Hopper 3 - 1080p through OPPO (Darbee) or 4K direct to TV?

[CubsWin]

I can't decide how I should connect my Hopper 3 when it arrives on Tuesday.

I currently have my Hopper with Sling connected to an OPPO BDP-103D player, which applies its Darbee video processing and then I have HDMI out from there, through a wall, and into my Panasonic 50" 4K TV.

Unfortunately, while the BDP-103D does upconvert to 4K for blu-ray content, it does not pass 4K through on its HDMI input. That means I need to make a choice whether to output 1080i/1080p from the Hopper 3 and continue to run it through the OPPO player, or attempt to run another HDMI cable up through the wall to make a direct connection to my TV and output 4K from the Hopper 3.

With the lack of 4K content right now, it is possible there is still more to be gained from the Darbee video processing than there is from 4K, but I can't make up my mind. Any suggestions?

 

[Tron2012]

Why not just get an HDMI splitter if you don't want to run another cable. Best of both worlds.
http://www.tripplite.com/2-Port-HDM...z-HDMI-F-2xF-with-Remote-Control~B119-002-UHD

Not sure of your home build/setup, but sometimes in wall cable are run through interior walls with no insulation (makes it a lot easier) and come out before any fire stops in the wall. Isn't that difficult to pull the second HDMI cable through using fish tape (either borrow or buy it). If exterior wall then the splitter is probably a headache saver.

 

[THE5RIVERS]

Splitter might be a good idea in this case, otherwise I personally would run the hdmi from the H3 direct to the tv as the tv will process 4k and upconvert content much better than your oppo. Odd that it doesn't allow passthrough as that would have been best.

Good luck!

 

[CubsWin]

Why not just get an HDMI splitter if you don't want to run another cable.

Introducing another switch to my setup is going to make things unnecessarily complicated... at least that is what my wife will say.

Not sure of your home build/setup, but sometimes in wall cable are run through interior walls with no insulation (makes it a lot easier) and come out before any fire stops in the wall. Isn't that difficult to pull the second HDMI cable through using fish tape (either borrow or buy it).

It is indeed an interior wall without insulation and I have run cables through it in the past, but I have multiple cables going through the hole and last time I pulled one through it felt like it was getting a bit snug. I'm not sure I can fit another HDMI cable through the same space. I'm not opposed to trying it, but want to make sure that is definitely what I want to do before I attempt it.

I personally would run the hdmi from the H3 direct to the tv as the tv will process 4k and upconvert content much better than your oppo.

I think it is the exact opposite with regard to upconversion. The OPPO player has a Darbee chip that is specifically designed to upconvert content and does a much better job than my TV would do. But I would sacrifice the ability to get pure 4K content. It is unfortunate that the OPPO player didn't include 4K passthrough.

 

[THE5RIVERS]

think it is the exact opposite with regard to upconversion. The OPPO player has a Darbee chip that is specifically designed to upconvert content and does a much better job than my TV would do. But I would sacrifice the ability to get pure 4K content. It is unfortunate that the OPPO player didn't include 4K passthrough.

Ah ok. I have a js8500 and the samsung does a much better job at upconverting content vs the receiver.