OPPO UDP-203 4K ULTRA HD PLAYER OWNERS THREAD

T
I raised this back in 2018 on the US forum (when I had a Sony TV) and the only solution then was to turn on the TV and use Display off if you don't want it on for long periods.

Official OPPO UDP-203 Owner's Thread

Maybe it is possible to turn off HDMI CEC (Bravia something?) and / or ARC on new Sony's?
Found that solution mate, and yes, it works perfectly well. However I really don't want to have to turn the TV on while plying a CD. :( The problem is not there during DVD or BR playback, no sticking discs causing picture and/or sound issues, all perfectly good.
 
Hi there!

I will try to help, by letting you know what I would do in your place, if I would had such issue as you described and will just rely on what you described in all your posts> first and others but especially the one that you mentioned you use an coax digital S/PDIF connection, which in my view has nothing to do with the HDMI, other than "electrical" connection together of all involved equipment.

Therefore, I would FIRSTLY disconnect EVERYTHING from EVERY SINGLE equipment!
Then, I would only connect the Oppo with the coax digital to the amplification device and test out. I would certainly test out with another coax digital cable, maybe a better one, or at least shorter (1-1,5-2 meters max).
At the same time, when I would connect Oppo and amplification (I presume is an AVR, right?), I would be very careful to have both connected to the same power outlet/circuit and with the same polarity (otherwise, switch the plug in the power socket). Would be also helpful to have a mains tester,so that you know which one is the "hot" pin of the power outlet, especially if you have more than one outlet circuits serving different equipment. Usually this can be the case, the difference of potential between poorly designed power sources in various equipment (I would dare to say NOT Oppo, but who know, you might have also a defective power source in yours).

Then, connects all, one by one, while you are still playing the sources that previously produced issues and frustration. Of course, before each re-connection check the aforementioned power polarity and if possible use just one circuit for all, and after each re-connection, wait a little (while still playing) so that you can see if the issue comes back or not. And if it come, you'll know which new "element" is making it by adding the respective equipment to the whole/chain.

Hope this helps!

EDIT: now I realized - are you in UK? cause if you are, you should have specific power plugs and outlets that prevent you to connect with different polarity, therefore, just mind about using the same power/electrical circuit (in the home)
Thanks again. Yes I am in the UK so can't change polarity. Everything is plugged into a surge protection device and coming from the same outlet. I figured I would pull the coax lead and try it through an optical lead and see if the problem is still there.
 
T

Found that solution mate, and yes, it works perfectly well. However I really don't want to have to turn the TV on while plying a CD. :( The problem is not there during DVD or BR playback, no sticking discs causing picture and/or sound issues, all perfectly good.
When you play BD's and DVD's, you use different "connection chain" than when you use coaxial digital (S/PDIF). The only thing that is always present is the power/current which is used in all equipment.
 
Thanks again. Yes I am in the UK so can't change polarity. Everything is plugged into a surge protection device and coming from the same outlet. I figured I would pull the coax lead and try it through an optical lead and see if the problem is still there.
Trying with an optical cable might be better, although if I recall correctly the optical connection is a little lower in "capabilities" than the coaxial one, but I think is really relevant when you'll play something higher quality/resolution, like an SACD or BD-A, but then again, you would be better using an HDMI connection.
Right, why is that you use that coaxial/optical connection? Can't you also use HDMI? Or your amplification does not have such connections?
 
Trying with an optical cable might be better, although if I recall correctly the optical connection is a little lower in "capabilities" than the coaxial one, but I think is really relevant when you'll play something higher quality/resolution, like an SACD or BD-A, but then again, you would be better using an HDMI connection.
Right, why is that you use that coaxial/optical connection? Can't you also use HDMI? Or your amplification does not have such connections?
Amp pre-dates HDMI. The main reason for using a coax was simply so the wife could switch the amp to CD for music playback and DVD for movie playback without having to change the processing. Amp is set to "Pure Direct" for CD's and "THX home cinema" for movies.
 
Amp pre-dates HDMI. The main reason for using a coax was simply so the wife could switch the amp to CD for music playback and DVD for movie playback without having to change the processing. Amp is set to "Pure Direct" for CD's and "THX home cinema" for movies.
So your "chain" is:
Audio Digital - Oppo =via-digital=> amp
Video - Oppo => TV
But how it is for your audio part of the video? You only listen to the TV speakers in this case?
 
CD playback is Oppo-coax-amp as you say
DVD/BR is Oppo-TV via HDMI if not bothering with 5.1
OR
Oppo-Tv for video AND Oppo-analogue cables, (6 in total),-amp for sound.
Make sense?

In other news I've pulled everything else as advised and am getting the same issues. So pulled the coax and used an optical interconnect. Issue is still there.

Personally I think it is an issue between the Oppo and the Sony. Either there is a setting in one, or both, that needs tweeking or it is a software issue within the Sony.
 
CD playback is Oppo-coax-amp as you say
DVD/BR is Oppo-TV via HDMI if not bothering with 5.1
OR
Oppo-Tv for video AND Oppo-analogue cables, (6 in total),-amp for sound.
Make sense?

In other news I've pulled everything else as advised and am getting the same issues. So pulled the coax and used an optical interconnect. Issue is still there.

Personally I think it is an issue between the Oppo and the Sony. Either there is a setting in one, or both, that needs tweeking or it is a software issue within the Sony.
I could also suggest a factory default of the Oppo (sometimes seemed to do wonders).
Otherwise, I would suspect your amplification doesn't really get along with the Oppo or with the "new age" equipment.
 
I can try a reset on the Oppo although I'll have to take a look in the manual to find out how.

The amplifier hasn't been an issue and I don't think it is now to be honest. I understand that in electronic terms the amp is an antique, and electronic devices do fail of course! However it does everything I want of it, has enough power to make your ears bleed and to my ears sounds great. I might try running a CD through the analogue cables to see if that makes any difference.
 
You can do so by going to the Setup Menu / Device Setup / Reset Factory Defaults. Re-enter your customized settings as necessary after resetting.

Or save them to usb before resetting.
 
Thanks fella.
 
This is a long-standing problem with certain TVs and the 203. When the TV is in Standby, the HDMI port remains active to a certain extent and the 203 tries to perform a HDMI handshake with it. When this happens, the 203 mutes its audio outputs. The only way around this appears to be to turn on the TV (and then possibly invoke the menu item that most TVs have that allows you to turn off the screen whilst leaving the TV on) or disconnect the HDMI by physically removing it from the TV or breaking the connection by using something like a HDMI switch.
 
CD playback is Oppo-coax-amp as you say
For testing purposes...

I suggest you avoid using any of your devices analogue RCA/phono connections and coaxial SPDIF connections to your AVR. This is because the cables shielding will link the devices together which is not helpful if one or more of your devices has developed an earth leak/grounding issue. Connect using your devices 'optical' SPDIF instead.
 
This is a long-standing problem with certain TVs and the 203. When the TV is in Standby, the HDMI port remains active to a certain extent and the 203 tries to perform a HDMI handshake with it. When this happens, the 203 mutes its audio outputs. The only way around this appears to be to turn on the TV (and then possibly invoke the menu item that most TVs have that allows you to turn off the screen whilst leaving the TV on) or disconnect the HDMI by physically removing it from the TV or breaking the connection by using something like a HDMI switch.
Thanks for this Steve, pretty much confirms my suspicions that it's not a cable but a FW issue within the TV. I've turned off everything I can find within the TV settings menu and also turned off the HDMI CEC on the 203 but the issue is still occurring. Pulling the cable is a bit of a non starter due to the positioning of the components, may look into a switch but the bloody software engineers need to pull their finger out! Loving the TV overall but this "glitch" is a pita. First world problems eh? :D
 
For testing purposes...

I suggest you avoid using any of your devices analogue RCA/phono connections and coaxial SPDIF connections to your AVR. This is because the cables shielding will link the devices together which is not helpful if one or more of your devices has developed an earth leak/grounding issue. Connect using your devices 'optical' SPDIF instead.
I think I've already done this fella. I've pulled out everything connected to the amp and only connected the 203 with an optical SPDIF and the problem is still there....unless i pull the HDMI cable to the TV as well and then it stops, but it stops regardless of if I use optical or coax.
 
Do you have another TV with an HDMI input you could try?
 
Yes bud, the Pioneer that was replaced with the Sony. This was connected in exactly the same way and there were no problems with any kind of playback.
 
I can try a reset on the Oppo although I'll have to take a look in the manual to find out how.

The amplifier hasn't been an issue and I don't think it is now to be honest. I understand that in electronic terms the amp is an antique, and electronic devices do fail of course! However it does everything I want of it, has enough power to make your ears bleed and to my ears sounds great. I might try running a CD through the analogue cables to see if that makes any difference.
I could say that older electronics, have to suffer on the power supplies especially, since there are the capacitors that, in time, get older and "drain" their "juice", which leads to similar drops and noises, but at this time, I also think we can say we quite got it all covered, and it is clear that the TV is the culprit.
Thanks for this Steve, pretty much confirms my suspicions that it's not a cable but a FW issue within the TV. I've turned off everything I can find within the TV settings menu and also turned off the HDMI CEC on the 203 but the issue is still occurring. Pulling the cable is a bit of a non starter due to the positioning of the components, may look into a switch but the bloody software engineers need to pull their finger out! Loving the TV overall but this "glitch" is a pita. First world problems eh? :D
I could also suggest to get something like this
View attachment 1466786 https://external-content.duckduckgo...-Socket-with-Individual-Switch.jpg&f=1&nofb=1
and just power down the TV when not used.
I do this with ALL my equipment overnight and when not used, including the Internet router and provider equipment.
 
Yes bud, the Pioneer that was replaced with the Sony. This was connected in exactly the same way and there were no problems with any kind of playback.
Besides the Pioneer, do you have another TV with HDMI (however small). The more TV's you try, the more confident you'll be that the issue is with the Sony and not your other gear ;)
 
Ah, no. I have no other to try.
 
@vm1451 I have just the thing for your problem, a remote controlled mains socket, you can just switch the TV off when listening to music and back on when you have finished, that should alleviate your issue, you can buy them from Amazon for around £20. I hope my idea is helpful.
 
Hello,

im having issues making my oppo 203 play dvd copies through usb. With the help of bdmv modifer i was able to get blurya and 4k to work. I searched through here and saw some seemed, i think, to claim it plays the dvd iso fine. I could be mistaken. This approach, dvdfab copy and trying the modifer on dvd copies havnt worked. Is it possible? I thouht I had it working in the past but cant remember.

any help appreciated.
 
I searched through here and saw some seemed, i think, to claim it plays the dvd iso fine. I could be mistaken.
The OPPO UDP-20x players have never been able to play DVD.iso (or BRD.iso) files using official firmware releases.

Personally, I back-up my 'movie' DVD discs into the .mkv container...
 
So there is no modifier that will allow you to get the rip to get menus and extras just a mkv video file then? (Or extras as individual files)
 
So there is no modifier that will allow you to get the rip to get menus and extras just a mkv video file then? (Or extras as individual files)
WinXDVD will allow you to do that using the "Full title backup" profile and then you can take the resulting mp4 file and convert to mkv easily enough with ffmpeg. I've done this with quite a few of my DVDs and the resulting files play perfectly on my stock Oppo 203.
 

The latest video from AVForums

TV Buying Guide - Which TV Is Best For You?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom