Oppo new UDP series players - 203/205 - Discussions, upgrades, modifications

Hello Coris,
After reading through diverse forums and threads I really appreciate the work and effort you have done in designing LPS mods.
I use my Oppo UDP-203 only for UHD and Blueray playback over HDMI, the analogue outputs are not used at all. I am particularly interested in your LPS mod for the Oppo. What are the available (further) options? I would be happy for a contact over PM, thank you.
 
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Hello Coris,
After reading through diverse forums and threads I really appreciate the work and effort you have done in designing LPS mods.
I use my Oppo UDP-203 only for UHD and Blueray playback over HDMI, the analogue outputs are not used at all. I am particularly interested in your LPS mod for the Oppo. What are the available (further) options? I would be happy for a contact over PM, thank you.
Hello,
Thanks for appreciations. I have sent an PM to you...:)
 
Out of interest, I checked the OPPO 205 PS replacement options on eBay... AU$400 - AU$700... now that's insane I must say.

205 already has a linear power supply for the analog section. What everyone's paying is around $500 just for a +12V required for the digital section with 205.... Cool!

For those who know a bit about electronics, want a decent improvement with 205 player and want to save $450... read on...

The "Original 205 PS.jpg" shows which capacitors should be replaced from the top side. Other photos show where the little SMD capacitors should go, which OSCONs to use, as well as how to bypass the mains voltage selector switch and remove the associated wiring. The end result was excellent. The perceived sound improvement (more pleasing and extended top-range & great bass definition) and the picture improvement (the colour seemed better rendered and more saturated) were great; the measured noise decreased substantially (note: this mod was not just cap replacement - there are a couple of SMD caps used in addition; the 1uF and the 10uF, that made a huge difference)

Of course, not the same as a dedicated linear power supply... which I kind of could justify at those crazy prices (I think...), but only for a 203 player (which in its original form uses SMPS for all rails - analog and digital). But for 205 which already has a very decent linear power supply for its analog section... the above would give great results, for around $40 or less (including the 3 OSCONs !!)

.
Original 205 PS.JPG
205 PS - 220uF 400V Capacitor.JPG
205 PS - 220uF 400V Capacitor_2.JPG
205 PS - OSCONs.JPG
205 PS - Remove voltage selection switch & SMD bypass.JPG
 
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Indeed a partial (cheaper) improvement... Which is far from the quality lift provided by a linear power supply. These caps upgrades on an SMPS it lower somehow the HF noise level, but it will never remove it. The LPS it remove completely that noise, as this is as principe the way the linear power supply is functioning.
The voltage switcher is meant to adapt the AC power input for the toroidal transformer, and it have no function for the SMPS itself.
 
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I would like to get information from your source?
Please let me know what may you mean. Source of components or? All active, passive components and cable, connectors (Hirose) are sourced from Mouser, Farnell. The transformer is custom made according my specifications by a good Chinese manufacturer, then further, each is tested and prepared by myself (transformer is thermal protected). Whole LPS is fully manually assembled and final tested, 50% more loaded than the powered device it require. Else, for more details please PM me.
 
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Equipment Longevity

Hi everyone.

Firstly, let me explain my setup for movies and music. As the centre of operations I have an Oppo 203 with a Vanity203HD digital audio board installed. I am using the I2S header on the Vanity board to connect directly to an Okto DAC8 via a ribbon cable that exits the Oppo through one of the cooling vents on the back panel. I have made the multichannel audio path as simple, elegant and high definition as I can and I am incredibly proud of the results.

However, with Oppo bowing out of the universal player market, I would like to ensure that I am doing everything I can to prolong the life of my 203 (and the spare second hand one I was lucky enough to pick up at a not too stupid price!). I use my system a couple of times a week on average, but there are periods (especially over the summer months) where it can go unused for a few weeks. Most of my movies and music are stored on external USB HDDs, but I do still spin discs about 20% of the time. In terms of equipment longevity, what do you think my best practice should be around the following:

  • Idle periods - is it best to always leave AV equipment plugged in when it is on standby, or is it better to completely unplug it from the mains power, especially if it will not be used for a certain period of time?
  • Moving parts - is it best to activate the disc tray and spinning mechanisms regularly to avoid the risk of parts seizing up through lack of use? Also, if this part of the player were to fail, would it affect the operation of the machine in terms of file playback / HDMI input?

Also, if anyone has any general tried and tested advice in terms of AV equipment longevity, I would very much appreciate your input.

Much obliged
 
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If you are not using the player for more or less periods of times, then it is better disconnecting it completely from outlet. This is because the original player it use an switching (active) power supply, and this is always on and working, while the device is connected to outlet, even the player is in standby. An SMPS it also consume an low amount of energy as well, while it is get powered (while player is in standby).
The optical drive is susceptible to fault more often, as it it include many mechanical parts, and the laser diodes inside it have a limited life span. This drive it could fail so to allows the rest of the player functionality (if the laser diodes are gone, or if somehow the mechanical system get blocked). If the digital electronic section (control) of the drive it fail, then the unit it cannot send its identification address to the main processor, and the whole device may fail to boot.
Else the rest of the electronics inside the player, are quite robust, but faults it could occur as in any electronic device, especially when the components reach their span life limits.
For an upgraded device (linear power supply inside, and more), the aging process is a little bit different. First, an LPS it is an passive device, which it use power for its own only when it is in function, even it remain connected to outlet while the player is in standby. The only part of the player always active (LPS inside) is the standby circuits (quite robust components).
 
I got a bizarre malfunction on our Samsung 4K player last week: it stopped ejecting disk when manually prompted.

Haven't been able to diagnose it and fix it, so the work-around I am using currently is to use a small screwdriver and push the tray open manually with the small hole on the side.

For that, I've had to keep the player open and also unscrew the drive from the base, as there's no easy way to reach that hole either if the player is closed, or even if you've removed the upper panel but haven't unscrewed the drive from the base.

The Eject button seems like a soft button, probably capacitive. The Power and Pause/Play buttons on the same set still work.

If I remove the upper plastic cover of the drive, this forces a 'Disc not recognised' and an auto-eject, so it cannot be a physical impairment with the tray, nor can it be the tray motor.

It's a mystery to me.

But no-one will prevent me from binge-watching GOT in 4K :p