Panasonic 4K Blu Ray Player, Dolby Vision HDR10+ DVD Player for TV

Over the years, like many, I made the change away from physical media to only buying digital movies and TV shows that I stream. I'd debated for a long time about getting back into physical media, primarily for the best video and audio quality you can get at home. After a ton of research, this is the player I decided to get. Primarily because Panasonic UHD players work the best with Samsung TVs due the feature set the players offer. This player has not disappointed! It was very easy to get wired into my TV and soundbar, leveraging two HDMI cords. It did not come with HDMI cables, so make sure you pick up two high speed ones made for 4K content. Once wired in the player seemed to detect what I was outputting to and changed settings to match my equipment. However, I'd recommend feeding in all the models of TV, sound equipment, and this player into some kind of AI. There were very specific settings I had to change across all my devices to get the best picture and primarily audio quality. Before changing these settings, especially with audio it did not sounds very good, but thankfully it does now. To date I've probably watched 4 - 5 UHD movies and the quality over streaming these same movies is very noticeable. Not just with the video quality, but audio sounds so much better. One of the movies I watched changes aspect ratio, which streaming movies does not do and it was a cool experience. I've also watched a couple Blu-ray movies which this player increases the quality of and they look very good. From research I did, even Blu-ray movies play at a better quality that what you can stream. Overall I'm extremely happy with this purchase. It's just a very large player. I think it's potentially one of the largest UHD players on the market. Would highly recommend measuring the space you plan to place it by your TV, as it barely fits in our TV cabinet. Otherwise, if you are in the market to get into physical media, this is a great player.

5/5 Stars – Outstanding 4K Blu-ray Player That Delivers Flagship Performance The Panasonic DP-UB820-K has been an exceptional addition to my home theater setup. After extensive use, I can confidently say that it has performed flawlessly. Disc playback is fast and reliable, picture quality is outstanding, and I've experienced no significant issues with the player since purchasing it. One of the biggest strengths of the DP-UB820 is that it shares the exact same HCX (Hollywood Cinema Experience) video processor found in Panasonic's flagship DP-UB9000. As a result, 4K Ultra HD Blu-rays, Dolby Vision content, HDR10+, and streaming services all look absolutely phenomenal. Colors are vibrant, detail is razor-sharp, and Panasonic's renowned HDR Optimizer does an excellent job of maximizing picture quality across a wide range of displays. For anyone considering the much more expensive DP-UB9000, it's important to understand that when using HDMI with an AV receiver, processor, or soundbar, the actual video performance is virtually identical. The UB9000's premium price is largely justified by its audiophile-focused features, including a substantially heavier all-aluminum chassis, superior DACs, balanced XLR outputs, dedicated stereo analog connections, and a specialized HDR mode designed specifically for high-end projectors. The UB9000 is undeniably a beautiful piece of equipment, but for the vast majority of home theater enthusiasts, the UB820 delivers the same incredible picture quality at a fraction of the cost. Unless you require analog hi-fi audio connections or have a dedicated projector setup that would benefit from the additional tone-mapping options, the UB820 is the smarter value. The only minor drawback I've noticed is that Panasonic doesn't release firmware updates very frequently. That said, the player has remained extremely stable, and the lack of regular updates has not affected performance or usability in my experience. Overall, the Panasonic DP-UB820-K offers flagship-level video performance, excellent HDR processing, broad format support, and rock-solid reliability. If the DP-UB9000 is beyond your budget, this player is the perfect alternative and one of the best values available in the 4K Blu-ray market today. Highly recommended.

Key Features: 4K UHD Playback via HDMI HDR10+, Dolby Vision & HLG Compatibility Full HD to Near-4K Upscaling Wi-Fi and Ethernet Network Connectivity 3D Playback Mobile Device Mirroring 7.1-Channel RCA, HDMI Audio Outputs Voice-Controllable via Smart Speakers Dual USB Ports Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD Master Audio This is one of the best 4k players you can buy. Works best if you have a 4k TV with Dolby Vision! Now if you don't have a Dolby Vision TV, then cheaper Panasonic UB420 might be a better option. HDR Support for HDR10/HDR10+/Dolby Vision/Hybrid Log Gamma. Supports Discs: Ultra HD Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, BD-R, BD-R DL, BD-RE, BD-RE DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD+RW, DVD-R, DVD-R DL, DVD-RW, DVD-Video. Audio format it supports: AAC, AVCHD, FLAC, H.264, JPEG, M2TS, M4A, MKV, MP3, MP4, MPEG2, MPG, MPO, MTS, PCM, WAV, WMA. Output ports: 1x HDMI 1x HDMI (Digital Audio) 1x RCA (Analog Audio) 1x TOSLINK Optical (Digital Audio) USB I/O: 1x USB-A 2.0, 1x USB-A 3.0 / 3.1/3.2 Gen 1 The Panasonic UB820 is one of Panasonic’s best 4K Blu-ray players that offers a strong suite of features and supports a lot of audio and video formats including Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for video, Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for audio, and can even support up to 7.1 channels of audio directly with audio analogue output options. Performance wise, the Panasonic UB820 offers fantastic 4K image reproduction with vivid colors, deep black levels and stunning contrast, particularly when it comes to Dolby Vision – it’s up there with the best 4K Blu-ray players. Its 4K upscaling is effective, giving regular (non-4K) Blu-ray a whole new level of detail. Even DVDs are given a new lease on life thanks to the UB820’s upscaling efforts, though you’ll notice far more that it was a lower-quality source. Audio performance is also superb, with Dolby Atmos effects coming through clear and adding that extra layer of immersion to any movie. Paired with one of the best TVs and best soundbars, the Panasonic UB820 completes the home theater experience beautifully. The Panasonic UB820’s software (and all models) are outdated and feel a little cumbersome at times, but it still gives plenty of options and settings for people to adjust to get the picture and audio of their movies to just how they like it. Streaming with the UB820....Don't count on this player or any other Panasonic players for Streaming Netflix, Apple, Prime etc. The software is outdated, and you won't get the high quality 4k video vs using other devices like your TV's software, Roku 4k device, or the Amazon Fire Stick 4k device! Design-wise, the Panasonic UB820 may not be the most remarkable design, but it’s still a solid player that keeps things simple. Whilst its front panel that covers the whole device keeps things a little neater, it does mean people will have to think about where the hinged panel will open and close with the disc tray, meaning those with TV stands with no shelves may have to do some Tetris-esque moving around to find a spot for this unit. Value, the Panasonic UB820 is one of the best Blu-ray players to buy today. Priced at around $400 this really is a well-featured and high-performing player for the price. You can find this player on sale for $350 (during December) to $380 at times. Thanks to some personal history with this player, I can also confirm this will work until it can’t give anymore; it’s a solid investment. But if you don't have a Dolby Vision TV (adds the Best vivid colors and contrast), then I'd probably get the Panasonic UB420 player. Best settings setup IMO for the Panasonic UB820, UB420, and other models. This is for your 4K TV to get the best output for your 4K movies and Blu Ray Discs. 1. Turn on your player with No Disc inside. Then goto "setup", and then "player settings". 2. Go into "HDMI" settings, and "Resolution" set "4K" to "4K/60p(4:4:4)" 3. Now back out and go into "Advanced Settings", and select "Color Mode" and change to "YCbCr (4:4:4)" 4. Back out and go into "HDR TV Type" and select your TV type. Best TVs will be "OLED" 5. Now go back the main menu "player setting and select "Audio" and select "Digital Audio Output" and select "BD-Video Secondary Audio" to "Off". 6. Now put a 4k Disc in and play the movie. Now once the movie is playing hit "Video Setting" on your Remote. Then select "Optimum HDR Adjustment" and select "HDR Optimizer" to "On". That's it now you'll have the best possible setting IMO. Why Dolby Vision and about Dolby Vision: Dolby Vision is an advanced HDR format developed by Dolby Laboratories that empowers visual creatives to add greater depth, incredible contrast, and more colors to your favorite movies, TV shows, and games. It is renowned for its superior brightness, contrast, and color accuracy, which offer you a fully immersive cinematic experience at home. The key behind its excellent results is the use of dynamic metadata, which allows it to optimize every frame of content for the best possible display on a compatible screen. This means that Dolby Vision automatically adjusts the brightness, contrast, and color accuracy scene by scene as you watch your favorite movies, allowing each scene to be vividly portrayed in its truest form. It also dynamically optimizes the image quality based on your service or device to deliver mesmerizing visuals every time. Dolby Vision Enhanced Brightness and Contrast: The best aspect of Dolby Vision is its impressive ability to achieve higher brightness in highlights, making scenes appear more vivid. Similarly, it works wonders in dark scenes by improving black levels by providing more depth and making shadows come true to life. This impeccable contrast between high brightness and deep blackness makes Dolby Vision superior to other formats. Dolby Vision Superior Color Accuracy: When it comes to color accuracy, Dolby Vision takes the lead by providing a wider color gamut, making the colors come to life with intensity. It also gives colors more vibrancy, presenting them in varying hues and shades. Also, Dolby Vision significantly reduces banding and artifacts in color gradients, offering a smooth transition between different shades and eliminating blurry lines between scenes. Dolby Vision Immersive Viewing Experience: Dolby Vision is the future of home entertainment. It offers an outstanding combination of high brightness, contrast, and color accuracy, creating a more immersive and realistic viewing experience. With Dolby Vision, every scene comes to life. Moreover, Dolby Vision offers consistent visual quality across different types of screens, whether you are using a TV, a projector, or a mobile device. This allows you to watch your favorite movies at an impressive visual quality, regardless of the device. Dolby Vision is a game-changer in home entertainment as it offers superior visual quality with its high brightness, stark contrast ratio, and impressive color accuracy. It allows viewers to indulge in a fully immersive cinematic experience in their homes.

Amazing player for 4k and regular blu rays. Good picture quiality with HDR and DV, supports all audio formats. Love the additional hdmi output for audio. It is very silent, never had issues reading any of my discs. It is not multi-region, although not a problem for 4k movies but will only read region A regular blu rays. Not multi-voltage. Using power transformer for 220v. Build quality does not feel very premium but isn't bad either. There is a more expensive model for premium feeling. Remote control is not bad for me but it has that dyabolical Netflix button just next to the menu arrows. Very annoying.

When I first received this player, I thought it was pretty good. After less than a year, however, the problems started. The tray got stuck in the closed position. I would push the eject button and the display would indicating it was opening, but it wouldn't actually open and a couple of seconds later the display would say "reading" and it would act as if the tray had been opened and closed again, reading the disc and playing it. I searched online for a solution. I found suggestions for various button presses, power cycling, etc. None of it worked. Finally, I found a video talking about how old DVD players can get in a state where they are stuck like this. According to the video, it was because the drive motor has dead spots, and just shifting where on the belt the dead spot is will fix the problem. It was a different brand and model, but the video showed the person opening up the box and manually moving a piece to move the motor off the dead spot. The video said it was a common issue with older players. So I opened up the box of my player and removed the drive unit. I found a plastic slider and manually slid it a bit. It worked! When I re-assembled everything, my player was working again! For a while, all was well. But then it happened again. And again. Sometimes it would freeze up in the open position and sometimes in the closed position. When it would freeze up in the open position, it was super easy to fix -- just a slight nudge on the tray would cause it to catch and close. But whenever it froze up in the closed position, I'd have to disassemble the unit to get to the slider to nudge it. It started out being weeks between times I'd have to disassemble it. Now it happens every few days. Before posting a review here, I wanted to give Panasonic a chance to make things right. I filed an official complaint on their web portal on May 17, 2023. My report was assigned issue #30570. They claimed they would respond quickly, but I heard nothing back until today, June 12, 2023. In my complaint to Panasonic, I described my issue and proposed that they send me a replacement drive assembly. I would then send back the defective drive assembly to them, so they could verify the issue and hopefully improve future hardware. This was their reply: "Regarding your inquiry, we cannot send you a replacement for that part as the procedure can only be made at the service center. Also, we cannot cover the warranty costs for the repairs as you have tampered with the unit, voiding the warranty." I don't really want to have to send my unit in to a service center to be without it for an unknown length of time. I use it all the time. I thought if I could fix it myself (which I did successfully do), it was a win for everyone -- Panasonic doesn't have to pay for a warranty fix and I'm not without a player for weeks. But they punish me for doing that by saying my warranty is void and refusing to fix what is clearly a faulty player. I bought this player from Amazon on June 28, 2022. Today, June 12, 2023, it's very seriously broken and getting steadily worse, none of which is the fault of anything I did. And Panasonic is refusing to help. Don't buy this player. Don't buy from Panasonic. Find a manufacturer that that will give good customer service and not try to weasel out of responsibility for its own problems.

It's not a great time to be a physical media lover when it comes to available players. Before streaming dominated the marketplace, I feel this would have been dubbed an "ok" player; above average but nothing spectacular. My frame of reference is the far superior Oppo UDB-203 which was only $500 when it was available (I bought this Panasonic at $350; at it's current price of $549 at the time of posting, it's really not worth that much IMO). Unfortunately, though, with fewer players being manufactured, most of the available units are either really cheap or really expensive. The Panasonic does a lot of things well (the picture quality is good), but it lacks some nice features (such as file playback of, for example .MP4s from disc - this can be done via USB only) and hardly feels like a premium player (it's very plastic). Then again, if you don't want to pay over $1,000 for a premium machine, this Panasonic is quickly becoming the only player in town. I guess it's a case of "don't hate the player, hate the game", but I can't help but think if there were more options available these days, this unit wouldn't be priced as high as it currently is. The video quality upon playback is very good, however, so I suppose that's really the main point in the end.

Works well for the most part and the picture quality is superb. For playing regular and 4K Blu-rays this is a top notch player without having to pay top dollar. Does have its flaws though. The remote leaves a lot to be desired as it includes a slew of buttons I don't find a need for where useful ones were omitted. If you want to change subs or even audio you have to enter a menu instead of pressing a button. Why does closed caption get a button? Whoever made that decision should get fired. Netflix gets its own button yet only plays in 1080p? This is a 4K player! At least the Amazon Prime Video app offers 4K. YouTube app is broken and hasn't been able to play anything above 1080p as it crashes if attempted. There is also a Berliner Philharmoniker app which offers 4K performances as well as a web browser. You can download more apps via the Market but not much there at the moment. Media files work well so long as they don't include a lossless audio track. The audio just won't play or will sound garbled. Only seems to like lossy audio tracks if playing media files. For shame as it would replace my HTPC if it played Atmos, TrueHD or DTS-HD audio tracks. Overall it's worth the price if you know what you are getting with this player. Everything else is extra and does not affect how well this device performs. A few updates or hacks would only improve it.

Spending quite a bit of time with this player since installed, I find it performs far above the other popular 4K player it replaced. It plays every disk that the other one froze on with zero problems. Was easy to set up and connect to the internet. Remote is easy to understand and use. Just one oddity - if a disk is already in that I haven't seen completely, it will turn off after turning on. Makes no sense to me and only a very minor irritation. And is intermittent too. Plays all the disk types from DVD's to Blue Ray to 4K. Just need to see how the durability is but it has my 5 star rating for now!