Official FAQs For Toshiba & RCA HD Players (1 Viewer)

[Dennis Oblow]

Are the analogue 5.1 and the digital outputs both live at the same time on a HD XA2, so I could use dolby true HD and use the digital outputs for SD soundtracks ?

 

[mfabien]

Yes they are and you can toggle from one to the other.

 

[shockemags]

Good info. Thanks everyone.

 

[Jaxon's Dad]

I posted this over at highdefdigest:

Just curious if any of the HD-DVD players with 5.1 analog outputs support DVD-Audio media. Nothing in any specs list I've read indicate that there is support out there, so I'm guessing not. However, has anyone tried this?

 

[mfabien]

The HD DVD players with 5.1 multichannel analogs do not support High Resolution. But if you simply select the DTS surround option, your analogs will provide as much of a sound threat.

 

[Jaxon's Dad]

Your reply has left me confused, and perhaps it's because my question wasn't specific enough. When you say High Resolution are you referring to DVD-Audio discs (DVD-A; eg. Diana Krall's When I Look In Your Eyes)? If that's the case, what do you mean by selecting the DTS surround option? Is that an option in the DVD-A Menu or in the player's setup menu? It's obvious that I don't have a clear understanding, so I'm grateful for any help you can give me.

 

[mfabien]

If you put a DVD-A disc in a player capable of DVD-A playback, you have an audio menu that lets you choose between High Resolution (need to use the 5.1 analogs) and PCM Stereo (also selectable, I believe).

If you put a DVD-A disc in the tray of a normal DVD player or an HD DVD player you get a different audio menu and you can select PCM stereo, DD 5.1 and DTS surround. In this case, you can use SPDIF digital connection or 5.1 multichannel analogs.

Note: I have never read that both menus are available in one of these players. It is either one menu or the other. But both are present in the disc.

 

[Jaxon's Dad]

Thanx Michael. That clears it all up for me.

 

[Tim Glover]

Can someone help me with a thing? What kind of cables are needed to use the 5.1 analougue outs on the XA-1 to a reciever? I'm assuming just plain RCA audio cables but does one use the red or white one? Sorry, I feel like an idiot.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Tim,

It's HD-DVD. You use the Red cables.

- Walter.

 

[Tim Glover]

....

Seriously?

 

[Walter Kittel]

Actually, I guess I used the white cables. Looks like they've been discontinued over at Newegg, but I used 3 sets of these cables for the analog connection on my X-A1:

Belkin AV50300-04 PureAV RCA Audio Cable, 4t, White, Retail.

- Walter.

 

[Tim Glover]

Thanks Walter. Much appreciated.

 

[Cees Alons]

Use the force, Tim!


Cees

 

[Cees Alons]

Oh, sorry for that, Tim.
Simply had too...


The usual shielded cables ("stereo") are alright. I really can't tell you what the difference would be between red or white in the US. Here they're often red, white or black. The conectors white/red (to denote the two stereo sides) or red/blue, etc.


Cees

 

[Tim Glover]

Awesome Cees. Man would it not be cool as heck to really be able to use the Force?!

 

[Cees Alons]

"This isn't the Combo-player you wanted me to pay for - I'll now go past the counter"

...

"This isn't the alarm at the door going off"...


Cees

 

[Tim Glover]

Ok, last one I promise, otherwise some members are gonna kill us but:

Using the Force for the Format Wars:

Luke: " I can't understand how HD DVD got passed those Blu-ray things?"
Obi Wan: "The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded".

 

[Bleddyn Williams]

This comment about the A1 from last August went unanswered. Last night, I watched my first 4:3 material on my D2 from Costco. I'm using component and had the same problem - the image was stretched, not pillarboxed. Surely there is a way around this? I can use the modes on my Pioneer 533 RPTV to force 4:3, but the TV puts unsightly grey bars on the side, not the desired black ones.

Can anyone help? I would have to use my Malata region-free player for all 4:3 material otherwise, as I'll be damned if I'll watch with grey bars...

 

[Jaxon's Dad]

I posted this to Highdefdigest. Just like TimObi, I'm contemplating using plain ol' RCA cables for multiple 5.1 analog connections. This is mainly because I have a plethora of these cables sitting around and rather than spend a bunch of $$ that could be put towards the purchase of the new Panny Blu-Ray player, I thought I'd dust off the extra cables and put them to good use. Before I go that route I thought I'd ask the question to the enthusiast community - Do "official" SACD/DVD-A/5.1 Analog cables really do a better job of passing uncompressed audio than your basic RCA cables? If not, is the appeal of the "official cables" more of a bragging rights issue? I welcome all feedback.