PLAYBACK 22: Oppo Digital BDP-83 Blu-ray/Universal Player
The Biggest Bargain in Home Theater
Home Theater/Multichannel Audio
- PLAYBACK 22: Acoustic Energy Radiance 5.1-Channel Speaker System
- PLAYBACK 22: Marantz IS301 Wireless Dock for iPod
- PLAYBACK 22: Oppo Digital BDP-83 Blu-ray/Universal Player
TV / Displays
Two-Channel Audio
Source: Playback
| Products in this article: | BDP-83 Blu-ray/universal player |
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Home theater enthusiasts have long dreamed of owning disc players that could handle virtually every type of material one might want to play—movies in either DVD or Blu-ray format, CDs, and even specialty audio discs in formats such as SACD, DVD-Audio and HDCD. What’s needed, of course, is a combination Blu-ray/universal player, but building one is something easier said than done—in part because the technical requirements of the various disc types vary considerably. But despite the technical challenges involved, a Blu-ray/universal player is precisely what Oppo Digital set out to create in its new BDP-83. And now that we’ve lived with Oppo’s new brainchild for the past few months, we’re pleased to report that it is quite possibly the most universal “universal player” of them all.
Few products have been more eagerly anticipated than the BDP-83, and it’s easy to understand why. First, few disc players at any price offer the format versatility the Oppo does (at present, we know of only one other player offering similar functionality, and it is a Denon model priced at $4500), whereas the BDP-83 sells for a much more manageable $499. But second, and perhaps more importantly, Oppo enjoys a reputation for building “giant killers”—players whose video and audio quality far exceed most customers’ expectations given their modest prices. As you’ll learn in a moment, Oppo has pushed the performance/dollar ratio envelope further than ever before with the BDP-83, so that the player establishes a new benchmark in terms of value for money.
OVERVIEW
Consider this Blu-ray player if: you want an exceptionally versatile and affordable player that taps the full video and audio capabilities of the Blu-ray format, that provides a strong onboard video processor for playing (and upscaling) DVDs, and that beautifully handles CD, HDCD, SACD, and DVD-Audio discs, consistently delivering a rich, smooth, natural sound.
Look Further if: you were hoping for a low-cost player that could magically trump the sound quality of great audio players in the $2k-4k range; Oppo’s BDP-83 is plenty good, but not that good. But consider this: the BDP-83’s video performance is essentially faultless, while its sound quality surpasses (by a wide margin) anything else I’ve heard at or near its price.
Ratings (relative to comparably priced Blu-ray/universal players)
- Video Quality DVD: 10
- Video Quality Blu-ray: 10
- Audio Quality: 9+ (no other player in this price range offers this level of flexibility)
- Features: 10
- User Interface: 9
- Value: 10
FEATURES
Media Formats:
- Blu-ray Disc with BonusVIEW and BD Live support (includes 1GB of onboard memory).
- DVD-Video/Video.
- DVD-Audio.
- SACD.
- CD.
- HDCD.
- Kodak Picture CD
- AVCHD, MKV and other file formats from discs or USB drives.
Video:
- Anchor Bay Video Reference Series video processing technology.
- Scaling options: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and up to 1080p at 50Hz or 60z.
- 24p video options: for users with 24p-compatible displays. Oppo says the BDP-83 supports 24p (movie frame rate) output from Blu-ray discs and from “well-mastered DVDs.”
- Source Direct mode outputs audio and video content as read, with no processing of any kind (intended for use with external video processors/scalers).
- Multiple Zoom modes: provides “multiple levels of aspect ratio control and image zooming, including a vertical stretch mode for customers with a 2.35:1 CIH (Constant Image Height) display system.”
- HDMI v1.3 digital video and audio outputs with 30-bit and 36-bit Deep Color support.
Audio Features:
- Onboard decoding for Dolby TrueHD with analog and bitstream outputs and (optional) conversion to LPCM.
- Onboard decoding for DTS-HD Master Audio with analog and bitstream outputs.
- SACD digital audio output either as DSD bitstream or in LPCM format.
- 7.1/5.1-channel analog audio outputs.
- Dedicated stereo outputs.
- Coaxial and optical digital audio outputs.
Other:
- Two USB 2.0 ports (one front, one rear).
- NTSC/PAL conversion (subject to DVD and BD region restrictions).
- Provides IR In/Out ports.
- HDMI CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) compatible.
- Universal voltage power supply.
- Back-lit remote control.
- Accessories include 6-foot HDMI cable and a copy of the Spears & Munsil High Definition Benchmark Blu-ray Edition disk.
- (Optional) IR External Sensor Kit ($20).
- (Optional) RS-232 Wired Control ($89).
- (Optional) Wireless Bridge Kit ($79).
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Comments
Nice review Chris....curious though if you were listening to the SACD via 2 channel analogue output or via HDMI? Did you try an HDCD disc, you probably have one in your collection and don't even know it? Thanks
Many - if not all - of Joni Mitchell's CDs are HDCD disks - just look for the (very small) block letter HDCD graphic on the back of the disk case. This is a format that has unfortunately been allowed to languish, considering that all HDCDs play in ordinary CD players. It's not SACD, but it's still very nice.
Randolph,
I listened to SACD via both analog and HDMI outputs. Via HDMI, I also compared DSD vs. PCM encoding for SACD material.
I did try HDCD discs, some officially labelled as having HDCD encoding, and others not.
Best,
Chris Martens
Chris Martens
Editor, Playback
playback.avguide.com
Chris, does the Oppo's stereo output pass Blue-Ray uncompressed audio? I view movies using two channel high end stereo rather than 5.1 / 7.1 and want to find a player that offers the benefits of Blu-Ray uncompressed audio in stereo. Alternatively, I have an external stereo DAC - would the digital output from the Oppo work if plugged into a stereo DAC?
Thanks,
Jonathan
@ Jonathan: I am an early adopter who bought the Oppo first to use as a digital transport, second to upscale my standard def DVDs, and third to play Blu-Ray -- all through a good quality two-channel system (Naim pre/power; ATC speakers). The Oppo pushes redbook and HDCD through its digital output (which you can set at 44, 96, or 192; I leave it at 44 and let the PS Audio do the upsampling) to your DAC, but when you play Blu-Ray or SACD the Oppo defaults to its HDMI and analog outputs. I don't have HDMI-in on my preamp, so I can't comment on whether you get uncompressed Blu-Ray sound there, but you will *not* get Blu-Ray or SACD through your DAC.
Both of these products -- the Oppo and the PS Audio -- are superb values for the money. I tried the combo at my Naim dealer and couldn't surpass it until we played the $3400 Resolution Audio Opus 21 CD player (which plays standard CD only). Even then, the Oppo/PS Audio combination was not "embarassed."
BTW: standard def DVD upscaled to 1080p through the Oppo is like removing a veil from your DVDs. Blu-Ray is breathtaking, as is mentioned in the review.
How come you guys never compare blu-ray players against the PS3? More people have a PS3 than any other blu-ray player. It has internet based firmware updates and one of the fastest load times of any player out there, the upscaling looks great, and it can function as a server to stream digital copies of high def movies.
Yes, the PS3 is a great SACD and Blu-Ray player but you'll be lucky to hear anything over the roar of the cooling fans. Especially after the first half hour the PS3 makes a huge amount of noise on it's own and renders any subtlety of delivery of audio content completely moot. Other than that it's the perfect player. That and the Blu-Ray drives are prone to failure of the drive motor/laser assembly possibly due to the high internal temperatures, just look at the booming parts market on ebay to see evidence of this.
It's quite obvious that you dont have a PS3. The fan can't be heard once anything plays on screen even with low volume. Any device can fail because nothing is absolutely durable. With a device that has dominated the market so long, in a capitalistic market, there will be sellers with parts.
@Perry: So Chris was lying? That's quite a conclusion you're leaping to. He even qualified his statement by saying the PS3's noise could be very dependent on its environment.
I'm an HT consultant and have recommended the PS3 on occasion, depending on the customer's wants and needs. I installed one for a friend who has an enclosed cabinet with modest ventilation. The type of cabinet MANY consumers own. Every time he uses it the fan howls. That's to be expected. The PS3 needs to make sure it's cooled and the cabinet takes any heat source and keeps it hot. What's not to understand about that? It's not a sin to suggest the PS3 is doing its job as designed. I would be suspect of a product with its capacity for heat NOT making fan noise! For someone in the market for a dedicated blu-ray player with a cabinet design similar to many in the world, I wouldn't suggest that a PS3 is first on their "to buy" list. But for someone in the market for a videogame player AND a blu-ray player, maybe fan noise is a compromise they have to live with. But it does exist. To suggest Chris was lying is rather rude.
And just which market is the PS3 dominating? The game console market where it's in 3rd place, or the blu-ray player market where maybe 15% of its buyers actually bought it for blu-ray and the rest bought it for gaming?
Just to chime in. I briefly owned a PS3 and could here the fan from my listening position, which was 6 feet away from a 42" plasma. So, the fan noise is real whether you want to accept it or not. From the posts I've read on other forums most have stated about how loud the PS3. This player generates a lot of heat and therefore is constantly running the fan. I don't know your listening environment, but if you sit further enough away, then you may not hear it.
Wow I haven't read anything so false in a long time. The PS/3's fan is unbearable for critical music listening.
You must not read a lot of reviews. A several reviews from Home Theater and Sound & Vision magazine make this comparison. You can't read a CNET review without this comparison. The has PS3 has its pros and cons, but I for one have no desire to have a PS3 in my home theater setup. In my setup the cons out way the pros and I'm not a gamer.
I surely don't share your bias. I want the best blu-ray player I can afford. I don't care who makes it, or what they decide to call it. I'll hook up a Teletubbies player if it out performs everything else.
Mello Yello,
You make a good point: I could and perhaps should have included comments to compare the BDP-83 to the PS3. I chose not to, though, because I see the products as fulfilling different missions and as being targeted to different customers.
The BDP-83 is targeted to people who are simultaneously A) videophiles, B) music lover/audiophiles, and C) value conscious. The PS3 is targeted to people who want A) a killer gaming system that B) also turns out to be a killer Blu-ray player. The big differentiator, I feel, is that the PS3 is not geared to meet the needs of performance-minded audio enthusiasts.
As it happens, I use a PS3 in my family's home theater system as a gaming system/Blu-ray player, and I use an earlier generation Oppo (the DV-983H) as my DVD/multi-format music player. My observation is that the Oppos (both the older DV-983H and the new BDP-83) are significantly better at DVD playback than the PS3 is, and much, much stronger as audio players.
I would also second the many comments about the PS3's fan noise; mine gets pretty loud at times.
Best,
Chris Martens
Chris Martens
Editor, Playback
playback.avguide.com
Being one of the early adapters, I've owned a BDP-83 for months. For those who already own hi-def players, the first, and very much appreciated, difference noted is the almost instantaneous boot-up. The second thing is the excellent upscaling of standard DVDs. Also, this machine has been flawless in its operation, no problems at all. I currently use it for SACD, DVD Audio, CD, DVD, and and Blu-ray.
I already own some VERY good audio and video equipment. My friend Don, also an early adapter, bought a BDP-83. He invited me over, and on first watching and listening (Blu-ray opera with lossless new format audio), I immediately ordered mine. It now stands in place of my SACD player, DVD-Audio player, and Blu-ray player (my HD-DVD player had to stay). I will say that my rather expensive SACD and DVD-Audio equipment it replaced had slightly better multi-channel audio. But the audio from this is very close; it really is excellent. And I definitely appreciate the single HDMI cable that took the place of my snakes nest of analog audio cables.
I've always been a 'best bang for the buck' kind of guy. This, I think, tops them all.
I am thinking of doing what you have done, but am concerned about the quality of the SACD audio, can you tell me what you have now?
John
I have used my BDP-83 on as many formats as I have and found the sound to be very good. For soundtracks with the latest codecs, I let the Oppo do the decoding, as my AV processor/.preamp does not do them (but has 8-channel analog input). Of course, this is also true for SACD. I agree that volume should be kept to the mas and let your preamp do level control, as the Oppo does its gain processing in the digital domain (I found this out when trying to adjust the volume of an SACD that was going straight from DSD to analog out. Oppo said it only processes gain on LPCM).
This is one great player. I hated retiring my Oppo DV-980H, but no more.
If I recall correctly, very few PS3s have SACD playback capability.
+1 for the fan noise, the Oppo's fan is very quiet if it happens to come on.
@AvidHiker:
About 7 million PS3s have SACD playback capability.. Out of a total of 30 millions PS3s that may not be much but it's still a pretty massive number in its own right. Enough to justify a dedicated site.
Why doesn't Oppo give some kind of discount code for readers of this review? I would buy one given a discount.
You think Oppo has to discount this already ridiculously low-priced machine to get people to buy it? Maybe you can get them to pay you to take it.... This is a great player - I've had mine for a couple of months and absolutely love it.
Satow,
It is tempting, I know, to wish for discounts. However, in the case of the BDP-83 I think one could argue that the standard price of the player is so low to begin with that it is not reasonable to ask Oppo to do better. There is such a thing as pressing for a deal that's "too good to be fair," when in fact you've already got an honest bargain staring you in the face.
Again, one point to bear in mind that, if you want the basic "functionality package" offered by the BDP-83, your only real alternative is Denon's undeniably impressive but also very expensive DVD-A1UDCI, whose MSRP is $4500 (source: www.denon.com).
Best,
Chris Martens
Chris Martens
Editor, Playback
playback.avguide.com
I was reading CNET reviews of Blu-Ray players and they rate the LG BD390 very favorably. How does the LG compare to the OPPO? The OPPO is about $100 more. Does the LG come close?
Oppo does give a discount. It's called Panasonic, Samsung and LG. I've owned players from Panasonic and Samsung and they were both solid performers. However, I can't speak to LG. There's your discount and you shouldn't be disappointed with any of the aforementioned that I've had personal experience with. For all the Oppo does it is a bargain at $499.00.
Willie, that's exactly my point, in order to get onto the blu ray bandwagon Oppo had to fall ,into line with those other manufacturers you list.
Gordon,
That's the price on doing business. No manufacturer can bring a blu-ray player to market region free out of the box in the US.
Willie
What would the reason for the discount be:
a. because we can read ?
b. because review was performed for us and written for us,
so that we can actually gain knowledge about great product
c. or just because it is somewhat required in the current marketplace ?
I am really not sure where your comment is coming from...
Suggestion: buy it, without discount.
You read it: it is absolutely great, considering the price
Hello Satow,
Regarding your comments about a discount for the 83: I was a member of the Early Interest program, and the original price was slated to be $599. But as a result of the Early Adopters' input (people who actually used and tested the unit prior to general release), the price was brought down to $499. I doubt it would be in Oppo's best interest to offer any real discounts. In addition to the player, I got an HDMI cable and a test disc included along with very nice packaging. I think the 83 is a bargain at its current price.
I am an early adopter of the BDP-83 - love it. But what's with all those comments about PS3 fan noise?? I play my PS3 for hours in the living room and never NEVER any fan noise above a whisper. If you have fan noise you have a defective PS3 - send it in while you are on your warranty and get it replaced! But back to the BDP-83 it is indeed a wonder and it is convenient (if perhaps not optimal) to be able to listen to SACD and DVDAudio discs through the HDMI cable...saves the hassle of connecting all the analog cables...but the analog cables do sound noticeably better, IMHO.
John
JED760,
As near as I can tell, PS3 fan noise is very much dependent on ambient room temperature (no great surprise there, I suppose). Here in Texas, folks sometimes economize by setting their thermostats as high as 80 degrees in the summertime, which actually feels OK when the outdoor temperature is a roasty 105 in the shade.
But, with interior temperatures at around 80, my PS3's fan is running almost all the time and at a high speed (it's much quieter during the cooler seasons).
Best,
Chris Martens
Chris Martens
Editor, Playback
playback.avguide.com
In my previous post I forgot to mention the usefulness of adding an outboard hard drive plugged into the USB port (My Pasport 350gb in my case). This allows storage of a small portion (maybe 4-500 cds) of my cd library with plenty of room to spare. the organization if the tracks is a bit of a pain but setting the system to randomly play all tracks is a joy. And the sound from the MP3 recorded at highest resolution (though still compressed) is astonishingly close to the original sound on the CD. Very impressive. My one complaint about the machine is that I wish the remote were bluetooth or AR rather than IR...you really have to aim it carefully to get things operating.
John
I have been trying to get my 83 to read my external HDD (I have tried 2 - a Seagate 500gb portable - with and without USB hub and a 1t desktop powered) and can get the OPPO to recognize the drives. I have tried both USB ports and memory sticks (up to 4g) work fine. Both drives are formated FAT32 (MS-DOS) and I have used to read/write on both windows machines and my Mac OS-X based machine.
Thoughts?
Help, please
-michael
Thanks for your excellent review, Chris. This Oppo sounds like it's a significantly better player all-around than the Sony BDP-S550 I bought at Christmas (after reading your review of that).
While I like the BDP-S550 well enough, I was very dismayed to discover that it does not support genuine slow motion or frame-by-frame playback in either forward or reverse. I couldn't believe that Sony would omit support for such a basic function that virtually every regular DVD player I've seen supports.
So my question is: does the Oppo BDP-83 support frame-by-frame slow motion, and at variable speeds (and without any jitters) like most standard DVD players do (even the $150 - $200 ones)?
Many thanks!
Rodger
I already own an Oppo DV-983 universal DVD player which I paid $399.00. What am I supposed to do? Chuck it for another DVD player by Oppo that allows me to play Blu Ray discs? I'm finished with Oppo. Too many upgrades too often with no trade in policy. I'll keep my Oppo DV-983 and buy the Sony BDP-350 and save a bundle of money!!!
THANKS BUT NO THANKS OPPO!!!
I too had the DV-983 and was very happy with it but wanted to get into bluray.
Sold the DV-983 for just about what I paid for it on Ebay and was a early adopter with the BDP-83 and couldn't be happier.
The loading speed is very comparable to the DV-983 and with the new codecs from the bluray discs the sound I feel is better than the DV-983. Plus there is only one component instead of two, but to each his own.
The OPPO DV-983H is so-called the best reference DVD player. Someone paid $999 on Amazon for it. You may be able to sell it at the price more than you pay for it, and then purchase the BDP-83.
Can someone comment on which regions this dvd player will play? I have a Pioneer that I bought from RegionFreeCodeFreeDVD.com, and I love it because I can pop any DVD in, from any region, and it will play it automatically converting PAL->NTSC for my TV (I live in the US), and it also plays SACD and DVD Audio, BUT it's not Blu Ray. Will this player allow this functionality? I noticed the comment "Subject to region restrictions".
Thanks!
Jason
Unlike all other Oppo players, in can't be made region-free. There is no code or hidden menu.
This unit has been rather a disappointment to me. The industry suits have got to Oppo, hence the new flagship model cannot be made region free for DVD, let alone Blu ray. All previous models could be set to any region or 0. Anyone thinking of buying this player and expecting it to be like all other Oppo models should think again. It is also unusable for me as a multi-channel SACD player because of the way it interacts with my Anthem D2 processor. The D2 sees all 5.0 SACDs as stereo only. Oppo has no fix for this and Anthem did not even reply when I brought it to their attention. This Oppo is a very good Blu ray player but, for me, that's all.
The industry suits have not got to Oppo. I guess this means that the suits have gotten to Pioneer, Panasonic, Samsung, Denon, Marantz, Samsung, etc. The blu-ray disc association does not allow players to be region free out of the box. There is not one single blu-ray transport that is region free out of the box that I am aware of that is being sold in the US. If so, then it has a hardware modification, which would void the warranty. However, the Oppo can be made region free for both blu-ray and dvd via a hardware modification. Also, I believe there is a firmware being circulated also. I know previous Oppo dvd players were able to be made region free by a remote code, but this was not a code developed by Oppo. Oppo will not risk the BDA licensing to make a player region free.
Actually, all previous Oppo DVD players had a secret menu (built into the firmware) that allowed the player to be made all-region or region-specific. There was no hardware modification required. Since I bought all my previous players direct from Oppo, and these players all had the secret menu, I can only assume that Oppo, themselves, included the secret menu in the firmware.
Does this player handle CD-R and CD-RW?
I've read this review and comes to my mind the following doubt - how audible is the sound difference betwen this Oppo and the Panasonic BD60 when HDMI is used with blu-rays material, followed with a hig-end processor and a high-end EAD amplifier. There is a really difference in sound?
I would buy the new OPPO immediately, except for the lack of DIVX capability. My older OPPO has DIVX capability.
quote;
Tom Worthen (not verified) -- Fri, 07/31/2009 - 10:22
I would buy the new OPPO immediately, except for the lack of DIVX capability. My older OPPO has DIVX capability.
The OPPO 83 I have plays Divx very well.
And unlike past OPPOs, the 83 recognises the aspect ratio flag all the time.
Chris,
My question is the OPPO's 9+ rating you gave for audio for both the digital out and the analog out? There was no audio improvement using the digital out?
Thanks,
David
The only thing that stops me from buying this unit is not being able to stream digital media to it. As soon as Oppo includes this feature (or the market develops a hack) I’ll buy it. Until then, I’ll stay with my Sage HD200, which may not be as good or as versatile as the Oppo but its acts as an extender for both online services and my home media server!!!!!
Chris,
I re-read your review and it sounds like you did in fact give the 9+ audio review based on the analog out.
If that is the case, it also sounds like there is no benefit to upgrading my present receiver (Yamaha 657? receiver - the one you gave the great 2005 review on). Just use the OPPO analog out.
Thanks,
David
I have been a loyal Oppo owner for several years now. I really love my current player (DV-981HD), and I was looking forward to purchasing the BDP-83 shortly. However, I have never agreed with the region-coding policy of DVDs (and now BluRays), and I refuse to buy any DVD player/recorder that can't be made region-free/all-region. I suspect that I am not the only Oppo owner who feels this way. If Oppo really has changed their region-coding policy, and have region-locked the BDP-83 (with no secret menu to change it), then I will not be purchasing the BDP-83, after all. This region-locking decision by Oppo could lose them many previously loyal customers. I strongly suggest to them that they re-think it.
Again, this is not an Oppo decision, but BDA decision. A blu-ray player in the US can not be region free out of the box. The DVD association or whatever it is called didn't have this restriction on manufacturers.