Panasonic UB900

[stridsvognen]

I found some UHD HDR grayscale patterns, and measured a standard BD grayscale vs a UHD grayscale using the HDR convertion of the UB900.

Im showing the gamma curve.

I used a old Pioneer 5090 Kuro plasma.

[stridsvognen]

And adjusting the HDR converter first -12 then +12.

[stridsvognen]

Here i measure the SMPTE 2084 HDR gamma curve, on the same display UHD testpatterns output/ converted to SDR, all neutral settings on the player.
First 30fl/100nit my standard BD SDR calibration setting, and next 60f/200nit, full pop on the old Pioneer plasma.

The white line is the reference.

[AVSCraig]

Here i measure the SMPTE 2084 HDR gamma curve, on the same display UHD testpatterns output/ converted to SDR, all neutral settings on the player.
First 30fl/100nit my standard BD SDR calibration setting, and next 60f/200nit, full pop on the old Pioneer plasma.

The white line is the reference.

Are you using the Panasonic UB900 with a 4K display yet ?

[stridsvognen]

Are you using the Panasonic UB900 with a 4K display yet ?

No as explained, im showing how the HDR converter is working for displays not capable of 1000 nit or above, and the example is using a Pioneer 5090 Plasma,  capable of 200nit.

Someone else might like to show how the SMPTE 2084 tracks on a 4K HDR monitor, with different light output settings.

Im thinking about getting the last LG OLED, but dont think the tech is ready yet, and i know ill never live with a low contrast gray display, so there is not much other options than the OLED today, im open to surgestions.. just have to have high contrast..like plasma or OLED, and be able to turn all enhancement gimick off, and not make to much mess of the bit resolution/ graduations.

[AVSCraig]

Well, I just picked up the Panasonic 4K player. Wow - this is an improvement over the Samsung ! Better build quality, better picture, better remote, better all around. Way more settings available. And thank goodness it went on sale ! A quick look at Lone Survivor ( which I watched the other night using the Samsung 4K player ) showed a much better picture. The " red push " of the HDR - SDR BT2020 conversion is gone, which was apparent in the skin tones for one with the Samsung.

[Tom Bley]

Well, I just picked up the Panasonic 4K player. Wow - this is an improvement over the Samsung ! Better build quality, better picture, better remote, better all around. Way more settings available. And thank goodness it went on sale ! A quick look at Lone Survivor ( which I watched the other night using the Samsung 4K player ) showed a much better picture. The " red push " of the HDR - SDR BT2020 conversion is gone, which was apparent in the skin tones for one with the Samsung.

Sale?  Are you talking about the dropped price of $599.00? 

[AVSCraig]

Sale?  Are you talking about the dropped price of $599.00? 

Correct - $ 699.00 was more than I was willing to pay, which is why I waited for the Oppo. But right this minute, the Panny is probably the best 4K player for projectors when not using HDR. The $ 100.00 off just pushed me over the edge. 

Is the $ 599.00 price a permanent price reduction ?

[Tom Bley]

Correct - $ 699.00 was more than I was willing to pay, which is why I waited for the Oppo. But right this minute, the Panny is probably the best 4K player for projectors when not using HDR. The $ 100.00 off just pushed me over the edge. 

Is the $ 599.00 price a permanent price reduction ?

I believe that is a permanent price reduction.  Panny probably saw what Oppo was bringing the 203 out for and lowered the price.  Smart movie Panny!  I'm thinking of sending the Oppo back and wait until spring to see what the new Sony player brings to the table.  Then I can always buy whatever at that point.  I think anything is better than the Sammy.

[DavidHir]

Samsung had the first and worst BD player too back in 2006.

[AVSCraig]

Samsung had the first and worst BD player too back in 2006.

" Samsung - always first, always worst " !    Not a good slogan.............

[AVSCraig]

I believe that is a permanent price reduction.  Panny probably saw what Oppo was bringing the 203 out for and lowered the price.  Smart movie Panny!  I'm thinking of sending the Oppo back and wait until spring to see what the new Sony player brings to the table.  Then I can always buy whatever at that point.  I think anything is better than the Sammy.

The Panny is very well thought out. And it just worked right out of the box, no hassles. So I'm done for now. Too bad about the Oppo. I still have my 103 though.

[Tom Bley]

" Samsung - always first, always worst " !    Not a good slogan.............

Craig, did you try the sharpening tools on the Panny yet?  Javs said they do a good job without being destructive.  He tested them using a sharpness pattern and came up with:
+3 High Freq
+1 Med Freq
+1 Edge Correction

Just wanted to hear your thoughts when you have more time.

[AVSCraig]

Craig, did you try the sharpening tools on the Panny yet?  Javs said they do a good job without being destructive.  He tested them using a sharpness pattern and came up with:
+3 High Freq
+1 Med Freq
+1 Edge Correction

Just wanted to hear your thoughts when you have more time.

I did - I copied all his notes and settings regarding the Panasonic and added them to my JVC RS500 / 600 tips. That way I can find them later, and share them with others. And I changed my settings in the RS600 too, to take the Panasonic settings into account. There is an improvement over the Samsung - no question. Color looks much better, obviously, since the Samsung had the " red push " problem ( like the Oppo 203 currently has ).

I'm going to need weeks to play with the various settings possible on the Panny, especially the dynamic range slider. I just left that at default. 

[stridsvognen]

I did - I copied all his notes and settings regarding the Panasonic and added them to my JVC RS500 / 600 tips. That way I can find them later, and share them with others. And I changed my settings in the RS600 too, to take the Panasonic settings into account. There is an improvement over the Samsung - no question. Color looks much better, obviously, since the Samsung had the " red push " problem ( like the Oppo 203 currently has ).

I'm going to need weeks to play with the various settings possible on the Panny, especially the dynamic range slider. I just left that at default.

The dynamic range slider is best left alone unless you dont mind messing up the white clipping point, it works pretty much like the contrast adjustment on most displays.. The SDR output will alow you to display a HDR movie on a display capable of 200nit/ 60fl or more, and look like it was intendet from 0 to around 70% IRE.

So for maximum image fedelity HD blu ray is still the only thing that will work right on a projector, the UHD HDR needs pile of compromises to get a decent result on a low light display.

Try measure the SMPTE 2084 gamma curve on your projector at different HDR converter settings, using UHD HDR patterns.