Oppo adds a cheaper Blu-ray player to its lineup with the $289 BDP-80
By Richard Lawler 
posted January 25th 2010 5:03AM
posted January 25th 2010 5:03AM
OPPO Releases New BDP-80 Blu-ray Disc Player
BDP-80 is the digital transport of choice for Blu-ray, DVD-Audio/Video, Super Audio CD and more.
Mountain View, Calif. – January 25, 2010 – OPPO Digital (www.oppodigital.com) announced today the release of a new high-performance Blu-ray Disc player, model number BDP-80.
The new BDP-80 is a full-featured universal Blu-ray Disc™ player that supports BD Profile 2.0 (BD-Live and BonusView), DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD), HDCD, CD and other popular media formats such as AVCHD, MKV video files, digital photos and music. Sharing the same decoder and similarly optimized firmware as OPPO's award-winning BDP-83, the BDP-80 features fast disc load times, quick response to user operations, and robust audio and video controls. In contrast to the BDP-83, which utilizes an onboard VRS by Anchor Bay video processor, the BDP-80 design has been optimized for use as a digital audio/video transport, emphasizing the accuracy of its digital audio/video outputs. At the same time, the BDP-80 is versatile enough to be used as a stand-alone universal Blu-ray player, thanks to its full array of output connections and audio/video decoding capabilities.
For video, the BDP-80 features an HDMI 1.3 port that supports 1080p Full HD, 1080p 24Hz, Deep Color and Source Direct modes. Component video, S-Video and Composite video connections are also available for legacy analog displays. In addition to its faithful reproduction of high-definition pictures on Blu-ray Discs, the player can up-convert DVD from standard definition up to 1080p to maximize DVD picture quality. Its "Source Direct" output mode makes the BDP-80 incredibly well suited as a digital transport to feed into an external video processor, a high-end A/V receiver or display device with built-in video processing. Unique features such as subtitle shift and vertical stretch zoom mode makes the player an ideal source component for home theaters with 2.35:1 CIH (Constant Image Height) displays.
For audio, the BDP-80 supports internal decoding and bitstream output of the latest sound formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio. The BDP-80 also features a configurable 7.1-channel analog output that can be set as 7.1-channel, 5.1-channel, or stereo. When playing SACD, the BDP-80 can output DSD (Direct Stream Digital) over HDMI in its native format or convert it into high-resolution PCM. For compatibility with many legacy A/V receivers and DACs, the BDP-80 also provides an optical and coaxial digital audio output.
The initial setup of the BDP-80 is a breeze with its Easy Setup Wizard and well-written manual. Setup menus on the player can be accessed without interruption to disc playback. The front and back USB 2.0 ports enable easy access to music, photo and video files. The BDP-80 comes standard with 1GB of internal storage built-in so that no additional memory card or flash drive is needed to use BD-Live and BonusView features. Featuring a brushed metallic front panel and dimmable display, the BDP-80 fits nicely in any home theater environment, ranging from simple to high-end.
Available for a suggested retail price of $289, the BDP-80 can be ordered directly from the OPPO Digital web site at www.oppodigital.com or from authorized resellers.
BDP-80 is the digital transport of choice for Blu-ray, DVD-Audio/Video, Super Audio CD and more.
Mountain View, Calif. – January 25, 2010 – OPPO Digital (www.oppodigital.com) announced today the release of a new high-performance Blu-ray Disc player, model number BDP-80.
The new BDP-80 is a full-featured universal Blu-ray Disc™ player that supports BD Profile 2.0 (BD-Live and BonusView), DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, Super Audio CD (SACD), HDCD, CD and other popular media formats such as AVCHD, MKV video files, digital photos and music. Sharing the same decoder and similarly optimized firmware as OPPO's award-winning BDP-83, the BDP-80 features fast disc load times, quick response to user operations, and robust audio and video controls. In contrast to the BDP-83, which utilizes an onboard VRS by Anchor Bay video processor, the BDP-80 design has been optimized for use as a digital audio/video transport, emphasizing the accuracy of its digital audio/video outputs. At the same time, the BDP-80 is versatile enough to be used as a stand-alone universal Blu-ray player, thanks to its full array of output connections and audio/video decoding capabilities.
For video, the BDP-80 features an HDMI 1.3 port that supports 1080p Full HD, 1080p 24Hz, Deep Color and Source Direct modes. Component video, S-Video and Composite video connections are also available for legacy analog displays. In addition to its faithful reproduction of high-definition pictures on Blu-ray Discs, the player can up-convert DVD from standard definition up to 1080p to maximize DVD picture quality. Its "Source Direct" output mode makes the BDP-80 incredibly well suited as a digital transport to feed into an external video processor, a high-end A/V receiver or display device with built-in video processing. Unique features such as subtitle shift and vertical stretch zoom mode makes the player an ideal source component for home theaters with 2.35:1 CIH (Constant Image Height) displays.
For audio, the BDP-80 supports internal decoding and bitstream output of the latest sound formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master audio. The BDP-80 also features a configurable 7.1-channel analog output that can be set as 7.1-channel, 5.1-channel, or stereo. When playing SACD, the BDP-80 can output DSD (Direct Stream Digital) over HDMI in its native format or convert it into high-resolution PCM. For compatibility with many legacy A/V receivers and DACs, the BDP-80 also provides an optical and coaxial digital audio output.
The initial setup of the BDP-80 is a breeze with its Easy Setup Wizard and well-written manual. Setup menus on the player can be accessed without interruption to disc playback. The front and back USB 2.0 ports enable easy access to music, photo and video files. The BDP-80 comes standard with 1GB of internal storage built-in so that no additional memory card or flash drive is needed to use BD-Live and BonusView features. Featuring a brushed metallic front panel and dimmable display, the BDP-80 fits nicely in any home theater environment, ranging from simple to high-end.
Available for a suggested retail price of $289, the BDP-80 can be ordered directly from the OPPO Digital web site at www.oppodigital.com or from authorized resellers.
does any one know when bc2 will be available for download on steam
(encrypted download)
like what happened when people preordered L4D
@owned66
Yes.
@Wolfticket
thx
That is not cheaper, when these blu dingles go bellow $99, start up faster and load quicker, then you can count me in but for now I will continue to stream from my macbook via display port to DVI to HDMI into the Sharp 42..... with optical audio out into the 5.1 deck!
@cosmicinglewood
If you want cheaper, get a crappy $99 player.
Oppo products cost more, but they are certainly not overpriced.
@cosmicinglewood
So you're willing to spend big money on a Mac (Macbooks don't come cheap) but you're incapable of using that same attitude when choosing a Blu-ray player? Well, you do have a 42" Sharp, so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised...just an Apple fanboy who is otherwise a cheapskate if the product doesn't come manufactured by Apple.
@vinnie97 LOL ^^ For an object to just play blu-ray disks when streaming is obviously going to displace optical in the future--- yes I would rather save my $ until a decent blu-ray play goes sub $100.
And I agree with you that quality costs more, that's why I own a macbook. And I am not an apple fan fanatic, this late 2008 unibody macbook is my first Apple product! Followed by a 2G Ipod Touch and 3G Shuffle. All three of which helped me to appreciate how far apple has come. I only switched to mac when I had to waste 70+ hours trying to get my commercial science and office equipment to work with the Vista that management at the Lab just had to install on all of the workstations... weak. Admittedly Win 7 was a major correction, but we switched to Ubuntu for other reasons (to virtual machine XP) and save $ on licensing fees mostly!
And for the record, I have been testing $300 blue ray players for the past year and so far have been very disappointed. They boot up slow and load slow. All of that bloatware BD+ disc software anticopy dizzle dazzle seem to bog the current iteration of players down.
And its only a matter of time before a good Blu-ray drops to $100 or less. You can pick up a quality DVD player for $40 now, and the High End Oppo like DVD players of yesteryear were once fetching $400+....
Said what?
@vinnie97 and I got the Sharp 42 for $520USD~ about 3 months ago. And paid $1286.58 for my 13inch macbook back in late October of 2008. So that is not exactly overpriced. I only switched to macbook after playing with my colleagues version and was so impressed by OSX 10.5 and the overall design of the unibody that I was willing to throw down a little more for the better UI, LED Screen, Faster OS, Solid Included Software, Energy Efficient, Epeat Gold, Machined mechanical and electrical artwork that the unibody macbook is.....
@cosmicinglewood You have been "testing" $300 Blu-ray players on a 42 inch Sharp.
HA-HA-HA !
@FabDex Is Sharp not a good brand?
WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED
Does Sony get any money from third party bluray players?
@Ridgecity yes they do; they own many of the intellectual property rights to the drives, format, discs, ect. They failed with Beta to VHS but made a solid comeback with this ca$h hog..... leaving HD-DVD and its Microsoft et. al. backers in the dark....
@cosmicinglewood The money does not go directly to Sony, but yes, they do have some of the patents for Blu-ray but so do 17 other companies. Here is a good article that explains where the money goes: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10172042-1.html . Although Sony developed Blu-ray the physical medium, they don't get 'all' the money.
@Ridgecity
Actually, Panasonic owns more patents on the Bluray technology than Sony.
oh, and Microsoft was not left in the dark either. They own the VC-1 patent, which is used quite extensively by Warner in particular. If you bought "The Dark Knight," some of that went to Microsoft.
They were *more* invested in HD-DVD because they had other technologies on that format. HD-DVD was also pretty much exclusively using VC-1, so they pushed hard for its adoption, as that would lead to much more royalties had it won.
-Pie
I can see where the 83 might be worth it to someone w/ a serious HT setup because of all the audio options, but would this player really be worth the extra $150 over say the Panny BD60?
This is a good deal in my eyes. My Oppo dvd player is superior to any other dvd player I've owned and my MacBook Pro doesn't play blu-ray. For blu-ray I use a Panasonic DMP-BD80 , a bit slow load time, and a Mac Mini for Netflix, iTunes, and online media ($250 used on Craigslist). From what I've read Oppo blu-ray are some of the fastest and stable players on the market with superior picture quality to cheaper brands. From my personal experience with Oppo I believe this to be true.
Richard, the rebadged Lexicon will actually sell for $4000...
;)
@FabDex
I was getting ready to post the same thing, except I was going to be more generous and claim the Lexicon version would only be $3,500!
It will be interesting to see how this new player compares to the BDP-83.
With out the ABT chip.. go with a ps3, or and LG390
@kevon27 : THIS.
...
Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin' like a FOOL with your pants on the ground!
@Brian J
lol,lol... that guy is the best...
I was curious, but without the ABT chip, would this OPPO still upscale/upconvert dvd as well as the OPPP BDP83? Or does this make this version of the OPPO pretty much like any other $200-$300 BD player on the market like Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, LG, etc? I thought that the biggest/best reason behind purchasing the BDP83 was for it upscaling and quick load times (not to mention it is also a SACD & DVD-A player). I guess my question really is, what did the ABT chip do in the other player? And what kind of chip is being used in the BDP80? Sorry for my ignorance here, but I would really appreciate your help on this one, as I have been looking to buy the BDP83 for months now, but have waited since I heard a newer/lower priced version was coming out.. here it is. As for the rest of my A/V, I don't really have much yet (I am just beginning to build), but I currently have a 46" Sony XBR9 TV, a Sony 5400es receiver & some Bang & Olufsen speakers (Beolab 8000s fronts, Beolab 6000s rears, Beolab 7-1 Center & Beolab 2 Sub. I was thinking of the new sony BD player that were just announced at CES (the BDP-S570) since I have other Sony equipment, but it seems hard to pass on the OPPO after all the great reviews. What do you guys suggest?? If you don't mind me asking for your help?
@LosCA The ABT chip is the video processing chip that makes the Oppo such a great upscaler. I'm willing to bet the cheaper upscaling chip this new unit uses is no slouch either, but IMO the ABT is the best upscaling chip I've ever used.
@LosCA
The ABT chip is the killer chip that makes p[eople buy Oppo. Without the ABT chip, why even bother buying an Oppo?
What Oppo should've done is to created a BD transport only (no analog out, HDMI only) but still stick with ABT chip.
@LosCA Oppo will use a Mediatek or a Faroudja chip like they have used in the past for the DV-981/970 series, I am guessing. What I am curious to know, is if the blu ray playback will be as superior as the BDP-83.
If not, then I can see what some posters have mentioned above, that perhaps the BD-60 from Panasonic would present a better value, versus this new Oppo.
@David Susilo Damn straight! That's what I argued as well. There is no point in buying an Oppo if you don't get all the high end features. They need a digital transport like model.
Does anyone know if there are any BD players out there that have network/wifi control capabilities (similar to TiVo S3/HD, Plex, XBMC, TV, etc)?
I'd love to know the results of a "double-blind" test of watching a blu-ray and upscaled DVD on this player on a 50" plasma vs the most high end OPPO player. My money says nobody will see or hear the difference.
@blackacex22
the problem is in my home theatre, (2.4:1 ratio) the screen 16:9 area is approximately the same as a 103" plasma and viewed from 9 ft away. DVD upscaling wise, I'm pretty sure anybody will be able to see the difference between the 80 vs 83 DVD upscaling
@blackacex22 wrong blackace. I had a Oppo DV-981, which is no slouch when it comes to 1080p upconversion. But having watched that, and the BDP-83, the difference is very noticeable. I'll be happy to do the blind test all day, and I can bet I can pick the 83 from the 80 every single time.
now if you want to set up the test, be my guest, let me know where and when, and many posters here will attend for sure! ;)
@Woody Ok, Ok, I'll give you guys the upscaling I suppose even though 480p is 480p. Thing is, if you care SO much about quality content you won't be able to tolerate DVD upscaled or otherwise when you are able to watch blu-ray. Every time I watch an upscaled DVD and try to tell myself it'll be good enough I'm always disappointed.
The definitive difference.......grocery bag included?
@Woody Ok, Ok, I'll give you guys the upscaling I suppose even though 480p is 480p. Thing is, if you care SO much about quality content you won't be able to tolerate DVD upscaled or otherwise when you are able to watch blu-ray. Every time I watch an upscaled DVD and try to tell myself it'll be good enough I'm always disappointed.
@blackacex22
Then you must've never used a proper upscaler.
Yes, upscaled DVD will never be as good as Blu-ray... but many timeds the movie/concert etc are NOT availalbe on Blu-ray.
If you use upscalers such as ABT or even better, Marvell, the result will be good enough to not make me cringe.
Three kinds of buyers should look closely at this unit:
1. This is a universal player, which plays the hi-rez audio formats SACD and DVD-A as well as Blu-ray. It is the least expensive such player on the market, and the fact that it comes from such a highly respected vendor makes it the first choice for someone who needs such a unit. If you need a universal layer, start here.
2. This is a digital transport; if you own an excellent pre/pro and just want to feed the raw data to your video processor, again, it's a bargain.
3. If there are specific niche features that you need (simultaneous video from HDMI and component outputs; simultaneous audio from HDMI and analog audio outputs; 7.1 analog audio; 24 frame DVD support; etc) then this or the BDP-83 may be the least expensive player that combines all the features you need.
If all you want is a standard BD player with routine SD upconversion and some streaming features, you don't need an Oppo. But I don't think anyone who has bought one has ever really regretted it.
This would make a good complement to the Yamaha RX-V3900 for those who haven't bought a BD player yet.