Giving up on my Oppo

Posted by: Dungassin on 23 October 2017

Well, I'm currently on my second multiregion Oppo.  The first one (a 93D) lasted 5 years, had occasional hiccups when it wouldn't let me change bluray region, and eventually developed a terminal problem of skipping/freezing, which cleaning of heads etc didn't cure.

So, I bought no.3 (103D) 2 years ago.   Now this machine has got stuck on Region A for bluray, so won't let me play any UK blurays except those that are region free.  Totally unresponsive to the remote key region change setup (dimmer/dimmer/mute/number)

I've done all the usual things - unplug for a while, factory reset, made sure its firmware was up to date, but it's still stuck on Region A.

After some time searching I eventually found where I bought it from, and contacted them.   They'ld take it back but it will cost me for repairs etc.   As this machine has also started skipping/freezing (on discs which play perfectly on my Mac (DVDs), PS4, SWMBO's Panasonic bluray player) I think this one will also fail very soon.  So, I'm unwilling to throw any more money at it.

For now I've decided to use my PS4 for playback, and have ordered a new (fairly cheap) multiregion (DVD and bluray) Panasonic machine.   Incidentally, the picture on SWMBO's Panasonic which came 'free' with her Panasonic 3D TV looks just as good as that generated by the Oppo (IMO)

Bye bye, Oppo.

Posted on: 23 October 2017 by MDS

That's a shame, Dungassin.  I'm on my second Oppo and both have been faultless in operation. That said I don't know if either will cope with multi-region discs.

Posted on: 23 October 2017 by Dungassin

I've got many non Region 2 DVDs and a few Region A blurays (some not available in Region B).  Hence multiregion player for both.   Just find it intriguing that both Oppos seem to have failed in the same way.  Perhaps I've just been unlucky.  Not much point in contacting Oppo directly, because they'd probably just tell me to remove the multiregion mod hardware, though they did tell me how to clean the heads in the machine.

Posted on: 23 October 2017 by MDS

I guess is it back luck. I'm struggling to think of anyone on here who has reported a problem with an Oppo.  Hope your Panasonic works out ok.  As you say, BR players can be bought pretty cheaply these days. 

Posted on: 23 October 2017 by winkyincanada

It might be the DRM fighting back. Region control is somehow seen as valuable by the industry for reasons I'll never understand. Criminalising people who just want to watch movies they have paid for is standard.

Posted on: 24 October 2017 by MDS

Winky - my understanding of the reason for the region control is that movies premier first in the States with all the usual razemataz and reach Europe later by which time those same movies have begun to be released in the States on DVD. If there wasn't region control, the availability of the new movies on DVD in the States would hit cinema attendance at the time of movie release in Europe.  At least that was the reason explained to me a few years ago.  Whether it is still valid these days I don't know.      

Posted on: 24 October 2017 by tonym

I've owned a succession of Oppos - 970HD, BPD93, BP103D, & now UPD203. Only the latter's not been converted for multi region. All have worked perfectly & I've still got the 970, 103 (in the kitchen) & the 203. I've ripped my region one discs to my iMac, so i just stream them to PLEX on my Amazon FIRE TV (could be to the Oppo if I wanted) so no need for the multiregion thing; a much better solution. Thing is, the problem lies not with the Oppo but with the third party multiregion adaptations, some of which are notoriously flaky.

Posted on: 24 October 2017 by Dungassin

Tony :  I would agree that the multiregion mod is probably the problem. However, removing it - assuming I can figure out how - would probably leave me with a US version of the Oppo 103, as my understanding is that most of the mods are performed on US standard players.    I just don't understand why the mod should affect the playing of ordinary discs with skipping/freezing.

Incidentally the £169 multiregion Panasonic is apparently arriving this afternoon.   It may well be wholly adequate for my viewing needs.  If not, it was cheap!

Playing blurays on the PS4 is tedious - interface poor and slow.  Picture seems OK, though sound seems a little muddy.

Winky and MDS :  It's about time the film industry stopped this region nonsense.  As these films are digital these days, why not just release them everywhere at the same time? It doesn't make me want to go to the cinema - in fact I never go there having got fed up of people texting/talking etc during films.  Plus my ageing bladder usually makes me need a pee before the film finishes!    My live entertainment needs are provided by music concerts (rock, classical, opera) and stage theatre.   That reminds me ... I must check what date I'm taking the grandkids to the panto this year ....

Winky - just remembered. I've checked the Oppo with Region B discs that previously played, and still get the wrong region error.  So I doubt that it's the DRM fighting back.

Tony : The oppo still reads/plays all DVDs regardless of region.  Have you actually managed to rip Region A blurays?

Posted on: 24 October 2017 by tonym

Hi Dungassin, yes, no problem ripping any region Blurays, using DVDFab to strip off the protection & region coding, then doing the actual ripping with Handbrake. Takes a while but it works fine. Incidentally, all 4K Blurays are region-free. Can't rip these yet though.

Posted on: 24 October 2017 by Dungassin

Thanks for the info, Tony.  I may get around to doing it some time.   I'm not bothering with 4K : small room, can't accommodate a TV bigger than c.42"   I still regard multiregion as highly desirable for music DVDs - mainly to get the pitch correct!   Some of the series I collect/have collected only seem to be available in R1, so another reason for multiregion capabilities.

I assume you're keeping the bluray rips on an external or NAS drive?

Posted on: 24 October 2017 by tonym

Yes, the rips are stored on an external HDD connected up to my iMac. This has PLEX server software so I can watch the movies through various devices.

Posted on: 24 October 2017 by MDS
Dungassin posted:

Winky and MDS :  It's about time the film industry stopped this region nonsense.  As these films are digital these days, why not just release them everywhere at the same time? It doesn't make me want to go to the cinema - in fact I never go there having got fed up of people texting/talking etc during films.  Plus my ageing bladder usually makes me need a pee before the film finishes!    

I'm sure they could but I suppose the stars strutting their stuff on the red carpet before the cameras and adoring fans can only be on one side of the Atlantic at one time.  That said, like you, this premier launch stuff does nothing to encourage me to go and see a movie but then the film studios are hard-nosed commercially so their market research must persuade them it is still a money-spinner. 

Posted on: 24 October 2017 by Dungassin

Well  the Panasonic arrived.  The UK Mail bloke managed to deliver to our neighbour, and left a card saying so.  Can't understand that, as we have very loud RING doorbell, and we were sitting in the living room withing 8ft of it.  It's amazing how often deliverymen manage to not get us, even when we are in!  I don't think they even bother to ring the bell, they just go to the 'deliver if out' address.  (sigh)

Anyway, it's much smaller than the Oppo and seems to work fine.  I'll have to sit down and set up an 'activity' on my Logitech Elite for it.

Posted on: 25 October 2017 by blythe

I believe the different release dates/gradual release of film titles is also to do with the actors, who might be promoting the DVD release in each territory, who cannot physically be in all places at the same time for any promotional appearances.
Advertising also needs to be targeted to each specific country and, for some titles, I guess the DVD makers would be better informed on how many to physically make/distribute when they see how sales are going on release in the initial country.
Also, some film titles differ from country to country - for example "Waking Ned" in the UK, "Waking Ned Divine" in the USA, "Jaws" in the UK, "Les Dents de la mer" in France, "The Madness of King George III" in the UK, "The Madness of King George" in the USA.
By staggering the date of release, the marketing relating to the release (if any) can be tailored to be country specific.
Lastly, different countries have different distribution companies which need to have the rights to sell the DVD in their country.
It's still a total pain in the neck though!

Posted on: 25 October 2017 by Dungassin

Well, I just did an A/B comparison of my Oppo 103 and the new cheapo Panasonic.  Oppo picture and sound obviously better.  Shouldn't have done it.  Now I'll have to see about getting the Oppo fixed.  

Either that or keep the Oppo for most things, and just use the Panasonic for the occasional problematic disc.

Posted on: 25 October 2017 by blythe

Thanks for the comparison - I'm sure my Oppo will die one day and I shall probably replace it with another Oppo.

Posted on: 27 October 2017 by Mr Underhill

Historically I believe the reason for regions was to allow expensive film stock to be used around the world, rather than produce enough to do a simultaneous release. In the UK we used to get 2nd hand film stock APART from the West End.

Today, perhaps it is seen as an anti-fraud tool?

Hi Dun,

Sorry about the Oppo, and now the Panasonic. That is the problem when you get a taste for the good over the adequate! I was going to suggest using it for streaming, but Tony got there first. I rip all my DVD collection. I have ripped DVD to get round region issues, but try not to as they take up so much HDD space.

Like you I am unconvinced by 4k.

M

Posted on: 27 October 2017 by Dungassin

Just waiting for the Oppo supplier to get back to me with details about returning the Oppo for repair.   I think I'll strip it down and clean the heads and drive mechanism before sending it back.  After all it has been freezing mid-disc (DVD not bluray) recently.

On reflection, I am not enormously keen on ripping a fairly large collection of non R2 DVDs, so probably won't embark on that.  Multiregion DVD has never been a problem for me, just multiregion bluray.

I keep my DVDs in paper sleeves (in alphabetical order) and store the original boxes in the loft - helps with the space problems.  The only problem is usually when my youngest grandchild decides to rearrange them when I'm not looking.   She's a lovely little girl, but sometimes ...  (sigh).  She's the one who detunes my guitar(s) as well - so I try to put them away when she visits except for the cheapo Ibanez 3/4 size bought for them to play with.

Posted on: 06 November 2017 by Dungassin

Well, I was sorting out a couple of bluray discs to send with the player, one Region A and another Region B, and just out of curiosity, thought I'd better check that they were 'offending' discs.

Region A disc : played OK

Region B disc : wouldn't play

Did the Region Change bit on the remote, and damn me if this time it actually worked!

Don't know why it worked this time, but I've just emailed the dealer to cancel the return for repair.

Before anyone says 'you must have been doing it wrong', I'll say that on all occasions I followed the instructions to the letter, and did it all within the prescribed 20 seconds each time.   Anyway, I've now boxed up the multiregion Panasonic and stuck in on top of one of the wardrobes.

Posted on: 06 November 2017 by MDS

Nice to hear that you've made some progress, Dungassin.  That's good but I do understand your frustration at not having the why question solved. Those things always leave a doubt in the back of my mind that until I can understand why the problem occurred there's a good chance of it happening again.   

Posted on: 06 November 2017 by Super

I have just ordered the Oppo 205 and think i'll just stick with the region it comes with...(B).

Posted on: 06 November 2017 by Dungassin
MDS posted:

Nice to hear that you've made some progress, Dungassin.  That's good but I do understand your frustration at not having the why question solved. Those things always leave a doubt in the back of my mind that until I can understand why the problem occurred there's a good chance of it happening again.   

Not much point sending it back with what may be an intermittent fault.  I'll wait and see if it happens again.

Posted on: 07 November 2017 by Don Atkinson

Hi dungassin,

Keep us posted if you can.

I have put off going ahead with an Oppo 205 multi-region after reading about your misfortunes.

Half my DVDs are Canadian and half are UK. I have quite a few "doubles" but I also have a few that I carry back and forth and hence have wound up with a bit of a mix in both places. I appreciate it would probably be just as easy and possibly just as cheap to buy two of each of my favourites, but somehow I feel I should be allowed to play what I like in each country !!

I'll probably go ahead with a multi-region-multi-zone one after Xmas if your machine has behaved itself !

Posted on: 07 November 2017 by Dungassin

Don :  my Oppo 103 has never had any problem with multiregion for DVD, neither did the Oppo 83 which 'died' after years (kept freezing mid- scene so I replaced it with the 103).   The problem I was having was with multiregion blu rays.   I will post after Christmas as you request to state whether it has behaved itself or not.

Posted on: 08 November 2017 by Don Atkinson
Dungassin posted:

Don :  my Oppo 103 has never had any problem with multiregion for DVD, neither did the Oppo 83 which 'died' after years (kept freezing mid- scene so I replaced it with the 103).   The problem I was having was with multiregion blu rays.   I will post after Christmas as you request to state whether it has behaved itself or not.

Brilliant. Many thanks. Don.

hope your player behaves itself, now that you’ve threatened it with return for service !!

Posted on: 10 December 2017 by ewemon

Had a few different Oppo models and never had an issue with them