Sampinto89
Standard Member
I wanted to post a firsthand review of the Zidoo UHD2000 for anyone who is interested in it as media player. I noticed that there is not much discussion surrounding the UHD2000 even though it comes with a newer chip, but priced lower than the Zappiti pro. I also want to declare that I am not associated with Zidoo in any way... I only bought the player through their website with my fingers crossed hoping that it’s not a $900 disaster. The UHD2000 is being compared directly to the Zidoo Z9S and the Zappiti DUO 4k HDR which I owned.
Customer Service
I think Zidoo deserves an A+ for their honesty and customer service from way across the globe. The first player was delivered in 3days from Hong Kong through DHL (even with the discount on their website). However, the first player had some issues (which I will describe below), and I sent Doris (Zidoo sales Rep) some pictures about the issues. She knew exactly what the problem was (the HDMI board). She offered to have a board sent out right away, but I let her know that upon looking at the machine closely, it’s too complicated for me. Literally, the UHD2000 is so well put together that I was like “Nope, not gonna even try this one”. However, if you are hardware capable, they will provide you with videos, etc. to help along the way.
So, to cut the story short, she said “No problem!”, and shipped me another UHD2000 right away even before receiving the first. I was surprised as to how smooth Zidoo wanted my experience to be. After providing the tracking, I waited for a few days without any movement... I kind of got a little frustrated (first came in 3days), but she kept me informed that it would be out as soon as possible. And a week later, the new player was here and it has been the best player I have personally used in my system.
So, I thank Zidoo for their part... and mainly Doris, for her patience and customer service. She is the real MVP in this regard!
Back to the UHD2000
Build Quality
I think it’s fair to say that a few years ago, Oppo had the player crown hands down (except may be Panasonic?) ... Oppo just had it, and everyone was bombed-out when they decided to stop making players. In the dedicated media player market (not streamers), the only real players I know of with a reputation to boot are Zappiti (pretty much Zidoo with a great software), Zidoo, and Dune. I think Zidoo does want to be the next Oppo when it comes to media players which is not a bad thing; it's good for consumers who want the best players at an affordable price. Looking at the UHD2000, it just screams “please crown me just based on my looks!”.
It does look great, and the build quality is top notch. Zidoo didn’t take any short-cuts when putting it together and everything just works like it supposed to. Even the hard drive bay covers have this coolness to them; it’s firm and doesn’t sound like plastic. It’s all brushed aluminum which matches very well with Emotiva amps and other electronics with brushed metals. So, in regard to build quality, Zidoo deserves an A+ there too.
Video Quality
The first player had a great video quality, but there was a mosaic smear in the picture every once in a while. I flashed the firmware which took care of some scenes, but it started to appear in other scenes on MKV and ISO files. After I got the second player, I tested some of the scenes just to make sure—I noticed straight away that the second UHD2000 is the player I have been searching for. None of those issues present on the first few iso/mkv files, but then saw one tiny hiccup on Elysium again. Even then, I had already decided to keep the player so it was not a deal breaker. I told Doris I’m going to troubleshoot with Zidoo tech just to let them know after I tried everything on my end.
I turned off the player, did a factory reset, rebooted, and went through the set-up process again. To my excitement, that particular scene that exhibited that minor issue didn’t happen again. I tried several more discs and no problems to speak of... So, I am happy!
Vs Zappiti DUO 4k HDR
One of the biggest pluses for me is that the 2000 does not exaggerate any particular elements unless you wanted it to. I know Zappiti had the magic pixel which affected contrast? I noticed it (it didn’t bother me much though), and I believe someone talked about it on the AVS forum. Anyways, there is none of that with the 2000. The colors pop as needed, the saturation is perfect, there is no unwanted noise due to superior power supply (unless the produced filmed the scene with noise intended… Miami Vice, Bad Boys 2, etc.), and there is a lot of natural depth to the picture. In this regard, I saw difference in picture quality between the 2000 and the Zappiti. Not life changing, but I just found myself coming back to the Zidoo more often than not.
Vs Z9S
I would say they share the same chip, but the pic quality from the 2000 is better. The depth is better, the details are better, and the pic is cleaner. Again, not life changing but it’s noticeable; hence the huge price difference. For the normal guy who doesn’t care much, the Z9S is a bargain... but for the audiophiles or anyone who cares, the 2000 is better.
Sound Quality
This is where the UHD2000 leaves the Z9s and the Zappiti in the dust (the Zappiti pro would be in the same league in this regard because it does have a very good quality).
Vs Zappiti DUO 4k HDR
One of the reasons I wanted to switch to a high-end media player was the fact that I recently upgraded to a Marantz processor, got an Elac Adante AF-61 speakers, upgrade cables, etc. The down side to this is the system is so transparent that any weak link becomes very noticeable like a sore thumb.
This is where I noticed issues with the Zappiti; the sound was sweet from the bottom to the mids, but then became disjointed (piercing) on the top end. I am very sensitive to this kind of phenomenon, and that’s why I decided to upgrade to the Zappiti PRO right away. The only drawback is the older chip; hence I took a gamble on Zidoo by first trying the Z9S and then ordering the 2000.
The 2000 has a more balance sound from bottom to top that gives out emotions when required during a particular film, series, or music. It’s very hard to explain: it’s layered, present but not too aggressive, full, airy, open in terms of imagery, etc., etc. It’s just the kind of quality sound one would expect from devices like the 2000 and the Zappiti Pro, granted I don’t have the Pro (based on reviews). In summary, better than the standard Zappitis, but probably equal to the Zappiti Pros. I hope someone compares the two directly sometime soon.
Vs Z9S
Again, the 2000 is just miles ahead in this regard but probably not so apparent in a low or mid-range set up. At moderate to higher volumes, the 2000 maintains a particular composure as described above. It’s like patting a little brother on the shoulder during a sprint right before you pass by.
Biggest Features (more to come)
I believe this is also where the 2000 leaves the Zappitis out in the cold without any way to make up for it in this current generation of Zappiti players.
1. Forced Sub Support – Literally, all the ISO files (bad boys 2, Elysium, Transformers Extinction, Avatar, Fury, etc.) with forced subs were honored on the UHD2000. I was surprised that it worked for Avatar though; that’s a hard one. The current generation of Zappitis can’t honor forced subs in ISOs, and that alone made the UHD2000 my go to player. The Zidoo also honored forced subs in MKV files too in case anyone was wondering.
2. The 1296 is probably a few years old, but it’s very fast... I could scroll through 500 movies from beginning to end in less than 6 seconds. It’s snappy, and responsive without breaking any sweat. Whereas the Zappiti is very slow in loading the poster wall. This could change in the near future for the Zappiti player with newer chips, but for now Zidoo is king in this regard.
3. Smooth continuation of contents is way better... The Zappiti has this thing where it has a couple of blackouts, start the content from the beginning, and then ask whether you want to continue. The 2000 does none of that; once the frame rate and resolution syncs at the beginning, you are good. It will ask you whether you want to continue but there are no disruptions if you want to continue—just press OK and the player goes about its business without any black outs or re-syncs.
4. I also noticed that Zidoo plays at 1080p/4k at 23hz unless you forced it to output something else. Apparently, this help with stability and stops the dreaded frame repeat after a few minutes of play. Either way, it works because motion is on point and there less hiccups now.
5. The Zidoo allows you to save all your poster wall data and do a backup in less than 30 seconds after a factory reset. It’s a paid to correct some of the missing posters through Zappiti but once you are done, back it up and don’t worry about it ever again. The Zappiti is king when it comes to metadata but the Zappiti would get there soon.
6. Zidoo supports HDR Metadata and the Zappiti don’t. As a matter of fact, neither does the Dune at this point in time.
7. There is now a division of movies and TV like the Zappiti; it defaults to “all” on start up. Zidoo also allows you to filter out if chose to. The new update to the poster-wall also plays thriller of the chosen file which is pretty cool. Please download the apk from the Zidoo forum!
8. The UHD2000 has a dedicated XLR output with a built in DAC, etc. for audiophiles... I use it most for home theater.
9. Zidoo allows you to delete multiple episodes from the poster-wall, or chose just one single episode. The Zappitis only allow you to select and delete one file at a time (a little annoying).
Cons and Drawbacks
Some minor drawbacks on current firmware (mind you this player hasn’t matured yet; it will be fixed):
Major
1. Seamless branching is still an issue with some movies like Trolls, John Wick 3, etc. but I wouldn’t fault Zidoo too much because it’s a problem for the Zappiti too. For some reason, Realtek just has a problem with seamless branching. As of 2.3.32, seamless braching is no longer a problem (except for 3d iso playback). I have to admit that this current firmware make the UHD2000 the king of Media players at this moment. The pic quality is perfect, sound quality is perfect, and they finally addressed the seamless branching issue. At this point, no one in their right mind will buy the Zappiti Pro over the Zidoo... Zidoo won this round.
2. There is no subtitle height memory like the Zappiti which can be pretty annoying (OK if the episode is played continuously though, but goes back to default if stopped). I wish if you chose height at 100, it’s sticks with that continuously like the Zappiti. If not, I think Zidoo should come up with a better explanation because I don’t want them to fix it just for something else to break.
Minor
3. Original firmware seems stable at 2.3.3, but I noticed some problem with 2.3.10 which made me go back to the former (2.3.3). The 2.3.10 add more sharpness (albeit minor) that makes the picture looks too processed for my liking. Sound also seems richer on 2.3.3 than on the latter in my view. Maybe it’s my system? I tried it several times and I came to the same conclusion. 2.3.10 has been a lot more stable since I updated and performed a factory reset.
4. There was random freezing on MKV files that was reported on the forum. I finally managed to narrow mine down to my WiFi signal. If you are running any Zidoo player through WiFi, please make sure you don’t have it in a tick cabinet that would obstruct the signal. If you do, please keep it wired to the router instead. I believe the antennas on the 2000 and the Z9S were too sensitive to interruptions? I don’t know... But since I got myself orbi and wired it to the satellite, the 2000 has not frozen during any shows or movies (both mkv and ISO files). Just experiment yourself to see if this works. This was due to wife signal... I have not experienced any other freezes since directly connected to Orbi satellite.
5. Finally, there is minor audio skip or audio dropouts during movies or while watching a series (both MKV and ISO). I am on the 2.3.3 firmware though so keep that in mind; maybe it was fixed on the 2.3.10? I don’t know for sure, but the DTS drop out issue was fixed on that firmware. I hope Zidoo addresses this issue on future firmware update. Seemed fixed in 2.3.10 but may experience if the HDMI color output isn't set correctly (frame drop --- 23.978 vs 23.976). Best to use 10 bit, Auto, limited.
6. Those damn IMDb ratings on the poster-wall
. The Zidoo media center is too busy trying to present too many information without going the mile to let you customize what you want to see. In the case, there should be a way to to turn of those ratings to give the posters a more elegant look with a Bluray, HD, TV, Collection, etc. labels. Fixed on latest update to HT.
In conclusion
I would buy the UHD2000 over any player on the market currently. Some might say the Zappiti has a better poster wall, but I don’t agree with that assessment 100%; the Zidoo is easier to navigate and stable. Once you figure everything out, I like the fluidity of the Zidoo poster wall. I just like the Zidoo layout a little better. However, the main thing for me was the forced sub support, HDR metadata, fast poster wall, and great pic and sound quality.
One thing I would want Zidoo to do is this, have a way for people to apply to be beta testers before releasing a firmware (maybe they do, I don’t know). This way, we don’t have a bunch of complaints about taking one step forward, and two steps back. They have the best media player right now in my opinion, but that comes with a lot of expectations. They have great customer service, provide frequent firmware, and great build quality.
Customer Service
I think Zidoo deserves an A+ for their honesty and customer service from way across the globe. The first player was delivered in 3days from Hong Kong through DHL (even with the discount on their website). However, the first player had some issues (which I will describe below), and I sent Doris (Zidoo sales Rep) some pictures about the issues. She knew exactly what the problem was (the HDMI board). She offered to have a board sent out right away, but I let her know that upon looking at the machine closely, it’s too complicated for me. Literally, the UHD2000 is so well put together that I was like “Nope, not gonna even try this one”. However, if you are hardware capable, they will provide you with videos, etc. to help along the way.
So, to cut the story short, she said “No problem!”, and shipped me another UHD2000 right away even before receiving the first. I was surprised as to how smooth Zidoo wanted my experience to be. After providing the tracking, I waited for a few days without any movement... I kind of got a little frustrated (first came in 3days), but she kept me informed that it would be out as soon as possible. And a week later, the new player was here and it has been the best player I have personally used in my system.
So, I thank Zidoo for their part... and mainly Doris, for her patience and customer service. She is the real MVP in this regard!
Back to the UHD2000
Build Quality
I think it’s fair to say that a few years ago, Oppo had the player crown hands down (except may be Panasonic?) ... Oppo just had it, and everyone was bombed-out when they decided to stop making players. In the dedicated media player market (not streamers), the only real players I know of with a reputation to boot are Zappiti (pretty much Zidoo with a great software), Zidoo, and Dune. I think Zidoo does want to be the next Oppo when it comes to media players which is not a bad thing; it's good for consumers who want the best players at an affordable price. Looking at the UHD2000, it just screams “please crown me just based on my looks!”.
It does look great, and the build quality is top notch. Zidoo didn’t take any short-cuts when putting it together and everything just works like it supposed to. Even the hard drive bay covers have this coolness to them; it’s firm and doesn’t sound like plastic. It’s all brushed aluminum which matches very well with Emotiva amps and other electronics with brushed metals. So, in regard to build quality, Zidoo deserves an A+ there too.
Video Quality
The first player had a great video quality, but there was a mosaic smear in the picture every once in a while. I flashed the firmware which took care of some scenes, but it started to appear in other scenes on MKV and ISO files. After I got the second player, I tested some of the scenes just to make sure—I noticed straight away that the second UHD2000 is the player I have been searching for. None of those issues present on the first few iso/mkv files, but then saw one tiny hiccup on Elysium again. Even then, I had already decided to keep the player so it was not a deal breaker. I told Doris I’m going to troubleshoot with Zidoo tech just to let them know after I tried everything on my end.
I turned off the player, did a factory reset, rebooted, and went through the set-up process again. To my excitement, that particular scene that exhibited that minor issue didn’t happen again. I tried several more discs and no problems to speak of... So, I am happy!
Vs Zappiti DUO 4k HDR
One of the biggest pluses for me is that the 2000 does not exaggerate any particular elements unless you wanted it to. I know Zappiti had the magic pixel which affected contrast? I noticed it (it didn’t bother me much though), and I believe someone talked about it on the AVS forum. Anyways, there is none of that with the 2000. The colors pop as needed, the saturation is perfect, there is no unwanted noise due to superior power supply (unless the produced filmed the scene with noise intended… Miami Vice, Bad Boys 2, etc.), and there is a lot of natural depth to the picture. In this regard, I saw difference in picture quality between the 2000 and the Zappiti. Not life changing, but I just found myself coming back to the Zidoo more often than not.
Vs Z9S
I would say they share the same chip, but the pic quality from the 2000 is better. The depth is better, the details are better, and the pic is cleaner. Again, not life changing but it’s noticeable; hence the huge price difference. For the normal guy who doesn’t care much, the Z9S is a bargain... but for the audiophiles or anyone who cares, the 2000 is better.
Sound Quality
This is where the UHD2000 leaves the Z9s and the Zappiti in the dust (the Zappiti pro would be in the same league in this regard because it does have a very good quality).
Vs Zappiti DUO 4k HDR
One of the reasons I wanted to switch to a high-end media player was the fact that I recently upgraded to a Marantz processor, got an Elac Adante AF-61 speakers, upgrade cables, etc. The down side to this is the system is so transparent that any weak link becomes very noticeable like a sore thumb.
This is where I noticed issues with the Zappiti; the sound was sweet from the bottom to the mids, but then became disjointed (piercing) on the top end. I am very sensitive to this kind of phenomenon, and that’s why I decided to upgrade to the Zappiti PRO right away. The only drawback is the older chip; hence I took a gamble on Zidoo by first trying the Z9S and then ordering the 2000.
The 2000 has a more balance sound from bottom to top that gives out emotions when required during a particular film, series, or music. It’s very hard to explain: it’s layered, present but not too aggressive, full, airy, open in terms of imagery, etc., etc. It’s just the kind of quality sound one would expect from devices like the 2000 and the Zappiti Pro, granted I don’t have the Pro (based on reviews). In summary, better than the standard Zappitis, but probably equal to the Zappiti Pros. I hope someone compares the two directly sometime soon.
Vs Z9S
Again, the 2000 is just miles ahead in this regard but probably not so apparent in a low or mid-range set up. At moderate to higher volumes, the 2000 maintains a particular composure as described above. It’s like patting a little brother on the shoulder during a sprint right before you pass by.
Biggest Features (more to come)
I believe this is also where the 2000 leaves the Zappitis out in the cold without any way to make up for it in this current generation of Zappiti players.
1. Forced Sub Support – Literally, all the ISO files (bad boys 2, Elysium, Transformers Extinction, Avatar, Fury, etc.) with forced subs were honored on the UHD2000. I was surprised that it worked for Avatar though; that’s a hard one. The current generation of Zappitis can’t honor forced subs in ISOs, and that alone made the UHD2000 my go to player. The Zidoo also honored forced subs in MKV files too in case anyone was wondering.
2. The 1296 is probably a few years old, but it’s very fast... I could scroll through 500 movies from beginning to end in less than 6 seconds. It’s snappy, and responsive without breaking any sweat. Whereas the Zappiti is very slow in loading the poster wall. This could change in the near future for the Zappiti player with newer chips, but for now Zidoo is king in this regard.
3. Smooth continuation of contents is way better... The Zappiti has this thing where it has a couple of blackouts, start the content from the beginning, and then ask whether you want to continue. The 2000 does none of that; once the frame rate and resolution syncs at the beginning, you are good. It will ask you whether you want to continue but there are no disruptions if you want to continue—just press OK and the player goes about its business without any black outs or re-syncs.
4. I also noticed that Zidoo plays at 1080p/4k at 23hz unless you forced it to output something else. Apparently, this help with stability and stops the dreaded frame repeat after a few minutes of play. Either way, it works because motion is on point and there less hiccups now.
5. The Zidoo allows you to save all your poster wall data and do a backup in less than 30 seconds after a factory reset. It’s a paid to correct some of the missing posters through Zappiti but once you are done, back it up and don’t worry about it ever again. The Zappiti is king when it comes to metadata but the Zappiti would get there soon.
6. Zidoo supports HDR Metadata and the Zappiti don’t. As a matter of fact, neither does the Dune at this point in time.
7. There is now a division of movies and TV like the Zappiti; it defaults to “all” on start up. Zidoo also allows you to filter out if chose to. The new update to the poster-wall also plays thriller of the chosen file which is pretty cool. Please download the apk from the Zidoo forum!
8. The UHD2000 has a dedicated XLR output with a built in DAC, etc. for audiophiles... I use it most for home theater.
9. Zidoo allows you to delete multiple episodes from the poster-wall, or chose just one single episode. The Zappitis only allow you to select and delete one file at a time (a little annoying).
Cons and Drawbacks
Some minor drawbacks on current firmware (mind you this player hasn’t matured yet; it will be fixed):
Major
2. There is no subtitle height memory like the Zappiti which can be pretty annoying (OK if the episode is played continuously though, but goes back to default if stopped). I wish if you chose height at 100, it’s sticks with that continuously like the Zappiti. If not, I think Zidoo should come up with a better explanation because I don’t want them to fix it just for something else to break.
Minor
In conclusion
I would buy the UHD2000 over any player on the market currently. Some might say the Zappiti has a better poster wall, but I don’t agree with that assessment 100%; the Zidoo is easier to navigate and stable. Once you figure everything out, I like the fluidity of the Zidoo poster wall. I just like the Zidoo layout a little better. However, the main thing for me was the forced sub support, HDR metadata, fast poster wall, and great pic and sound quality.
One thing I would want Zidoo to do is this, have a way for people to apply to be beta testers before releasing a firmware (maybe they do, I don’t know). This way, we don’t have a bunch of complaints about taking one step forward, and two steps back. They have the best media player right now in my opinion, but that comes with a lot of expectations. They have great customer service, provide frequent firmware, and great build quality.
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