Hi all.... it's been awhile.

I bought a 4K OLED TV and have been wondering about a 4K player. I should have bought the Oppo while they were available, as I have a good number of SACD and DVD-A discs, and it would have been nice to have one player that plays everything. Lamenting that the ship has sailed does not really gain me anything I guess.

So, I see that there is some talk out there regarding the Panasonic DP-UB820 that will be available in the U.S. in a couple of weeks. Many seem to think it offers everything the Oppo did in terms of picture quality, without the ability to input a source to make use of the DAC, and of course the lack of compatibility with my SACD/DVD-A discs.

I have $40 in Best Buy credit that's expiring tomorrow, and noted that the player is available on the BB website for pre-order. So I was ready to jump on a pre-order, when I started coming across sites discussing how many "4K" releases are really just upsampled HD, because that's the way the CGI was originally rendered. (As a side note, I remember this happening when CDs first came out: Some releases were manufactured with the RIAA EQ used in LP records, in the rush to get content out there made for some really crappy sounding CDs).

Anyway, searching a few "real 4K or fake 4K sites show most 4K discs are, indeed, just HD upsamples and don't look substantially better than the B-D releases. There are, of course, some 4K remasters that look fantastic, but that's only a percentage of the releases and include many movies I don't really care about. Yes, I would buy Saving Private Ryan in 4K and The Greatest Showman for my wife, but it looks like most of the BD movies I've saved in my Amazon basket for future purchase are not available, or not any substantial upgrade if available in 4K.

How many of you guys are using a 4K player? Thoughts on how much of an upgrade it it with a good OLED TV?

I'm not shooting 4K content in my business yet, as there's been no demand for it from clients. That might start changing soon, though, so the ability to monitor the quality of discs that are delivered in addition to the USB memory stick that my TV supports could justify this as a business expense.

But I don't want to order this and only be disappointed in the discs available and end up with two-or three whole discs for the new player I bought!

Hi Mark I can't comment on the sound quality for SACD or DVD Audio but the Sony UDP-x800 that I recently purchased does play them. That ability was one of the factors in my decision to get it as I had hoped to try both. I can say that the picture/sound quality is excellent although I am unable to compare to any other player. Without question there is a big difference from regular blu-rays. Availability of content is still an issue but that can only improve.

Hi Norap, and thanks for the suggestion. I had considered the Sony 800, but it seems the reviews show it as being pretty buggy, and it doesn't offer Dolby Vision. Ultimately, I had decided that the HDR capabilities matched with my OLED were probably more important than universal disc compatibility.

Though, as I mentioned, it WOULD be nice to just have one disc player.

I am using a 4K player, but using it with a 720p projector so that probably doesn't count.

John, you're still using that 720P projector? Knock it off those soup cans and buy a new one!

I can't get rid of it yet - I have a second projector bulb I need to use up first

Hey Mahk!

Pretty much a cut and paste of Norap's comments. I saw the Sony 800 at $200Cad, so for me it was an easy no risk decision. I can't speak to much of it's performance so far, as we're waiting on the fall/yr end price drop on 75" TV's and haven't used it too much other than for music. Happy with it so far though, sacd's included.

Now, for old time's sake...please say "Chowdah".

Even smiling at that is probably illegal under Ontario laws, but...

ROTFLMAO !!

Adrian- STILL with the Boston jokes? I didn't even grow up here...I grew up in Southern New Jersey!

I don't say chowdah!

Though I DID have some for lunch today!

Good to see you here, old friend!

I REALLY want full HDR capabilities to match my OLED.

I've virtually run out of time, so will likely just order some BD discs...

That's funny!

There's a new unit from Panasonic UB900 supposed to be an able replacement to the discontinued Oppo units.

New Jersey?!!.....whewwww!!.....I was running out of Bahston jokes, but I know LOTS about New Joisey!

Haha! so glad to see you here again, Mark! hope you are keeping well!!

I have a UDP205. Picture is great. Sound for movies is great. I played an SACD the other day, no subwoofer or surround output. I don't know whether it is a setting in the Marantz 7703 processor or the Oppo, haven't figured out either yet.

I have an LG with HDR (Dolby Vision and HDR10). Sound quality is good. I don't think it handles either SACD or DVD-A.

I think the Panasonic or the Sony would be a good pick. Have neither though.

OK, So I used up my credit on some B-D discs before the credit runs out. I'd still like to get a 4K player, but the pressure is off to make a purchase by yesterday.

I have another simplistic question that I feel I SHOULD know the answer to, but don't:

My LG OLED TV supports Dolby Vision as well as the HLG HDR standard. LG does not state that it supports HDR 10 or HDR 10+.

Is support for these HDR formats needed in BOTH the TV and a disc player when playing compatible discs?

Or, if the disc player is, for example, compatible with reading and processing the HDR 10 or HDR 10+ info off the disc, is that all that matters (as long as the TV has the capability of displaying the wide gamut necessary)?

One of the things that made me unsure of buying a Sony 800 as was recommended here is that it doesn't support Dolby Vision. In today's Best Buy flyer, I noticed that the Sony 700 (currently on sale for only $180) DOES support Dolby Vision. So I'm now considering that as a potential, especially compared to the $500 that the Panasonic will sell for.

If you're in no hurry, I'd just wait for the one with the features you need, Mark.

I grabbed the 700 while it was on sale. It will work for now.

Thanks everyone!

I use the Sony 800 with Epson 5040UB 4K and it is killer, no bugs.