Toshiba HD-A30/35 1080p24 Patch Gives Headaches

[admin]

You can’t blame anyone who bought one of Toshiba’s second generation HD DVD players for trying to get all the use they can from it. The latest patch from Toshiba that updates the HD-A30 and HD-A35 to v2.0, however, is causing some grief.

Discuss "Toshiba HD-A30/35 1080p24 Patch Gives Headaches" here. Read the article.

 

[PENG]

How about the ver 1.3, could it do 24 hz without the problem and ver 2.0 has? If so, is it possible to revert back to ver 1.3?

 

[allargon]

2.8 is causing the same grief on the 2nd gen players.

 

[PENG]

Just found out from avsforum that it is possible to downgrade back to 1.3. I don't need 1080p/24 Hz so I am not going to bother unless I run into problems with 2.0. So far everything is working. Good thing I saved a copy of 1.3.

 

[Jim Robbins]

Woah, thanks for the warning, Wayde! I have been pretty lazy about upgrading my firmware, and I think I am still at 1.3 on my unit. I haven't seen any major problems... Well, other than the stupid A35 plays 30p content like crap when it's res is set to 24p. I just wish it could know which frame rate was being played an automatically switch between the two modes. *sigh*

I guess I'll stick with the old rom for now. Thanks again!

 

[Johnd]

Woah, thanks for the warning, Wayde! I have been pretty lazy about upgrading my firmware, and I think I am still at 1.3 on my unit. I haven't seen any major problems... Well, other than the stupid A35 plays 30p content like crap when it's res is set to 24p. I just wish it could know which frame rate was being played an automatically switch between the two modes. *sigh*

I guess I'll stick with the old rom for now. Thanks again!

I've been 1.3 fw since November. Two days ago I played my first (second actually) unplayble disc...stopped halfway through. Brand new, no visible damage to the disc...not even a smudge.

So I'm pondering 2.0 as the advantage is less finickyness with playability. You are also afforded extra menu options w/ 2.0.

Bear in mind 2.0 jaggies is only at 1080p/24Hz playback, and not every user has reported this problem. I may give it a try.

 

[Johnd]

How about the ver 1.3, could it do 24 hz without the problem and ver 2.0 has? If so, is it possible to revert back to ver 1.3?

1) Yes.
2) http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=13113427#post13113427

Do so at your own risk, as altering hexcodes improperly can brick your player. There is also the modified version of 1.3 fw (allowing one to revert to 1.3 fw from 2.0 fw) floating around there as well (if you do not want to change the hexcodes yourself).

 

[Wayde Robson]

True - the problem is only for 180p24, so if your hdtv isn't capable of 24fps it won't matter to you.

According to the thread on the forum there are a lot of other small annoyances that the 2.0 supposedly fixes - but not 100% One report has load times and drawer opening/closing is faster??

 

[Johnd]

True - the problem is only for 180p24, so if your hdtv isn't capable of 24fps it won't matter to you.

According to the thread on the forum there are a lot of other small annoyances that the 2.0 supposedly fixes - but not 100% One report has load times and drawer opening/closing is faster??

"Reports", such as those are like opinions Wayde (imho)...meaningless without precise timings for each fw. The best I heard (confirmed) was like two seconds quicker with 2.0 from start up to play.

As a note: this is all meaningless unless one has a 1080p/24Hz display. That is, if one does not have 1080p/24Hz capable display, one would not need to use the 1080p/24Hz setting, and can avoid the 2.0 fw jaggies altogether. Additionally, one can use the 1080i setting on the player, and allow their display to deinterlace. Finally, as noted above, one can revert back to 1.3 fw if one so elects.

So the issue with 2.0 fw is finite, and workarounds are available (unless one insists on 1080p/24Hz setting w/ 2.0 fw), and the benefits may outweigh that one finite drawback. I myself am considering it. But as you wrote, the advantages are not yet all that well published (additional menu options, slightly faster load times, and the big one for me, less finickyness with playability of discs). Cheers

 

[Jack Hammer]

So much for the "rock solid" superior HD DVD format.

Jack

 

[Wayde Robson]

You bring up an interesting point Jack...

I don't believe I've ever seen an 'offical owners thread' for any product, a forum for any video game, any movie or TV show on the web ever that had anything close to unanimous concensus that the product was suitable for human consumption.

Compatibility to 24p is one thing Blu-ray players caught on to very early.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I don't believe I've ever seen an 'offical owners thread' for any product, a forum for any video game, any movie or TV show on the web ever that had anything close to unanimous concensus that the product was suitable for human consumption...

That's pretty much been my experience.

Jack

 

[Johnd]

So much for the "rock solid" superior HD DVD format.

Jack

Why am I not surprised to hear that from a staunch BD owner? And a non-HD owner?

I am not an advocate of any company, let alone Toshiba. I do however, have three Toshiba HD players, and one Toshiba DVD players, and they all play flawlessly...I have no complaints. That's right. Four Toshiba players...all of which work flawlessly.

Many of those who have reported jaggies at 1080p/24Hz playback have stated that although present, the jaggies are barely noticeable...at least not to the point of being bothersome...although some have reported it as being rather annoying.

As a non-HD owner, I'm surprised to see you in this thread, Jack. As a strictly BD/non-HD owner (according to your sig) would you care to speak of the crippling problems of the Samsung and LG BD players?

 

[Jim Robbins]

Well, I am running it at 1080p/24 on my Panasonic AE2000u projector. The panny runs at 96hz in 24p mode so I get a perfectly smooth picture playing movies (but not extras). I guess I'll probably upgrade to the latest rom if my discs start to lock up. I am sitting at right about 40 HD DVDs now, and probably won't buy more than another hand full with some fire sales. Looks like my PS3 will get a little more use going forward. *sigh*

 

[Jack Hammer]

Why am I not surprised to hear that from a staunch BD owner? And a non-HD owner?
...

You make a lot of assumptions.

Actually I find both formats to be equal in picture and sound qualities. BD has more disc capacity and I see that as a huge benefit, but that's not why I chose to go with BD. It was simply that my PS2 died a miserable death a few months ago. It was fairly obvious, IMO, that BD was aligned to become the dominant format, so I bought a PS3 to replace it. Lucky me, I made a good financial choice as far as hi-def is concerned.

...As a non-HD owner, I'm surprised to see you in this thread, Jack. As a strictly BD/non-HD owner (according to your sig) would you care to speak of the crippling problems of the Samsung and LG BD players?

This attitude right here is what prompted me to make that post (which was intended as a humorous & semi-sarcastic comment). I don't have those players and honestly could give a rats @ss about their problems. My PS3 works fine and just like you, I enjoy my hidef movies via my player.

You might find that constantly bashing a format other than the one you chose is going to invite a lot of people to start celebrating the opportunity to make comments like mine, which again were not intended to be offensive.

Oh, and by your own logic, you can no longer make posts in any BD threads.(humor intended)

Jack

 

[Davidt1]

Speaking of the A35, I am having second thought about my purchase. While it is a nice upconverting player (better than my Oppo 970 anyway), PQ of upconverted dvds is no match for HD dvd. This is where the problem is, as I have to keep buying HD dvd, which will soon become worthless, to enjoy superior PQ. Also, the fan noise is very annoying. And the is no auto-off feature. I had a Toshiba dvd player a long time ago that had auto-off. Their latest and greatest doesn't. I don't know...I am ranting.

 

[Johnd]

Speaking of the A35, I am having second thought about my purchase. While it is a nice upconverting player (better than my Oppo 970 anyway), PQ of upconverted dvds is no match for HD dvd. This is where the problem is, as I have to keep buying HD dvd, which will soon become worthless, to enjoy superior PQ. Also, the fan noise is very annoying. And the is no auto-off feature. I had a Toshiba dvd player a long time ago that had auto-off. Their latest and greatest doesn't. I don't know...I am ranting.

Worthless? Why? Do they vaporize?

Upconverted SD's aren't that good on the A35? Of which movies are you referring? What are your settings? How is it connected, and what is your display?

 

[PENG]

Worthless? Why? Do they vaporize?

Upconverted SD's aren't that good on the A35? Of which movies are you referring? What are your settings? How is it connected, and what is your display?

John, he didn't say it wasn't that good. He said it was no match for HD DVD.

 

[PENG]

Speaking of the A35, I am having second thought about my purchase. While it is a nice upconverting player (better than my Oppo 970 anyway), PQ of upconverted dvds is no match for HD dvd. This is where the problem is, as I have to keep buying HD dvd, which will soon become worthless, to enjoy superior PQ. Also, the fan noise is very annoying. And the is no auto-off feature. I had a Toshiba dvd player a long time ago that had auto-off. Their latest and greatest doesn't. I don't know...I am ranting.

Is it not too late to return the relatively expensive A35? My $69.97 (comes with 2 HD DVD) Venturer upconverts as good or better than my $1600 Denon 3910 and its PQ seems as good as the $89.95 Toshiba A3 when playing HD DVD. It does not do 1080p but the TV takes care of that anyway.

 

[Johnd]

Is it not too late to return the relatively expensive A35? My $69.97 (comes with 2 HD DVD) Venturer upconverts as good or better than my $1600 Denon 3910 and its PQ seems as good as the $89.95 Toshiba A3 when playing HD DVD. It does not do 1080p but the TV takes care of that anyway.

PENG: David seems to be perturbed by the lack of an auto off feature on the A35 (I don't know...I'm used to turning my equipment off when I'm done with it). Does the Venturer have such a feature?