Toshiba HD DVD player got delivered today

[Max997]

and the picture is amazing

I dont have HDMI or DVI inputs on my projector so I used the component connections and the picture is amazing. I bought The Phantom of the Opera and The Last Samurai

The remote for the DVD player is a joke, a lot like what remotes used to be like when VCRs first came out. The command response is slow, slower then when DVD players first came out and I was right there when they came out also. You can bring up the DVD menu and make changes while the DVD is playing which is cool

I'll have more later just wanted to give a quick review. I jumped around the Phantom of the Opera to hear how it sounded and see different scenes and Im doing the same now with Samurai but Im going to sit down and watch this one. The colors in Phantom were awesome

The player is cool but "clunky" I guess. takes awhile for the DVD to load when you first put it in and like I said the command response is slow but also expected

 

[steinoch]

Do the dvd's have any labels on them stating limitation with non-digital connectivity? I'm curious to know how many of the movie studios are going to block the true high def signal from anything other than the DVI/HDMI input/output.

Either way...have fun! Nothing like new toys.

 

[Hi Ho]

The following is from the Crutchfield website:

Plays HD DVD high-definition discs (selectable 720p/1080i output available through HDMI output only — HDMI cable included)

selectable 720p/1080i video upconversion for DVD (upconverted video available through HDMI output only)

It says this for both the $499 and $799 models.

 

[Max997]

Toshiba states that for each player and that was the plan from the begingin but from what I understand the signal is software based not hardware based and we should get the HD signal using component connections. I'll have to check what it says on my DVDs

I wont know if I am missing anything until I see how it looks on my friends system. I am also going to play the standard DVDs of The Last Samurai and Phantom of the Opera and see how they look on my new Toshiba and my Denon 2910 and see how much difference there is

 

[mfabien]

The first 4 movies in HD DVD,

The Last Samurai
The Million Dollar Baby
Phantom of The Opera
Serenity

First three by Warners and the last one by Universal, do not have the ICT flag to downrez to 540p when using Component.

Sony says it has an agreement from the producers not to put the ICT flag...

Is this temporary? Just to help the intros?

I purchased mine yesterday and just received an HDMI/DVI cable. When I receive the HD-A1 next week, if the digital connection doesn't work, the player goes back, period.

 

[Max997]

The signal coming from my HD DVD player through component to my projector is in fact 1080i so I am getting the HD signal with my component connection. Obviously it would look even better using HDMI but component doesnt look bad

just wanted to lety everyone know because there is a lot of confusion out there about this. I know what is stated in the specs of the player but I also read at some point that they changed that and the HD signal was going to be available throough component as well

 

[mfabien]

We know that the present 4 releases do not carry the ICT flag to downrez Component to 540p. We also know that Sony is putting the pressure on the film industry not to interfere with Component.

However, at this point there is no commitment from the film industry not to use the ICT flag now or in the future. And nobody can say that the present non use of the flag is hurting the launch of HD-A1!

If my HDMI/DVI cable or my HDMI to DVI adapter cannot have a handshake between the HD-A1 and the HDX82 TV, the HD-A1 will go back. The above reason plus the fact that upconverting SD DVD will not work with Component is serious enough.