# Just ordered a Toshiba HD-A1



## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

I took a cue from the guys at AVS and ordered one through Continental's OnePass "Miles for Merchandise" program. $363.86 + 100 miles. I'm pretty sure I'll be charged tax on top of that since I'm in TX. 

I guess I should start looking for software.


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

Congrats!

Jump in on our Coordinated HD-DVD purchase tomorrow through Amazon. If you order 3 or more then you'll get 10% of the order plus 10% off any HD-DVD for the next year.


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

I'll take a look at that.


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## Tommy (Apr 20, 2006)

Hey Jim, what do you think of the player so far?


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

I haven't received it yet. I think they get their next shipment next week or so.


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

At that price, which is only a little over cost... I'd say it's worth the wait.


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

Sonnie said:


> At that price, which is only a little over cost... I'd say it's worth the wait.



That's what I'm thinkin' too.  It'll give me time to figure out what software I want. The first ordered was Serenity, Aeon Flux, Chronicles of Riddick and Pitch Black.

I've read reports that Wal-mart (The Evil Empire) has HD-DVDs for $20. I'll be checking them out this week. I had stopped buying DVDs from them because they were different from the regular release when I compared them to coworker's DVDs. I hope they don't screw up the HD-DVDs.


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## Tommy (Apr 20, 2006)

FlashJim said:


> The first ordered was Serenity, Aeon Flux, Chronicles of Riddick and Pitch Black.


Excellent picks, all of these titles look great in HD DVD!

I watched Four Brothers last night, it looks really good but definetly not as good as the titles above in comparison.


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2006)

Congrats on your purchase!

I have to wait until Dec-Jan before I can purchase mine.


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

My wife and I went to Best Buy today to look at the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray demos. I was totally amazed. Not at HD or BD, but at BB's electronic department. Our store is fairly new, but that dept. has always been kind of junky. It may as well be Wal-Mart.

Today was different. They have started constructing a Magnolia Home Theater department. Not only that, but the every day electronics were displayed very nicely. Flat panel TVs all over one wall. Both the HD and BD displays were nice. The BD display was at the endcap of a row on the main aisle.

The HD display was a little bigger.  They had five HT chairs, a Samsung LCD, Yamaha receiver and Klipsch sub. I didn't pay attention to what speakers were there. I fell in love with those chairs. 

The BB smurf that helped us knew his stuff. Great personality, not arrogant and actually knew HT. What more could you ask for? Well, besides slipping you a Toshiba HD-XA1 out the back door ...

"A" for Best Buy and "A+" for their little smurf.


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## Guest (Aug 17, 2006)

I'm still holding out on the HiDef DVD scene for a littel longer. I'd like to see some dual format players in a year or so...In the meantime I picked up an S97 to hold me over. But I have to admit that at these prices for HD-DVD players...it is very tempting.


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## Tommy (Apr 20, 2006)

plincoln said:


> I'm still holding out on the HiDef DVD scene for a littel longer. I'd like to see some dual format players in a year or so...In the meantime I picked up an S97 to hold me over. But I have to admit that at these prices for HD-DVD players...it is very tempting.


A couple companies have had thoughts on a dual player but they all scrapped the idea that I know off. The dual player seems to complicated to do in a cost effective way. I'm sure eventually it will be done but I doubt it will be anytime soon. I dont think you'll regret it if you tried the HD DVD in the mean time :jump: The price is right as you said and you could be enjoying HD for the next year or two before a dual player comes out


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

My thoughts exactly... and the price for the Toshiba player is around $400-450 now I believe. I know that some places offer 10% off and free shipping and of course FlashJim got his remarkable price at $364, if you aren't in a hurry and obviously your aren't... :R I'll probably just end up with two players, provided Blu-ray gets a player out there around the $500 range, which I would think is bound to happen sooner or later. As it is now, at least I'm getting to enjoy HD-DVD and my SD-DVD's have never looked better.


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

Keep in mind that I don't have mine in hand yet. I don't think $400 is a bad deal at all if you can find it.

Think about what you get ... An HD-DVD player, of course, an upconverting DVD player, and a kick butt CD player. I've read that the D/A section is super nice. 

I'm personally glad to see the price of media easing so early in the game. I have no problem paying $20 a title when SD discs are $16 or so. Small price difference for such low production volume.


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

I just got my email confirmation!! Woohoo! My HD-A1 will be here Thursday 8/31. It would figure that I have to work late that day. 

My order date was 8/7. I only had to wait three weeks.


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## bobgpsr (Apr 20, 2006)

Be sure to string an ethernet cable from your router to the player to get the 2.0 firmware update that enables 5.1 Dolby TrueHD lossless. Of course then you will need a six RCA cable connection from the player to your Yamaha's Multi Channel Input. Very much worth it IMHO. :holycow: 

Enjoy,
Bob


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

Thanks for the info, Bob!


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## bobgpsr (Apr 20, 2006)

Oh and before I forget -- Everybody! -- *DO NOT HAVE A DISC IN THE TRAY *when you do an ethernet update of the Toshiba or RCA HD DVD player's firmware. It you do you may "*brick*" your player.

Bob


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

I read about that over on AVS. VERY good info to have. Feel free to post any other tips you may have. Maybe we can put together a Shack FAQ about the players.


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## Phil M (Apr 19, 2006)

A little off thread but the latest issue of Sound & Vision has a review of the Blu-ray Samsung **-P1000 with the ability to switch the video chips noise reduction on or off. It was the aggresive noise reduction that gave the disappointing soft image from the first players. Even with the aggressive noise reduction switched off two reviewers were not bowled over with the image quality when compared against the Toshiba. Their conclusion - Round 1 to HD-DVD.


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

The HD-A1 was waiting for me when I got home. :jump: 

I pulled out the old DVD player and ran two component video cables I had laying around to the multi channel input. I fired it up and ran through setup without reading the manual. Fairly simple, but the remote is the worst I've seen. You can't read the button names. 

I haven't checked to see what firmware version I have. I might update it this weekend. Stupid me didn't run an ethernet cable to the unit. I'm in no hurry to pull it back out.

I'm running 1080i to my Sony 50A10 and it looks pretty **** nice. I got giddy when the Serenity menu came up and it looked beautiful. I can't wait to see Aeon Flux.

The only problem I've had was when I played the SD version of The Fifth Element. It froze the whole box when I hit play ... three times. I turned off the HD-A1 and let it cool down. It seemed warm. I tried it again and watched the whole movie. :huh:


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

FlashJim said:


> Tthe remote is the worst I've seen. You can't read the button names.


Amen to that! It could win a poll for the worst remote ever made.


Glad you got the SD DVD working. To me the SD movies look better on the A1 than anything else I've tried.


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

Sonnie said:


> Amen to that! It could win a poll for the worst remote ever made.


The remote looks nice and matches the A1 well. I have no idea what they were thinking beyond that. Even in good light I find it hard to read.

My biggest gripe so far is no resume play. You stop the movie and you have to start over. I've read that there's a bookmark feature, but I haven't tried it.

The only thing I can come up with on the freezing is the unit got too hot. The cabinet it's in was warmer than what I want it to be. I have a mod for the cabinet on my "to do" list. I think I'll have to bump up the priority on that.


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

I looked for 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get the back light or buttons to light up so I could read it... then was later told it had none. The only way to read it is with the lights full blast or in the sunshine outside... :dontknow: 

I've not had any problems otherwise that I know of. I haven't needed to stop a movie other than pausing it, so I haven't realized the lack of the stop/resume feature.


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## Tommy (Apr 20, 2006)

After a few weeks with the new player, how do you like it?


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

Tommy said:


> After a few weeks with the new player, how do you like it?


Well, we've been busy watching movies instead of posting on here.  It looks great. It froze on one disc, but it's a backup. I don't fault the A1. I have the Pioneer to play backups if needed.

Last night the audio level coming out of the player seems to be real low. I'm not sure why. I haven't taken a close look at it. I just cranked it a bit so the kids could watch a movie. They don't like watching movies without the sub now.


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## RollsRoyce (Apr 20, 2006)

If you haven't already, you gotta get "Batman Begins" in HD DVD. That's the killer title we've been waiting for. Sound and video quality are both topnotch, especially if you have the 2.0 FW installed and the 5.1 analog cables hooked up to your receiver. Wow!

The cheapest source for HD DVDs where I live is the local Target. $19.99 for all the discs in their rack. This includes "Last Samurai", "Unforgiven", "Million Dollar Baby", etc. Speaking of Clint Eastwood films, have you read that Warner will be releasing the "Dirty Harry" series in HD DVD?


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

RollsRoyce said:


> If you haven't already, you gotta get "Batman Begins" in HD DVD. That's the killer title we've been waiting for. Sound and video quality are both topnotch, especially if you have the 2.0 FW installed and the 5.1 analog cables hooked up to your receiver. Wow!
> 
> The cheapest source for HD DVDs where I live is the local Target. $19.99 for all the discs in their rack. This includes "Last Samurai", "Unforgiven", "Million Dollar Baby", etc. Speaking of Clint Eastwood films, have you read that Warner will be releasing the "Dirty Harry" series in HD DVD?


My wife discovered the Target display earlier this month. She bought BB when it was released. Excellent HD DVD!

I just ordered Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory from Buy.com for just under $30 shipped.


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