Check out this link...
http://www.hdbeat.com/2006/08/08/hd-dvd ... ruehd-5-1/
TUESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.hdbeat.com/2006/08/08/hd-dvd ... ruehd-5-1/
TUESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Toshiba HD-XA1, HD-A1 - firmware/performance upgrades
Read-only archive
Just wanted to let everyone know that the Offical 2.0 firmware for the Toshiba HD-DVD player is ready to download...YES!...LOSSLESS IS HERE!!!... 
It works too!...TrueHD lossless!....I am listening to "The Perfect Storm" in TrueHD as I type!...
720P issues have been resolved...Now looks good in 720P.
It works too!...TrueHD lossless!....I am listening to "The Perfect Storm" in TrueHD as I type!...
720P issues have been resolved...Now looks good in 720P.
2.0 firmware upgrade
Adds TrueHD multichannel to analog outputs and HDMI bitstream
HDMI to DVI RGB color conversion fixed
HDMI video levels fixed
720P HD scaling fixed
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
HDMI to DVI video levels are PC and still needs to be fixed. This can cause clipping of both peak white and black. This will cause compatibility errors with other DVI sources that use the correct video levels.
Adds TrueHD multichannel to analog outputs and HDMI bitstream
HDMI to DVI RGB color conversion fixed
HDMI video levels fixed
720P HD scaling fixed
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
HDMI to DVI video levels are PC and still needs to be fixed. This can cause clipping of both peak white and black. This will cause compatibility errors with other DVI sources that use the correct video levels.
The above comments remain true.
Finally had a chance to evaluate the SD scaling; it is fixed and great! If Toshiba can fix the black level problem with DVI for both SD and HD this machine will be fantastic (except for the long boot times to get it rolling). C'mon Toshiba, you can do it!!!
Finally had a chance to evaluate the SD scaling; it is fixed and great! If Toshiba can fix the black level problem with DVI for both SD and HD this machine will be fantastic (except for the long boot times to get it rolling). C'mon Toshiba, you can do it!!!
What happened to the HD-A2? I thought it was being sold, for awhile, and now it is nowhere to be found. 
From what I understand it has not been available - will be in about 30 days, hopefully less. There appears to be plenty of 1st generation still available...
Richard,
I am running a Sanyo Z4 through hdmi on my Denon 2807 and Dish 622 DVR. I am chompin' to get into either bluray or hd-dvd...tending toward the lower priced toshiba while the format wars play out. Any comments how the Toshiba would work with the 720p Z4? I have thought about going with the PS3 +bluray but I am not really big into gaming. I plan to upgrade the Z4 to a low end 1080p Pany or Sanyo (when Sanyo finally put out a model)projector in about a year. Z4 has a drop dead beautiful picture as far as I am concerned so not in a hurry. Any comments you might make would be appreciated.
I am running a Sanyo Z4 through hdmi on my Denon 2807 and Dish 622 DVR. I am chompin' to get into either bluray or hd-dvd...tending toward the lower priced toshiba while the format wars play out. Any comments how the Toshiba would work with the 720p Z4? I have thought about going with the PS3 +bluray but I am not really big into gaming. I plan to upgrade the Z4 to a low end 1080p Pany or Sanyo (when Sanyo finally put out a model)projector in about a year. Z4 has a drop dead beautiful picture as far as I am concerned so not in a hurry. Any comments you might make would be appreciated.
Hi Harmil,
Stop chompin and pull the trigger!
I would suggest HD DVD because we know what it is doing, they have more titles, all titles were mastered decent.
That said, the enthusiast is going to want both because not all titles will be on both formats. Personally, I am waiting on Bluray to get it together and the 50GB release of 5th Element might be all the inspiration I need. A good review of the PS3, meets imaging standards, would inspire me to buy now.
Stop chompin and pull the trigger!
I would suggest HD DVD because we know what it is doing, they have more titles, all titles were mastered decent.
That said, the enthusiast is going to want both because not all titles will be on both formats. Personally, I am waiting on Bluray to get it together and the 50GB release of 5th Element might be all the inspiration I need. A good review of the PS3, meets imaging standards, would inspire me to buy now.
Thanks for the response Richard. If you see a thurough review of ps3 bluray please post. I will do the same.
Just got the HD-A1 at BB. About the last one they had-$399. I was going to wait for the HD-A2, but after reading lately that it will not have the analog audio connections, and since I don't really want to upgrade my receiver to HDMI yet, that this would be the best way to get the best picture and sound for not too big a price.
I may be in need of some setup suggestions from all you "old heads" tho.
P.S. There has been so much trigger pulling around here lately, I thought I would just "buy" one.
I may be in need of some setup suggestions from all you "old heads" tho.
P.S. There has been so much trigger pulling around here lately, I thought I would just "buy" one.
Welcome to the HD DVD crowd! You won't be disappointed!
That means you have to turn up the brightness so your blacks aren't buried. A calibration DVD, even SD, will get this set right.
That also means when you return to other sources that are correct you need to change it back.
Component is correct but you won't be able to upscale SD DVD.
HDMI to DVI video levels are PC and still needs to be fixed.
That means you have to turn up the brightness so your blacks aren't buried. A calibration DVD, even SD, will get this set right.
That also means when you return to other sources that are correct you need to change it back.
Component is correct but you won't be able to upscale SD DVD.
I am using HDMI for video and 5.1 analog for audio.....and I am not disappointed. It is flat the best PQ I have seen on my set. Kind of wonderous how good a HDTV can do when you feed it the real deal. And I only have 720P.
As you mentioned before around here, the audio setup is more of a challenge than the video.
As you mentioned before around here, the audio setup is more of a challenge than the video.
My Toshiba is now stuck on "welcome" and will go no further. It has the new firmware. Tried unplugging it for two days, pounding on it, etc. No help. Will now have to decide whether to exchange it or just get a refund. I really wanted this machine to work because of the PQ and 5.1 analog audio. Don't know if this model(or any)can fill the bill. Don't care if it's slow to start up, but it has to at least start up; and once the show is on there should be no(as in zero) problems playing any disc it's supposed to play. Any players out there like that? 
Are you on component or HDMI video out? If HDMI switch it to component.
Exchange or repair it!
Will now have to decide whether to exchange it or just get a refund. I really wanted this machine to work
Exchange or repair it!
I was using HDMI and tried the component, but no good. Sent it in to get fixed. I liked the machine and if it comes back really fixed, I will be happy.
While watching Enter The Dragon I noticed unexplainable scaling errors in the image. These were aliasing artifacts but from 2-3 pixels wide using the BenQ W10000 1080P projector in 1:1 pixel mapping mode. It wasn't terrible per say but they would pop up through out the movie and niether of us wanted to take the time see if it could be better. The next day I investigated this and found out two things...
This disc was mastered native 720P.
The Toshiba does a terrible job of scaling 720P to 1080I.
By setting the player to 720P I had an image without those artifacts with 1X1 pixel mapping and using the projector aspect ratio filled out the screen for a far superior image.
Unfortunately this player does not support an auto native output so the only way you will know this is if you see a problem and run tests. Widescreen Review missed this one as well in their review more than likely due to running the player through a scaler which is greatly reducing this error.
This disc was mastered native 720P.
The Toshiba does a terrible job of scaling 720P to 1080I.
By setting the player to 720P I had an image without those artifacts with 1X1 pixel mapping and using the projector aspect ratio filled out the screen for a far superior image.
Unfortunately this player does not support an auto native output so the only way you will know this is if you see a problem and run tests. Widescreen Review missed this one as well in their review more than likely due to running the player through a scaler which is greatly reducing this error.
For the new DVE HD-DVD release you have to upgrade the firmware to the most recent available. Unfortunately I am getting a cannot connect to server error... ARGH... hopefully this is a momentary lapse due to site maintenance... 
It may not be a server issue. Lots of people seem to never be able to connect. I have watched a lot of discussion on this on another forum. Many never connect successfully and go the disc or download to disc route. The ISO file eventually gets out and Toshiba is about 3 weeks behind the online distribution with their CD's. I've been lucky myself and always connect easily (I had and still support an XA1, and have a 2 now).
I'll keep that in mind for it has worked in the past...
...........or you could do like I do, and never download until 3 AM
Actually, i got firmware 2.2 a couple of weeks ago. Seems to work fine.
Actually, i got firmware 2.2 a couple of weeks ago. Seems to work fine.
Tried again tonight and received the same cannot connect to server error...
K... this picky beast... The Toshiba does not like hot plug and play on the HDMI and that includes the ethernet! If you get this error simply turn the player off and back on. If you connect the ethernet with the player on it will not work; it appears the player checks this connection when it turns on and if it is not there it will not reinitiate until the power is cycled.
While Toshiba claims 15 minutes in their documentation don't count on it. I'm easily pushing 30 minutes now and still waiting... plan accordingly before you proceed and don't break any connections or change inputs just to be safe; that means you don't use your system until it is done.
K... this picky beast... The Toshiba does not like hot plug and play on the HDMI and that includes the ethernet! If you get this error simply turn the player off and back on. If you connect the ethernet with the player on it will not work; it appears the player checks this connection when it turns on and if it is not there it will not reinitiate until the power is cycled.
While Toshiba claims 15 minutes in their documentation don't count on it. I'm easily pushing 30 minutes now and still waiting... plan accordingly before you proceed and don't break any connections or change inputs just to be safe; that means you don't use your system until it is done.
I don't know what happened between now and the last time I updated but I had the same cannot find server problem. I had to re-initialize the player and change the DHCP and DNS settings to on...
Firmware Update Version: 2.4, 11/16/2007
Applicable Models: HD-XA1, HD-A1, and HD-D1.
Please configure the Ethernet port. You may need to turn on DHCP and DNS. Page 45 of the owner
Firmware Update Version: 2.4, 11/16/2007
Applicable Models: HD-XA1, HD-A1, and HD-D1.
Please configure the Ethernet port. You may need to turn on DHCP and DNS. Page 45 of the owner
If you are using HDMI plan accordingly by allowing plenty of time... This update is taking FOREVER... Remember, during this process you can't change anything in your system like watching or doing something else which means your system is stuck in update mode until it completes. One way out of that would be to switch the output to component prior to performing the update but you will have to see video from the player to do it - most folks don't use both HDMI and component connections at the same time.