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Tarheel_
08-01-2008, 06:22 AM
so i found a great deal on a Toshiba HD A30 with two movies with warranty.

i have a Mit HD1000U projector on a 110" screen. I connected the DVD player via HDMI straight to the projector....both are set it at 720p (native to my projector) and then ran a few movies through it.

I must say the difference between HD and my upconverting player is minimum at best. I mean the actors faces is where i see new details, but for the most part i cannot see a difference. The movies are both Matrix sequels so i've viewed them many times on my screen.

i admit i'm no videophile, but i love the picture on HD Directv, but the HD DVD buzz makes me wonder if something is set wrong.

Am i missing a setting or connection?

bobsticks
08-01-2008, 08:46 AM
Hey Tarheel,

Kinda like audio you're at the mercy of what and how the engineers choose to remaster. Clearly those two movies were pretty good in SD so they may have taken a lighthand. Who knows?

I have also long suspected that when the writing was on the wall alot of projects got rushed. I doubt many put full effort into something they new would be "obsolete" shortly.

That said, I snagged an HD setup for my XBOX when they first came out. It seemed to me as if they put more emphasis on new releases than on remasters. I bought "Caddyshack" and "Goodfellas" and neither was readily distinguishable from their SD brotheren.

Peace

filecat13
08-02-2008, 08:34 AM
What he said. You do know that HD DVD is discontinued, right? The likelihood of there being any new HD DVD titles is around 0.00001%.

Right now Blu-Ray is the only widespread consumer high definition source on the market. Unfortunately, your Toshiba will not play that.

To be more on target with your post, many people commented that 720p was not as much of an improvement as they hoped, especially on discs rushed to market.

pixelthis
08-03-2008, 09:47 PM
THEY ARE PUSHING a lot of titles out the door, so maybe a corner here and there is being cut, but on the bright side my local walfart has
a pretty good selection at a decent price.
I got a copy of terminator 3 for 14.95$, dont know if its the same master used for the shortlived dvd-rom format.
As for your HD rig, what did you expect? EVERYTHING Toshiba
puts out is crap, squared, as I have said many times.
Get a decent Blu player, you might be pleasantly surprized:1:

westcott
08-05-2008, 10:39 AM
I agree. I bought an HD DVD and a BluRay and film quality is marginally improved. You are more at the mercy of the engineers who remastered the original content than the capabilities of the technology.

Now video HD is awesome. Planet Earth and other digital formats are worth the price of admission.

Rich-n-Texas
08-05-2008, 10:59 AM
I agree. I bought an HD DVD and a BluRay and film quality is marginally improved. You are more at the mercy of the engineers who remastered the original content than the capabilities of the technology.

Now video HD is awesome. Planet Earth and other digital formats are worth the price of admission.
Hey! Houstonian, how's the weather down there? :cornut:

I just asked a question in another thread about "Planet Earth" and it's 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Does it fill your entire screen?

westcott
08-05-2008, 03:16 PM
Hey! Houstonian, how's the weather down there? :cornut:

I just asked a question in another thread about "Planet Earth" and it's 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Does it fill your entire screen?

We got some rain. Not sure what all the fuss was about. The media is always trying to make news out of nothing.

As far as planet earth, it had been a while since I rented it but I think I remember it filling my 16:9 screen. I have gotten to the point that the only time I notice is when some lame HD station stretches and cropes the sides. You know the ones.

Good to hear from you again!

Rich-n-Texas
08-06-2008, 04:11 AM
I didn't even think about renting it. I'll take the first installment for a test drive.

Good to see you posting again Mr. Westcott! :yesnod:

Tarheel_
08-06-2008, 05:16 AM
What he said. You do know that HD DVD is discontinued, right? The likelihood of there being any new HD DVD titles is around 0.00001%.

To be more on target with your post, many people commented that 720p was not as much of an improvement as they hoped, especially on discs rushed to market.

I know HD DVD is dead....how else could i pay $79 for a player with warranty?

you must mean HD DVD...because 720p HD on Directv is unbelievably clear and detailed.

i sold my Samsung upconvert 1080P7 yesterday...so the HD DVD player costs me $19, plus i received a new copy of 300 and Bourne Identity. Not a bad deal at all. I like legacy stuff anyway.

GMichael
08-06-2008, 06:04 AM
I think it depends on the movie and how it was mastered. I have Transformers, and a few others on HD-DVD that look incredible. I also have a couple that don't look much better than the DVD's.

BRANDONH
08-06-2008, 08:42 AM
so i found a great deal on a Toshiba HD A30 with two movies with warranty.

i have a Mit HD1000U projector on a 110" screen. I connected the DVD player via HDMI straight to the projector....both are set it at 720p (native to my projector) and then ran a few movies through it.

I must say the difference between HD and my upconverting player is minimum at best. I mean the actors faces is where i see new details, but for the most part i cannot see a difference. The movies are both Matrix sequels so i've viewed them many times on my screen.

i admit i'm no videophile, but i love the picture on HD Directv, but the HD DVD buzz makes me wonder if something is set wrong.

Am i missing a setting or connection?
play Transformers
of if your willing to fork out a few extra bucks Terminator 2 HD-DVD (German)
http://xploitedcinema.com/catalog/terminator-judgment-german-steelbook-release-directors-p-13674.html

filecat13
08-06-2008, 08:49 AM
you must mean HD DVD...because 720p HD on Directv is unbelievably clear and detailed.



Uh, yeah. that's why I wrote "on discs rushed to market."

GMichael
08-06-2008, 09:06 AM
I know HD DVD is dead....how else could i pay $79 for a player with warranty?

you must mean HD DVD...because 720p HD on Directv is unbelievably clear and detailed.

i sold my Samsung upconvert 1080P7 yesterday...so the HD DVD player costs me $19, plus i received a new copy of 300 and Bourne Identity. Not a bad deal at all. I like legacy stuff anyway.

300 was recorded with a grainy look for "artistic reasons." Don't judge the HD DVD on that movie.

westcott
08-06-2008, 09:59 AM
I didn't even think about renting it. I'll take the first installment for a test drive.

Good to see you posting again Mr. Westcott! :yesnod:

I have to fess up. Since I got a promotion at work, I have been VERY busy. So, what little time I have to participate in forums has been over at Audioholics.

Only so many hours in the day!!!

Hope everyone is doing well.

P.S. I just finished working on my wife's master bedroom home theater. Take a look when you have time. It is on the last page of the album.

His and Her Master Bedroom HT (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/485238304wWtMdk)

Rich-n-Texas
08-06-2008, 10:12 AM
Looks good westcott. I can't make out the names on the equipment other than the Panasonic LCD, but, and no offense, I don't think HT magazine's gonna come calling this time. :smilewinkgrin: BTW, I've been mulling over which mag to subscribe to next and I think HT is gonna get the nod.

I looked over some of the other pictures and I must say you've got a nice house. Aren't you worried about the floods? :biggrin5:

pixelthis
08-07-2008, 12:58 AM
I have the Blu version of T2 and talk about cutting corners.
they put a "pull down" bd style menu on the old menu, and deactivated
it. You have to select options from the pull down, while the old ones there as a background.
The print is quite good tho, the sound amazing.
Overall, for 15 bucks, not a bad experience.
As for the "legacy" HD player you bought, the only legacy that you will receive is a "legacy" of frustration, there are already more discs
on Blu than you will ever be able to buy.
And its a TOSHIBA, which gives it the lifespan of a fruitfly.
Sorry, but I JUST DONT SEE IT.:1:

westcott
08-07-2008, 06:07 AM
Looks good westcott. I can't make out the names on the equipment other than the Panasonic LCD, but, and no offense, I don't think HT magazine's gonna come calling this time. :smilewinkgrin: BTW, I've been mulling over which mag to subscribe to next and I think HT is gonna get the nod.

I looked over some of the other pictures and I must say you've got a nice house. Aren't you worried about the floods? :biggrin5:

Thanks for taking time to sneak a look.
The equipment list is as follows;
Panasonic 42" Plasma
Devon AVR 688
Devon DVD 910
DishNetwork HD PVR 622
Altec Valencia "Voice of the Theater" mains
Klipsch RC7 Center
Infinity SW12 Subwoofer
Logitech Remote
Sanus AV Stand
Blue Jean Cables

As far as flooding, we are in a newer subdivision. Retention ponds are now mandatory as well as other safe guards. We are much higher up than most of the houses build earlier.
Besides, that is what flood insurance is for. I just move the AV equipment upstairs and to heck with the rest.

f0rge
08-08-2008, 11:44 AM
it didn't look much better because you're only running in 720p.

480p to 720p is not a huge difference. 480p to 1080p is ground beef versus fillet mignon.

Tarheel_
08-15-2008, 06:47 PM
I have the Blu version of T2 and talk about cutting corners.
they put a "pull down" bd style menu on the old menu, and deactivated
it. You have to select options from the pull down, while the old ones there as a background.
The print is quite good tho, the sound amazing.
Overall, for 15 bucks, not a bad experience.
As for the "legacy" HD player you bought, the only legacy that you will receive is a "legacy" of frustration, there are already more discs
on Blu than you will ever be able to buy.
And its a TOSHIBA, which gives it the lifespan of a fruitfly.
Sorry, but I JUST DONT SEE IT.:1:

hey man...my legacy Sony LD player is olddddddd. It works perfect for my kids cheap Disney $3 movies. Now they love Happy Feet in HD...if i can squeeze out a few blockbuster HD movies and land a B-ray player so be it. Can't have too many sources.

pixelthis
08-17-2008, 09:03 PM
hey man...my legacy Sony LD player is olddddddd. It works perfect for my kids cheap Disney $3 movies. Now they love Happy Feet in HD...if i can squeeze out a few blockbuster HD movies and land a B-ray player so be it. Can't have too many sources.

Well, my "legacy" sony ld player is deaaad
Which is what you "legacy" (govt speak for obsolete) player will be before you know it, especially since Tosh made it, and most of their stuff has the life span of a fruitfly.
You remind me of a co-worker in the eighties, bought one of those discovision record players that played movies.
Was quite pissed about six months down the road when he couldnt find any new movies, I ASKED HIM WHAT DID HE EXPECT.
Which is what I am asking you, this player prob sat in a box for a year,
if it plays you're ahead.
I wasted more money chasing a "bargain" than on loose women,
until I learned to buy stuff that would last awhile.
A pig in a poke is almost never very pretty in the long and short run:1: