DEAD: Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD player $199.99 Shipped @ Crutchfield

[MoobyTheGoldenCalf]

Originally posted by: GZeus

Originally posted by: MoobyTheGoldenCalf

Originally posted by: GZeus

Originally posted by: Dweekie
... Keep in mind you only get the best audio quality through HDMI or Analog(rca) cables. Toslink optical and coaxial cables are the worst cables for next-gen surround audio - lots of people make this mistake.

Hadn't heard that before. Source? Link?

It's true. You can only get Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio through either HDMI or by having the player decode it and send the 6 channel analog out. If you use Optical out, there isn't enough bandwidth to carry the full HD audio signal, so the player will downconvert the HD audio to standard 5.1 DTS audio.

If you want a link, go to any home theater website

I could do that or you could explain to me how a fiber optic line or a coaxial line - you know the stuff that's the backbone of the internet - suddenly doesn't have the bandwidth necessary for HD audio?!!

From my brief search, a quote from avguide.com 'The Perfect Vision' e-mag:
"We?ve compared the sound of digital audio signals presented via HDMI interfaces vs. coaxial or optical digital audio interfaces, and in every case achieved superior-sounding results via coax or optical inputs. What accounts for these sonic differences? We aren?t entirely sure, but at least one performance-minded manufacturer has told TPV that HDMI audio outputs tend to exhibit high levels of jitter, which ostensibly hamper sound quality."

So, whachu got?

Dude, you can believe whatever you want to believe. I'm not going to argue facts with you. You might as well be arguing that 1+1=3 or the sky is red. You cannot get either Dolby TrueHD or DTS MA out of optical. Fact. Done. End of discussion. The only 2 options are HDMI or 6ch Analog out. If you use toslink, the signal will get downconverted to legacy Dolby Digital or DTS.

If you really want proof, read the user manual of any HD-DVD player.

 

[GZeus]

LOL. Relax 'dude'.

I didn't say you were full of it or talking out you bottom end. I haven't even disputed that it probably is true - in fact what I said was, "Hadn't heard that before."
When I searched, as you suggested btw, I came up with that brief quote. You originally said "best audio quality". The article I found contradicted that statement but it doesn't mention Dolby TrueHD or DTS MA. (Are those the highest "audio quality" available?)

What I asked for was a reference. No source, no reference, your wind = zip, zilch, nadda, 3
"Fact. Done. End of discussion."

 

[zig3695]

Originally posted by: Eug

Originally posted by: Shawn
Just bought one. Didn't know about the free shipping code though.

Well, the good news it's only $11 shipping, so no big loss.

Originally posted by: zig3695
i would think as long as the xbox hd-dvd drive thats hooked to your PC can read the disc it would be the same or better then any standalone because it relies on the video drivers and codecs to process the video.

Well, you still have to buy the playback software, and apparently it's still got a few weird bugs on some systems.

I don't see how relying "on the video drivers and codecs to process the video" is necessarily any advantage though. I see the requirement for a PC a major disadvantage, at least for most home theatre setups.

my home home theater consists of a htpc and a car amp to run 3 front speakers off the pc's power supply. a home theater-in-one

 

[videopho]

Someone over the avsforum site did mention his a2 is getting prepared for shipping.
That being said, it looks like this deal is not only for real but the product may be filled in-stock faster than we (or I) expect.
Please keep us posted of your status has changed.

 

[mrrman]

$249 at Costco for the Model D2..same as the A2 but you get a HDMI cable....no tax in Oregon

 

[videopho]

Originally posted by: mrrman
$249 at Costco for the Model D2..same as the A2 but you get a HDMI cable....no tax in Oregon

Not all Costco stores carry the player.
Apparently just the West Coast ones.
Unless someone enlightens me.
the hdmi cable is no big deal.
It costs like 5 bucks over the monoprice site.
I've bought a few from them last year.

 

[ncage]

Well for those that got in on this and were worried about it....i would not fret. Crutchfield early on was trying to back out but the quickly reveresed their position and decided to honor the price. This was not a hot deal on their end this was a pricing mistake. Its great that crutchfield decided to fess up and honor their price. How many companies have you seen do this? They are probably loosing money on each player they sold but i think they rather loose money than the negative feedback/image they would by emailing everybody that made these orders and telling them they would not honor the price. I still can't believe it an HD-DVD player with 5 Free DVDs for 199.99. I am glad i seen this early and got in on it. The only downfall to the 5 free dvds is they have 5 categories and you have to select one from each category. You can not mix/match how you like which sucks because three of the dvds i wanted are in one category "Perfect Storm", "We were soldiers", and "U-571". Oh well still can't complain. If you have heart set the lowest price ive seen is at costco but you can't get it online and i don't have one near me. The next lowest price was at amazon...280. Still not a bad deal but not as hot as this one that is for sure. Whoever got into this deal, me included, just consider yourself lucky. If only i won't have got into the matrix hd-dvd for $19.99. I had no idea i would have a HD-DVD player soon after though.

Ncage

 

[Shawn]

Crutchfield's site now has an expected date. It's 6/26/2007.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: videopho

Originally posted by: mrrman
$249 at Costco for the Model D2..same as the A2 but you get a HDMI cable....no tax in Oregon

Not all Costco stores carry the player.
Apparently just the West Coast ones.
Unless someone enlightens me.
the hdmi cable is no big deal.
It costs like 5 bucks over the monoprice site.
I've bought a few from them last year.

They had them (not sure of the model) at the Costco here in Virginia when I was there yesterday. I was in kind of a rush but they had a display up for a Toshiba HD-DVD player for $249.00.

 

[Basilisk]

Amazon lists this at $250, but it is selling it through TigerDirect so I presume there's no free shipping.

 

[GZeus]

I thought this was worth sharing, especially if you have a Blockbuster Total Access account.

Blockbuster favors Blu-ray @ MSNBC

6/19 EDIT: Its shipping today!! YIPPEEE!!

Oh, and a big :thumbsup: to Crutchfield for handling this whole thing with a lot of class. I'll be shopping there again based on this.

 

[Shawn]

Mine shipped today!

 

[videopho]

Originally posted by: Shawn
Mine shipped today!

Woohoo...
So is mine.

 

[VenomXTF]

Same here. I guess they got a large batch in.

 

[Shawn]

I just got it today. That was fast!

 

[videopho]

Has anyone received the 5 freebee movies from Tosushiba?
Or is it too early to ask?
Is there a site where you can check its status?
I mailed mine around 6/20.

 

[GZeus]

I think you are way too optimistic if you expect the movies before September at best.

From what I remember reading in a thread somewhere, it took Toshiba over 6 months to send out the last free movies they offered.

 

[videopho]

Perhaps I'm.
As long as I receive the movies, hopefully before the player starts falling apart.
I'll be happy.