Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD - First End User Reports! - Page 163

I have both an HD-A1 and an HD-XA1. I have never experienced the problems you are discussing... however, I only own about 6 HD-DVD's and none of them are the Combo type.

Also I have never used a NetFlix DVD in my players. Cannot figure out how to make that work moving between two locations.

received disc in mail last week..had already updated via internet....

I messed around with an a2 player..the HD DVDs I have problems with on my xa1 all play clean on the a2.. but it is a really cheap machine..not at all solid like the a1 or the xa1....as light and plasticy as a regular dvd player..and a crappy remote..but it does play pretty damn good...but I feel the video quality on the xa1 is better in a side by side comparison with the same discs..but that is my opinion

Thanks gene9p, I was thinking of getting an A20 but after I found out it still doesn't support sending the sound through bitstream, I will wait until the next generation maybe?

I just upgraded to a new Onkyo TX-SR674 receiver, my first with HDMI.

So, now I have my A-1 hooked up via both the 5.1 analog outs and the HDMI connection, and I can switch the audio back and forth between them both to compare.

Well, in my old setup (Pioneer VSX-D509S) with the analog outs, I had the low LFE issue, so I had the Pioneer boost the bass +10dB. That sounded fine.

However, now I have PLENTY of bass with both setups and no need to boost the bass, really.

I thought this was an A-1 issue, but now I wonder. Why is the LFE now just fine? I mean, I played some of Batman Begins today, and the bass rocked at just +2 dB. In fact, the analog outs seem to give even heavier bass than HDMI does.

My understanding was that the LFE "issue" was on the receivers end.... not the player.

There are a number of receivers that seem to have this issue (all Pioneer's and several other brands) and a couple of brands that were reported not to have the problem (Yamaha for one).

Does anyone have A1 (v2.2FW) connected w/ 5.1 analog to Denon 4802? My Dolby TrueHD doesn't sound full as expected. Just wonder what settings needs to be done for both, A1 & 4802.

TIA,
TP.

I was wondering if you had found a fix for your TrueHD sound? I don't have the same exact set up but I'm in the same predicament, no sound change between DD+ & TrueHD via 5.1analog. I use coaxial so I can enjoy the DTS for now.

Cheers,
TP.

have you kept up with the firmware updates..the latest ones allows dolby true 5.1 from player..otherwise you will get only dolby true 2 channel sound from player..see toshiba's website for update and updated owner's manual for xa1 player

The reason is that Toshiba has run out of the 2.2 discs. They can't tell me when they will have more available. Very frustrating.

Well, how they are distributing the firmware I believe that they are, somehow running out of the disc I received 3 disc from Tosh, is this normal.

I have A1 and firmware has been updated to the latest, v2.2. I still can't get the trueHD under 5.1 analog.

Cheers,
TP.

DTS w/A1

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

Today, the wife and I watched the upconverted SD version of Mel Gibson's Apocalypto. I smiled as I opened up the audio setup option and found it to offer 5.1 DTS. Of course I selected it and smiled again when my A1 displayed "DTS Surroundsound".

I'm running HDMI from my A1 to Denon 987.

PM me your mailing address and I'll send you an official CD. Or if you like I'll rip it to an ISO and email it to you.

check your owner's manual to find the correct way to receive sound from an external scource..if that doesn't work you can call Toshiba tech support or your receiver's tech support for help.....I also read that on the xa2..if you change the hdmi audio out to pcm..it brings out better sound from the analogs..no one knows why..but it might be worth trying

I have not been able to locate the answer to this question in my A1 owners manual so your help would be appreciated.

Toshiba Tech Support told me today that I will enjoy better audio by using 5.1 analog instead of HDMI. With that said, Tech Support then told me to run video directly to my TV via HDMI.

Your opinon please. When using 5.1 Analog "is it" better to run the HDMI directly to the TV or run component cables from the A1 to the AVR then component from the AVR to the TV or component to the AVR with a single HDMI to the TV. (I believe Denon says to use component with component only and HDMI with HDMI only. )

I am leaning to running HDMI directly to the tv with the 5.1 but knowing what others do in this situation may help be forestall any problems.

Thanks,
49Merc

I have excellent audio and video and yes, I run video (HDMI) from the player to the tv directly and 5.1 audio from the player to the A/V receiver. I able to listen to TrueHD and DD+.

What grade and brand composite cables are you using and what AVR do you have?

Thanks for the help.

49Merc,

Generally, its better to send a digital video (HDMI or DVI) directly to the display. But (big but) for some displays, it doesn't make much difference whether you use a digital signal or use analog (component signal (not to be confused with composit signal))

Unless your receiver can convert the new audio codexes, you get better sound allowing your player to convert the audio signal and outputting via analog cables (that's the 6 cable analog output)

49 Merc

Going straight to the Display Device will only work if you limit your HDMI equipped sources to the number of HDMI inputs on your display.

Personally I am running an XA-1 through a Pioneer Elite 84 and it seems to do a good job... other than I am limited to 720p output from the XA-1 due to a bug in the Elite 84. My display device has a DVI connection with a 128k memory block instead of the newer 256k memory found in HDMI displays.... for this reason the Pioneer locks the signal to the primary display frequency of the display or in my case... 720p.

I plan to move the 84 in the future to a different display with HDMI input thereby eliminating the bug... and hope to find one of the new generation HDMI 1.3 AVR's to work with the DVI display without causing the same issue.......

Many folks feel that Component does just as good a job as HDMI for Video..., but in my experimentation with my display I like the HDMI signal better ... (IMHO)

the hdmi gives you the best picture quality..also it upconverts sd dvd's via the hdmi..you cannot upconvert sd dvd's if you use the component cables..so use hdmi for the video and the analog outputs if possible to the receiver

Tigerdirect.ca is offering refurbished HD-A1 players for $219.97. Is it a good deal? I need your opinions on the special offer for the deal ends on June 25.

I suppose. Although I see it showing up as 199.00 (probably the difference between US vs CA). Not much more than a regular upcoverting DVD player.
Depends on how important cost savings is to you vs the best price you can get a new HD-DVD player for.

I bought my HD-A1 last August for about $360, which was about the only/best deal at the time.

Seeing as how the format war has a way to go, I can see the value in spending as little as possible on one of these.

Not unless it qualifies for the 5 free disc promo. The mail in form excludes refurbished if I recall correctly. If it comes with the original UPC, I believe it will qualify, but otherwise I don't know. The HD-A1 is better for some users than the HD-A2, but since the HD-A1 is so slow, you might look at the differences and decide which one you prefer noting slower loading times for the A1.

If you can't conclude you can get the disc promo with the A1, I think the A2 would be a much better deal at the <$300 price it sells for online.

Chris

Does anyone else know if it's true that Toshiba has released an update for some HD DVD players for the new web enabled features but did not release it for owners of the HD A1 players? What are they trying to do? Force us to go out and buy another player?

I think that the 2.2 update is supposed to have enabled web features, but I haven't tried it yet. I have 2.2 installed, but do not have the player hooked to the Internet...yet.

I have the 2.2 update and also have my HD-A1 connected to my internet connection which I have used to download updates previously.
How would I go about testing for web-enabled features?

Good question, I think I heard that the movie "300" was supposed to have some web features but I don't know if it's come out yet?

EDIT: Just found this: Blood Diamond, which stars Leonard DiCaprio and will be released on HD DVD on Tuesday, will allow viewers to participate in an online poll after watching it.

Not true! -- The last official release was 2.2. When the next release is ready for general distribution, no doubt we will be informed.

I just found another article that talks about it:

"In an effort to swing the tide in the high-definition format wars, Toshiba has announced the release of the first set of titles that support Internet connectivity features on second-generation HD DVD players."

Notice that it says "...connectivity features on SECOND-GENERATION ... players."

The HD A1 is a first generation player. I know the article could be wrong but everything seems to be pointing so that anyone with the HD A1 or other first generation player is out of luck.