Cambridge Audio Azur 650BD Blu-Ray player

[pete321]

Just been reading elsewhere about how similar the upcoming Cambridge Audio Azur 650BD looks to the Oppo BDP-83. Certainly they seem to be using the same extremely user friendly Set-Up Menu. Sounds like it'll be a bit of a clone that may well end up costing more. Could this be the reason Oppo haven't said too much about a fully laden European version of the BDP-83?

http://www.dimex.nl/blobs/Diversen/azur%20650BD%20advanced%20info.pdf

 

[lcd4ever]

Great.......another contender for my upgrade cash.......I'll just have to wait for the Supertest.......

 

[Tom Moreno]

Very interesting. The setup menu does indeed look similar to the Oppo's, but unlike the Lexicon BD deck that people are also purporting to be an Oppo clone, the rear connection panel on the CA is not similar to the Oppo's. Maybe CA has built their own deck using different components but has licensed Oppo's menu software.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Or maybe they just buy in the same transport mech package, and these are the graphics that come as part of the control software.

Anyway, have asked the question of CA about availability and price, am awaiting a reply.

 

[Tom Moreno]

Andrew Everard:
Or maybe they just buy in the same transport mech package, and these are the graphics that come as part of the control software.

Anyway, have asked the question of CA about availability and price, am awaiting a reply.

Another good point. I would also point out that the CA product sheet lacks any mention of Anchor Bay's VRS picture processing that the Oppo uses, and from a marketing perspective (which is what these pre-release product sheets are all about aren't they?) it would be odd that they aren't waving their arms and screaming at the top of their lungs about it if the device did have it. And from what I've heard, the VRS chip is a major factor in why the Oppo is so highly regarded.

 

[Anonymous]

The forthcoming Cambridge Audio 650BD is based on the Mediatek MTK8520/MTK8575 chipset.

Cambridge Audio of course have a long relationship with Mediatek having based our DVD89/99, DV30 and 540D V1 and V2 DVD players on various Mediatek platforms.

When we decided to enter the Blu-ray market we did in fact investigate several alternatives but the sophistication and performance of the Mediatek platform made it a natural choice

As you would expect we are not the only brand to be using Mediatek development kits and application software, Oppo being the most well known other brand.

Actually generally brands like us prefer to use platforms that are also used by other customers as it means that when/if issues with discs and playback formats are found everyone is feeding back into a common knowledge pool (Mediatek in this case) and all brands benefit in terms of the reliability and robustness of the chipset.

In terms of what Mediatek offer each customer the processor includes an OSD generator and tools for defining setup menus and the like. In fact Mediatek supply application code that gives an excellent framework for this.

This does of course mean that any machine based on the chipset is very likely to have a similar look and feel to the On-Screen Display.

Ditto the connectors can be similar as there are various guidelines and designs included for PCB layout.

Each manufacturer then edits these to greater or lesser extent to add their own flavour of sockets, DACs, power supplies etc. as they see fit.

So in short CA and Oppo or others actually have no relation. We are merely connected by our relationship with the actual chipset supplier, Mediatek.

 

[Anonymous]

Be fascinated to read a comparative test in due course and see what price CA come to market at bearing in mind they have to include a dealer margin and Oppo don't. Be interested in how the performance varies and how different the internals are, DACs, power supply, etc with some innards being common to both.

 

[Anonymous]

Can I drop a HUGE hint that CA include the ability to add audio delays to the analogue output? IMO it's vital so that you can compensate for screen or VP processing delays once the picture has left the player.

I'd also be curious to know if the chipset is able to decode and mix in HD audio when BD secondary audio is on. I also think this is a must have if we're ever expected to use any interactivity. If you have to change player settings to enable secondary audio, and this then demotes you to normal DD/DTS, it's just going to remain off.

 

[Anonymous]

My source informs me that the '650BD Blu-ray Disc Player will be sold in Australia for AUD$999.00, so my guess is that, in the UK, it will likely retail for the 400-500GBP region.

Dan.

 

[Peter Larsen]

It would also be interesting to know whether Cambridge BD can be region hacked. Its essential to me that at least the DVD part can be made region free.

 

[hammill]

According to the advert linked to earlier in the thread, it comes multi region for DVD out of the box

 

[EarsEarsEars]

*Cough* ...640R v2?... *Cough*

 

[Anonymous]

Am I safe in assuming that this unit will not upsample audio CDs? I really enjoy that feature in my Marantz DV7001, and was hoping to upgrade that player to the 650BD. However, I do not see upsampling as a feature in any of the write ups that I've read so far. Could it be offered as part of a firmware update?

Also, anyone know when the 750/850 series is coming out (amps and CD players)? Google searches bring up nothing, not even much chatter. If it's coming anytime soon then CA has done a good job keeping it under wraps.

 

[Anonymous]

Any new news abouth this universal player?