Re: HD DVD Firmware Update now available on Toshiba website. Now version 1.4!!!
When I got my HD-XA1 player earlier in the week it had version 1.3 installed on it and I fiddled around with it a bit before doing any firmware update. There were a couple of issues with HDMI handshaking because I have a fairly complex HDMI setup compared with others who are simply connecting the player directly to the display (at least for the video portion of the HDMI signal). Specifically, I have all my video outputs going through my DVD0 VP-30 scaler for processing and then out to two different HD displays (my 1080p HP MD5880n DLP RPM and my 720p Runco CL-710 DLP Front Projector). This is accomplished by using an HDMI Gefen 2x2 switcher (completely HDCP compliant) since the VP30 has only one HDMI output. Add to this the fact that I have a special 70 foot long HDMI cable (amplified signal) in order to reach the projector without any wires showing and you have what must be considered an HDMI developer's final exam practical.
Let's just say that while still not perfect, the HDMI performance of the Toshiba HD-XA1 is much better with Version 1.4 rather than with 1.3 where I would sometimes have to shut the player down (or it would stop on its own if I changed inputs on the DVD0 scaler.) Understand that those who are new to HDMI have to realize that it's a two-way street between interconnected components and unless all manufacturers follow the HDMI rules to the letter (yeah, right!) there are going to be some unpredictable results. It even matters the order that components are turned on for the "handshaking" to be effective on occasion. In other words, it's not your father's video connections any more with HDMI. And it's probably going to be a remote macro programmer's nightmare until everything shakes out. Are we having fun yet?
Yes, HDMI (or something that follows it) is the wave of the future, but it is not quite ready for prime time at the moment. That's why I've chosen to keep my audio signals out of the HDMI loop for the moment - especially since my pre/pro (Lexicon MC-8) and most anything else I'm interested in doesn't have HDMI fully implemented. But how could they? The versions keep changing. We live in interesting times.
Incidently, I did my firmware upgrade via Ethernet connection/broadband and it took about an hour or so (longer than advertised) but it went very smoothly. Some of the horror stories I've heard on "other" sites have to be attributed to not following the Toshiba directions for properly setting up the Ethernet connection (like turning on DHCP and DNS as clearly instructed). Yes, I could wait for Toshiba to send me the CD (I just sent the card back the other day when the player arrived) but I decided to take advantage of the internet connection. I just did it while I was doing something else (
Oblivion on the 360, if you're curious). Besides making the complex HDMI implementation much more stable (now 90% reliable instead of 50%) I've also noticed a shortening of the startup and loading times.
HD-DVD is very nice and usually provides a very good picture (except where GIGO ("Garbage In, Garbage Out") prevails with a couple of titles. Did it blow me away? No, but that's because I already had several sources of HD content that were of comparable quality. My uncompressed 1920x1080 dish network HD channels (about 13 out of the 30+ HD channels on Dish) look just as sweet and, of course, my WVMHD 1080p discs still shine just as well (as they should, since they are essentially VC-1 codec based like HD-DVD.) And the menu system is very convenient (when implemented properly). I was a little surprised to find that a couple of esoteric titles (like the Muriel Anderson guitar concert) use very rudimentary menus rather than the richer PLAY/PAUSE, SETTINGS, SCENE SELECTION, SPECIAL FEATURES format that is on most of these discs. But the potential is there (as is Ethernet or wireless interactivity with titles in the player.)
My 2 HD cents.
