Difference between Toshiba A2 and A3

[gus6464]

I was originally waiting to get the A3 on BF but this walmart deal is too good to pass up. I was just wondering a couple of things.

My friend said that the A2 cannot pass audio through hdmi and only the A3 can, is this true? I know the A2 doesn't have analog outputs but if you have an hdmi receiver you can still get TrueHD, DD+, and DTS-HD right? Also my PS3 can do bitstream over hdmi to let the receiver decode it but can the A2 do that as well?

 

[zildjian]

Some of this is being discussed here...
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36865
but there's still more to be figured out.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I was originally waiting to get the A3 on BF but this walmart deal is too good to pass up. I was just wondering a couple of things.

My friend said that the A2 cannot pass audio through hdmi and only the A3 can, is this true? I know the A2 doesn't have analog outputs but if you have an hdmi receiver you can still get TrueHD, DD+, and DTS-HD right? Also my PS3 can do bitstream over hdmi to let the receiver decode it but can the A2 do that as well?

My understanding is that BOTH the Toshiba A2 & A3 will pass TrueHD & DD+ via HDMI 1.3 (as well as Interanlly Decode), BUT NOT DTS-HD MA. Only the DTS-Core is available, not DTS-HD MA!

I'm afraid DTS-HD MA will only be a reality with either the Samsung BD-UP5000 combo or the Onkyo HD DVD player. The Samsung COMBO player is a much better deal than the Onkyo.

 

[no. 5]

My friend said that the A2 cannot pass audio through hdmi and only the A3 can, is this true?

That is not true, the A2 does pass audio over HDMI.

Yes you can still get TrueHD, DD+, and DTS-HD, as the player will decode it and pass it to the receiver as multi-channel PCM. To my knowledge, no HD DVD player will pass the raw bitstream from a disc to a receiver, as that is not allowed in the HD DVD spec.

 

[gus6464]

That is not true, the A2 does pass audio over HDMI.

Yes you can still get TrueHD, DD+, and DTS-HD, as the player will decode it and pass it to the receiver as multi-channel PCM. To my knowledge, no HD DVD player will pass the raw bitstream from a disc to a receiver, as that is not allowed in the HD DVD spec.

Ahh ok so then what is the point of having a receiver capable of decoding TrueHD, DD+, and DTS-HD if no hd-dvd player will allow it to do its job (Onkyo 605)?

Ohh well I guess I will stick to the PS3 for the good movies that are released in both formats and just get the HD-DVD when it's an exclusive.

 

[GlocksRock]

Ahh ok so then what is the point of having a receiver capable of decoding TrueHD, DD+, and DTS-HD if no hd-dvd player will allow it to do its job (Onkyo 605)?

Because there may be bluray players that can pass the bitstream to the receiver.

 

[no. 5]

Ahh ok so then what is the point of having a receiver capable of decoding TrueHD, DD+, and DTS-HD if no hd-dvd player will allow it to do its job (Onkyo 605)?

I have wondered that myself, especially since Blu-ray Profile 1.1 also will not let the raw bitstream out of the player.

The best I can figurer is that it is in case those codec are used in something other than HD DVD or Blu-ray.

 

[gus6464]

Because there may be bluray players that can pass the bitstream to the receiver.

Ahh ok well my PS3 can do bitstream over hdmi that's why I was just wondering. That's kind of crappy for the hd-dvd spec to only let the players do the decoding and now allow for receivers to do it too.

 

[GlocksRock]

Yeah, there are some crappy things about HDDVD I don't like, and that is one of them.

 

[gus6464]

I have wondered that myself, especially since Blu-ray Profile 1.1 also will not let the raw bitstream out of the player.

The best I can figurer is that it is in case those codec are used in something other than HD DVD or Blu-ray.

Ohh wow I didn't know that about the Profile 1.1. So what happens when you have a player that can already do bitstream and you upgrade it to Profile 1.1? Will it take the capability out?

 

[no. 5]

Ohh wow I didn't know that about the Profile 1.1. So what happens when you have a player that can already do bitstream and you upgrade it to Profile 1.1? Will it take the capability out?

I believe so, however, to my knowledge Sony has not said if they would be releasing firmware to bring the PS3 to Profile 1.1.

 

[gus6464]

I believe so, however, to my knowledge Sony has not said if they would be releasing firmware to bring the PS3 to Profile 1.1.

There was an interview with a FOX VP saying that the PS3 will be getting PIP capability before Sunshine (first blu-ray title with PIP) gets released.

 

[j_garcia]

I read an article that said Sony would release an update (presumably firmware 2.0) that would allow some features from Profile 1.1, though not all of them. No specific details were given.

 

[gus6464]

Really I could care less about special features the discs have. I never watch the special features anyway. I just want best possible PQ and sound. They can come with just the movie for all I care. Maybe that would make the movies cheaper.

 

[darien87]

I just called the Wal-Mart down the road from my work, and after trying to get info out of a guy that barely spoke English and sounded like he was about 85, it looks like I'll be stopping by there tomorrow on my lunch break. Neither he or his manager knew about the sale, but he said that they did have them in stock.

Thanks for the heads-up people!!!

 

[GlocksRock]

I believe so, however, to my knowledge Sony has not said if they would be releasing firmware to bring the PS3 to Profile 1.1.

Since the 40 gig PS3 was released after Oct. 31, wouldn't it have to be 1.1?

 

[darien87]

The difference is you can probably still buy an A3.

 

[gus6464]

The difference is you can probably still buy an A3.

A3 with 4 movies in store at BB for $199 now. Jesus everyone is dropping all hd-dvd prices today.

 

[darien87]

A3 with 4 movies in store at BB for $199 now. Jesus everyone is dropping all hd-dvd prices today.

Serious?!?! I'll go to Best Buy after work then!!!!

 

[gus6464]

Serious?!?! I'll go to Best Buy after work then!!!!

Yeah you get the 2 movies inside the box (Bourne Identity and 300) and 2 more from the store (just has to be less than $35) for $199. I am about to take lunch so I am headed to pick it up.