G2 Toshiba HD DVD players: HD-A2 $499, HD-XA2 $999 (1 Viewer)

[Jesse Blacklow]

Looks like they've been announced.

Like the EU models, it looks like the HD-A2 is still only 720p/1080i, no 5.1 analog outs, HDMI 1.2, and out early October. The HD-XA2 is 720p/1080i/1080p24, HDMI 1.3, and out in late December or early January. I'm not seeing on-board TrueHD decoding or any mention of DTS-HD:MA on either player.

ETA: The linked article has been updated with pics. It appears both players decode DTHD, but are limited to just the DTS-HD core.

ETA2: Here's a link to the official press release.

 

[Frank@N]

What?!?!?!?!?

So the HDMI 1.3 1080p HD-DVD player will cost $999 (same as Blu-Ray)?

That's way too much and blows their price advantage over the heavily favored Blu-Ray platform.

In fact, with the PS3 arriving (HDMI 1.3 1080p), HD-DVD will now be the overpriced alternative.

At most they should have mimicked the PS3 pricing with the A2 for $499 and the XA2 for $599.

This is a big misstep for the HD-DVD team.

 

[Jerome Grate]

Fudge, if this is true, this would be a huge step backwards for HD-DVD. No analog outs to enjoy Dolby TrueHD. Looks like the HD-A1 will be hard to find, better start talking to the wife now about possible assistance. No way I'd get one of those machines especially if it's lacking. 999 for XA2, pathetic, keep the pressure on if you want to win this war, believe me if BD met all the things it claims it can meet like 1080p, 7.1 surround 50 gigs discs it would blow HD-DVD out of the water for the same price.

 

[dpippel]

With these prices and specs, Toshiba is throwing away half of HD-DVDs advantage. NOT GOOD for HD-DVD at all. Since the hardware specs are likely set in stone at this point, I hope that they SERIOUSLY reconsider the pricing on these players.

Toshiba has been doing very well up until this announcement. Are they just ignorant? Can they not see that one of their big advantages was the price/performance ratio of the HD-A1 compared to their competition? A very puzzling and discouraging turn of events.

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

Hmm. This post at AVS mentions the XA2 (I think he goofed and called the XA1) "will process the signal to its final output of 1080p24/60". I'm not sure what that means, but it could be that it does the same Broadcom 1080p->1080i->1080p shuffle that the Samsung does.

 

[Randy Korstick]

HD-XA2 sounds like the real upgrade. The HD-A2 sounds like a downgrade and the $999.00 XA2 price is more evidence that the HD-A1 was subsidized.

 

[Austan]

Dont say "subsidized" you might start a heated debate.

 

[Randy Korstick]

I know its been brought up many times before in other threads and debated hence the"more evidence".

 

[Robert Crawford]

I don't have a problem with the HD-XA2 pricing, but I'm not entirely sold that such an additional investment in this format is wise at this time. The lack of hardware and software support concerns me about the future of this format. If I don't hear anything positive in that regard before the end of this year then the next generation HD player I buy, will most likely be a Blu-ray player.




Crawdaddy

 

[Larry Sutliff]

I think that Toshiba needs to rethink the pricing here. Better grab those HD-A1's while you can!

 

[Randy Korstick]

I agree Robert. I still feel Blu-Ray is the better format and will win because of better support and storage capacity but I bought a Toshiba HD-DVD player like many just because it was so cheap. I won't be upgrading to a HDMI HD TV for another 2 years so at worst case I will just enjoy HD-DVD until then and then upgrade to Blu-Ray in 2 years. Things should have come down in price quite a bit by then as well.

 

[Jesse Blacklow]

Two extremely high-rez pics of the players:

HD-AX2
HD-A2

Aside from no DTS-HD logo, anyone else notice anything odd/interesting? Hint: look at the display .

 

[Larry Sutliff]

It's gonna play DVD-A and SACD?

 

[Chris S]

Wow! Thats something even Sony's Blu-ray model won't do. A very nice slap in the face by Toshiba. I agree with most here. Toshiba has lost a major advantage with the pricing of the AX2.

 

[Arjan S]

Is 499 and 999 msrp or street pricing. If the 499 gets discounted at 40 % off like the current a1, then that will put it around 299, which we cause me to jump in. I don't have a 1080p display , just 1080i 720p, and don't plan on buying a new display for at least 3 yrs. By then whoever wins the format war should have dvd players for less then 200 I'm hoping.

 

[Dave H]

I agree, as well...especially when you consider Blu-ray has proven that is can look just as good as HD DVD (with the proper codecs, authoring, etc.).

 

[Ron-P]

I also do not have a problem with their pricing of these new machines. Consider all that the XA2 will be offering, plus, I've already seen it online priced at $899 and with that, 2 free HD-DVDs and a 4 year warranty, not too bad and still a sizeable advantage over the Samsung.

Also the Panny for sure and maybe the Sony will be priced higher then $1k.

I plan to buy into Blu-ray as well but not at $1k and not a Samsung machine. Maybe by this time next year the Blu machines will hit the $500 mark and then I'm in. I'm willing to take the risk at $500 it's a small price to pay.

 

[Nick Graham]

Great....I'm not gonna have enough cash to take the HD-DVD plunge until Christmastime, and now I find out by that time I'll need a grand to buy a player that does True HD like the $500 current player does.

Thus one middle-class would be early adopter is gonna be forced to sit this war out for quite some time (unless Amir's claim of the 360 add-on being able to do full 5.1 True HD is accurate)

 

[David Coleman]

I must say that i'm a bit disappointed in the A2 not having the 5.1 outputs. A definite downgrade from the A1 for me as I have no intention of buying a new receiver and my current one doesn't have HDMI.

The only way to hear the new formats now is to purchase the $1000 player which is quite frankly too much for me.

I do have to question their logic on that one?

Hopefully HD DVD will add on some new manufactures to fill in the blank?

 

[Stan Rozenfeld]

Strange decision by Toshiba... either they are blind to the market realities or supremely confident.