Technical Issues and Questions

[hearthesilence]

One of my favorite jokes in Cheers is how overly careful Woody turns out to be whenever he drives. At one point, he slams on the brakes and goes "why do pigeons wait until the last minute to fly away? Do they think it's funny?"

[therewillbeblus]

So I'm pretty sure my player is busted, because practically all new 4Ks glitch when I play them.. except for Arrow releases, which continue to be the only discs that are unaffected. Does this make any sense? Like, if my lens needs cleaning or whatever, why do Arrow 4Ks play just fine?

[criterionsnob]

I used to have a lot of issues with 4K playback. I read that there is a lubricant coating used in the manufacturing process that needs to be wiped off. I wipe 4K discs when received and just before playing and it’s mostly eliminated the issue. I have a Sony UBP-X800M2.

[therewillbeblus]

I used to have a lot of issues with 4K playback. I read that there is a lubricant coating used in the manufacturing process that needs to be wiped off. I wipe 4K discs when received and just before playing and it’s mostly eliminated the issue. I have a Sony UBP-X800M2.

What method do you use to wipe them? I always wipe off little specks of dust if I see them, and then clean my discs using the dish soap/microfiber cloth when they glitch, but it's not resolving the issue unfortunately. That's good to know, though

[criterionsnob]

I use a microfiber cloth too. Just wiping from the center out. Then I hold it to the light to make sure there are absolutely no fingerprints or smudges. 4K discs have been very sensitive. If there is any spec of a fingerprint, my player seems to glitch. Blu-rays are perfectly fine though, and I don’t even bother cleaning them.

[therewillbeblus]

Yeah. I regret investing in this format

[criterionsnob]

Yeah, the wiping is an annoying extra step and still not foolproof. I was thinking of getting a second player to see if the same issue persists on say, a Panasonic.

[therewillbeblus]

I have a Panasonic 820 and I'm having issues. Had the 420 before and also had issues

[denti alligator]

I have the 420 with no issues. Sorry about your problems with it.

[nicolas]

I have a Panasonic 820 and I'm having issues. Had the 420 before and also had issues

Are BDs and other formats playing back fine?

[therewillbeblus]

Yep! Everything else plays perfectly

[hearthesilence]

I think I posted this before, but I used to know a photographer who cleaned his extremely expensive lenses by breathing on them until they clouded up and wiping them with the cotton T-shirt he was wearing, using a gentle circular motion, and repeating the breathing/clouding as needed. He fully admits he's had a few people visibly freak out when they see him do this, but as long as his shirt's clean (i.e. no debris on it), he finds it fast, safe and effective. So I figured an optical disc was comparable and so far it's worked great, though I try to use a clean, unworn cotton T-shirt just to be safe. I don't doubt microfiber cloths work well too.

[criterionsnob]

Yes, sometimes I breathe on it if it needs a small amount of moisture to get rid of smudges. Whatever you do, don't put it under a tap like my partner did. He ruined an expensive import that way.

[Zot!]

I think I posted this before, but I used to know a photographer who cleaned his extremely expensive lenses by breathing on them until they clouded up and wiping them with the cotton T-shirt he was wearing, using a gentle circular motion, and repeating the breathing/clouding as needed. He fully admits he's had a few people visibly freak out when they see him do this, but as long as his shirt's clean (i.e. no debris on it), he finds it fast, safe and effective. So I figured an optical disc was comparable and so far it's worked great, though I try to use a clean, unworn cotton T-shirt just to be safe. I don't doubt microfiber cloths work well too.

Everybody swears by microfiber, but I think its main advantage over cotton is simply that it doesn't pill/leave lint. I've been doing the breath + t-shirt as far back as optical discs have existed, and have not ruined one yet doing that. Always frustrated to hear about the QC issues that have lead to bronzing and rot and things that plague some of these formats, because I have over 40 years and thousands of discs only once encountered an audio CD that failed to play perfectly....and that might have come that way from the factory.

[MichaelB]

OK, I may be in the market for a second 4K UHD player, which means that it doesn't have to be particularly bells-and-whistles (the Oppo that I use for professional work is still going strong), but I'd like it if it wasn't notorious for any reason. It doesn't have to be region-free (or the Blu-ray bit doesn't; obviously the 4K bit will be by default).

So what are the current market leaders?

[EddieLarkin]

Panasonic 820 without a doubt. But it's clear from this thread and elsewhere that you can get "funny" units, so I'd suggest putting it through it's paces during the warranty.

It does mostly everything the Oppo does 4K wise except being able to USB-load subtitles, and it even allows you to change the luminance of subtitles which can really help with subs on HDR content in dark rooms.

It's also a good unit for QCing with as certain issues that only affect its chipset are often not picked up and have led to disc replacements from Arrow et al.

[MichaelB]

Outside my budget, but fortunately I don't need most of that stuff - Dolby Vision is the only real deal-breaker.

(If I left it up to my wife, she'd undoubtedly opt for the cheapest Panasonic player, but I stand a realistic chance of talking her up to a Sony UBX-700 or similar.)

[therewillbeblus]

Panasonic 820 without a doubt. But it's clear from this thread and elsewhere that you can get "funny" units, so I'd suggest putting it through it's paces during the warranty.

Is it possible that, in buying a hacked region-free player through 220electronics, they did something that messed it up? Perhaps buying the player by itself and using it exclusively for UHDs is best? I also use my player for all discs, including library DVDs which might be 'dirtying' the player's insides.. just wondering if it could be a wear n' tear issue too

[Zot!]

Panasonic 820 without a doubt. But it's clear from this thread and elsewhere that you can get "funny" units, so I'd suggest putting it through it's paces during the warranty.

Is it possible that, in buying a hacked region-free player through 220electronics, they did something that messed it up? Perhaps buying the player by itself and using it exclusively for UHDs is best? I also use my player for all discs, including library DVDs which might be 'dirtying' the player's insides.. just wondering if it could be a wear n' tear issue too

That 220 mucked it up, that is absolutely possible, which is why I prefer players that can be "hacked" via only a code, and no hardware modification. Unless borrowed discs are covered in absolute filth, I can't imagine them tainting your player. It's never been the case for me.

[criterionsnob]

My Sony player is also from 220 by the way. I never even thought that could be the issue. Half of my collection is from other regions, so I really like being able to switch with just one button.

[kekid]

I recently posted a question that should have been placed under spoiler alert. I have seen those all over the forum, but don't know how to do it. Can someone please explain?
Thanks.

[swo17]

Code: Select all

[spoiler]Enter your spoiler here[/spoiler]

[kekid]

Thanks!

[The Curious Sofa]

2001 A Space Odyssey is a film I will upgrade when getting into 4K but I'm still undecided whether to stick with a projector or get a large TV. I'm fairly addicted to the immersive quality of a large image but understand that projectors can't take full advantage of 4K.

[Zot!]

I'm fairly addicted to the immersive quality of a large image but understand that projectors can't take full advantage of 4K.

Why? I don’t have a projector, but I think 4K is intended to help the most in these kind of large format presentations, and is less noticeable on screens smaller than ~ 55”.