Panasonic DP-UB820-K 4K Blu-ray Player

What it is

A full size 4K Blu-ray player with Dolby Vision, HDR10 Plus, HDR10, and HLG, plus Panasonic HCX picture processing and an HDR Optimizer. It has twin HDMI outputs, 7.1 channel analogue audio, Hi-Res audio support, Wi-Fi, voice assist, and 3D playback. It plays Region A Blu-ray discs and Region 1 DVDs only. Region codes here assume a US buyer.

Who it is for

For someone building a proper home theater around 4K discs, who wants the best picture tuning Panasonic offers and has the sound system to match.

What to check before you buy

• Check your disc regions. It plays Region A Blu-ray and Region 1 DVD only.
• Check that you have HDMI cables, because buyers noted none are in the box.
• It is a large unit, so measure your shelf before you order.
• Some buyers reported freezing, a stuck tray, or discs not reading, so test it hard in the first weeks.
• Do not buy it for streaming. Buyers said the streaming apps feel outdated, so treat it as a disc player first.
• Most Blu-ray discs do not resume where you left off, and the remote is a common complaint, with the streaming button sitting close to the arrow keys.

Why it pairs with used media

Our 4K and Blu-ray discs deserve a player that gets the picture right, and this is the one in our list that does the most for HDR discs.