Panasonic DP-UB820AFK

Panasonic DP-UB820AFK, Ultra HD Blu-ray player

Physical media remains superior to streaming in terms of image quality and uncompressed sound. This Panasonic Ultra HD Blu-ray player incorporates an in-house video processor, support for the main HDR formats, and an audio section compatible with high-resolution files. It is designed for 4K disc playback and use in advanced home theater installations.

The HCX processor at the service of the image

At the heart of the player, the HCX processor (for Hollywood Cinema Experience) handles the decoding and processing of Ultra HD Blu-ray discs. Its most tangible function lies in 4K Direct Chroma colour processing, which reconstructs 4:2:0 colour signals into 4:4:4 to reproduce finer textures and a better sense of depth. DVDs and 1080p Blu-rays benefit from 4K upscaling that gains in sharpness without making the image harsh.

The 4K output reaches up to 60p in 4:4:4 via HDMI 2.0, and the player respects the original 24p film frame rate, avoiding judder introduced by conversion to 50 or 60 Hz. Ultra HD Premium certification, Deep Colour and the expanded colour space complete a solid video foundation, whether the source comes from a disc or a file played over the network.

Four HDR formats and brightness control

Few players cover all four HDR families available on the market. The DP-UB820AFK decodes HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG, bringing together both dynamic metadata formats in a single device. This matters depending on the discs and TVs you own, as not every format is supported by every display.

The HDR Optimizer function adjusts the luminance curve for TVs and video projectors with limited peak brightness, where the disc’s tone mapping does not always match the display’s actual capabilities. On a non-HDR TV, the player converts the signal to SDR while preserving the expanded BT.2020 colour space when the display supports it, limiting colour loss compared with a simple switch to REC.709. The output dynamic range level can be adjusted manually according to the TV’s brightness.

Dual HDMI output and connectivity

Two HDMI ports are located on the rear, a feature that sets this player apart from most models in its category. The first carries the image to the TV or video projector, while the second sends sound to the home theater amplifier. This separation is useful with an older amplifier without an input compatible with recent video streams, and reduces interference between circuits. HDMI Low Clock Jitter processing improves clock stability to preserve the audio signal.

On the audio side, the player features a digital optical output and a 7.1-channel analogue output on RCA, useful for connecting an amplifier without an HDMI input or for directly using the internal converters. Connectivity is completed by an Ethernet port, built-in Wi-Fi and two USB ports, one on the front in USB 2.0, the other on the rear in USB 3.0.

An audio section open to high resolution

The audio section is based on a 32-bit digital-to-analogue converter capable of processing files up to 192 kHz. The player decodes Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio and high-resolution DTS-HD streams, and can also transmit them as bitstream to an amplifier that handles them. For file playback, it supports FLAC up to 192 kHz / 24-bit, WAV and AIFF up to 384 kHz / 32-bit, ALAC, as well as DSD up to 11.2 MHz.

Panasonic adds two in-house processing modes that shape the sound rendition. Digital Tube Sound reproduces the behaviour of a tube stage to soften treble, while Surround remastering broadens the soundstage, both active up to 192 kHz / 32-bit. Audio CD playback and access to network-shared files via DLNA are also included.

However, the player leaves out two formats: it plays neither SACD nor DVD-Audio, which some music enthusiasts still seek. For a more sophisticated analogue section, with dedicated power supply and balanced XLR outputs, the flagship model in the same range goes further; the DP-UB820AFK favours a balance between performance and modest dimensions.

Discs, files and everyday use

Disc compatibility covers virtually all media on the market: Ultra HD Blu-ray, 2D and 3D 1080p Blu-ray, DVD and CD, including BD-R and BD-RE recordable discs. Via USB, the player recognises the main video containers, including MKV and MP4 in H.264 or HEVC, high-resolution audio formats and JPEG images. Network playback via DLNA provides access to files from a home server, with one known limitation: changing audio tracks in certain MKV files and decoding high-resolution audio tracks do not always work over the network.

At 430 mm wide, 63 mm high and weighing 2.2 kg, the player remains compact and lightweight, with a less substantial chassis than higher-end reference models. Its responsiveness is the other compromise: powering on, loading an Ultra HD disc and navigating chapters require a little patience. In operation, power consumption is around 32 W, dropping to 0.3 W in standby when network standby is disabled.

Technical Specifications

Overview

• Type: Ultra HD Blu-ray player
• Highlights: Built-in Wi-Fi, optimal picture quality thanks to HCX processor, 7.1-channel analogue audio output, compatibility with multiple HDR formats (HDR10+ / Dolby Vision, HLG)

Compatible Formats

• BD-ROM: Ultra HD Blu-ray, Full HD 3D, BD-Video
• BD-RE / BD-RE DL (Ver. 3): BDAV, AVCHD, AVCHD 3D, JPEG, MPO
• BD-R (Ver. 1.3) / BD-R DL (Ver. 2): BDAV, AVCHD, AVCHD 3D, MKV, JPEG, MPO

Picture Quality

• HCX processor for Ultra HD Blu-ray: yes
• HDR
  • HDR10+: yes
  • Dolby Vision: yes
  • Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG): yes
  • HDR Optimizer: yes
• 4K upscaling: 60p / 50p / 4:4:4 (HDMI 2.0), 24p / 25p
• Direct 4K chroma upscaling: yes
• 4K network (4K video playback, 4K JPEG): yes
• Picture Mode: Normal, Cinema, Fine Cinema, Retro Cinema, Animation, Live
• Frame freeze / Random / Noise reduction: yes
• Ultra HD Premium: yes
• THX certification: no
• Deep Colour: yes
• x.v.Color: yes

Sound Quality

• Dolby Digital / TrueHD: yes (decoding and bitstream output)
• Dolby Digital Plus: yes (decoding and bitstream output)
• DTS-HD Master Audio / DTS-HD High Resolution Audio: yes (decoding and bitstream output)
• FLAC: yes (max. 192 kHz / 24 bit)
• WAV: yes (max. 384 kHz / 32 bit)
• ALAC: yes (max. 96 kHz / 32 bit (7.1 ch), 176.4 / 192 kHz / 32 bit (5.1 ch))
• DSD (DFF, DSF): yes (2.8 MHz (2 ch / 5.1 ch), 5.6 MHz (2 ch / 5.1 ch), 11.2 MHz (2 ch))
• AIFF: yes (max. 384 kHz / 32 bit (2 ch))
• Pure audio via HDMI (HDMI low-frequency jitter processing): yes
• High Clarity Sound Premium: yes
• Digital Tube Sound: yes (up to 192 kHz / 32 bit)
• Surround Remaster: yes (up to 192 kHz / 32 bit)
• D/A audio converter: yes
• High-quality network audio playback (DLNA): yes (FLAC, WAV, ALAC, DSD, WMA, AAC, MP3, AIFF)

USB Playback Formats

• Video: MKV, MP4 (H.264 / HEVC), TS (MPEG-2 / H.264 / HEVC), AVCHD, AVCHD 3D, MPEG-2
• Audio: FLAC, WAV, ALAC, DSD, WMA, AAC, MP3, AIFF
• Image: JPEG, MPO

Connectivity

• HDMI: yes (2)
• Port: yes (2)
• USB
  • Front: 1 (USB 2.0 High Speed)
  • Rear: 1 (USB 3.0 Super Speed)
• Video output: no
• Optical output: yes
• Coaxial output: yes
• Analogue LR audio output: yes
• Analogue 7.1 audio output: yes
• LAN (Ethernet): yes (for Ultra HD Blu-ray, DLNA, BD-Live and firmware updates)

Dimensions and Weight

• Dimensions: 430 x 63 x 204 mm
• Weight: 2.2 kg

General

• Video system: PAL / NTSC
• Power supply: AC 220-240 V, 50 Hz
• Power consumption
  • Normal operation: 32 W
  • Standby (Quick Start Off), network standby active: 1 W
  • Standby (Quick Start Off), network standby disabled: 0.3 W