Oppo UDP-203 4K UHD Blu-ray player | Brand new release today

BlueFox

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Bud,
I also got that 75" Sony a few months ago. Amazing, and waiting for a 4K player myself. Good to hear it's revelatory for you too!

Lee

Revelatory is a good word. It is in an 11' x 12' room, and I am immersed in the picture. Absolutely awesome is the best family friendly phrase I have at this moment. You will love the 4K movies. It is a sensory stimulation on another level.
 

YashN

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Revelatory is a good word. It is in an 11' x 12' room, and I am immersed in the picture. Absolutely awesome is the best family friendly phrase I have at this moment. You will love the 4K movies. It is a sensory stimulation on another level.

4K is great.

Just watched a couple of shows on Netflix in 4K tonight. I have a Samsung 4K player.

Happy Holidays.
 

YashN

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However, now I am getting back into the HT. What I need now are 4K movies I do not already have on BR. :)

Hmm, sell the BR movies and buy the 4K version if these are movies you really like and could watch again.

I already had Ender's Game in BR, but now I have it in 4K, and will sure watch it again. The novel is one of my favourites ever.
 

BlueFox

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Oppo is working on some fixes. ...Stuttering. I try to keep track with the official owner's thread over @ AVSForum. ...Very rapid thread.

I noticed stuttering last night with Lucy 4K. The dialogue would skip and/or cutout. I didn't notice that with Mad Max last week. Will watch Oblivion tonight, and hope for the best.
 

NorthStar

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I noticed stuttering last night with Lucy 4K. The dialogue would skip and/or cutout. I didn't notice that with Mad Max last week. Will watch Oblivion tonight, and hope for the best.

Hi Bud,

The stuttering thing, plus occasional audio and picture dropouts, plus the fps (frame per second) issue when playing regular Blu-rays @ 1080p and when set @ 24fps, plus the drive's high speed mechanism and noise, ...were all discussed in the official UDP-203 owner's thread. Oppo is on it and fixes are supposed to be implemented eventually through firmware updates. It's all in "Beta" testing mode right now.

My best guess: The player was released just before Christmas 2016 (couple weeks before)...for strategic financial timing. It's not perfect...yet.
And they might even add some apps in 2017, like Netflix for example.
Official OPPO UDP-203 Owner's Thread | 12-12-2016

Warm Holiday Wishes,
 

YashN

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The stuttering thing, plus occasional audio and picture dropouts, plus the fps (frame per second) issue when playing regular Blu-rays @ 1080p and when set @ 24fps, plus the drive's high speed mechanism and noise, ...were all discussed in the official UDP-203 owner's thread. Oppo is on it and fixes are supposed to be implemented eventually through firmware updates. It's all in "Beta" testing mode right now.

This is quite bad for Oppo: it will cause a lot of frustrations to customers during that holiday period. IMO it would have been better to release later than earlier as the impact on Brand image is quite high.

Hopefully the firmware updates come fast and are beyond reproach.

Samsung wasn't without its issues but at least they were first, so a certain amount of risk is involved getting one of those. Our first player developed an issue after a while - it wouldn't turn on properly, image distorted even after hard resets. Best Buy replaced it. This one is working fine so far.
 

NorthStar

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BR UHD is great. BD 66 is bigger than BD 50. Dolby Atmos is exclusive to BR 4K (for some studios). BR 3D is only 2K.
Last year we saw Samsung, Panasonic and Philips (UK) UHD/4K BR players. Now Oppo just joined in.

4K picture looks much better than 1080p (2K) pictures, from most BR 4K discs.
 

audioguy

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4K picture looks much better than 1080p (2K) pictures, from most BR 4K discs.

It all depends. JUST a 4K source like something you get from DirecTV (no HDR, no expanded color, etc) compared to an up converted 2K image is not much if any improvement based upon what I have seen. My Sony 600ES (now gone) unconverted all BR sources to 4K and they looked stunning. The projector or TV's ability also plays a huge roll in any obvious differences. The upside begins with the addition of HDR, expanded color, etc. And quite frankly, those differences are only super obvious on a very high end OLED TV. I have yet to see a projector, even the $60,000 Sony, that blows me away on the differences between 4K and BR.

Because I'm an [strike]addict[/strike] active hobbyist, I, of course, have already jumped on the 4K bandwagon BUT the differences between great BR and even the best 4K image I have seen pale in comparisons to the differences between DVD and Blu Ray.

All of that said, audiophiles will pay a HUGE amount of money to get much smaller improvements than the differences between BR and 4K .....so it is all relative.

I am sure there are those who will see it differently than I do but ............

And, FWIW, I will spend FAR more time, money and energy working on subtle (or not so subtle) improvements in audio than I would ever consider doing for video. Or said another way, a video image that is not perfectly calibrated bothers me far, far less than an audio system that is as equally "uncalibrated". FAR less!!
 

NorthStar

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Merry Christmas!
______

Oppo UDP-203 4K/UHD/HDR BR player (Dolby Vision in a future firmware update):

"With 4:2:2 you can select which Color Depth you want to use -- UP TO 12b. You aren't stuck at 12b. 12b is just the upper limit.

You can do the same with 4:4:4 for /24 content (such as UHD disc movies). But for /60 content (live concerts on regular Blu-ray or SD-DVD's upscaled without DVD 24p Conversion) the HDMI spec won't allow 4K/60 4:4:4 higher than 8b. 10b and 12b require too high bandwidth for the HDMI spec.

You can also use 4:2:0 -- up to 12b -- but the HDMI timing specs only allow 4:2:0 for 4K/50 and 4k/60. It isn't legal for any other Resolution/Frame-rate combo. If you try to force 4:2:0 (at any bit depth) for 4K/24 output, or 1080p/60 output, or anything other than 4K/50 or 4K/60, the player will use 4:2:2 instead, since it can't put out a legal HDMI signal with 4:2:0.

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Some basics here:

4:4:4 is jargon that means every pixel has its own, individual color data as well as its brightness data (gray scale).

4:2:2 means color information is present only half as often horizontally as brightness information. With 3 components to the data: Y for luminance (brightness) and Cb and Cr for how to color that brightness. This means the data along a given line goes Y, Cb, Y, Cr, Y, Cb, Y, Cr, etc.

4:2:0 means color information is present only half as often as brightness information *BOTH* horizontally and vertically. This is the format the data is stored on the disc, because it takes less space to store each image. This WORKS because the human eye is far less sensitive to resolution in colors than in gray scale.

4:2:0 is used for SD-DVD, Blu-ray, and now UHD.

But if you think about it, every pixel on the display needs its own color before it can light up! That means before the pixels light up the 4:2:0 coming off the disc has to be raised to 4:4:4. This process -- called Color Upsampling -- happens vertically to go from 4:2:0 to 4:2:2 and horizontally to go from 4:2:2 to 4:4:4. Think of it as a special type of upscaling -- except just for colors! The colors for a given pixel are established by using math on the color values found in the data near that pixel.

So do you want the player to do those two stages of Color Upsampling, or do you want the TV to do it? It's your choice. But it's going to happen one way or another, because every pixel has to have its own color before it can light up: 4:4:4.

(RGB, by the way, is always 4:4:4, in the sense that every pixel gets its own R, G, and B, values which define both its brightness and its color.)

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

Three components per pixel -- either Y, Cb, and Cr, or R, G, and B. The Color Depth is the number of bits used for each component. So Color Depth 12-bits means 36 bits total per pixel.

But if you send YCbCr 4:2:2 or 4:2:0 over the HDMI cable, the color components aren't being transmitted as often as the luminance (Y) components. So 4K/24 4:2:2 12b is lower bandwidth on the HDMI cable than 4K/24 4:4:4 12b. And 4K/24 4:2:0 12b is lower still!

If you don't mind the display doing the Color Upsampling, sending 4:2:0 or 4:2:2 would be the natural choice because that means less bandwidth on the HDM cable and thus less chance of HDMI signal problems.

But it is possible to SCREW UP Color Upsampling. If the player does it right and the TV does it wrong (in some cases) you'd want the player to do it.

Since we are talking about bugs here, there's little logic to it -- little ability to predict what will happen. You can just try it and SEE if things look better with the player down the Color Upsampling.

If not, send the lower bandwidth format (fewer HDMI problems) and let the TV do the Color Upsampling.

As an added complication, not all TVs will accept all formats. The Player will sort this out during the HDMI handshake -- sending a legal signal that the TV says it can accept -- trying to stay as close as possible to what you TOLD the player to send out. And you can use the on-screen Info displays from the Player to see what's actually happening -- what's actually being sent to the TV.

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

Then there's Color Depth. SD-DVD and Blu-ray are on disc as 8b. Current UHD discs -- which use HDR-10 for their HDR -- use 10b.

So why use 12b? Where would the extra bits COME FROM? Well where they come from is ROUNDING in the video processing. As such the real difference in 12b vs 10b *SHOULD* be subtle. But now we are back to bugs. Some displays will handle 12b better than 10b -- just a characteristic of how they process video. Other displays will receive 12b and immediately strip off the low order bits turning it into 10b. For those displays, sending 12b is a waste of bandwidth.

Confused yet? Then I suggest you start with the AUTO settings for Resolution, Color Space and Color Depth then, until you have time to experiment and see if you find reason to prefer something different."
--Bob Pariseau

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/149-b...po-udp-203-owner-s-thread-9.html#post48923953
______

Bob Pariseau is the Oppo Beta guru man. ...Also the Anthem guy, Canada. ...French (last name).
Everyone's setup and gear is different, it is important to follow Bob's advice. And if some issues remain, Oppo will release firmware updates/upgrades with the fixes. The thread over @ AVS has some great info for everyone; I have very high confidence on Oppo's support. I wouldn't sweat the small stuff.
______

* Bonus (just for fun): Emotiva to Debut RMC-1 ? 7.3.6-Channel AV Pre/Pro with Atmos and DTS:X at CES 2017

If and whenever it starts to fly, I will keep track and report in its dedicated Emotiva pre/pro forum's section.
But today is Christmas, and this just came out. :b
 

YashN

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It all depends. JUST a 4K source like something you get from DirecTV (no HDR, no expanded color, etc) compared to an up converted 2K image is not much if any improvement based upon what I have seen.

You must be sitting quite far from the screen if that's the case.

Just the resolution bump is quite a huge difference. We sit close.


And quite frankly, those differences are only super obvious on a very high end OLED TV.

The black levels are real with an OLED, it is quite stunning, actually even a 1080p OLED looks stunning, but 4K is where it's at, together with the other enhancements.

And, FWIW, I will spend FAR more time, money and energy working on subtle (or not so subtle) improvements in audio than I would ever consider doing for video. Or said another way, a video image that is not perfectly calibrated bothers me far, far less than an audio system that is as equally "uncalibrated". FAR less!!

It used to bother me far less as well, until I spent time calibrating my girlfriend's Sony HDTV.

Consequently, I try to take as much care of my picture quality and sort of became a videophile.

With just the resolution bump here, actual 4K material makes me wonder why we still watch in BR.

For now, there are not enough titles, and they're not coming fast enough. I have a small collection of them.

This Xmas, we may watch our Ultra-HD copy of Risen.
 

audioguy

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After reading all of the posts on AVS on both the 205 and my JVC projector, it would seem that (a) the 205 was released well before it should have been and (b) 4K is also not quite ready for prime time - at the very least it is not plug-n-play.

With regular BR, I put the disc in the player and watch it. There are sooooooooo many combinations and permutations of setting on the two components to get the most accurate 4K image (assuming you get an image at all), that at this time, I will just watch regular BR until all of this stuff gets figured out. I have no interest in being a Beta tester for 4K and the Oppo 205, which I am considering returning - which I have yet to even plug in!!!

Very frustrating.
 

NorthStar

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Oppo 203 and all that future jazz ...

Knowledge Base | Oppo UDP-203

Happy New Year Chuck!

You are referring to the 203. The 205 will be released around Spring 2017, according to the "town talk".

I am reading and learning extensively about UHD, and I appreciate the good info from people like Bob, Bill and John...@ AVS and other sites.
The Oppo 203 is a "trampoline" right now for me, way of speech, about learning. I agree with you that it needs several fixes.
I also agree with you about UHD not being a simple affair of plug&play. ...In particular to 4K front projector's owners...like you.

I will keep track of the latest and ask some questions. Then I'll share my best findings right here.

So far I would say to most people; wait till you decide to purchase the Oppo UDP-203 UHD/4k Blu-ray player.
It is simply not ready for the masses...certainly not yet.

- Sony will come up with their own UHD BR player in 2017. And Panasonic has one already, it was on sale for the last couple weeks, for $599 (only $50 more than the Oppo 203). And from what I've read it has virtually no serious issues delivering a high def picture and high res audio, when released in North America. And I bet Panasonic is working on their second generation UHD BR player...for 2017. I'm interested on a working player, from the 'bath'. I do have a slight bias, towards Oppo. Because it's also a Universal player (SACD and DVD-Audio...stereo and multichannel).

The 203 loses its HDCD decoder (bummer), it also loses its front panel HDMI input (bummer), and there is no app (bummer).
But! It is a UHD BR player; just not ready yet for everyone. ...And Darbee might come up with a solution for UHD and for the people from the masses; a future possibility.
{The Oppo 203 also has version 3.0 this time around from its two rear USB ports, but not the front one...bummer.}

* I fully understand that today every piece of audio/video electronics we buy will become obsolete real quick (from 6 to 24 months). And firmware updates are an integral part of this audio/video world. We are all contributing together; manufacturers, customers (owners and next owners) on an equal footing towards tomorrow's world...ours. ...Designers, programmers, feedback operators, learners, sellers, buyers, investigators, ...all in the rotating chain of entertainment's consumption, distribution, innovation, applications, improvements, working force, economic stimulus, evolution, humanization, computerization, robotization.

The best is yet to come...
 
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BlueFox

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I'm liking my 203. Other than some stuttering on the UHD 4K Lucy Blue Ray, and some occasional irrelevant error messages, it is working fine. I even started watching Westworld, which a friend recorded on a DVD via analogue outputs, and it too looks great.
 

NorthStar

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Bud, you have few 4K Blu-ray movie titles?

Happy New Year!
_______

By the way, I love 'Lucy' on Blu. It's a misunderstood little gem of a flick directed by a great filmmaker, a Frenchman, Luc Besson.
...Pure eye candy entertainment. ...And with a top actress to boot, Scarlett Johansson (she is @ the very top of the Hollywood ladder).
...Plus Morgan Freeman.

Things should improved in 2017, prices should come down, Disney is a good investment (buy their stocks), and UHD should find a wider clientele...connections.
The Oppo 203 can only get better.
_______

* Bonus: • http://www.darbeevision.com/4k-samples
http://hometheaterhifi.com/press-re...ual-presence-image-processing-demonstrations/
http://www.ingearpr.com/DarbeeVision/160614.html
http://www.ingearpr.com/DarbeeVision/160616.html
 

BlueFox

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Lucy, Mad Max Fury Road, Oblivion, so far, and all look great. Mad Max especially since that is a psychotic movie to begin with. Chappie arrives tomorrow, and this will be my first 4K UHD movie I have not already seen.
 

NorthStar

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'Lucy' is also pretty far out. 'Oblivion' is very cool as well; and again...with Morgan Freeman. ...And Tom is an "Illuminati"; that too is pretty far out.
As for 'Mad Max' ... both Mel Gibson and Tom Hardy are real life characters. Charlize's a feast for the eyes.

2017 is a good year to be alive, with more "psychotic" flicks comin' up.
Of those three you just mentioned; 'Mad Max: FR' is awesome in (((3D))), and also awesome from the Black & Chrome Edition. Those they don't make in 4K.

'Chappie'? You like psychotic; fully delivered on a gold platter. :D
_______

* Extra bonus: http://smyth-research.com/downloads/Realiser A16 new datasheet.pdf
 
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