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Author Topic: Toshiba HD DVD Larry Myers Master Film Handler Posts: 371 From: Herndon, VA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 07-15-2008 01:55 PM                 I have a simple question about the discontuned Toshiba HD DVD player. Right now, the A2 and A3 players max out on progressive scan at 720P. The A30 will do 1080P. Will firmware updates to the A2 and A3 allow a 1080P setting? If so, how do you update these machines? I understand with Samsung BluRay, they require you to download onto a DVD-R dics and install the firmware by that DVD-R dics. Is it the same for Toshiba?  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 07-15-2008 03:44 PM                    The last firmware update I did was about 3 months ago. It updated to firmware version 2.0. This was for the A3. I have an ethernet connection to the player and that is how I get the updates. This last update did not upgrade the ability to do 1080p. I will check later to see if there is a new update and if so download it and see if anything is upgraded. According to the information I downloaded about the Blu-Ray Samsung BP1500 you can use a USB device or ethernet to download updates.  |  IP: Logged Scott Jentsch Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1061 From: New Berlin, WI, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 07-15-2008 04:08 PM                        The A2 and A3 are limited to 720p and 1080i as a result of their hardware, if I recall correctly. As far as updates go, you can update them via the Internet (at least you could before HD DVD was killed off, I haven't tried to update my A1 since January/February) and via CD/DVD update discs that you could obtain from Toshiba by mail or by burning an ISO image from the Toshiba web site.  |  IP: Logged Larry Myers Master Film Handler Posts: 371 From: Herndon, VA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 07-15-2008 04:33 PM                 Is there a EZ way of telling what verson is loaded in the player?  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 07-15-2008 06:02 PM                    On the A3 you go to the set up screen then go to General then Maintenance then update. It will tell you the latest update it has. I just did the latest update a few minutes ago to Ver. 3.0. It still did not upgrade the unit to 1080p so my thinking is along with Scott's that it may be just hardware based at 1080i.  |  IP: Logged Larry Myers Master Film Handler Posts: 371 From: Herndon, VA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 07-15-2008 06:21 PM                 What do you think the differences are between Version 2 and Version 3?  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 07-15-2008 06:36 PM                    Below comes from Toshibas Web site. Firmware Update Version: 3.0 Applicable Models: HD-A30, HD-A3, HD-D3, HD-A35, HD-A2, HD-A20, and HD-XA2. Overview: As part of our commitment to provide world-class service to our customers, Toshiba is supplying this firmware update for use by purchasers of Toshiba HD DVD Player models listed above. This firmware update improves support for 1080p/24Hz OUTPUT and auto mode(for HD-A30 and HD-A35), improves network connectivity for supporting the download of web-enabled network content associated with certain HD DVD discs, and also addresses certain disc playback and HDMI/DVI related issues identified by Toshiba.  |  IP: Logged Larry Myers Master Film Handler Posts: 371 From: Herndon, VA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 07-15-2008 07:03 PM                 Thanks It looks like I will just go ahead and bid on A30 on Ebay. Does anyone know what the difference is betwiin a A30 and A35 machine. It seems I can get an unopened box A30 for a little less then $100 but a A35 seems to be going for about $300 plus? [ 07-16-2008, 09:21 AM: Message edited by: Larry Myers ]  |  IP: Logged Geena Phillips Expert Film Handler Posts: 198 From: Norcross, GA / USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 07-19-2008 10:25 PM                        Keep in mind that most 1080p HDTVs worth their salt will de-interlace a 1080i signal, yielding a picture no different than if you were running from a 1080p player.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 07-20-2008 01:14 AM                        It is impossible for a 1080p TV to not deinterlace a 1080i signal. However this won't look as good as 1080p sets that run at 120Hz (or other true multiples of 24). It also introduces lag due to processing (most won't notice).  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 07-20-2008 02:53 AM                     Larry, aren't you running a single chip DLP with a resolution of 720P anyway?  |  IP: Logged Larry Myers Master Film Handler Posts: 371 From: Herndon, VA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 07-20-2008 12:23 PM                 Brad, I wanted this for a HDTV set that does to 1080P. Also I might upgrade to a 1080P projector later if the price falls another 35%. At his point, I believe the main difference between a A30 and A35 machine is the sound. The A30 is going for about $100 and the A35 is going for about $200. A "new in the box" sealed A35 went for $300 on ebay "buy it now". So there is a demand.  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 07-20-2008 01:07 PM                    I think the A35 allows the pass through of the bit stream over HDMI for the Dolby TrueHD and DTS MA formats so a receiver with the capability of decoding these tracks can do so instead of using the internal decoders on the player.  |  IP: Logged Larry Myers Master Film Handler Posts: 371 From: Herndon, VA, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 07-20-2008 03:44 PM                 I also wonder if there is also a better upconvert feature in the A35 for standard DVD's to be played at 1080p.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 07-21-2008 01:45 AM                     quote: Darryl Spicer I think the A35 allows the pass through of the bit stream over HDMI for the Dolby TrueHD and DTS MA formats so a receiver with the capability of decoding these tracks can do so instead of using the internal decoders on the player. [slightly-OT] In this same vein... what's the point of paying extra for having decoding circuitry in your receiver if all the players that support those formats can decode them all by themselves?  |  IP: Logged

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