 88.

DVD-Video can handle 24/192 LPCM in stereo. Multichannel LPCM requires MLP compression at any freq. DVD-A has no set standard for any of this, other than the physical limitation of the media for bitrates. (~10-11Mb)

Thanks!

R

I just recently purchased some stereo only SACDs and discovered I can have the 980H apply PLII to get a surround effect (when desired). However, I'm not clear reading the user manual if by setting PLII to "On" or "Auto" will also effect multichannel material such as multichannel SACDs, DVD, etc. (I don't want multichannel material altered/processed).

Anyone know?

Thanks.

PS - I sent an email to Oppo as well.

Saturn94,

When you get an answer from Oppo, let us know please. Interesting item.

Mike K

This is the response I received from Oppo;


At first they seem to be saying that multichannel material will not be processed, but then say to set it to AUTO to ensure processing is not applied to multichannel material.

I also posted in the Anthem AVM20 thread. This started as a question about PLIIx on my AVM20 processor when using the multichannel analog inputs and led to my discovery of the 980H's PLII processing abilities. Here's a link to that discussion in case you're curious.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...=842879&page=4

Between the information Oppo provided and the feedback I received in the AVM20 thread my understanding is that PLII by design only affects 2 channel material. So setting the 980H to ON, PLII processing will be applied to all 2 channel sources (with an exception I'll mention below). Setting it to AUTO, it will only apply PLII processing to 2 channel material that is encoded (or flagged) with PL or PLII. When playing multichannel material with either setting, my understanding is that the PLII algorithm will be ignored.

So far, with the 980H set to AUTO, all the 2 channel sources I've played (CDs, 2 channel SACDs, and mp3 download purchases played via the USB port) had PLII processing applied. The exception I alluded to above are 2 channel WMA lossy files from CDs I own ripped using Windows Media Player. None of these files have PLII processing applied no matter if the 980H is set to AUTO or ON. If I play the original CD, PLII processing is applied. But when the same CD is ripped to WMA lossy, the WMA file will not have PLII processing applied.

Here's the reply from Oppo when asked about this behavior;


may be...? I'm puzzled that they don't seem to know the answer to this. After all, it is their player.

No matter. The fact is the 980H will not apply PLII processing to WMA lossy files. So in the case I want to apply PLII processing to WMA lossy files, I'll just use the digital output from the Oppo to a digital input on the AVM20 and let the AVM20 do the processing.

Thanks Saturn,

I suspect that even at Oppo, some of the old knowledge gurus have moved on. My fondness for my 980h causes me to forget that it is somewhere around 4 to 5yr-old tech.

It can't do everything. But I like it.

Mike K

I bought mine in April 2009, not long before it was discontinued I believe, and have enjoyed it very much. My primary motivation for buying it was to take over DVD handling duties from my Pioneer 51 BD player.

At that time the 51 had long DVD layer changes, often 2-3 seconds (very disruptive, IMO) and there wasn't any sign Pioneer was working on a fix (this had been a problem since I bought the 51 in August 2008). Pioneer did fix the DVD layer change issue a few months later.

Even so, I ended up replacing my 51 with a Pioneer 320 in March 2010 because of the 51's lackluster BD error correction with less than perfect rental BDs. I now use the 320 for DVD since the upscaling is better and the layer change is now seamless.

While not the reason I purchased the 980H, its SACD and DVD Audio multichannel capabilities peaked my interest in those formats and I've since purchased about a dozen or so titles. Unfortunately, many titles I would like to have are either not available or command premium prices. I guess I'm a bit late to the SACD/DVD Audio game. I particularly like the multichannel aspect of SACD/DVD Audio, but due to lack of availability, I've become interested in what PLII can offer. Depending on the title, the result can be quite good, although not quite as good as a true high quality multichannel mix.

It's only been recently that I've been playing with using the USB port and learning what it offers. While I still prefer to own shiny discs, it seems we are headed more towards downloads as a source for music, so I'm dipping my toe in the download waters.

So while my 980H doesn't see any DVD use, I'm enjoying using it for playing SACDs, DVD Audio, and downloaded music via the USB port.

Hiya Saturn94, of course I recognized you from the Pio 05/51FD thread. Damn near 1000 pages there now! Thanks here, as there. You've given me some more to work on/with.

I've not got the 51FD seniority you've got, picked up my 1st in Nov/Dec09. Had FW1.12?, 1.32 was available and I immediately downloaded. Never did encounter the layer change issues for that reason probably. A couple of months later snagged a 2nd, just because I had been so blown away by the DVD up-scaling. Still can't afford to buy too many blu-rays!!

I agree that the Oppo 980h is a lot of fun. I have mine on top of the Pio in the main theater. Use it to play CD's and DVD-A's mostly. Some odd things, Oppo spent the money to make this something like a Universal Player in 2007-08. Via HDMI-Oppo will decode and bitstream 24bit-96khz MLP lossless to my Yamaha. Pio will only offer my receiver 24bit-48khz DTS, or (shudder) 16bit-48khz Dolby from the same DVD-A! Licensing $$ I suspect. btw-DVD-A in question is Alan Parson's re-do of PinkFloyd DarkSideoftheMoon in 4.1. Original studio masters were done in never released 4.0 (Quadraphonic, familiar to us old folks), and Parsons had access to them in 2003. Wow, what fun. Ya gotta try it!

Like yours, my Oppo 980h is largely DVD free. Esoteric Chinese Video Discs and PAL stuff mostly. Music seems to be this Oppo's forte, even though I largely just output via SPDIF. I've not enough SACD's to make any difference (two, I think) and like you said finding really good music in (dare I use the word) high(er) fidelity pressings is very hard to find, and potentially expensive. The simple pleasure of popping in a nice little garden variety CD, routing digital to a decent receiver, pre-out to 2-ch of power, and then to friendly speakers is a small joy that I value.

I have only played with PLII at the receiver end of it. Personally, we seem to like the Yamaha 7-ch mode applied to 2-ch of digital more than PLII. Later this summer the wife and daughter are overseas for a month, maybe I'll give the analog outs of the Oppo a try using on-board processing.

Regardless, thanks for pursuing things with Oppo. I'll have to eddy-kate myself about getting music on USB's and begin experimenting with that too now that you've pointed it out! Are you still as comfortable with the Pio 320's DVD upscaling as you were last year? I'm just lucky that we don't get very involved in rental discs, thus relatively few frustrations with the Pio 51's on Blu-ray material.

I am only on this thread because I didn't have the scratch to afford a DV-983 back then. Just think, if I'd been a rich man (?$460??) and gotten the Oppo 983 in 07/08, I would sure as hell not been looking for something better for DVD (no interest in Blu-Ray) a year later and been tripped up by desperate (but knowledgable) sales guy to take a floor-model Pioneer 51FD for $99. Serendipity, but I'm still looking for an affordable DV-983!!!

Isn't everyone?

Ha!

Again, thanks Saturn94. Good stuff is good stuff.

Mike K
Semper Fi

Nice to see some activity on this thread. I use my 980H exclsuively as a music transport and really enjoy it. I bought a PS3 for BD playback back when it was the only real option, so never got onto the Oppo BD player(83 or 93) bandwagon. The 980H was/is a good alternative that holds it's own even now.

I did noticed that on some DVD-As the speaker settings in the 980H, when using the analog outputs, are ignored (I have the center speaker set to OFF). Oppo acknowledged there is an issue on some titles; something to do with the way some DVD-As are authored. This is the only bug I've come across.


You reminded me I do have a few PAL DVDs from other regions; mainly movies that I cannot find in the US. Speaking of PAL DVDs, if they are region free, I play them in my 320. While the 320 does not convert PAL to NTSC, my TV is PAL compatible (I discovered this by accident; what a nice surprise!).


Depending on the material, for music I use PLII, stereo, or Anthem Logic (a feature of my Athem processor). I works out well that the Oppo has PLII decoding since stereo SACDs cannot be output via the digital outputs.


Upscaling on the 320 is great. Perhaps an Oppo 983H, 83, or 93 might do a bit better, but not enough for me to spend the $$$.


I'm here because I'm behind the times and am still discovering what my 980H offers.


+1

Sometimes when I post here I wondered if I was just talking to myself.

Saturn94

I've not encountered any odd stuff from the 980h regarding DVD-A outputs. Just lucky, or more likely I don't have enough DVD-A's! Like I noted, the Pioneer is the one that seemed to not provide fully what was available on the disk.

Saturn94 said:
Depending on the material, for music I use PLII, stereo, or Anthem Logic (a feature of my Athem processor). I works out well that the Oppo has PLII decoding since stereo SACDs cannot be output via the digital outputs.

For SACD's/DVD-A's the Oppo does seem to provide full density digital via HDMI to my Yamaha. You are of course, right that it doesn't via Optical or Digital Coax. When the house empties for a few weeks I'll have to break it all down and experiment with the analog multi-channels.

The 980h still provides a great number of good things. It, like my two 51fd's, figure prominently in my prayers to Elmer that all holds together.

'tchuss

Mike

Haven't gotten to multi channel yet, but just a note on 2ch analog outs.

Ran soundtrack of English Patient CD. My wife acquiesed in putting herself into the listening postion (calibration spot for microphone) and give me a few minutes.

The soaring soundtrack items: She preferred the Oppo's digital out and processed by receiver to include presence speakers (LF, LS, Lp, RF, RS, Rp) as a PLIIx Music executed via Yamaha rx-v765. I clicked back and forth between pure direct analog input from Oppo, and the two digital modes (one is pure direct) we use for digital audio sources from the Oppo, her preference didn't change.

When it came to two female vocal tracks on this sound track, the story CHANGED. Using the same click/digitalinandprocess (x2 options) and click/analog in direct from Oppo, she very emphatically preferrred the analog from Oppo. Most assuredly. To HER ears, the analog out from Oppo via the pre-outs of Yamaha AVR, and powering Paradigm Monitor 7's via ADCOM 6000 (100w for Front L/C/R only) beat the DAC and ANY KIND OF PROCESSING from Yamaha on female vocals. No doubt in her mind. I just said "Yes dear"! She had a fair amount of musical training growing up in China, and certainly has a beautiful singing voice and still plays piano and violin well. Me, a mis-spent youth wearing green. Involved helicopters and Browning heavy machine-guns. Fun, but discriminative auditory ability is NOT ME!

Her preference was less definitive with the crescendo style of the Annie Lennox track 19 of LordoftheRings-ReturnoftheKing "Into the West" (she kinda liked the spatial "height" given by the Yamaha's use of front presence speakers to THAT song), which might indicate that more complex audio benefits from digital transmission and processing downstream before amplification (at least with the Burr-Browns in a Yam 765). What was "clear" was what the Oppo did for the acapella arabic female vocals (Track 1 and 16?) of TheEngishPatient----WOW! Detail up the kazoo! (technical term, try to keep up) Even I could hear it.

I have no idea what Oppo used for DAC's 4 or 5 years ago (not like I know anything like that about NEW products--Ha!) but they were certainly implemented at an exceptional level. Just really nice. For no particular reason I had thought that a 3yr newer mid/miduppper AVR from a good company would have the old Oppo DAC's beat. Wrong!

It is all a matter of preference, but I do look forward to playing with the full multi-channel analog outs on the Oppo next month sometime. Spouse and kid are going to the FINA World Swim Championships in Shanghai. 3 weeks of "Dad's House".

Just wanted to say how much I liked the results of a minor experiment.

Mike K

I've been very pleased with the 980H's analog performance. I believe the Secrets of Home Theater site did a review a few years ago on the analog performance and they were impressed.

Nah I still always check for new posts here I watch many 2 channel concert video dvds and this player has worked out well for me.

I still use my trusty DV-980H on my office to listen to CDs and SACD. No complains here.

So do I.

It's been over 3 years since I checked in this thread. I was rocking my Oppo 980 DVD player until yesterday, when I replaced it with a Panasonic 210 BR player. I wanted to stay w/ the Oppo family, but at $500, it was too much coin for me to swallow. I'm moving the Oppo upstairs for bedroom duty.

It's too bad that Oppo has stopped updating the firmware for this DVD player. I used to be able to feed it any 480 video format. But the latest MKV files, it can't handle. I know the Panasonic is not good for streaming files, but it doesn't concern me since I have an HTPC connected to the receiver and TV, which pretty much plays anything, lo-def or hi-def, thanks to VLC.

One of my two faithful Oppo 980H's died yesterday; push the power button and no lights, no response.

I verified power cord was secure on both ends, power to the socket etc.

Since it is well out of warranty, I opened it up and found the culprit.
An 8 pin IC at circuit board position U501 (part# 1200P60, CPAC, 0740G) had fried.

It had burned with enough intensity to cover the capacitor at circuit board position BC505 with soot.

1) Anyone know if Oppo still carrys replacement parts for the 980?
Either the IC (I am reasonably good with a soldering iron) or a replacement power board?

2) Has anyone made a similar repair, what was the cost?

3) Of course, there is a CD stuck in it, does anyone know of a non-destructive way to remove it without power?

Thanks,
XEagleDriver

Contact OPPO. They have very reasonable fixed price out of warranty repair. They still service every model.

Ask about the CD.

-Bill

Doesn't the 980 have a manual eject hole in the front of the loader? Paper clip -> hole -> tray opens.

I don't see it on mine.

To the OP: feel free to ask them about do it yourself repair. It's been known to happen. Just tell them what's up, what you want and ask for your options.

-Bill

Oppo responded to a Sunday email on the same day and the cost is reasonable!
I knew I liked these guys!
XEagleDriver

That's pretty good service. Hopefully performing that replacement will go smoothly. Good luck.

Sounds very reasonable and well worth it.

All,

The posts from 6262 onward to the one above should show up in some future MBA lesson plan.

We consumers have correctly id'd that there "is a problem, and the manufacture's input is required to address the solution".

-We all know mfg HAS a customer contact method
-We find out that mfg responds almost immediately, even at non-standard days and times, to our request for help. Actually to what is at issue and not just based on a script whose relevance is questionable.
-We consumers find out that mfg's policy to address this type of problem is extremely reasonable and continues to show respect and appreciation for consumer/customer.
-We consumers wonder why other operators in the market cannot seem to consistently meet any of the above 3-benchmarks.
-We will always at least consider a purchase of this type of product from Oppo because of our experiences with this back-end of original transaction.

Sadly, the current business models will de-construct XEagledriver's experiences to point out the in-efficiencies evident in pursuing a business-customer relationship of this nature. The numbers will show a very poor ROI for shareholders in maintaining a company culture that values such a relationship, and more importantly the infrastucture required to execute based on that value. Think-tanks will be funded to "Prove" the economic disaster pending from such values/executions, thus identifying such types of customer support operations as inherently "market-killing" for companies who do NOT choose to engage in benchmark customer service. Thus justifying the lobbyists hired to influence legislation be passed to protect the industry from such nefarious anti-market activities.

Sigh.

Mike

I have the oppo dv-980H. Its a great players. Unfortunately i have only used it 4 times.. so i have to get rid of this practically new player... Not sure what to do with it. Its all packed back in the box - 10/10