Toshiba plans HD DVD firmware upgrade, takes show on the road

Toshiba is planning a major marketing blitz to promote the company's two upcoming HD DVD players, the $799.99 HD-XA1 and $499.99 HD-A1 (pictured), both of which the company still says will be available in March. The media juggernaut will include a road show with in-store demos and new web-based marketing. However, the most intriguing thing about the new effort is buried in Toshiba's press release: in order to allow your HD DVD player to have "full interactivity," you'll need a firmware upgrade. While Toshiba isn't supplying any details about the required upgrade, it looks like the company is more concerned about meeting its ship date (and getting an edge on Blu Ray) than it is about getting all of HD DVD's features in place from the start. Toshiba had better hope the list of missing features isn't too long, or they may regret being first to market.

[zombieflanders @ Feb 17th 2006 10:58AM]

Here's a list of missing features:

1) Any movies from Fox, Disney, Sony/MGM/Columbia-Tristar, and Lionsgate and their subsidiaries
2) Any hardware partners at launch (the Thomson player is a rebadge)
3) Some versions of lossless/uncompressed audio codecs that haven't even been finalized yet.
4) 1080p capability on any launch players (well, there's only two, both from Toshiba)
5) Managed Copy interface (due to interim AACS license)
6) The year's worth of head start they would have had if they hadn't jumped the gun last February

[Gray @ Feb 17th 2006 11:24AM]

Apparently someone here's a BluRay fanboy.

[David Burkhardt @ Feb 17th 2006 11:33AM]

Better question is will the component video outputs feed a 1080i/720p signal? I thought there was talk about it only doing 480p via compotent and 1080i/720p via DHMI/DVI only.

Anyone actually know? Please save your speculation.

[Andreas @ Feb 17th 2006 12:20PM]

BOTH Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will have manage copy. and will only output HD through a digital connection with HDCP. Component will downscale but higer then dvd thou.

[Roopesh Sheth @ Feb 17th 2006 12:22PM]

David - I can't speculate, but I can only hope you're wrong. I have a 50" plasma that has DVI but no HDMI. I won't upgrade if I can't actually see the difference.

[Mark @ Feb 17th 2006 12:25PM]

#3....head over to crutchfield.com and check the specs on the HD-A1 it does state to view upconverted DVDs you need a DVI or HDMI and 1 of the last bullets says you need HDMI input to view HD DVDs. Hope that answers it.

[streetstealth @ Feb 17th 2006 1:30PM]

Said the MPAA, "Oh noes! DVI doesn't support HDCP! You'll have HDMI out, and nothing more... Otherwise the stream could get *intercepted* and, gasp, put on the interwebs! Good thing we're making sure that will never happen!"

[TheRealMaxPower @ Feb 17th 2006 4:27PM]

Really glad that I made sure I bought a HDTV with HDMI. Not real hard though these days. Maybe someone will make a connector for you. I thought HDMI was Digital Vid/Aud together and DVI was just digital Video. Hope I am wrong

[Greg @ Feb 17th 2006 4:52PM]

Recently, the movie studios made the change which requires both BluRay and HD-DVD use HDMI inputs. So any tv purchased without this will only get a scaled down resolution of the movie to prevent piracy. Unless you can get some type of converter cable. Going to be a hindrance to both BluRay and HDDVD.....
So consumers will have to buy a new TV with HDMI and a pricey new DVD player to get the full benefits.

[Ken @ Feb 21st 2006 12:21AM]

Wrong. HDMI and DVI are compatible. If the player comes with an HDMI output, you can use a cable to connect this to a DVI input on your TV and you will be fine, as long as the TV has HDCP copy protection (which only a very few sets with DVI do not have).
The players (Blu Ray and HD-DVD) will also output analog via component, and each studio will decide disc by disc whether or not it will be down-rezzed. The players will look for something called an image constraint token, or ICT. If it is there, it will lower the resolution over analog outputs. In Japan, it is illegal to output down-rezzed images, so there it will be a full resolution.

[joe rod @ Feb 21st 2006 8:57AM]

HDMI and DVI are 100% compatible... You would just need a HDMI to DVI adaptor or cable (if your set has DVI)...

[~P~ @ Feb 22nd 2006 11:45AM]

HDMI & DVI are not 100% compatible, but are close. HDMI can be 12 bit while DVI is only 10. Plus HDMI can carry the audio stream natively. Realistically though, most people will DVI equipped TVs will be fine unless it does NOT have HDCP decryption. I have all 3... a DVI non/HDCP projector, a DVI w/HDCP plasma, and a HDMI plasma. The only thing that won't work digitally with HD players is my projector... which I knew when I bought it.

I look forward to the road tour, but will likely buy a PS3 until the format war is really figured out. It'll be tough, but I can wait until late this year... or a bit longer if necessary. I'll still be at the DC area road show though.

[jeff @ Mar 3rd 2006 1:05PM]

I see the Toshiba HD players(HD-A1/XA1)have a 10/100 ethernet port. Anyone know what that will be used for? I assume MP3 and/or JPG for pics. Any idea if Media Center extender functionality will be there? It would be great to play my archived DVD's from my PC to this player!!!

[jeff @ Mar 3rd 2006 1:10PM]

Anyone know what the 10/100 port will be used for? i assume MP3 and pic viewing. I really want to know if the player will support playing vob files. I have archived my DVD's on my PC and it would be great if i could use this DVD player as a media extender.

Thanks!!

[jaroy gilmer @ Mar 4th 2006 12:23AM]

The player is at the Magnolia Home Theater inside the Best Buy at towson and the clip that they are showing is HD vs. Standard def. not even rogressive scan. We have it on a 70" Mits. DLP and the couch is not even 5 ft. back so it's weird but it does look great. On a side note(s) Since the player is out first does it win the "format war" and second am I the only one left that can still see the rainbow effect or is it still around for any one else.