This is the starter thread for what will become the Official Toshiba HD-DVD FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions regarding any and every aspect of the new HD-DVD format and specfically the Toshiba HD-DVD platform

Please only post here candidate FAQ's (with there answers if you know them!) for possible incorporation into an Official FAQ: please no discussions in this thread: only suggested FAQ info

Volunteers appreciated: we already have some expression of interest for volunteers to start and maintain the FAQ: we would like multiple volunteers who can do sections and then a few members who will maintain the thread

Please: only post what you think are good Q&A for inclusion into an FAQ that will be a sticky post in this forum

This format seems to be extremely popular: let's work on an excellent FAQ that will be a resource for all AVS members

LINK to FAQ (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=668781)

typical FAQ Question:



Q: I setup the HD-A1 and connected it to my display with an HDMI cable, but I cannot get any picture?

Answer:

on the remote is a button: V.Output: stop the disc and hit this button : after a brief pausef the display on the player should now show: HDMI (center top of display): the display must show HDMI in order for the unit to output HDMI

you can also press the resolution button to try different resolutions

Q: Why do I hear a sharp pop sound when beginning a DVD or skipping chapters? Is this my TV or the player? Seen on Aquos 45' HDMI.

A: ?

Q: Will the player upconvert my standard DVDS to (720p, 1080i, 1080p)?
A:

Q: Will it do so over component outputs?
A:

Q: Will the player upconvert my standard DVDS to (720p, 1080i, 1080p)?
A: Yes, Through HDMI, Not through Component ;)

Q: Will it do so over component outputs?
A: No, Not through Component

Q: Will it play DVD-Audio or SA-CD?

A: DVD-Audio: Yes: but only as Dolby Digital or DTS
SA-CD: No

Q: Will the player play PAL DVDs?

A: No it will not. The player will display that the disc is PAL and that it is not compatible.

Q: How should I connect the audio for best sound quality?

A: There are several options for audio connection, it has become more complicated than standard DVD. See the attached PDF for the "Output sound conversion table" from the manual and you will see what I mean. See this post for a good more detailed summary of what we currently know about the audio options.

Best Choice: If you have a receiver with HDMI 1.1 inputs that will accept 5.1 channel digital PCM, use HDMI. You will get the new Dolby Digital and DTS formats decoded by the player and output in all their glory. This input should allow all the speaker setup, bass management and surround processing in your receiver to work. It will also use your receiver's DACs (digital/analog converters) which are likely better than what's in the A1. Set the HDMI audio output of the A1 to Auto (the default) or PCM (if Auto doesn't produce 5.1 channel PCM or you want to force it for all formats).

Second Choice: If you have a receiver with 5.1 channel analog inputs, use a 5.1 channel analog connection. The PCM signals (see above) will be sent through the internal 5.1 channel 24/192 DACs in the A1 and output as analog. If your receiver does not apply speaker setup and bass management to this input (most don't), use the Audio, Speaker Settings menu under Set Up. Even if it does, you may want to use the pass through mode on the receiver to avoid an extra A/D and D/A step. Which is best may depend on your receiver and how well it does these conversions.

Third Choice: If you have neither of the above but your receiver can decode DTS, then use a SPDIF coaxial or Toslink (optical) connection. The Dolby Digital Plus soundtracks will be converted to either standard DD or DTS and can be decoded by your receiver. The output format will depend to the disc, but so far the launch titles are output as DTS only over SPDIF. DTS soundtracks should be passed as DTS as well. Set Audio, Digital out SPDIF to Bitstream (should be the default) under Setup.

If you don't have a receiver with any of the above, your only option may be 2 channel PCM audio passed over SPDIF (set Digital out SPDIF to PCM) or 2 channel analog. It may be time consider buying a new receiver.

Q: What's in the box? Does it include an HDMI cable?

A: The following are included with the HD-A1.

Remote and required 4 AAA batteries.
6 foot HDMI cable. Thin and not gold plated, but probably good enough unless you discover issues.
Composite and stereo analog RCA cables. I guess they have to include these but if you use them you will get none of the advantages this player offers over DVD.
Detachable 3 prong power cord.
Manuals in English (http://www.*********************/avstc.htm) and French
Page of manual updates and corrections in English and French.
Important Firmware Update Information card - covers possible need for future firmware upgrades, info on either upgrading over internet connection or ordering a disc from Toshiba.
Netflix 1 month free rental offer
License Information on the Software Used in the Toshiba HD DVD Player - 4 pages with lots of small print and legalese.

Q: What type of connection do I need to use to my AVR for DVD-Audio? 5.1 analog and/or HDMI?
A: ?

Q: When upconverting SD DVDs is there any MB-Enhance artifacts like in the Panasonic S77/97, Oppo, etc?
A: ?

Q: What is the difference between the HD-A1 and the HD-XA1.

A: The XA1 has the following features not included on the A1. They are mostly cosmetic and structural. Early on there was speculation about audio differences due to the spec sheets, but so far the A1 seems to have all the audio features listed on the XA1 spec sheet.

RS-232 port for control
Motorized Front
Motion Activated Backlit Remote
Large insulated stabilizing feet
All extruded aluminum construction (double wall)
Different appearance


Some of this is from memory, so if I missed anything please send me a PM and I will update it.

Q

I get an error message like: 'HDMI ERROR 2' and/or the Toshiba locks up: what happened?

A:

one reason could be the HDMI cable was disconnected, or you turned off your HDMI connected display with the Tosh still running: this can cause this error message, or cause the Tosh to lock up, or both:

you will need to reboot the Tosh (unplug the AC!)

Q: When playing a standard non-anamorphic DVD:

1. Does it display (by default) pillar boxed or stretched?

2. Is there an aspect ratio control to fix the result of 1? If so, where is that control?

A: ?????

Q. Does the HD A1 support Divx/Xvid playback via cd or dvd?

A. No, at the present time it does not. All Xvid/Divx files would have to be converted in order to play on the HD A1. :( Toshiba may include this feature in the future as a firmware upgrage, but it's doubtful.

Q: Does the HD-A1 have the same ADSP as the one used in HD-XA1 (Analog Devices SHARC ADSP-21266)?

Q: My HD-DVD specifications indicate that it includes a DD+ soundtrack, however when using the players optical/coax s/pdif outputs with "digital bitstream" selected as my ouput format, my receiver is identifying the digital bitstream as a DTS bitstream as opposed to DD.

A: If the content on your HD-DVD title is authored in Advanced Content mode, then the DD+ soundtrack is decoded and sent to the player's internal mixer and output using the player's internal ENCODER, which in the case of the HD-A1 is a DTS encoder.
See this post and related discussion (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7496986&&#post7496986)

Q: Does HD-A1 do 480i over HDMI?

A:No (Edit)

Q: Does HD-A1 have 2:2/3:2 chroma bug?
A: No.

Q: Does HD-A1 play .ts file on DVD-R/+R?
A: No, not now. unless you author it as an HD DVD.

Q: What is ICT flags? How does it effect 720p and 1080i (or even 1080p) over components? How should I know if the disc has enable the ICT flags?

A:

Q: I also would like to know if the HD-A1 stretches 4:3 material or uses the pillar-box method. My tv locks into full mode when viewing 480p or 1080i.

A:

Q: Does Toshiba HD-A1 support discrete on/off?

A: Partially, there is a IR code that functions as discrete on, but no discrete off. You can either use the discrete on IR available in the JP1 upgrade, or you can use "Play" as a substitute for discrete on. For discrete off, you will need to have some sort of device state tracking as the trusty old "Play/PowerToggle" substitute for discrete off will not work because the HD-A1 does not respond to IR until it is finished booting and it takes so long to boot.

EDIT: after looking over the RS232 commands it appears there is a discrete off function, but it was confirmed not to work via both IR and RS232 by dheiskel. This was with 1.4 firmware.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7980603&&#post7980603

Power Toggle - RS232/IR hex 12h , JP1 EFC 119 , JP1 OBC 018
Discrete On - RS232/IR hex 92h , JP1 EFC 127 , JP1 OBC 146
Discrete Off (not working) - RS232/IR hex 93h , JP1 EFC 131 , JP1 OBC 147

Please complain to Toshiba about discrete off not functioning properly for IR and RS232. This is the only way to get it fixed

Q: Where can I find a list of IR/RS232 functions

A: A list of the RS232 commands supported by the Toshiba and related siblings was posted on remote central. It was noted by dheiskel and others that the function codes map exactly to the IR codes.

http://www.remotecentral.com/cgi-bin/mboard/rc-touch/thread.cgi?1160
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7807264&&#post7807264

UPDATE: Mark Rubin gives information on how to get RS232 working
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8193553&&#post8193553

a few folks have gotten the serial commands to work:
you must use a null modem adapter since pins 2 & 3 are reversed: there is no feedback from the XA-1 (one-way only, not bidirectional)

Q: Where is JP1 upgrade for Toshiba HD-A1?

A: http://www.hifi-remote.com/forums/dload.php?action=file&file_id=3092

These codes were created for the Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD player.

All original functions of OEM remote are included, including
some extra functions not on the original remote.

Following functions *not* included on the OEM have been added:

discrete on (discrete off not available)
tray lock/unlock
factory reset
display time
display firmware ver

Questions - PM sfhub at http://www.avsforum.com/

Q: Are the HDMI and component video outputs active at the same time? (Can't test my unit until I pick-up an HDMI/DVI adapter.)

Q: in the set up menu, what options for screen or display type does the unit have?

A: ???

Mark

Q: What is ICT flags? How does it effect 720p and 1080i (or even 1080p) over components? How should I know if the disc has enable the ICT flags?

A:
A: ICT stands for Image Constraint Token. It is a flag in the copy protection layer of HD DVD (and BD) that tells the player to reduce the resolution of content to 960x540 ("540p") on analog output. As a way of comparison, DVD resolution is 720x480 or roughly 50% lower than ICT content. Digital output with copy protection (e.g. HDMI or DVI+HDCP) is unaffected by this flag.

The flag can only be set by studios. The equipment maker makes no decision here. As of this writing (April 17, 2006), ICT does not seem to be in favor so its usage should be low.

Note that the player is free to "upsample" the signal back to whatever output the player is set to. As a result the player can still output 1080i or 1080p even in the presence of ICT. It is just the quality of the signal will be lower than the output can handle. Upconversion to 720p may be more difficult than 1080i and 1080p (since it is not multiple of 540p). So one should use 1080i/1080p (if available) before attempting to use lower rates.

Q; Why are some audio soundtracks louder than others?

A: Some of the studios are using button sounds on "in feature" menus. In order to avoid cliiping when mixing feature audio with buttons sounds, they lower the audio levels.

Q: Why does my receiver report DTS audio even though I am playing a Dolby Digital Plus soundtrack?

A: This occurs if you are using a SPDIF connection (coax or Toslink optical) and have the SPDIF output set to Bitstream (the default). The launch titles are using something called "Advanced Content". If this is on the disc, the players will decode the DD+ soundtrack to PCM, mix it with other audio if available (such as sounds from the menu buttons), then re-encode to DTS for output over SPDIF. This is not a bug, this is how it is supposed to operate. See the "Advanced con." row on page 59 of the manual.

So I just got mine today and saw this thread. I have been reading the other thread, but thought this would have some good information, which it does. However, I have some exceptions to what I have read. I have not tried this using a HD DVD but with a SD DVD disc since BB would not sell me TLS today.

1. Will the unit upconvert a SD DVD through the component out? The official answer is no, however I used several of my DL DVD backup discs and on those is will upconvert to 720p or 1080i using the component cables. Again, store bought DVD's will not due to encoding on the disc.

2. Can the signal output through the HDMI and Component connection? Not at the same time, however if you have both connected and change the output via the "V. Output" button on the remote you can switch between them while a movie is playing. I did this numerous times while trying to compare the component out to the HDMI out with no problems.

3. Can you switch resolutions while a movie is playing? Yes. At least with a SD DVD disc. Again, I did this numerous times while trying to figure out which resolution would be best for my set.

4. Will it read DVD-R/+R? I had no problem playing DVD DL-R discs in my player, so I would assume that it would.

If any one has contradictory information to the above please let me know and I will be more than happy to discuss it with you.

Thank you,

Kemical

Q: When playing a standard non-anamorphic DVD:

1. Does it display (by default) pillar boxed or stretched?

2. Is there an aspect ratio control to fix the result of 1? If so, where is that control?

A: ?????

Q: I also would like to know if the HD-A1 stretches 4:3 material or uses the pillar-box method. My tv locks into full mode when viewing 480p or 1080i.

A:

A: Happy to report that the player automatically pillarboxes 4:3. I have the same concerns with my TV and I was a bit worried about this before buying the player.

Member Ursa asked this question Why doesn't 720p look better than 1080i? (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=667837)

Alright, so the first reports from early adopters seem to indicate that 1080i is the preferred output from the HD-A1. This makes sense where you either have a) a 1080i display (e.g., CRT), or b) have a display that can reconstruct the 24fps content from the 1080i signal (i.e., perform inverse telecine (proper) or 3:2 pulldown (common, but improper)). What puzzles me, and what I will need to test with my H77 when I get my player and content later in the week, is that this preference also seems to hold for 720p native displays (e.g., most front projectors sold in the last two years).

To understand why this is confusing, let's look at when and how signal processing gets done in a typical set-up:

1080i Source --> Display[Downscale 1080i->540p --> Upscale 540p->720p --> Image formatter and display electronics]

Normally, one would want the signal deinterlaced from 1080i to 1080p before it is downscaled, but VERY few processors are capable of doing any kind of HD deinterlacing, let alone doing it well (e.g., beyond a simple bob or weave algorithm). Some examples of what will be in people's hands: Sony VPL-VW100 "Ruby", Marantz VP12S4, Yamaha DPX-1300; Lumagen HDP processors, Calibre VantageHD, DVDO iScan HD/HD+/VP30. One should note, though, that the DVDO products will only do bob/weave HD deinterlacing.

Given the above, what should be the best option for 720p display owners would look like this:

HD-A1[1080p24->720p24->720p60] --> Display[no processing]

Unfortunately, it seems that the downconversion/framerate conversion in the HD-A1 is not as good as what most displays are producing taking 1080i down to 540p and then back to 720p. I will reserve judgment on whether or not the qualitative reports are true, but so far, user reports seem to be consistent on this point.

While I believe I recall Stacey Spears indicating that downconverting was actually much harder than upconverting, the idea that downconverting 1080->720p directly looks worse than throwing away half of the picture information and then upscaling is a bit, um, troubling for my new toy.

Any thoughts from the experts on why this might be the case? Please keep this at the technical level. I would also like to isolate this to potentially specific implementations of specific processing solutions (e.g., Panasonic AE7/900 implementations of the Sil504).

To BD fans: this will undoubtedly apply to you, as well, if manufacturers do not provide an adequate processing solution in the players.

Later,
Bill


The problem has been confirmed by member sspears in this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7502768&&#post7502768).

I did some testing today w/r/t scaling quality of HD from the Toshiba player. It is one of the worst scaling engines I have seen.

If you have a 720p display and a better scaler you can repro my steps:
1. Set output of player to 720p
2. Load Serenity
3. Look at the main menu. Take a look at the right side of the menu. The edge is jagged.
4. Set output to 1080i
5. Look at the main menu. Take a look at the right side of the image. The edge is smooth.

I have seen the original menu elements and they look like # 5 above.

In my setup the output of the player goes into the iScan VP30. The output is into a 720p Samsung DLP. (SP-H700AE) In the case of the player sending 720p out, the iScan does a pass through. In the case of 1080i, the iScan scales up each 540 line field to 720p and does a half pixel offset correction.

I found similar problems in the film itself, but this one stood out the most.

2 answers (responds) have been given by my asking:
By member Mark Zimmer in this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7503510&&#post7503510)
Why would you set it to 720p when you're supposed to set it to 1080, which is what the disc is encoded at?


By member bferr1 in this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7503613&&#post7503613)
Why don't you set your player to 1080i and just leave it alone? Seriously. Only change it to 720p if you're playing a 720p disc. Otherwise, set it and forget it.

Please feel free to provide more detail if you have more information on the issue. Thanks in advance.

regards,

Li On

I just bought an HD A!, and plug it by using an HDMI/DVI cable and the image shakes. In other words sometimes it shows and then goes away. Does the player support HDMI/DVI or did i got a defective player?

Thanks

Christian

How does the fast forward and rewind look on HD-A1 using a HD DVD?
How does slow motion look with a HD DVD, and does it do slow motion both forward and reverse?

I just bought an HD A!, and plug it by using an HDMI/DVI cable and the image shakes. In other words sometimes it shows and then goes away. Does the player support HDMI/DVI or did i got a defective player?

Thanks

Christian

The player is set by default to output on the component video out so you need to set the player to output via hdmi/dvi (I think it's V out on the remote)

The player is set by default to output on the component video out so you need to set the player to output via hdmi/dvi (I think it's V out on the remote)


It's "V.OUTPUT" on the top left side. Third one down.

Kemical

Q: Why does my receiver report DTS audio even though I am playing a Dolby Digital Plus soundtrack?

A: This occurs if you are using a SPDIF connection (coax or Toslink optical) and have the SPDIF output set to Bitstream (the default). The launch titles are using something called "Advanced Content". If this is on the disc, the players will decode the DD+ soundtrack to PCM, mix it with other audio if available (such as sounds from the menu buttons), then re-encode to DTS for output over SPDIF. This is not a bug, this is how it is supposed to operate. See the "Advanced con." row on page 59 of the manual.

Will the DD output be like this on all HD DVD players? For example the new RCA HD DVD player that is coming out in May? This to me is just really idiotic. Why was it not made to just pass a regular DD 5.1 output over the optical outputs and pass regular DTS 5.1 the same way. DTS for everything over the optical output is just not right. Why was this not explained in better detail before the release of HD DVD players? Will Blue Ray pass DD and DTS the same way? I was all set to buy the Toshiba but I am not so sure now. Does anyone else feel this way?

<><

I was advised to post this here.

I have the A1 and a Sanyo Z2 PJ. I have to use a HDMI to DVI cable since my J is DVI only. When I set the PJ to RGB HDCP, it gives me a yellow screen and the player says HDMI ERROR.

I have set the player to HDMI, so I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Since the discs don't have the image contraints, I can use th component, but I'd like to be able to to use the DVI-HDMI.

Thanks
PH

My projector has only component inputs. How good is the image quality of the HD A1 using only components?

And are any discs so far known to use the awful ICT downrezzing flags?

- Tom

1. Will the unit upconvert a SD DVD through the component out? The official answer is no, however I used several of my DL DVD backup discs and on those is will upconvert to 720p or 1080i using the component cables. Again, store bought DVD's will not due to encoding on the disc.

The reason why you can upconvert your backup disks is that you stripped the copyright of the disk when you ripped it. For copyrighted disks, the CE manufactures are not allowed to send 720p/1080i over an analog connections according to licensing agreements. I really hope that makes sense now.

-Mark

A: Happy to report that the player automatically pillarboxes 4:3. I have the same concerns with my TV and I was a bit worried about this before buying the player.


So a wide screen (16:9) non-anamorphic is pillar boxed. Good.

Now, how do you zoom it to make it fill the screen?

Q: According to the manual, pressing the "display" button is supposed to cycle the front panel to allow you to view the clock, ....etc. When I hit this button, it does nothing when there is no disk in the player, and only shows disk properties when the disk is in. Has anyone been able to get the front display to cycle?

brian12773, sounds like a good candidate for the Firmware Upgrade Wishlist thread...

Q: Why am I able to scale HD DVDs on the component output but not SD DVDs?

A: HD and SD have different rules in place. You are not supposed to scale SD DVD on the component output if CSS is present. If you RIP an SD DVD it can be scaled.

An HD player must honor SD rules when playing SD content.

I have some webspace and such, if theres any interest, i can turn this FAQ into a searchable page, or even a Wiki so we have a place with all of the info!

HD uses the BT.709 color space and DVD uses BT.601.

Which does the player output? Or does it switch depending upon source? Or maybe pass that info via HDMI? (what about component?)

I keep reading about folks popping in a Video Essentials or Avia standard DVD and calibrating their sets for HD DVD. Does that necessarily work?

- Tom

Q. For those who have got the Warner Brothers hd-dvd discs already, do the cover of the discs contain some sort of warning abut the ICT? i.e. the discs will require HDMI connection for playback of full HD resolution? Thanks.

Q. For those who have got the Warner Brothers hd-dvd discs already, do the cover of the discs contain some sort of warning abut the ICT? i.e. the discs will require HDMI connection for playback of full HD resolution? Thanks.
No reference to ICT.

"*Levels of video resolution and audio standards require audio-visual equipment capability"

The above is related to the video resolution box at the top of the disc case.

Q. Is it finalised that HD-DVDs will have region coding sooner or later?

Which does the player output?

The HDMI output is sending YCbCr by default, so it is 709. I have played 709 color bars and they came out proper, but the conversion to RGB was being done by the iScan VP30 so that does not tell you what the DVI (RGB) output would look like.

Hi everybody. This is my first post here.

Q: Can the HD-A1 output 1080p24 through HDMI?

A:

Hi everybody. This is my first post here.

Q: Can the HD-A1 output 1080p24 through HDMI?

A:

Nope, 1080i is max, some hope we sill see this in a firmwar update but.... nevermind. 1080i.

Q: According to the manual, pressing the "display" button is supposed to cycle the front panel to allow you to view the clock, ....etc. When I hit this button, it does nothing when there is no disk in the player, and only shows disk properties when the disk is in. Has anyone been able to get the front display to cycle?
I found there is a special IR command to display the clock. It is separate from the "display" IR.

Q: Does the HD-A1 support "resume play" on HD-DVD discs? I've only had Serenity to try so far, and anytime I hit the stop button just once, it restarts from the beginning of the disc no matter what I try. Is this also the case with the Warner HD-DVD titles?

A: ???

Q: when switching from SD-DVD to HD-DVD, does the output of the component output
automatically switch to 1080i??

A:

the new FAQ is up :)

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7511627&&#post7511627

please continue to post additional Q&A here, and feel free to comment on the new thread (please reference the question number)

The new thread will remain closed as we continue to update it for a few days

I noticed that the best sound recommendation was to use the HDMI. Would it work if I used HDMI to my Pioneer VSX-72TXV and component to my Sony 34XBR-2? I have asked two of the sharpest guys on this forum but neither has answered back to me.

I noticed that the best sound recommendation was to use the HDMI. Would it work if I used HDMI to my Pioneer VSX-72TXV and component to my Sony 34XBR-2? I have asked two of the sharpest guys on this forum but neither has answered back to me.

OT but I have the 74TXVi and they will upconvert from component to HDMI, but they do not downconvert from HDMI to component.

OT but I have the 74TXVi and they will upconvert from component to HDMI, but they do not downconvert from HDMI to component.
Monty, I know this! What I would like to know is if I can use HDMI sound to my receiver while using component from the Toshiba player to my Sony TV. I got into HD along time ago and the highest input my Sony TV has is component.

Q: Does the unit pass blacker than black playing HD-DVD over HDMI @ 1080i? Normal rather than enhanced. I saw in one thread that it may not...

A:?????

Q: What is the difference between the HD-A1 and the HD-XA1.

A: The XA1 has the following features not included on the A1. They are mostly cosmetic and structural. Early on there was speculation about audio differences due to the spec sheets, but so far the A1 seems to have all the audio features listed on the XA1 spec sheet.

RS-232 port for control
Motorized Front
Motion Activated Backlit Remote
Large insulated stabilizing feet
All extruded aluminum construction (double wall)
Different appearance


Some of this is from memory, so if I missed anything please send me a PM and I will update it.


If these are the only differences in the players, why the 300 price difference?

Monty, I know this! What I would like to know is if I can use HDMI sound to my receiver while using component from the Toshiba player to my Sony TV. I got into HD along time ago and the highest input my Sony TV has is component.


I do not believe the HDA1 will output both signals at the sametime. Which means that audio will not output fom the HDMI while video is going out the component. I may be wrong on this, but just from playing with it the last few days it looks as though the HDA1 shuts off one output while the other is being used.

Kemical

A: ICT stands for Image Constraint Token. It is a flag in the copy protection layer of HD DVD (and BD) that tells the player to reduce the resolution of content to 960x540 ("540p") on analog output. As a way of comparison, DVD resolution is 720x480 or roughly 50% lower than ICT content. Digital output with copy protection (e.g. HDMI or DVI+HDCP) is unaffected by this flag.

The flag can only be set by studios. The equipment maker makes no decision here. As of this writing (April 17, 2006), ICT does not seem to be in favor so its usage should be low.

Note that the player is free to "upsample" the signal back to whatever output the player is set to. As a result the player can still output 1080i or 1080p even in the presence of ICT. It is just the quality of the signal will be lower than the output can handle. Upconversion to 720p may be more difficult than 1080i and 1080p (since it is not multiple of 540p). So one should use 1080i/1080p (if available) before attempting to use lower rates.

While all of this is true in general for ICT, I don't think that is true for the HD-A1. From page 21 and 22 in the manual:

HD DVD and DVD video disc creators have the option to include copy protection instructions in their discs that prohibit the output of some standard video or high definition video (original 720p or 1080i or up-converted 480i or 480p) from the COMPONENT OUTPUT jacks. If such instructions are present in the disc you are playing, you must use the HDMI OUTPUT jack to view the disc in a high definition format and the COMPONENT OUTPUT jacks, if activated, will output video only in 480i or 480p resolution.

Based on that I believe you will only get 480p output of ICT discs over component video with the HD-A1.

how is the toshiba hd-a1 pq upconverting a sd dvd, as compared to a sd dvd upconverting player ? such as the pany s97s or the lg 511

Q: My remote seems to have a problem with the 'down' menu button, is this normal?
A: This seems to be a common complaint within the first batch of HD-A1 owners. Some have had better luck by replacing the batteries, but others have had to move to replacement remotes such as the Logitech Harmony series. Generally, the included remote is not considered a very good one due to poor layout, low visibility, no backlighting, 'missed' commands and more.

Sam

While all of this is true in general for ICT, I don't think that is true for the HD-A1. From page 21 and 22 in the manual:



Based on that I believe you will only get 480p output of ICT discs over component video with the HD-A1.
Candidate for firmware fix :)

Just got the new A1, not even out of the box but reading this thread I had the following question:

Q: How will one update the firmware on the A1, can you somehow do it via the internet like Avelink Player?

Q: Can I send video out over component and audio out over HDMI?

A: I tried this and it does not seem to be possible. After inserting a disk the player stops with "HDMI Error 0". It seems that it must find a HDMI display in the HDMI chain if it is connected to an HDMI receiver.

Q: Is there a way to defeat the crossover in HD-A1? What happens to the sub crossover when all speakers are set to large?

A: ???

Q: Can I send video out over component and audio out over HDMI?

A: I tried this and it does not seem to be possible. After inserting a disk the player stops with "HDMI Error 0". It seems that it must find a HDMI display in the HDMI chain if it is connected to an HDMI receiver.

John, I thank you! Sure appreciate your giving this a try for me!

Q: Is there a way to defeat the crossover in HD-A1? What happens to the sub crossover when all speakers are set to large?

A: ???
That's a good question, my guess is that when set to large the speakers pass full BW, and when the speaker is set to small the LF is sent to the SW at whatever crossover point is set...but, it doesn't indicate one way or the other in the manual...I guess a way to check would be to set them all at large and see if there is any SW output.

typical FAQ Question:



Q: I setup the HD-A1 and connected it to my display with an HDMI cable, but I cannot get any picture?

Answer:

on the remote is a button: V.Output: stop the disc and hit this button : after a brief pausef the display on the player should now show: HDMI (center top of display): the display must show HDMI in order for the unit to output HDMI

you can also press the resolution button to try different resolutions



It seems that a few of us have "fixed" HDMI to DVI conversion problems on older sets by using a dual-link DVI cable instead of single. Maybe that should go somewhere on the FAQ to save alot of headaches and returned players.

Q: Should the player be set to Enhanced Black Level?

A:

Q: Connectivity via Ethernet: Any content make use of this feature yet? How does it work? What exactly can you download and what appears on the screen?

I don't suppose this thing has the ability to render web content (i.e., HTML, Flash) or some embedded browser technology (i.e., Opera), does it?

I apologize in advance for asking some "stupid" questions.

Q1: My Panny 50 plasma has DVI input, so I need a HDMI/DVI conversion cable, i.e. HDMI one end, DVI other end, correct ? Any special kind of HDMI/DVI conversion cable needed?

Q2: If I connect with component cables, I will not get a HD picture from a true HD-DVD disc, and they will look just like a regular SD-DVD, correct?

Q3: With proper HDMI connection, regular SD DVD will be up-converted to "near HD", but will not look quite as good as the same movie HD-DVD, correct?

If I'm watching a movie on the HD-A1, and change to another input on my TV, for example, to check out a ball game, I get an HDMI ERROR on the HD-A1 and have to shut it off and restart. Why does this happen????

Q1: My Panny 50 plasma has DVI input, so I need a HDMI/DVI conversion cable, i.e. HDMI one end, DVI other end, correct ? Any special kind of HDMI/DVI conversion cable needed?

A1: There is only type of HDMI/DVI conversion cable, although there are a range of brands, prices, and possibly construction quality. Try some of the sponsor links at the top of any forum page to get decent cables at a reasonable price (RAM, Bluejeans, Monoprice). You might also consider getting a HDMI cable and a HDMI/DVI adapter. This way if you change your display you can still use the HDMI cable.

Q2: If I connect with component cables, I will not get a HD picture from a true HD-DVD disc, and they will look just like a regular SD-DVD, correct?

A2:Only if the ICT flag is set on the disk, which so far none of the launch titles have.

Q3: With proper HDMI connection, regular SD DVD will be up-converted to "near HD", but will not look quite as good as the same movie HD-DVD, correct?

A3: If the player has a good internal scaler, then SD DVD may look better than using the scaler in your HDTV. You will have to try both to judge. But assuming your TV is at least 720P, HD DVD will look better than SD DVD.

Q: Does the HD-A1 support "resume play" on HD-DVD discs? I've only had Serenity to try so far, and anytime I hit the stop button just once, it restarts from the beginning of the disc no matter what I try. Is this also the case with the Warner HD-DVD titles?

A: ???

A: Yes, so far

If I'm watching a movie on the HD-A1, and change to another input on my TV, for example, to check out a ball game, I get an HDMI ERROR on the HD-A1 and have to shut it off and restart. Why does this happen????

this from the new FAQ:


Question 5 from markrubin
Q: I get an error message like: 'HDMI ERROR 2' and/or the Toshiba locks up: what happened?

A: One reason could be the HDMI cable was disconnected, or you turned off your HDMI connected display with the player still running, this can cause this error message, or cause the Tosh to lock up, or both. You will need to reboot the Tosh (unplug the AC or hold the power button for 20 seconds).



This to me is one of the most 'user unfriendly' aspects of this player: if you are watching a movie and turn off the TV, or switch off the HDMI input with an HDMI switch or repeater device, this error comes up: this may be a part of AACS protocol we have to live with

However I also heard that if you get this error, you may not have to reboot the player, that after you re-establish the HDMI connection, you can resume play by a command to the Tosh: can someone confirm this? we can then update the FAQ

You can hit play. It does not resume, it starts at the beginning which is pretty bad. I added this to the firmware upgrade request ;)

- Rich

It does seem to remember bookmarks. I don't know how many or how long, but it still remebers all 8 bookmarks I made for POTO from a couple of days ago. And I had removed the disc from the player and looked at another disc. I just reinserted POTO and all 8 boomarks are still there.

Q: The setup allows me to choose between Bitstream and PCM for the audio output. What do I want to select and what is the difference? Does it depend on my receiver/decoder?

A: ?

However I also heard that if you get this error, you may not have to reboot the player, that after you re-establish the HDMI connection, you can resume play by a command to the Tosh: can someone confirm this? we can then update the FAQYes, I can also confirm this. Hitting play after the HDMI error resumes playback(as long as you've re-established the HDMI connection), albeit from the beginning of the movie.

You can hit play. It does not resume, it starts at the beginning which is pretty bad. I added this to the firmware upgrade request ;)

- Rich

Yes, I can also confirm this. Hitting play after the HDMI error resumes playback(as long as you've re-established the HDMI connection), albeit from the beginning of the movie.

Thanks for the confirmation: it is better than having to reboot :)

will update the FAQ

I've noticed that there is also a "resumeplay" button on the remote. Has anyone tried to use this to resume play.

Just to let everyone know i'm compiling the last day or 2 of q/as and will update sometime today/tonight! Thanks for all the input!

How about posting a database for HDDVD's that will or will not include ICT flags as each title is released. I know most released early will not have the flags set, but I fear this may change at some point and having a listing for these will help those owners of HDTV's with only component inputs find compatible movies to view in HD.

Three Steps to Correcting a HDMI error.

Steps:
1) If needed, put the Player into HDMI mode with the v.output button. Check the front display of the player to see what output is being used.
2) Turn off the TV and turn it back on.
3) Put the TV into HDMI mode.

This worked for both of my Samsungs that had the dreaded HDMI error.

It appears that most of the HDMI errors appear to be related to a poor implementation of HDMI in the TVs, especially with the Samsung units. I think that some of the TVs are poor HDMI listeners. My theory is that they only check for a HDMI signal once when the setting is selected, instead of polling for a signal until a connection is made. To get it to listen again, you have to turn off the TV and reselect HDMI.

Dave Wellington

Problem confirmed. The HD DVD version Phantom of the Opera and of The Last Samurai do have lower audio levels than SD DVD. I just did some back to back (HD to SD) testing. Both of these titles in HD are about 5 to 10 dB lower than SD.

Solution. Turn up the volume.

Q: The setup allows me to choose between Bitstream and PCM for the audio output. What do I want to select and what is the difference? Does it depend on my receiver/decoder?

A: ?
A: If you are talking about SPDIF you should choose bitstream, otherwise you will get 2 channel only. See page 59 of the manual for details.

Problem: So you don’t like see DTS on your receiver when your disc package says DD+.

Solution: Switch to analogue line level or HDMI. Both of these outputs have far better audio capabilities. SPDIF only has a maximum of 1.5 Mbps. Analogue line level and HDMI can handle 6 Mbps of lossless MLP (True HD) Audio.

Your receiver will not say Dolby Digital Plus on the front when running analogue line level or HDMI , but that fine becasue it is producing LPCM.

Toshiba A1 has some of the best digital to analogue converters I have ever heard.

Dave Wellington

Q. Can the player output 1080p24SF

Problem: So you don’t like see DTS on your receiver when your disc package says DD+.

Solution: Switch to analogue line level or HDMI. Both of these outputs have far better audio capabilities. SPDIF only has a maximum of 1.5 Mbps. Analogue line level and HDMI can handle 6 Mbps of lossless MLP (True HD) Audio.

Your receiver will not say Dolby Digital Plus on the front when running analogue line level or HDMI , but that fine becasue it is producing LPCM.

Toshiba A1 has some of the best digital to analogue converters I have ever heard.

Dave Wellington

I do not think you are correct with analog. I tried playing phantom and selecting the True-HD output and the player said it was not supported on this player. I would love to get True-HD out the analog outputs. Is there a trick?

- Rich

Is calibrating your display with a SD DVD like Avia or DVE adequate?

Is there anything like THX Optimizer on the HD DVD discs?

I do not think you are correct with analog. I tried playing phantom and selecting the True-HD output and the player said it was not supported on this player. I would love to get True-HD out the analog outputs. Is there a trick?

- Rich
What it says is that "multi-channel" TrueHD is not supported. The spec sheets and manuals say that TrueHD is 2 channel only. If you go ahead and click OK, you will get 2 channels sent to whatever output you are using, including analog.

What it says is that "multi-channel" TrueHD is not supported. The spec sheets and manuals say that TrueHD is 2 channel only. If you go ahead and click OK, you will get 2 channels sent to whatever output you are using, including analog.

Yes, you are correct...the manual also indicates this to be the case...only 2 channel TrueHD.

Q: Is it possible to do single frame advance?

A: Not on the available HD-DVDs. The manual indicates the player is capable of single frame advance but that some discs may not allow that. For the HD-DVDs I have, the pause button just toggles between pause and play.

Wow! No single frame advance? I'm just trying to get the basic information on this player and it's taken 93 posts to know that it doesn't have single frame advance. Post 30 is me asking about slow motion forward and reverse, and there's still no answer here. For example the HD-Tivo will let you slo-mo going forward, pause, and step frame by frame going forward only. However forward only does give you the abilty to study a scene frame by frame. I'll ask the question again. Is there any slo-mo capabilities with this machine using a HD disk?

Q: ... does it do slow motion both forward and reverse?

A: No. it does forward slow motion only. There are several levels of slowness, but no indication of current speed.

If you are using HDMI out for video, does the player also output audio on the 2 channel audio out?

If you are using HDMI out for video, does the player also output audio on the 2 channel audio out?
I have not tested 2 channel, but I know that you get 5.1 channel analog out regardless of whether or not you have an HDMI connection for audio and video. I think the analog signal is always sent to the RCA jacks no matter how you have it connected. I would expect 2 channel analog is always on as well.

Q: My remote seems to have a problem with the 'down' menu button, is this normal?
A: This seems to be a common complaint within the first batch of HD-A1 owners. Some have had better luck by replacing the batteries, but others have had to move to replacement remotes such as the Logitech Harmony series. Generally, the included remote is not considered a very good one due to poor layout, low visibility, no backlighting, 'missed' commands and more.

Sam
Hi Kadath - it's the contacts for the down button on the remote.

See some info on how to replicate here http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=7538317#post7538317

It will help you enormously to go into Setup/General and set Remote Control Sounds "On".

A: Yes, Through HDMI, Not through Component ;)

Q: Will it do so over component outputs?
A: No, Not through Component

It depends on the DVD. I belive if the copyprotection from the DVD is removed, it will display the DVD in both 720p and 1080i. But most DVD's will only play in 480p.

So should the player be set to enhanced black or not for HDMI out?

I have a Pan A700E front projector with a HDMI to DVI cable--about a 30' run from my rack to the ceiling mounted projector. I was using a Denon 1910 dvd player which has a DVI out. Now I am considering the new HD DVD player using a Parts Express female DVI to male HDMI adapter. Will I have handshanking problems? Thanks.

To connect to the Internet and do the firmware upgrade, does the player have to be hooked up to a TV/Projector to see what is happening? The reason I ask, is that my Internet connection is in another room. I have to decide whether to move the Internect connection or move the player without the TV (200 lb. CRT).

Q. I have an older HDTV that only supports component input. If I connect the HD-A1 to my HDTV what resolutions will I get?

A. For component output, you will get the following results:

Copy protected DVDs will be upconverted to 480p.
Non copy protected DVDs will be upconverted to 720p or 1080i based on the HD-A1 resolution setting.
HDDVDs without ICT will be output at either 720p or 1080i based on the HD-A1 resolution setting (current HDDVD titles are shipping without ICT, e.g Phantom..).
HDDVDs with ICT will be downconverted to 960x540p.



-Techtom

Q. I have an older HDTV that only supports component input. If I connect the HD-A1 to my HDTV what resolutions will I get?

A. For component output, you will get the following results:

Copy protected DVDs will be upconverted to 480p.
Non copy protected DVDs will be upconverted to 720p or 1080i based on the HD-A1 resolution setting.
HDDVDs without ICT will be output at either 720p or 1080i based on the HD-A1 resolution setting (current HDDVD titles are shipping without ICT, e.g Phantom..).
HDDVDs with ICT will be downconverted to 960x540p.



-Techtom

Shouldn't the last line be "HDDVDs with ICT will be downconverted to 960x540p, and then output at 720p or 1080i based on the HD-A1 resolution setting"?

- Tom

Q. I have an older HDTV that only supports component input. If I connect the HD-A1 to my HDTV what resolutions will I get?

A. For component output, you will get the following results:

Copy protected DVDs will be upconverted to 480p.
Non copy protected DVDs will be upconverted to 720p or 1080i based on the HD-A1 resolution setting.
HDDVDs without ICT will be output at either 720p or 1080i based on the HD-A1 resolution setting (current HDDVD titles are shipping without ICT, e.g Phantom..).
HDDVDs with ICT will be downconverted to 960x540p.



-Techtom

Call or send mail to digitalconnection.com. I believe they had a solution that handled HDCP as well.

- Rich

Wow! No single frame advance? I'm just trying to get the basic information on this player and it's taken 93 posts to know that it doesn't have single frame advance. Post 30 is me asking about slow motion forward and reverse, and there's still no answer here. For example the HD-Tivo will let you slo-mo going forward, pause, and step frame by frame going forward only. However forward only does give you the abilty to study a scene frame by frame. I'll ask the question again. Is there any slo-mo capabilities with this machine using a HD disk?
The "slow" button does work on the discs I tested. Only in forward.

The first press of "Slow" start slo-mo mode, each subsequent press drops the slo-mo speed more.

I meant to test the pause by holding it down continuously but forgot.

So should the player be set to enhanced black or not for HDMI out?
I choose not to use Enhanced Black - and this is a general rule for all my sources except DVHS.

Hi all - just as a note, I got confirmation from Calibre that the Vantage HD supports PCM audio up to 8 channels to be passed through over HDMI and still have the automatic time delay feature working. I'm assuming they meant up to 96/24, which is the 1.1 HDMI limitation, I think.

I'll be testing this out tonight.

Q: Where can I find a pre-built file for the HD-A1 for my programmable remote control?

A: Try this thread: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=671196

Q: Can I have more than one output active at once?

A: Sort of. When the player is in 480i mode, both the component and S-Video outputs are active. However, at any resolution above 480i, only one output will be active (i.e., HDMI or Component).


Q: Can I use HD-DVDs with my SDTV (to take advantage of the improved audio)?

A: No, the minimum resolution for HD-DVDs is 480p with the HD-A1. Thus, you need an EDTV or HDTV for use with HD-DVDs.

Q: How do you use the book mark function? I tried several times pressing "B" on the remote and nothing happens! I cannot find any reference to book marks in the manual.

Q: Will HD DVD also have macroblocking issues that the SD Faroudja chip players had with the Panasonic HDTV plasma?

A:

Q: How do you use the book mark function? I tried several times pressing "B" on the remote and nothing happens! I cannot find any reference to book marks in the manual.
The "B" button works on mine - at least for Phantom of the Opera. I actually pressed it by accident while experimenting.

And you're right, I had *scoured* the manual for a reference, but there was nothing :)

Q: Will HD DVD also have macroblocking issues that the SD Faroudja chip players had with the Panasonic HDTV plasma?

A:
The Toshiba players do not have the macroblocking issues - good news

Q: How do you use the book mark function? I tried several times pressing "B" on the remote and nothing happens! I cannot find any reference to book marks in the manual.


The "B" button works on mine - at least for Phantom of the Opera. I actually pressed it by accident while experimenting.

And you're right, I had *scoured* the manual for a reference, but there was nothing :)

I believe that the B bookmark ability is a feature of the Warner discs only (iHD option?). It even explains that option at the beginning of TLS (that's the only Warner title I have). The Warner discs also show counters on the title menus with a time remaining bar whereas the Universal titles do not.

Sorry if this was asked already, but, does the A1 play back DVD Plus R and RWs?

I know it's advertised to play the DVD -R and -Rw

Edit:

Found good news in this post:

"Originally Posted by aaronwt
My Memorex and Verbatim SL and DL discs are all set to change the booktype to DVD-Rom. They work in my A1 no problem.
+R DL and SL and +RW discs all work fine in my A1. I don't have any problems with the several discs I've tried."

Q: Looking to connect a ethernet bridge to this will it work?

Q: When upconverting SD DVDs is there any MB-Enhance artifacts like in the Panasonic S77/97, Oppo, etc?
A: ?

I am the proud owner of the DVD S97 and the HD-A1, I can say with no hesitation that the HD-A1 blows the DVD- S97 out of the water (sorry old girl, we got to put 'ya down!) I watched a few S97 staples yesterday and was pleasantly suprised. Master and Commander looked better than the best setting on the S97 when played through the HD-A1, Obviously the authoring of the DVD is intrinsically going to have MB, but the HD-A1 really cleaned it up a lot, the scene with the anchor during the first "duet" still was unappealing but better than I have previously seen it. The SW Episode III has absolutely NEVER EVER been as crisp and clean (execept on opening night at the digital theatre)... can't wait for either on HD-DVD now! Hope this helps, PM me with any other questions.

Q: Can I play HD-DVD media from other countries?

Q: Can I play HD-DVD media from other countries?

A: No... and YES. The disc must be coded Region 1 or ALL encoded... SO technically if you have HD-DVD with the REGION ALL encoding you can play it on the HD-A1.

A: No... and YES. The disc must be coded Region 1 or ALL encoded... SO technically if you have HD-DVD with the REGION ALL encoding you can play it on the HD-A1.

eizenga: Is this a well-informed answer? As discussed on other threads (see Studio Canal thread, for example), there is no Regional Coding for HD-DVD.

I just noticed the "60 cycle hum" that a few others have noticed. I use 5.1 individual analog connections to my A/V receiver. So my FAQs are:

Q. Which of the following audio hook-ups experience low-frequency hum: 1) HDMI, 2) 5.1 analog, 3) 5.1 optical, 4) 5.1 coax?

Q. How do I overcome the hum?

Regarding the second question, one person recommended a 3-to-2 power plug adapter.

Q. How do I overcome the hum?

Regarding the second question, one person recommended a 3-to-2 power plug adapter.
That should only be done as a diagnostic procedure to try and isolate what is causing the ground loop. It should not be used as a permanent solution.

That should only be done as a diagnostic procedure to try and isolate what is causing the ground loop. It should not be used as a permanent solution. Ground loops are a pain. I had a ground loop issue that was caused by the cable coax connection from the cable company. I fixed it using a VIDEO ISOLATION TRANSFORMER. (http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=180-075)

Before buying that item I first disconnected the coax cable to see if it fixed the problem, which it did and order the isolator.

...Angelo

Q. How do I overcome the hum?

Regarding the second question, one person recommended a 3-to-2 power plug adapter.
This is a simple question with a complex answer. Go to Google and search "Ground Loop Hum". You will find several web pages with tips.

eizenga: Is this a well-informed answer? As discussed on other threads (see Studio Canal thread, for example), there is no Regional Coding for HD-DVD.


I read the manual before anything and the manual said that it would ONLY play "Region 1 or Region All", HOWEVER, I personally haven't tried it but that is what it said.

Q: How should I connect the audio for best sound quality?

A: There are several options for audio connection, it has become more complicated than standard DVD. See the attached PDF for the "Output sound conversion table" from the manual and you will see what I mean. See this post for a good more detailed summary of what we currently know about the audio options.

Best Choice: If you have a receiver with HDMI 1.1 inputs that will accept 5.1 channel digital PCM, use HDMI. You will get the new Dolby Digital and DTS formats decoded by the player and output in all their glory. This input should allow all the speaker setup, bass management and surround processing in your receiver to work. It will also use your receiver's DACs (digital/analog converters) which are likely better than what's in the A1. Set the HDMI audio output of the A1 to Auto (the default) or PCM (if Auto doesn't produce 5.1 channel PCM or you want to force it for all formats).

Second Choice: If you have a receiver with 5.1 channel analog inputs, use a 5.1 channel analog connection. The PCM signals (see above) will be sent through the internal 5.1 channel 24/192 DACs in the A1 and output as analog. If your receiver does not apply speaker setup and bass management to this input (most don't), use the Audio, Speaker Settings menu under Set Up. Even if it does, you may want to use the pass through mode on the receiver to avoid an extra A/D and D/A step. Which is best may depend on your receiver and how well it does these conversions.

Third Choice: If you have neither of the above but your receiver can decode DTS, then use a SPDIF coaxial or Toslink (optical) connection. The Dolby Digital Plus soundtracks will be converted to either standard DD or DTS and can be decoded by your receiver. The output format will depend to the disc, but so far the launch titles are output as DTS only over SPDIF. DTS soundtracks should be passed as DTS as well. Set Audio, Digital out SPDIF to Bitstream (should be the default) under Setup.

If you don't have a receiver with any of the above, your only option may be 2 channel PCM audio passed over SPDIF (set Digital out SPDIF to PCM) or 2 channel analog. It may be time consider buying a new receiver.

Mine is the third choice - I have coaxial connected from the toshiba to my receiver. You only specify setting for Digital out SPDIF, what about Digital out HDMI, Dynamic Range Control, Dialog enhancement and Speaker Setting. I think speaker setting is not really applicable since this is already set up on my receiver. I have been less than impressed with the audio on this player, it sounds very low when using the sound from my TV, when using my receiver it sounds a little better but not all that great either.

Mine is the third choice - I have coaxial connected from the toshiba to my receiver. You only specify setting for Digital out SPDIF, what about Digital out HDMI, Dynamic Range Control, Dialog enhancement and Speaker Setting. I think speaker setting is not really applicable since this is already set up on my receiver. I have been less than impressed with the audio on this player, it sounds very low when using the sound from my TV, when using my receiver it sounds a little better but not all that great either.
The Digital Out HDMI settings should not affect output over SPDIF. The Speaker Settings only affect the analog outputs. The first three Warner titles (Last Samurai, Phantom of the Opera, Million Dollar Baby) all have low audio volume. This is a problem with the discs, not your player or setup. The Universal titles should be closer to the volume you get from other sources. I don't know what the best settings are for Dynamic Range Control and Dialog Enhancement, although some have reported they bump up the low volume.

Q: I have an older projector with no HDMI or DVI inputs and I would like to be able to use the upconversion capabilities on SD-DVD's. is there anyway to use adapters and cables to change the HDMI to component such as a HDMI to DVI cable, which I have, and buy a female DVI to component break-out cable, which ram electronics has got for about $23. Will this configuration give a decent enough if not full upconversion?

Rick

I read the manual before anything and the manual said that it would ONLY play "Region 1 or Region All", HOWEVER, I personally haven't tried it but that is what it said.

This may be true when playing SD DVD's on the HD-A1. Your original post referred to HD-DVDs only.

...I don't know what the best settings are for Dynamic Range Control and Dialog Enhancement, although some have reported they bump up the low volume.
The "Dialog Enhancement" option definitely increases the audio output to all channels. I have used it with POTO and TLS and in each case the audio output was increased to all channels when connected via coaxial to the receiver. The manual states that option only applies to the 2 channel output, but that appears not to be the case.

web

My JVC SX21 needs DVI-PC. I'm using the HDMI but when I switch the enhanced black setting on and off I see no difference in the black level. Usually switching the enhanced black level toggles between DVI-V and DVI-PC. Do you believe the enhanced black level is only for component?

This may be true when playing SD DVD's on the HD-A1. Your original post referred to HD-DVDs only.

I was laboring under the assumption that the HD-A1 manual was talking about HD-DVDs (was it not?) Not sure why the manual would give you so much information about the inferior product ;)

But you may be right... DAMN now I need to find a region 3 HD-DVD?? Any ideas where I can get one?!

I was laboring under the assumption that the HD-A1 manual was talking about HD-DVDs (was it not?) Not sure why the manual would give you so much information about the inferior product ;)

But you may be right... DAMN now I need to find a region 3 HD-DVD?? Any ideas where I can get one?!
There's no region coding on HD-DVD's at this time, so there would be no way to get a region 3 HD-DVD.

There's no region coding on HD-DVD's at this time, so there would be no way to get a region 3 HD-DVD.


LOL, I didn't even think of that when I posted it... I guess it would make sense....

Q: I have an older projector with no HDMI or DVI inputs and I would like to be able to use the upconversion capabilities on SD-DVD's. is there anyway to use adapters and cables to change the HDMI to component such as a HDMI to DVI cable, which I have, and buy a female DVI to component break-out cable, which ram electronics has got for about $23. Will this configuration give a decent enough if not full upconversion?

Rick
Doesn't work. I have tried several Ways to get upconversion from DVI or HDMI to component. Apparently the HDCP is good for something :rolleyes: . So the only Solution I came up with was I got a relatively cheap LG 7832 DVD player(Zenith 318 is the eqvilant in USA) and use it for the projector and will use the HDMI with my PIO for upconvertind SD DVD. Or if you can wait till the other unknown manufacturers come out with solution that allows you to play HD DVD as well as Upconvert SD DVD.

I have another question about the "Bookmark" feature. When I asked the question, I had tried setting the bookmark on a Universal disc. Now that I know that it only works on the Warner discs I went back and tried it again. Sure enough....it puts in the bookmarks.

Now, how do I actually access the bookmarks? And (just as important) how do I delete them once I no longer want them?

I would appreciate any help with this. Thanks in advance.

Doesn't work. I have tried several Ways to get upconversion from DVI or HDMI to component. Apparently the HDCP is good for something :rolleyes: .


I received my player from Walmart.com today. Since I don't have a digital input, I bought a device from Digital connections that converts DVI to VGA and is HDCP compliant.

I THINK it's working, since I can upscale standard discs and play TLS, both of which look very, very good at 1080i. My only problem is I have no control over color or tint using HDMI. I have the Sharp 10X projector with an 8 ft screen.

And BTW, so far, just had this for a few hours, I am not experiencing any problem with the down button on the remote and loading time is not bad. HDMI handshaking seems to be a bit irritable, though.

Sorry if this has already been asked but would anyone know the exact size of the A1 Box as i need to bring one back to the UK In July and need to know if my case will be big enough.
Many thanks

Sorry if this has already been asked but would anyone know the exact size of the A1 Box as i need to bring one back to the UK In July and need to know if my case will be big enough.
Many thanks

In mm (from manual)
430W x 103H x 353D

In inches (converted, rounded up, and verified with tape measure)
17.0W x 4.1H x 13.9D

Weight 7.4 kg or 16.3 lbs

Q: Can I burn a DVD+R/-R/DL with HD content and play it on the A1? Either as just raw .ts or other files, or as a properly authored "HD-DVD" disc? Is there any software that knows how to author "HD-DVD"?

Q: What are the internals of the Toshiba HD-A1?

A: The unit has much in common with a PC:

CPU: Pentium 4 2.5 GHz
RAM: 1 GB PC2700 DDR RAM
Firmware: 256 MB NAND Flash (connected by USB 2.0) running Redhat Linux
Drive: IDE desktop PC HD-DVD drive (NEC HR-1100A/TOS in disassembled units)

Pictures of internals (http://www.diskusjon.no/index.php?showtopic=566106#entry5945198)
Description, with video (http://geekswithblogs.net/lorint/archive/2006/04/21/75795.aspx)

My JVC SX21 needs DVI-PC. I'm using the HDMI but when I switch the enhanced black setting on and off I see no difference in the black level. Usually switching the enhanced black level toggles between DVI-V and DVI-PC. Do you believe the enhanced black level is only for component?
Enhanced Black Level is the name for the switch that determines how the HD-A1 outputs "black" over the component output. With it off, the sets black to the NTSC standard of 7.5IRE (this is also called "setup" or a "pedestal"). With it on, the player sets black to 0IRE, the standard for video outside of North America.

Later,
Bill

I have my A1 hooked up via the 5.1 outputs as reccomended but have a question about TruHD. I have read a lot about how the A1 will decode TruHD as two channel only. My question is, is there any point in trying to use this?

I have my A1 hooked up via the 5.1 outputs as reccomended but have a question about TruHD. I have read a lot about how the A1 will decode TruHD as two channel only. My question is, is there any point in trying to use this?
I guess it depends on if you prefer 2 channel lossless audio or 5.1 channel lossy audio. I have switched back and forth between the two using Phantom of the Opera. Of course it sounds very different because of where the sound is coming from, but I can't hear a signficant difference it the quality. But I'm not an audiophile and only have a mid-level sound system.

I have my A1 hooked up via the 5.1 outputs as reccomended but have a question about TruHD. I have read a lot about how the A1 will decode TruHD as two channel only. My question is, is there any point in trying to use this?
At the moment, it serves as a good test of how TruHD sounds.

While DD+ is certainly a bigimprovement over regular DD, the sound of TruHD is very vibrant and open - I like it a lot and there is a clear difference.

There is speculation that the A1/XA1 may be able to do 5.1 TruHD with a firmware update. The chips onboard certainly can do it, based on some research I did in another thread.

At the moment, it serves as a good test of how TruHD sounds.

While DD+ is certainly a bigimprovement over regular DD, the sound of TruHD is very vibrant and open - I like it a lot and there is a clear difference.

There is speculation that the A1/XA1 may be able to do 5.1 TruHD with a firmware update. The chips onboard certainly can do it, based on some research I did in another thread.

So how do you output the two channel to your receiver? Does the receiver take the two channel and send parts to the surround speakers?

It just sends a two-channel downmix - I also tried setting my AVR to create simulated surround-sound with it, and this worked very well.

Try is in Stereo first tho - The sound is really very very good - it has an edge of clarity (especially on string instruments) that you don't hear in the compressed versions.

You can get the two-channel audio through all three outputs - analog, HDMI and Optical.

For the Optical output, the two-channel audio is *NOT* converted to DTS, so you get to hear the full experience.

I'm having problems with the Tosh locking up. It's happened on several discs. I have to reboot and the issues still occur. Bad unit? Great picture, but after the first few days the skips and freezes started to occur. Would initializing help, or do I need to call a Tosh tech?

In the setup menu under maintenance there is an item called "Persistent Storage".

On a separate sheet included with my player it says, "The Persistent Storage menu allows you to control the player's memory allocated for content".

What does that mean?

In the setup menu under maintenance there is an item called "Persistent Storage".

On a separate sheet included with my player it says, "The Persistent Storage menu allows you to control the player's memory allocated for content".

What does that mean?


Tried to go there, but it couldn't identify the drive 'undefined.' So there was nothing to allocate. Has anyone actually spoken with a Toshiba tech person?

Anyone have a problem with Apollo 13 freezing a couple of times?

It was a rental from Netflix, so that could be the reason..

Bought it and played fine the first time through. Then the second time I watched I had all kinds of freezes, and had to reboot twice. Great PQ, though. Just bought the harmony, as i think the Tosh remote may be implicated in some of the problens.

Where are the friggin' picture controls? You mean we can't even control brightness, contrast, and gamma at least? Or are these controls right in front of my face and I'm missing them?

Anyone have a problem with Apollo 13 freezing a couple of times?

It was a rental from Netflix, so that could be the reason..

Bought it and played fine the first time through. Then the second time I watched I had all kinds of freezes, and had to reboot twice. Great PQ, though. Just bought the harmony, as i think the Tosh remote may be implicated in some of the problens.

It's likely to be a dirty disc. Try giving it a wipe with something soft like a lens cloth.

I had one freeze on TLS, that was in the same place and repeatable. I wiped off a spot I saw on the disc and it never happened again. Haven't had any trouble with my other discs.

Can someone comment on 2.35:1 and the A1 (maybe it could be included in the FAQ) - I was all set to jump on the bandwagon over there then saw the comments about the A1 not supporting it. Is this an A1 thing or an HD-DVD thing? What exactly doesn't it support? Could I still zoom my projector out to fill a 2.35:1 screen and have a great picture?

Thanks!

/rdjam, thanks for the suggestion..i never even thought of wiping it off, assuming a movie like hd-Apollo 13 wouldnt have had that much use so soon, but all it takes is some fool putting his fingers on the disk to cause a problem..

/Bob Sorel, I havent been able to find any picture controlls either, so I assume you adjust your Monitor insted of the DVD player;

/b-florida, I haven't had any problems viewing any 2:31 disks on this thing, but I havent tried to "stretch" a 2.35:1 movie out yet. I would assume it depends more on how the MOVIE is encoded vs. what the player might not have done...

7.1 audio ?

i have a 7.1 speaker setup, with a rotel RSP1098 processor and 7-channel digital rotel amp...

now, i've connected the 5.1 analog out to the 5.1 input on the processor.
After switching the surround processor to "discrete input" i get 5.1 sound, but there is no way to "activate" the surround back speakers.

Am i correct that the A1 is actually missing the "surround back" analog outs ?
Or will the hdmi audio output do 7.1 ?
Or is is a processor issue, that the discreet analog input can only do 5.1 and is not able to "drive" the surround-back speakers ?

I'll play around with it more tomorrow, but if somebody has more information please let me know. and i guess this is something to add to the FAQ...

Greetings,

dasithlord

I too have a 7.1 set up, and was wondering how to get the back 2 speakers to work that way..

For now, I am using a Toslink cable connecting digitally, and enjoying DTS sound, which, DOES send a signal to my rear back speakers....

Am i correct that the A1 is actually missing the "surround back" analog outs ?
Or will the hdmi audio output do 7.1 ?
5.1 analog is what you were offered, and 5.1 analog is all that you get. You can get the full bitstream for audio off of the disc (mostly) for transfer to a receiver, but no current receivers decode DD+ or TrueHD.

Folks, it is TrueHD - not TruHD.

Later,
Bill

7.1 audio ?

Am i correct that the A1 is actually missing the "surround back" analog outs ?
Or will the hdmi audio output do 7.1 ?
Or is is a processor issue, that the discreet analog input can only do 5.1 and is not able to "drive" the surround-back speakers?
The audio decoded internally by the HD-A1 and XA1 is output as 5.1 channel only whether sent as PCM over HDMI, analog or DTS. The only way to get sound out of the rear speakers is to use a processing mode in the receiver which will create it from the 5.1 channels. I saw some reports in these forums of people getting this to work, but I don't remember the details. It will depend on what type of processing your receiver can apply to the input you are using. Most will not do any processing on analog inputs.

I am the proud owner of the DVD S97 and the HD-A1, I can say with no hesitation that the HD-A1 blows the DVD- S97 out of the water (sorry old girl, we got to put 'ya down!) I watched a few S97 staples yesterday and was pleasantly suprised. Master and Commander looked better than the best setting on the S97 when played through the HD-A1, Obviously the authoring of the DVD is intrinsically going to have MB, but the HD-A1 really cleaned it up a lot, the scene with the anchor during the first "duet" still was unappealing but better than I have previously seen it. The SW Episode III has absolutely NEVER EVER been as crisp and clean (execept on opening night at the digital theatre)... can't wait for either on HD-DVD now! Hope this helps, PM me with any other questions.

yeah I second this. I thought I was the only one that saw a big improvement over the S97 don't know what I'm gonna do with the S97 now ...

thanks for your answers...

luckily, this seems to be a thing for the rotel... i have a Marantz SR9600 receiver that should take the 5.1 from HDMI and then be able to "create" the extra surround back channels perfectly.

i will know for sure next week, and will let you guys know.
My guess is also that it depends on the processor receiver... some will do 7.1 from an analog / digital 5.1 source and some won't.

All the best,

dasithlord

Question regarding the Analog 5.1 outputs of the Toshiba HD-A1..... I'm running them into my Pioneer VSX-59Txi which has THX Ultra 2 Processing and Advanced MCACC.... There is a section on the Toshiba set-up menu which allows you to set the speaker size, distance, level and subwoofer cross-over..... I set the speaker size to "Large" the distance to "0" and the level at "0"... I also set the sub to "120"... Doesn't my Pioneer VSX-59TXi already have the levels and speaker distance set when THX Processing is applied? Help!

Question regarding the Analog 5.1 outputs of the Toshiba HD-A1..... I'm running them into my Pioneer VSX-59Txi which has THX Ultra 2 Processing and Advanced MCACC.... There is a section on the Toshiba set-up menu which allows you to set the speaker size, distance, level and subwoofer cross-over..... I set the speaker size to "Large" the distance to "0" and the level at "0"... I also set the sub to "120"... Doesn't my Pioneer VSX-59TXi already have the levels and speaker distance set when THX Processing is applied? Help!

I use totally different settings. My speaker sizes are "Small," so that the subwoofer does the work it was designed to do. I set the subwoofer to 80 Hz, which is the standard setting. I set distances based on measurements in feet from my speakers to my favorite "sweet spot." I use a Radio Shack sound meter, set to A weighting and Slow response, to adjust each speaker level, with the exception that I use the C weighting for my subwoofer. This combination of settings works well on the 5 HD-DVDs I've played so far.

Can someone comment on 2.35:1 and the A1 (maybe it could be included in the FAQ) - I was all set to jump on the bandwagon over there then saw the comments about the A1 not supporting it. Is this an A1 thing or an HD-DVD thing? What exactly doesn't it support? Could I still zoom my projector out to fill a 2.35:1 screen and have a great picture?

Thanks!

Absolutely! This is the exact setup I have, 2.35:1 fills the screen and 1.78:1 is pillar boxed. HD-DVD works the same as DVD wrt AR.

yeah I second this. I thought I was the only one that saw a big improvement over the S97 don't know what I'm gonna do with the S97 now ...

Me three! For now I still need the S97 for DVD-Audio though :( .

I have an Oppo now. How does the A1 compare in up-converting standard DVD's?

I have an Oppo now. How does the A1 compare in up-converting standard DVD's? My experience with the two have them close with the A1 getting the nod overall. The Oppo stays in the rack for audio, like Hawkeye 3.1 just stated.

Hi, I had this player for a week. I got furstrated at the lack of capabilities of this player at this price tag. It would not play any mpeg, jpeg, divx files .... just could not get them to play.
It takes to long to start playing a DVD.
I put a DVD-R burned with Nero ... it recognize the DVD as a CD media. At this point I could not eject the media or do anything with it... until I upluged the player to have it reset, at this point I was able to eject the DVD inserted.
Internet connection and functionality S@#KS.
Picture quality is ok...nothing great for the upconvert to 1080i attached to an Optoma H78DC3 projector.
The Fan is too noisy.
The remote lacks back light .. unable to see the buttons in the dark.
Lacks pictures controlles that cheaper DVD players have .. yes I know this is an HD player .. ....
I have a LDA-531 player ... for now I will keep this player until the Samsung HD 960 or HD 1080 comes out. Once they are out .. I will give a them a try to see how they look.

Until they come up with new firmware version to address these issues .. I would not recommend buying this garbage.

Hi, I had this player for a week. I got furstrated at the lack of capabilities of this player at this price tag. It would not play any mpeg, jpeg, divx files .... just could not get them to play.
It takes to long to start playing a DVD.
I put a DVD-R burned with Nero ... it recognize the DVD as a CD media. At this point I could not eject the media or do anything with it... until I upluged the player to have it reset, at this point I was able to eject the DVD inserted.
Internet connection and functionality S@#KS.
Picture quality is ok...nothing great for the upconvert to 1080i attached to an Optoma H78DC3 projector.
The Fan is too noisy.
The remote lacks back light .. unable to see the buttons in the dark.
Lacks pictures controlles that cheaper DVD players have .. yes I know this is an HD player .. ....
I have a LDA-531 player ... for now I will keep this player until the Samsung HD 960 or HD 1080 comes out. Once they are out .. I will give a them a try to see how they look.

Until they come up with new firmware version to address these issues .. I would not recommend buying this garbage.

The player doesn't support playback of mpeg, jpeg, divx files so no surprise there they don't work. The player does however support playback of mp3 and wma files on CD-R or CD-RW.

If you want to surf the internet use a computer.

Burned with Nero? I really never had any luck with that program but others have. Anyway the player doesn't support DVD+R so if that's what you tried that may be a problem. Perhaps try using a DVD-R disc and see if that works. The fact is I have been able to get some DVD+R burned discs to play just fine (even though the player doesn't support DVD+R) and they were burned using DVDdecrypter in ISO mode.

I have never even heard the fan on my HD-A1.

Most here agree the upscaling of the player is good.

Rumor has it a firmware revision is coming soon. :)

I agree the remote is junk and imo Toshiba should replace it free of charge with one that actually works. Myself I use a MX600 universal remote so it is a none issue at this point for me at least.

I don't know what you mean by lacks picture controls. Usually any adjustments like hue or saturation I would prefer doing that in my display.

I hear the fan on my unit and agree it is distracting when not watching movies. There is no way I would leave the unit on all the time simply because the fan is so bothersome.

Moderator

this thread is for ideas for the FAQ and not for general discussion: please take general discussion elsewhere

Thanks

Ground loops are a pain. I had a ground loop issue that was caused by the cable coax connection from the cable company. I fixed it using a VIDEO ISOLATION TRANSFORMER. (http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=180-075)

Before buying that item I first disconnected the coax cable to see if it fixed the problem, which it did and order the isolator.

...Angelo

a question about the item in the link, I have the same problem coming from my cable coax lines. my setup is a bit more than a simple single connection though. I have a 3 way splitter installed in the room which goes to my modem, cable box(HD) and my dvd recorder(creating an additional tv tuner). could this piece be placed in the single incoming line or should I get 2 and install one on each of the lines that goes to my HD cable box and dvd recorder? when these 2 are disconnected the hum goes away even though the modem line is still connected.

if I install this in the single in line before the splitter will this cause me any problems on the modem side? also, will this degrade my HD signals in any way?

I'm looking to repeat chapters on certain DVDs thorugh HDMI in the XA1. I'm hearing that most discs aren't able to do this... True?

typical FAQ Question:



Q: I setup the HD-A1 and connected it to my display with an HDMI cable, but I cannot get any picture?

Answer:

on the remote is a button: V.Output: stop the disc and hit this button : after a brief pausef the display on the player should now show: HDMI (center top of display): the display must show HDMI in order for the unit to output HDMI

you can also press the resolution button to try different resolutions

Excellent first suggestion as this was the first issue I had. :D

Q: I don't have an HDMI capable AVR and I plan to use the 5.1 analog outputs on the player. How do I set this up?

A: It's very similar to what you've probably done before. You will need 6 RCA cables coming out of the player to a 6 channel analog input on your AVR. Preferrably, and to take full advantage of the higher resolution HD audio in the A1, your receiver should process in the analog domain only. This may, however, mean that you'll have fewer options for adjustment on the AVR. Typically, you will have independent level adjustment for all 6 channels but no bass management capability. The bass management will have to be done in the A1.

You need an SPL meter. Go to the A1 setup menu under audio, then 5.1 audio to access the 5.1 audio setup menu. Set your speaker sizes and distances accordingly. Set the desired crossover frequency. I would reccommend using an alternate source for test tones such as those found on THX optimizer tracks. The A1 test tones are harder to use and may not be as accurate. Start out with all levels at zero on the A1. Set the SPL meter to 70 db. slow response, C-Weighted and try to balance all channels to the 0db mark. Ideally, keep the overall levels as high as possible on the A1 and use the AVR channel level adjustments to balance everything. You may have to consider raising the gain on your sub to get adequate levels from the LFE or .1 channel. This may take some patience and experimentation but it's worth it.

You may need to then go back and readjust your prior levels on the AVR for digital inputs if necessary. If you had to change the gain on the subwoofer itself, leave it alone at this point and compensate by adjusting the levels on the AVR (for digital inputs only).

At the time of this writing, there are at least two known problems with the bass management on the 5.1 analog outputs:

#1)It seems the overall LFE level is about 10 db lower than the other channels.
Tip: To maximize the overall LFE output level, set all speakers to Large.
#2)The LFE will not re-route to the speakers designated Large if you disable the sub output in the A1 setup menu.

There is a workaround for #2 that can be found here:

LFE routing workaround (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=667756&page=7&pp=30) post # 181


#2 should only be an issue if you don't use a subwoofer in the traditional fashion. #1 will make balancing the LFE to the other channels a little more difficult but it should still be possible with most standard 5.1 configurations.

Tips for boosting analog LFE (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=667756&page=7&pp=30) post # 193

It's probable that these issues will be corrected or improved upon by firmware upgrade from Toshiba soon.

Correctly setup, the 5.1 analog outputs should provide the best the player has to offer but may take a little more effort than if using HDMI for audio.

I spoke to a Toshiba rep and the sound issue is one of the things they are working on for the first firmware upgrade.

I spoke to a Toshiba rep and the sound issue is one of the things they are working on for the first firmware upgrade.

Are you referring the the issue where disabling the subwoofer does not route the LFE to other channels or the issue where the LFE channel is lower in volume?

- Rich

I am refering to the lower volume.

Q: I use the analog outputs and my configuration is 5.0 as I don't use a sub or my subs get their LF from the mains. The A1 won't route the LFE to the large speakers. Is there a way around this?

A:LFE routing workaround

Well, I think I found a way around this.

This routes the LFE to the L and R fronts for those of us with 5.0 configurations using the analog outputs on the A1.

You need:

RCA y adapter cable one male to two female
RCA y adapter cable one female to two male
RCA y adapter cable one female to two male

2 in-line passive low pass filters 80,90 or 100 hz (100hz preferred, see below) male to female RCA

Split the .1 channel out from the A1 with the male-female y cable and attach both the low pass filters to this. Then use one female-male y cable to couple the .1 output off the filter to the L front, the other off the remaining filter to the R front.

Be sure subwoofer is set to use in the A1 menu and set the other speakers how you like.

The y adapters are 3.99 ea. at RS and low pass filters (Harrision) are available from Crutchfield for 29.99/pair. Total for the fix comes to around 42 dollars not including shipping on the lp filters. Custom car audio shops carry the in-line lowpass filters as well.

Low pass filters: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Z91y1VyvLlW/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?i=069900061&cc=01&g=82600

You can't do it without the filters as this effectively sums the L+R channels as HT man said. The other benefit to this is it actually gives you test tones off the sub output on the A1 to help with setting the LFE level.

It is possible to route the LFE to all 5 channels but that would require splitting the LFE 5 ways and 5 low pass filters as well as multiple y-cables.


Thanks to RichB for his help on this.

5.0 the way to go.

:)


Success! (Sort of) for LFE routing

Well, I put the 80 hz low pass filters in today. I had them all along; they were hiding in my nightstand drawer. Anyway, my LFE performance is now passable. Tried Hell Freezes Over, Jurassic Park T-Rex scene, as well as Serenity HD-DVD "aboard Serenity" scene. To be brief, shake, rattle, and roll.

I've concluded the LFE channel is around 10db too low, though. I had to turn down all the controls to -12 on the A1 (other than the sub control) and my LFE channel was still measuring around -3db compared to the others through THX optimizer test tones. The LFE sweep through AVIA is +/- 6db from about 75 hz to about 25 hz. This was with the other channels balanced to 0 db, C-weighted at 70db.

I still plan to order the 100 hz low pass filters from Crutchfield I think. I have a notch at about 80 hz which I believe the higher filter will help. Also, I'm hoping that will allow easier balancing of the LFE channel with the others by allowing a little more LFE through. I'll need to try setting the A1 crossover at 100 hz to see what that does as well.

I hope a firmware update will at least increase the relative gain on the LFE channel which should obviously help.


More info on LFE routing fix

Well, I've just about got it. I discovered that setting all speakers to Large actually increases the gain in the LFE channel by about 3db. I now have it balanced to within 1db with the other channels.

My LFE sweep through AVIA is now +/- 6db from 100 to 21 hz.

The 80hz notch is gone.

I listened to the opening scene in Independence Day. Excellent LFE performance.

The A1 hasn't exploded or started smoking yet. :)

Impressions of the 100hz low pass filter

In short, get this one. For me it is preferrable and my LFE level is now perfectly balanced to within .5db of the other channels with THX optimizer test tones. Independent channel balance is perfectly preserved. LFE sweep is +6db to -2db from 80 hz to 20 hz!:)


This may become unnecessary (hopefully) if a firmware upgrade eventually allows LFE routing. Until then, enjoy!

Charles

Are There And Dvd Recorders That Can Upconvert Over Component Cables?

I can't remember how I changed resolutions and now I am stuck at 720p out
over HDMI - can someone help?

I can't remember how I changed resolutions and now I am stuck at 720p out
over HDMI - can someone help?
Hit the Resolution button on the remote until 1080i lights up on the front panel display.

Hit the Resolution button on the remote until 1080i lights up on the front panel display.

Thanks - now I remember :-)

Question I have the Toshiba HD-A1 I was using a Denon receiver all seem to work great I decided to get a receiver that switches HDMI I decided on the Yamaha HTR-5990 the receiver appears to work OK the problem I am having is the HDMI audio display when I use my Sony up convert DVD player the receiver front display shows DTS or DD according to what I am listening to and when I play a standard def DVD in the Toshiba the display shows the audio stream I have chosen when ever I watch a HD DVD the display shows MPCM it does not matter if I am using DD or DTS I have tried changing all of the available settings and it still shows MPCM the correct channels light up and everything sounds good.
I called Toshiba and they have no idea what I am talking about.
Has anyone else experienced this and do you know if this is normal for this DVD-receiver hook up.

Question I have the Toshiba HD-A1 I was using a Denon receiver all seem to work great I decided to get a receiver that switches HDMI I decided on the Yamaha HTR-5990 the receiver appears to work OK the problem I am having is the HDMI audio display when I use my Sony up convert DVD player the receiver front display shows DTS or DD according to what I am listening to and when I play a standard def DVD in the Toshiba the display shows the audio stream I have chosen when ever I watch a HD DVD the display shows MPCM it does not matter if I am using DD or DTS I have tried changing all of the available settings and it still shows MPCM the correct channels light up and everything sounds good.
I called Toshiba and they have no idea what I am talking about.
Has anyone else experienced this and do you know if this is normal for this DVD-receiver hook up.
I'm not sure I understand the question but I am using an HTR-5990 with an HD-A1 connected by HDMI. When you are playing the Dolby Digital Plus soundtracks from HD DVDs it is normal for the receiver to indicate multi-channel PCM. The player is decoding the DD+ soundtrack to PCM internally and sending the PCM over the HDMI connection to the receiver. The HD-A1 cannot pass DD+ over HDMI and the HTR-5990 cannot decode it, so using PCm is how it is supposed to work. You might want to read the first post of this thread which may help you understand how the audio is supposed to work.

Question I have the Toshiba HD-A1 I was using a Denon receiver all seem to work great I decided to get a receiver that switches HDMI I decided on the Yamaha HTR-5990 the receiver appears to work OK the problem I am having is the HDMI audio display when I use my Sony up convert DVD player the receiver front display shows DTS or DD according to what I am listening to and when I play a standard def DVD in the Toshiba the display shows the audio stream I have chosen when ever I watch a HD DVD the display shows MPCM it does not matter if I am using DD or DTS I have tried changing all of the available settings and it still shows MPCM the correct channels light up and everything sounds good.
I called Toshiba and they have no idea what I am talking about.
Has anyone else experienced this and do you know if this is normal for this DVD-receiver hook up.

I think I understand what you are saying after reading it twice. When you are playing HD-DVD with the DD+ soundtrack through HDMI the Yamaha is showing MPCM because that IS the Mult-channel PCM ( I think), If you are playing a SD DVD with the HD-A1 over the HDMI, it should be set to bitstream in the HD-A1 to send the raw undecoded DD/DTS sountrack to have the receiver do the decoding.

I would try it both ways with the SD DVDs to see which device does a better job decoding the standard DD/DTS. I am curious to know which sounds better myself, so let us know. I have the Yamaha htr-5790 and it has very good decoders in it, but who knows? Maybe the HD-A1 has better decoders. You will not know until you try them both.

According to the A1 owner's manual, with the HDMI audio digital output set to "auto", the output will depend on the HDMI receiver. I assume this to mean that some AVR's will decode multichannel pcm regardless of whether it's DDplus from HDDVD or DD/DTS from regular DVD. Presumably AVR's which will not will be recognized and the ouput automatically changed to bitstream for regular DVD.

Setting it to PCM forces multichannel pcm output regardless, if the original signal is mulitchannel.

Setting it to bitstream will allow bitstream from regular DVD but force 2ch. downmixed pcm from advanced content authored HD DVD (which all discs are up to now).

Maybe its been asked, but I didnt see it....Is there any way to get the A1 to pillarbox 4:3 material on component??

I have mine connected via HDMI, but even after the update, it wont pass BTB. The only reason I didnt switch to component is due to it not pillarboxing 4:3 material....am I missing something?

BTW - It DOES pillarbox 4:3 material on HDMI.

Maybe its been asked, but I didnt see it....Is there any way to get the A1 to pillarbox 4:3 material on component??

I have mine connected via HDMI, but even after the update, it wont pass BTB. The only reason I didnt switch to component is due to it not pillarboxing 4:3 material....am I missing something?

BTW - It DOES pillarbox 4:3 material on HDMI.

Rock,

Why not just use your display to pillar box? Unless I'm missing something. :) I think I have tried all resolutions over component to my pj and RPTV without problems.

Stace

I have a DD decoder with SPDIF (4), Toslink (1), and AC-3 RF (1). It decodes 5.1 just fine from my D* receiver, Laser Disk, and standard DVD player. I can not get the HD-DVD properly decoded, I have tried PCM and Bitstream both over the optical and coaxial connections from the player and I can only get 2 ch. PCM which decodes as plain surround. When sending bitstream I get a very muddled, strange sounding, L-R output from the decoder. How can I get 5.1 over the toslink or optical to decode? This is a separate Sony preamp component feeding 5 amps and 2 subs and works great with the signals from my SDVD or D*. What's up with that? I have the HDMI output set to Auto and connected directly to my 60" SXRD. The TV is set to DD and I get good sound from it albeit Sony's conversion of DD into the L-R TV speakers. How can I get 5.1 from my main system? PS., I read the first page.

Q: I use the analog 5.1 outputs from the player into my AVR's "direct" or "passthru" input and I'm having trouble getting adequate volume from my subwoofer. I've used THX test tones and an SPL meter and I just can't get enough loudness from the subwoofer channel. What can I do?

A: First, be sure you've taken advantage of any possible subwoofer channel level controls on your AVR/pre-pro. Some apply these adjustments in the analog domain (best). Then, consider boosting the gain control on your subwoofer. Remember, you may have to re-adjust the subwoofer channel level on the AVR for digital inputs if you do this. Finally, setting all the speakers to Large in the A1 menu will maximize the LFE channel output. It gives about 4db more gain than when having rears/center set to Small. If you have taken these steps and you still need more sub gain to balance the LFE (subwoofer) channel, see below.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fix found (analog LFE boost if using passthru connection)

I found a fix. It at least makes it workable.

I simply put an A/V distribution amp in-line with the analog LFE output. Supposedly, the specs on the amp say "1:1" meaning 2volts in, 2volts out but for whatever reason it results in about 5db gain on the LFE channel.
I theorize that it raises the LFE from maybe around 1V to 2Volts therefore resulting in gain. This allowed me to raise the other channels on the A1 by 5db to -7db. Basically, it lowers the system noise floor by 5db which is what I was after. Now, Warner Bros. discs (POTO for ex.) can produce satisfying volume with adequate S/N ratio.

I got the amp used from a local B&M but I really don't think there's anything special about the one I have and they are commonly available.

http://www.cable-electronics.com/Upload/compdistamp2.pdf

I have found prior to this that setting all speakers to Large in the A1 maximizes the LFE output and raises it around 4db compared to just having the mains at Large. This would be the first thing to do IMO. After this, use the A/V distribution amp for another 5db LFE gain if necessary.

As pointed out to me by bobgpsr, it is possible that the added LFE gain obtained via the A/V amp method may vary somewhat depending on your AVR/pre-pro's input impedance load.

Rock,

Why not just use your display to pillar box? Unless I'm missing something. :) I think I have tried all resolutions over component to my pj and RPTV without problems.

Stace

Yeah, I guess I could do that....just not a fan of having to manually change it.

Why is there no thread detailing which HDTV's actually work with HDMI and the HD-A1????????? At this point it would be very helpful.

Q

I get an error message like: 'HDMI ERROR 2' and/or the Toshiba locks up: what happened?

A:

one reason could be the HDMI cable was disconnected, or you turned off your HDMI connected display with the Tosh still running: this can cause this error message, or cause the Tosh to lock up, or both:

you will need to reboot the Tosh (unplug the AC!)

Can't you just hold the power button for 10 seconds?

Need help / question-
Have HDMI going from Runco projector to HDA1. Continually get HDMI ERROR when attempting to play SD-DVDs in 1080.

1.2 did not fix. Anyone else have this problem trying to play SD? Any fixes?
Thanks

Need help / question-
Have HDMI going from Runco projector to HDA1. Continually get HDMI ERROR when attempting to play SD-DVDs in 1080.

1.2 did not fix. Anyone else have this problem trying to play SD? Any fixes?
Thanks
You might try contacting Runco. Since there haven't been a lot or reports of this problem with other displays, it might be an HDMI issue with the projector.

What does it mean for regular SD DVD audio when playing them in the HD-A1 and all you have is the 5.1 analog outputs hooked up to your receiver? I know for HD DVDs I'm supposedly getting Dolby Digital Plus coming through when the player audio is set to 'PCM', but what am I getting on regular DVDs?

Is there any way to mute the HDMI audio output from my HD A1? I'm using the 5.1 analog outs to my reciever and the HDMI cable to my Samsung DLP. It's a real bummer having to lower the audio on my television everytime I switch over from my cable box to my HD-A1.

MikeyJ,

I have a new Samsung DLP. Did you try setting the internal Mute to just get rid of the DLPs speaker altogether?

Dave

What does it mean for regular SD DVD audio when playing them in the HD-A1 and all you have is the 5.1 analog outputs hooked up to your receiver? I know for HD DVDs I'm supposedly getting Dolby Digital Plus coming through when the player audio is set to 'PCM', but what am I getting on regular DVDs?

The Tos player has normal DD and DTS decoders built in. In your usage it just decodes them properly and outputs over the analog outputs. No different than the HD DVD DD+ decode. I would think that that "PCM" setting that you are talking about is only for HDMI. Leave the Tos set at "Bitstream" for the SPDIF output if your AVR has both DD and DTS decoders. Neither HDMI or SPDIF affects the analog outputs. The SPEAKER SETTING (should set at 5.1 and do the layered distance and level setups) does affect the analog outputs.

Bob

Will using a better hdmi cable then the one included make much difference. Is it worth buying a high quality cable?

Anyone have the Toshiba hooked to a 36" or 34" display? I am about to buy this because of all the positive comments but have heard that I probably will not see much improvement a smaller screen. Both sets can do 1080i. Thanks.

I can tell the difference on my 17" kitchen monitor which is hooked into my main AV system. I'm sure you will have no problems seeing an improvement on a 30 something screen.

It seems that a few of us have "fixed" HDMI to DVI conversion problems on older sets by using a dual-link DVI cable instead of single. Maybe that should go somewhere on the FAQ to save alot of headaches and returned players.


Where do you find a dual link HDMI to DVI converter. I have a dual-link DVI cable, but can only find a single link converter.

Scott

Where do you find a dual link HDMI to DVI converter. I have a dual-link DVI cable, but can only find a single link converter.

Scott

www.dvigear.com

Just got my Toshiba hookup to my FP Panny ae900.I only have one HD MOVIE'The perfect Storm.So far everything lloks great and no problems.I had the HD movie set on 1080i in the player and i put in the last starwars and set the player to 480p.Would this be the best settings.I was think 720p would be best for my FP since it is 720.I have to say even my older dvd's look so much better Black or alot blacker it seems.The sounds is also better.I am just using a optic out DTS.I just got the Toshiba today.How can you tell what firmware is installed.No problems so i will leave well enouhg alone.Well back to the movies.Sorry if this is the wrong forum.

Just got my Toshiba hookup to my FP Panny ae900.I only have one HD MOVIE'The perfect Storm.So far everything lloks great and no problems.I had the HD movie set on 1080i in the player and i put in the last starwars and set the player to 480p.Would this be the best settings.I was think 720p would be best for my FP since it is 720.I have to say even my older dvd's look so much better Black or alot blacker it seems.The sounds is also better.I am just using a optic out DTS.I just got the Toshiba today.How can you tell what firmware is installed.No problems so i will leave well enouhg alone.Well back to the movies.Sorry if this is the wrong forum.

If you are connected with HDMI you should be using 1080i for the best picture quality. I has been well documented here that the 720p output on the HD-A1 is broken so do yourself a favor and don't use it.

Enjoy your new toy!

Stace

If you are connected with HDMI you should be using 1080i for the best picture quality. I has been well documented here that the 720p output on the HD-A1 is broken so do yourself a favor and don't use it.

Enjoy your new toy!

Stace

Thanks Stace.Yes i am using HDMI and 1080i,Pic is quite nice.I never thought i would say byby to my Denon 1600.But i am going to keep it for DV-AUDIO.Now i just need to get the new Rotel Recever with HDMI and a SVS sub.THANKS

Im not sure if anyone has uploaded an image yet, but I just got my 1.4 disc this morning and made an iso for download. I havnt made enough posts yet to sumbit the url intact. If somone wants to post it I can provide it via email or something.

ok, here's my problem. i won this player along with a toshiba 62" hd tv. i've attached the hdmi cable to my tv, however i cannot get any of my dvd's to upconvert to watch them in high def.

the highest resolution that i can get my dvds to play at is 480p. when i try to change the resolution i get a message that says " high resolution is prohibited for this content. resolution was changed to 480p."

at first i thought maybe my dvds were too old. but i've tried some "newer" ones (i.e meet the fockers, widescreen, seabiscuit) and still no luck.

the highest resolution i can get is 480p.
possible problem? i missed the initial setup when i plugged in the dvd player. i had to turn it off because i didn't have an image on the screen, so i never went through initial setup, but i was thinking that's not the problem.

anyone have any ideas? the hdmi cable, yellow cable and red and white cables are all plugged in.

not sure where to go from here. i'd love to see what all the hype is about, but i'm getting nothing. tia.

ok, here's my problem. i won this player along with a toshiba 62" hd tv. i've attached the hdmi cable to my tv, however i cannot get any of my dvd's to upconvert to watch them in high def.

the highest resolution that i can get my dvds to play at is 480p. when i try to change the resolution i get a message that says " high resolution is prohibited for this content. resolution was changed to 480p."

at first i thought maybe my dvds were too old. but i've tried some "newer" ones (i.e meet the fockers, widescreen, seabiscuit) and still no luck.

the highest resolution i can get is 480p.
possible problem? i missed the initial setup when i plugged in the dvd player. i had to turn it off because i didn't have an image on the screen, so i never went through initial setup, but i was thinking that's not the problem.

anyone have any ideas? the hdmi cable, yellow cable and red and white cables are all plugged in.

not sure where to go from here. i'd love to see what all the hype is about, but i'm getting nothing. tia.

"anyone have any ideas? the hdmi cable, yellow cable and red and white cables are all plugged in"

? If you're using the hdmi cable there is no reason to have the composite video (yellow) and audio (red white) plugged in.

My guess is you didn't select hdmi output so press the V-out button on the remote until hdmi appears in the display window of the player. Also make sure you have the hdmi input for the HDTV selected as well. The hdmi input carries both the video and audio to the HDTV (I assume you don't have an A/V receiver or amp). Finally change the resolution of the player to 1080i and make sure that 1080i appears in the players display window.

"anyone have any ideas? the hdmi cable, yellow cable and red and white cables are all plugged in"

? If you're using the hdmi cable there is no reason to have the composite video (yellow) and audio (red white) plugged in.

My guess is you didn't select hdmi output so press the V-out button on the remote until hdmi appears in the display window of the player. Also make sure you have the hdmi input for the HDTV selected as well. The hdmi input carries both the video and audio to the HDTV (I assume you don't have an A/V receiver or amp). Finally change the resolution of the player to 1080i and make sure that 1080i appears in the players display window.


Perhaps some of my problems lie here. When I unplug my yellow, red and white cables I cannot get a picture despite the fact that my HDMI cable is plugged in. I have no picture or sound.

When I have those plugged in I can at least get picture and sound, but no HD. I hit the V-output button and the HDMI flashes, but I am unable to change the resolution from 480.

Also, what do you mean by" make sure you have the hdmi input for the HDTV selected?" That's something I have to set my TV as?
TIA

On the remote, at the bottom, there is a sliding door. Open it and press the set-up button. You can then go in and switch to HDMI, which right now is probably on component.

Scott

On the remote, at the bottom, there is a sliding door. Open it and press the set-up button. You can then go in and switch to HDMI, which right now is probably on component.

Scott

I opened the sliding door on the remote to get into setup. after pressing setup. where do i switch to hdmi from component? the only place i see the words hdmi is under audio and it says "digital out HDMI"l is on auto. but i'm assuming i'm looking in the wrong place.

btw: am i posting this on the wrong thread? should i start my own thread. not meaning to highjack the wrong one. sorry if that's the case. thanks for all who are helping.

v.output button switches between component and HDMI (i trained my my main remote and dont' use the original).

then pres RESOLUTION button to toggle output 480p/720p/1080i

v.output button switches between component and HDMI (i trained my my main remote and dont' use the original).

then pres RESOLUTION button to toggle output 480p/720p/1080i


when i hit the v. output button, i just get a black screen. so for example if i'm watching a video, i hit the v. output button, screen turns black. and i'm unable to switch resolutions. the hdmi light is flashing on my dvd player, but i'm unable to change the resolution.

also, when i hit the v. output button, currently i have audio (but no picture) but when i unplug the red and white cables i lose my audio. and again, still unable to change resolution.

frustrating! thanks for the help though. hope we get it straightened out.

when i hit the v. output button, i just get a black screen. so for example if i'm watching a video, i hit the v. output button, screen turns black. and i'm unable to switch resolutions. the hdmi light is flashing on my dvd player, but i'm unable to change the resolution.

also, when i hit the v. output button, currently i have audio (but no picture) but when i unplug the red and white cables i lose my audio. and again, still unable to change resolution.

frustrating! thanks for the help though. hope we get it straightened out.

Use the v-out button to get "hdmi" to display on the players display window. Now you must tell your HDTV to use the hdmi or you will just see a black screen so use the HDTV remote to set the same hdmi input you have Plugged the cable into.

Q: What is the most up-to-date firmware, and what issues does it fix?

A:

I scanned the thread, and may have missed it if this is answered. In particular, I'm wondering if the long boot times / load times have been eliminated.

-Pie

edit. answer found

Checked through the thread, and found a few vague comments, was hoping to get something a little more comprehensive -

I've got a Samsung DLP - (HL-S5066W), and picked up the HD-A1 today. I connected the HDMI cable included with the player to the TV, and got a "No signal" message when I started the player. Checked the manual, saw the requirement for setting HMDI-out from the player, and did that: the player now shows HDMI in the display. But, the TV is still giving me "No signal" messages.

I've tried several different exercises to try to isolate a problem - my cable box (SA 8300HD) is connected via HDMI, so I switched inputs at the TV between the cable box and Toshi. Then, I tried switching cables at the sources, with no luck. Everything is working fine with the cable box using either cable set, and neither set works with the Toshi.

I've tried turning off everything off, and then back on, tried using the TV's menu (and manually selecting HDMI1) to force it to check for a signal, all with no luck.

Is there something I'm not thinking about, or is it possible that there's a problem with the Toshi's HDMI-out port? That's the only thing I can figure at this point, as the Component-out is working fine when connected to my TV.

On a semi-related note, I've got a low-mid range surround sound system, and had some problems using my Harmony remote with multiple Opt Audio Cables attached. So, for now, I'm basically using the Sammy DLP as a receiver, connecting different components to the TV, and connecting the TV's Opt Audio Out to the stereo receiver. What kind of degradation in sound quality, if any, would I get from this setup, as opposed to having one or more components connected to the stereo receiver directly with the Opt Audio cables?

Any assistance is appreciated.

There have been issues with HDMI on Samsung displays which have supposedly been corrected with firmware V 1.4.

You'll have to update the Toshiba's firmware to 1.4.

Thanks all. The firmware update worked like a charm. Loving the new player. :)

Originally posted by abbygayle
when i hit the v. output button, i just get a black screen. so for example if i'm watching a video, i hit the v. output button, screen turns black. and i'm unable to switch resolutions. the hdmi light is flashing on my dvd player, but i'm unable to change the resolution.

also, when i hit the v. output button, currently i have audio (but no picture) but when i unplug the red and white cables i lose my audio. and again, still unable to change resolution.

frustrating! thanks for the help though. hope we get it straightened out.

From all of your posts it sounds like you are using the wrong input on your TV. Make sure you have the HDMI input selected on your TV. Then go through the recommended steps with the HD-A1.

Good luck,
Pip

q. I'm a little bit confused. Will the a1 do the advanced audio codecs over the mulitchannel out?

q. I'm a little bit confused. Will the a1 do the advanced audio codecs over the mulitchannel out?

Yes. Currently DD+, I'm not aware of any disks that have Dolby TrueHD 2channels yet.

POTO has a Dolby TrueHD track. The A1 will only do 2ch. TrueHD at this point though. It will also do DTS-HD "core" but there seems to be contraversy over exactly what that means and there haven't been any titles with DTS-HD to test yet AFAIK.

q. another quick question, I know the a1 doesn't do 720p good, but how bad is it exactly? Is there a site that reviewed all the different output modes?

q. another quick question, I know the a1 doesn't do 720p good, but how bad is it exactly? Is there a site that reviewed all the different output modes?

I most of the reputable sites actually warn you not to use the 720p mode. So it must be pretty bad. Not to worry though and the 1080i mode is fine even with 720p native displays.

Stace

q. another quick question, I know the a1 doesn't do 720p good, but how bad is it exactly? Is there a site that reviewed all the different output modes?

It's not that bad IMO but 1080i is better.

For perspective, the 720p output on the A1 still provides all the resolution DVD can provide according to the HQV Benchmark disk. My 50 inch Panasonic consumer plasma, however, does not with 720p input and it was the best selling plasma last year.

It should noted that here are the differences listed on the Toshiba website as far as comparisons go. I thought this might be useful, one thing that has me concerned is if the either HD-DVD player supports DVD+R? :confused: I wondering as to why it isn't listed on their website under disc playback.

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/4253/untitled1lm5.png
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/266/untitled2ah8.png

Hi All

I have tried searching for this, but cannot find any answers.

Does anyone know yet if it is possible to access or control the operation of the HD-A1 via the eithernet port?

Paul

but i have a question guys
at this moment i have a home theatrer in a box, it have hdmi and component a/v
i have the hdmi plug to my tv.
so my question is if i get the hd dvd how i do the conection so i can use the speakers of my system in the hd dvd.
can you guys help me with that?

thanks guys

It should noted that here are the differences listed on the Toshiba website as far as comparisons go. I thought this might be useful, one thing that has me concerned is if the either HD-DVD player supports DVD+R? :confused: I wondering as to why it isn't listed on their website under disc playback.


I believe Toshiba has not stated specific support for DVD+R due to a lack of testing. But, I have not had any problem with playback of DVD+R, single and dual layer. What I have observed is that burning the media at a slower speed (2.4X) and specifying a Book Type of "DVD-ROM" ensures playback success. Also, at times it will take a couple of attempts before the player recognizes to the disk. It may display "No Disk" upon initial playback, but I have found that reopening then closing the disk drawer, to restart the recognition process, solves the problem.

My Denon 2910 also does not state DVD+R support, but that unit also plays DVD+R disks with no problem.

web

having trouble with hooking up the xa-1 with my vp30. once i put a movie in, it loads up and then says "hdmi error". I have also upgraded my firmware to 1.4 and it still does it. any help please would be appreciated.

having trouble with hooking up the xa-1 with my vp30. once i put a movie in, it loads up and then says "hdmi error". I have also upgraded my firmware to 1.4 and it still does it. any help please would be appreciated.

It should noted that here are the differences listed on the Toshiba website as far as comparisons go. I thought this might be useful, one thing that has me concerned is if the either HD-DVD player supports DVD+R? :confused: I wondering as to why it isn't listed on their website under disc playback.

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/4253/untitled1lm5.png
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/266/untitled2ah8.png
Wasn't DVD+R one of Sony's inventions?

I output from the HD-A1 via HDMI to my Sanyo PLV-Z4 projector. I have used the ethernet connection to upgrade the firmware to 1.4.

Here's a problem with this highly experimental HD-A1 I can't figure out. (hereafter referred to as "piece of junk")

The 720p output setting of the piece of junk produces an image from a HD-DVD no better than that from a standard DVD. Whenever I hit the resolution button to change to 1080i, the player annoyingly tells me it is going back to the beginning of the disk, changes the indicator light to 1080i and then sits there forever and outputs nothing. (I can get the piece of junk to change to 1080i when connect to my Sony Bravia however and the image is spectacular)

Obviously there is a hand-shake problem between the piece of junk and my Sanyo PLV-Z4. It should be noted I use two other HDMI sources at 1080i with no problem. I am aware that the native resolution of the Sanyo PLV-Z4 is 720p, however the scaler in the PLV-Z4 is greatly superior to the scaler in the piece of junk.

I am very grateful to anyone that can offer a solution that will allow me to get what I paid for from this HD-DVD player.

I output from the HD-A1 via HDMI to my Sanyo PLV-Z4 projector. I have used the ethernet connection to upgrade the firmware to 1.4.

Here's a problem with this highly experimental HD-A1 I can't figure out. (hereafter referred to as "piece of junk")

The 720p output setting of the piece of junk produces an image from a HD-DVD no better than that from a standard DVD. Whenever I hit the resolution button to change to 1080i, the player annoyingly tells me it is going back to the beginning of the disk, changes the indicator light to 1080i and then sits there forever and outputs nothing. (I can get the piece of junk to change to 1080i when connect to my Sony Bravia however and the image is spectacular)

Obviously there is a hand-shake problem between the piece of junk and my Sanyo PLV-Z4. It should be noted I use two other HDMI sources at 1080i with no problem. I am aware that the native resolution of the Sanyo PLV-Z4 is 720p, however the scaler in the PLV-Z4 is greatly superior to the scaler in the piece of junk.

I am very grateful to anyone that can offer a solution that will allow me to get what I paid for from this HD-DVD player.Get rid of the Sanyo...problem solved. Just kidding :D Has anyone else reported this problem. Maybe if you started a new thread on this combo you would get better results. ;)

a

Hey everyone, Got my A1 on WEdnesday and can you saw awesome!! My only problem is the sound, and thats my fault. Because of the age of my receiver (lack of DTS) i cant get the best audio. No 5.1 Coax hookups, only 1 fibre and 1 coax for digital so 2 Channel DD is my best, am I correct on that??


I was thinking about getting this AVR

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=1002532&navigationPath=33000n32100n32104

I have never purchased a reciever myself yet, always hand me downs from my Bro who always likes to "upgrade". So I am really lost at picking these things out.

Can someone with vast knowledge tell me if this is a good machine or not? If not can someone suggest a more acceptable machine. I can get the above for 500$ CAD from a wholesaler friend I have.

Thanks
Neo

Hey everyone, Got my A1 on WEdnesday and can you saw awesome!! My only problem is the sound, and thats my fault. Because of the age of my receiver (lack of DTS) i cant get the best audio. No 5.1 Coax hookups, only 1 fibre and 1 coax for digital so 2 Channel DD is my best, am I correct on that??


I was thinking about getting this AVR

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=1002532&navigationPath=33000n32100n32104

I have never purchased a reciever myself yet, always hand me downs from my Bro who always likes to "upgrade". So I am really lost at picking these things out.

Can someone with vast knowledge tell me if this is a good machine or not? If not can someone suggest a more acceptable machine. I can get the above for 500$ CAD from a wholesaler friend I have.

Thanks
Neo
you mean this one? (http://www.electronicexpress.com/product?prod_id=9871&refer=6)

you mean this one? (http://www.electronicexpress.com/product?prod_id=9871&refer=6)

Yeah thats the one? Any Good? Will it meet my needs

I am going from a Pioneer Elite VSX-09TX.

Thanks

Yeah thats the one? Any Good? Will it meet my needs

I am going from a Pioneer Elite VSX-09TX.

Thanks

I would say thats a great deal.

Where are the friggin' picture controls? You mean we can't even control brightness, contrast, and gamma at least? Or are these controls right in front of my face and I'm missing them?

Perhaps I missed it, but did anyone answer this person's question? I have seen no evidence of such controls either, which is a shame because my black look much brighter even with Enhanced Black Level turned out than my Pioneer Elite Dv-59AVi did set to IRE 0.

Q: My remote seems to have a problem with the 'down' menu button, is this normal?
A: This seems to be a common complaint within the first batch of HD-A1 owners. Some have had better luck by replacing the batteries, but others have had to move to replacement remotes such as the Logitech Harmony series. Generally, the included remote is not considered a very good one due to poor layout, low visibility, no backlighting, 'missed' commands and more.

Sam

Mine was manufactured in July 2006. I just received it yesterday and it has the EXACT same problem with the "down" button on the remote. Anyone have a solution?

John

Mine was manufactured in July 2006. I just received it yesterday and it has the EXACT same problem with the "down" button on the remote. Anyone have a solution?

John

Press with a very light touch or program an alternate.

Stace

It's not that bad IMO but 1080i is better.

For perspective, the 720p output on the A1 still provides all the resolution DVD can provide according to the HQV Benchmark disk. My 50 inch Panasonic consumer plasma, however, does not with 720p input and it was the best selling plasma last year.


Do you mean to say "all the resolution DVD can provide" or "all the resolution HD-DVD can provide"?

BTW the 720p output of the HD-DVD seems barely superior if at all to an upscaled DVD to me.