Toshiba said to be losing $200 on each HD-DVD player sold

Shawn Jodoin · December 18th, 2006, 02:39 AM

WOW this was an old post, but I thought I would respond seeing as I have
now purchased four of these suckers. They now make two versions one
for progressive scan and one for high definition. I bought one of each the
other day. - The progressive scan model was I think $49.00 and the high def
model was $79.00 at Costco. Don’t bother with the high definition model
if you don’t have a HDMI port in the back of your T.V. You can really
see the difference between the Panasonic/Toshiba setup’s with and without
the HDMI port especially with title overlays.

Heath McKnight · December 18th, 2006, 10:53 AM

I can't imagine the cost dropped from $500 to $79. Are you sure you didn't get the model that can take movies that are SD, but were mastered (or re-mastered) in HD, and make them look better in SD? There's an actualy SD DVD player that claims something like that.

heath

Sean Woods · December 18th, 2006, 02:29 PM

He's got to be talking about the upconverting players, not the HD-DVD ones.

Shawn Jodoin · December 19th, 2006, 02:27 AM

You are correct Sean, I was talking about the Progressive scan model with
and without HDMI port. Just checked the true HD model out on newegg
and it is running something like $409.00; I guess things are moving along
faster than I thought - I was under the false impression that true High
Definition wasn’t available on rented DVD's only through TIVO or channels
that broadcasted it. Are you telling me that I can go down to Blockbuster
or Hollywood video and rent a full length HD DVD now? The word
High Definition has been seriously abused/ thrown around to much
in my opinion.

Sean Woods · December 19th, 2006, 06:45 AM

Indeed. I've been enjoying my Toshiba A1 HD-DVD player since july. They just released their 2nd gen A2 player.

Kevin Shaw · December 19th, 2006, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawn Jodoin

Are you telling me that I can go down to Blockbuster
or Hollywood video and rent a full length HD DVD now?

I don't know about the retail stores, but the Blockbuster web site lists almost 150 titles on HD-DVD at http://www.blockbuster.com/online/ca...?listRef=hdDVD, and a similar number on Blu-ray. It's a little tricky though: you have to go to the title and click on the "All Editions" option to see the HD version.

Guy Cochran · December 19th, 2006, 01:58 PM

Netflix has a pretty nice HD DVD selection.

If you have an XBOX 360 you can get a USB HD DVD External drive for $199.
Comes with the remote and King Kong too.

There's already hacks out on the net to make the USB drive work on a PC too. Wonder how much MS loses on those USB drives. They sell the XBOX 360's at a loss.

Shawn Jodoin · December 19th, 2006, 06:45 PM

Do any of you guys subscribe to the theory that in some cases HD
looks to real for certain movies? The only taste of true HD I have
had the opportunity to view was at the Good Guys here in Reno
before they closed shop. They had this mini theater room set up for
displaying their projector units. The lights were all set perfect by
light meters for each unit according to the lumens and so forth. They
demonstrated this movie I guess it would be the equivalent of Space Station
9 or something. My first impression was that the lady looked more like
someone wearing a costume, goofy almost with that much clarity. Maybe
it wasn’t shot or edited to 24p, I doubt it was shot on film to begin with?

My other experience is with my progressive scan Toshiba connected to
my LCD Panasonic via HDMI port. When I watched the latest Star Wars
move the battle scene in the beginning was so crisp that it made R2D2 look
more like a toy. What so you guys think and thoughts on this?

C.S. Michael · December 19th, 2006, 08:40 PM

I have the XBox HD-DVD player.

So far, I've watched about a half dozen movies in the HD-DVD format.

Probably the best was "The Searchers," a 1956 John Wayne movie. That's the really cool thing about HD-DVD...it may revive interest in some older, beautifully shot films.

As far as the new Star Wars goes.... I do think that HD-DVD exposes the flaws of CGI. But I felt that some of the Star Wars CGI was flawed upon first viewing the films in the theater. CGI can be a useful storytelling tool, but it's a poor substitute for reality. I'll take real snow over CGI snow every time...

Boyd Ostroff · December 19th, 2006, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawn Jodoin

When I watched the latest Star Wars
move the battle scene in the beginning was so crisp that it made R2D2 look
more like a toy.

Personally I hate the CGI in all the new Star Wars movies and it has nothing to do with HD or the medium itself. It has a comic book appearance, which may very well be what Lucas wanted, but I get tired of that very quickly.

But you still seem to be talking about standard definition progressive scan DVD's and not HD DVD's...

Shawn Jodoin · December 19th, 2006, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Personally I hate the CGI in all the new Star Wars movies and it has nothing to do with HD or the medium itself. It has a comic book appearance, which may very well be what Lucas wanted, but I get tired of that very quickly.

But you still seem to be talking about standard definition progressive scan DVD's and not HD DVD's...

Hi Boyd, I was not speeking of SD inside the Good Guys, my reference to
progressive scan one more time I know, was only to indicate that -even
in SD-progressive scan R2 looks like a toy - I would hate to see how bad
he looks in HD.

December 18th, 2006, 02:39 AM	#46
Shawn Jodoin New Boot Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 13	Toshiba said to be losing $200 on each HD-DVD player sold WOW this was an old post, but I thought I would respond seeing as I have now purchased four of these suckers. They now make two versions one for progressive scan and one for high definition. I bought one of each the other day. - The progressive scan model was I think $49.00 and the high def model was $79.00 at Costco. Don’t bother with the high definition model if you don’t have a HDMI port in the back of your T.V. You can really see the difference between the Panasonic/Toshiba setup’s with and without the HDMI port especially with title overlays.

December 18th, 2006, 10:53 AM	#47
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	I can't imagine the cost dropped from $500 to $79. Are you sure you didn't get the model that can take movies that are SD, but were mastered (or re-mastered) in HD, and make them look better in SD? There's an actualy SD DVD player that claims something like that. heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

December 19th, 2006, 02:27 AM	#49
Shawn Jodoin New Boot Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 13	Toshiba said to be losing $200 on each HD-DVD player sold You are correct Sean, I was talking about the Progressive scan model with and without HDMI port. Just checked the true HD model out on newegg and it is running something like $409.00; I guess things are moving along faster than I thought - I was under the false impression that true High Definition wasn’t available on rented DVD's only through TIVO or channels that broadcasted it. Are you telling me that I can go down to Blockbuster or Hollywood video and rent a full length HD DVD now? The word High Definition has been seriously abused/ thrown around to much in my opinion.

December 19th, 2006, 01:58 PM	#52
Guy Cochran DVCreators.Net Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 892	Netflix has a pretty nice HD DVD selection. If you have an XBOX 360 you can get a USB HD DVD External drive for $199. Comes with the remote and King Kong too. There's already hacks out on the net to make the USB drive work on a PC too. Wonder how much MS loses on those USB drives. They sell the XBOX 360's at a loss. __________________ Guy Cochran DVinfo Sponsor, Cool Gear - DVeStore!

December 19th, 2006, 06:45 PM	#53
Shawn Jodoin New Boot Join Date: May 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 13	Toshiba said to be losing $200 on each HD-DVD player sold Do any of you guys subscribe to the theory that in some cases HD looks to real for certain movies? The only taste of true HD I have had the opportunity to view was at the Good Guys here in Reno before they closed shop. They had this mini theater room set up for displaying their projector units. The lights were all set perfect by light meters for each unit according to the lumens and so forth. They demonstrated this movie I guess it would be the equivalent of Space Station 9 or something. My first impression was that the lady looked more like someone wearing a costume, goofy almost with that much clarity. Maybe it wasn’t shot or edited to 24p, I doubt it was shot on film to begin with? My other experience is with my progressive scan Toshiba connected to my LCD Panasonic via HDMI port. When I watched the latest Star Wars move the battle scene in the beginning was so crisp that it made R2D2 look more like a toy. What so you guys think and thoughts on this?

December 18th, 2006, 02:29 PM	#48
Sean Woods Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 50	He's got to be talking about the upconverting players, not the HD-DVD ones.

December 19th, 2006, 06:45 AM	#50
Sean Woods Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: New Orleans, LA Posts: 50	Indeed. I've been enjoying my Toshiba A1 HD-DVD player since july. They just released their 2nd gen A2 player.

December 19th, 2006, 08:40 PM	#54
C.S. Michael Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 197	I have the XBox HD-DVD player. So far, I've watched about a half dozen movies in the HD-DVD format. Probably the best was "The Searchers," a 1956 John Wayne movie. That's the really cool thing about HD-DVD...it may revive interest in some older, beautifully shot films. As far as the new Star Wars goes.... I do think that HD-DVD exposes the flaws of CGI. But I felt that some of the Star Wars CGI was flawed upon first viewing the films in the theater. CGI can be a useful storytelling tool, but it's a poor substitute for reality. I'll take real snow over CGI snow every time...