Best Blu Ray video and for 2 channel transport?

I asked because I had a friend's 980H (current production) in my system for about three weeks just before getting the 983. My impressions of it were quite different than yours, but this, of course, is in my system (same one as the 983H is currently in) and with my TV (34" Sony CRT using 1080i DVI input). I did not like the 980H. The picture was too dark at default (as was the 983, though not as much so) and tweaking it was less rewarding than with the 983 - I could not get the picture to be very impressive or nearly as seamless and sharp as the 983. It was also a disappointment in comparison to the Modwright Sony 999ES that I recently sold, which had an excellent picture (and sound of course). Audio was a world away in the two Oppos via coaxial out into my Modwright Transporter. The audio via the 980H did very little to grab me. It was OK for movies but soundstage was a bit restricted and it just was easy to get up and walk away from. The 983 audio via the same means is immediate and engaging and has a great soundstage. Again, I cannot explain this and was surprised that a difference in transport could render such a difference in sound through the same DAC. Both units were brand-new, late production, and not burned in so I don't know if and how those things may change over time. With both I was using a TG 688 cord. As far as Blu Ray I certainly agree - nothing I've viewed has been sharper and more lifelike in appearance than the Panasonic Blu Ray picture I saw. Once they start issuing something worth watching on Blu Ray I might reconsider that direction. Sounds like the Sony will be a winner!

Well I can say this, just go to the local best buy or whoever and give the S550 a shot for the hell of it… But as for the Oppo 983 vs. 980 audio transport wise it would be very strange to have anything significant, like I said I do understand the 983 had a tiny bit more attention put into the DACS power supply but identical from the transport side supposedly…

Unless oppo completely changed it out and is just not saying… Only way to really find out would be calling one of the numerous modders that do the oppos and ask are they all coming with the exact same units in them as oppo claims. I can see that the 980 was a little more tweaked when I adjusted the internal video processing, I actually reduced brightness and contrast in the 980 h, the 983 was pretty good just on the standard settings. As for the differences vs. the new sonys, they don't have or need anything done in the video, they just go straight to 1080p / 24 frame.. Perfect.. Film, video, standard DVD, Blu ray no matter its excellent, but the DISPLAY will need some serious tweaking because I found now all the adjustments are on the flat panel side at this point not the player..

Oppo had some cool tools built in which are not necessary on the sony now… I found at the panel Noise reduction either off or just on an adjustment of +1 is good… Brightness about 50% standard, Contrast at about 60%, Black level +1, and Gamma about +1 beat out all the settings adjusted in the oppo. So yeah it will all be dependent on the full system I am sure and how far one is gonna go vs. another.

Also a good question for yourself is, OPPO sends a GREAT HDMI cable with the unit, the panasonic did not come with one at all, and you might have had some Hack job Monster cable or even cheaper cable running the panasonic, the cable Oppo uses seems as it is a generic but it is not I forget the company that makes it but its about the best cable you can get your hands on, I am using that HDMI cable still with the sony as it does not come with one either.. There are many threads on oppos supplied HDMI and how superior they are to some other cables, It is by a company I can't think of the name of and can be found to order separate or from oppo even by themselves if you did chose to not keep the player, but keep that cable!! This could be a bigger difference right there, I am not sure.

I used the same Sonicwave cable on both Panny and Oppo because I require an HDMI>DVI cable. It is a supposedly very good cable, though I had nothing to compare it to. I did not use the stock cables at all.

My DVI input will not allow 1080P at all (switching to 1080p obliviates any picture at all - it will only 1080i or lower resolution. Not sure why, but probably to do with it is an earlier (2004) hi-def CRT, or perhaps something to do with DVI input. I'm not sure as I haven't focused much on the video or HT over the years.

I'm baffled by the difference in the Oppo transport. Perhaps I'll borrow my friends 980 again and do a head-to-head if I find the time.

Hmm interesting, well right there is part of the issue, you don't have 1080p that’s where all the machines OPPO, Sony, and Panny will excell so at this point I can see where your limitation is on that regard.. Beyond that yeah not sure where their would be such a variance in the Oppo transports HOWEVER there is in fact Audio settings in the oppo as well, including an EQ that is REALLY crappy, so if it is activated for instance on your friends unit and you did not know it will make it sound different and more compressed as well as can add some echo effect… In your new Oppo 983 from the factory it is off, there is also an audio button on the units that can change the bitrate I believe, so yeah to make the right comparisons you will need to really make sure all the oppo settings are correct on each unit.      

I had my friend's Oppo from brand new - he had never used it himself and I opened his factory sealed box. He has two very elaborate systems and this was a very minor purchase for him and he was going away on holiday so I had it from new to three weeks old using it in my system that entire time. He was curious to see what I thought of it. I did check the audio settings anyway to see what was there, and the EQ was off, as it is on mine. No curiosity at all to try it out so never tested either.