TOSHIBA HD-DVD players

[gkontoletas]

Η Toshiba ανακοινώσε στην CES την διάθεση δυο μοντέλων HD-DVD από τον Μάρτιο στην Αμερική.
HD-XA1 799$
HD-A1 499$

January 04, 2006 01:10 PM US Eastern Timezone

Toshiba Announces Industry's First HD DVD Players for the U.S. Market; Also unveils cutting-edge AV Notebook PC featuring HD DVD drives

2006 International CES

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 2006--Toshiba Corporation today marked a major milestone in the history of the consumer electronics industry and the world of home entertainment with the announcement of the March 2006 commercial launch of the industry's first HD DVD players in the USA.


The new HD DVD players, HD-XA1 and HD-A1, take advantage of a wide range of advanced capabilities offered the HD DVD format, the next-generation DVD format defined by the DVD Forum. Both models offer superior high definition images, crystal clear audio, and the enhanced functionality delivered by such features as Advanced Navigation using "iHD."

Toshiba commercialized the world's first DVD players and launched them in the Japanese market in November 1996, followed by US release in March 1997. Since then, DVD has become one of the most successful consumer products in history, creating a huge market and changing the style of AV entertainment by turning the home into a digital theater. DVD also brought new momentum to the PC industry, accelerating the digital convergence of computers and entertainment through the introduction of AV notebook and desktop PCs.

Today, the CE and IT industries are poised to advance to a new level of achievement, and consumers are ready to go with them. HDTV broadcasting is moving into the mainstream, and large sized, flat panel TVs are increasingly popular. These trends are fueling fast growing consumer demand for high quality content in the home, particularly movies.

Through extensive discussions and cooperation with major Hollywood studios, major retailers and other interested parties, Toshiba has closely investigated the optimum launch date for HD DVD. The Company has now decided on a US launch date of March 2006, a time frame when major Hollywood studios are expected to unveil HD DVD movie titles.

Both the HD-XA1 and the HD-A1 will start shipping to retailers in March 2006. More details of the products and marketing and promotional plans will be announced by Toshiba America Consumer Products, Toshiba's US marketing operations, at a press conference at 10:00am on January 4, 2006, PST, in Las Vegas, preceding the Consumer Electronics Show.

"We are excited to be able to make this historical announcement on this important new product at CES, the world's premier consumer electronics show," said Yoshihide Fujii, Corporate Senior Vice President and President of Digital Medial Network Company, Toshiba Corporation. "Going forward, HD DVD is destined to be a key driver for progress and the development of the CE, IT and entertainment industries. We look forward to building on the momentum of CES and making HD DVD a worthy successor to DVD."

Also Taking AV Notebook PCs to the Next Level

Along with its first HD DVD players, Toshiba will also use CES to demonstrate an advanced AV notebook PC with HD DVD-ROM drive, the new flagship of the Company's Qosmio line-up of high-end AV notebook PCs. Pricing and availability information will be announced later in Q1, 2006.

Hands-on experience of this cutting-edge AV Notebook PC will be offered at two CES venues: Toshiba America Information Systems, Booth #12827 (Central Hall), and the HD DVD Promotion Group Booth#7916 (Central Hall).

About HD DVD Format

HD DVD is standardized by the DVD Forum, the international association of some 240 companies. Its physical, file and application formats are all approved by the Forum.

In addition to a versatility that enables support for diverse applications, including players, recorders, PCs and automotive devices, HD DVD's main features are:

1) The same disc structure as DVD, two 0.6mm-thick polycarbonate discs bonded back-to-back. This structure makes it much easier for HD DVD to achieve backward compatibility with DVD, and also assures easier manufacturing of discs and hardware devices, resulting in lower manufacturing costs.

2) Robust playability, with no need for a disc cartridge to protect against surface blemishes and fingerprints.

3) The ability to meet diverse capacity demands. The DVD Forum has approved HD DVD-ROM discs with a data capacity of 30GB, and higher capacities are on the way. High data capacities are achieved by adopting a shorter wavelength blue-violet laser and advanced data processing technologies, assuring the ability to store large capacity data sources, including high-definition images.

4) Adoption of iHD technology to deliver enhanced user interactivity and enable optimization for both AV and PC applications. Managed Copy function will further expand the realm of entertainment at home.

For more information on HD DVD, visit the following sites:

1) the HD DVD Promotion Group :http://www.hddvdprg.com/

2) Toshiba Corporation: http://www.toshiba.co.jp/hddvd/eng/index.htm

 

[gkontoletas]

 

[gkontoletas]

HD-XA1 back

 

[gkontoletas]

Το Toshiba HD-A1 έκανε την εμφάνισή του στο Amazon για προ-παραγγελία, τιμή 499,99$.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E1PTGK/ref=amb_link_33378801_1/104-7153714-6663910?n=172282

 

[gkontoletas]

Το πρώτο review του HD-A1 από το CNET.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Toshiba_HD_A1/4505-6463_7-31736203.html?tag=sub

 

[gkontoletas]

Έρχεται, επίσημα, από το site της TOSHIBA Ιαπωνίας το HD-XA1.
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2006_03/pr_j3102.htm

 

[ak1s]

Τα πρώτα HD-DVD drives ήδη πουλιούνται!!!

Toshiba begins selling first HD-DVD players
By Mariko Sanchanta in Tokyo | Financial Times
Published: March 31 2006 12:13

Toshiba on Friday began selling the world’s first next-generation DVD player in Japan, stealing a march on rival Sony, which plans to sell a competing optical disc format this year.

Toshiba’s high definition HD-XA1 DVD player went on sale for roughly Y110,000 in most stores, although it was being sold at a discount of about Y10,000 in some stores. Bic Camera, a leading Japanese electronics retailer, said its Yurakucho store in central Tokyo had sold out by 4pm.

The company is expected to launch versions priced at $499 and $799 in the US by mid-April, to coincide with Warner Home Video’s launch of HD-DVD software on April18.

The move will give Toshiba a lead of more than three months in the US before rival Sony launches its competing Blu-ray DVD players in July. Sony earlier this month delayed the global release of its PlayStation 3 video-game console – which features Blu-ray DVD capability – until November, giving Toshiba more time to win over customers.

Toshiba and its allies, and a rival Sony consortium are racing to set the standard for next-generation film and video game discs. Toshiba and its partners, including Microsoft and Dell, are hoping that the early debut will give HD-DVD a head start against Blu-ray technology, which is also backed by Dell and most Hollywood studios.

But analysts said on Friday that the speed with which Toshiba launched its HD-DVD player would not necessarily give it an advantage. “Its success depends on what sort of content is available,” said Hiroshi Kamide, analyst at KBC Securities in Tokyo.

In Japan, Toshiba’s HD-DVD player will come bundled with two movie discs: Resident Evil, and Moonlight Jellyfish, a Japanese film. Two more movie titles will be available for sale at the end of April – Neverland and Shinobi, a Japanese film. Toshiba said it hoped that between 100 and 150 movie titles would be available in the format in Japan and Europe by December and 150-200 in the US.

Toshiba said on Friday it initially planned to manufacture 2,000 HD-DVD players a month. Yoshihide Fujii, head of the company's consumer electronics business, said the company expects to sell between 600,000 and 700,000 HD-DVD players in the fiscal year starting on Saturday. The company expects its player to debut in Europe in the October to December quarter.

Toshiba said it hoped to launch an HD-DVD recorder in Japan before June, the month soccer's World Cup tournament begins. It is aiming to launch HD-DVD equipped personal computers in the April-June quarter.

Additional reporting by Nobuko Juji

 

[toxotis70]

Τελικα κυκλοφορησε σημερα το πρωτο HD DVD PLAYER....
http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/31/toshibas-hd-xa1-hd-dvd-player-hits-stores-in-japan/

 

[ak1s]

Τελικα κυκλοφορησε σημερα το πρωτο HD DVD PLAYER....
http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/31/toshibas-hd-xa1-hd-dvd-player-hits-stores-in-japan/

Διόρθωση, κυκλοφόρησε στις 31 του Μάρτη. Δες τα dates στο άρθρο που λinkάρεις. Επίσης είχε γραφτεί παραπάνω ολόκληρο το κείμενο από Financial Times.
Να διαβάζουμε τα προηγούμενα posts...σώζει χρόνο
Πάντα καλοπροαίρετα...

 

[gkontoletas]

Μερικές φωτογραφίες από την τελική μορφή του HD-XA1.

 

[gkontoletas]

Ο εσωτερικός κόσμος του HD-A1 δεν είναι παρά ένα PC με Intel επεξεργαστή και μνήμη 1GB.

 

[DIMITRIS K.]

Πάντως μου θυμίζει βίντεο της δεκαετίας του '80 παρά hi-tech συσκευή. Και γιατί πρέπει να έχουμε pc καμουφλαρισμένο δεν μπορώ να το καταλάβω :? :?

 

[gkontoletas]

Πάντως μου θυμίζει βίντεο της δεκαετίας του '80 παρά hi-tech συσκευή. Και γιατί πρέπει να έχουμε pc καμουφλαρισμένο δεν μπορώ να το καταλάβω  :? :?

Από τη στιγμή που έγινε η μετάβαση στα ψηφιακά format το ‘κάτι σαν PC’ θα ζει μέσα σε όλες τις ψηφιακές συσκευές, από το ψυγείο μέχρι και την TV.

 

[gkontoletas]

Μερικές ακόμη φωτογραφίες από το εσωτερικό του HD-A1.

Συνδεμένο με την DELL 2405PFW δείχνοντας το Ethernet menu.

Γενική αποψη της motherboard.

Το HD-DVD Rom

Η μεταμόσχευση του drive σε PC

 

[Nick_Greek]

Δεν θέλω να σας στεναχωρήσω αλλά οι πρώτες εντυπώσεις είναι μάλλον αποθαρρυντικές... Όποιος βιάζεται σκοντάφτει!!!
Κολλήματα και προβλήματα στο HD-A1, αναφέρονται από τους μισούς κατόχους. Και κακολογείτε τα Kiss!! 8)

Εκτός αν τους έχει βάλει η Sony και διαμαρτύρονται!!


Από το digital bits:

So... I'll tell you, we're just over two weeks into the official HD-DVD launch, and we're having really mixed feelings about the format right now here at The Bits.

First of all, the HD-A1 we've managed to borrow temporarily for our review work is just a total lemon. As we've reported before, it repeatedly locks up during playback - completely locks up, including non-responsive controls - forcing you to have to unplug the unit and plug it in again to reboot it. When the unit doesn't completely lock up, we get frequent instances where the video stutters and freezes for a moment, after which time the audio is no longer in sync.

Both of these problems aren't getting any better and that (along with the fact that it takes about a minute and a half to get the HD-A1 back into playback mode with discs each time you reboot) has really made it difficult to review the movie software effectively. About half of the readers who own the HD-A1 that we've heard from thus far are reporting similar problems, while the fortunate other half say their units are bug-free.

We envy you bug-free folks.

 

[supacoopa]

Καλα, κουφαθηκα εντελως... Δεν ειχα ιδεα οτι το HD-DVD ειναι ετσι μεσα...

Υπαρχει λοιπον πλεον "καθαρη" consumer συσκευη (οχι Dreambox κλπ) που... ειναι PC? Intel Inside? Αποσπωμενο drive? Τσιπακι RAM? Εναμισυ λεπτο boot?
Ευτυχως που δεν τρεχει Windows γιατι θα εβγαζε μπλε οθονες αντι να lockαρει και θα ηθελε Ctrl+Alt+Del

Ωρε που παμε, ωρε...

 

[gkontoletas]

Όντως δεν τρέχει Windows, αλλά μια custom έκδοση RED HAT Linux v.8.x

 

[Χρυσόστομος Μ.]

Τελικά τα προβλήματα που είχαν τα player (κολλήματα,κτλ) οφείλονται στο... τηλεκοντρόλ!

Από το Digital Bits:

We've got one other interesting piece of high-def information today, and it concerns those problems we've been having with our Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD player locking up on us during playback. Our industry sources are telling us that the problem is not so much with the player itself, as with its remote (so both the HD-A1 and the higher-priced HD-XA1 are affected by this issue, as they basically use the same remote - it's just back-lit on the XA1). It seems that the remote is very sensitive, so that sometimes when you press one of its buttons, it inadvertently sends more than one command to the player. This can cause the player, in effect, to become confused and stop responding. I'm told that if you have a universal remote that can learn commands, and you program it correctly with the Toshiba remote's basic navigation functions (and use it for this purpose), your player will respond normally without errors. This makes sense to us, because as reviewers we're typically pretty aggressive when it comes to skipping around discs, going in and out of the menus very quickly, etc. And nine times out of ten, that's when we have the most problems. Toshiba's engineers are apparently working on a solution (presumably a firmware upgrade to the players) to deal with this issue. We'll let you know when it's available. Meanwhile, now that you know what's causing most of the lock-ups, you should have an easier time avoiding them.

 

[gkontoletas]

Firmware update v.1.2 για HD-XA1, HD-A1, HD-D1

http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/tacpassets-images/notices/hddvdfirmware.asp

 

[ΑΝΔΡΕΑΣ Κ.]

Να και το review απο το cine4home :
http://www.cine4home.de/tests/HD-DVD-Player/Toshiba-HDXA1/HDXA1Test.htm