Panasonic going "Audiophile" with UHD BluRay

[Flint]

https://www.engadget.com/2016/07/01/panasonic-ultrahd-blu-ray-dmpub900/

If you thought Ultra HD Blu-ray players were already pretty expensive, Panasonic would like to have a word. Whereas Samsung's player and the recently released unit from Philips aim for a mainstream crowd with $400 price tags, Panasonic is targeting audiophiles and folks with slightly deeper pockets. The DMP-UB900 costs $699 and features a few wild specs like twin HDMI outputs for separating audio and video signals; premium capacitors, circuitry and signal processors; "digital tube sound" that supposedly replicates analog warmth from a digital signal and playback for DSD and ALAC audio formats. Yep, your TV's speakers would be a waste of all this tech.


Everything else is pretty standard fare for the format though, with 4K/60FPS playback, high dynamic range video and Ultra HD streaming apps along for the ride. Contrary to what we heard at CES this year, the UB900 will play nicely with 3D Blu-ray. Panasonic says to expect seeing this at "select" retailers, including Best Buy stores with a Magnolia room, this September.

 

[lakedmb]

Is there any actual benefit to splitting the HDMI signal?

 

[Huey]

Is there any actual benefit to splitting the HDMI signal?

Yes, if your receiver can't handle the ultra hd signal, but your tv can. My receiver can't handle a 3d signal, so it was either buy a new receiver or a bluray player that could send just an audio signal on one hdmi output and the 3d signal to the tv out of the other one.

 

[Haywood]

The $400 Samsung also has dual HDMI outputs. One is full HDMI 2.0a and the other is audio-only HDMI 1.4. That is a killer feature for someone who wants to keep their old receiver for now.

 

[Batman]

I've been waiting for a release date for this player.

 

[Haywood]

I may wait it out until the new Oppo hits. I still haven't decided whether I will get a dedicated disc player or one of the new game consoles with UHD Blu-Ray baked in. If I stick with my current plan to buy an NVidia Shield TV as my primary streaming device, I might just go for a player. We'll see. I'm not buying anything until I get a job anyway.

 

[Batman]

Just a heads up this player is available to order at Panasonic's site....states that it ships "Sept-Oct" FWIW.

 

[Haywood]

I am strongly leaning toward the XBox One S for a UHD Blu-Ray solution.

 

[CMonster]

I am strongly leaning toward the XBox One S for a UHD Blu-Ray solution.

I haven't followed it closely since I don't give a shit about gaming but I know I've seen mention of something weird with the audio. Hell, you could've brought it up here for all I know but wanted to mention it in case I'm mistaken. I'm pretty sure there's an AVS Forum thread dedicated to it...

 

[CMonster]

I really wish Oppo would announce their release date. With the new HT less than a month away from being ready, I've yet to purchase the Samsung, just don't know how long I can hold out.

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

Can anybody here tell me what benefit there is to "Premimum Capacitors"?????

Didn't think so.

 

[Haywood]

Can anybody here tell me what benefit there is to "Premimum Capacitors"?????

Didn't think so.

Ordinary capacitors that you pay a premium for. It's magic. More money makes them sound better.

 

[Haywood]

I haven't followed it closely since I don't give a shit about gaming but I know I've seen mention of something weird with the audio. Hell, you could've brought it up here for all I know but wanted to mention it in case I'm mistaken. I'm pretty sure there's an AVS Forum thread dedicated to it...

The issue is that the Blu-Ray section supports all audio formats, but there is currently no software that supports DTS HD-MA, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Atmos or DTS:X for streaming local media. The appeal of buying this over something like the Samsung is that the cost is about the same, but the XBox One S offers UHD HDR streaming apps for Netflix and Amazon, has a decent selection of other streaming apps and just happens to also be a great gaming console. It seems like the bang for the buck play. I will likely use an NVidia Shield TV for the majority of my streaming and local media, but I am buying a receiver with a matrix switch with the kitchen on Zone 2. It never hurts to have some redundancy.