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**Official Toshiba HD-A35 (ONLY) Thread** - Page 162

post #4831 of 4859
3/11/12 at 11:41am
Oh, HELL No+1! I tried one of their BDP and it sucked balls. And the new one(s) don't seem to be any better. Stick with LG or Panasonic.
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post #4832 of 4859
3/11/12 at 1:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Splicer010 View Post

Oh, HELL No+1! I tried one of their BDP and it sucked balls. And the new one(s) don't seem to be any better. Stick with LG or Panasonic.

I would add Sony to that list - I have 3 Sony blu-ray players and they have all been excellent, so far (S350, S550 & S1000es - the S1000es is the best of the 3 for sure). These are not the latest models, but I prefer them over the new models for a number of blu-ray performance and features reasons (ie. everything I need to do with my home theater setup I can already do - let the blu-ray player focus on the best possible pq & aq from 2D optical media).
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post #4833 of 4859
3/11/12 at 3:17pm
Quote:


let the blu-ray player focus on the best possible pq & aq from 2D optical media).

With NO Cinavia?
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post #4834 of 4859
3/12/12 at 10:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtenn View Post

So I have a A35 and love it. The question is does Toshiba make or did they ever make a bluray player that is comparable to the A35?

They make a number of BluRay players, as to the comparable quality... I have the BDX2150 but like a lot 'less expensive' players out there now it takes on the minimalist approach... for $44 on sale last Boxing Day I wasn't expecting much, it works well and gives a good picture.

I just thought I would like a Toshiba BD player to sit with my A35!
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post #4835 of 4859
3/12/12 at 2:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by splicer010 View Post

with no cinavia?

absolutely!!
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post #4836 of 4859
3/13/12 at 6:53am
See if you can get a used or refurb Oppo BDP-83. It's a universal player with nice and heavy build quality.

I also have the Sonys which work well. The older models are well built but still feel like toys compared to the Oppo!
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post #4837 of 4859
9/19/12 at 11:41am
Topic = 1080P/24fps

I have been playing around with the video settings on my A35 regarding 24fps playback.
I keep the video resolutions setting on my A35 at "up to 1080P/24hz"
Right below that is a frame rate setting with 2 choices = "auto" or "1080P/24hz".
If I set frame rate to auto - it appears that I never get 24fps playback (according to the display from the player & the display from my Sony TV).
If I set the frame rate to "1080P/24hz" - it ALWAYS forces output to 1080P/24hz regardless of the source material on the HD-DVD.
If the source material is not encoded at 24fps on the HD-DVD (like extras, etc. on the disc) the result is a terrible herky-jerky video being displayed.
If I go back into the settings and change the frame rate to auto - then these extras from the disc play back just fine.

It would appear that the frame rate setting of "1080P/24" forces 24fps playback no matter what - even though the player makes a travesty of the video when the source is not native 24fps.
If I set frame rate at "auto" - I assumed the player would output 1080P/24 if the source material was 1080P/24 - but that doesn't seem to happen.

Is there no setting that will output 1080P/24 source material as is (such as the main movie on HD-DVDs), and non-24fps source material as is (such as many of the extras on HD-DVDs apparently NOT stored as 24fps)?

Getting access to the best video seems to requires changing the frame rate setting in the player firmware depending on whether I am watching a main movie feature (set it to "1080P/24") or extra features (set it to "auto"), which is a royal pain.

I should add that this video is going to the TV via my Yamaha RX-V3900 on hdmi - with everything in the receiver set to "pass-through" for hdmi.

Anyone have any perspectives on this? Is this an issue with the player? Maybe the receiver is causing this somehow?
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post #4838 of 4859
9/19/12 at 1:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich86 View Post

Topic = 1080P/24fps
I have been playing around with the video settings on my A35 regarding 24fps playback.
I keep the video resolutions setting on my A35 at "up to 1080P/24hz"
Right below that is a frame rate setting with 2 choices = "auto" or "1080P/24hz".
If I set frame rate to auto - it appears that I never get 24fps playback (according to the display from the player & the display from my Sony TV).
If I set the frame rate to "1080P/24hz" - it ALWAYS forces output to 1080P/24hz regardless of the source material on the HD-DVD.
If the source material is not encoded at 24fps on the HD-DVD (like extras, etc. on the disc) the result is a terrible herky-jerky video being displayed.
If I go back into the settings and change the frame rate to auto - then these extras from the disc play back just fine.
It would appear that the frame rate setting of "1080P/24" forces 24fps playback no matter what - even though the player makes a travesty of the video when the source is not native 24fps.
If I set frame rate at "auto" - I assumed the player would output 1080P/24 if the source material was 1080P/24 - but that doesn't seem to happen.
Is there no setting that will output 1080P/24 source material as is (such as the main movie on HD-DVDs), and non-24fps source material as is (such as many of the extras on HD-DVDs apparently NOT stored as 24fps)?
Getting access to the best video seems to requires changing the frame rate setting in the player firmware depending on whether I am watching a main movie feature (set it to "1080P/24") or extra features (set it to "auto"), which is a royal pain.
I should add that this video is going to the TV via my Yamaha RX-V3900 on hdmi - with everything in the receiver set to "pass-through" for hdmi.
Anyone have any perspectives on this? Is this an issue with the player? Maybe the receiver is causing this somehow?

We have similar setups, although I'm hooked up to an RX-V3800 and Sony XBR4 with the A35. The last firmware upgrade Toshiba did included the Auto setting, but it is my understanding HDs were never produced with a flag to trigger that. Presumably if HDs were the winning format that would have happened.

I just leave my 24P off on the theory the Sony is supposed to recognize the original source and use that frame rate instead of the 2:3 pulldown.
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post #4839 of 4859
9/27/12 at 4:17pm
Rich,
In general, a setting of AUTO means that the decision is made during the HDMI handshake, not according to disc content. During this time the display is responsible for informing the source if it will accept 24p (or whatever option). It could be that your TV doesn't support 24p (natively with 72Hz or higher refresh) or one of the devices involved is too stupid to realize that it does. In this case I always set the Toshiba to 24p explicitly because Auto doesn't work, and it certainly doesn't adapt to the disc content. For that you need a setting that some bluray players have called source direct, but the pitfall in that case is you don't get DVD 24p output.

Snowghost,
By setting it OFF you are explicitly forcing 1080p60 which your TV will happily display as is without further processing (not optimal). I don't think it can perform inverse telecine to extract the 24fps the way some players and high end video processors can.
Edited by AVfile - 10/2/12 at 11:58am
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post #4840 of 4859
9/27/12 at 4:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AVfile View Post

Rich,
Any setting of AUTO should mean that the decision is made during the HDMI handshake, not according to disc content. During this time the display is responsible for informing the source if it will accept 24p (or whatever option). It could be that your TV doesn't support 24p (natively with 72Hz or higher refresh) or one of the devices involved is too stupid to realize that it does. In this case I always set the Toshiba to 24p explicitly because Auto doesn't work, and it certainly doesn't adapt to the disc content. For that you need a setting that some bluray players have called source direct, but in that case you don't get DVD 24p output.
Snowghost,
By setting it OFF you are explicitly forcing 1080p60 which your TV will happily display as is without further processing (not optimal). I don't think it can perform inverse telecine to extract the 24fps the way some players and high end video processors can.

Per the Sony literature it supposedly does reverse telecine. To be honest I can't tell it from 24fps from the player.
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post #4841 of 4859
9/28/12 at 3:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by AVfile View Post

Rich,
Any setting of AUTO should mean that the decision is made during the HDMI handshake, not according to disc content. During this time the display is responsible for informing the source if it will accept 24p (or whatever option). It could be that your TV doesn't support 24p (natively with 72Hz or higher refresh) or one of the devices involved is too stupid to realize that it does. In this case I always set the Toshiba to 24p explicitly because Auto doesn't work, and it certainly doesn't adapt to the disc content. For that you need a setting that some bluray players have called source direct, but in that case you don't get DVD 24p output.
Snowghost,
By setting it OFF you are explicitly forcing 1080p60 which your TV will happily display as is without further processing (not optimal). I don't think it can perform inverse telecine to extract the 24fps the way some players and high end video processors can.

My Receiver & TV most definitely do support and handle 1080P/24. The A35 is set for "up to 1080P/24" for resolution. When you make that setting, it defaults the frame rate to 24hz. If left set that way - all source material is sent as 1080P/24hz to the receiver and on to the TV (the receiver is set to pass whatever video it gets, as is, to the TV) and the TV indicates that it is receiving 1080P/24 video.
If you change frame rate to "auto" in the A35 player - I cannot see where it ever sends 24fps video to the TV. Someone earlier said video content is supposed to have a flag set when it is recorded as 24fps - and HD-DVD had never done much to include that flag in produced HD-DVDs. Maybe that is why "auto" in the frame rate setting doesn't really function.
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post #4842 of 4859
10/2/12 at 12:07pm
Sorry I was going from memory and forgot that we are talking about two independent settings. I see the distinction now, and agree that the AUTO setting doesn't work. It's too bad they relied on non-existant flags for the AUTO mode, because it should be pretty easy for the player to figure it out without flags. However not sure how they would handle menus because I wouldn't want the output switching framerate frequently.

PS - I just played Cream live at Royal Albert Hall 2005 concert HD-DVD and was blown away by the audio and video. 1080p24 and DTS-HDMA bitstream!
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post #4843 of 4859
10/5/12 at 2:48pm
Wanted to ask a question of current Toshiba HD-A35 owners...

I am sure this has been covered before but wanted to clarify if you don't mind...

Got my hands on a HD-A35 and updated from 2.0 Firmware to 4.0 Firmware. While running Version 2.0 I was able to see the "Dolby TrueHD: Logo on my Denon 3312ci Reveiver. After updating to Version 4.0 I no longer get that on the Receiver.

So now I can't honestly tell if I am getting Bitstream Dolby True HD anymore.

Would love for some HD-A35 owners to chime in with their comments on this. I would hate to have lost what I had....I can still hear the movie when playing, and it also plays fine when I choose the True HD soundtrack in the menu...

Just don't see it any more on my receiver...So now can't tell what the receiver is being fed so to speak!

Any comments appreciated!
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post #4844 of 4859
10/5/12 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by User7007 View Post

Wanted to ask a question of current Toshiba HD-A35 owners...
I am sure this has been covered before but wanted to clarify if you don't mind...
Got my hands on a HD-A35 and updated from 2.0 Firmware to 4.0 Firmware. While running Version 2.0 I was able to see the "Dolby TrueHD: Logo on my Denon 3312ci Reveiver. After updating to Version 4.0 I no longer get that on the Receiver.
So now I can't honestly tell if I am getting Bitstream Dolby True HD anymore.
Would love for some HD-A35 owners to chime in with their comments on this. I would hate to have lost what I had....I can still hear the movie when playing, and it also plays fine when I choose the True HD soundtrack in the menu...
Just don't see it any more on my receiver...So now can't tell what the receiver is being fed so to speak!
Any comments appreciated!

I still see it on my receiver using 4.0. Did you check your A35 settings to see if the update turned off Bitstream?
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post #4845 of 4859
10/5/12 at 4:40pm
I have not used my a 35 for some time and as the previous poster suggested I was wondering if you have changed the sound settings in the A 35,

I would try all the sound settings to see if any of them work if there is an auto try that first.

An other idea is to disconnect the HDMI plug at both ends and re connect them.

If that all fails there is a 1 800 for Denon which I access through a local telephone number.

I have used Denon assistance in the past for my avr 4810 CO and found them helpful. The assistanceas of 6 months ago was free of charge
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post #4846 of 4859
10/6/12 at 5:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by User7007 View Post

Wanted to ask a question of current Toshiba HD-A35 owners...
I am sure this has been covered before but wanted to clarify if you don't mind...
Got my hands on a HD-A35 and updated from 2.0 Firmware to 4.0 Firmware. While running Version 2.0 I was able to see the "Dolby TrueHD: Logo on my Denon 3312ci Reveiver. After updating to Version 4.0 I no longer get that on the Receiver.
So now I can't honestly tell if I am getting Bitstream Dolby True HD anymore.
Would love for some HD-A35 owners to chime in with their comments on this. I would hate to have lost what I had....I can still hear the movie when playing, and it also plays fine when I choose the True HD soundtrack in the menu...
Just don't see it any more on my receiver...So now can't tell what the receiver is being fed so to speak!
Any comments appreciated!

Check settings:

Digital Out HDMI = "auto"
Digital Direct Audio Mode = "on"
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post #4847 of 4859
10/8/12 at 10:43am
Ok, thanks for the responses. It seems like, after I turned off the player for the night and went back the following day has solved the issue. So perhaps it was the combination of the 2nd or 3rd power cycle and adjusting the settings to what Rich86 suggested did the trick.

Digital Out HDMI = "auto"
Digital Direct Audio Mode = "on"

Player Boot time does seem a tad shorter than previous firmware versions so I am glad I updated it.

Now I am getting exactly what I am selecting on the disc for soundtracks etc.

I love this player. 2001 A Space Odyssey Looks excellent on this player. I love having this as part of my Home Theater Hardware Lineup.

Really unfortunate they lost the format war.

Thanks Everyone!
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post #4848 of 4859
10/8/12 at 2:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by User7007 View Post

I love this player. 2001 A Space Odyssey Looks excellent on this player. I love having this as part of my Home Theater Hardware Lineup.
Really unfortunate they lost the format war.
Thanks Everyone!

Yes it does. That and Pan's Labyrinth are my favorites on my A35. I try and watch them a couple times a year.
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post #4849 of 4859
11/15/12 at 7:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich86 View Post


Well, I think maybe it was an overheating problem after all.

I noticed there was an air intake vent on the right side of the player that was smack against my cabinet wall. I moved the player an inch or so to the left, let it sit for a couple of weeks without use, and fired it up today, and it just played the complete "2001 Space Odyssey" title TrueHD track perfectly. Hopefully it isn't just teasing me.


Update: I've now played 3 titles on this player - all with Dolby TrueHD tracks - and all played perfectly. So I guess it was an overheating issue and ensuring clear air passage in and out of the player solved it. Whew!

So - here we are more than a year later - and my A35 has once again begun gagging on lossless audio tracks. It refuses to bitstream lossless audio - Dolby TrueHD tracks just blink on and off in my receiver - I'm sure DTS-HD does the same - everything else works perfectly in the A35. I have moved things around and tested with other players enough to be certain the receiver (Yamaha RX-V3900) and hdmi cable (Monoprice) are fine. It is the A35 that is the problem. Guess I will have to drag it out of the home theater setup and open it up again to see if anything calls out to me.
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post #4850 of 4859
11/15/12 at 11:32am
Knock on wood (I tell my wife that all the time! wink.gif ) but our A35 is still kicking ass and taking names... cool.gif
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post #4851 of 4859
12/21/12 at 12:18am
Ditto!
Just watched Brotherhood of the Wolf getting ready to fire up Blade Runner Final Cut, I swear the picture doesn't get much better!
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post #4852 of 4859
2/8/13 at 6:18am
In the FAQs, I get the impression that the A35, a 3rd generation machine, isn't as good as a second generation machine.

Is that true and if so, can you recommend 2nd generation machines?
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post #4853 of 4859
2/8/13 at 6:23am
I'll put it this way Jim; I have/had both the A35 and the XA2...I sold the XA2 and kept the A35. wink.gif
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post #4854 of 4859
2/8/13 at 8:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JimP View Post

In the FAQs, I get the impression that the A35, a 3rd generation machine, isn't as good as a second generation machine.
Is that true and if so, can you recommend 2nd generation machines?

My understanding is that the XA2 does a somewhat better job of upconverting standard DVD than the A35 does, but when it comes to playing HD-DVDs, the XA2 & A35 are comparable.
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post #4855 of 4859
2/8/13 at 9:10am
Mine works perfectly. Use it mainly to watch DVD's but occasionally will play one of a handful of HD DVD's I own.
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post #4856 of 4859
2/9/13 at 10:24am
XA2 has a nicer remote, but they are all so old now you will surely have disc playback issues.
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post #4857 of 4859
2/9/13 at 1:39pm
No disc playback issues at all with the A35...Just had a Harry Potter marathon the other night when my kid had a sleepover...cool.gifbiggrin.gif
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post #4858 of 4859
2/10/13 at 11:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Splicer010 View Post

No disc playback issues at all with the A35...Just had a Harry Potter marathon the other night when my kid had a sleepover...cool.gifbiggrin.gif

Good thing you have an A35. I disappointed a house full of kids when HP1 refused to play past chapter 1 on their XA2. Took it home and found same freeze up on my A2, but the A35 sails right through it smile.gif
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post #4859 of 4859
2/10/13 at 11:54am
To be perfectly honest, I could not be more pleased with the A35 than I already am. Got it from Crutchfield immediately after the announcement being made to stop HD DVD production, for a fantastic shipped price ($125 IIRC) and have had A3, XA2, The Onkyo version, and an A1, and hands down the A35 is simply the best. Even if you don't use your XA2 for the HD DVD, I strongly recommend you utilize it for music (CD) use ase these are simply the best at that as well with their Burr-Brown DAC. cool.gif
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