DV-983H Setup, USB Audio and Bass Management
Cruising through the Oppo's menu system we didn't find too many surprises. Feel free to reference our review of the OPDV971H which has a very similar menu system. Please note that if you are attempting to use the multi-channel outputs you'll want to properly configure bass management. This includes setting the proper speaker size and also configuring the delay (distance) and level settings.
Under the Video Setup page we found that the Noise Reduction feature didn't do anything visible to affect mosquito or MPEG-2 noise. Oppo claims this setting aids in reducing block noise caused by video compression, however this is far less typical than MPEG-2 noise or mosquito noise. We recommend leaving this 'Off'.
Now, on to actually using the player. It took about 28 seconds to boot and play a title on the Oppo player from Standby. This is pretty sluggish. For comparison, a Denon DVD-1930CI takes around 11 seconds. Of course, we've also seen worse, like the Denon DVD-3930CI which takes nearly 34 seconds. Overall, this isn't of great concern to most users.
One anomaly I discovered with this player was that initially I could not get multi-channel SACD to play through my receiver via HDMI. Even though the DV-983H doesn't output raw DSD audio, the player does allow SACDs to play by outputting PCM audio, meaning that SACDs will play back through HDMI on any receiver with HDMI 1.1 or higher. What I discovered is that HDMI allocates audio bandwidth as a percentage of video bandwidth (it factors in the 24-bit video format timings and maximum sampling frequencies.) Since my player was set to 480p during my audio testing, the system was locked down at 2-channel for SACD. Switching the player to 720p instantly allowed multi-channel SACD audio to be output as expected.
From the Oppo User Manual:
If you use HDMI to connect audio to an HDMI A/V receiver or audio processor, it is recommended that you choose 720p or higher HDMI output resolution when playing high resolution audio content (DVD-Audio and SACD). According to the HDMI specification, the bandwidth available for audio is proportional to the total bandwidth used by video. At 480p/576p resolution, the HDMI specification can only support 2 channels of audio with high sample rate (up to 192kHz), or 8 channels of audio with standard sample rate (up to 48kHz).
Depending on the capability of your A/V receiver or audio processor, if you play high resolution audio content at 480p/576p resolution, you may get reduced audio resolution, incomplete audio channels, or even no audio/video output at all. Choosing a high HDMI output resolution such as 720p or 1080i allows enough bandwidth for all high sample rate audio channels.
Equally odd, was my discovery that the Speaker Setup >
Down-mix menu needed to be set to '5.1 CH' or '7.1 CH' in order to hear
multi-channel DVD-Audio tracks.
When listening to a DVD-Audio
disc, I found that I was hearing 2-channel audio with the default setting of 'Stereo'.
To me, this menu really should only have to do with analogue audio mixdowns,
but Oppo also extends it to the HDMI output for all audio formats that it
converts to PCM audio (nearly everything, save DTS and Dolby Digital). Since the
AV receiver should be able to handle any required mixdowns or bass management
for digital sources via HDMI, we found this to be unusual. This also indicated
to me that I wasn't delivering native MLP
(PPCM) or DSD to my Denon AVR-5308, but LPCM-converted audio from the DVD-Audio and SACD tracks. I noticed no perceived quality
lost in the translation, but it was interesting to note.
Tech Note: Bass Management Galore
Regarding bass management, the Oppo DV-983H provides it, but only in a rudimentary level. The crossover point is fixed at 80Hz and all digital audio formats, save for DTS and Dolby Digital, are converted to LPCM when sent out via HDMI or the analogue audio outputs. This means that the Oppo is potentially ganging its bass management on top of that of your AV receiver. To avoid any unnecessary double bass management, we recommend setting all speakers to Large (regardless of what speakers you are using) in the Oppo's Speaker Setup menu unless you are using the analogue audio outputs.
According to Oppo, the reason they apply
down-mix to HDMI output is to ensure users who connect the HDMI output directly
to a TV can get properly down-mixed audio. As for applying bass
management to multi-channel PCM output over HDMI, the reason is that some older
models of HDMI A/V receivers cannot do any processing for multi-channel audio
from their HDMI input.
In checking out the USB audio and video functionality the first thing I noted was that the connection was located on the rear of the player. To me, USB connections belong on the front of the device as I'd imagine most people will be using USB thumb drives more than FAT32-formatted removable hard disks. To put the USB port in the back you are guaranteeing that few will use this for any impromptu displaying of images or playing back downloaded music unless you frequently update a portable drive and go through the trouble of connecting it to the rear of your DVD player. It's also not sophisticated enough, as an interface, to cater to larger drives packed with music.
Playback of USB
content is easy. You simply hit the button at the top center of the remote and
select USB SLOT
1. At that point the USB drive is
read (pretty quickly for a 256MB thumb drive). The screen which pops up is
pretty much the same screen as is used for SACD content. It shows meta data and
allows selection of folders and subfolders to access music. When you play the
first track it continues on until the last track in a folder is played. An
eye-candy "graphical EQ" displays in the top right and you can adjust
the volume output of the player - even digitally via HDMI. The bitrate of the
current file is shown at the top and you can fast forward, pause and rewind
playback just like with a CD.
See also:
Recent Forum Posts:
I believe this is an issue within the Oppo DV-983h. Communicating with Oppo about this I have learned they are already aware of this issue. Oppo claims they can neither test nor correct the problem as they do not have an RX-Z11 to test with. I have found several references to this problem on the internet in other websites. Some folks suspect it may be a compatibility issue since both the 983h and the Z11 use the same Anchor Bay video chip may be causing a conflict. I would suspect that the other Yamaha receivers using the same chip may exhibit the same problem.
To date Oppo has not responded with how they will approach correcting this issue for me, and other users with same problem. I had been plannig to acquire the Oppo BD-S83 Blu-ray when it became available, but with Oppo's poor response to correct the 983h issue fo me, I am rethinking my purchase of the BD-S83. I fear that since Oppo cannot identify nor correct this porblem in the 983h, then the same problem may carry over to the BD-S83 as it also uses the Anchor Bay chips. Interesting to note, I had offered to Oppo to participate in their BD-S83 Beta testing long before they "randomly selected" their Beta testers, but Oppo declined stating they already had enough testors. I find it curious that Oppo is reluctant to risk identification of a continued potential problem with a new Beta unit which they are preparing to distribute soon.
I really liked the Oppo DV-983h when I first installed it in Oct., 2008. That installation included a 720p projector. The displays had been impressive, especially considering the price range of the DVD player. Upscaling to 720p was not an issue regardless of the various combinations I tested. However, now that I can project a 1080p image, I am concerned that I may not be getting all of the video/sound "quality" available from the source material via HDMI. I currently have the DVD player set to output a 480p image and allow the Z11 to provide the upscaling. I have read that setting the DVD player to 480p may also inhibit sound production as this setting may limit the bandwidth available for audio through the HDMI connection.
I realize the DV-983h has now been discontinued, but I wanted to post my observation about this unit. It is a real disappointment to me. It appears the DV-983h was not the perfect unit everyone believed. Snce they have discontinued the player, my fear now is that this problem will never be addressed by Oppo. My concern is they may not correct any similar problem in the BD-S83 should it appear.
If anyone else has noted this problem and possibly devised a resolution please pass it along. I have tried all possible setting combinations on the various pieces of equipment to no avail.
AcuDefTechGuy;426881
I think the only 3 advantages of the Oppo over the PS3 include Region Free playback, DVD-A, and the looks of an audio component vs game console.
And you don't have to worry about buying a Blutooth to IR converter to use your usual universal remote with the Oppo. I think that is a pretty important advantage. Don't get me wrong, I finally crumbled and got a PS3, but it really bothers me that I have to buy a signal converter for me to use it as a DVD player without having to use the PS3 controller.
I was only a little bit surprised that the PS3 got a HQV score of 100 vs the Oppo's HQV score of 105. I guess only the Realta and Reon chips can get a perfect HQV score of 130? I bet we can't tell the difference in picture quality, though. Man, so the PS3 can do TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, play BD, play PS3 games, play SACD, and can upscale SD DVD with a HQV score of 100, which is practically the same as the $400 Oppo.
I didn't read the entire view, but how does the Oppo get a Hi-Def Video performance at all when it's just a SD DVD player and not a BD/HD player?
I think the only 3 advantages of the Oppo over the PS3 include Region Free playback, DVD-A, and the looks of an audio component vs game console.
The advantages of the PS3 over the Oppo include Blu-ray (true HD PQ & SQ -TrueHD/DTS-MA), and PS3 games.
If I had 2 boys, instead of 2 daughters, I would definitely get the PS3!
