Oppo’s response (after extensive checking with their engineering group and numerous back-and-forth communication) to the source direct problem I pointed out is that "the unit was not operating correctly prior to the latest firmware" and has since been corrected. They go on to write "so like I said last week the videos that are not 4:3 or 16:9 will be sent out as 16:9, and the television or scaler can correct for them."
That response is despite my submitting PROOF (including but not limited to the video file itself and complete specifications of the video) that the very same video that the UDP-205 cannot play with the correct aspect ratio *in any one of its modes* let alone source direct plays perfectly fine and with the correct aspect ratio when played via the USB port on my (pro-calibrated) Samsung UN65KS9800.
I have asked Oppo to have their product management intervene (render feedback at a minimum). In other words, I maintain that the way Oppo currently states the unit should work (in this regard), *should not* be the way the Oppo UDP-205 works in this regard. A video other than 4:3 or 16:9 *should* be output as X:Y, whatever X:Y happens to be, when in source direct mode. Instead, the UDP-205 STRETCHES the video and by their own admission this is by design.
At the moment the only alternative is to send the unit in so that the firmware can be restored back to the WORKING CORRECTLY prior version.
