Oppo BDP-103

[Owen Smith]

True,the lack of gapless playback can be annoying, and at least with my 105, I can only play DSD and DXF files through the USB ports, and not through the Ethernet port.

Gapless playback on my 203 is not perfect, sometimes I get a small click on the track transition. I suspect Oppo ceased doing firmware updates before they had gapless properly finished. I know the files are fine, gapless on my Squeezebox Duet was flawless (my server died just before covid and I haven't replaced it so I no longer use my Squeezebox).

 

[mandrix]

I believe before I'd pay a bunch of money for a hardware mod, I'd just jailbreak a unit.
The 203/205 can be done through the usb port.
Unless something has changed, in recent times the 103/105 have to be flashed through the firmware flash port inside the unit. Not hard, a little tedious on the 105 because you have to do some minor disassembly.

 

[barfle]

Yes, available for every model from 83 to 205: https://www.oppostore.nl/en/jvb-digital-multi-purpose-interface.html. Prices have gone up quite a bit since I bought mine, and from the Netherlands is less convenient for you. When I bought my first one for my 95 we were still in the EU so no import duties neither.

Yeah, €199 is a fair chunk of change. I guess I’ll pull the to and check for the connector before I pull the trigger. I’m confident it’s there, but that’s not the same as KNOWING it’s there. But still, expanding the capabilities of my Oppo is cheaper than the CD-4 cartridge and turntable I’m shopping for.

 

[barfle]

Gapless playback on my 203 is not perfect, sometimes I get a small click on the track transition. I suspect Oppo ceased doing firmware updates before they had gapless properly finished. I know the files are fine, gapless on my Squeezebox Duet was flawless (my server died just before covid and I haven't replaced it so I no longer use my Squeezebox).

My Roku does gapless playback from the same NAS source, so I know it’s possible, but I’m sure the two designs are significantly different

 

[barfle]

I believe before I'd pay a bunch of money for a hardware mod, I'd just jailbreak a unit.
The 203/205 can be done through the usb port.
Unless something has changed, in recent times the 103/105 have to be flashed through the firmware flash port inside the unit. Not hard, a little tedious on the 105 because you have to do some minor disassembly.

From what I’ve just learned, the software will only allow region agnosticism for DVDs. If you have region restrictions on Blu-rays, you need the hardware.

 

[bookofsaturdays]

Have you tried the Canadian site canuckaudiomart.com? I check it regularly and they sometimes have Oppo models at reasonable prices (though at the moment there are two 103D's for around CAD$550 each).

Good plug, that’s where I got my 103-D for about CAD$300 shipped. The best player I’ve ever owned hands down.

 

[Owen Smith]

Yeah, €199 is a fair chunk of change. I guess I’ll pull the to and check for the connector before I pull the trigger. I’m confident it’s there, but that’s not the same as KNOWING it’s there. But still, expanding the capabilities of my Oppo is cheaper than the CD-4 cartridge and turntable I’m shopping for.

You have a 105 I believe you said. The '5' series require more disassembly to get to the main board, on my 95 the analogue DAC board and the linear power supply board both have to be removed to get to the relevant part of the main board front right. Having done that you should find there are several connectors on the main board in the relevant area. I've attached the fitting instructions for the 9x and 20x models, I don't have the document for the 10x series but the ones attached should give the general idea.

Email support from JVB digital was prompt and excellent for me (they forgot to send the fitting instructions with the mod). I very much got the feeling I was talking to the owner and designer.

 

[Owen Smith]

From what I’ve just learned, the software will only allow region agnosticism for DVDs. If you have region restrictions on Blu-rays, you need the hardware.

Correct. And the hardware doesn't make blu rays region agnostic, the blu ray forum forbade any capability that allows that for blu ray. What you do is a magic sequence on the remote control that selects region A, B or C. The region stays set to that even across power off, you have to change it back when done.

The instructions for the magic remote sequence omit one vital fact: turn the player on, AND WAIT FOR THE FRONT PANEL TO SAY "NO DISC" BEFORE YOU START THE MAGIC BUTTONS SEQUENCE. Until I figured that out the magic sequence to change blu ray zones was very unreliable for me, taking several attempts usually.

 

[Owen Smith]

I believe before I'd pay a bunch of money for a hardware mod, I'd just jailbreak a unit.
The 203/205 can be done through the usb port.
Unless something has changed, in recent times the 103/105 have to be flashed through the firmware flash port inside the unit. Not hard, a little tedious on the 105 because you have to do some minor disassembly.

The choice is there. The subject of hardware mods came up so I provided the information I have. I believe the 93/95 can be jailbroken through the USB port now from a USB stick so I expect the 103/105 can be too. Jailbreak allows you to change blu ray region, usually by changing the device language in the menus and it stays in English but the blu ray region changes instead. But this is only based on what I have read, whereas I know the JVB Digital hardware mods work.

 

[mandrix]

The choice is there. The subject of hardware mods came up so I provided the information I have. I believe the 93/95 can be jailbroken through the USB port now from a USB stick so I expect the 103/105 can be too. Jailbreak allows you to change blu ray region, usually by changing the device language in the menus and it stays in English but the blu ray region changes instead. But this is only based on what I have read, whereas I know the JVB Digital hardware mods work.

Yeah, well individual choice.
Jailbreaking the 103 and 105 through the USB port was once relatively easy to find. When I contacted some people that were selling that method prior to my interest, I was told they had no more access to it.

If you have a source, list it up.

I don't know about the other models, but the firmware hacks I'm aware of for the 103/105 must use the MAC address. Typically you would give the vendor the MAC address and he or someone would tailor the firmware hack to that address.
I know people that were able to take advantage of the USB method for the 103 right here on this forum....but that was before I was looking.

As it stands for the 103/105 the only source I personally know of is Oppo-JB.com.
There are of course free jailbreak methods for the 203/205 on the net. But I'm not going to list them.

 

[Colin London]

Good Unit
Like the Old Pioneer System I am still using Plays Multi SACD /DVDA/DTS Disc
Optical out

Bliss

 

[barfle]

You have a 105 I believe you said. The '5' series require more disassembly to get to the main board, on my 95 the analogue DAC board and the linear power supply board both have to be removed to get to the relevant part of the main board front right. Having done that you should find there are several connectors on the main board in the relevant area. I've attached the fitting instructions for the 9x and 20x models, I don't have the document for the 10x series but the ones attached should give the general idea.

Email support from JVB digital was prompt and excellent for me (they forgot to send the fitting instructions with the mod). I very much got the feeling I was talking to the owner and designer.

Yes, I have a 105D, so I’m pretty sure the diagrams won’t apply to my player, but thanks for the attachments. I guess I’ll contact them for information, pull the top and make sure I understand what’s necessary before I put in the order.

I believe I can program those macros into my Logitech Harmony, although it sure is a bunch of hoop jumping. Sure, I need the project!

Thanks for all the help. Three days ago, I didn’t even realize I had that option.

 

[Owen Smith]

I believe I can program those macros into my Logitech Harmony, although it sure is a bunch of hoop jumping. Sure, I need the project!

I kept my 95 in my rack for SACD-R and HDCD playback which my 203 won't do (or won't do fully for HDCD). So I leave the 95 set for region A and the 203 set for region B which is my home region.

Thanks for all the help. Three days ago, I didn’t even realize I had that option.

I bought my 95 in 2012 with a different mod fitted, which then had to be replaced when that mod stopped working due to changes forced on Oppo by the blu ray association. Mind you being in region B and 2 it's rather more important, so many DVDs have only had region 1 releases and while it's less of an issue with blu rays I have one that is region A only (The Expanse season 4).

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

Good Unit
Like the Old Pioneer System I am still using Plays Multi SACD /DVDA/DTS Disc
Optical out

Bliss

Unfortunately you cant obtain lossless multi-channel audio from SACD's and DVD-A's via a players optical output...

 

[par4ken]

Yeah it does have higher end DACs, I have good hearing and so I could hear the upgrade in those DACs fairly well.

Perhaps I could if also A-B'd directly or through double blind testing, my point is that the 103's sound so good that it's hard to imagine anything sounding any better. I'll keep looking for a 105/205 deal, as time goes on prices may come down.