A2/XA2 firmware upgrade 1.2/1.3 [ remove disc first!] - Page 33  

I'll defer to Robert's potential answer - but in my programming experience you want the set of new variables (think menu settings) and newly interpreted variables (think new program code for older variables) refreshed to new defaults. The new software may have new ranges and preferred values. Even though most will be the same, it may be some are different and some might even be invisible to the user, and not have menus to access them - internally generated and used.

Take some quick notes of your present settings - especially the 5.1 audio settings would be a good idea - and then with only a few minutes of time you're back on track.

The initialization most likely can be done at any time - whether or not the unit has been played.

^^^
Let me just add that my Sony BDP-S1 went into a self-initialization mode after its upgrade. I also had to re-enter all settings. So I guess our Tosh units may benefit from this extra "initialize" step as well, albeit done by the user and not automatically like the Sony. It's not a difficult process for my A2. However the customization settings are limited in comparison to its big bro, the XA2, which may make the reset aspect of it more of a hassle.

I had the same 38/38 and can not find server problem 3 times and it worked on the fourth try.

I updated my player over the Internet and my new Firmware is also 1.3/T19M. Before the update it was 1.2/T17M. I thought the "19" was for Canada Units. Did I download the wrong Firmware Version??

Thanks,

Ron

You did not download the wrong version. I am guessing that 1.3 is the firmware for the Toshiba and 19 is the bios or firmware for the loader. That is the way they do things on other units. I believe that the Canadian 1.2 19T was newer than the 1.2. 17T version sent out to the USA. I wish we would get the right answers.

Robert, happen to know when they're shipping out the 1.3 discs? I just got the 1.2 disk, but my firmware cam preinstalled at 1.2/T19. I don't have network connectivity at my rack yet, hence the disk.

Thanks.

Bud

Thanks for the quick reply! I thought something went wrong with the download. Feeling much better now.

I have a question regarding the Component video output from the HD-A2. I have the Sony 40" Wega XBR , but do not have any HDMI inputs, so I'm using the Component inputs. The picture looks clean and the colors are brillant, but I read that the movie studios, if they choose to, can down convert the HD 1080i signal to 576p. Is this True ? And if so, how can I know if this is happening??

Thanks,

Ron


P.S. Please give me good news on this as I can't afford to upgrade my Monitor just yet!

They don't plan on doing this until 2009. At least that's the official version.

after hooking up to the internet I am showing update 1.0/t17t. is this for the a-2?

trying to download and now I am getting the cannot find server message.

Try again. Mine went through the whole download then I received that message. I tried it a second time and it downloaded again and then went through the update process correctly.

The update is for both the HD-A2 and the HD-XA2. If you have an HD-A2, and it says you already have the latest software, but are still at 1.0/t17, you may have one of the units that has an issue updating via the internet. The fix is to obtain the ISO, burn it and update to 1.2. Once you do that, you will be able to connect via the internet to update to 1.3.

I have a A-2 and updated to 1.2 with the ISO, and I may be an idiot, but I keep getting the "cannot find server" message.

I really want to try 1.3 too, because I still seem to have some HDMI/DVI issues between my A-2 and the Sanyo Z2 projector.

Hi Ron,

Here's a quote from a review by Dennis Barker at Digital Trends:


Larry

Thanks Larry & eurotrance,

Sounds like some good news for now, but doesn't look good in the near future. I wish I knew when the Studios plan on using "ICT" ? A more exact timeframe would be helpful?? Looks like the future will be all HDMI. I just wish the studios would not use this "Image Constraint Token". There are still probably millions of HDTV owners that don't have an HDMI input and are just not ready to upgrade, especially if there is nothing wrong with their set. It would be a good thing for them to clearly mark the HD DVD packaging if they are using "ICT". Do we have the Piracy to thank for this "Token"?

Ron

Darn, there's still no upgrade on the net for European XE1s. Tosh, get your a** in gear, please.

Hi Guys,

Here's two very similar articles (a little less than a year old) stating that what we have is a behind-the-scenes, unofficial agreement between Hollywood and some consumer electronics manufacturers, including Microsoft and Sony, not to use ICT until 2010, or possibly even 2012.

Hollywood reportedly in agreement to delay forced quality downgrades for Blu-ray, HD DVD

Hollywood Agrees to Postpone Image Constraint Token until 2012?

Yes, we have piracy to thank for this "Token", and a large dose of Hollywood paranoia, temporarily tempered by good old pragmatic capitalism.

Larry

Larry,

Those are both very informative articles. Thanks for the links. If they keep to their word it looks very promising. It is in their ( Movie Studios ) best interest to wait until 2010 or 2012 before they implement the ICT. If you think about it , the industry is actually asking the general public to replace their Entire Home Theatre System just to support HD. From the HD Player, the Media ( Movies) to the Plasma or LCD Monitor and AV Receiver ( for TrueHD Sound ) all with HDMI capatibility. That is just too much for everyone to swallow all at the same time. They need to be careful not to chase some of their potential consumers away and stay with Standard DVD and up converted players. Also there are a lot of people out there with a huge selection and investment in Standard DVD Movie Titles. Now they have to start a new collection.

Ron

No your not an idiot! The upgrade process via the Internet is horrible. Looks like you do not even have a valid connection to your ISP. Make sure DHCP and DNS are set to ON. Restart your cable/dsl modem/router while player is plugged in. Be aware even if you do get connected and are able to start the download 1/38 it is likely it will go all the way to 38/38 and after a few minutes return same error!
"Can not find out server"
It took me 3 attempts to download 1.3. After third try the upgrade process 1/5 continued and was sucessful. I had just upgraded from disk to 1.2 the other day with zero problems. In the future I will be waiting for the disk method.

Average Joe will not be able to complete this upgrage via Internet!

If you are using a router try taking it out of the equation. I plugged my ethernet
cable from my Toshiba directly into my cable modem and rebooted the cable modem and set DNS to "ON" and DHCP to "ON" and it worked for me with no
problems.

I'd be willing to bet that the reason for the failure at the completion of the download, but before the actual updating is that the process does some type of "check digit" routine after completing the download to ensure that all 38 files were downloaded completely and correctly. If this check digit routine fails, then the process is aborted.

This type of routine is a good idea because it prevents the firmware from being updated by corrupt files. However, it would be a better idea for the download to just initialize itself and start the download over again.

But then we would be reading posts asking "How come my machine counts from 1 to 38 and then goes back to 1 again?"

Why the hell can't they just give us a downloadable file update? Just about every other company in the world allows this and it makes this process a more tolerable one. Are they looking to piss off an already stressed allegiance core? Geez!!!

BTW, Thanks for the direct modem to Toshi suggestion. I too tried to update from my second "routed" computer thinking it would work from the cable and I got nothing. So, I will give this new direct method a try (in the wee hours of the night)...

Just a side note I don't think the connection speed option figures into things at least WRT the firmware download. I forgot to change it from the default 56k when I did the update, and it still downloaded all 38 files in 10-15 minutes or so. It failed at 38/38 saying it couldn't find the server, but then worked on the second try.

Yes the Iso image would obviously be ALOT easier, but I THINK that they are hoping to use Internet Interactivity in the future, so thats probably why they would prefer folks to get used to setting it up for Online DL.

Alot of folks don't understand how to burn stuff either(or even have burners), so maybe in their minds, it's preferable for that reason as well.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I really can't think of any other reasons offhand.


I used to flash the bios on my computers ALOT, and I saw the IHV's start using EZ Flash and the like because some folks have NO CLUE that they can even get a Bin file in raw format, it was just easier for them(IHVS) to control the firmware by having what THEY wanted available to the public(betas? Ouch, they don't usually like those), press update, and go... if it needs it, it updates, if not it doesn't.

Does it work? Well on computers it does, because the puter is already Online, with the Tosh, it's obviously a different animal.

JMO

Hi Ron,

You're welcome.

Yes, that's what I meant by "temporarily tempered by good old pragmatic capitalism." If Hollywood was stupid enough to immediately invoke ICT with the inception of the high definition disc formats, they'd be throwing away 3 million potential customers owning analog HDTVs and all those newly released XBox Add-ons and PS3 gaming consoles that can currently play high definition discs that are not equipped with HDMI connections.

Even with the above devices as part of the current high definition market, the sales of Blu-ray discs and HD DVDs combined is still only a fraction of a percent of the total DVD market. Therefore, invoking the ICT would amount to essentially aborting the birth of the high definition formats on the date their release.


Yes, there are many folks with large standard DVD collections and standard DVDs will continue to outsell the high definition formats for a long time. However, I should remind you that for those folks who wish to upconvert their standard DVD collections, they are going to have to upgrade at least one of their TVs and players to have DVI or HDMI connections anyway.

Most consumers have more than one TV, and usually the typical consumer will gradually replace their TVs and associated equipment. So once the primary TV is replaced with an HDTV with DVI or HDMI, now it makes sense to purchase an inexpensive upconverting DVD player (or a reasonally priced high definition player with upconversion capabilities). Once this decision is made, there is less of a burning need to start a completely new collection, and the investment in standard DVDs is preserved for many years. Not everyone has a large display. For smaller HDTVs the consumer may not see much of a difference between upconverted standard DVDs and high definition discs. For them it may make more sense to continue to purchase most of their discs in the less expensive standard format, converting it to near-HD quality.

One of the advantages that HD DVD has over Blu-ray is that all of their standalone players, some with street prices below $400, have excellent upconverting capabilities. Whereas the Blu-ray players with upconverting capabilities are selling for around $900 or more. However, I believe the first high definition player with upconversion capabilites to hit $200 will have a significant competitive advantage, and this milestone will mark the true beginning of the format war. At this price point the mass market will start to be attracted to HD, and preserving the value of their standard DVD collection will be an important selling point.

Larry

I agree 100%. Put up an ISO image and let folks burn their own disc. They already have the ISO so what's the big deal. If they still want to send out discs and provide the current online update thats fine too, but just add the download of the ISO as an option.

Hi Guys,

First, let me preface my remarks by stating that I fully acknowledge that there have been a number of forum members, many of whom are very technically adroit, who have experienced difficulties in downloading via the Internet. Many of these difficulties centered around an incompatibility in the version 1.0 software which should be corrected by applying the version 1.2 ISO disc. So hopefully future Internet updates will go more smoothly.

I also agree that it would be helpful if an on-line ISO disc option were also available to supplement the Ethernet connection method. This is particularly important for folks who do not have broadband connections conveniently located near their players.

However, I'm an "Average Joe" when it comes to Ethernet connections, and I merely followed the manual's directions and had absolutely no problems setting up my player and downloading the update. Therefore, I'd have to disagree with the leap of logic that ALL average consumers will be unable to complete this upgrade.

As muzz suggested this Internet connection will prove to be more important for regularly available interactivity entertainment features in the future, in addition to permitting an occasional update.

Larry

First, the Ethernet option assumes that everyone has broadband Internet access.
Bad assumption #1


Second, it assumes that everyone can connect their DVD player to the Internet. There are some people who don't have routers, because until buying this DVD player, they had no need for one. There are other people who don't have their computer anywhere near their DVD player. I have a wired modem. If my either my computer or DVD player was located in locations other then where they are located right now, the Ethernet option would require that I disconnect my DVD player, pull it out of the component rack and bring it to the computer. Then I would also have to bring a TV to the computer so that I can see what's on the screen as I attempted to update the DVD player.

Bad assumption #2

Third, apparently you got lucky and were able to turn DHCP and DNS on and have it work. If DHCP and DNS didn't work for your Internet connection, do you think that you would have been able to figure out the proper IP address, Subnet mask, Gateway and DNS Server values? My parents sure as hell wouldn't. Neither would most of my friends. Just because the default methodology works for most people, doesn't mean that it will work for everyone.

Bad assumption #3

Now, granted, everyone doesn't own a CD or DVD burner and know how to burn a diss. But I woujld bet that everyone knows somebody else who does. A friend of mine, who lives half way across the country and owns the RCA badged version of the Toshiba A1 can't connect his player to the Internet and doesn't own a burner. I was almost had to download the A1 firmware, burn it to a disc and mail it to him. But I was able to e-mail him the instructions for doing so and he had a local friend of his make him the CD.

I don't necessarily think that Toshiba should get rid of the Ethernet update. But having to wait for them to mail a CD to people shouldn't be the only other option. The ability to download and burn a CD needs to be an available option. Not only is it better for the consumer, it's less expensive than creating and mailing all of those discs that Toshiba will have to send to people.

Hi Bill,

With all due respect, you're preaching to the choir.

In my prior posting I already conceded to the essence of the points you are making, albeit with less verbiage.

Further, I never minimized the problems experienced. My only point was to take exception to the statement:


It sounded like the original poster was advocating doing away with with the Ethernet connection, which as you know is needed for other reasons than updating firmware.

To repeat what I said, I agree that there should other means besides the Ethernet connection to permit updating the firmware.

Larry