Press Release BVHE Press Release: Avatar: The Way of Water (4k UHD) (3D Blu-ray) (Blu-ray) and Avatar (4k UHD) (Blu-ray) (2 Viewers)

[Reed Grele]

I just received a shipping confirmation from Amazon that Avatar 3D BD is arriving today (NOT July 31st as was stated on their pre-order).

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Watched the 3D Blu-ray yesterday.

To start with, my Panasonic UB820 wouldn't play the 3D disc. I received an incompatibility error at startup and then the disc kept spinning inside and would not eject. After unplugging, I was able to force an eject.

Now, to be fair, I haven't updated the firmware on the UB820 in quite some time.

Fortunately, I still have my trusty Oppo and the disc spun up and initiated playback immediately.

The film itself? Terribly too long. It's as if I am watching an extended version of the film and parts of it dragged. However, overall, it wasn't a bad film. Don't think I would watch it ever again, though.

The 3D was quite good at immersing one into the world of Pandora. However, there are a lot of darker sequences where the 3D looks flat. I have always said that lit scenes are very important in conveying the format. No blatant pop-out effects except for some guns that slightly protrude from the screen. It may be blasphemy to say this, but not the best 3D I have seen.

 

[Reed Grele]

Ron, I loved everything about the first one, especially the 3D. I did not see the sequel in a theater. But I have a good friend who saw the 3D version multiple times and swore to me that it's the best 3D experience that he's ever seen (apparently he hasn't seen that many 3D movies, especially the classics!)

Anyway, I have invited him over tonight and we'll watch it together. I'm hoping that I'll enjoy it more than you did.

By the way, I have the same playback equipment as you. If my Panny won't spin it up, that would be disappointing. But at least I have the OPPO as the backup..

 

[ptb2017fr]

This was hoped for and expected on 3-D Blu-Ray. It is nice that 3-D releases can still trickle out from major studios, even if it probably takes James Cameron’s clout to make this happen.

Pity you can’t buy any 3D tvs any more. I’ve a couple of dozen 3D movies I can no longer watch as my 3D tv gave up the ghost last year. Looked all over Europe. Even on Amazon. One was available with a tiny screen. No point.

 

[ptb2017fr]

Ron, I loved everything about the first one, especially the 3D. I did not see the sequel in a theater. But I have a good friend who saw the 3D version multiple times and swore to me that it's the best 3D experience that he's ever seen (apparently he hasn't seen that many 3D movies, especially the classics!)

Anyway, I have invited him over tonight and we'll watch it together. I'm hoping that I'll enjoy it more than you did.

By the way, I have the same playback equipment as you. If my Panny won't spin it up, that would be disappointing. But at least I have the OPPO as the backup..

I’d agree with your friend. Saw it 3 times in a theatre, once on IMAX which was sensational!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Pity you can’t buy any 3D tvs any more. I’ve a couple of dozen 3D movies I can no longer watch as my 3D tv gave up the ghost last year. Looked all over Europe. Even on Amazon. One was available with a tiny screen. No point.

I assume you mean you can't find any new 3D sets, right?

I've not looked, but I have to believe there are used models out there for sale.

 

[Reed Grele]

Watched the 3D Blu-ray yesterday.

To start with, my Panasonic UB820 wouldn't play the 3D disc. I received an incompatibility error at startup and then the disc kept spinning inside and would not eject. After unplugging, I was able to force an eject.

Now, to be fair, I haven't updated the firmware on the UB820 in quite some time.

Fortunately, I still have my trusty Oppo and the disc spun up and initiated playback immediately.

The film itself? Terribly too long. It's as if I am watching an extended version of the film and parts of it dragged. However, overall, it wasn't a bad film. Don't think I would watch it ever again, though.

The 3D was quite good at immersing one into the world of Pandora. However, there are a lot of darker sequences where the 3D looks flat. I have always said that lit scenes are very important in conveying the format. No blatant pop-out effects except for some guns that slightly protrude from the screen. It may be blasphemy to say this, but not the best 3D I have seen.

I had the same problem with my Panasonic UB820. I checked the online firmware update and it said that it was already the current version. Not even the bonus features or the 2D disc would play.

Everything plays fine on my OPPO. Going to watch it now.

 

[dpippel]

I had the same problem with my Panasonic UB820. I checked the online firmware update and it said that it was already the current version. Not even the bonus features or the 2D disc would play.

Everything plays fine on my OPPO. Going to watch it now.

Try cleaning the discs, even if they look OK. The bonus features Blu-ray in my 4K set, which I'm sure is identical across these releases, played fine in my UB9000 by the way, as did the 4K disc.

 

[ptb2017fr]

I assume you mean you can't find any new 3D sets, right?

I've not looked, but I have to believe there are used models out there for sale.

Yes. And ones that aren’t thousands of Euros. Only one I found was 3900€ .

 

[Tino]

I had the same problem with my Panasonic UB820. I checked the online firmware update and it said that it was already the current version. Not even the bonus features or the 2D disc would play.

This is BS! I have the UB 820 also and will be really pissed if it doesn’t play. What are our options?

 

[Ronald Epstein]

This is BS! I have the UB 820 also and will be really pissed if it doesn’t play. What are our options?

Without a secondary player, your options are to return the disc as defective.

I don't know how widespread the playback issue is on the UB820, but having two members on this forum report similar playback issues, I would say chances are great you might experience the same problem.

Please keep us updated on your experience, Tino.

 

[Tino]

Without a secondary player, your options are to return the disc as defective.

I don't know how widespread the playback issue is on the UB820, but having two members on this forum report similar playback issues, I would say chances are great you might experience the same problem.

Please keep us updated on your experience, Tino.

I have other UHD players but the Panny 820 is my primary one. Is this a player issue or a manufacturing issue? I should have my disc by Saturday and will report back then.

 

[Malcolm R]

I would complain to Panasonic to get them to address their firmware, if that's the issue. Maybe they'll need to put out an update.

What "new" process was used in making this disc that it would suddenly trip up the firmware of these players?

 

[Mark McSherry]

I just tried the Avatar 2 3D blu-ray on my Panasonic UB820. Disc 1 loaded fine and I watched the first 10+ minutes in 3D. Then stopped playback and restarted. Again, the disc played without a problem. My firmware is up-to-date at Version 1.69. And I purchased the 3D Avatar 2 through the Disney Movie Club.

My DP-UB820-K was purchased at Best Buy back in September 2018.

My Sony 3D blu-ray player also played the 3D Avatar 2 without any loading problems.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I just tried the Avatar 2 3D blu-ray on my Panasonic UB820. Disc 1 loaded fine and I watched the first 10+ minutes in 3D. Then stopped playback and restarted. Again, the disc played without a problem. My firmware is up-to-date at Version 1.69. And I purchased the 3D Avatar 2 through the Disney Movie Club.

So, this is potentially good news for Tino.

I will also bring up that I and quite a few others had problems with Sony's 4k bonus disc of "1776" playing in the UB820.

 

[Mark McSherry]

I remember that. Did you resolve that? Again, my UB820 played the 4K 1776 Bonus Disc without a problem.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I remember that. Did you resolve that? Again, my UB820 played the 4K 1776 Bonus Disc without a problem.

No, I never repeatedly tried to play it after the first couple of rejections. Then, once I read that a few other people were having the same problem with that particular disc I just pawned it off on being a UB820 issue.

 

[Mark McSherry]

As Doug mentioned in Post #88, cleaning the discs may be worth a shot. My 820 stuttered and stuck midway through the 4K KNIVES OUT. A cleaning with warm water mixed with a drop of Dawn soap (and a lint-free towel) fixed that.

 

[Kyle_D]

I'm seeing lots of reports of defective discs across various forums. Disney unwisely chose to stack the discs in the packaging, which can cause scratches and particles to become embedded in the disc surface, which in turn causes read errors. Thankfully, most scratches and debris can be buffed out with a microfiber cloth and/or water and drop of dish soap.

 

[mark brown]

Sony played flat and 3d perfectly!