[ethune]

Just called Toshiba customer support regarding DVI/HDCP (800-631-3811) and spoke with a customer representative. She(Joy) said that in no way would the current sets be obsoleted. I asked for a letter in writing confirming this which she took my name and address for - we'll see if I get it. She was also going to have a supervisor call me back to confirm what she said. Please everyone with Toshiba set's call and ask for written confirmation also. Let's have them make a public response and put this issue to bed.


Eric

 

[work permit]

Thats great. Could you make sure by this he means either:


1. The set will be retrofitted with new electronics

2. Set top boxes will continue to output HIGH DEFINITION signals, for example 1080i or 780p. In your definition, if a set top box only outputs 480i or 480p this is taken to mean obsolete.




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

Alex

 

[Craig Robertson]

I called Toshiba Customer Service to voice my concerns, I am currently considering which RP HD set to purchase. When I explained my concerns that the analog HD inputs would be of no use once there is only a digital HD output on the STB's, the CSR told me "The government would never let that happen."

When pressed, he said that the transition that I was talking about would take "...seven years."

I asked "That means that a set that I spend several thousand dollars on today may only be good for seven years?"

His reply: "You know who will get rich? Whoever makes the converter box to make it work with your set."

To which I replied, "That is illegal under the digital copyright act."

Toshiba CSR: "I don't know where you are getting your information, but you are wrong."

I asked for some sort of resource to back up his position, but he said he had no further information. When I asked if I could speak to someone else for clarification, he told me there was no other information that Customer Service had.

I thanked him for his help, and told him that I would call back later to speak to someone else.


sorry for the style of this post, but it is hard to transcribe a phone call.

 

[work permit]

One thought on this and other customer service threads.


The agreements have just been signed a week ago. Until customer service gets an "information packet", they are just speculating like the rest of us. The companies themselves may not have decided on the issues.


The greatest benefit would come from ALOT us us calling customer service. This should generate an out-of-volume call report. This would signal corporate communications that there's "something brewing out there". THEN, after the internal lawyers think about it for a while, we'll get a press release and better information.


Don't put too much pressure on, or expect much from, them. Just keep the phones ringing.


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

Alex

 

[Paul G]

I sent the following email to Toshiba last week and never received a reply. I sent it to the address for customer service I found on their web site. [email protected]


Anyone else receive a response by email? Feel free to use the body of this email if you'd like.


Paul


-----


I am considering purchasing a 57H81 HDTV rear projection television next month when they become available. However, I am well aware of the turmoil in the industry regarding encryption and digital inputs. It now appears that any set I purchase now will not be able to receive ALL HDTV programs in the not too distant future if it does not support Firewire/5C and DVI/HDCP encryption standards. Please read this article by the LA Times. http://www.latimes.com/technology/la...819jul26.story


None of Toshiba's 2002 or earlier models have these inputs. They offer only analog component inputs. The license agreements for these proposed encryption schemes prohibit that receivers output anything that has been encrypted on an analog output without "down-rezzing" it first. This means that if I purchase one of your televisions without these digital inputs I will have to view some HDTV programs in standard definition mode rather than HDTV mode which defeats the purpose of an HDTV and I would then consider my TV to be obsolete.


What will you do to protect me and other consumers that purchase, or have already purchased, one of your televisions that have been advertised as being HDTV upgradeable? In actuality it appears these sets are not upgradeable.


Toshiba and the other television manufacturers need to make a press release soon addressing these issues if you hope to sell HDTV sets in any volume this year. Now that these issues are hitting the press the consumer will likely wait until these issues are resolved before making a purchase. Unless, of course, the manufacturers make commitments to the consumers that the sets will be upgradeable, without a loss of resolution, as HDTV standards evolve.


Regards,

Paul



[This message has been edited by Paul G (edited 07-31-2001).]

 

[Paul G]

I finally got a response back from Toshiba. It said to call their customer support number, 1-800-631-3811. When I did, I had to sit on hold for at least a half an hour.


The support person I talked to said she just received an email that said they would be shipping product with DVI and IEEE-1394 possibly as early as next year. She would not give me any further detail about when next year.


I asked her if there would be any upgrade path to add these inputs to existing TVs. She said there would be none.


She kept insisting that was all the information she had. I asked her who sent her the email. She replied that her supervisor did. I asked to speak to her supervisor. She put me on hold for a minute and when she returned she once again started saying that that is all the information they had.


Looks like I'll be waiting before making my HDTV purchase. I was just about to pull the trigger and I stumbled into this forum and found out about the copy protection issue just in time. I guess I can reluctantly wait a year.

 

[jerryez]

I, also, am ready to buy a Toshiba HDTV and STB.


I too will wait a year before I spend 3,000-4,000 dollars on a HDTV and STB that will not receive all standards.


I sent Toshiba an email stating my position. Email or call all the manufacturers and maybe they will move their a****.


Jerry

 

[ReeseG]

Why would anyone buy a "HDTV" now, when six months from now it will be an SDTV?


Isn't this false advertising?

 

[Paul G]

Most people probably don't spend as much time researching things as we do.


As far as the false advertising claim goes, probably not. The current TVs will allow you to receive HDTV broadcasts in the future since it is unlikely these will be encrypted. They don't make any claims about being able to receive HBO-HD, PPV-HD or being able to use an HD VCR or an HD DVD with the TV.


[This message has been edited by Paul G (edited 08-01-2001).]

 

[Rudy1]

Try writing to Toshiba through this website http://www.planetfeedback.com/

....they seem to be able to get through very quickly to the right people all the time and the service is free. When I complained to RCA about my DTC100, I got a phone call from an engineer at Thomson Consumer Electronics later that very same day.

 

[Les_D]

I just emailed this letter to Toshiba and sent a copy to my state representatives:


I am the happy owner of a TheaterWide 40X81 and a Toshiba DVD player. I have been enjoying the wonderful DVD playback that this set offers.


I have been looking for a HDTV/Satellite Set-Top-Box, as my local stations are starting their HDTV broadcasts, and HBO and Showtime are broadcasting HDTV.


I was disturbed to learn of the emerging DVI/HDCP encryption standards, especially the fact that TVs with analog only inputs will only be "allowed" to watch the programs in "Standard Definition". I find it hard to swallow that all current HDTVs would be unable to actually view a High Definition picture.


Is Toshiba supporting this customer UNfriendly "standard"?

Will there be an upgrade option for Toshiba products with Analog Only inputs?

Will my $3000 TV be obsolete in a year?


I understand that technology changes rapidly, (I work in the computer hardware industry) I EXPECT tuners, and display devices to improve and change. However, I can not accept someone DISABELING the primary function that my hardware was purchased for.


I understand that Toshiba will be shipping DVI enabled sets within a year. This does not help me or your other HDTV customers. We should not have to replace our NEW display sets to CONTINUE viewing HDTV programs.


Please respond with any information on this subject.

Thank you,

Les_D


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

Les_D

DFAST = HD DiVX

DFAST has nothing to do with stopping piracy and every thing to do with making you pay EVERY TIME you watch a movie.