HD-DVD 4 ME!

[nakedeye]

Guys if you can go out and get this thing. It's freeking awesome. The build quailty alone is worth it for an SD DVD player, plus you get that nice little bonus of HD in there. I now use it for my cd player b/c the dacs are better than the ones in my reciver! I used to be all about blu ray, but having seen blue ray and owning the hd dvd, id say it wont be a long fight.

[snodgrass23]

As soon as they come out with one that upconverts DVD through component, I'm on it!

[nakedeye]

you will never see that. I have a samsung that does through a hack, and i find this player to do a better job at 480p thatn the sammy at 1080i

[nakedeye]

i am hoping on someone doinga firmware hack on this unit (shouldn;t be hard) to do 1080i over regular dvd component

[snodgrass23]

I'd be on it immediately if that was the case. My front projector only has analog inputs (component, vga, etc.).

One of the issues is that I have to make setup changes on the projector anytime I switch between 480p and anything higher. It's only a few menu changes, but my DVD player is the only thing left on 480p and it would be nice to never have to make that change any more.

[zelig2]

If I got a good price on my DVD player I might think about selling it and upgrading to a HD-DVD from all that I've been reading/seeing on BluRay. I don't even think I want a PS3.

[snodgrass23]

I've been thinking the same thing about the PS3. I'm sure I'll still preorder one, but I'm looking forward to the WII alot more right now.

[nakedeye]

Thing about hd dvd is the build quality of these first gen players. i doubt that the g2 ones are going to be up that high. id say get one while you still can. they are getting hard to find

[Smak Runner 2K]

If I got a good price on my DVD player I might think about selling it and upgrading to a HD-DVD from all that I've been reading/seeing on BluRay. I don't even think I want a PS3.

I'm in the same situation....I have a DVD2900 Denon that I'm looking to unload for about the price of an HD-DVD. It's a little old now (2 yrs.), but it was 1K, so...

Incidentally, speaking of "hard to come by", we (HHGregg) have a FEW HD-DVD players in stock, if anyone wants one. There is 1 HDA-1 available at our Taylor Park location (Reynoldsburg) and 15 HDXA-1 models available at out Indianapolis warehouse, which could be picked-up at any location.

If anyone's interested, feel free to PM me for a price quote. I'll be more than happy to take care of any forum members.

[nakedeye]

HEHEHEHE I tried to get an A1 from sawmill but you only had some at your indy warehouse....

wonder if you could have beat the price i got from http://www.valueelectronics.com/HD%20DVD%20Players.htm

499 shipped with 2 WB dvd titles?

[Smak Runner 2K]

Well, I was thinking $399 for forum members on the A1, $549 on the X1...

However..the A1 is pretty short in supply, like I said earlier, there is one available now but I can't promise it to anyone - it would be a "let me see if it's still there" thing. Most likely, I'd have to order against our next load - which should be arriving in a few weeks.

The X1 can be had, but you'd have to go through me for the pricing.

Call it my way of giving back to the forum and all the great people here:)

[nakedeye]

now thats a great deal!

[gruxx]

I dunno if it's such a great deal after the reviews linked from Gizmodo.

Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD Player: First-to-market player is a disgrace (http://tvs.consumerelectronicsnet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=42921-1)

After reading that, I don't want to be an early adopter of what will probably become the standard.

But i will admit that the RD-A1 recorder sounds pretty cool. (http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/toshiba-to-ship-rda1-hd-dvd-recorder-182569.php)

HD + DVD (two concepts I think any walmart idiot can understand)

Blu-ray (Sounds like something fishy, doubt soccer moms will be buying these)

[snodgrass23]

Well, I was thinking $399 for forum members on the A1, $549 on the X1...

However..the A1 is pretty short in supply, like I said earlier, there is one available now but I can't promise it to anyone - it would be a "let me see if it's still there" thing. Most likely, I'd have to order against our next load - which should be arriving in a few weeks.

The X1 can be had, but you'd have to go through me for the pricing.

Call it my way of giving back to the forum and all the great people here:)

More and more tempting!

[Mouse]

Worth every penny esp. if you can get it for that price :)

The toshi has some minor quirks and no disrespect but that review posted above is crap. This thing is built like a tank and puts out the best picture I have seen and that is what I bought it for, yes being first may have its moments of headaches but anyone who is really into this hobby should know that going in, LD,DVD.D-VHS I bought them all 1st gen and hands down the Toshi is the top of the list, anyone wants to come over for a demo I am happy to oblige, its only a pm away.

I am running it to a HD Sony CRT RPTV and the only draw back I am having is now I have to go FP with a 100inch screen

[Smak Runner 2K]

I gotta say, I was FIRMLY in the BD camp up until about 30 days ago...

The A1 (so far as build quality and picture quality go) has me really thinking about HD-DVD.

I think I'm gonna wait for the 360 adapter, try it out, see what the landscape looks like in about a year, then make the major purchase.

Yeah...that's it...that's what I'm gonna do...

Sure...there's no way my impulses could get the best of me in this situation...absolutely no way...

Dead set...yup...uh-huh...sure....hmmmm.

[stevec999]

If the deal comes around at $399 I guess I could deal with being an early adopter yet again :D

[nakedeye]

I was all about blu ray myslef for a long time.

This toshiba has changed my mind.

I am not even going to read that review, as sony prolly bought the guy off. I have had not a single problem with my unit. shure it takes a second to boot up, but come on 45 sec? geez it aint that long.

[gruxx]

I'd just like to repeat that it's an early system. Yes, every review seems to gush over the picture quality, but every early system has it's quirks and bugs. The A1's quirks seem to be boot time and a clunky remote. The boot issue may be fixed with the new firmware (1.4! they definitely want this box to run well) and the remote can be fixed by uploading codes to a universal (which everyone should have anyway).

I'm not some sony fanboy, but I love my ps2, and early on I thought Bluray would win.

But I now agree that HD-DVD will be the eventual winner (adding bluray to the list of sony's proprietary blunders: Minidisc, UMD, Betamax). So I will wait until more players come out and cost of both media and player drop.

I humbly offer my posts as a counter offer to running out to BB right now to get the A1 home tonight.

But CNet's review boils it down: (http://reviews.cnet.com/Toshiba_HD_A1/4505-6463_7-31736203-2.html?tag=nav)

Editor's note: This review is based on four weeks of hands-on experience with the Toshiba HD-A1 and includes contextual and rating changes from the original review, which was based on a much shorter testing period. CNET is currently in the process of re-evaluating the HD-A1 with the latest firmware upgrade (version 1.4) and a larger selection of HD-DVD movies. Look for this review to be updated accordingly later in July.

CNET editors' review: 6.7 out of 10

The good: Plays HD-DVD discs in true high-definition; upscales standard DVDs to high-def resolution; half the price of first-generation Blu-ray players; upgradable firmware via built-in Ethernet port or disc.

The bad: No 1080p video output; slow start-up and sluggish operation; terrible remote control; spotty HDMI compatibility; confusing audio setup options; network connection can't be used to stream media from PC; studios can program discs to display at lower resolution when displayed via component-video outputs.

The bottom line:
The Toshiba HD-A1 is an affordable first-generation HD-DVD player that produces an impressive high-def image--but only home-theater enthusiasts are likely to endure its long list of early-adopter caveats.

[nakedeye]

The good: Plays HD-DVD discs in true high-definition; upscales standard DVDs to high-def resolution; half the price of first-generation Blu-ray players; upgradable firmware via built-in Ethernet port or disc.

The bad: No 1080p video output; slow start-up and sluggish operation; terrible remote control; spotty HDMI compatibility; confusing audio setup options; network connection can't be used to stream media from PC; studios can program discs to display at lower resolution when displayed via component-video outputs.



as far as 1080p, if you have a 1080p tv it most likely cant accept a 1080p signal. they ones that dont usualy have a 3:2 pull down where as it reproduces the picture to the 1080p image on the disc. Blu ray does this with a reverse telecine process, but you realy dont need it cause your tv already does it.

who uses the remotes these things come with anyway

i dont know what is confusing about the audio set up options. use 5.1 analog for best sound. if you dont want to the digitla output is a close second.


I am not so shure about the inability to stream out from a pc to the player in the futre. i see no reason it cant happen

the downressing on the component is a real issue, but its gonna affect any future format of dvd...


the reviewer seems to have this idea that the blu ray player does not have the same issues..... guess what it has thost and worse ones

[Timcredible]

can't say as i agree that hd-dvd will win the latest format war, simply because in 4 months there will be 4 million blu-ray players in homes around the world (the ps3). how many hd-dvd players will there be in homes in 4 months?

[nakedeye]

and how many will actualy be used for blue ray? my guess less than 10%. remember how many actual ps2's were used for dvd players? not very many at all. Gamerd dont care about hd movies. they realy dont. also the latest rumor is that sony may not be goign blue ray in the ps3........

hd dvd is going to win. please tell me one reason why it should not? there is none

[Scott]

...and, the xbox 360 will begin selling add-on hd-dvd units in less than four months as well.

[Timcredible]

also the latest rumor is that sony may not be goign blue ray in the ps3........

it's too late for sony to change specs on the ps3 - if they removed the blu-ray player all the games would have to re-written to fit on a dvd (sony is forcing all game makers to put their ps3 games on blu-ray). and if that happened, they'd miss this holiday season and then they'd be so far behind that there really wouldn't be a point to releasing the ps3. so, if that rumor is true, then i'll agree with you that hd-dvd will win.