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Thread: Hd-dvd

  1. #11
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    Nope, no SACD support, but it does do DVD-A for 2 channels. Supposedly a firmware fix could enable multi-channel DVD-A support because Dolby TrueHD uses the same MLP technology that DVD-A does. Dolby TrueHD is only good for 2 channels also on this player, however it will do Dolby Digital + and DTS-HD multi-channel.
    - EVH III

  2. #12
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    Gonna sit this one out too. But while at a BB recently (BB near Inner Harbor in Baltimore), was quite amazed by the Toshiba.

  3. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Horton
    Got my player yesterday. In short, it's spectacular. The main thing that always bothered me with OTA or satellite HD was pixellation. You know, that bit-starved look that stems from lack of bandwidth? This displays none of that, even on complex scenes. My pet peeve on standard DVD was the dreaded macroblocking in dark scenes. Glad to say that it's absent, as well. All in all, the video is better than Discovery HD on satellite, or PBS HD via OTA antenna. The audio is a wee bit strange via analog multi-channel. Mainly it's due to Warner titles having an encoding problem. Seems the audio was encoded about 10dB too soft. Also, the remote looks like it's straight from the 80's, but I use a MX-700 so that's not a problem. It's got it's warts and looks and acts like a first generation machine, but it definately delivers on my big CRT. Oh, I got the black HD-D1, not the silver HD-A1. Other than the color they are identical.
    went to BB this morning before they opened to make sure i got the only toshiba hd-dvd player they received yesterday

    i have been saving to upgrade my classics so i was a little apprehensive if this is going to be a good move

    eddie is right! this player is spectacular... audio, video. is a noticeable improvement from my panasonic s77...listening to boz scaggs concert dvd now and it looks and sounds better than before...this is on a dvd +...i haven't even played the 3 hddvd i got along with it yet...so far this is the best upgrade i made next to the ascends...setup was a cinch, startup is slow but not that bad

    i just blew my upgrade budget on the se, sorry about that davef...anybody want to buy a slightly used s77?

  4. #14
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    One thing that ended up really surprising me was the sound from DD+. Switching back and forth between the DD+ via analog and DTS via Toslink, the DD+ is not hard to spot. The surrounds are so much more enveloping than standard DD or DTS. They should be, though, with that high a bit rate. After much tweaking, I have the levels exactly matched between the Toslink and analog inputs. The analogs with DD+ win hands down. BTW, Rosa, I agree on the way it handles standard DVD. I now have a Zenith DVB-318 for sale.
    - EVH III

  5. #15
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    I just came from a tour of a sound mixing stage.

    Before saying the new formats sound better, you have to find out if what was put into the DD+ stream was the same mix, or if it was re-mixed.
    -curtis

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by curtis
    Before saying the new formats sound better, you have to find out if what was put into the DD+ stream was the same mix, or if it was re-mixed.
    Why? If it sounds better to me, then it sounds better to me. Whether a possible re-mix is making it better, or a higher bit rate, or both, the end result to my ears is the same. It is without a doubt more full and enveloping. I'm not trying to be argumentative, but sometimes I think we let the "it must be apples to apples" debate get in the way of what this hobby is all about - finding what gives each of us the best experience. For whatever reason, the DD+ gives me an improvement in the sound.
    - EVH III

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Horton
    Why? If it sounds better to me, then it sounds better to me. Whether a possible re-mix is making it better, or a higher bit rate, or both, the end result to my ears is the same. It is without a doubt more full and enveloping. I'm not trying to be argumentative, but sometimes I think we let the "it must be apples to apples" debate get in the way of what this hobby is all about - finding what gives each of us the best experience. For whatever reason, the DD+ gives me an improvement in the sound.
    What I am saying is that you can not assume that it is higher bitrate that is giving you the better sound....it could be that someone did a different job mixing it.

    I agree that DD+ is more capable, but because it is more capable, you can not assume that whatever is recorded in DD+ is going to sound better than any other format.

    There is a thread over on AVS where "thebland" said the DD+ track on a particular movie sounded worse to him.
    -curtis

  8. #18
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    Maybe in a sense, I am also trying to justify not being an early adopter.
    -curtis

  9. #19
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    Now that I have an HDTV, I am tempted to pick up the HD-A1 at the closeout pricing. Guys with the A1, any new info to share after having the player for a few months?
    Last edited by JohnnyCasaba; 09-18-2006 at 07:15 PM.

  10. #20
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    After living with mine for almost 5 months, I don't regret the purchase one bit. HD-DVD's look mind blowing, the upscaling of standard def DVD's is right up there with the current best, and playing audio CD's through the analog outs of my D1 sounds great. The good thing about audio CD's through analog is that the player's bass management still does its thing. I've upgraded the firmware every time it has been available and have had no glitches or hiccups that have been reported from a few users. Yeah, it's slow and yeah the remote sucks, but I don't mind the wait and I have a MX-700 that works nicely. I don't know who'll win the format war, but so far, HD-DVD has lived up to and exceeded the hype for half the cost of the problem plagued Blu-Ray player. Blu-Ray is still using mpeg-2 for the most part, and DD+ and TrueHD are nonexistant on the BR players. $500 for the best hi-def I've ever seen? Quite a bargain.
    - EVH III

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