https://av.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/1114933.html
https://www.pickr.com.au/news/2018/oppos-blu-ray-headphone-division-calls-quits/
https://www.channelnews.com.au/oppo-digital-pulls-the-plug-interdyn-already-planning-ahead/
Those are the “future” timezone reports… I’m sure there will be more tomorrow in Europe and US.
That is a shame. I have been a satisfied Oppo customer going back to the pre-BluRay DVDA/SACD days.
OPPO posted an update:
My question would be why? They make good products, and sell a bunch of those BDPs.
Maybe blame trump. Tax and tariffs and who knows what other business impacts with streaming etc becoming the norm.
I’ve known this was coming from a reliable source since late last year.
End of an era…but I have still plenty of good use out of my oppo gear and use much of it all the time.
In Danny’s first link the Japanese report mentions a reduced player market due to streaming, especially in the US.
It also stated that Sonica DAC ceased production on March 6. (Was this mentioned here before?)
Thanks for the translation info…
Here’s one why:
https://help.netflix.com/en/node/23924
Here’s another:
Not to mention all the Internet-connected “smart” TVs.
So, is there a price at which you’d buy a 205 now?
I would anticipate the used Oppo market price being stronger, especially when new stock runs out.
…plus a couple of dozen other variables and unanswered questions you didn’t mention by name. But perhaps “trump” was the last straw
Well, I was really asking if one would buy a new 205 at current prices with this new information in hand. [Note to self: ask the question you want to ask the first time.]
I, for one and only one, would not. I’d want a substantial discount from “par” to bear what I consider increased risks.
It sounds like you are out of the market. Worry not. Others gladly will snap up remaining new stock at “par” or even at a premium. Expect a feeding frenzy.
AJ
In case there is Sony TV here user waiting for Oppo to deliver Sony-profile Dolby Vision support:
(For those who don’t know, some Sony TV can be upgraded to support Dolby Vision, but to have Dolby Vision via HDMI it has to shift some processing to the player - not unlike a certain controversial audio format that requires Roon to provide the first phase of decoding, before the DAC can do the rest if they do not natively support full decoding. This limitation does not apply to recent models of LG, which has “full” Dolby Vision built-in.)
I don’t anticipate a pricing change, but if you really want one, I’d grab one. My UDP-203 is fairly new, and rarely used, and it’s good to have in the rack. Never know how long Oppo has been planning to pull out of the market. They could be full of stock, OR have a limited supply of stocked units in the warehouse.
On some other sites such as PS Audio which uses Oppo innards for some of their components there were questions concerning what happens to these types of products that rely on Oppo for the basic electronics. In PS Audio‘s case they said they have huge amounts of stock and it will not impact them that production has ceased. They support the products directly, not relying on Oppo for any further support after initial purchase. I am sure other manufacturers will do the same.
How many people are buying expensive blu-ray players these days? Probably very few and not enough to support Oppo.
After a DVD collection, a Blu-Ray collection, and starting an early adopter 4K UHD blu-ray collection I got tired of it and get all my content through Apple TV streaming and a Sony X930e TV.
I’m fine with that and it is much easier and simpler.
I haven’t had cable in years and I don’t use the smart tv apps or even keep the tv itself connected except for the occasional firmware update.
Well except for the whole Dolby Vision/HDR thing but the latest ATV update has improved that too.
It’s a niche market, but so is Roon. I just bought a 203 last year to replace my 95. I don’t use it a bunch, but having a universal player is handy, especially for video and SACDs.
It is, as is roon, and despite the prominence of streaming, and my great use of it, there’s no substitute for the quality audio on disc, dobly 5.1+ on streaming, and less than that on some (Hulu, PS Vue, etc.), just doesn’t cut it. Even though there is some streaming Dolby Atmos, until (if ever) there’s lossless multi-channel audio to accompanying steaming my Oppo is a featured part of my entertainment, the fact that it’s a Roon endpoint with HDMI audio is a bonus, years ago I tried to get rid of physical discs and go completely digital, just couldn’t live with the compromised audio, which for me is more important than 4K, HDR, etc, so if you can have the best of both worlds why not? I’m guess I’m not that bothered by Oppo going out of business, I can’t really imagine what a future player could do/have that would be better than a 205, assuming 6K, or 8k, etc is coming down the pike, I would imagine that the audio equivalent would be worked out by then, and that the last media based standard is probably 4K, or at least it should be. As long as there is support to keep these tanks running, and firmware to max them out over the next decade, when hopefully the entire catalog of recorded film and music history is streaming at levels that surpass what we’re actually capable of hearing and seeing, we should be just fine.