http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/ Engadget HD Comments for 2G HD DVD players announced - HD-A2 & HD-XA2: $499 & $999 - UPDATE http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6372143.html

"Samsung will upgrade its Blu-ray Disc players in late October to improve the picture and make it Java-compatible...Samsung said all BD-P1000 players will be compatible with movies due for release on 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray discs this fall."]]>Sep 14th 2006 2:22PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/Sep 14th 2006 2:23PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/Sep 14th 2006 2:24PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/Sep 14th 2006 2:41PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
I thought this was HD-DVD not Blu-ray! LOL.

HD-DVD just took several steps back today. Get the HD-A1 while they're hot!]]>Sep 14th 2006 3:13PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
how are the samsung players better than the toshiba players in every regard? the pq is the same on the same vc-1 encodes, the startup and load times are much faster than the toshiba, and the samsung can play 50GB discs while the toshiba can only play 30GB discs. the only win for the toshiba is the price.]]>Sep 14th 2006 3:20PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
Get the HD-A1 while they are hot folks!]]>Sep 14th 2006 3:22PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
The Samsung player also doesn't fully support BD-Java as well and has sluggish BDMV menus.

Both at their best are capable players but neither shows the maturity that we're used to in movie players. In time both will get there. ]]>Sep 14th 2006 4:09PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents

It seems that Sammy has issues with DL BD-R. Strike that portion of my post. ]]>Sep 14th 2006 4:09PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/Sep 14th 2006 5:49PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
BUT WAIT !!!! ALL IS REDEEMED. The A2 comes with GLOWING keys!! Come on Toshiba, just throw in the backlit already!]]>Sep 14th 2006 6:26PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
We might as well talk of the potential of 100GB BD-ROM as far as evidence goes.]]>Sep 14th 2006 6:41PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
All BD has is vaporware. "At some point in the future, we'll be really really good, promise!"]]>Sep 14th 2006 7:18PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/Sep 14th 2006 8:14PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
So here I am nearly ready to click the BUY button over at Amazon and get the HD-A1 for $399 bucks and get my 3 port Belkin switch from Buy.com and now I see this. Should I now wait for the A2 or get the A1? Honestly, I like the all black, but is the functionality worth the extra $$$ and time?]]>Sep 14th 2006 9:59PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
I'll be keeping my -A1 for now and see if something better comes down the road, maybe from a different manufacturer of HD DVD players in 2007.]]>Sep 15th 2006 3:28AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
I bet new models will probably weigh less too, and I like my heavy weight & center-trayed A1/XA1! :)]]>Sep 15th 2006 10:26AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/
Wait 6 months to see how the format war is going with the players then buy if still interested.

Also, invest in brain factories, you never know when zombies will take over the world.

;)]]>Sep 15th 2006 11:39AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/Sep 15th 2006 3:44PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/Sep 23rd 2006 3:31PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/you ever used its 5.1 analog outputs?

I have a Sanyo PLV-Z4 LCD front projector paired with a 110” Stewart Firehawk and
was dying to get into the next-gen DVD format. I decided to go with HD-DVD. So, I
bought the Toshiba HD-D1 (as you most probably already know, is an all-black derivative
model of the A1). On the video side, the picture was just incredible.

On the audio side, I am limited to the downconverted DTS bitstream. Don’t get me
wrong. I love DTS. Really. But I also would like to hear DD+. And Dolby TrueHD.
Unfortunately, my 5-year old Yamaha RX-V1 does not have HDMI. However, it has 5.1
analog inputs which worked fine with the 5.1 analog outputs of my Denon DVD-2910
Universal player. So, everything is not lost yet… that’s what I thought. So, I
hooked up my Toshiba HD-D1’s 5.1 analog outputs to my receiver’s 5.1 inputs and
went to set up its digital bass management. When I reached the part where you get
to set each channel’s level using the player’s test tone generator, things began
to look bleak for me. Test tones from the 5 main channels were fine. I got to set
their levels within +/- 0.5 dB of the reference 75db. However, the test tone coming
from the LFE channel is a different story. It was almost nothing. It only registered
58dB on my sound level meter! To compensate, I tried bringing the 5 channels down
to -12dB and the LFE up to 0dB, and still it was off by -7dB. Nevertheless, I gave
it a try. I listened first to the DTS bitstream audio, then to the audio coming
from the 6ch input. The result was dismal enough to make me depressed. Then, I thought
of switching the LFE output with one of the other 5’s. I chose the Center channel
(i.e., the player’s Sub OUT went to the receiver’s Center IN and vice versa). The
result? The Center Channel test tone when outputted via the Subwoofer performed
just like the LFE channel (low-frequency rumble at 58 dB). The Subwoofer test tone
when outputted via the Center speaker sounded and worked just like the Center Channel
(high-frequency pink noise at 75dB). I gave up and reconnected them to my trusty
Denon DVD-2910 to enjoy my few DVD-Audio, SACD and Dual discs.

The next day I called Toshiba customer support and told the guy of my problem. While
he sounded very courteous (to his credit) he said that so far, they have not heard
of a problem like mine. He offered 3 solutions: First, try to use the firmware upgrade
disc (v.2) they’re sending me and see if it would correct the problem. Second, he
suspects it could just be my player and I could ship it back for repair. Third,
I could just simply return it.

Personally, I like this player very much despite its reported quirks. The spectacular
video is reason enough to justify it $450 price tag. So, I’ll try the first solution.
If the problem persists, I’ll just simply return it and try another unit. Or wait
for Toshiba’s second generation HD-DVD players – the HD-XA2 and HD-A2 coming this
fall.

What do you guys think?

]]>Oct 21st 2006 12:10AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/09/14/2g-hd-dvd-players-announced-hd-a2-and-hd-xa2-499-and-999/Don]]>Oct 28th 2006 11:36AM