HDP-01 from Toshiba for HD 4:3 sets. (1 Viewer)

[Blake Murdoch]

I'm sure everyone knows about the problem with an HD source going to a Toshiba 4:3 TV. I heard about a device coming from Toshiba that would convert the image into a proper widescreen 16x9 image and not stretch it to fill the screen. Here in Canada none of our STB's will do it for you. Here is there response to the device I was asking about.
"Hello:
Thanks for your inquiry on our HDP-1. The HDP-1 is expected in sometime around the end of March. We will be able
to supply a more realistic date closer to that time. The HDP-1 is in the testing stages now. From my understanding, it will reformat the HDTV 16 x 9 signal for a 4 x 3 HDTV-Compliant TV. By using 270 scanning lines it will create black bars and 810 scanning lines will be used
for picture information. It will correct the geometry of the 16 x 9 picture for display on a 4 x 3 aspect ratio TV. It will also provide a "cropped" version. This will fill the 4 x 3 screen with picture, however, you will loose some picture information from the edges. It will also perform a raster shift. This means that when using the black bar version, it will slightly shift the picture up and down to reduce the risk of raster burn. Pricing will be very reasonable to our customers only. Trust this information helps. Keep in touch. We will be pleased to provide
up-to-date information closer to the above mentioned date.
Regards,Norma
Customer Service"
Didn't know if this was well known or helpful/interesting for anyone.
Blake

 

[Mario Bartel]

Thanks very much for this information, Blake. I'm chomping at the bit to see hi-def on my 36X81 and I was beginning to lose faith that it would ever happen with a properly proportioned picture.
How did you first learn of this device? I seem to recall, buried deep in the recesses of my brain, a reference to it somewhere, but never anything official. Any ballpark idea of cost? Let's hope this unit actually makes it to this side of the border!
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Mario
Proprietor and chief nacho chip server of Cinemario

 

[Blake Murdoch]

I first it about it last night while on a Canadian sattelite forum. One of the forum regulars heard about it from a guy who worked at Toshiba. I e-mailed Toshiba right away to try and get some concrete info and they replied right away. I asked the people at Toshiba.ca but I'm sure the device will be available throughout all of North America. I'm extremely excited about it not only for my dish but it should be able to be used for a progressive scan player as well to get a proper ratio as well. I have forwarded that question to Toshiba as well.
Blake

 

[Mario Bartel]

>it should be able to be used for a progressive scan >player as well to get a proper ratio as well.
Now that would be EXTREMELY sweet!
Be sure to keep us posted!
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Mario
Proprietor and chief nacho chip server of Cinemario

 

[Jeff R.]

it should be able to be used for a progressive scan player as well to get a proper ratio as well.

I have a Tosh 6200 progressive scan DVD player for my 36X81 TV. Are you saying that there is display problem with this combo? Or does this device allow you to get an animorphic quality picture without having to do the squeeze trick?

 

[Jeff R.]

Any news on this device? If it's going to be released this month, I would think there would be some more info about it. I haven't been able to find much.

 

[Len Cheong]

Spoke to a Toshiba rep last October and she said that November would be the month this product would roll out. No confirmation yet though. Will cost about $150 Canadian.

 

[Mario Bartel]

>>she said that November would be the month this product would roll out. No confirmation yet though. Will cost about $150 Canadian.
Well, I'll believe it when I see it. We've been getting the "next month" story on this device since last spring. Given the relatively small niche market this gizmo would service, I suspect Toshiba Canada is just waiting us all out until we give up and upgrade to properly HDTV compliant sets. No problem, I say, if Toshiba buys back my incomplete set for half what I paid for it.
Because that's what they sold us, an incomplete set; they marketed HD tv sets for which they were relying upon a third party to actually give us a properly proportioned HD picture (it's kinda like Ford selling me a car without a muffler, relying on Midas to provide one to me). Well, Canadian satellite providers haven't exactly been falling over themselves to update their boxes to service this small minority of their customers. And Toshiba's set-top box isn't compatible with any of the Canadian satellite companies, so it was never available here anyways. So here we are, stuck with "skinnyvision," waiting for this magical HDP unit to appear. And waiting. And waiting...
(PS, I tried to impart my own solution by exploring the service menu on my 36X81, as per instructions available elsewhere on the internet, but after getting to a certain point, I could no longer figure out what all the various settings meant, and bailed before I did irreversible damage)
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Mario
Proprietor and chief nacho chip server of Cinemario

 

[JohnnyG]

I can't say I agree with Mario. Look at DVD players. They've had a 16:9/4:3 option since day one and every player, from the cheapest to the most expensive, properly proportions the output depending on this setting. Why should technically superior products like HDTV receivers not offer the same functionality?
Incidentally, the latest software revision for Star Choice's HDD-201 now offers aspect ratio selection. In the US, the Dish 6000 receiver has also been software upgraded for aspect ratio selection, so I imagine it's just a matter of time before ExpressVu gets it's act together and updates their 6000's too.
In short order, the HDP-01 will become rather obsolete.
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John Golitsis
Next Big Thing Electronics