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

The Z3000 Pro is an impressive machine with excellent video quality and framerate, far ahead of its predecessors, and truly beyond my expectations. The Dolby Vision and HDR capabilities are particularly impressive, offering video playback that is incredibly smooth, unlike anything I've seen before in such devices. However, I encountered an issue when playing a Dolby Vision file like "Zack Snyder's Justice League." The aspect ratio remains 4:3 and does not change to full or 16:9, even when I select those options. This was a problem with the Z2600 and Z9X Pro as well, and I was hoping it would be resolved with the Z3000 Pro. Despite its many strengths and superior performance, this persistent aspect ratio issue is quite disappointing and needs to be addressed. I hope this can be resolved soon to fully enjoy the device's capabilities.

 

I thought Zack Snyder's Justice league AOR was 4:3?

 

Trading places 4K UHD
Truman Show 4K UHD
Vanilla Sky 4K UHD
Raging Bull BluRay

 

Put in the UHD 8000 last night replacing a 5000. Much faster boot and scrolling. No dolby vision title color issues like I had before and picture quality looks great. Trailers are working now also. Very happy so far.

 

Got my UHD8000 but what a performance!

As for my parcel, my daughter who was at home told me the delivery guy from Parcelforce did not ring the door bell but left a card in our post box saying it has been left at Post Office and she saw him leave in a van. She told me via WhatsApp and as I was in local pub, I walked down to Post Office. Saw delivery guy leaving parcel so asked him why he didn't ring our door bell. Told me in front of PO lady that it was how I had spoken to him on a previous delivery! PO lady just gave me my parcel and told him I am never rude and will be reporting him. That'll learn him lol!

 

I got 2 dv movies in imax they play as 4:3 in Dune solo 8k i am able to change its aspect ratio but unable to do in zidoo. It was same issue with z9x pro z2600. I hope it would be sorted. I am happy with picture quality as z9x pro z2600 was disappointing and DV was quite dull.
Z3000 pro nailed it

 

You are right.
The ratio must be 4/3 for this one.

 

but should be able to zoom or change aspect ratio which does not work.

 

Yeah the movie was meant to be watched in 4:3 not artificially stretched and the image warped to fill a screen. You can use your display device to degrade the image if you want.

Just to confirm. I was unable to use the fill or 16:9 options on the streaming version on Max either. I could only do all zoom on my TV to get it to change.

I was also not able to get the 4:3 version of Stop Making Sense on the new UHD to change ratios in the player either. Couldnt get it to change in my TV either using full or 16:9. Only way to get it to fill the screen was doing all zoom.

 

Even Bluetooth transmission to headphones ?

 

It would be great for everyone if I made a 5000 Vs 8000 comparison. Just to understand the real audio and video differences between the two machines and evaluate whether it is worth buying this new Zidoo series.

 

@mirror As with previous boxes are you able to change the default screen saver? The default one is very limited. I was using a paid app that I connected to my Google photos - where I have about 20 years of family photos. If it's not possible now could the option be added in a future firmware update?

The family got a lot of pleasure watching family photos used as a screen saver!

 

Let the complaints begin

 

I got hold of full rip of Vanilla Sky UHD (iso). Plays the Paramount logo and then freezes at 20 seconds.

 

Paramount bluray isos have always been difficult to get working well. Top Gun - Maverick and the last mission impossible, they also freeze for me after the Paramount logo. However, I have the UHD3000 and hearing that in this new series the problem has remained the same, does nothing but convince me not to replace my 3000 which, apart from the bluray menus, works like a charm

 

Same here - That happens with a few paramounts

Why do Dune boxes work so well on menus?

 

For me, a good speed is over 100 MB/s. Can you please be more specific about how high the speed is and how it behaves, e.g. when saving via LAN to an HDD/SSD connected to the player?
The Dune with the same SOC always starts with over 100 MB, but this only lasts for a few seconds, after which the transfer speed usually fluctuates between 60 and 90 MB/s. Regardless of whether this is an internal SSD or an external (USB) HDD.

 

This is one of those perennial questions that has been answered in the past in a number of posts across this and a number of other forums and keeps cropping up.

It is "alleged" the Dune have simply wholesale "bootlegged/appropriated/hijacked etc." the BDA JAVA code from an original source (BDA registered BluRay Player) and incorporated it into their BD menu engine. That is why it works.

Dune's competitor/s have all resorted to "in-house" coding option to ensure that their code is independent of the BDA Java code to surmount any potential legal issues.
This any solution cannot be 100% compatible.

 

I’d be happy to pay for a solution if Zidoo could licence it?

 

@ Cary Grant Do you know who Dune robbed to make the online trailers work? If you know, pass it on to Zidoo so they can finally get it working too.