@@JeffRauseo i appreciate the 2 replies. I went to buy it, got the code to log in with browser and Amazon said it's suspicious and temp closed my account. I could get off the app but I wanna give u whatever u get off the link. I'll try to figure it out
Just a quick FYI - my UB450 currently has firmware version 1.10. It appears that version 1.08 (December 13, 2023) is the latest version from Panasonic's website as of now.
@@RealHomeRecording Yes, that's what I wrote. I'd never seen a film with it. When I did, I was blown away. The comment was fairly self-explanatory, to be honest.
UB450 has been my loyal 4K companion for a few years now here in Europe. It has its flaws and limitations, but the final image quality (even on 1080p blu-rays) makes it totally worth it. I highly recommend it!
I've had the UB-820 for several years, and I swear it's got some secret sauce in its upscaling that make regular blu rays look just as good as 4k. It's awesome.
I’ll confirm this I got mine this week after my Sony Xwhatever finally packed in after years of disc skipping and freezing. The 820 is truly an amazing player best I’ve ever had, the Dolby vision, the upscaling on regular BD is outta this world. Found myself going back watching my old blu-rays from pre 2010 that I havn’t been interested in watching for years. Basically it’ does everything the 9000 does its the same inside its just house in plastic not steel and it’s missing a few audio output sockets at the back so it’s made for sound bars not so much amplifiers. Sure this model Jeff’s recommending is good and for the price you can’t go wrong it gets the job done, but if your budget allows get the 820. You won’t regret it.
@@RealHomeRecording nope. The 450 does not have the HDR optimiser chip present in the 820 and 420. Unfortunately, from the 420 they took out the optimiser chip and added DV in its place. For some people this is a downgrade as you don't get that sweet upscaling for older formats. Especially, if you have a Samsung TV that does not do DV.
Yes i am also between 820 and 450, the thing is i dont habe any older Blurays becouse iam new to this and only buy 4K-UHD so i think the upscaling is not important for me, i just need a player that has DV, becouse DV is just glorious.
I've got a Panasonic ub-450 and a ub820. The ub450 overall is a really great player, the dolby vision works flawlessly just like my 820, the one killer feature of the ub820 is the HDR optimiser which does make a subtle difference on HDR 10 films. Being in the UK, I didn't realise that the ub450 wasn't available in the US until very recently, I fully agree that it's pretty much the best budget option, I've had mine for over 2 years and it's working like a champ.
@@ramudon2428 the DP-UB420 is better if you also have DVD and blu ray etc. Because it has the HCX processor which up scales content to 4k better and it also has HDR optimiser. Unfortunately these were removed on the 450 but it adds Dolby Vision. If DV isn't as important to you than the 420 is a no brainer . In some ways the 450 is a downgrade both in build quality and loss of HCX and HDR optimiser. But it does gain DV. If you have a Samsung then 420 all the way. This guy says the display can upscale for you... But others say it's better to let the player clean it up first before the TV gets the signal. I know Sony do great upscaling for lower quality content, but generally I'd say the HCX processor still beats most TV's upscaling. Now the above might be all void because I think the 450 has replaced the 420... See if there's any stock of 420 near you first.
Ordered this player from Amazon to pair with our new LG C3. Ordered a few 4K physical movies this cyber Monday and can’t wait to test it out. It’s our 1st OLED 4K setup 😃
That tv slaps! I never want to go back to non oled 4k tvs again, that's how much I love my lg c3. Also video games look very crisp if your rocking a current gem system.
@@daviddr115111 have a 4k lcd/led and was not impressed at all but I am coming from also having a well calibrated Pionner Kuro Plasma that still looks amazing specially to this old retro gamer guy 😆
No you need to see his face. Just like all the movie channels they show you themselves not the actual product they are supposed to be showing. It’s weird man 😂
I actually have both the 420 and the 450. 420 has better upscaling for DVD, but regular Blu rays basically the same and 4K identical. One thing I think Sony players have is ability to output original source resolution automatically and let your display do the scaling (because it may be better than the player), but Panasonic always upscale to 4K unless you manually change the output resolution, requiring quite a lot of clicks. The 420 has the HDR Optimizer function that makes it good for older/cheaper LED LCD TVs with limited HDR performance or for a projector. The 450 of course has Dolby Vision and is better for an OLED where HDR tone mapping is less important. The 420 feels better quality, the 450 is very lightweight and has a smaller, worse feeling remote. The 420 has the power supply inside and uses a regular figure 8 cable, while the 450 needs a wall brick (advantage I guess, if it ever needs to be replaced). Drive noise is about the same - the 420 has a front cover which seems to make it slightly quieter, but the 450 is fine. Neither has a display, need the 820 for that. All Panasonic players can be made region free for DVD with certain Harmony remote codes or a hack remote. They are also all region free for some blu-rays using the “top menu” trick - load a disk, wait for region warning, press Stop then Top Menu. Doesn’t work on all disks though in which case a mod chip is required. 4Ks of course are basically all region free.
Hate to break it to you, but OLEDs can also have issues tone mapping content, hence the OLED option in the Panasonic HDR Optimizer. Newer OLEDs can get bright, but LEDs can get a lot more brighter which allows higher graded HDR Content to be displayed correctly whereas OLEDs can blow out high light detail thanks to its lower peak brightness.
@@PUsokrJosh305 Sure but native contrast and ability to get much closer to the typical 1000nit master means a modern OLED needs a lot less help with tone mapping and the internal processing likely does it better than even the Panasonic 820 - hence "less important". If you have an older/cheaper/dimmer OLED, then the HDR Optimizer might still be useful, but if your TV supports DV, then the dynamic tone mapping is still the better feature to have - if you have to choose.
Of course I just bought a UB-420 - but I have no complaints. I have what is very much a budget setup. I just started buying 4k discs, but do not plan on replicating my blu-ray collection. Considering the prices, I am going to be very selective. I do not care about steelbooks and slip covers - the film is the thing I am concerned about. The video and audio quality is what I looking for. Peace.
No need to regret your decision the ub420 is still the better player despite not having dolby vision. has better processor and better HDR enhancement features. look it up is called HCX tech giving you the cinema experience to 4K high-precision chroma processing for natural textures and depth, maximizing color, clarity, and detail. ub450 does not have that.
@edwinrijos6679 since Samsung doesn't have Dolby vision. How would it work if the Panasonic was connected to the Samsung. Would it be able to produce a Dolby vision picture onto the Samsung screen?
Been using the 450 for 18 months in London. It was half the price of the 820 and couldn't see any difference between the two apart from build quality. Very happy with it.
@JeffRauseo true, but big thing is its new, thus more updated and inside im sure they made micro improvements we wont know but will over time make it better
@@JeffRauseo i got a 65" oled LG C1 tv, only thing i need now is a good but budget friendly sound system for this new ub450 player, what do you recommend bro ?
I've been using the Panasonic UB 4K player range for the last 4 years or so and have been very happy with them. I even bought players for my family so we can all play 4K discs as required. They are all going strong with no issues.
Got this player for less than 35 dollars second hand, they thought it was a cd player, as it was labeled as one, apparently. Based in Sweden, didn't know that US didn't have this model until now. Been happy with it ever since, it's such a good middle ground to invest in.
The first DVD player I purchased was a Panasonic... That thing still works without issues 22 years later. It's massive in comparison to modern DVD players. I've been buying SONY for years for standard Blu-ray, but will probably go with Panasonic when I go 4K next year.
Thanks for the review. I had not yet made the jump to 4k, and after hearing the news that LG is no longer making blu ray and uhd players, I got spooked into rushing out to Walmart and buying the Sony UBP X700 for about the same price. It is still in the box so I might just go return it in favor of this one.
I hope your sony 4k player works I had the same model gifted to me a few years ago and it’s trash…. It always freezes while watching any 4K movie and won’t continue to play. Only works normal when watching blu rays.
Thank you so much for this info! I’ve had the Sony XBP-800 for years and have been wanting a good upgrade on the lower price end and this is literally perfect! Ordered yesterday!
Bought a LG G4 tv last month to watch movies. It looks incredible. Looks like I’ll definitely buy this to complete my home theater. Connecting new audio cables has been a nightmare 😂
Thanks for the heads-up. I’ve had an 820 since last years Black Friday. Works well. I just ordered a 450 for the other room and/or backup if the 820 dies.
I just bought this the day before yesterday after watching your video. A couple of weeks ago, I got my first 4K OLED TV. I was using an Xbox Series X as my player and thought this setup would be sufficient. It was a bit of a shock to realize that the Xbox doesn't support HDR Plus or Dolby Vision. This Panasonic player supports both, so it was a sensible purchase at a reasonable price, and this is what I'll be using in my living room for the foreseeable future. The price for this in Finland was 219 euros.
Good machine. Have had one over in the UK for a couple of years. Only minor gripe is that it came with a tiny, cheap remote control which I replaced with one off Amazon
I just got a 420 because I have a TV without Dolby Vision due to the fact that I wanted a 3D TV, and I'm glad that I got the TV I did, because I find 3D to be a feature that adds far more entertainment value to things than 4K does.
I've had the UB450 as my main 4K player here in the UK for many years, and it's fantastic that it handles HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. Honestly I would consider getting another one just to replace my alternate Sony player, that's super buggy when it comes to reading 4K discs sometimes (not blu ray though, weirdly)
Damn, I just bought the 820 yesterday since it was on sale for $350 at BB for Cyber Monday. Wish you posted this a couple days earlier! But I might keep the 820 since upscalling regular DVDs on my 4K TV is important to me.
I had the 420 and sold it earlier this year. Used the funds towards an 820 player. The 450 sounds like a great option for a 2nd 4K disc player in the house. But for a main player, I'm totally happy with my 820. So I'd totally recommend 820 esp if its your main disc player
I would like to add one thing this player can't do that other Panasonic's can and that is subtitle brightness setting (at least that's what I've read and it's a bummer) a feature I have a hard time living without when viewing HDR material. Might be a small thing for some but definitely good to know if you are used to that.
Thankyou for the review. The biggest problem I have with the Pan 450 is the extremely small remote control. It is simply unusable. Had to buy the much larger Pan 420 remote from Amazon.
Thank u so much Jeff. I had already found this on Amazon USA to import to my country,,India and have it in my cart.. But I wanted a credible great reviewer like you to help me make the descion! Totally fed up with my 4 yr old Sony ubx 700 which freezes and skips even 50 gb discs randomly. Hopefully this doesnt skip. .
Thanks, Jeff! I've been using my PlayStation 5 as my 4K player for longer than I'm comfortable with (I don't really like combining purposes: if my PS5 craps out, there goes my 4K player), and was in the market--this video hit at the right time!
Thanks for the hardware tip Jeff! I told a co-worker and he ordered it and has it set up right now. I will order one tonight via your link. I bought a nice Dolby Vision Philips player back in 2019 (for about $190!) and it works well but I always felt the search and "jog/shuttle" capabilities were weak. I will see how this works out. 🙏🏻
Thanks for the recommendation Jeff! I’m still pretty new to 4K and didn’t realize my PS5 wasn’t playing Dolby vision 😂. I’m gonna snag this player today! Would you recommend some good hdmi cables for the Dolby experience? I only need one right… from the player to the tv right?
Thanks for the heads up on this player, Jeff. I just redid my office and bought a 42" LG C4 TV to start using as a desktop monitor and for playing console games. Was also considering getting a 4K player for the times I didn't feel like going into our basement to watch on our 77" LG CX. Wasn't sure I wanted to purchase another Panasonic UB 820 as it was a bit more than I wanted to spend on something I would just use occasionally and without the best setup (only have a small soundbar in the office). This seems to fit the bill perfectly and won't break the bank.
I chose the 820 because the 450 doesn't have the Dynamic Range Adjustment feature for playing HDR10 content in brighter environments. I still have time to return my 820. Besides costing less, does the 450 have any advantages over the 820?
I have still got quite an old Panasonic Blu-ray player, and it's incredibly good, especially when paired with a decent hd tv, but I've heard Panasonic has been extremely good in general, even as far back as their dvd players.
Thanks, Jeff. This was really helpful. I have an 820, but I’ve been wanting to buy a second player for my office. I want to listen to commentaries and supplements while I work and didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg.
I have an 820 but I'm thinking about getting this for DVDs, regular Blu-rays and for tv shows. I'm a little paranoid about the 820 getting burned out too quickly after reading about other people having issues after a couple years. If this 450 does a great job upscaling 1080p Blu-rays I might be tempted
Will this player work with one of the panasonic usb wifi hubs for their previous players? I have two older Panasonic players that had external USB wifi hubs that once you plug them in to the back, the unit has wifi just like any other brand today. Not sure why Panasonic did this rather than just build them in (cost maybe?). But Panasonic is well known for this.
I just got mine via Amazon and my only concern is that there’s no WiFi. Not really a dealbreaker since it doesn’t even support streaming apps, but I still feel like I could be missing out on important firmware updates. I watched Alien Romulus for my first experience with the player and it didn’t let down. Thanks for the recommendation!
I felt pressured into ordering the ub820 during back Friday based on what all the reviewers say. I’m not a big time gamer, but for the price of a gaming console, this player better leave my jaw on the floor.
Don't worry, it will. The 820 is essentially the 9004 minus the better enclosure, the more silent drive and 500 nit profile for projectors (altough the last one can be unlocked using modified firmware). And of course minus almost 700 bucks.
It's a whole lot better than the one that he's talking about in this video, which is basically the Panasonic ub154, their cheapest player, that they just slapped dolby vision in.
This is fantastic! I've been using my PS5 for 4K BR playback. Does a great job but again just like with the Series X, no Dolby Vision. For $200 I'm jumping on this sucker ASAP.
I always thought it was my soundbar that was making the audio out of sync. Hearing that you also have issues with audio through the series X is a relief. Will be picking this up soon now.
Looking at this for my 77” C1 and Sonos home theater setup. Does this player support Atmos? Maybe that’s a dumb question but auto detect, Dolby vision and Atmos are my ‘musts’.
I have this and a 820 both second hand brought has not working but just doing some maintainince with some silicone grease on the lense and cleaning the lense and they both work tremendously well.
This might seem like a silly reason to buy the more expensive UB820, but in addition to other things, it also has a display on the front of the machine, so you can see what the machine is doing, or where you are on the disc, without having to look on'-screen to see that info. That's important to me.
That's a nice feature, but I don't see it being worth $247 (The price difference from the UB820 vs the UB450 on Amazon.) Are there any other features the UB820 has that the UB450 doesn't?
@@FewFew77The UB820 can upscale non native 4k content to 4k. So, all your standard DVD's and Blu-rays will be shown in 4k resolution. The reason I bought the UB820 is because it automatically changes to all the best settings for the content you're watching (Dolby vision/Atmos etc); the other models don't. You have to go into the settings of other models to select the best settings. It's a beautiful machine. Well worth the money.
I'm going to buy it. Just to have a Spare 4K. I think next year may be the year they discontinue and I want a couple of 4K Players in storage. Just in case.
@@vanstraelend yes. I think within 2 - 3 yrs they'll stop. And I don't want another Oppo thing. are there any manufacturers besides Panni still making Players?
I wish more people would talk about how noisy the players are. Apparently the more expensive aluminum machines are much more silent than these budget models when running discs. That's an important factor to me when considering which one to buy.
@@TimSeraphiel Thanks for the feedback! I only have experience playing 4k discs in my Xbox One X, and they are much noisier than blu-rays and DVDs. I imagine they need to spin faster.
I have this in Western Australia been available here for about 1 year has all the bells and wishes also has great upscaling for dvd and bluray and the sound quality is excellent get yourself one
Dw honestly the 450 is a downgrade. Yes you gain DV but you lose the HDR optimiser upscaler chip. If you have a collection of DVD and blu ray it makes the argument for 420 stronger.
@@Ryan_TheBold yup! This guy says the new displays these days can upscale just as well but I'm not so sure about that. I'd rather the player does it before it gets to the TV. Sony is good with upscaling but Samsung isn't.
I have the Sony UBP-X700M. It has HDR 10, Dolby Vision. My 4k's look great and I haven't had any issues. No freezing nothing like that. The Dolby Vision really makes a difference paired with DV on my TV along with my JBL 1000 bar. Movie quality picture and room shaking BASS. When Atmos kicks in, it's definitely on another level. Good shit.
For that price you’re right that this is the best player for most users. However, where I’m at, it costs the double, and actually the same as Sony ubp-x800m2, and with that player you get more features like SACD playback, wireless net connection, and the ability to play regular discs with Dolby vision when enabled (not sure you want to though..)
I find that UHD discs need to be free of smudges and scratches to play properly more so then HD Blu ray and DVD's so be sure to check discs before assuming the player has an issue.
I have a Phillips bdp7502. It’s not very well known and wasn’t reviewed very much. It was like $150.00. Has dolby vision and WiFi. Played everything I threw at it for years Sadly it has a problem with recent shout factory discs. And they haven’t updated the firmware for years. Good to know that a reasonable replacement is available.
So glad I waited! One question though. Are these Panasonic players the ones that don’t have disc resume upon startup if you stop and go into standby? I don’t always finish an extended cut or episodic disc in one sitting and it’s useful to turn on the player and pick right back up where I left off.
I picked up a re-ferb Panasonic Ultra blue-ray player for CHEAP on Amazon last year and despite a few minimal scratches, NO instructions and a working remote is works FLAWLESS and works with my Fire Cube 3rd gen which has complete voice control for power, HDMI switching, play/pause, goto track and works great with my Bose sound setup. For the price, once loaded into my console, you can't even see the scratches. 1st time I've ever bought a re-furb, but I have NO complaints! I don't even use the remote with my Fire Cube as the Amazon remote works or my voice. It upscales well!
I have the Panasonic UB-9000 which is great but my favorite player was the Pioneer LX-500, the disc tray broke which was surprising because the think was built to withstand war.
Nice! I’ll have to take a look. I run all my stuff wired to the internet anyway so that’s not a problem. Switching my Sony back and forth is a pain in the ass.
My Xbox doesn't like playing media for some reason. Whenever I play a movie either streaming or on disc it'll sometimes cut to a static screen. Sometimes if I switch the inputs on the TV is fixes it. Other times I have to get it to the home screen and go back into the movie and it's ok again. If those don't work then I have to turn it off and on. So instead I use the PS5 and it works well enough. Can anyone verify that this is big enough upgrade over the PS5 that makes it worth getting this?
I bought one last week got an even better deal, its small its not a full size unit and i like that. So far so good, got a few 4kUHD films & i'll add more films that deserve 4k.
So I ended up buying the player for slightly cheaper...and I have to say it's pretty amazing. Upgraded from the comparable Sony model and this one definitely has fewer headaches already. It's nice to just pop in the disc and not have to turn off Dolby vision manually when you're playing a standard Blu ray.
Great video Jeff. Been looking at the 450 here in the Uk for a few weeks. Got an old panny 390 which is still great but no Dolby Vision. I also only have WiFi which the 450 doesn’t have. But like you I have a smart tv so watch the apps on there. Don’t have a computer so if a firmware update was needed I’d have to prob get a cheap laptop somewhere. Thanks 👍
Jeff, please make more videos about 4K players, both the best values for consumers, and also the players which are being discontinued because some big companies are exiting the market!!
I have a UB820. Great 4k player BUT, make sure it works with your TV. Some LG and Sony TVs have handshaking issues with it. For example my A80J it worked fine, but my A95L wouldn't play Dolby Vision(it would actually play no video but had audio going). Then when I plugged it back in to the A80J and a new soundbar (previously it was hooked to my surround sound) it wouldn't play audio. Hooked up a X700 and X800 with zero issues.
I have that player. Bought it region free chipped on ebay. It has a hdmi audio out port which is brilliant as my cinema amp is 12 years old. If you watch 1080p films make sure you set the resolution to 1080p not Auto. A lot sharper image set to 1080p.
Can you explain what you mean when you say " You won't miss the players upscaling ability if your TV is doing a pretty good job of that"? Are you saying that TVs now come with upscaling abilities built in? What would a person look for in a TVs upscaling ability when buying a TV?
Buy Panasonic UB450: amzn.to/3ZjhivR
DudeI'm down to buy it if it has atmos. Can you please verify?
@@rogerbussiii As long as the player does bitstream output, which this and others do, then they will support Dolby Atmos.
@@JeffRauseo i appreciate the 2 replies. I went to buy it, got the code to log in with browser and Amazon said it's suspicious and temp closed my account. I could get off the app but I wanna give u whatever u get off the link. I'll try to figure it out
Just watch out I have it in U.K but wont play Twister brings main menu up, but wont play movie Panasonic are aware
Just a quick FYI - my UB450 currently has firmware version 1.10. It appears that version 1.08 (December 13, 2023) is the latest version from Panasonic's website as of now.
I always thought Dolby Vision was a gimmick, till I watched a film in Dolby Vision. It's beautiful.
You assumed it was a gimmick?
@@RealHomeRecording Yes, that's what I wrote. I'd never seen a film with it. When I did, I was blown away. The comment was fairly self-explanatory, to be honest.
@@wiseguy100lol
@@wiseguy100at least you didn’t get the grammar guy 😂
UB450 has been my loyal 4K companion for a few years now here in Europe. It has its flaws and limitations, but the final image quality (even on 1080p blu-rays) makes it totally worth it. I highly recommend it!
What are the top 3 flaws & limitations in your experience so far? Curious to know.
Had for a couple of years and no problems.
even the dvd gets a upswing with that player
I've had the UB-820 for several years, and I swear it's got some secret sauce in its upscaling that make regular blu rays look just as good as 4k. It's awesome.
Hopefully the DP-UB450 has that voodoo upscaler built-in too.
I’ll confirm this I got mine this week after my Sony Xwhatever finally packed in after years of disc skipping and freezing. The 820 is truly an amazing player best I’ve ever had, the Dolby vision, the upscaling on regular BD is outta this world. Found myself going back watching my old blu-rays from pre 2010 that I havn’t been interested in watching for years. Basically it’ does everything the 9000 does its the same inside its just house in plastic not steel and it’s missing a few audio output sockets at the back so it’s made for sound bars not so much amplifiers.
Sure this model Jeff’s recommending is good and for the price you can’t go wrong it gets the job done, but if your budget allows get the 820. You won’t regret it.
@@RealHomeRecording nope. The 450 does not have the HDR optimiser chip present in the 820 and 420. Unfortunately, from the 420 they took out the optimiser chip and added DV in its place.
For some people this is a downgrade as you don't get that sweet upscaling for older formats. Especially, if you have a Samsung TV that does not do DV.
@@Philbyyyy To the credit of the ub450 there is no fan, and hence no fan noise unlike the 420/820
Yes i am also between 820 and 450, the thing is i dont habe any older Blurays becouse iam new to this and only buy 4K-UHD so i think the upscaling is not important for me, i just need a player that has DV, becouse DV is just glorious.
I've got a Panasonic ub-450 and a ub820. The ub450 overall is a really great player, the dolby vision works flawlessly just like my 820, the one killer feature of the ub820 is the HDR optimiser which does make a subtle difference on HDR 10 films.
Being in the UK, I didn't realise that the ub450 wasn't available in the US until very recently, I fully agree that it's pretty much the best budget option, I've had mine for over 2 years and it's working like a champ.
If you never had any dvds or blu rays and were starting from scratch would you just get the 450?
@@ExodusX13 if you will only by 4k discs then 450 does the trick.
@@PhilbyyyyWould you recommend a different player if you have a collection of udh Blu-rays, normal Blu-rays, and DVDs?
@@ramudon2428 the DP-UB420 is better if you also have DVD and blu ray etc. Because it has the HCX processor which up scales content to 4k better and it also has HDR optimiser. Unfortunately these were removed on the 450 but it adds Dolby Vision.
If DV isn't as important to you than the 420 is a no brainer . In some ways the 450 is a downgrade both in build quality and loss of HCX and HDR optimiser. But it does gain DV.
If you have a Samsung then 420 all the way.
This guy says the display can upscale for you... But others say it's better to let the player clean it up first before the TV gets the signal. I know Sony do great upscaling for lower quality content, but generally I'd say the HCX processor still beats most TV's upscaling.
Now the above might be all void because I think the 450 has replaced the 420... See if there's any stock of 420 near you first.
I've had this player for a while, now and I have to say, it's excellent for 4K. Not only that but it's capable of playing any disc from any region.
Was it modified, or do you use a hack for your import discs?
Oh, really? Blu-rays? I'm about to move to France so I was worried about my collection not playing.
@@charlescontreras4135 It may have been modified although I'd have to check the box for the player.
Hello, did you buy it in the US? I saw some of these being sold on eBay and they're modified to play other regions BDs and DVDs.
@@Prof_Cristiano_Leal I bought in on Amazon in the UK, it may be different in the US.
Very cool that this is a thing now for everybody! I have the 820 and love it!
Same same.
Yes! I've had this exact model for a year now. I live in norway. Awesome player! I highly recommend this model.
THANK YOU. I've had mine since June and I love it, finally someone big in the space is talking about it.
Ordered this player from Amazon to pair with our new LG C3. Ordered a few 4K physical movies this cyber Monday and can’t wait to test it out. It’s our 1st OLED 4K setup 😃
That tv slaps! I never want to go back to non oled 4k tvs again, that's how much I love my lg c3. Also video games look very crisp if your rocking a current gem system.
I need to start saving up for an OLED myself, always wanted one. Congrats!
@@daviddr115111 have a 4k lcd/led and was not impressed at all but I am coming from also having a well calibrated Pionner Kuro Plasma that still looks amazing specially to this old retro gamer guy 😆
@@Zodarus thanks, they really are great.
Jealous! I’m just waiting for my current LG 4K LCD tv to take a crap so I can justify buying a new OLED lol
Dude, SHOW THE PLAYER.
No you need to see his face. Just like all the movie channels they show you themselves not the actual product they are supposed to be showing. It’s weird man 😂
@@Bluehawks206it’s almost like there are rules and regulations around it all 🙄🙄🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
Lol he's a RUclipsr. They're self absorbed. Plus a Millennial so it's compounded. The product they talk about every day comes second.
Dude, he did. 1:55
@@Brandonmtlhda stock photo is not showing the player...
I actually have both the 420 and the 450. 420 has better upscaling for DVD, but regular Blu rays basically the same and 4K identical. One thing I think Sony players have is ability to output original source resolution automatically and let your display do the scaling (because it may be better than the player), but Panasonic always upscale to 4K unless you manually change the output resolution, requiring quite a lot of clicks.
The 420 has the HDR Optimizer function that makes it good for older/cheaper LED LCD TVs with limited HDR performance or for a projector. The 450 of course has Dolby Vision and is better for an OLED where HDR tone mapping is less important. The 420 feels better quality, the 450 is very lightweight and has a smaller, worse feeling remote. The 420 has the power supply inside and uses a regular figure 8 cable, while the 450 needs a wall brick (advantage I guess, if it ever needs to be replaced). Drive noise is about the same - the 420 has a front cover which seems to make it slightly quieter, but the 450 is fine. Neither has a display, need the 820 for that.
All Panasonic players can be made region free for DVD with certain Harmony remote codes or a hack remote. They are also all region free for some blu-rays using the “top menu” trick - load a disk, wait for region warning, press Stop then Top Menu. Doesn’t work on all disks though in which case a mod chip is required. 4Ks of course are basically all region free.
Hate to break it to you, but OLEDs can also have issues tone mapping content, hence the OLED option in the Panasonic HDR Optimizer.
Newer OLEDs can get bright, but LEDs can get a lot more brighter which allows higher graded HDR Content to be displayed correctly whereas OLEDs can blow out high light detail thanks to its lower peak brightness.
@@PUsokrJosh305 Sure but native contrast and ability to get much closer to the typical 1000nit master means a modern OLED needs a lot less help with tone mapping and the internal processing likely does it better than even the Panasonic 820 - hence "less important". If you have an older/cheaper/dimmer OLED, then the HDR Optimizer might still be useful, but if your TV supports DV, then the dynamic tone mapping is still the better feature to have - if you have to choose.
The series x is garbage for UHD. PS5 on the other hand, perfect
@@chrisward000 no DV for Samsung so 420 is the preferred for Samsung oleds.
Of course I just bought a UB-420 - but I have no complaints. I have what is very much a budget setup. I just started buying 4k discs, but do not plan on replicating my blu-ray collection. Considering the prices, I am going to be very selective. I do not care about steelbooks and slip covers - the film is the thing I am concerned about. The video and audio quality is what I looking for. Peace.
No need to regret your decision the ub420 is still the better player despite not having dolby vision. has better processor and better HDR enhancement features. look it up is called HCX tech giving you the cinema experience
to 4K high-precision chroma processing for natural textures and depth, maximizing color, clarity, and detail. ub450 does not have that.
@edwinrijos6679 since Samsung doesn't have Dolby vision. How would it work if the Panasonic was connected to the Samsung. Would it be able to produce a Dolby vision picture onto the Samsung screen?
No regrets mate. The 420 has better upscaling chip thars been removed off the 450!
You just trade that off for DV.
@@allfacts19since Samsung can't do DV you just won't be able to use the DV feature from this player. 420 is better option for Samsung
@@Philbyyyy do you know if the 420 produces hdr10+? I've got a Sony, but it doesn't produce hdr 10+ like my television does.
Been using the 450 for 18 months in London. It was half the price of the 820 and couldn't see any difference between the two apart from build quality.
Very happy with it.
Wow man thanks, i just bought the 420 at amazon but didnt open box, so im returning it for the 450, perfect timing video
420 is nice and has its uses. But this does offer Dolby vision
@JeffRauseo true, but big thing is its new, thus more updated and inside im sure they made micro improvements we wont know but will over time make it better
@@JeffRauseo i got a 65" oled LG C1 tv, only thing i need now is a good but budget friendly sound system for this new ub450 player, what do you recommend bro ?
@@JeffRauseo also what you recommend for a good or best hdmi cord for connections ? Thanks again
@@raydalton1110 the ub420 is still the better player, that is why is 20 bucks more expensive. better processor and better HDR enhancement features
I've been using the Panasonic UB 4K player range for the last 4 years or so and have been very happy with them. I even bought players for my family so we can all play 4K discs as required. They are all going strong with no issues.
Bought mine in 2022 (from UK) very happy with it.
Got this player for less than 35 dollars second hand, they thought it was a cd player, as it was labeled as one, apparently.
Based in Sweden, didn't know that US didn't have this model until now.
Been happy with it ever since, it's such a good middle ground to invest in.
The first DVD player I purchased was a Panasonic... That thing still works without issues 22 years later. It's massive in comparison to modern DVD players. I've been buying SONY for years for standard Blu-ray, but will probably go with Panasonic when I go 4K next year.
Whenever I get back to being able to put together a proper 4K movie setup, I'm definitely going to grab this player. This sounds amazing.
I love my 420 and wish the 450 would have been available years ago when I bought it. Awesome that Panasonic brought DV to a budget player!
Thanks for the review. I had not yet made the jump to 4k, and after hearing the news that LG is no longer making blu ray and uhd players, I got spooked into rushing out to Walmart and buying the Sony UBP X700 for about the same price. It is still in the box so I might just go return it in favor of this one.
I hope your sony 4k player works I had the same model gifted to me a few years ago and it’s trash…. It always freezes while watching any 4K movie and won’t continue to play. Only works normal when watching blu rays.
@@manuelluna_81I read in a video elsewhere that you might be able to stop some of the skipping by changing some of the settings.
@ Yes you can. I did that as well and the picture quality wasn’t the same. After doing so the 4k looked bad, it downscaled and was no longer high Def.
I’m based in the UK, and this has been my player for the past 4 years!
Thank you so much for this info! I’ve had the Sony XBP-800 for years and have been wanting a good upgrade on the lower price end and this is literally perfect! Ordered yesterday!
Bought a LG G4 tv last month to watch movies. It looks incredible. Looks like I’ll definitely buy this to complete my home theater. Connecting new audio cables has been a nightmare 😂
Thanks for the heads-up. I’ve had an 820 since last years Black Friday. Works well. I just ordered a 450 for the other room and/or backup if the 820 dies.
I just bought this the day before yesterday after watching your video. A couple of weeks ago, I got my first 4K OLED TV. I was using an Xbox Series X as my player and thought this setup would be sufficient. It was a bit of a shock to realize that the Xbox doesn't support HDR Plus or Dolby Vision. This Panasonic player supports both, so it was a sensible purchase at a reasonable price, and this is what I'll be using in my living room for the foreseeable future. The price for this in Finland was 219 euros.
Video sourced from the Xbox just LOOKS awful. From either a disc or a game.
Good machine. Have had one over in the UK for a couple of years. Only minor gripe is that it came with a tiny, cheap remote control which I replaced with one off Amazon
I almost went for the 450, but when I realised it didn't have the upscaler, I picked the 820 instead...
I just got a 420 because I have a TV without Dolby Vision due to the fact that I wanted a 3D TV, and I'm glad that I got the TV I did, because I find 3D to be a feature that adds far more entertainment value to things than 4K does.
Where did you get a 3d tv? Did you buy an old one?
@@MisterDavidWeinstein Yeah, an open box 2016 or 2017 model.
I've had the UB450 as my main 4K player here in the UK for many years, and it's fantastic that it handles HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. Honestly I would consider getting another one just to replace my alternate Sony player, that's super buggy when it comes to reading 4K discs sometimes (not blu ray though, weirdly)
Damn, I just bought the 820 yesterday since it was on sale for $350 at BB for Cyber Monday. Wish you posted this a couple days earlier! But I might keep the 820 since upscalling regular DVDs on my 4K TV is important to me.
the 820 has tone mapping allowing your tv to get the best out of hdr esp if you have a mid range tv with low luminance
Yeah samething here. Debating if I should return the 820 or keep it. What are you planning?
I had the 420 and sold it earlier this year. Used the funds towards an 820 player. The 450 sounds like a great option for a 2nd 4K disc player in the house. But for a main player, I'm totally happy with my 820. So I'd totally recommend 820 esp if its your main disc player
I would like to add one thing this player can't do that other Panasonic's can and that is subtitle brightness setting (at least that's what I've read and it's a bummer) a feature I have a hard time living without when viewing HDR material. Might be a small thing for some but definitely good to know if you are used to that.
@@qhorton6743 I appreciate your response
Thankyou for the review. The biggest problem I have with the Pan 450 is the extremely small remote control. It is simply unusable. Had to buy the much larger Pan 420 remote from Amazon.
Thank u so much Jeff. I had already found this on Amazon USA to import to my country,,India and have it in my cart.. But I wanted a credible great reviewer like you to help me make the descion! Totally fed up with my 4 yr old Sony ubx 700 which freezes and skips even 50 gb discs randomly. Hopefully this doesnt skip.
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My Oppo UDP-203 is still going strong! It's interesting to hear your thoughts on this new budget player though
Thanks, Jeff! I've been using my PlayStation 5 as my 4K player for longer than I'm comfortable with (I don't really like combining purposes: if my PS5 craps out, there goes my 4K player), and was in the market--this video hit at the right time!
Awesome video dude! This could be a game changer to start moving some of the masses to 4k. Great job getting the word out there 👏
Your link took me to it on Walmart. Same price as Amazon. Thanks for telling me this. I'm in the market for a back up to my 820.
After I bought this I had to get an OLED TV and I am very excited to check out some of my 4K discs on it! Thanks for the recommendation Jeff!
Thanks for the hardware tip Jeff! I told a co-worker and he ordered it and has it set up right now. I will order one tonight via your link. I bought a nice Dolby Vision Philips player back in 2019 (for about $190!) and it works well but I always felt the search and "jog/shuttle" capabilities were weak. I will see how this works out. 🙏🏻
Thanks for the recommendation Jeff! I’m still pretty new to 4K and didn’t realize my PS5 wasn’t playing Dolby vision 😂. I’m gonna snag this player today! Would you recommend some good hdmi cables for the Dolby experience? I only need one right… from the player to the tv right?
Thanks for the heads up on this player, Jeff. I just redid my office and bought a 42" LG C4 TV to start using as a desktop monitor and for playing console games. Was also considering getting a 4K player for the times I didn't feel like going into our basement to watch on our 77" LG CX. Wasn't sure I wanted to purchase another Panasonic UB 820 as it was a bit more than I wanted to spend on something I would just use occasionally and without the best setup (only have a small soundbar in the office). This seems to fit the bill perfectly and won't break the bank.
I chose the 820 because the 450 doesn't have the Dynamic Range Adjustment feature for playing HDR10 content in brighter environments. I still have time to return my 820. Besides costing less, does the 450 have any advantages over the 820?
I have still got quite an old Panasonic Blu-ray player, and it's incredibly good, especially when paired with a decent hd tv, but I've heard Panasonic has been extremely good in general, even as far back as their dvd players.
Just picked one up as recently upgraded to a new tv. Thank you for the recommendation
I have had a sony x700 and x900 and i have never updated the firmware and mine work great still.
Comparison video with ub820 would be nice! Especially for bluray and DVD upscaling because the latter has the different HCX processor
I've had a region free modded version of this for the last 2 years in Europe and it's been great!
Did you do that with a remote trick or an add-on?
you just press 1,2 or 3 for A,B,C in the main screen. Works well and have allowed my criterion collection to grow waaay too big!
Thanks, Jeff. This was really helpful. I have an 820, but I’ve been wanting to buy a second player for my office. I want to listen to commentaries and supplements while I work and didn’t want to spend an arm and a leg.
I have an 820 but I'm thinking about getting this for DVDs, regular Blu-rays and for tv shows. I'm a little paranoid about the 820 getting burned out too quickly after reading about other people having issues after a couple years. If this 450 does a great job upscaling 1080p Blu-rays I might be tempted
For your use case try get the 420.
Thanks. You sold me on it, and I brought it on Amazon.... right after watching this and the other video about LG!
Will this player work with one of the panasonic usb wifi hubs for their previous players?
I have two older Panasonic players that had external USB wifi hubs that once you plug them in to the back, the unit has wifi just like any other brand today.
Not sure why Panasonic did this rather than just build them in (cost maybe?). But Panasonic is well known for this.
I just got mine via Amazon and my only concern is that there’s no WiFi. Not really a dealbreaker since it doesn’t even support streaming apps, but I still feel like I could be missing out on important firmware updates. I watched Alien Romulus for my first experience with the player and it didn’t let down. Thanks for the recommendation!
You update the firmware with USB file
@@GenX_in_the_wild Or use wired Lan connection
Bought one from Amazon at the beginning of the year here in the UK and it's great no probs with it at all. Well worth the money
Came in the mail yesterday. I can confirm this player does do Dolby Atmos!!
It's very basic but has every video format. A must buy!
This player released such hits in the 80's as "Red Red Win5e" and "Kingston Tow5n".
I felt pressured into ordering the ub820 during back Friday based on what all the reviewers say. I’m not a big time gamer, but for the price of a gaming console, this player better leave my jaw on the floor.
Don't worry, it will. The 820 is essentially the 9004 minus the better enclosure, the more silent drive and 500 nit profile for projectors (altough the last one can be unlocked using modified firmware). And of course minus almost 700 bucks.
It's a whole lot better than the one that he's talking about in this video, which is basically the Panasonic ub154, their cheapest player, that they just slapped dolby vision in.
Great price!! I have a lot of region B Discs. Is this a region free player? I can’t seem to find that info online anywhere.
This is fantastic! I've been using my PS5 for 4K BR playback. Does a great job but again just like with the Series X, no Dolby Vision. For $200 I'm jumping on this sucker ASAP.
I always thought it was my soundbar that was making the audio out of sync. Hearing that you also have issues with audio through the series X is a relief. Will be picking this up soon now.
Looking at this for my 77” C1 and Sonos home theater setup. Does this player support Atmos? Maybe that’s a dumb question but auto detect, Dolby vision and Atmos are my ‘musts’.
I have this and a 820 both second hand brought has not working but just doing some maintainince with some silicone grease on the lense and cleaning the lense and they both work tremendously well.
Had this player for 18 months now in the UK, no complains, great little thing
This might seem like a silly reason to buy the more expensive UB820, but in addition to other things, it also has a display on the front of the machine, so you can see what the machine is doing, or where you are on the disc, without having to look on'-screen to see that info. That's important to me.
Ditto…not silly at all IMO
That's a nice feature, but I don't see it being worth $247 (The price difference from the UB820 vs the UB450 on Amazon.) Are there any other features the UB820 has that the UB450 doesn't?
@@FewFew77The UB820 can upscale non native 4k content to 4k. So, all your standard DVD's and Blu-rays will be shown in 4k resolution. The reason I bought the UB820 is because it automatically changes to all the best settings for the content you're watching (Dolby vision/Atmos etc); the other models don't. You have to go into the settings of other models to select the best settings. It's a beautiful machine. Well worth the money.
I heard that the upscaling is much better for 1080p blu ray too.
I'm going to buy it. Just to have a Spare 4K. I think next year may be the year they discontinue and I want a couple of 4K Players in storage. Just in case.
You mean stop making 4k players all together?
@@vanstraelend yes. I think within 2 - 3 yrs they'll stop. And I don't want another Oppo thing. are there any manufacturers besides Panni still making Players?
@@MichelleAlexandria-EM LG announced recently that they are done with all Blu-ray manufacturing!!!!
I wish more people would talk about how noisy the players are. Apparently the more expensive aluminum machines are much more silent than these budget models when running discs. That's an important factor to me when considering which one to buy.
I hadn't noticed mine being noisy at all. Maybe I got lucky?
@@TimSeraphiel Thanks for the feedback! I only have experience playing 4k discs in my Xbox One X, and they are much noisier than blu-rays and DVDs. I imagine they need to spin faster.
Does anyone know as far as sound quality and atmos. Does the 820 send better sound quality to your AV receiver than the 450?
Thanks for the video. Perfect timing as I was looking to purchase the 820 .
I have this in Western Australia been available here for about 1 year has all the bells and wishes also has great upscaling for dvd and bluray and the sound quality is excellent get yourself one
Is it region free? I need one that’s region free with Dolby ✌🏼
Maaaaan I grabbed the 420 right before this came out. I’m tempted to buy one just to hold onto it before they inevitably become harder to come by…
Dw honestly the 450 is a downgrade. Yes you gain DV but you lose the HDR optimiser upscaler chip. If you have a collection of DVD and blu ray it makes the argument for 420 stronger.
@ interesting! I had no clue! I really do love the upscaling that the 420 is capable of. It’s quite impressive with my old dvds!
@@Ryan_TheBold yup! This guy says the new displays these days can upscale just as well but I'm not so sure about that. I'd rather the player does it before it gets to the TV. Sony is good with upscaling but Samsung isn't.
I have the Sony UBP-X700M. It has HDR 10, Dolby Vision. My 4k's look great and I haven't had any issues. No freezing nothing like that. The Dolby Vision really makes a difference paired with DV on my TV along with my JBL 1000 bar. Movie quality picture and room shaking BASS. When Atmos kicks in, it's definitely on another level. Good shit.
That thing looks awful compared the cheap Philips 4k player I have. I returned it right away, noisy crappy thing.
@@BB-ed4om Lol, cuckoo
Is it region free?? Thanks for answering😊
For that price you’re right that this is the best player for most users. However, where I’m at, it costs the double, and actually the same as Sony ubp-x800m2, and with that player you get more features like SACD playback, wireless net connection, and the ability to play regular discs with Dolby vision when enabled (not sure you want to though..)
Had mine for long time in the UK. Also 3d. So good for old movies on a projector. With dlp glasses.
So it does play 3d🤔
I find that UHD discs need to be free of smudges and scratches to play properly more so then HD Blu ray and DVD's so be sure to check discs before assuming the player has an issue.
I have a Phillips bdp7502. It’s not very well known and wasn’t reviewed very much. It was like $150.00. Has dolby vision and WiFi. Played everything I threw at it for years Sadly it has a problem with recent shout factory discs. And they haven’t updated the firmware for years. Good to know that a reasonable replacement is available.
So glad I waited! One question though. Are these Panasonic players the ones that don’t have disc resume upon startup if you stop and go into standby? I don’t always finish an extended cut or episodic disc in one sitting and it’s useful to turn on the player and pick right back up where I left off.
I'd love a comparison to more expensive players. Exactly what is given up to lower the price.
Thank you Jeff. That video was extremely informative.
Thanks, I went for the 820 but I might buy a second player, will definitely go for this one
I picked up a re-ferb Panasonic Ultra blue-ray player for CHEAP on Amazon last year and despite a few minimal scratches, NO instructions and a working remote is works FLAWLESS and works with my Fire Cube 3rd gen which has complete voice control for power, HDMI switching, play/pause, goto track and works great with my Bose sound setup. For the price, once loaded into my console, you can't even see the scratches. 1st time I've ever bought a re-furb, but I have NO complaints! I don't even use the remote with my Fire Cube as the Amazon remote works or my voice. It upscales well!
I have the Panasonic UB-9000 which is great but my favorite player was the Pioneer LX-500, the disc tray broke which was surprising because the think was built to withstand war.
Nice! I’ll have to take a look. I run all my stuff wired to the internet anyway so that’s not a problem. Switching my Sony back and forth is a pain in the ass.
My Xbox doesn't like playing media for some reason. Whenever I play a movie either streaming or on disc it'll sometimes cut to a static screen. Sometimes if I switch the inputs on the TV is fixes it. Other times I have to get it to the home screen and go back into the movie and it's ok again. If those don't work then I have to turn it off and on. So instead I use the PS5 and it works well enough. Can anyone verify that this is big enough upgrade over the PS5 that makes it worth getting this?
My Xbox 1s can't play triple layer discs save one in 9x so far. Whi is why I'm looking for a stand alone that isn't crazy priced.
I love my Panasonic 9000 4K Blu-ray player because not only does it play Dolby Vision but I love the HDR optimizer!👍
Thanks! I want one now
Just bought one and loving it so far! The remote does kinda suck though.
I bought one last week got an even better deal, its small its not a full size unit and i like that. So far so good, got a few 4kUHD films & i'll add more films that deserve 4k.
I've been happy with the Panasonic UB820.
So I ended up buying the player for slightly cheaper...and I have to say it's pretty amazing. Upgraded from the comparable Sony model and this one definitely has fewer headaches already. It's nice to just pop in the disc and not have to turn off Dolby vision manually when you're playing a standard Blu ray.
Great video Jeff. Been looking at the 450 here in the Uk for a few weeks. Got an old panny 390 which is still great but no Dolby Vision. I also only have WiFi which the 450 doesn’t have. But like you I have a smart tv so watch the apps on there. Don’t have a computer so if a firmware update was needed I’d have to prob get a cheap laptop somewhere. Thanks 👍
I tried it and it was finnicky reading my dvd-r discs so I returned it. If it read my discs w/o issue would've kept. Got the ub820 and have no issues.
Jeff, please make more videos about 4K players, both the best values for consumers, and also the players which are being discontinued because some big companies are exiting the market!!
I had a lg ubk90 was struggling on 100g triple layer disks got the player and its killer 😊
Thank you for the recommendation and review. Was just window shopping for my first 4k player.
Happen to know if this player can go region free?
I have a UB820. Great 4k player BUT, make sure it works with your TV. Some LG and Sony TVs have handshaking issues with it. For example my A80J it worked fine, but my A95L wouldn't play Dolby Vision(it would actually play no video but had audio going). Then when I plugged it back in to the A80J and a new soundbar (previously it was hooked to my surround sound) it wouldn't play audio. Hooked up a X700 and X800 with zero issues.
I have that player. Bought it region free chipped on ebay. It has a hdmi audio out port which is brilliant as my cinema amp is 12 years old. If you watch 1080p films make sure you set the resolution to 1080p not Auto. A lot sharper image set to 1080p.
I bought the 420 back in September. I like it. I'm also enjoying the WiFi it has.
Can you explain what you mean when you say " You won't miss the players upscaling ability if your TV is doing a pretty good job of that"? Are you saying that TVs now come with upscaling abilities built in? What would a person look for in a TVs upscaling ability when buying a TV?