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HD-DVD Player Returns

#1
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1/13/08 at 7:15pm
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I stopped in to Best Buy yesterday, and did a double-take when I saw a table full of "open box" items: stacks of Toshiba HD-DVD players. Is this happening across the country, in lieu of the WB defection and Paramount/Uni/Dreamworks switch gossip?
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#2
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1/13/08 at 8:10pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Last Friday I saw in my local BB a stack of Sony's S300 marked as 'open item" selling for 299.00. (still to expensive)

I guess the buyers , just like me, found out this players are not only expensive and buggy, but also obsolete.
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#3
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1/13/08 at 8:49pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

You know the retailers would have rather Warners delay their bombshell until after the 30 day return window (or the extended holiday return period). It's probably not going to get any better for the retailers in the next month or so.

"Jee-sus, it's like Iwo Jima out there" - Roger Sterling on "Mad Men"
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#4
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1/14/08 at 12:54pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

I work in the electronics dept. of a major Sears store. The last HD DVD player we had returned was shortly after Thanksgiving--it locked up at layer changes and the customer swapped it out for another A3 and hasn't been back since.

During the couple of weeks prior to Christmas that we had the A3 on sale at $199 and the Sony BD for $299 the A3 outsold the Sony about 3 to 1. So far none of either have been returned.

Steve S.
I prefer not to push the subwoofers until they\'re properly run in.

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#5
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1/14/08 at 12:58pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

I just came back from BB and saw an equal size stack of Tosh and Sony on the table. Clerk said they keep getting returned by folks who don't understand or don't care to go through the pain of doing a firmware upgrade.

I can understand this after spending 2 hours on the phone with my Dad helping him burn a disc. Talk about painful... and he is fairly computer literate, the ISO image concept was too much for him during the holidays I guess.

Every child has many wishes. Some include a wallet, two chicks, and a cigar, but that's another story.
 
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#6
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1/14/08 at 2:47pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

They really need to improve the firmware situation on *both* sides, if they're serious about market penetration. Heck, I hate the idea of having to burn a disc for firmware update every now and then too -- and I'm one of the more tech-oriented people around (as a computer software developer). If I know/believe I'll have to do it more than just once -- the very first time I bring the player home -- I'd probably just pass on the player.

_Man_

Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".

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#7
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1/14/08 at 4:02pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Heh, and just wait when someone non-tech-savvy bricks their HDM player with a firmware update CD (never know when a power outage might just rear its ugly head). Grrr....

"Jee-sus, it's like Iwo Jima out there" - Roger Sterling on "Mad Men"
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#8
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1/14/08 at 6:24pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Can't talk for standalone BR players that don't have ethernet, but my Toshiba A1 has had no issue updating when I ask it too.
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#9
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1/15/08 at 11:12am
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Sun
Heh, and just wait when someone non-tech-savvy bricks their HDM player with a firmware update CD (never know when a power outage might just rear its ugly head). Grrr....

Yeah, that's one of those things that worries me. And really, firmware update can fail w/out a power outtage too.

In general, I avoid it like the plague. I still haven't tried a firmware hack on my Denon SD player for region-free playback even though I had intended to do so when I bought it a year ago. And haven't done any firmware updates for our various cameras either. I'll get to the updates when I decide I absolutely need them -- and then, go for the most stable, feature-full updates when the time arrives. Same thing w/ anything Micro$oft puts out, including the latest version of IE. Don't fix what ain't broke.

_Man_

Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".

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#10
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1/15/08 at 12:06pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Quote:
Originally Posted by Man-Fai Wong
They really need to improve the firmware situation on *both* sides, if they're serious about market penetration. Heck, I hate the idea of having to burn a disc for firmware update every now and then too -- and I'm one of the more tech-oriented people around (as a computer software developer). If I know/believe I'll have to do it more than just once -- the very first time I bring the player home -- I'd probably just pass on the player.

_Man_
Hi Man,
Frankly, the whole idea of my doing the firmware update scares the hell out of me. Just too afraid of turning it into a brick! But, at least the manufacturer does provide updated firmware via cd on request. *whew*
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#11
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1/15/08 at 12:19pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

I have to wonder how many people have bricked or will brick their units because they don't even know that can happen????

Power outage, accidently hitting a button on the remote, corupt file, and so on... I am depressing myself now

Every child has many wishes. Some include a wallet, two chicks, and a cigar, but that's another story.
 
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#12
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1/15/08 at 1:10pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Cheer up! owning an expensive paperweight can be considered a status symbol.

Seriously, all electronics with updateable firmware should be required to have a simple reset/restore to factory settings accessible by unbent paperclip.
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#13
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1/15/08 at 1:26pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

That would make me smile again.

Every child has many wishes. Some include a wallet, two chicks, and a cigar, but that's another story.
 
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#14
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1/15/08 at 3:25pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Quote:
Originally Posted by nolesrule
Cheer up! owning an expensive paperweight can be considered a status symbol.

Seriously, all electronics with updateable firmware should be required to have a simple reset/restore to factory settings accessible by unbent paperclip.

Hehheh. BTW, anyone know how the PS3 would do such a reset/restore (other than using the restore function *after* successful startup)? With all this talk of bricking the player, maybe I really should use a hard connection whenever I do a software update for the PS3, instead of using WiFi. I'm probably just asking for trouble using WiFi for that...

_Man_

Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".

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#15
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1/15/08 at 4:53pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Does the PS3 stream the update directly, or does it download it and verify filesize and checksum before processing?
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#16
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1/15/08 at 4:54pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

You download it. Then unpack it then accept the license, then it installs.
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#17
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1/16/08 at 7:46am
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Maybe the B&M places should offer to upgrade the players to the latest revision before you take it home? That would be a nice service and a way to distiguish them from the online retailers.

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Scott

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#18
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1/16/08 at 12:16pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott-S
Maybe the B&M places should offer to upgrade the players to the latest revision before you take it home? That would be a nice service and a way to distiguish them from the online retailers.

That would probably make too much sense. I suggested something along those lines on a broader scale elsewhere. But I guess everyone can just pray that the situation will settle down soon enough so that this won't really be necessary anymore...

_Man_

Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".

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#19
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1/16/08 at 2:15pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

You really want to give Best Buy a shot at bricking your player?
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#20
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1/16/08 at 2:28pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Quote:
Originally Posted by nolesrule
You really want to give Best Buy a shot at bricking your player?

Well, at least if they brick it at the point of purchase, you don't have to keep it and presumably won't incur whatever 15% restocking fee for it...

_Man_

Just another amateur learning to paint w/ "the light of the world".

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#21
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1/17/08 at 9:18pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

I worked for a company that bought a lot of BD/HD-DVD players of various makes and models. I was in charge of doing all the firmware updates. Let me just say this- anyone on HTF should have the savvy to be able to do these. Some of you guys are real fear-mongers. Burning discs seems very low-tech, and will confuse and annoy average-Joe's, as well as geeks. Downloaded straight to the player is nice, but still kludgy. PS3/Wii firmware is a breeze, like doing Macintosh updates is. When all consumer electronics devices are that easy, people will be more than happy to do it. That being said, there should be a provision in all warranties to fix bricks at no charge.
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#22
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1/25/08 at 10:29pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Back to the thread: I just bought mine Toshiba A30 HD DVD Player!!! I figure, if nothing, it will be a great upconverting DVD player and plus I can always grab the HD DVDs at low price whenever available.
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#23
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1/26/08 at 7:23pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

I almost bought an A3 today. It was the only one in sight in Future Shop, and an open box item. I decided against it just in case it was bricked.

\"My opinion is that (a) anyone who actually works in a video store and does not understand letterboxing has given up on life, and (b) any customer who prefers to have the sides of a movie hacked off should not be licensed to operate a video player.\"-- Roger Ebert

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#24
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1/26/08 at 9:06pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alfonso_M
Last Friday I saw in my local BB a stack of Sony's S300 marked as 'open item" selling for 299.00. (still to expensive)

I guess the buyers , just like me, found out this players are not only expensive and buggy, but also obsolete.

Hell, i bought mine for the $499 it came out at. Yes, it was a touch buggy when i got it. But after my first firmware its a champ. I love it. I think its had 3 updates since i got it. I just go to the Sony site, and they send me a disc. I even had to ask for one two times. It came broken. It only takes 3 or 4 days to get it in the mail, and about 15 minutes to run it. Easy as could be, and the machine works great!

But i do agree, common folks would say whats a firmware?
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#25
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1/27/08 at 11:29am
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Quote:
Don't fix what ain't broke.
Sounds downright un-American.

Feline videophiles Susie and Dukie.

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#26
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1/28/08 at 11:17am
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Wow. I'm glad I did the firmware upgrade to my Panny DMP-BD10 BEFORE I read this thread!

Those are some pretty scare thoughts!

I doubt I would have gone ahead and done it--even with a disc supplied by the manufacturer!

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#27
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1/28/08 at 11:57am
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

I only used the mfr-supplied firmware updates for my HD DVD player; there are just too damn many things that can go wrong with online downloads or ISO burns. The benefit is that I ended up skipping some firmware updates that had bugs because they didn't send out the CDs until after the firmware got finalized....thanks to the ISO burners who acted as beta testers for me.

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#28
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2/1/08 at 3:10pm
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Re: HD-DVD Player Returns

Update: bought an A30, but haven't done the firmware update on it yet. My one ISO burning app was destroying CD-Rs faster than I can spit, so I may give it a shot with ImgBurn before giving up. I don't have an ethernet connection in the basement, which rules out firmware that way, and unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your POV) my current network is wireless and Toshis don't support wireless. In any event, I sent off the card in the box for regular firmware updates by CD, so I'm not overly worried.

\"My opinion is that (a) anyone who actually works in a video store and does not understand letterboxing has given up on life, and (b) any customer who prefers to have the sides of a movie hacked off should not be licensed to operate a video player.\"-- Roger Ebert

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