Press Release BVHE Press Release: Avatar: The Way of Water (4k UHD) (3D Blu-ray) (Blu-ray) and Avatar (4k UHD) (Blu-ray) (1 Viewer)

[Reed Grele]

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.

UPDATE:

Well, this is interesting. I have two Panasonic UB820s. Both were purchased at around the same time a few years back, and both are updated to 1.69 version of firmware.

The only difference is, one of them will not play any of the Avatar: The Way of Water Blu-ray discs from the 3D set. The other plays them all perfectly!

I will have to do some more testing to find out if it has anything to do with what TV or monitor is hooked up to the player, or any other settings in the player or TV that might be different.

WEIRD!

 

[Reed Grele]

UPDATE:

Well, this is interesting. I have two Panasonic UB820s. Both were purchased at around the same time a few years back, and both are updated to 1.69 version of firmware.

The only difference is, one of them will not play any of the Avatar: The Way of Water Blu-ray discs from the 3D set. The other plays them all perfectly!

I will have to do some more testing to find out if it has anything to do with what TV or monitor is hooked up to the player, or any other settings in the player or TV that might be different.

WEIRD!

Okay, I think I found the problem. Although I can't imagine why this would cause the issue.

On my first attempt to play one of the discs from the 3D Avatar set, I had my Panasonic UB820 players HDMI out cable connected to a mechanical HDMI selector switch which then used another HDMI cable going to a monitor. When hooked up this way, I only get a black screen on the monitor, the disc refuses to display an image.

When the HDMI video output is connected by an HDMI cable directly to a TV or a monitor, with no switch in between, the disc will play perfectly.

I have now confirmed this with both players. Whenever there is an HDMI switch in between the payer and the television or monitor, I just get a black screen. But when the HDMI cable is connected directly to the television or monitor, the disc plays perfectly. This applies for both of my UB820 players.

The way I normally play a 3D or 4K disc through the UB820, the video out always goes directly to the monitor or TV, and the second HDMI out which I use for audio only, goes to the receiver.

Ron, perhaps you could try a direct connection to your projector or monitor from the player and see if this works.

 

[Tino]

I have now confirmed this with both players. Whenever there is an HDMI switch in between the payer and the television or monitor, I just get a black screen. But when the HDMI cable is connected directly to the television or monitor, the disc plays perfectly. This applies for both of my UB820 players.

I could never get the sound synced correctly with my receiver using this configuration so I have it going thru my receiver to the monitor.

I’m hoping I have no issues when i receive my disc Saturday.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Okay, I think I found the problem. Although I can't imagine why this would cause the issue.

On my first attempt to play one of the discs from the 3D Avatar set, I had my Panasonic UB820 players HDMI out cable connected to a mechanical HDMI selector switch which then used another HDMI cable going to a monitor. When hooked up this way, I only get a black screen on the monitor, the disc refuses to display an image.

When the HDMI video output is connected by an HDMI cable directly to a TV or a monitor, with no switch in between, the disc will play perfectly.

I have now confirmed this with both players. Whenever there is an HDMI switch in between the payer and the television or monitor, I just get a black screen. But when the HDMI cable is connected directly to the television or monitor, the disc plays perfectly. This applies for both of my UB820 players.

The way I normally play a 3D or 4K disc through the UB820, the video out always goes directly to the monitor or TV, and the second HDMI out which I use for audio only, goes to the receiver.

Ron, perhaps you could try a direct connection to your projector or monitor from the player and see if this works.

Reed,

Thanks for the lab experimentations.

There is too much wiring for me to have to do a direct reroute from my Panny to my projector.

I would definitely be more inclined to go the extra mile and do the rewiring if not for the fact I have a backup 3D player.

Interesting if your hypothesis is true, though. Let's see what experience Tino has when he attempts playback.

 

[JoshZ]

Okay, I think I found the problem. Although I can't imagine why this would cause the issue.

On my first attempt to play one of the discs from the 3D Avatar set, I had my Panasonic UB820 players HDMI out cable connected to a mechanical HDMI selector switch which then used another HDMI cable going to a monitor. When hooked up this way, I only get a black screen on the monitor, the disc refuses to display an image.

When the HDMI video output is connected by an HDMI cable directly to a TV or a monitor, with no switch in between, the disc will play perfectly.

I have now confirmed this with both players. Whenever there is an HDMI switch in between the payer and the television or monitor, I just get a black screen. But when the HDMI cable is connected directly to the television or monitor, the disc plays perfectly. This applies for both of my UB820 players.

The way I normally play a 3D or 4K disc through the UB820, the video out always goes directly to the monitor or TV, and the second HDMI out which I use for audio only, goes to the receiver.

Ron, perhaps you could try a direct connection to your projector or monitor from the player and see if this works.

Which disc(s) are giving you the issue? The 4K, the 3D, or the regular Blu-ray? From your description, it sounds like either the HDMI switch or one of the cables is not up to spec for one or more of these formats.

Blu-ray requires HDMI 1.3, while 4K with HDR requires HDMI 2.0. If it's an older switch that's, say, HDMI 1.2, it would not pass video for any of them.

 

[Malcolm R]

Blu-ray requires HDMI 1.3, while 4K with HDR requires HDMI 2.0. If it's an older switch that's, say, HDMI 1.2, it would not pass video for any of them.

But it sounds like folks having issues have watched many other discs in these formats without problems. Something seems to be different with this disc.

 

[Reed Grele]

Which disc(s) are giving you the issue? The 4K, the 3D, or the regular Blu-ray? From your description, it sounds like either the HDMI switch or one of the cables is not up to spec for one or more of these formats.

Blu-ray requires HDMI 1.3, while 4K with HDR requires HDMI 2.0. If it's an older switch that's, say, HDMI 1.2, it would not pass video for any of them.

Using the mechanical HDMI switch, nothing (from 4K down to a DVD) will play at all from the UB820 to a TV or computer monitor.

However, using the same HDMI cables and the same mechanical HDMI switch, the OPPO player (which is not the 4K model) WILL pass both video and audio through the mechanical HDMI switch to a TV or computer monitor.
Confirmed with one of my latest Blu-rays: Robot Monster 3D.

So something strange is going on with the Panasonic UB820. And it doesn't seem to be the HDMI cables or the mechanical HDMI switch.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

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

Yikes.

I actually have a "backup" 3D set. I bought a 60-inch Panasonic plasma with active 3D in... 2013? Whenever they discontinued plasmas.

I got my current 65" LG OLED passive 3D in summer 2017 and it's been my workhorse.

Felt stupid buying a new set when the "old one" wasn't all that used, but 2016 was the last model year for LG OLED 4K/3D so it was then or never.

Put the Panny 3D on mothballs so assuming it doesn't degrade on its own, it's there for me if/when the LG konks out.

I've actually considered getting a new 4K set for regular use and reserving the LG 3D for 3D only to extend its lifespan.

The LG's 3D blows away the Panny's.

 

[ptb2017fr]

When I said it’s hard to find a 3D tv nowadays I of course meant one that doesn’t cost a fortune. There are a few but all in the €2-4000 range, way out of my budget and to be honest have a huge 65” tv in the living room and a nice 50” in the bedroom so wouldn’t know where to put it just for my 3D discs.

 

[Stu Rosen]

Yikes.

I actually have a "backup" 3D set. I bought a 60-inch Panasonic plasma with active 3D in... 2013? Whenever they discontinued plasmas.

I got my current 65" LG OLED passive 3D in summer 2017 and it's been my workhorse.

Felt stupid buying a new set when the "old one" wasn't all that used, but 2016 was the last model year for LG OLED 4K/3D so it was then or never.

Put the Panny 3D on mothballs so assuming it doesn't degrade on its own, it's there for me if/when the LG konks out.

I've actually considered getting a new 4K set for regular use and reserving the LG 3D for 3D only to extend its lifespan.

The LG's 3D blows away the Panny's.

When my 55" LG OLED got burn-in I couldn't ignore, I decided to pivot (for 3D purposes) and bought an Epson projector and Elite screen (which I place in front of my new LG non-3D 65" OLED), and it's been fantastic as a replacement for the LG OLED. I ended up liking the set-up so much I use the projector/screen for all movies.

 

[Tino]

When my 55" LG OLED got burn-in I couldn't ignore,

I’m close to that point on my 65” 3D OLED. It’s terrible and has soured me on LG.

I hope this burn in issue has been resolved on current OlED’s.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I’m close to that point on my 65” 3D OLED. It’s terrible and has soured me on LG.

How long have you used your LG 3D OLED?

I'm right at about 6 years and zero signs of burn in.

I kinda assume we watch similar content on our sets - ie, mainly movies on disc - and I can't imagine you watch yours much more than I watch mine, so I don't know why you'd have bad burn in and I'd have none.

 

[dpippel]

How long have you used your LG 3D OLED?

I'm right at about 6 years and zero signs of burn in.

I kinda assume we watch similar content on our sets - ie, mainly movies on disc - and I can't imagine you watch yours much more than I watch mine, so I don't know why you'd have bad burn in and I'd have none.

My experience was the same as yours, Colin. I owned my OLED65E6P for almost 7 years and it had about 7K hours accumulated when I sold it a couple of weeks ago. The display had zero burn-in. Literally none. It was used mainly for movie viewing, although we did watch a lot of streaming content as well. No gaming. Maybe Tino is a gamer?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

My experience was the same as yours, Colin. I owned my OLED65E6P for almost 7 years and it had about 7K hours accumulated when I sold it a couple of weeks ago. The display had zero burn-in. Literally none. It was used mainly for movie viewing, although we did watch a lot of streaming content as well. No gaming. Maybe Tino is a gamer?

Only burn in issue I ever had was from stuff I'd watch at "1.5X speed" on my Panny BD player.

Some programs would come with a non-removable "timing bar" at the bottom, and after a bunch of these in a tight time period, the bar burned into the screen.

However, that was on my Panny plasma - and it went away after a couple days.

Nuttin' on the LG!

 

[Tino]

Maybe Tino is a gamer?

I am. But apparently I used my Xbox for surfing the internet and that seems to be the culprit.

 

[dpippel]

I am. But apparently I used my Xbox for surfing the internet and that seems to be the culprit.

Damn, that's too bad. I can only imagine how aggravating it must be. From what I've been reading around the forums, the new WOLED panels that LG is producing these days are more resistant to burn-in, but QD-OLED panels are actually MORE susceptible to the problem.

At any rate, ATWoW looks positively stunning on my LG G3.

 

[Tino]

This is what it looks like. (Enhanced).

 

[Robert Crawford]

My experience was the same as yours, Colin. I owned my OLED65E6P for almost 7 years and it had about 7K hours accumulated when I sold it a couple of weeks ago. The display had zero burn-in. Literally none. It was used mainly for movie viewing, although we did watch a lot of streaming content as well. No gaming. Maybe Tino is a gamer?

I have the same model which I bought in 2016 without any burn-in issues.

 

[dpippel]

This is what it looks like. (Enhanced).

View attachment 189142

Ouch! That's pretty bad.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This is what it looks like. (Enhanced).

View attachment 189142

That is bad! I never used my OLED to surf the net.