OPPO BDP-103 and BDP-105 Networking Universal 3D Blu-ray Players (part4)

That's good news. I was considering buying a second player, this time with Darbee processing, for my video setup, but was waiting to see if they were going to design a new model with 4K support. Now I will continue to wait until it happens. (I use a BD-105 now in my dedicated audio-only system).

 

Mine seems ok.

 

Have you tried a full player reset?

 

Maybe someone can help clarify this.
I finally got around to linking a screen to my Oppo 105D - I bought it for SACD and CD playback. Pretty much exclusively up to now, though that is changing.

I have the analog RCA output direct to the amplifier.

On the Audio Format Setup, SACD output was set to "Auto". This appears to take the DSD stream, convert it to PCM, then convert the PCM to analog signal to the amplifier.
Can someone confirm this is correct?

Because, I changed the setting on SACD Output to DSD and I think it sounds better.

CAn this be true, does the Oppo really default on the analog output to DSD to PCM conversion first?

 

@SamS or someone else can confirm, because I might be wrong, but I was under the impression that the Oppos output DSD to one of their HDMI outputs, and converted PCM to the other.

 

Yeah, this was the reason I never bothered looking at the setup. I assumed the PCM conversion only applied to the HDMI output. No way could someone be silly enough to set up a default setting which took native DSD, converted it to PCM, then converted to an analog signal. Rather than just converting the DSD straight to analog.

What got me looking was on the screen display "SACD output: DSD PCM"
My thought was, hey, wait a minute, it can't really be converting DSD to PCM then converting to the analog signal can it?
Changing the setting to DSD from Auto I swear has improved the sound.

 

103D/105D can output DSD to both HDMI outputs.

Auto will only convert to pcm if the receiving HDMI input does not support DSD.

 

Converting to PCM before sending the signal to the analog outputs makes sense if you use the multi channel analog outputs and want bass management and time alignment. If you only use the stereo outs, just set the mode to DSD.

 

Interesting you should mention that you connected your Oppo straight to the amp - as I've just done the same thing. It's one less remote I now have to use. And the sound is definitely clearer, bass is deeper and more powerful. Separation is much greater. While I'm still not completely sold on this setup because there seems to be less "between" the speakers than there was with the NAD C160 pre, I'm pretty darn surprised at how much better it sounds.

Ok, now my question has to do with the Oppo iPhone app.
It's great - when it works. But after browsing my hard drive with it I eventually end up with the "Click To Reload" message and have to reboot the phone.
Anyone else have this problem?

 

I too ditched my preamp and never looked back - very happy with the Oppo directly feeding my power amp.

 

I just got the message again.
"Tap to reload".

Is this an iPhone version related thing?

 

If I had a switchable source (triple input) power amp, I'd try that as well. As it is, though, I believe my (unity gain) preamp has a better quality volume control than the Oppo.

 

It really looks like Auto converts to PCM automatically, regardless of other outputs or inputs.
To switch this feature off, it looks like you really do have to set output manually to DSD. There must be a reason Oppo would do this.

 

As I mentioned, your receiving HDMI device (your TV, right?) does not support DSD. So the analog outputs will be converted to PCM. Either disconnect the HDMI from the TV (or don't turn on the TV), then your RCA/analog outputs will go straight DSD to analog without PCM conversion. Or, just have the SACD output set to DSD and it should (might? been a long time since I played with this one) behave as expected. Regardless, take it off Auto, or just don't turn on the TV when you want to listen to SACD.

 

Thanks, Yes, my receiving HDMI device, a monitor screen actually, does not support DSD. But I only hooked it up last weekend to do some setup and other things. I swear switching the SACD output from Auto to DSD has improved the sound from before I hooked up the monitor. Weird.

 

And for anyone interested, I don't know whether this has been covered here. But, you can connect an iPhone or iPad to the Oppo using the HDMI input at the back and an Apple Lightning to HDMI adaptor.
Audio and Video, playing songs off iTunes and videos off my videos, all seems to work fine

 

Sam, I was looking at my 105's user manual again, and came across this:
"Due to the hardware limitation, DSD output is only available from the H 2 OUT port. To listen to SACD using the HDMI 1 OUT port, please set SACD Output to PCM."

So is this one of the differences between the 103/105 models on the one hand, and the 103D/105D on the other?

 

Yes the difference is between the 103/105 and the 103D/105D. I have the 103 and it has the DSD limitations on HDMI 1 ouput. I also have the 105D and there are no DSD limitations on the HDMI outputs. I believe it is due to the difference in video processing between the 103/105 and 103D/105D.

Bill

 

Correct. It has to do with Qdeo HDMI transmitter bandwidth limitation in the standard 103/105.

 

I would like to purchase an Oppo 103 for friends living in the Cook Islands. Electronic devices there are essentially the same as those in New Zealand (although often infested with ants or geckos).

I am trying to find the least expensive way to get a 103 to the islands. Will a US model work there (will a US model with an appropriate plug adapter work in NZ?), or would an NZ or Australian version be required? I'd like to send my friends a model with a region-free mod as they often travel to the US and may want acquire region 1 discs here. I know that Oppo US won't ship outside North America, so I figured on handling the shipping myself if a US model will work.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks!

 

I can't comment on shipping rates, but I do know that there's an easy hack to make almost any Oppo model region-free. I don't want to violate forum rules, but basically you download a very small file, burn it to a CD-R (not a DVD-R) and insert the CD-R into the machine. The machine tries to read the CD-R for about 2 seconds, then spits it out. I don't know how it works - in fact, I thought it was too good/easy to be true when I read about it - but I can verify that it does indeed work: after the machine spits out this CD-R, the machine is region-free. And if a future firmware update makes the player region-bound again, you can just reinsert the CD-R and in a couple of seconds you're good to go again.

You can Google and probably find it pretty easily.

 

Hi Reese,


Yes a U.S. model should work fine.

The Oppo 103's voltage range is quoted as 100v - 240v at 50/60hz on it's back panel.

Hopefully I'm wrong but, regarding Region Mods, I have a sneaking suspicion that the method "tmtomh" mentions above may only be for DVD's.

If your friend could just buy ALL his BD's and DVD's from the U.S. he wouldn't even need the mod anyway.

If that's not practical then a mod can definitely be done as I have had my 105 region modded by a local dealer. (I'm in Australia)

A bit of Googling may turn up a Region modder in your local area and I have seen kits on Ebay too.


Good Luck

 

Thank you very much!

 

I got a NAS with 3gb hd. I have everything on there and it streams great. But, I have lots of live music and gapless playback doesn't work via the network so I have an external hd connected directly to the Oppo to be able to play the music without skips.

Is there another solution? I guess I'm not the only one

 

I have a Synology NAS and can stream all my music including DSD files to my Oppo.