Z9X 8K/Z30 PRO/Z3000 PRO/UHD8000 First Impressions

Discussion in 'HDD 8K Media player(AML S928X)' started by Markswift2003, Aug 5, 2024.

  1. woodymogs

    woodymogs Member

    Initial impressions (Z3000) are very positive. Really fast boot and loading times, I've tried a couple of BD ISOs and the menus load quickly without any problems at all.

    The samba speed is good, which is great as my Z2000 lost about half the transfer speed after the last FW update.

    I've followed @Markswift2003 settings (thanks Mark) and noticed that using Match Frame rate and resolution works really well, on my previous Zidoos there was some screen flashing during resyncs and I had to set a delay for the playback (3 seconds from memory) to avoid missing anything but there's no visible resync delays/flashing that I can see.

    On the downside... online trailers aren't working for me and for the life of me I can't get subtitles to work properly (ie there always on) so will spend some more time working through the menu options lol.
     
    leviathan likes this.
  2. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    Settings/Playback/Subtitle and audio/Default subtitles > Off
     
    JohnG and woodymogs like this.
  3. blenky

    blenky Well-Known Member

    Yes I used to have a full bluray rip that had both versions of the film. Could never get to menu. I got rid of that when the UHD version was released.
     
    leviathan likes this.
  4. blenky

    blenky Well-Known Member

    Yes I noticed that resyncs are much smoother.
     
    woodymogs likes this.
  5. blenky

    blenky Well-Known Member

    @Markswift2003 question on the HDR settings

    What do the HDR settings

    'Dolby VS10 for XXX Content > Yes'

    actually do?

    Are they an improvement over default settings?
     
  6. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    So you choose how each type of content is output first and then you choose whether VS10 is used in that conversion or not.
    You have to bare in mind though that in certain circumstances, VS10 has to be involved regardless of settings - for example DV Profile 5, because it has no compatibility layer always has to use VS10 if converted to SDR or HDR.

    It means that conversions are way more flexible than they are in either the 1619DR or BPD boxes.

    For example if you set:

    SDR Output Mode > HDR
    Dolby VS10 for SDR Content > Off


    Then SDR is converted to HDR10 using the AML engine.

    If you now set:

    VS10 for SDR Content > On

    Then that conversion uses the VS10 engine.
     
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  7. blenky

    blenky Well-Known Member

    Digging around Advanced Settings. I enabled developer mode but can't see the option to access it.

    Also can't see option to change the default screensaver. Used to be an option where you could install your own and select as default.
     
  8. mirror

    mirror Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Zidoo TECH Supporter

    Except for the setup menu and the player's operating logic, forget your experience with ZIDOO's previous players. It's completely different. We rebuilt almost the entire underlying layer, decoding, subtitle and audio processing.
     
    xskip likes this.
  9. blenky

    blenky Well-Known Member

    OK I get that - but can I change the default screensaver to one of my choice?
     
  10. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    Yes, just like before, copy images into a folder called zddaydream in Storage.

    I have a few hundred fanarts in there and I update them every now and again - makes for a nice screen saver!

    upload_2024-8-6_16-16-40.png upload_2024-8-6_16-17-25.png
     
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  11. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    Developer mode access was removed to stop people buggering about with it - there's nothing in there that needs to be changed that isn't exposed in the GUI.
     
    JohnG, darkeyes909 and blenky like this.
  12. blenky

    blenky Well-Known Member

    Yes I know how to do that. But its not configurable other than to manually add photos.

    On my previous Zidoos I used an app called Fotoo Photo Frame which is a photo slideshow app that can be used as a screensaver. You link it to photo services such as Google photos and use that as a screensaver. It has options for how the photos are displayed, for how long and info of the photos. Sometimes I would just sit there watching photos from decades of family photos display!

    However 1) seems I can't install it without getting the G diff and 2) seems the option to set your own screensaver app has been removed.
     
  13. lami

    lami Member

    Z9X 8K
     
    rozel likes this.
  14. davvvvvvv

    davvvvvvv New Member

    I’ve had the opposite experience - I’ve got a few that play well on the Dune HD, but not on any Zodoo including the Z9x 8k - disappointed
     
  15. blenky

    blenky Well-Known Member

    Examples? I don't think Zidoo will ever be as good as Dune at this but in my short experience the new box is night and day compared to my Z9X Pro.
     
    NOP1050 likes this.
  16. altcoinfanatic

    altcoinfanatic Active Member

    Any first impressions on the samba transfer speed (is it back to 100 mb/s)?

    What about choppy playback?
     
    darkeyes909 likes this.
  17. blenky

    blenky Well-Known Member

    Its strange that some people can get online trailers to work and some can't!
     
  18. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    Ah - even I don't go that far :D:D
     
  19. AziraphaleUK

    AziraphaleUK New Member

    Z30P

    This has been the easiest Zidoo to setup I've had. SMB NAS shares worked with nothing more the turning on SMB and setting a fixed IP on the Z30. NFS works fine and do the SMB share on a PC with the Z10/Z20 many hours swearing was had. Syncs seem to be a thing of the past or at they are very quick.

    Network speed is good both wired and Wifi. Wifi connection is good and strong, Z20 wasn't great for me.

    USB speed seem to be a bit better, just a little faster.

    Had the usual subtitle issues being on and forced being off but easily fixed.

    Poster wall not something I normally use but its a new toy, wow this has got so much better, much faster. Scanned quick (Only 100 movies) but got 98 of them with no issue, Trailers a little hit and miss some quick others slow but being its being pulled from the net its to be expected.

    Music player well this is so so so much better than the Z10/Z20. Nice eye candy with Spectrum and VU meters. At last a music player that you don't have to fight with. The streaming side works well (only test with Internet radio).

    Media centre hasn't really changed, more responsive but the whole system is.


    Things I would like to see are a switch to turn off Bluetooth (Never use it), switch off date (maybe option make date DD/MM/YYYY).
    A fix for File Manager not to show hidden directories (system volume information, Lost.dir, $recycle.bin etc) real pet hate for me.

    Not over keen on the coloured Icons on the home screen much preferred the stock Cancer ones (The black and white ones )but hopefully this can be changed.

    Media player needs the option to set a fixed background colour or picture. Would also be cool to have the spectrum (the one that plays in the background) be in colour, keep it washed out but colour please. Also a option to disable screensaver while in music mode or jump to Spectrum/VU (to use as screen saver). Spectrum/VU modes please put in the track title and make the Dot with the waveform in it smaller, its way too big.


    Over all Im very happy with the Z30P so far way more that I was with the Z20P


    Now just to work out how to change the screensaver !
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2024
    stedman and darkeyes909 like this.
  20. Markswift2003

    Markswift2003 Well-Known Member SUPER Administrator Beta test group Contributor

    I don't think you can generalise either way any more.

    I have both models here and with my (admittedly limited) BDMV and ISO test library I've found a few titles that are slightly problematic on the Dune but ok on the Zidoo.

    The only one I have that can be a PITA on the Zidoo is the new Spears and Munsil which is ripped to BDMV. However if I rip to ISO, the problems reduce dramatically.

    There is still work to do on BD Menus but the lines are very much blurred now and given that's the only possible reason I can think of to use a Dune previously, that argument just got way weaker.
     
    blenky likes this.

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