# OPPO BDP-93 vs. Everything Else



## Research2010

I have been a long time reader here on The Shack and I am going through a home theater upgrade. Having read countless posts and praise for the OPPO products I am curious how much better these products are in real world use.

What I mean by that is, does the cost of the OPPO BDP-93 really out shine another great bargain, for example the Panasonic DMP-BDT210 or a PS3?

Before OPPO BDP-93 what Blu-Ray source did you have and how is your OPPO better?

If it does out shine then specifically how in the real world. Load times are faster. Image is clearer. What is it that makes you love your OPPO BD-93? The technical side of the design I understand. The quality of the build I understand. What I am missing is the exact pin point element that makes you drool when you watch a movie on your OPPO vs. any other Blu-Ray product.

I spent a lot of time and research on the OPPO BDP-95 and I know what makes that great. Right now in my upgrade design I cannot justify or rationalize the cost of the BDP-95 in my future setup. With that said I think that I can budget and entertain OPPO BDP-93 but I need to know what it is that all that extra money gives me.

My setup is like all others and constantly evolving.
*Current component list:*
AVR – Onkyo TX-NR609
Cable Box – Motorola DCX3400
DVD Player – Panasonic DMR-ES10
Game Console – Nintendo Wii
LAN Adapter – Onkyo UWF-1
Television – Samsung Plasma 42 inch - PN42A400C2D

Comments appreciated and thank you for reading my post.


----------



## Jungle Jack

Hello,
I actually was using 4 different BDP's prior to the BDP-93 (PS3, OPPO-BDP-83, Pioneer BDP-05, BDP-51). In truth between the 4, every advantage aside from the ultra quiet Disc Loader were covered with the various BDP's.

For instance, the PS3 offered the near instantaneous Loading and Power Up the same could be said of the 83. Both the 51 and 83 offered stellar DVD Performance, but both the OPPO 83 and 93 are a good bit better.

Regardless, the 93 truly excels in every imaginable area. I will again go back to the new Disc Loader that was Developed with The Tohei Group of Japan as the 93 is so smooth and silent. Also, unlike the 83, the 93 does not have a Fan.

I will say Panasonic makes my favorite Mass Market Players and many share this feeling. I will say that if you have a large DVD Collection and or intend to do a great deal of Video and Music Streaming the OPPO is especially worth considering. Also, realize that the OPPO's are so good that Lexicon literally put a Blue Visor and placed the BDP-83 innards in an Aluminum Case and charged $3000 without changing a circuit. A'so, OPPO might have the best Customer Service in the Business and the most loyal customers out there.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## typ44q

I agree with Jungle Jack, I currently have the BDP-83 and thinking about getting a 93 for the 3D playback, prior to that I had a panasonic. 
I think where these players really shine is in their ability to upconvert SD-DVD, much better than the panasonic and a PS3 
The SACD and DVD audio support is great if you have a collection as well as the players ability to decode just about any video format and make it look good.
I would say if you have the means and can justify it (not hard to do  ) go for the 93


----------



## sub_crazy

My vote is for the 93 as well. I had a PS3 and currently have a Panasonic BD player in a second system but my Oppo 83 has been nothing but excellent and I got it right when it was released. I actually have 2 BD's that won't play on the panasonic but play just fine on the 83, I have never had any trouble playing anything on my 83.

I am really considering replacing the panasonic with the 93 my-self.


----------



## smurphy522

I agree with most of the comments posted so far. I would point out though that above the others you mentioned the Oppo really shines in DVD up scaling. Just about any BR player will be the same to similar output (a/V quality) when playing back a BR disc. The variables will be:

The noise of the player in dB - like a fan or disc mechanism (not vidoe noise)
The remote control
The online or network streaming capability
Customer Service (like firmware updating - very important!)
The speed at which it loads

I do not believe there would be visual differences when watching a BR movie from those you are considering.

** Can you believe Lexicon had the cajones to re-badge the Oppo? Kudos to Oppo for sure but that is a pathetic move on Lexicon - old news though.


----------



## Research2010

I guess I should have indicated that my DVD collection is rather on the small side (~100) so up-scaling really is not a major impact for my DVD's. I did appreciate the feedback on streaming capabilities. Right now that is not a priority however further phases of my upgrade plan include streaming from a media server. 1 point for OPPO.

The second element I picked up on here and in other posts is the quality of the customer service. IMO this becomes harder for all companies to maintain over the long run. Not that OPPO has been around a long time, it is nice to hear and read all the positive experiences with their customer service. As for Sony and Panasonic I can't say that I have ever had a bad experience with any of their products. 1 point each.

I do like the fact that the OPPO 93 has no fan. This certainly helps in a situation like mine where components are close to the listening area. Further I like that fact that when users compare their visual experience with an OPPO 93 and a PS3 they notice a difference. Whether this is reality or not I guess I trust their judgement, or maybe I buy a PS3 first then an OPPO?_ I don't think the budget will allow that._

My take away so far is that as an entry to Blu-Ray a Panasonic or PS3 is a great option. An OPPO is going to take it to the next level. Considering that I currently do not have a Blu-Ray player I think it is going to come down to how much I want to allocate to a source component that is capable of producing a high definition image.

As odd as it might sound the PS3 has a major draw back in that it gets very hot and operates with a fan that is audible when close to the viewing area. Petty I know but something I value in the selection process.

Thanks to all you have responded. You all have given me some nuggets to research further.


----------



## sub_crazy

The PS3 is an excellent BD player and if you plan on using it for gaming then it's a no brainer. That said I have never regretted replacing the PS3 with the Oppo 83 for one second and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

I don't watch DVD's anymore, I am a HD snob The Oppo just works and is a quality product backed by a company much larger than most would suspect. That said Oppo still operates like a small company and it's customer service has been one of the best I have encountered.


----------



## Jungle Jack

Hello,
SMurphy is absolutely correct about BD Performance. Indeed, I simply do not state I find BD Performance of any BDP superior to another. Moreover, I am somewhat reticent to recommend the 93, due to what can be had for hundreds less. That being said, the OPPO competes with BDP's costing multiples of itself as well. I will say if the rest of your HT is not exactly where you want it, the savings from using a cheaper BDP would be of better use addressing these.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## redsandvb

My first (and current) Blu-ray player is the BDP-83, was waiting for the format war to end. I'll probably end up upgrading to the 93 just for its ability to play Blu-ray folder structures, iso's, and DVD iso's from local storage. They can't be streamed at the moment, maybe never will. I think DVD directories (not playable off local storage) can be streamed, not sure.


----------



## Jungle Jack

redsandvb said:


> My first (and current) Blu-ray player is the BDP-83, was waiting for the format war to end. I'll probably end up upgrading to the 93 just for its ability to play Blu-ray folder structures, iso's, and DVD iso's from local storage. They can't be streamed at the moment, maybe never will. I think DVD directories (not playable off local storage) can be streamed, not sure.


Hello,
I still have my 83, but it has not been used for almost exactly a year as I received my 93 prior to its General Release. Trust me, you are going to love it. Even better, the Resale Value of the 83 is so good that getting a 93 should not cost a huge amount more.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## Dwight Angus

I am in a somewhat similar situation except I prefer to use the OPPO BDP's I still have and use my 83 but thinking about upgrading to the 93 but have no interest in 3D yet but would like to take advantage of the network streaming capability, Marvell's Kyoto-G2 video processor and high quality DVD upconvert function. I see there are 2 HDMI assignable outputs? What is the advantage of separating HDMI video and audio rather then using one 1.4 cable?


----------



## typ44q

The main reason to have two separate HDMI outputs is if you have a 3D TV but do not have a receiver that supports 3D. You send the 3D video directly to the TV and the audio goes to the receiver.


----------



## tonyvdb

I agree that Oppo, makes the very best all around player out there as it plays almost everything. If you just looking for a good BluRay player then the Panasonic BDPs are the ones to look at. Fast loading times solid playback and regular firmware updates and good support.


----------



## Dwight Angus

typ44q said:


> The main reason to have two separate HDMI outputs is if you have a 3D TV but do not have a receiver that supports 3D. You send the 3D video directly to the TV and the audio goes to the receiver.


Thanks Mike. I have a 3d capable Onkyo 5508 Preamp but do not have 3D capable tv so the dual HDMI output feature would not provide any benefit to me however the 93 still has other features I cannot get on the 83 as mentioned above plus I here there is a good secondary market for the 83 so my incremental cost should not be too expensive. I will have to digest this a little further. Thanks for the input.


----------



## redsandvb

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> I still have my 83, but it has not been used for almost exactly a year as I received my 93 prior to its General Release. Trust me, you are going to love it. Even better, the Resale Value of the 83 is so good that getting a 93 should not cost a huge amount more.
> Cheers,
> JJ


Thanks. You know, I might end up keeping the 83 too. Not a lot of choices for BD changers out there. All I've seen are a couple of Sony's...the mega changers...


----------



## KalaniP

redsandvb said:


> Thanks. You know, I might end up keeping the 83 too. Not a lot of choices for BD changers out there. All I've seen are a couple of Sony's...the mega changers...


That's the ONLY choice for a BD changer right now. Not one manufacturer has sold a carousel, much to my dismay. lddude: I know physical media is on the way out (har-har), but there's got to be at least some market for it...:scratch:

Oppo, are you listening? LOL


----------



## Sonnie

Just placed an order for a new OPPO BDP-93... not sure I could own anything else. I may hang on to my 83 as well.


----------



## Dwight Angus

Sonnie I am thinking of doing the same thing although I not sure if I will hold onto my 83. Still thinking about it. Good luck with the 93.


----------



## Jungle Jack

Sonnie said:


> Just placed an order for a new OPPO BDP-93... not sure I could own anything else. I may hang on to my 83 as well.


Hello,
I have literally not turned on my BDP-83 more than once since I got the 93. And only then because X Men First Class (BD) would not Load on my 93 until I strangely removed the WiFi Dongle and wanted to see how the 83 handled it. (no issue at all) I really think that you are going to be quite pleased with the decision and could not be happier to hear that you have ordered one.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## Sonnie

I will likely move the 83 to the great room... why not... it will replace a 983. :huh:


----------



## Jungle Jack

Sonnie said:


> I will likely move the 83 to the great room... why not... it will replace a 983. :huh:


Indeed. It is amazing what a 983 will still fetch on Audiogon should you not need it as well...
Cheers,
J


----------



## Dwight Angus

In the 93 Owners Manual they talk about "Connecting to a Display and Audio System using Dual HDMI"(page 18) What is the benefit of this setup. Is it really an improvement over a single HDMI cable?


----------



## Sonnie

It could be used as a splitter to feed to displays... splitters run about $25 or more... and most of the less expensive ones don't seem to last more than a year or so.

You could also feed video to the display with one and audio to the receiver/processor with the other.


----------



## Dwight Angus

Sonnie said:


> It could be used as a splitter to feed to displays... splitters run about $25 or more... and most of the less expensive ones don't seem to last more than a year or so.
> 
> You could also feed video to the display with one and audio to the receiver/processor with the other.


Thats the part I am struggling with. With 1 display and using a 1.4 hdmi cable for video and an additional 1.4 hdmi cable for audio does this improve the video or audio signal. I guess by introducing dedicated cables in theory there should be some improvement. Just not sure if the improvement is meaningful.


----------



## Jungle Jack

Hello,
I actually am using both HDMI Outputs even though I do not own an HDMI 1.4 3D Panel. It is just with the Marvel Qdeo being truly excellent and my TV playing nicely with HDMI CEC, it really is easy to do it this way. Also, only HDMI 1 uses the Qdeo and you can even configure it to be Video Only. HDMI 2 uses the Mediatek SOC and really does a fantastic job as well. About 25% of the time I do just view things through HDMI 2 to get the convenience of the Onkyo's OSD and HDMI Switching.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## Sonnie

I suppose if you wanted to bypass your receiver and go straight to your display so that the video does not have to route through an extra connection in the receiver, then it could be helpful. This is how I will set mine up. I will route one HDMI straight to my projector and use the other for audio only to the receiver.


----------



## Dwight Angus

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> I actually am using both HDMI Outputs even though I do not own an HDMI 1.4 3D Panel. It is just with the Marvel Qdeo being truly excellent and my TV playing nicely with HDMI CEC, it really is easy to do it this way. Also, only HDMI 1 uses the Qdeo and you can even configure it to be Video Only. HDMI 2 uses the Mediatek SOC and really does a fantastic job as well. About 25% of the time I do just view things through HDMI 2 to get the convenience of the Onkyo's OSD and HDMI Switching.
> Cheers,
> JJ


Dual HDMI outputs certainly gives you more setup options. Probably a case of trying different ones to find one that works best. How would you compare PQ when comparing 2nd generation Marvel Qdeo on the 93 compared with VRS on the 83?


----------



## Jungle Jack

Dwight Angus said:


> Dual HDMI outputs certainly gives you more setup options. Probably a case of trying different ones to find one that works best. How would you compare PQ when comparing 2nd generation Marvel Qdeo on the 93 compared with VRS on the 83?


Hello,
The general consensus tends to prefer the 83 for DVD by a truly insignificant margin. Both honestly do a tremendous job. With the 83, you can output 1080p/24fps where the 93 cannot on DVD's. Most who buy BDP's like this have AVR/SSP's that will Upsample all non native 1080p/24 content to it to match the Native Resolution on almost all new HDTV's. The 93 would just have to be set to Source Direct should they want DVD in 1080p/24. However, the 93 not offering this feature was a performance decision and not a logistical as they could have offered and implemented. Just to be abundantly clear to others, the 93 does output 1080p/24 on Blu-Rays so encoded.

It really comes down to the fantastic new Disc Loader, major upgrade in features, practically silent operation (no Fan), and far better Industrial Design (IMO) that has caused me to use it for every shiny disc.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## Dwight Angus

Thanks Jack. The lack of 1080p/24fps output for dvds is not a big issue for me as my collection is largely BD's and I really like the new feature set and I can utilize the Source Direct Mode to send a non-processed audio or video signal to be processed externally. As I mentioned earlier there is allot of options available on the 93 to fine tune my setup. 

Cheers


----------



## PorTony

Jungle Jack said:


> Hello,
> I actually was using 4 different BDP's prior to the BDP-93 (PS3, OPPO-BDP-83, Pioneer BDP-05, BDP-51). In truth between the 4, every advantage aside from the ultra quiet Disc Loader were covered with the various BDP's.
> 
> For instance, the PS3 offered the near instantaneous Loading and Power Up the same could be said of the 83. Both the 51 and 83 offered stellar DVD Performance, but both the OPPO 83 and 93 are a good bit better.
> 
> Regardless, the 93 truly excels in every imaginable area. I will again go back to the new Disc Loader that was Developed with The Tohei Group of Japan as the 93 is so smooth and silent. Also, unlike the 83, the 93 does not have a Fan.
> 
> I will say Panasonic makes my favorite Mass Market Players and many share this feeling. I will say that if you have a large DVD Collection and or intend to do a great deal of Video and Music Streaming the OPPO is especially worth considering. Also, realize that the OPPO's are so good that Lexicon literally put a Blue Visor and placed the BDP-83 innards in an Aluminum Case and charged $3000 without changing a circuit. A'so, OPPO might have the best Customer Service in the Business and the most loyal customers out there.
> Cheers,
> JJ


Hello,
If you could help me understand one of your statements above. Why is this unit better than the rest if streaming video is a priority. I assume you mean streaming an HD movie thru Netflix? I only ask because I really don't understand all of that. I usually buy BR movies but I may start streaming and I want to buy the right player. 
Thank you,
Tony


----------



## Jungle Jack

Hello,
Well, the PS3's Fan drives me batty so even though it is one of the only to offer 5.1 Output, I still prefer using the 93. The Pioneers can be taken out of the equation as they are not Networked. The BDP-83 also does not offer Netflix. So that really leaves it between the 93 and the PS3 in terms of Netflix Capability. The Marvell Qdeo Video Processor does an excellent job with Netflix Streams and I have not noticed a huge difference in SQ between the DD from the PS3 and PLII or THX Neural Surround via my Onkyo. This is not the case with other Sources. However, the Fan Noise from my PS3 might be so polarizing to me that I am not as attenuated to the differences.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## bxbigpipi

I say the oppo. I used to use the ps3 for bd but I wanted a bd player just for bd's. The pd3 I now use just for gaming.


----------

