Oppo BDP-83 Owners Thread - All regions Part 2

[kingfats]

Region free details. (mod kit or buy player)

Region free mod kit instructions.

Region free firmware download.

*It's based on the beta 601 version but only upgrades the main firmware, so make sure you've already upgraded fully (all 3 parts) with the 601 from the Oppo site first, then copy just this file down a "UPG" folder and load it in the normal way*

*The Blu-ray region is switched by entering a 4 digit code while on the setup menu. So just press setup on remote once so the menu appears then hit:

7891 : Region A and region free DVD
7892 : Region B and region free DVD
7893 : Region C and region free DVD

The setting is saved when the player is switched off, as with any other option*


FAQ's. (excellent for info)
Online manual.
Official site,specs,firmware.
Close up pics of the players motherboard,chips etc.
Nics first impressions of the player.Another user review. (updated)
Video setup guide and player features.

Pro-reviews.
Secrets of Home Theater.
Audioholics.
Audio/Video revolution.
About.com.
Home Theater Magazine.
Ultimate AV.
High-Def Digest.

Hidden features.
Pressing Eject on the remote will power on the player and eject the tray.
If you press and hold the Setup button on the remote you will get the Picture Adjustment menu directly.
For DVD the Top Menu remote button is the same as TITLE, and the Popup Menu remote button is the same as the MENU function on DVD remotes. (Not all discs use both functions).
When playing DVD (not Blu-ray), pressing the YELLOW button on the remote will take you to chapter 1 of the longest title on the disc. You can use this during startup to skip the introductory material.
When playing DVD, the BLUE button performs the random/shuffle cycle for titles and chapters, just as with media files and audio tracks.
JACKET_P images on DVD are supported. JACKET_P is optional cover art that displays when a disc is stopped.
With mp3 files, the browser will display ID3v2 tags, including "PIC" cover art images.
CD-Text is shown on the On Screen Display: album name, artist and track title.
You can play AVCHD. See Is AVCHD video supported?
You can get Slow playback in forward and reverse by pressing Pause and then using the right and left arrow buttons. The speed steps are 1/16, 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2.


My findings with the player.
Packaging.
Build quality and player size comparison.
Load times.Player operation and features.
Audio settings.83 remote turning on your other Oppo kit as well? click here.
BDP-83 as a DVD player.
SD and HD processing.
BDP-83 as a CD player.
BDP-83 compared to the Sony 5000ES and Pioneer LX91.

BDP-83 vs the Denon 3800 BD player. (willharris10)

BDP-83 vs Arcam DV139 SACD/DVD-A. (sapper)

[Ian_S]

This is now the thread for all Oppo BD player discussion.

Previous threads can be found here:

Oppo BDP-83 Owners Thread - All regions

Oppo BDP-83 REGION FREE Thread

Oppo BDP-83 Region A Owners Thread

Oppo BDP-83 Universal Player Discussion Pt. II

Oppo BDP-83 BD/DVD/SACD player discussion thread

[gctwnl]

After a longer period (two months or so), I decided today to see if there were any changes regarding the availability of the Oppo BR player in Europe. I clicked the link I saved, but the page turns up 404 (not found) and the BR player is nowhere to be seen on the site.

So, what is up?

[sapper]

Originally Posted by pressure

Thank you all for your informative replies. So if I can brutallly summarise the comments it sounds like the oppo is a strong challenger to many high end machines most of the time, equalling £4k players in many regards, with nth degree of analogue performance being the discriminating factor. But equally, any cheap blu ray player for blu ray over HDmi will be close - if not identical - to the oppo or the £4k players.

For sd upscaling, it sounds like performance is very good, up there with any player / processor at any price - albeit wiiith the sig ificant caveat that it won't beat everything on every test, nor will it satisfy every subjctive preference for all programme material.

Speed of performance and ergonomics sound like they're the equal of anyhing out there, which is a big deal for many but not all. So the major has a point - if you have a decent DVD player and a fast blu ray player (ps3) then you won't gain much.

So is it a true, 100% world beater - better thananything? No. But, it sounds like it's close enough tothat status, for most but not all people, that few would miss anything compared to cost no object players. Multiple channel analogue being the main application where the high end wins.

None of which will change the mind of people who don't feel the ned for it. Quite right too. But it does to me reinforce the impressioN that this is pretty much a high end product at a knock down price.

Just give me the DVD and blu ray performance wihout the sacd for <£300 please!!!

Saw this in another thread, and thought it was a good summary of the pros/cons of the oppo.

Adrian

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by gctwnl

After a longer period (two months or so), I decided today to see if there were any changes regarding the availability of the Oppo BR player in Europe. I clicked the link I saved, but the page turns up 404 (not found) and the BR player is nowhere to be seen on the site.

So, what is up?

Still awaiting news i'm afraid gctwnl supposed to be out near the end of this August?

[Bald Monkey]

Originally Posted by kingfats

Still awaiting news i'm afraid gctwnl supposed to be out near the end of this August?

But do we even know what is coming out?? Once we get that sorted we can worry about when

A little feature I really like about the Oppo, which isn't often mentioned is the dimmer on the front display. Can't say it's unique but I've never seen it before With the display turned off so all that is lit is the green/red power indicator, when you press a button on the remote the display lights up to indicate what it's doing then goes blank again... nice feature IMHO so it's still simple to opperate but with out the display lighting up the room all the time... just a nice little touch

[AndrewH13]

Originally Posted by Bald Monkey

But do we even know what is coming out?? Once we get that sorted we can worry about when

As I posted in the other Oppo thread, their European branch are not even sure yet!

Thank goodness for Sir Henry!

[Andy Leitch]

Originally Posted by Bald Monkey

A little feature I really like about the Oppo, which isn't often mentioned is the dimmer on the front display. Can't say it's unique but I've never seen it before With the display turned off so all that is lit is the green/red power indicator,

My 83 has a blue/red power indicator. Does that mean different revisions are out in the wild?

[gctwnl]

Originally Posted by AndrewH13

As I posted in the other Oppo thread, their European branch are not even sure yet!

Given that they actively removed anything about the BDP-83 from their site they are moving in the opposite (no pun intended) direction than what people here would like, I think.

Originally Posted by AndrewH13

Thank goodness for Sir Henry!

Ummm. Alternative channel for a US version? But what about European standards (e.g. PAL)?

[Cooney]

Originally Posted by Bald Monkey

But do we even know what is coming out?? Once we get that sorted we can worry about when

A little feature I really like about the Oppo, which isn't often mentioned is the dimmer on the front display. Can't say it's unique but I've never seen it before With the display turned off so all that is lit is the green/red power indicator, when you press a button on the remote the display lights up to indicate what it's doing then goes blank again... nice feature IMHO so it's still simple to opperate but with out the display lighting up the room all the time... just a nice little touch

Yep. I am looking forward to this feature too. I have my Denon 2808 amp set up in a similar manner - see the display for a few moments only when you need to.

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by gctwnl

Ummm. Alternative channel for a US version? But what about European standards (e.g. PAL)?

Universal voltage,comes with UK plug and plays PAL.
Sorry if i read your post wrong.

[mikelj]

As my amp is rather old, I've been making use of the DTS re-encode since I purchased the '83. I didn't think anything of mentioning that PCM is also re-encoded to DTS as it was stated in the tables in the lastest online manual (never looked at the paper copy!).

Another point that may be worth mentioning; it appears that 96KHz sampling can also be selected for the DTS re-encode. My amp doesn't support DTS 96/24 (really showing it's age now), I wondered if someone could test/confirm this.

[kingfats]

Originally Posted by mikelj

As my amp is rather old, I've been making use of the DTS re-encode since I purchased the '83. I didn't think anything of mentioning that PCM is also re-encoded to DTS as it was stated in the tables in the lastest online manual (never looked at the paper copy!).

Another point that may be worth mentioning; it appears that 96KHz sampling can also be selected for the DTS re-encode. My amp doesn't support DTS 96/24 (really showing it's age now), I wondered if someone could test/confirm this.

I'll give it a test mike.
When i first got the Oppo and tried out coaxial the PCM track remained as 2 ch but now (as you know) DTS Re-encode can be used on this track as well so it's a BIG plus for SPDIF only users.

[mikelj]

Originally Posted by kingfats

I'll give it a test mike.
When i first got the Oppo and tried out coaxial the PCM track remained as 2 ch but now (as you know) DTS Re-encode can be used on this track as well so it's a BIG plus for SPDIF only users.

Yep, definately recommend the DTS re-encode if HD audio isn't possible

[sapper]

I need to connect my oppo via optical/SPDIF ( and two channel as well!)

Adrian