No front display on many 4K players

Racquel Darrian

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Why isn't there front displays on a lot of 4K players?
Even expensive models, like the Sony 800, doesn't have one.

I think it's a bit odd TBH.
 
Why, what does it offer? It's easier to see the menus on screen. It's also a cost cutting by the manufactures.
 
I really like the simplicity of a very simple display, less of a distraction too
 
I have this player and find it no hardship at all on screen display is fine and it is a great player
 
Why isn't there front displays on a lot of 4K players?
Even expensive models, like the Sony 800, doesn't have one.

I think it's a bit odd TBH.

I agree - I like the front display, I find it odd not having it on a stand-alone player. Also, if you don’t have that display and you’re watching with someone else I find it can be a bit distracting if you take up the screen with the playback info for a few seconds. Each to their own I guess!
 
I tend to watch the movie, not the display.
However, it' a pain when playing a music CD.
 
I agree - I like the front display, I find it odd not having it on a stand-alone player. Also, if you don’t have that display and you’re watching with someone else I find it can be a bit distracting if you take up the screen with the playback info for a few seconds. Each to their own I guess!
Yes it is useful to see a display without having to reach for the remote and press an onscreen button. I like the display on the Oppo 203 which is reversible to show time remaining on a movie as opposed to the more normal time elapsed. This sort of thing has started to appear on media streamers as well from the likes of Egreat and Zidoo.
 
I wouldn't be without a front display.

The top of the range Panasonic has it and so does one of the Samsungs iirc although I think the Samsung just shows 'PLAY'.

In standard Blu-ray, all of the Funai clones (Pioneer, Onkyo, Yamaha) have one and so do the UDP Sony and higher end Panasonics.

Main reason players don't have it = cost cutting to keep prices low as demanded by the declining disc market. Same reason they are often fully plastic too (yuck).
 
My UB700 has a display and it has a piece of black electricians tape on the front flap to hide the display from view. Player is too far away to read the display and it is annoying seeing its light when watching in a blacked out room (can be dimmed but not turned off). It can keep it's chirpy Welcome, Please Wait, and Goodbye messages to itself as far as I'm concerned.

Main reason players don't have it = cost cutting to keep prices low as demanded by the declining disc market. Same reason they are often fully plastic too (yuck).
Mainly plastic yes, fully no. All have a metal frame below the outer plastic casing AFAIK.
 
Cant see the point of a front display on players anymore. Used to always want one but since having one without I’m not missing it.
 
Some will find it useful, some will not, but is there a high end player (+£500) that does not have a front display?
 
My UB700 has a display and it has a piece of black electricians tape on the front flap to hide the display from view. Player is too far away to read the display and it is annoying seeing its light when watching in a blacked out room (can be dimmed but not turned off). It can keep it's chirpy Welcome, Please Wait, and Goodbye messages to itself as far as I'm concerned.


Mainly plastic yes, fully no. All have a metal frame below the outer plastic casing AFAIK.

My UB700 display is off. You can set this up in the High Clarity Sound Menu. From the manual:-

Settings for High Clarity Sound

Set a terminal that will stop processing audio
signals or whether or not to turn on/off the unit’s display when “High Clarity Sound” (> 28) is set to “On (Video Off)” or “On (Video On)”


It will still show when you power it on/off but it turns off when you play a disc.
 
Last edited:
My UB700 display is off. You can set this up in the High Clarity Sound Menu. From the manual:-

Settings for High Clarity Sound

Set a terminal that will stop processing audio
signals or whether or not to turn on/off the unit’s display when “High Clarity Sound” (> 28) is set to “On (Video Off)” or “On (Video On)”
Thanks
Although I think I prefer the flexibility of my black tape 'mod' which lets me hide the display when playing movies but reveal the display when playing CDs (by opening the flap). OK constant menu changes will do the same thing but a little bit more of a hassle doing so.
 
Thanks
Although I think I prefer the flexibility of my black tape 'mod' which lets me hide the display when playing movies but reveal the display when playing CDs (by opening the flap). OK constant menu changes will do the same thing but a little bit more of a hassle doing so.

Tape is handy. :)

If you happen to have a UB900 remote it can be switched on/off using the High Clarity Sound button. Shame the UB700 remote doesn't have the same.
 
If you happen to have a UB900 remote it can be switched on/off using the High Clarity Sound button. Shame the UB700 remote doesn't have the same.
Thanks. As I have a Hamony and my UB700 is setup as a UB900, it's something I'll give a go.

Although using the High Clarity Sound route won't hide the attempts of my UB700 to be friends with me with it's chirpy messages. I can't stop my polite reply to it when it says Goodbye. "And goodbye and goodnight to you too" :)
 
I refuse to buy a player without a display. All my players going back years all have front displays. The few players I have without a display, I got for free.
 

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