down-res to 480P" message on Toshiba A20

[math wizard]

I have a Toshiba A20 HD DVD player. The following message occurs peroidically "down-res to 480P". It occurs (while playing standard DVD's) when I change the source on my monitor to something other than the DVD player and then change it back again. When I press the display button on the remote, it indicates that it is sending the resolution that is specified in the setup menu. When I check what resolution the monitor is receiving, it agrees with the A20 player. My question is, how do I know that the player is upconverting the DVD? Can you tell by looking at the picture (quality no better than by upconverting standard player - Yamaha C950). I have it connected to my monitor via a HDMI cable. For the record, my monitor is a Samsung HP-S5053 (720p).

 

[Tex-amp]

Is it happening on all DVDs or just some titles or maybe titles from particular studios?

 

[math wizard]

From my experiments, it is happening on all standard definition DVD's. There have been no problems with HD DVD's.

 

[BMXTRIX]

If your connection type is not HDMI, but is component video, then the A20, A2, XA2, and all Blu-ray players, and all DVD players are limited to 480p output. This is industry legal and must be complied with.

If using HDMI - then I don't have a freakin' clue.

 

[Tex-amp]

Have you done a firmware update?

 

[math wizard]

I am using an HDMI cable and the player has been updated to the lastest firmware (Version 2.0).

 

[Tex-amp]

I am using an HDMI cable and the player has been updated to the lastest firmware (Version 2.0).

You might do a search on this over on AVS. I think I've read about some people having this issue after updating the firmware.

 

[obscbyclouds]

If I read your post right, it only happens when you switch sources, then switch back to the DVD?

If this is the case, it sounds like a handshake issue....

 

[MDS]

Here's my theory, for what it's worth. I don't think it is actually an issue to be concerned about.

When playing the DVD, even if it is being upscaled, you are using the HDMI output and all the HDCP copy protection messages are going back and forth between the player and the TV and all is well.

Then you switch to another source. The dvd player is still playing and outputting video over HDMI but the TV is now gettting a different source and in effect the dvd player is no longer 'authorized' to send anything other than 480p because the TV is now exchanging messages with the other device. In effect the player is not getting its HDCP acknowledgement from the TV and without HDCP the player is required to down-res to 480p.