Oppo BDP-93 Networking Universal Blu-ray Player

[Wayde Robson]

editor. "the infamous BDP-83 " means adjective

A post that shall live in infamy!

 

[j_garcia]

Nice first post. It also has wild west connotations which you missed...

Not to mention grammar errors while trying to correct someone's writing

 

[bogrod]

Just when you thought there wasn't a better Universal Blu-ray player on the market for under $500 than the legendary BDP-83 Universal Blu-ray Player, Oppo proves you wrong by unveiling a new successor model: the BDP-93. Carrying the same retail price ($499), Oppo's BDP-93 has upped the bar by adding new networking/streaming features, increased performance and improved build quality. The Oppo BDP-93 will do virtually everything the BDP-83 BD player did, plus have some major feature upgrades like Netflix streaming and dual HDMI outputs.

Discuss "Oppo BDP-93 Networking Universal Blu-ray Player" here. Read the article.

The make-or-break for me with the 93 will be whether or not it has the Anchor Bay chip. I think this will be a huge seller if they can keep the AB chip.

 

[j_garcia]

The make-or-break for me with the 93 will be whether or not it has the Anchor Bay chip. I think this will be a huge seller if they can keep the AB chip.

So what you are saying is you didn't read the article, becase it said that it won't have ABT.

 

[bogrod]

So what you are saying is you didn't read the article, becase it said that it won't have ABT.

I must have missed that. Thank you for point that out for me. I stand corrected.

Too bad. I wasn't sure if they'd be able to pack everything in and still be at $500.

 

[PENG]

The make-or-break for me with the 93 will be whether or not it has the Anchor Bay chip. I think this will be a huge seller if they can keep the AB chip.

The Marvell may even be better than the ABT, we don't know that yet do we? Why is the ABT so important to you?

 

[gonk]

I must have missed that. Thank you for point that out for me. I stand corrected.

Too bad. I wasn't sure if they'd be able to pack everything in and still be at $500.

I was surprised to see a change from ABT, as well, but from what I've been reading this weekend it seems very possible that the Marvell chip could represent either a lateral move or an upgrade from the ABT2010. Some of it depends on implementation, as always, but implementation has historically been one of OPPO's strong suits.

 

[bogrod]

The Marvell may even be better than the ABT, we don't know that yet do we?

I'm skeptical that it will even be as good as the ABT. Just like you said, we don't know how good it will be. I'm sure that it probably is a decent chip, and I am sure that to a lot of people it will be perfectly adequate.

Why did they decide to drop the ABT2015? Is this new chip a cost-cutting move, sort of like like with what Oppo did with the BDP-80, in order to cram all of the other new stuff (wireless, 3D support, Neftlix) into the 93 and get it to a $500 price point?

 

[jostenmeat]

I'm skeptical that it will even be as good as the ABT. Just like you said, we don't know how good it will be. I'm sure that it probably is a decent chip, and I am sure that to a lot of people it will be perfectly adequate.

Why did they decide to drop the ABT2015? Is this new chip a cost-cutting move, sort of like like with what Oppo did with the BDP-80, in order to cram all of the other new stuff (wireless, 3D support, Neftlix) into the 93 and get it to a $500 price point?

Well, what is that you need? Maybe we can help you find something.

In all honesty, if VP is truly very important to you, it is often said that you will want a stand alone component VP. The price of an entry/mid level VP (hi-end are thousands) + a completely satisfactory stand alone BDP from another brand is about $100 more than the 93, and now you have a lot more flexibility, tools, and it's no longer applied just to DVDs, but any of your sources, including television.

Maybe you needed SACD or DVDA (will these be included)? Or perhaps you don't want this anymore than the wireless, 3D, or netflix?

Maybe you just have to have it all in one box, and it absolutely has to have ABT? Or are two components ok?

Well, I don't know what you want, but if it has to be only one box, here is a Denon BDP with ABT for $200 less?

http://www.amazon.com/Denon-DBP2010-Blu-ray-Player-Black/dp/B002DTWEPU


Maybe instead of complaining about a certain product based on your own individual needs, you can instead list your needs and people can find a solution for you?

I also would not be surprised if if the newer VP was just as good as ABT.

 

[gonk]

I'm skeptical that it will even be as good as the ABT. Just like you said, we don't know how good it will be. I'm sure that it probably is a decent chip, and I am sure that to a lot of people it will be perfectly adequate.

The ABT is an excellent chip and they've had very good success with it, but it isn't the end-all and be-all of video processing. There are equally good and even superior products out there. A big part of OPPO's success was their determination to optimize their firmware for the chip, not simply accept the canned code from the manufacturer and get the chip working in a generic sort of manner.

It's really too soon to tell. I don't see any evidence that Marvell will be a step down, but we'll all have to wait and see.

Why did they decide to drop the ABT2015? Is this new chip a cost-cutting move, sort of like like with what Oppo did with the BDP-80, in order to cram all of the other new stuff (wireless, 3D support, Neftlix) into the 93 and get it to a $500 price point?

They may have been trying to address some limitations in the ABT (the 2015 is said to be a lower-cost variant of the 2010, with little or no functional benefit). I doubt that cost is much of a factor - the BDP-80 omitted a video processor (including the hardware, the licensing fees, and the firmware development) entirely, which did have some cost benefits, but if they have something there then they still have costs for it (hardware, licensing, and firmware development) so the cost savings would be minimal or nonexistent.

 

[basspig]

Having just bought my 83 this summer, now I realise I should have waited.

I suppose this means no Netflix support will ever be added to the 83? (My wife was chastising me for spending this much for a unit that has not internet capability--she said I should have bought a PS3).

My big question will be whether Oppo will address the trim + and clipping audio problems with positive trim values.. will they make use of all that unused dynamic headroom on the analog op-amp output stages and allow +10dB trim without clipping? Or will it be the same..?

And.. will they put in an up to date low pass filter in the DAC, so that overshoot and ringing are not so rude, as is the case with the 83?

To date, the 83 is a very expensive player with mediocre audio.

 

[j_garcia]

Having just bought my 83 this summer, now I realise I should have waited.

I suppose this means no Netflix support will ever be added to the 83? (My wife was chastising me for spending this much for a unit that has not internet capability--she said I should have bought a PS3).

The 83 DOES have web capability, though doing Netflix directly on the player is not one of those capabilities.

 

[basspig]

Yes, and we got a taste of that 'web capability' the other night, when it delivered some ads before allowing us to watch the movie that we paid to rent. Seems to me that's more of a disadvantage than a benefit.

 

[bogrod]

Well, what is that you need? Maybe we can help you find something.

Thanks for the offer to help (seriously). I already have the BDP-83 (and 980-H). The 93 was something which I was (and perhaps may still) considering for purchase.

 

[bogrod]

It's really too soon to tell. I don't see any evidence that Marvell will be a step down, but we'll all have to wait and see.

I admit that I don't stay current on the cutting-edge of video processor chips. However, the fact that many here have no idea about the Marvell chip, and its performance (or potential performance) is certainly fueling the skeptic in me.

They may have been trying to address some limitations in the ABT (the 2015 is said to be a lower-cost variant of the 2010, with little or no functional benefit). I doubt that cost is much of a factor - the BDP-80 omitted a video processor (including the hardware, the licensing fees, and the firmware development) entirely, which did have some cost benefits, but if they have something there then they still have costs for it (hardware, licensing, and firmware development) so the cost savings would be minimal or nonexistent.

What may be worthwhile to ask, or consider, is why Oppo did not choose to use the ABT2010 from the 83? Oppo obviously did not choose to go with the 2015, which was (as you stated) a lower-cost 2010. Oppo obviously has done a lot of tweaking with the 2010 with the firmware updates. My skepticism may certainly be unfounded if the new chip turns out to be good, but I'm very curious as to why they decided to make the change with their "flagship" model.

 

[carlmart]

Will the BP93 be able to handle NTFS files?

Would I be able to stream files from my computer?

 

[arashjahn]

Oppo BDP-93

Will the BP93 be able to handle NTFS files?

Would I be able to stream files from my computer?

I don't know, I really hope it will support NFS via USB & eSata. Also, please let it support FLAC, FLAC 96/24, and FLAC multi-channel like the McIntosh MS750. A lot of us audiophiles use FLAC, and would love for this [Oppo 93] to be our transport, rather than a noisy computer, or costly conversion to a fanless PC setup. Plus, Bowers & Wilkins is allowing you to download FLAC from their Society of Sound website, so audiophiles in the know will gravitate towards this Oppo, if it supports it.

Thanks,
///Arash

 

[PhilCohen]

And now Oppo has stopped manufacturing both of their existing Blu-Ray models, ostensibly because of a parts shortage, which raises the question of whether parts will be available if my Oppo BDP-83 ever needs to be repaired.

All of this "parts shortage" talk may be a smokescreen for Oppo's move to comply with the impending "no high resolution video via analogue output" & subsequent "No analogue video outputs whatsoever" edicts from the Blu-Ray patent holders, by deleting their present Blu-Ray player product line, even though the BDP-93 is far from being ready to sell, and even though many consumers have no interest whatsoever in the 3-D capability of the forthcoming new model. But Oppo intends to go further than the edict requires by eliminating analogue audio outputs as well.

 

[serenity737]

Responses to questions I posed to Oppo customer service (quality of upconversion, quality of audio, capability to play flac files).

Mike


Michael,

1. The BDP-93 will be equal to or better than the BDP-83 when it comes to DVD de-interlacing and scaling.

2. Audio processing will be equal to or better than the BDP-83. The only disadvantage is that we no longer have a dedicated stereo output on the BDP-93.

3. Unfortunately at this time we can't confirm the specifications of the player, which includes the type of audio and video formats the player may support.

Best Regards,

Customer Service
OPPO Digital, Inc.
2629B Terminal Blvd.
Mountain View, CA 94043
Service@oppodigital.com
Tel: 650-961-1118
Fax: 650-961-1119

 

[gonk]

And now Oppo has stopped manufacturing both of their existing Blu-Ray models, ostensibly because of a parts shortage, which raises the question of whether parts will be available if my Oppo BDP-83 ever needs to be repaired.

All of this "parts shortage" talk may be a smokescreen for Oppo's move to comply with the impending "no high resolution video via analogue output" & subsequent "No analogue video outputs whatsoever" edicts from the Blu-Ray patent holders, by deleting their present Blu-Ray player product line, even though the BDP-93 is far from being ready to sell, and even though many consumers have no interest whatsoever in the 3-D capability of the forthcoming new model. But Oppo intends to go further than the edict requires by eliminating analogue audio outputs as well.

OPPO has been servicing (and continues to service) 971H DVD players, even though the last batch of those players was built in 2006 some time (probably before mid-2006). There's no reason to assume they'll be unable to do the same for the BDP-83. I'm told that they have taken measures to insure sufficient parts inventory to service BDP-83's and BDP-80's well beyond the day the last player's warranty expires.

Getting the BDP-93 into production and distribution before the end of 2010 will allow them to sell it without restricting component output. That'd certainly be handy. I think that's a secondary consideration for them, though. As for the last bit (them deleting analog output entirely on products introduced after 1/1/2011), do you have a source for that? I keep pretty close track of OPPO, and hadn't heard them state any such thing. Certainly the sample that was walking around at CEDIA last week still had component outputs on the back.