Dr. Stuart Gitlow
- التعليق
I ordered my UDP-203 as a pre-order directly from Oppo and received it several days later. This is my third Oppo player and I remain very pleased with their customer service and response time during email communications. My connection is through a Marantz 8802 processor to an LG65EF9500. As with the 103 that I was using earlier, I set up the 203 so that one HDMI cable goes directly to the TV, bypassing any processing entirely, with another going to the processor for audio processing and distribution to a Martin-Logan setup. Oppo has made some changes with the 203. The obvious one, of course, is the additional availability of UHD disc capabilities as well as the inclusion of upscaling to UHD from lower resolution sources. What this means for those with 4K monitor access is an immediate improvement in apparent image quality for all DVD and Blu-ray playback. That alone is worth the price of purchase. Remember that Oppos generally appear to hold their value quite well, so rather than thinking of this as a $550 purchase, I looked at it as a $150 upgrade to my existing 103. The next big change to the 203 is an improvement in high-resolution audio. I suspect fewer individuals will take advantage of this, but if youve had a chance to listen to an identical piece of music on both standard CD and from high-resolution sources, youd quickly realize this is like the difference between DVD and Blu-Ray. Dont skip over this if you purchase the 203. Another big change with the 203 has been the removal of streaming services such as Netflix. Of course, most purchases of the 203 will be made by individuals with a 4K TV from Samsung, LG, or others, all of which I know of have streaming services built in to their own firmware. So theres really no need to have it here as well. I dont miss it, but recognize that if you are used to using the streaming on your older 103, youll have to change your habits with the transition. Dont forget, Oppo nearly always releases a second model immediately after a unit like this comes out. The second model, in this case the UDP-205, will provide superior analog audio output IF thats the way you choose to make your connection to your hifi. If youre going to use the HDMI, save your pennies and just get the 203. The overall connectivity is easy. The UDP-203 simply plugged into my system and within a few minutes I was up and running. The default settings are nearly all correct for the majority of folks out there, but those who like to fiddle can do so to their hearts content. The remote is roughly identical to the prior iterations. The Netflix button has been removed, and the light now comes on for a few moments whenever the remote is moved. The remote seems to be seen more easily by the 203 than it was by prior units from Oppo, and the Oppo disc loading process is faster than any other DVD or Blu-Ray player Ive used. Playback of DVDs, Blu-Rays, CDs, and a variety of alternative sources and USB flash drives all works smoothly and easily. As with prior Oppo units, upgrades to firmware automatically are received through wifi, through an Ethernet connection, or can be downloaded to flash drives. Upgrades to the instructions are made available regularly. And unlike similar firmware updates for other audio components, these actually install easily and without any difficulty on the part of the end-user.