[modwright]

Modwright, Oppo Digital and the future...

17 April 2018

I just wanted to explain and clarify a few things.  As many of you know, Oppo Digital has decided to no longer manufacture new digital products and cease production of current 4K players:

https://oppodigital.com/farewell.aspx

They will, however, still honor warranties and provide firmware support for all existing players in the market now.  Please follow the link for full explanation.

As many of you also know, the UDP-205 is also out of stock at Oppo and most other places.  Oppo has said that they would consider a final production run of 205 players, based on demand (see link below):

https://oppodigital.com/blu-ray-udp-205/lastbatch.aspx

I don't know how many units will be produced, but if you want to get a unit while still available, I would encourage you to sign up!

Is ModWrights still going to offer mods for Oppo Players?
Yes of course.  As long as there are Oppo players that people want to have modified, we will modify them. We also still modify the Sony HAP-Z1ES and Marantz SA8005 players. We will also be looking for new products that are popular and suitable for modifications.

Does ModWright have enough parts to continue Oppo mods?
Yes, the parts we use for our modifications are all readiy available and we will not run out of parts for our modifications. We will also continue to support the Oppo players that are modified, as far as service goes, provided that parts are available from Oppo to do so. In this regard, Oppo has indicated continued support for units under warranty.

How is ModWright connected to Oppo Digital?
We are not and never have been, aside from the fact that we offer a phenomenal after-market upgrade for their payers. We warranty our work for the Oppos separate and distinct from any Oppo warranty.  The factory warranty from Oppo will be void after we modify the player, but we have always agreed to service the players as long as we have access to parts from Oppo Digital.  Oppo is well aware of the work we do on Oppo players and they neither endorse nor condemn it.  In fact, I have heard that they understand us to do professional and quality work and have no issue with us. We have always been able to purchase any parts needed to service Oppos. However, given the high reliability of the Oppo players, we seldom need to do so. In short, ModWright and Oppo Digital are separate companies. Our upgrades make their payers better and our customers have always been very happy.  If this sells more Oppo players, I know that Oppo doesn't mind!

What will ModWright do now that Oppo has ceased making players?
We will continue to do what we have done since 2000. We will continue to offer mods for the Sony, Marantz and Oppo players in the market. We will also continue to produce our full line of amps, preamps and phono stages, both tube and SS with domestic and international distribution. While I was as shocked by the news as everyone else, it does not change the direction of ModWright Instruments Inc.

What is the next new player of the future?
I don't know. If people have suggestions for a new player for us to modify, please let me know!  I choose the products that we modify, carefully, based on their quality, reliability and popularity in the marketplace.

Thank you,

Dan Wright,
President, ModWright Instruments inc.
360.247.6688

[jackox]

Hello Dan,

Panasonic DP-UB9000 may be interesting.
But ultimately it will be very difficult to find a player that does all like OPPO.

Depending on the industry's strategies, Sony, Panasonic and Pioneer (if they come back with a highend player) are the manufacturers to look at.

IMO, OPPO decision is odd and does not make real sense.

[modwright]

Hi, I have been looking at the options and I honestly did not realize how unique the Oppos are! Yes, Panasonic, Sony, Marantz and possibly Pioneer are all companies that could do it.  We will just have to wait and see.

Dan

[Johnny2Bad]

I think OPPO is just reacting to market realities, and adjusting their priorities accordingly.

I strongly suspect the return on investment (ROI) for the players pales in comparison to their mobile phone operations, which are extremely popular outside of North America, in particular the Brazil / Russia / India / China market (aka BRIC) and other lower tier economies worldwide. Many people here don't even know OPPO is a mobile phone company. That doesn't mean that OPPO wasn't making money on players ... I have no idea if they were or were not.

But it means a dollar invested in one category of consumer appliances pays a higher dividend (in the generic sense, that is, more profit in some way) than in another. And if they intend to invest their money in one market segment that has higher potential for company growth and success overall, and when taking into consideration that dollars are limited regardless of how successful a company is, it's perfectly understandable to me, regardless of whether I like it or not. It's simply not my decision to make.

I would not be the least bit surprised to see OPPO enter the North American / EU phone market in the future, especially with the scrutiny and restrictions being placed today on China-based competitors, making a hole in the market that will be filled by someone, regardless.

[oem-wheels]

Oppo is the 3rd largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world.. They got to be worth over a billion dollars.. The bluray players is a teeny tiny drop in a swimming pool compared to the rest of the company worth.. Doubt they needed the tiny drop back to put in the huge pool they have.. I'd guess there was a 3rd cousin to the owner of Oppo who wanted to venture out and try something else for "fun" .. And then  just decided to go back home ..