The fifth largest smartphone company in China, the eighth largest in the world by sales (3.8% market share). Present in more than 20 countries, such as: USA, England, Australia, Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, Thailand, UAE and others. Meet another “daughter” of BBK – OPPO!

OPPO began its history in 2001, when the OPPO trademark was registered. The company itself was founded in 2004. It is based in the Chinese city of Dongguan, Guangdong Province. The OPPO plant is also located there, which today employs about 20,000 workers and 1,400 engineers, 40% of whom are responsible for software. Production capacity reaches 4 million devices per month!

Also in 2004, OPPO Digital was created with headquarters in the heart of Silicon Valley in Mountain View, California. It specialized in the production of “high-end” DVDs, Blu-ray players and high-quality audio headsets. Thanks to this division and its products, US residents had the opportunity to get to know OPPO. And as a result, their smartphones were quite warmly received by the Americans.

Initially, the forces of the company's main division were concentrated on the production of MP3 and MP4 players. These were high-quality and stylish devices that were successfully sold both in China and abroad.

The company entered the mobile phone market in 2008. If I'm not mistaken, the first was the A103 model - a regular push-button monoblock, without a smart operating system. But in 2011, OPPO introduced its first smartphone on Android OS (Froyo 2.2) – Find X903.

Smartphone OPPO Find X903

It was a horizontal slider with a physical QWERTY keyboard, a single-core Qualcomm MSM8255 processor with a clock frequency of 1 GHz, a 3.97-inch iPS touch display with a resolution of 800 by 480 pixels, 512 MB of RAM, 16 GB of built-in, 1500 mAh battery. The advertisement for this device featured “Oscar-winning” (he finally got it) Leonardo DiCaprio.

By the way, OPPO invests a lot of money in advertising and promoting its brand. It is a sponsor of the T20 Cricket Champions League (India), various TV shows (Asia), and in 2015 the company became an official partner of the world's strongest Spanish football club Barcelona. OPPO's annual marketing budget for India alone is over $90 million. And it bears fruit - in 2015, OPPO improved its performance by 67% in global sales and by 300% in India, selling over 50 million devices. It is worth saying that in 2013, OnePlus was created by former OPPO vice president Pete Lau. And it can safely be called a sub-brand of our company, since there are many similarities in their smartphones. OnePlus, like Xiaomi, focuses mainly on online sales and marketing.

In addition to successful marketing, OPPO is famous for its good developers and designers. OPPO smartphones have their own unique style and advanced technologies. Let's look at examples.

OPPO Finder is the thinnest smart of its time;
OPPO Finder 5 is the world's first 5-inch screen with FullHD resolution;
OPPO N1 is the world's first smartphone with a rotating camera:
OPPO R5 – again the thinnest at the time of release;
OPPO N3 is the first and so far the only smartphone with a motorized drive for a rotating camera module;
OPPO Find 7 is the first smartphone with a camera capable of taking 50 megapixel photos. True, this was achieved by software - a 13 MP sensor from Sony took 10 consecutive photographs, selected the 4 best from them, and based on them a 50 MP image was formed.

The uniqueness of OPPO devices is also added by proprietary firmware based on the Android operating system - ColorOS. It features good optimization, a beautiful and user-friendly interface, advanced security and power management features, gesture support, and the ability to save data in its own cloud service. In terms of functionality, ColorOS is very similar to MIUI. OPPO also cooperates with custom mod developers. For example, the N1 model could be purchased with a choice of ColorOS or CyanogenMod pre-installed. And for almost all popular models of OPPO smartphones you can find custom firmware from well-known romodels, such as Resurrection Remix ROM, Paranoid Android, PAC ROM and others.

Starting with Find 7, the company's devices implement proprietary technology fast charging VOOC Flash Charging, which allows you to charge your smartphone up to 75% in half an hour. This technology requires special batteries and charger, and a compatible “power bank” exists. And most recently, at MWC 2016, OPPO presented a further development of this technology - Super VOOC, with which you can fully charge a 2500 mAh battery in 15 minutes. Super VOOC is expected to appear in the company's upcoming Find 9 device. This smartphone is also expected to have a unique optical camera stabilizer that takes only 15 milliseconds to achieve three-axis stabilization.

Like devices from VIVO, OPPO smartphones are quite expensive for Chinese devices. But this is the price to pay for excellent quality, advanced technology and some uniqueness.

Worth a closer look

It's quite difficult to repeat the success of previous models, and OPPO has done it twice in the last 3 years.

When they released their BDP-93 Blu-Ray player in 2011, the expectations of the vast majority of users were met. By offering a truly versatile all-in-one player, OPPO has gained a positive reputation. In terms of performance, functionality and build quality, Oppo's Blu-ray player hits the sweet spot. Oppo then released the BDP-103. This player has all the functions that were in the BDP-93 and added some more relevant ones: HDMI inputs/outputs, 4K upscaling, etc. OPPO also paid attention to the minor complaints that BDP-93 owners had and worked on the bugs in the design of the BDP-103.

BDP-93(top) and 103(bottom)

BDP-93(top) and 103(bottom) - rear panel

Continuing the success of previous models, Oppo has released the BDP-103D, which is essentially identical to the BDP-103 but with an upgraded video processor and Darbee image post-processing - hence the "D". Is this latest iteration of the BDP-103 a worthy successor or nothing more than a marketing gimmick? Let's find out...

OPPO BDP-103D Design and Connectivity

The 103D uses exactly the same chassis as the previous model, which is quite rigid and solid with an attractive brushed aluminum front panel, uncluttered buttons, tray and display, providing a minimalist and elegant appearance. On/off button on the left side, some basic controls on the right side. A tiny light illuminates above the tray release button, which is convenient for use in the dark. The disc tray operates smoothly and quietly thanks to its excellent design. The display is informative and easy to read and, if necessary, can be dimmed or even turned off. There's also a pair of LED indicators to the right of the upload button, one to let you know if the player is playing 3D and another when upscaling to 4K. On the front right side of the 103D there is a USB 2.0 port and an MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) compatible HDMI input. As always, a well-written and informative manual is included in English and Russian. Inside the box you will find the 103D packaged in its original carrying case and a separate box for the player's accessories. Besides the remote control, other accessories include a high-speed HDMI cable, a Wi-Fi transmitter with a USB extender, and a power cable.

OPPO BDP-103D - Front Panel Control Buttons

OPPO BDP-103D - Rear Panel

Continuing this tradition, the 103D has an impressive array of patch connectors on the rear panel. Two HDMI outputs and an additional HDMI input, which allows you to connect any device and use the player as an external video processor. There are also two more USB ports, a LAN port, a connector for connecting an external infrared sensor, a digital audio output (optical or coaxial), and an RS-232C connector. And of course the 103D has 7.1-channel analog audio outputs with RCA connectors. The remote control is a standard Oppo model with big buttons, intuitive layout and backlight make it easier to use in the dark. The remote feels solid and comfortable, while the buttons themselves are easy to identify and have a good tactile response when pressed. Buttons include all the standard controls for disc playback and menu navigation, as well as buttons for accessing the home page, Netflix, and Darbee processing. There's also a Pure Audio button that bypasses the video circuitry for those who only want to listen to music.

Like its predecessor, the 103D is a beautifully made and well thought out player that goes beyond just being a disc player.

OPPO BDP-103D Menu and Settings

The player's operating system is built under a special version of LINUX. Oppo has been using the same menu system for three years now. The Settings menu is divided into six submenus - Playback, Video setup, Setting the format , Sound settings, Player setupAnd Network setup.

The difference between 103D and 103 is image settings, where along with the existing image control settings, you will also find new ones - Darbee Visual Presence and the Silicon Image VRS ClearView processor. The processor is installed on only one video output - HDMI 1. Thus, to see Darbee in action, the TV should be connected to it. Darbee processing has three operating modes: 1.High resolution; 2. Game; 3. Pop Art. You can create and save up to three different picture modes.

OPPO BDP-103D Features

The BDP-103D has significantly improved its ability to handle Internet streaming content compared to previous players. Currently, it supports 11 different Internet services, but not all of them will work in Russia. The player also has the ability to organize access to media files on a home network that supports connection with DLNA and SMB/CIFS client. The BDP-103D can be a great streamer when it comes to streaming content over your home network. It can connect to the local network using one of three possible options:

• As a digital media player (DMP): the player can search and access content from local media servers that comply with the DLNA standard.
• As a digital media renderer (DMR): The player can play content from a digital media controller (DMC). A DMC-compatible server is required. Details on configuration are available in the instructions for these servers.
• The player can directly access files that are available on SMB/CIFS clients via a local network. Most PCs that come pre-installed with Windows have a built-in SMB client. Setup details are available in Windows OS.

The 103D supports most formats, including JPEG, AVCHD, MP3, MP4, DivX, MKV, FLAC and WAV files. All audio, video and photo files can be accessed via your home network, CD or USB drives.

The player can play HDCD: Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD-Audio discs. For both SACD and DVD-Audio formats, the player supports stereo and multi-channel playback. Users can choose whether to output DSD (Direct Stream Digital) in their native format or convert it to PCM. Oppo also has an app for remote control from a smartphone or tablet. This application works very well, without any visible lag and is neatly designed.

OPPO BDP-103D Audio Playback

The 103D is an excellent audio player. Since most people will use the HDMI connector for connection, the playback quality largely depends on the other components of the system, and the player in this case will work as a transport. If your receiver or external DAC does not support HDMI, you can connect via analog RCA outputs. In this case, the DAC of the player itself will be used. The player easily reads SACD and DVD-Audio in mono-channel and stereo modes. But to listen to music it is preferable to use it as transport.

OPPO BDP-103D Video Playback

While playing an optical disc, the player allows you to: View information about the playback status - this indicates the current chapter, time and total duration of the content, the type of audio track or subtitle stream being played, the type of video stream and its frame rate, as well as the current aspect ratio of the screen. You can immediately go to the desired chapter, or specify the exact required time value. The video output resolution can be changed on the fly by pressing the Resolution button on the remote control. Selecting the desired mode from the list leads to a short-term disappearance of the picture and sound; Changing the video mode occurs surprisingly quickly, in two to three seconds. The most interesting option, Darbee, is launched by a separate button on the remote control and will be extremely useful when playing low-resolution and highly compressed video content. In some cases, ClearView's VRS processing can be a big help, especially if you plan to watch a lot of streaming video content on the 103D or want to take advantage of the HDMI input and use the OPPO as an external video processor.

OPPO BDP-103D Disk loading time

The 103D uses the same dual-core processor, which makes it super fast to turn on and start playing. From turning on the player to loading the disc into the tray, only 5 seconds pass - that's very fast. Most players spend up to 20 seconds on this.

Conclusions

The BDP-103D is another outstanding Blu-ray player from Oppo! It combines excellent build quality and excellent performance. It's beautifully designed and built, with fast loading times, responsive navigation, and quiet operation. The menu is intuitive and easy to use. Wide switching capabilities and excellent audio playback when using the player as a transport. Video playback and upscaling to 4K at the highest level. The only difference between the BDP-103D and the previous BDP-103 is the addition of Darbee Visual Presence processing and VRS ClearView. Currently, OPPO Digital (https://www.oppodigital.com) is not discontinuing the BDP-103, which is $100 cheaper and can also be purchased on Amazon. But only BDP-103D is officially supplied to Russia with a warranty, service and technical support. So there is not much point in saving.

Specifications

Gadget manufacturers

Today, Oppo is firmly in 5th place as one of the largest manufacturers in China and is in 8th place in terms of sales in many countries: Egypt, USA, Mexico, Australia, England, Vietnam, Morocco, Russia and so on. Generally speaking, Chinese brand covers 3.8% of the global smartphone market. And every year Oppo's potential becomes greater and greater.

First stages of work

Oppo became a subsidiary of BBK Electronics, a consumer technology giant founded by Duan Yongping in 1995. Oppo was created back in 2001, but the official date of registration of the company is considered to be 2004, since it was in this year that 2 Oppo branches were created at once. The first is in China, in the city of Dongguan, Guangdong Province. Oppo's production facilities are also located here.

Now the company employs about 20,000 people. Of these, 1,400 are engineers responsible for software. Oppo's production volumes reach 4 million devices monthly. The plant uses the most modern equipment, SMT technologies, works according to standards and introduces innovations into the production stages. All products undergo quality control - software testing using QC technology.

Oppo's second unit is located in Mountain View, California. OPPO Digital, headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, specializes in the production of high-end DVDs, Blu-ray players and high-quality audio headsets. Thanks to the release of such products, residents of the United States and nearby countries were able to get acquainted with the brand itself and evaluate the quality. As a result, the first smartphones from Oppo were met with interest by the Americans.

Initially, the efforts of the Chinese division were put into creating MP3 and MP4 players. High-quality devices sold well both in China and abroad. The American branch in the north of the country was based on the production of DVD players. Thus, in 2005, the first high-end class MP3 player and DVD player was released.

The company entered the communicator market in 2008. The first model was called A103 - regular push-button telephone. The devices sold well, but they were not particularly popular, although Oppo introduced them to the world under the loud definition of the phone of the future: “Feature Phone.”

In 2009, mobile phones from Oppo went on sale in Thailand. And in 2010 there was a loud scandal. Journalists from the resource audioholics.com found that the Blu-Ray player Lexicon BD-30, priced at $3.5 thousand, is fully consistent with the $500 Oppo BDP-83. The only difference was the outer casing. Lexicon took the hardware from the Chinese player and placed it in its case.

In 2011, Oppo released its launch smartphone on operating system Android (Froyo 2.2) – Find X903. It was a horizontal slider. It featured a touchscreen display measuring almost 4 inches, a resolution of 800 by 480 pixels, and a battery of 1500 mAh. RAM - 512 MB, built-in - 16 GB.

The Oppo brand invests a lot of money in promoting its own products. The Chinese company is one of the sponsors of the T20 Cricket Champions League in India and many television shows in Asia. In 2015, Oppo became the official sponsor of the Spanish football club from Barcelona. Every year the company invests about $90 million to create a marketing budget for India alone. And it bears fruit. Thus, an active marketing position made it possible to increase sales by almost 70%, and in India itself, where 50 thousand more devices were sold, by 300%.

In 2013, a subsidiary of Oppo was created, called OnePlus. This Chinese brand is still successfully operating and developing, offering its smartphones mainly through online sales. OnePlus smartphones are in many ways similar to flagships from Oppo, but this does not prevent the company from gaining its market share.

In the same year, Oppo began to expand the horizons of its work, officially entering the markets of the USA, England, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, Vietnam, and Indonesia. As already described above, the company opened its division in California several years ago. Thanks to the successful start, Oppo smartphones were received positively by customers. The first smartphone for Americans was the Find 5. The second model from Oppo is the R819, which in America got its name Mirror.

In 2013, the company entered the Russian zone. On April 24, 2013, an official conference and presentation of the iconic flagship Oppo Find 5 took place, organized on the territory of the ICON club. In May 2014, Oppo opened its official representative office in Russia. OPPO Digital LLC began supporting and selling smartphones from a Chinese manufacturer. Only six months later, namely in the fall of 2014, the department was closed. The official reason was low sales.

In 2014, Oppo Electronics Corp took fourth place in terms of sales in China. By that time, the company already had 2,000 stores throughout China and about 40 thousand distributors. The second half of 2014 began similarly successfully – Oppo entered the Mexican market. Two months of successful work, and Oppo smartphones accounted for 2% of total sales. The next step was to open our own direct sales stores.

2015 was a very fruitful year for Oppo. It began with the presentation of the world's thinnest smartphone. The Oppo R5 was less than 5mm thick. The weight of the ultra-thin flagship was only 155 grams. Moreover, the new product cost less than $500. And many more worthy flagships were released this year: Oppo R7 with a high-quality 13 MP camera, R7s with a RAM 4 GB, thin and powerful smartphone R5S and others.

On November 25, 2016, the budget Oppo A57 was introduced. The flagship, priced at only $200, boasted a 13 MP selfie camera and decent hardware.

In January 2017, Oppo took second place in smartphone shipments from China, second only to Huawei. 95 million gadgets were sold last year, of which 20 million models were Oppo R9.

Popular models

Oppo is famous throughout the world for its flagships, unique smartphone designs, successful marketing and advanced technologies. There are a number of striking examples:

• Finder is the world's thinnest model, measuring just 4.95 mm.
• Finder 5 is the first smartphone in the world that has a 5-inch screen with FullHD resolution.
• Model N1 is an innovative technology for rotating the main camera, which made the pictures the most successful.
• R5 is an attempt to “leap over yourself” in creating the world’s thinnest gadget – 4.9 mm. Not much thinner, but still smaller.
• N3 – model with a motorized rotating chamber drive.
• Find 7 is the only smartphone in the world with a camera that can take 50 MP photos. True, the action is realized using a 13 MP camera from Sony. About 10 pictures are taken, the gadget selects the 4 best and upgrades the images to the level of a 50 MP camera.
• Oppo R9 has a unique design and body material, which gives the smartphone a much more expensive look (only in appearance) than it actually is.

In addition to the design of the gadgets, consumers are also attracted by the proprietary ColorOS firmware based on Android. Its distinctive characteristics are a convenient and attractive interface, good optimization, advanced security features, gesture support, the ability to save your own data, and so on. Oppo's collaboration with custom mod manufacturers allows customers to purchase some phone models with a choice of ColorOS or CyanogenMod already installed.

Almost all models of Oppo gadgets have custom firmware from famous Romodels: PAC ROM, Resurrection Remix ROM, Paranoid Android and others. Starting with the Find 7, any Oppo smartphone model has a unique fast charging technology, which allows you to restore your smartphone's charge to 75% in 30 minutes. In 2016, a new Super VOOC program was introduced, which allows you to fully restore your smartphone's charge in 15 minutes.

Smartphones from Oppo cannot be called the most budget-friendly in the segment of goods from China. But the fact that the quality fully meets good standards is for sure. Advanced technologies and a certain uniqueness allow the brand to develop, offering more and more new models.

The world of reproduction technology is quite rightly divided into several classes: low and middle price segments, premium class and professional category. The first category is the most widespread; articles about these affordable devices are as popular as the devices themselves. Equipment from the premium segment, due to its high cost, is unlikely to be accessible to most, but since it is an object of desire, it is no less interesting. Professional equipment may only be of interest to a narrow circle of “initiates” whose work is directly related to such devices.

It should be admitted: in the Multimedia section, most of the materials are devoted to equipment of the middle and low price segment. It's time to correct the mistake and talk about a device of a higher class. You don’t need to think that the “Blu-ray player” tag turns the device into a banal “turntable” of optical disks, these morally outdated media. Modern equipment simply must reproduce content from any media, including a local network and the Internet. Today we will study just such a device, which in addition has several additional unique functions that are missing in entry-level and mid-level devices.

Completeness, design

The device is supplied in a large cardboard package, inside of which, sandwiched with polypropylene foam inserts, there is a fabric bag with a player inside, and a cardboard box with accessories for it.

Kit includes:

• Blu-ray player Oppo BDP-103D
• infrared remote control with batteries
• USB Wi-Fi adapter
• USB Extender with Stand Port
• HDMI cable
• power cable
• user manual in Russian

The player's metal body has a standard shape and dimensions for rack mounting (430x311x79 mm), and the device weighs more than seven kilograms. The rubber bases of the legs on which the structure rests will not allow the device to move even a millimeter, even if a significant shear force is applied - for example, when connecting the power cable.

The front panel, like the entire body, is also made of metal. It contains the following interfaces, controls and information display:

• Power on/off button with two-color status indicator
• matrix display
• drive bay
• drive bay eject button
• infrared sensor
• USB port for connecting external devices
• MHL/HDMI input (some mobile devices are equipped with MHL connectors)
• five-button player control panel

But the most interesting thing is hidden on the back of the case. Such a number and variety of interfaces can only be found in premium technology. However, this is precisely the device that is being considered today, so there is nothing to be surprised about.

• Ethernet LAN port
• HDMI input
• diagnostic video output (when connected to it, only the OSD menu is displayed on the TV screen)
• coaxial digital audio output
• optical digital audio output
• HDMI 1 output (3D compatible, equipped with Darbee Visual Presence video processor and Silicon Image VRS ClearView)
• HDMI 2 output (3D compatible)
• 2 USB 2.0 inputs
• connector for external infrared port
• RS-232C serial interface connector for connecting equipment that transmits or receives data
• audio outputs 7.1CH/5.1CH/Stereo
• power cable connector

Let's sum up the interim results by summarizing the information received. So, the device has three USB ports, to each of which you can connect any popular peripherals: USB drives (card readers, flash drives, HDD), USB Wi-Fi adapters for connecting to a wireless network, as well as input devices, including wireless ( the wired and wireless keyboards earned flawlessly).

Now the video inputs: why are there even two digital inputs? The answer is simple: the player can act as a switch, passing through any digital signal from third-party devices - players, computer video cards, and even mobile devices with HDMI or MHL video output. Regarding the latter, MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link) interfaces are not available in all mobile devices. As a rule, these are not cheap, so-called “brand” models. MHL can work both as a regular HDMI, transmitting a video signal from a mobile device, and act as a power source, since MHL transmits standard USB current to the mobile device, which charges the smartphone. It turns out to be quite profitable: your phone, while playing content, is also recharged during playback.

Selecting the signal source that should be output to the TV is carried out in the same way as in all TVs - by selecting from the list.

The player also has several video outputs. Two digital HDMI, and one analog. Let's talk about analog right away to close the topic: this video output is not intended for watching video on old TVs. It’s not for nothing that this connector is designated Diag. diagnostic. While the player is operating, a video signal containing the device settings menu is constantly supplied to this video output. So, if for some reason the digital TV does not display the signal from the HDMI output of the player, then you can influence the situation by connecting an analog TV receiver to this composite diagnostic output. On it, the user is guaranteed to see a settings menu, with the help of which he will make the necessary changes to the frequency and frame size so that the digital TV will finally work. Hence the conclusion: before changing the TV, you should set the screen resolution to automatic mode in the player settings. In this case, the player will always be able to “negotiate” with the new TV and independently determine the maximum resolution supported by the new display device.

The two available HDMI outputs are designed, as you might guess, for simultaneous output of images to two different devices display. However, there is one significant difference between these outputs. HDMI 1 is equipped with a dedicated processor, while the second output does not have such a processor. We will pay special attention to this technology in the following chapters of the article. When connecting, keep in mind that the player allows you to configure its outputs so that HDMI 1 broadcasts only a video stream to the TV, while the audio stream can be sent via HDMI 2 to the audio receiver. It should also be noted that outputting a DSD stream when playing SACD format directly is only possible through HDMI 1 output. If you try to output via HDMI 2, the DSD stream will be forced to be converted to PCM, regardless of the settings in the settings.

The player also has several audio outputs. First, there are, of course, two HDMI ports. But there are three more ways to output sound to an audio receiver: coaxial, optical and multi-channel analog.

The remaining interfaces play a secondary role: the external IR port connector is used to connect an external infrared sensor; Probably only specialists know about the significance of the RS-232C service serial interface service departments. The player's lack of audio output for headphones means that this device should only be used in combination with appropriate audio equipment.

Opening the player's case shows that power is provided here by a separate board with electronic components soldered on it. Its isolation from other components of the player prevents their excessive heating, and at the same time reduces the possibility of interference/interference. The player does not require active cooling - metal case plays a good role as a radiator that removes heat.

The included wireless USB adapter can be used to connect to a local network if a cable connection is difficult to organize. This adapter is equipped with a secure installation button (WPS), which allows you to quickly connect it to a wireless router.

To conveniently position this adapter, you can use the included USB extension cable. At the base of this stand there is a slot for a screw head, which means that the extension can be mounted on a vertical surface.

The rather large remote control is powered by two AA batteries and has a white lunar backlight. It should be noted that there are a large number of buttons with their proper location. There are even two separate buttons, which can be pressed to call up the two most popular, presumably, Internet services - Netflix and VUDU. Unfortunately, these services do not work in our country.

The main technical characteristics of the device are given in the following table:

Settings, interface

As befits a solid device, thoroughly loaded with licensed technologies, originally intended for viewing legal media content, the digital video outputs of the device broadcast a signal “closed” using the well-known HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) protection technology. In order to record what is happening on the screen, and even take a regular screenshot of the player interface, special video capture tools are required. Fortunately, we have them, otherwise we would have to limit ourselves to photographs of the TV screen, which would look, to put it mildly, unpresentable. And you can’t evaluate the quality of the picture this way. And we are seriously going to study this quality.

The main menu of the player consists of two rows of icons. The top row contains a list of content sources (disk, network) and content type icons (music, graphics, video), and there is also an icon for launching settings. The bottom row consists of icons that launch one or another built-in Internet service.

First of all, let's move on to the player settings, they will help you get an impression of the capabilities and capabilities of the device.

There are so many different parameters here that considering each item (and even entire categories) means duplicating the user manual. And just for a minute, it takes up almost a hundred pages. Do we need this? Of course not. Therefore, we will consider only the most remarkable settings, the key ones that distinguish this device from the mass of devices for similar purposes.

At the end of the setup chapter, we will cover (and immediately close) such a topic as the player’s playback of video files from sources other than optical media. When talking about such sources, we primarily mean network storage devices. Ideally, this is NAS, network storage. What are the possible problems that you are at risk of encountering? Of course, in network speed. Or rather, as in our case, with the features of the player’s network adapter. Precisely features, but not defects. Let's move on to the details.

During one of the test views of various media content located on network storage (Synology DS212, version DSM 5.0-4493 Update 3, the server and player are connected via a D-Link DGS-1008D gigabit switch), it was noticed that when the bitrate stream increased playback pauses, short-term video and audio freezes or freezes occur. Careful monitoring of the volume of stream entering the player made it possible to identify the critical threshold above which freezes appear in playback: 25 Mbit/s. This result applied to any video content, which was repeatedly verified. Changing network cables, rearranging them - of course, these pathetic attempts to correct the situation did not bring any positive results. The situation changed only when we replaced the switch with another model that we had in stock: Acorp SW5P-1000 (2.0). With this connection, the critical bitrate threshold increased by as much as 10 Mbit/s - up to 35 Mbit/s. It should be clarified: this testing is performed strictly using test files that have constant, non-floating, bitrate. These files are freely available, and you can find them in the article Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Let's see (and listen) how our player behaves in reality when playing such files from network storage with a cable connection via a gigabit switch:

The same test, but with wireless connection(Zyxel Keenetic Omni router), showed slightly worse results: files with a bitrate of up to 25 Mbit/s are played relatively smoothly, at 30 Mbit/s the player begins to “stutter,” and, finally, at 35 Mbit/s the device finally gives up.

All these connections were made using the SMB protocol, which works by default in network devices and does not require configuration, much less any special knowledge from the user. On the good advice of experienced regulars, it was decided to abandon this protocol and try to connect via NFS (Network File System). Fortunately, our existing file storage can work with such a protocol, and to activate this feature we need to make several settings. After the appropriate rules have been assigned to the desired folder on the server, a new icon appears in the player’s file browser with the IP address of the file storage, indicating a source connected via the NFS protocol:

Now the player behaves completely differently when playing content from the specified folder:

Files with even higher NFS bitrates are also played by the player with ease, up to 80 Mbit/s. But there is no point in such a possibility: there is simply no Full HD content with such bitrates (if such a video is found somewhere, then the encoder who created this miracle should be prescribed a cure for gigantomania).

What conclusions can be drawn from what you saw? Firstly, we have already observed a similar situation when using the NFS protocol the network speed increased compared to the SMB protocol. It increased, however, slightly, by no more than a dozen or two percent. But like this, several times?

It follows secondly: Let us remember the words from the official press release introducing the player in question in Russia.

The kit (BDP-103D) includes an experimental option that provides access to video, audio and image files transferred between computers on a local network via the SMB or CIFS protocol.

Notice the word "experimental". In this context, such a definition can mean one thing: despite the presence in the player of an appropriate high-quality electronic package (and in good quality there is no doubt about the electronic components that make up the premium player), the corresponding software included in the firmware is still being tested. This assumption is proven by such different behavior of the player with different network devices and with different network protocols. It is quite possible that the use of other routers, switches and protocols on this firmware version will give an effect that is radically different from the results we obtained, both in the direction of improvement and in the opposite direction. And we will not be at all surprised by this turn. Thus, the only thing that can be recommended to a user who is faced with similar problems is to seek help from specialists, and practical specialists, namely the mentioned conference.

Of course, all the features described above relate exclusively to network playback. Playing from other media (fast flash drives, and especially USB HDD) occurs without any hiccups, all files we have are played back smoothly, without slowdowns.

At this point, it is proposed to close the topic of playback from network drives, since there are serious reasons to believe that the next firmware updates will sooner or later change the situation and guarantee trouble-free switching with any network sources and on any protocols.

Inspired by the information received, let's move on to studying the operating features of the player.

Operation, quality

An uninitiated user accustomed to computer interfaces needs to keep one important feature in mind when using this player. Before you start watching or listening to any content, you should decide what exactly you are going to do: listen to music, view a photo slideshow or video. In accordance with the choice, you need to select the desired icon in the top row of icons, indicating one of the three types of content. After the choice is made, in the file browser, no matter what folder the user goes to, the user will see only the media data format that was selected. All other files located in the same folder will be hidden. The logic is quite peculiar, but you can get used to it. This content filtering is always performed, no matter what data source you work with: flash drives, hard drives, network drives.

Of course, this statement does not apply to optical drives that have a standard structure such as DVD or Blu-ray (remember, the device in question is primarily a 3D Blu-ray player). If you place a disc in the tray, the device will automatically detect the type of content and automatically start playing it.

While playing an optical disc, the player allows you to:

All of the above actions also apply to playing video files, except, of course, for functions that are not present in files by definition: angle, picture-in-picture, and even more so the disc menu or Blu-ray Pop-Up menu.

Playing 3D content does not in any way interfere with the display of any service information from that described just above: pop-up setup menus, windows with disk information, lines with current parameters - all this is displayed without any distortion on top of the stereo image (the next picture was taken take a camera).

As for video formats and other types of content that are supported by the player in question, it is unlikely that close attention should be paid to this within the framework of this article. Firstly, all common formats have long been supported by any player, with the exception of rare “original” devices. Secondly, we have an exact XLS list of formats that the player works with. What makes this list doubly useful is that it compares it to Oppo's BDP-9X series players. We would like to add that during the testing period we did not find files that the player could not cope with. Although, how would we find them if such files are simply not displayed in the file browser? For example, ISO...

It should be noted that such functions as support for ISO playback, BDMV folders and full multi-zone Blu-ray and DVD discs are implemented by craftsmen in alternative firmware for Oppo players. This firmware is not difficult to find if desired. The official firmware, for obvious reasons, does not provide such support, however, at the representative office, understanding the needs and features Russian market, do not remove “reflashed” players from the official warranty. Which, by the way, is 2 years.

Many, many users tend to consider the Oppo BDP-103D as an ideal or close to ideal audio player. This refers to the player’s ability to transfer a digital audio stream via HDMI to the receiver without distortion, and also to supply a “ready-to-use” multi-channel analog signal to the amplifier. Other sound output methods impose serious limitations. Formats such as Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD High Resolution and DTS-HD Master Audio cannot be transmitted through the coaxial or optical digital audio output due to the limited bandwidth of these interfaces. In this case, a shortened version of the audio track will be output to the receiver. To listen to high-resolution audio formats in original quality, which is what audiophile users desire, you should use the HDMI output or multi-channel analog output.

Regarding the player’s ability to transmit any sound streams to the receiver, including the most “heavy” ones, we did not doubt it for a minute. Therefore, we were not surprised to note the appearance of an audio stream in the DTS-HD Master Audio format at the input to the receiver:

I would like to avoid talking about sound quality. The reason is known: what cannot be measured in some absolute terms must remain a version. Even if it is absolutely plausible.

And such plausibility is not even unfounded. Studying only the electronic components of the player responsible for sound output suggests that this is a damn advanced player in terms of sound. Multi-bit delta-sigma DAC CS4382A with high jitter resistance and a signal-to-noise ratio of −114 dB, low-noise operational amplifiers TI NE5532, electrolytic and professional ceramic capacitors with NPO/COG dielectric - all these names will certainly say a lot to both the specialist and the pure audio enthusiast .

The time has come to carry out the promised study of an interesting image processing technology. Its name is . It consists in careful special processing of the image, which is produced on the fly by the powerful video processor Darbee Visual Presence and Silicon Image VRS ClearView. This processor is installed on only one video output - HDMI 1. Thus, to see Darbee in action, the TV should be connected to this output.

The Darbee processing technology implemented in the player in question has three operating modes:

• High resolution. This mode is designed to work with Blu-ray and other high-quality signal sources, adding clarity and depth to the picture, making the image as realistic as possible
• Game- mode that simulates a video game with strong color separation
• Pop Art- this mode is designed for processing video that has low resolution and quality

Each mode can have its own settings. The default settings look like this:

Words are words, but it’s better to see them once. We have a pleasant opportunity to use our capture card for its intended purpose. Namely, compare the picture broadcast from HDMI 1, processed by each of the listed modes, with a picture that was not processed by the Darbee video processor.

To do this, let's play the same video file several times, with Darbee technology turned off, and with Darbee technology turned on in its three modes. As an initial test frame, we use one that does not contain too much movement, and, therefore, very strong blur. But a completely static frame is also undesirable - this is not a photograph, but a video sequence. Unfortunately, it will not be possible to make the intended assessment of Darbee video processing using captured videos - artifacts that will inevitably arise during repeated recoding will nullify all the processing features that we are trying to find.

Below is an area shown in the table without changing the size. By clicking on each thumbnail, you can see the full still frame (they are compressed into 24-bit PNG).

The fact that processing is taking place is certain. Another thing is important: which mode should be preferred? There will be no answer to this question, since each user has his own preferences. And a lot depends on the TV. The author liked the Pop Art mode most of all, since it manages to carefully bring out the details by adding dynamic noise, but, at the same time, does not spoil the picture with too strong contrast and acidic shades.

Of course, if you spend some time tinkering with the settings of each mode (and during testing we used only the “default” parameters), you can achieve a result that is completely ideal in the user’s opinion.

And yet one thought torments me... What if we compare the playback result known to us by the player in question with a picture that was obtained by some other device? Also a player, of course. Only from a slightly different price niche, so much cheaper. No sooner said than done.

It's time to sprinkle ashes on your head, and also make a mental note in case of future reviews of video playback equipment: carefully examine the nature of the picture output by the players. And as a sample, or rather, a standard, it’s probably worth taking the result of the Oppo BDP-103D Blu-ray player. The conclusion that can be drawn by comparing the two still frames given above is that the player is not the same as the player. The picture from Oppo, which has not been processed by a specialized video processor, looks much better than the picture from another player, which in the same way was not processed by any “improvers”.

The next logical step would be short story about Internet services present in our player. There are eleven of them in total, although in our realities this figure will have to be seriously reduced. But first things first.

There seems to be a serious need for a radical localization of this section of the player’s functionality with the replacement of non-working services with some other, less sensitive ones. We hope that someday localized firmware will be implemented, which will be automatically installed on players operating in Russia. Or is this fantasy?

In conclusion, we’ll tell you about one pleasant surprise addition to our player. Today, the functionality of modern devices will not be considered complete if the device cannot communicate with mobile devices. This is even more unforgivable if the device has a network interface. But Oppo developers took the trouble to create such an application. It's called Oppo MediaControl for BDP-10x. This program is installed on smartphones or tablets and allows full control of the player.

The application interface is designed neatly; there are no problems with scaling when running on devices with different display sizes. All operations are performed almost instantly, without visible delays.

In addition to the virtual player presented above with simplified controls, this application also contains a complete copy of the remote control included with the player. This remote control is divided into three parts; every single button on the remote control is repeated here. The player's response to pressing these virtual buttons is surprisingly fast - no difference from controlling the player using a traditional infrared remote control!

For this mobile application alone, the developers should give it a fat five.

Conclusions

Probably the only disadvantage of the considered player is the lack of localization of the list of built-in Internet services. We hope this absence is temporary. Other features, such as the inability to play disc images, are explained by the purpose of the device. Which consists, let us remind you, of playing optical discs and other legal content. However, these “difficulties” can be easily overcome through simple operations, the description of which is beyond the scope of this article.

The fact of the striking difference in the quality of the picture from this player from the picture provided by entry-level devices was, admittedly, puzzling. But it didn’t turn out to be a complete surprise - there had been suspicions about this for a long time.

High quality of electronic components and their assembly, sophisticated software, including convenient mobile software, potential support for all types of media and formats. This rather rare combination of qualities, which distinguishes the device under consideration from a host of similar products, deserves encouragement. In this regard, we are obliged to recognize the Oppo BDP-103D Blu-ray player with our traditional award.

When releasing an MP4 player today, it is very difficult for a manufacturer to show originality in design. The center of gravity - the big screen - does not leave much room for maneuver, and creations under a variety of brands turn out to be similar to each other. The creators of cassette and CD players were in a similar position at one time - there the artificial limiter was the medium, a compact cassette or a compact disc. Flash memory chips do not impose any restrictions on the size and shape of the device; this role is now assigned to the screen.

In this regard, it is worth noting the efforts of Oppo - this company spends at least some effort to give individuality to its products.

The main distinguishing feature here is the body in the form of an all-metal trough.

For most other Chinese manufacturers, the case, in the image of the iPod, is made of two almost equal halves - a metal bottom and a plastic top. Oppo's is all solid metal, only covered with a plastic cover. The metal is solid, not thin, which gives Oppo players a pleasant feeling of solidity. This feeling is complemented by the body shapes, which are more strict and sharp.

The design of the S5 I'm reviewing is identical to the company's earlier model, the V5, showing that the creativity of the company's designers (and its willingness to spend money on design development) has its limits.

The only difference is in the metal coating - in the S5 it is more interesting, with a beautiful sheen and a rough relief surface.

The front panel of the S5, like the V5, is not simple; its white plastic base is covered with another, transparent layer of plastic on top. This technique is sometimes used by Korean manufacturers. It looks solid and reliable, and is not too prone to staining. Scratches are more difficult; this is not the most invulnerable material in this regard, although the quality is higher than that of the Meizu M6 front panel.

The manufacturer, as usual, covers the vulnerable plastic with a film; for the S5 there are two layers: the top, decorative, which must be removed after purchase, and the bottom, which is almost invisible, it is better to leave it.

The quality of materials and workmanship is quite high, and the design is as original as possible for a player with a display covering almost the entire front surface. The device is quite large, due to its 3-inch display, large battery, but quite thin, around 11 mm.

One of the not so pleasant features of Oppo MP4 players is the use of a non-standard mini-USB socket; it is smaller than the regular mini-USB Type B and is incompatible with it. I can’t find any justification for this, other than purchasing a large batch of such sockets and wires at a super price.

The device has an interesting filling. It was developed at a time when the latest Rockchips solutions were not yet available. But the new product was supposed to be a Real player - this is the only reason to release a new model, absolutely identical in design to the V5 (the one on the old Rockchips RK2600). And the developers had to use a not entirely standard platform - Analog Devices Blackfin BF533.

Secondly, a high-speed USB controller is used for decent data transfer speeds.

The results look good - the player supports a wide range of audio and video formats, sounds good and communicates quickly with a PC. Although the latter is somewhat uneven: around 16 MB per second for reading and around 4 MB per second when writing.

We owe this difference in speeds to the use of MLC memory. The picture is similar to the speed ratio in memory cards, and it is no coincidence: the USB controller in the S5 is from there. Moreover, the player uses a “memory card controller + card reader controller” circuit, creating a kind of emulation of the “memory card – card reader” system inside the device. And all this in order to squeeze more speed out of MLC memory - in fact, a dual-channel architecture is used. This is one of Oppo's know-how.

Finally, to compensate for the inherent gluttony of the platform, the player was equipped with a 900 mAh battery, fortunately there was enough space inside the wide body.

This made it possible to increase the operating time in audio mode according to the specification to 10 hours, which is approximately what it is in reality.

The power of Blackfin had a beneficial effect on the basic functions of the player.

For audio, it made it possible to widely support formats. Standard MP3, WMA, and the not-so-standard OGG are complemented by lossless formats: APE and FLAC. Moreover, the range of support for APE profiles is one of the widest, up to and including Extra High. Even APE Insane is reproduced, although with distortion that precludes normal listening. FLAC is fully supported. Together with WAV PCM, these are three lossless codecs that can be listened to by the player. WMA lossless is not enough for a complete set, and AAC is not among the lossy formats. Oppo's software department is already being lazy.

Based on the video, S5 can be described as follows: almost omnivorous. Such broad support for formats could previously only be seen in HDD-PMP, and even then not in everyone. It seamlessly plays most common video formats in most common resolutions without conversion: MPEG1, MPEG4, DivX, Xvid (though not all resolutions and not always smoothly). After the usual MP4 players with mandatory video conversion, this is like a breath of fresh air.

In addition, as befits a Chinese Real player, the S5 plays Internet video, and in this case it is Real Video itself, regular and with variable bitrate, as well as Flash Video, FLV. Real Video support is not that interesting to us (although video in this format is not so scarce on P2P networks). Although it can be noted that Real Video S5 (read: ADI) is superior to the same new Rockchips platform, supporting a wider range of resolutions and bitrates.

And you can look at FLV in more detail. I will not give figures illustrating the popularity of Youtube; it is common knowledge that this site is one of the most visited on the Internet.

All the videos on it are presented in FLV format, and its resolution matches MP4 players - 320 by 240. There are plenty of programs and online services that allow you to quickly and worry-free download an FLV video to your computer. All this makes the ability to play Flash Video on a portable player quite interesting. A half-hour video in FLV takes up about 80 MB, that is, more than six hours of video from Youtube can be compacted into a gigabyte of memory. A wide variety of content is available – from homemade video jokes to television series. The Youtube service is actively used for promotion - posting teasers, trailers - by the largest film companies and game publishers. Most videos are also quite short, rarely more than 30-40 minutes, making them a suitable pocket size format. If desired, the memory of the Oppo S5 very quickly becomes filled with all kinds of video material, which can be watched immediately, without recoding. This is really a very interesting and convenient opportunity.

For complete happiness, it would not hurt the manufacturer to include in the kit a program for downloading FLV videos from Youtube, but, I repeat, there are no particular difficulties with this now.

In addition, the player supports 3GP telephone container, which allows you to watch videos recorded using mobile phone(if, of course, the video codec is suitable).

Video playback will be discussed in more detail in a separate article dedicated to this aspect of the new generation of MP4 players.

It’s worth noting that the design of the S5 looks a lot like a digital photo frame, albeit a rather thick one.

So the use of its photographic capabilities simply suggests itself. And the possibilities are quite good: a gallery with a preview, a slide show, rotating photos around an axis.

Large photos taken with 5-megapixel cameras load quite quickly - just over 3 seconds for a 5-megapixel picture. This is faster than most similar devices. They would have loaded even faster if not for one sad nuance with the display of photos, which will be discussed below. Like most players, the scaling algorithm is not the most successful (it is aggravated by the nuance that I mentioned above and will discuss below); given the lack of zoom, you have to adjust photos to the player’s resolution in order to get a decent picture on the display. You can listen to music while viewing photos, although you cannot control playback. The gallery does not support any structure; the player simply finds in its memory all the pictures of the three supported formats - JPG, PNG, BMP - and displays them all in one pile.

The device's interface is identical to that of the manufacturer's other MP4 players, V3 and V5, with the exception of the color scheme.

It is impossible not to note Oppo’s efforts to bring the interface of all devices, regardless of the platform, to a single style; this emphasizes the company’s desire to create a brand, distinguishing it from OEM brands, where each model is in itself.

Navigation through the contents of memory is based solely on folders and files; this is more familiar to many. Although some Chinese have already begun to offer a choice between this approach and the tag-based artist-album-song structure.

In addition to the main menu, you can also find context menus in the player. This means that some player settings and functions can only be accessed from certain modes. Naturally, these are settings and functions directly related to these modes. So, in the music playing mode, you can access the equalizer through the context menu, and in the recording mode, you can access the quality settings for this very recording.

In general, there are two basic approaches to organizing menus in players (and not only in them): either all settings are available through a centralized basic menu (such as the Meizu M6 SL), or, like the Oppo S5, only settings relating to the operation of the device as a whole, and settings for individual modes are available through the contextual menu. Both approaches have both supporters and opponents. Some people like the second approach, which makes the main menu lighter and simpler, while others prefer to have all the settings in one place. So I won’t praise or criticize the S5 for its menu organization, just keep this feature in mind.

Here I finish praising this device and move on to describing its negative aspects.

Before describing the first, let me make a short historical excursion. Speaking about the modern Chinese MP3 industry, I often think about the now almost deceased Korean MP3 industry. I remember with a feeling of nostalgia, noting that in a number of parameters, especially in the field of design and ergonomics, Chinese companies continue to lag behind the long-dead Korean developers. This is despite the fact that they have a lot in common - both were small companies with limited resources and insufficient experience in developing consumer electronics.

S5 gives me a good opportunity to illustrate this lag. Even during the development of its predecessor, V5, Oppo developers faced a problem - how to implement controls for the player if its front side is inaccessible for this purpose, because... went under the display. It is clear that if it is impossible to make the display touchscreen, the only way out is to transfer the controls to the side faces. But this can be done in different ways. Oppo didn't do a very good job.

Firstly, without further ado, they took the entire set of keys from their even earlier MP4 device - V3 - and moved it from the front side to the edge, stretching it out in one line. The move, in my opinion, is wrong. Using only simple buttons to control such a complex device is generally anachronistic. The design of the V3 made it possible to play with the placement of these buttons, as a result of which the controls could at least be used. But the V5 and S5 don’t even have this – you can’t play particularly well with a linear arrangement of keys on a narrow edge. As a result, we have a row of absolutely identical faceless keys, and the row is quite large - six of them. Comfortable? No. Intuitive? No. Is it easy to get used to? Not again.

When the player's controls are a series of identical buttons on the side, a problem arises - without rotating the player in the hand, the user, especially a beginner, cannot understand which key does what, and constantly turning the player is inconvenient. Oppo tried to get around this in an original way: the first time you press any key, a hint pops up on the display.

The head is stretched out, but the tail is stuck - now any action on the player usually requires two keystrokes. It would be better if this hint was always on the display, disappearing only when viewing photos and videos.

Moreover, the keys sensory. Yes, all six keys are not only identical, they are a completely smooth touch surface. The keys, devoid of tactile response, and even on the side edge, are a very, very dubious move.

Well, for a snack – the player keys squeak when you press them. In principle, this is not the worst solution given the lack of tactile feedback, but the peculiarity of their location leads to a comical effect when the player is picked up by an untrained person. You pick up the player without any second thought, and it beeps: the keys are touch sensitive, activated by a simple touch. Some people drop the device to the floor out of surprise.

What did the Koreans do when faced with a similar task, when the front side was occupied, and it was necessary to move control completely to the edge? This happened even in the pre-MP4 era, not because of the large display, but for the sake of design.

They varied the control elements. You would not have found a row of identical buttons of more than three pieces; the inconvenience of such a solution for designers from the peninsula was obvious. Double and triple keys, jog dials, and scroll wheels were actively used. Some companies even managed to move the joystick to its side. They tried to group the remaining keys, separate logical groups from each other, and place them on different faces.

No, I’m not saying that the design and ergonomics of the Koreans were ideal; the small caliber of the companies left its mark, in particular, on the reliability and quality of the controls used. But you could almost always feel the developers working on how to make the player more convenient for the person who will use it.

At Oppo, this idea was limited to a hint on the display and the squeaking of the keys, that is, an attempt to cover up the shortcomings of an initially ergonomically flawed idea. Koreans have always had it woven into their design from the very beginning. Here the Chinese need to “study, study and study”; I wonder if Mao Zedong had an analogue of this phrase?

The second drawback is also serious. The player's display belongs to the transitional generation from regular (4:3) to wide (16:9). Its physical aspect ratio is 16 to 9 (approximately 67 by 39 mm), and if you look at the pixels, it is 4 to 3 (320 by 240 pixels).

This means that its pixels are not square, and the image on the display will be stretched horizontally. And it’s stretched out decently – by a quarter. Very strange display. It's not surprising that the manufacturer - a joint venture between Philips and Taiwan's Toppoly Optoelectronics Corp - doesn't even list this model on its website.

If you just listen to music or the radio, or record from a voice recorder, then this is not so noticeable, but why buy such a device if your needs are limited only to this? And a video or photo stretched wide on the S5’s predecessor, V5, was not very pleasant to watch. Moreover, if the video was at least somehow compensated by the converter, then with the photo everything was completely sad.

S5, thanks to a more powerful core, was given the ability to compensate for image distortion. Photos are adjusted to the original 4:3 form factor, flattened horizontally. This way it is possible to maintain the proportions, but distortions in the picture appear, and they are quite noticeable. This is superimposed on the imperfect operation of the scaling algorithm, making multi-megapixel photos not very presentable - this is the same nuance that I mentioned above.

What else can you tell us about the S5? The player does not have an FM radio; it has a voice recorder. The recorder records in ADPCM and does not have a separate button to start recording (welcome to the menu, 3-4 extra clicks on inconvenient touch keys), so there is little practical use from it.

There is a text reader with the usual functionality: TXT only, bookmarks, auto-flipping.

It can be said that the S5 is a good example of what is good and what is bad with the Chinese MP3 industry. Everything is not bad with the quality of materials, assembly, at the hardware level, at the functional level everything is also good, everything meets and exceeds international standards. In the area of ​​versatility, transparency, and openness, Chinese devices are preferable - standard connectors (okay, Oppo has an unpleasant habit of installing non-standard mini-USB, let's deduct another point from them for this), direct support for the UMS protocol, work with formats such as OGG , FLAC, APE. Even the design, if we consider it as a thing in itself, is quite good.

But if you look at the player not as a picture in a catalog or on a website and not as a set of characteristics in the specification, then everything becomes not so rosy. Players for people that are easy and pleasant to operate, with a minimal, as American observers say, learning curve, i.e. During the period necessary for learning and getting used to the controls, the Chinese have not yet really learned how to make such devices. Moreover, here they are behind the Koreans three years ago.

Of course, we can make allowances for the fact that the S5, like the V5, is an intermediate model. Future Oppos will have a normal wide display with WQVGA resolution, and also a touchscreen one, which will eliminate the need for a ridiculous side touchpad.

But these models - S5, V5 - are a fact, and a fact that reflects the logic with which Chinese companies approach the design of MP3 players. I see both good and bad in this logic.