I am in the process of setting up my Panny - THD428UK w/ HDMI input and ran across this player at Costco. I have been hearing mixed reviews on this product. Is it a good deal for an upscaling DVD player to fill the void between now and when the next-gen format wars are over?

Does it suffer from picture quality compared to other players in the price range?

I am in the process of setting up my Panny - THD428UK w/ HDMI input and ran across this player at Costco. I have been hearing mixed reviews on this product. Is it a good deal for an upscaling DVD player to fill the void between now and when the next-gen format wars are over?

Does it suffer from picture quality compared to other players in the price range?Its a very good player,IMHO.Has none of the 4980 problems.Comes with a very good HDMI cable as well.My display is 1080p wobulated and it looks great!

I'm curious - what problems does the 4980 have? My searches have come up with noght - except a mention of freezes/pauses at the layer interface. Is there something else?


I picked one up from Best Buy yesterday, but might swap/return it for something nicer in the same approximate price range!

I have a 5980 connected to a 37" panny. The hdmi cuts the black levels, so I'm using the component. There are some small glitches (picture contrast way too high, stops at random after resume from pause, the zoom levels are somewhat useless, sometimes it drops the sound when skipping chapters), that add up to an average player at best (imho).

Thanks br0wser!

I *did* pick up the Costco version (SD-K850) in the meantime, because it seemed like a much better deal (free HDMI cable for the same price). The 4980 happily played store & home made DVDs yesterday - +R and -R. Still have to try all the other fancy modes/formats! I will try them out with the one HDMI cable I now own, as soon as my HDTV arrives, and post a comparative review here (if there's a difference!)

Some other discussions seem to imply that the firmware for newer batches of these Toshibas has been fixed to prevent these pause/freeze issues. If - indeed - that is the case, I will likely retain the Costco one (assuming they're otherwise identical).

I have a 5980 connected to a 37" panny. The hdmi cuts the black levels, so I'm using the component. There are some small glitches (picture contrast way too high, stops at random after resume from pause, the zoom levels are somewhat useless, sometimes it drops the sound when skipping chapters), that add up to an average player at best (imho).

Ahh, an update that confirms some of your described issues with my Costco K-850.

The sound skiping, weird pausing seems to happen whenever I watch something for around an hour or so, at a stretch. PQ is fine on my 1080P LCD, though.

I need to check the formware version on mine, wait a bit, and perhaps swap this out with a newer Toshiba if Costco continues to carry it ... hoping for newer firmware without this glitch. Perhaps I'll call Toshiba first - they ARE supposedly awesome with their customer service, from every account!

Can you elaborate more on the SD-4980 problems I have a chance to pick a new one up for 40 bucks.

Got 2 of the 5980 and they are working flawless right now.

Good to hear, scrapdiggs ... I plan to upgrade to its clone (I think) the Toshiba SDK860 at Coscto in a coulpe of weeks when it comes on sale. Can you confirm that the 5980 has the DVD drive on the left side (not the centre) and has no blue LED across the drive?

ZXLNT ... here's a few reviews on videohelp.com (http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDnameid=6415&Search=Search&#comments) that reflect my impressions. This is a review of the K-850, which is a 4980 clone built especially for Costco.

Good to hear, scrapdiggs ... I plan to upgrade to its clone (I think) the Toshiba SDK860 at Coscto in a coulpe of weeks when it comes on sale. Can you confirm that the 5980 has the DVD drive on the left side (not the centre) and has no blue LED across the drive?

ZXLNT ... here's a few reviews on videohelp.com (http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers.php?DVDnameid=6415&Search=Search&#comments) that reflect my impressions. This is a review of the K-850, which is a 4980 clone built especially for Costco.

My bad..they are actually the SDK 860's that I have. Working flawless.

Umm, the 860 doesn't even exist yet. Not on Toshiba's page, nor at Costco.

Mind sharing your source with us ... it's possible some other seller got an early batch.

The one Costco now sells, with the blue LED, is problemmatic. And it is the SDK-850, not 860. And if yours isn't please read the label on the back and tell me when it was manufactured ;)

They are SDK-860 with Green LED.

They have about 100 of them left at the Costco in Gilbert, AZ ;) Thats where I just got these 2.

Apparently the Toshiba SD-K860 is the same unit essentially as the SD-4990 (new). The SD-K860 is Costco's version and it normally sells for $79....but will be on sale (with a store coupon) for a few days starting 6/12 for $59.

It is an upconverting DVD/DIVX player with an HDMI port (must be activated in setup with analog connection before it will work) and comes with an HDMI cable. The New York Costco I was in today had hundreds of these on the floor.

I just picked up the costco version Toshiba SD-K860 for the 6/12 price noted above. So far so good, although it doesn't mention anywhere a person has to hook up the analog wires (included) to set up the HDMI. Good thing i read this forum. Also good to note,for those who prefer to not read instructions, is to use the PCM audio option if using HDMI. (it's in the manual's small print, tho).
so far so good.
Wendek

I bought that Toshiba Costco version....and it was awful on a few discs I tried. Strangely, even the static menus that the unit generates had digital jaggies around the letters! Took it back to Costco for a refund. :(

I then bought the Oppo 971, which I like much better. :D

I then bought the Oppo 971, which I like much better. :D

At thrice the price - it better be!

Is the movie playback quality thrice as good? :p

Since it only cost me about $70, I really can't complain much. It's pretty nice for how cheap it is. Still, are there any plans for a firmware upgrade to at least fix the BTB clipping via HDMI?

Well I decided to return the SD-K860 given all the random freezes. It just got too much. I'm just gonna get the Oppo DV-981HD instead.

Rocshemp check to see if you can find the Panny S52. I've been comparing these DVD Players. I compared the 860 from costco and the Panny was a better player and didn't have the problems the 860 did. I got it for the same price from Fry's electronics. Also look into the Denon 1730/557 (there are the same players). Is better than the Panny but it's also $159(U/E). Big difference in price but not sure the PQ is that far apart.