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Panasonic UB420 vs Sony S1700U: Match Both Your Discs and Receiver

Choose Panasonic for UHD discs with a compatible audio path, or when direct optical audio is mandatory. Choose Sony for supported standard discs when direct coaxial audio is mandatory. UHD plus mandatory direct coaxial fits neither. If standard discs and either connection work, there is no unique winner on these requirements.

Published by Pickoryx · Published 2026-10-09

Source checked 2026-10-09 23:44 UTC

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The buying question

Which player reads your discs and directly connects to the receiver input you must keep?

Panasonic reads UHD discs and supplies optical digital audio; Sony covers standard discs with coaxial digital audio.

Quick verdict

Choose Panasonic DP-UB420-K if

  • You need UHD playback and can use a suitable HDMI or optical receiver path.
  • You need direct optical audio, even if your discs are standard Blu-ray, DVD or CD.
View Panasonic DP-UB420-K on AmazonPaid link
When to skip: You require both UHD-disc playback and a direct coaxial output from the player.
When the recommendation changes
  • UHD discs and mandatory direct coaxial are both required: neither fits both.
  • Both players’ receiver paths fit a standard-disc collection: these requirements do not identify a unique winner.

The differences that matter

Disc Format Fit

Panasonic DP-UB420-K

Reads UHD Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, DVD and music CD.[1]

Sony BDP-S1700U

Reads standard Blu-ray, DVD and CD; does not read UHD Blu-ray.[2]

What this changes: A UHD collection selects Panasonic only if its connection path also fits. Standard discs alone do not separate these players; DVD upscaling does not add UHD-disc reading.[1, 2]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Receiver Digital Input Fit

Panasonic DP-UB420-K

Optical digital audio and HDMI; no coaxial digital output in the complete rear-panel list.[1]

Sony BDP-S1700U

Coaxial digital audio and HDMI; no optical output in the complete rear-panel list.[3]

What this changes: For a required direct optical connection choose Panasonic; for required direct coaxial with supported standard discs choose Sony. Match the receiver’s digital input and cable, then check its supported audio formats.[1, 3]

The better fit depends on your priorities

Best for your routine

UHD discs with a compatible audio connection

Best fit: Panasonic DP-UB420-K

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Panasonic reads UHD discs; verify the display, cable and chosen audio route. Sony cannot read that disc format.

View Panasonic DP-UB420-K on AmazonPaid link

Standard discs and a required direct optical receiver connection

Best fit: Panasonic DP-UB420-K

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Panasonic supplies that socket. Its optical audio settings and receiver decoding still need to match.

View Panasonic DP-UB420-K on AmazonPaid link

Standard discs and a required direct coaxial receiver connection

Best fit: Sony BDP-S1700U

Based on listed features, not comparative testing.

Sony supplies the required digital output, but gives up UHD-disc playback.

View Sony BDP-S1700U on AmazonPaid link

Standard discs with suitable inputs for either player

No clear winner

Both meet these two requirements. Compare current exact-model offers and other features you actually need rather than declaring a format or connection winner.

Value and trade-offs

One or both observed offers have eligibility conditions, so no unrestricted price difference is shown.

Pay extra only for a needed capability and a workable connection. A lower price does not fix a missing required output or disc format.

Verified price history is insufficient for a buy-now or wait recommendation.

Limitations

  • This is a format-and-connection comparison, without hands-on testing or a measured picture, sound or reliability winner.
  • The selected US Panasonic identity is DP-UB420-K. Its shop page has a DP-UB420P-K metadata title but visible DP-UB420-K SKU; equivalence between those labels is not established. Technical guidance here uses the US DP-UB420 manual.
  • The selected Sony is BDP-S1700U, part BDPS1700UB.UC2, with the HDMI-cable package. This does not certify every seller’s box or hardware revision.
  • No arbitrary converter, TV passthrough or receiver combination is verified. Sony’s complete coaxial codec/channel matrix is not established here.

Questions shoppers ask

What if I need UHD discs and my receiver must use direct coaxial?

Neither player meets both requirements directly. Panasonic reads UHD but lacks coaxial; Sony has coaxial but cannot read UHD. Reconsider the receiver path or choose a different player with both documented capabilities. Do not assume an adapter solves the mismatch.

Does buying a 4K TV make the Sony unsuitable?

A 4K TV does not turn standard Blu-ray or DVD into a UHD disc. Sony remains a standard-disc option if its HDMI connection and output suit the TV. Choose Panasonic when UHD-disc reading is needed, and check the complete 4K/HDR signal path.

Will a matching optical or coaxial socket guarantee surround sound?

No. Match the receiver’s supported audio formats and the player’s output settings. Panasonic’s optical PCM output is stereo; its optical bitstream table lists Dolby Digital and DTS Digital Surround. Sony’s Auto/PCM settings do not establish that every surround or lossless format will reach every coaxial receiver.

What should I check before connecting?

Use the matching optical or coaxial digital cable and receiver input; coaxial digital is not analog RCA stereo. For Panasonic optical audio, follow the manual’s HDMI Audio Output off setting. Also check disc regions and recording formats, and use a compatible display/device/cable chain for 4K/HDR.

Methodology and sources

Checked disc eligibility separately from direct receiver-input fit, then combined the requirements and retained setup conditions.

AI helped compare documentation and organize the buying guidance.

View 3 sources
  1. 1.DP-UB420 US Owner’s Manual, TQBS0234-1Panasonic · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-09 23:02 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Printed pp. 6–7, 9–12, 21, 30–31, 43: UHD and standard discs; optical and HDMI terminals; optical setup and output limits; regional and display requirements.
  2. 2.BDP-S1700U Blu-ray Player with DVD UpconversionSony · Official specifications · Source checked 2026-10-09 23:02 UTC
    Evidence used on this page
    • Exact model heading; FAQ: 4K Ultra HD discs; supported disc formats: Standard Blu-ray, DVD and CD support; explicitly excludes UHD Blu-ray playback and native 4K output.
  3. 3.BDP-S1700/K and BDP-S1700/U Operating Instructions, 5-043-304-11(4)Sony · Official specifications
    Evidence used on this page
    • Cover; printed pp. 10, 14, 23–24, 27–28, 31–32: U-model rear-panel enumeration and receiver connection: HDMI and coaxial digital audio. Audio settings and region restrictions apply.

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