Review of the Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD Player

The Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD Player.

Hardware Review
By John J. Puccio
FIRST ONLINE Apr 20, 2006

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Don´t you just love new technology?

The Toshiba HD-A1 and XA1 players are the first in a new wave of next-generation DVD machines capable of reproducing high-definition signals of 1080x1920 scan lines. That´s quite a step up from the 480 lines produced from standard-definition DVDs, and it means a whole lot more pixels reaching your screen, up to six times as many overall. Which means a far better, more detailed picture, no matter what size screen you´re watching. Sure, putting that many more pixels on screen makes a difference when using a big-screen TV, but even on my 34" Sony XBR960 high-definition widescreen television, the differences can be eye-opening.

Overview:
But before I talk about the new Toshiba hardware, a word about what else you will need to enjoy this new technology in your home.

First, you´ll have to decide which high-definition format you want to use, because as most people know by now, there are two competing formats, HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Shades of Beta vs. VHS, right? Well, yes, but it gets worse. Toshiba and Sony are the two primary backers of the opposing camps. Both playback systems are capable of reproducing 1080 lines, and theoretically they should produce the same picture quality, but they use different technologies to do it and are, therefore, incompatible with one another. In other words, you have to use different playback hardware with them. There was hope at one time that the two companies would compromise on a single, unified format, but it didn´t happen. So, you choose your format, hoping that your favorite movies will be available in the HD format you select or hoping for more player manufacturers to produce machines that will play back both formats. Unlike Beta vs. VHS, many of the major studios have not chosen to issue their films in both formats not yet, anyhow. I suspect that those studios that have announced that they will release product in both formats, like Warner Bros., will have an edge on the competition.

Each format has its benefits. The advantage of the HD-DVD system is mainly a cheaper manufacturing cost for players and discs first-generation HD-DVD players are announced in the $499-$799 range, while the first Blu-ray players are announced in the $1,000 range and up. The advantage of the Blu-ray system is a bigger storage capacity, not for an improved picture necessarily, but for more extras. There is also talk that Blu-ray may have the ability starting with first-generation players to output a 1080p signal as opposed to 1080i (more later in the review), but that remains to be seen.

Having chosen your format, you´ll next have to be sure you have an HD compatible TV. Sorry, your old, standard-definition television is not going to work. This isn´t like the old days when you could plug in your Beta, VHS, or DVD player right to your standard-definition TV. For high definition, you will need a high-definition set. Ideally, the set should be able to reproduce the full 1080 horizontal lines, but that means a unit capable of 1080x1920 lines, and a lot of high-definition LCD and plasma sets will not reproduce more than 720 lines. All is not lost, however. By definition, HD starts at 720 horizontal lines, and most 720-only sets easily and automatically down-convert the 1080 signal to 720 across the screen. If you´re receiving high-definition television broadcasts right now over your cable or dish system, and you have a TV capable of only 720 lines, the set is already down-converting many high-def signals, and you probably don´t even notice it.

So, is this all, just a new player and possibly a new TV? Not quite, because there is one more snag. Both the HD-DVD and the Blu-ray group have agreed that studios have the option to copy protect their discs. Thus, built into every HD-DVD or Blu-ray player is a flagging device. If a studio decides to go with copy protection, the disc can only be played back at maximum (1080) resolution through a digital HDMI connection. (Note: Late DVI inputs should work with adapters, but early DVI inputs are iffy). If a television does not have a digital HDMI input (only analogue component inputs), and if a disc is copy protected, the player will down-convert the signal to 540x960 pixels when played through the component connections. The HD groups seem to think this is fine because 540x960 is better than standard definition. But it is quite a lot less definition than the disc is able to deliver. Both groups agreed, however, that studios must clearly mark on the packaging if discs are copy protected, and if they are not, they will pass the full 1080 signal resolution through the analogue component outputs.

Then there is that difference between interlaced and progress-scan playback. To quote from my colleague Eddie Feng´s glossary of video terms: "Interlace scan--Decoding every other line of a picture from the top to the bottom of a TV and then going top to bottom again for the remaining lines. Denoted with a small "i" (as in "480i" for 480 interlaced horizontal lines). Progressive scan--Decoding the entire image area in one pass. Denoted with a small "p" (as in "720p" for "720" progressive horizontal lines)." Progressive-scan images are smoother, especially for fast-motion video, but the first generation of Toshiba HD-DVD players, at least, will only output an interlaced signal. This should not be a drawback in the first years of high definition, certainly, since only a relative handful of people worldwide own TVs capable of 1080p reproduction but as the years wear on and the costs comes down, 1080p may become more popular.

Among the good news in all this is that both HD-DVD and Blu-ray players are backward compatible with existing software. The Toshiba HD-DVD, for instance, using two different lasers, will play high-definition HD-DVDs as well as standard DVDs and CDs (HD-DVD, DVD, DVD-R/-RW/-RAM, CD, and CD-R/-RW). So at least you can be sure that most of the discs you already have on your shelf are safe.

Toshiba HD-A1:
Let me quote from Toshiba´s press release to give you an idea of what their HD-DVD players are capable of, besides outputting 1080x1920 lines of resolution: "Today´s DVD requires users to stop movie playback to access disc menu content. With an HD-DVD with advanced content, you´ll freely navigate the menu features, without stopping the movie. Browse through the chapter guide, change setup options and select supplemental content all while the movie plays on. With HD-DVD´s disc menu capabilities, the fun can continue as you interact with disc content. HD-DVD´s ability to superimpose motion video over the main program adds new options for supplemental content and other extra features. With HD-DVD, director´s and actor´s commentary can be motion video superimposed on the movie--allowing them to literally point to the material they are discussing. Or, the feature can be used to present an actor´s biography or other supplemental informtion, all while the movie continues to play. And you´ll be able to turn these features on and off without stopping playback. Of course, the availability of these features will depend on what studios choose to include in their HD-DVD releases. While some HD-DVDs may use menus and extras that are similar to today´s DVDs, our players will support the advanced features described from day one."

Furthermore, quoting from Toshiba´s notes on the player: "...the standard-definition DVD picture resolution can be up-converted via the HDMI interface to near-HD quality, with output resolution of 720p or 1080i to match your HDTV´s performance. Because the conversion takes place in the player, the signal remains free from excessive digital-to-analog conversion artifacts." In terms of sound, the players use "four 32-bit floating-point DSPs to decode Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD (2 ch), DTS, and DTS-HD, offering improved fidelity and sonic realism to DVD soundtracks. The DSPs are world renowned for their high accuracy and are used in many high-quality audio solutions in the home theater market."

In terms of appearance, features, outputs, and such, the A1 has a full complement of expected elements. On the front panel you´ll find a display of most pertinent items, like track times, input selection, and so forth buttons for play, stop, pause, skip, etc. and extension ports for USB game controllers and whatever else Toshiba can think up for them. I did miss a bit-rate counter, though or perhaps I just missed finding it amongst all the other stuff.

On the backside of the machine, you´ll find outputs for just about everything: HDMI and component video outputs coaxial and optical digital audio outs two-channel analogue audio outs and 5.1-channel analogue audio outs. The back of the machine also boasts a LAN port to link your machine to a broadband Internet connection for what Toshiba says will be possible future upgrades. Then, there´s the remote control, which has more buttons on it than you can possibly imagine. More on that in a moment.

Then, there's a nice display one can pull up on the television screen while playing a disc, indicating various pieces of information like the screen resolution, the audio output, and so on. Additionally, while this information is displayed on screen, the player's own readout changes to the time remaining on the disc.

So, you get the idea of some of the bells and whistles. What are the differences in Toshiba's initial two units? First, there's the price difference, $499 for the A1 vs. $799 for the XA1. If these prices seem a little steep, remember that the first DVD players in 1997 were priced between $500-$1,200. Also, keep in mind that the first Blu-ray players are announced at between $1,000-$1,800. Second, both machines have a pretty hefty chassis, and I'm not sure the XA1 is any heavier. Why the bulk? Obviously for the parts inside, but also for fewer jitters and lower resonances and a theoretically better picture. Next, the XA1 has a lighted remote-control unit, which may seem small, but when you're fumbling around in the dark trying click on a particular button, a lighted remote comes in handy. And the XA1 has a motorized door that swings open before the disc drawer moves out. Anyway, I have the A1, so what do I know.

Performance:
At last, we come to the big question: How does the Toshiba HD-A1 perform? Let's begin with the carps, just to get them out of the way. The thing can take what seems like forever to load a disc. Upon initially turning it on, the machine has to transfer some data and check some things (like, I'm told, watermarks on an HD-DVD to see if it's a bootleg). Plus, you have to wait while the machine makes its digital handshake via the HDMI connection to the television. This can also take a moment. (Worse, if you switch inputs on your television while a movie is in pause, you may not be able to switch right back. I experienced about a 50/50 chance of recovering the digital handshake, in which case if you lose it, you have to start the movie over from the beginning.) The Toshiba owner's manual informs us that "the HD-DVD player operates more like a computer and differently than a standard DVD player. In addition to containing a microprocessor, it contains an operating system, random access memory (RAM), and an HD DVD drive." So expect it to be slower than a regular SD player. I counted about thirty seconds or more to load a disc and some lag time on clicking on certain menu items.

Next, while you´re waiting for it to load up, you can listen to its fan noise. Because the player works like a computer, it has a built-in ventilation fan. The fan makes a small amount of noise. Live with it. I only found it annoying during the quietest passages in a movie, when I noticed its low-level hum intruding on the silence. But I have a small room and fairly acute hearing plus, I´ve been spoiled for many years using a Sony 7700 player, which is dead silent.

After that, you'll deal with the remote. It's very slim, very streamlined, very efficient. And it looks like it was designed in 1972, all straight lines and shiny chrome and aluminum or something. I only minded a few things about it: (1) You sometimes have to click three or four times on a menu item to get it to work, even if you're pointing the remote directly at the player from a few feet away. (2) Some of the important controls, like the time and chapter search and the setup button, are located beneath a sliding drawer at the bottom of the unit. Meanwhile, there are several buttons on the remote that have no function at all. Toshiba says they are "unassigned," and it turns out they are used by the A1's big brother, the XA1, for the remote's backlighting and to open and close the door. (3) The remote that comes with the A1 player is hard to read the more-expensive XA1 remote is lighted, which could make a big difference. (4) I could not get the "timing/chapter search" or "stop/resume" functions to work with WB's or Universal's first dozen or so HD-DVDs, although they work fine with standard-def DVDs and with Toshiba's HD-DVD demonstration disc. I think it's safe to say that these functions are available to studios if they choose to implement them on their discs.

Aside: I found an easy answer to the awkwardness of the Toshiba remote it was to buy a $25 universal remote from Toshiba's rival, Sony. In this case it was the Sony RM-VL600, a handy little device that operates up to eight different components, comes with a slew of codes for almost anything you could hook up in your system, and can be programmed to learn the commands of virtually any remote made. I initially bought the Sony unit only to replace the Toshiba remote control, but it worked so well I set it up to handle all seven of the components in my home theater. I have now consigned seven separate remotes to a box in the garage. And I have made the issue of the clumsy Toshiba remote control a thing of the past.

Back to the Toshiba A1: During the first few HD-DVD discs I played, I experienced only one momentary video dropout during "Phantom of the Opera." It lasted only a couple of seconds, corrected itself, and went on. As I could not repeat it, I suspect a piece of dust was the culprit. When I took the disc out and examined it, I saw no obvious flaws, no scratches or fingerprints. Maybe the Toshiba A1's error-correction mechanism is extra fussy about these things or maybe high-definition discs, with the laser having to read smaller data pits than SD discs, are more susceptible to tiny dust and lint particles. By extension of this latter logic, Blu-ray, with data pits even smaller than HD-DVD, might be even more sensitive to dust. We'll have to wait and see.

Finally, there is an oddity about the Toshiba's audio output. The HD-DVD spec indicates Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 and Dolby TrueHD, not regular Dolby Digital 5.1, for playback, so those are what you will find on HD-DVDs. But the Toshiba player uses a core DTS encoder and will only output the newer signal through the digital coaxial or optical cable as a composite DTS signal. In that case, if you do not have a receiver with DTS capability, you will not receive a signal through the digital output and will have to use the Toshiba player's 5.1 analogue outs (assuming that your receiver has 5.1 analogue inputs) or the HDMI connection. Dolby Labs told me that, in any case, an HD player's 5.1 analogue outputs provide the cleanest, least-compressed signal, so if your receiver has 5.1 analogue inputs, the point may be moot use them. The sound from DD+ and, after upgrading via Toshiba's 2.0 firmware, from TrueHD 5.1 is great, clearer and more dynamic than from regular Dolby Digital 5.1. I couldn't be happier with the sound.

Minor qualms aside, the picture quality is terrific. I´ve been watching high-definition cable broadcasts for years, and the first few HD-DVDs I viewed on the Toshiba looked even better. Of course, they should be better. While television broadcasts have to pass through hundreds, maybe thousands, of miles of satellite and cable feeds to get to your house, the HD-DVD signal only has to travel from your player to your TV.

Clarity is excellent, and on bigger-screen TVs it will show up even more impressively compared to standard definition. Detailing is as good, I'm sure, as a film's original print, and at least on the WB products I watched, there were no signs of added grain, pixilation, or moiré effects. I did notice, however, a difference in color saturation between the Toshiba unit through the HDMI output and my old Sony 7700 through component outs, but a few minor adjustments of the television's color, picture, and sharpness controls (see below) on the HDMI input cleared things up to my liking.

The Toshiba played everything I threw at it with equal aplomb, from HD-DVDs to standard DVDs to CDs. The up-conversion of standard-definition discs to1080 worked well, too (although not as well to 720), and SD discs never looked or sounded so good. The menu thing may differ from studio to studio, but the WB discs I tried, with their pop-up menus during the playing of a movie, I found quite convenient.

Color Adjustment:
Every video device connected to your television on every video input will deliver slightly different color and picture quality. The Toshiba A1 is no different. Therefore, it is important to adjust your color and picture controls for each of these inputs. On the HDMI input I used, the color from the Toshiba was much more intense than from my other devices--my SD DVD player and HD cable on separate component inputs and VHS and Beta tape machines on regular composite and S-Video inputs.

First, do not routinely accept a television's default settings. My Sony XBR960 has four different preset color settings, none of which I like on any of the device inputs. Instead, start by selecting the TV's standard setting, and then with paper and pencil jot down the default positions. Next, use a variety of software sources to make your own, modified adjustments. I use a calibration disc called "Video Essentials," plus the little THX Optimizer program that comes on THX-mastered DVDS, plus the still pictures at the end of the movie "Pleasantville." Alternatively, you can use any good DVD movie you think is transferred to disc naturally and realistically, find a section that includes a good medium or close-up shot of a human face, and pause it there.

Now, begin by turning way down or off the TV's built-in sharpness control and any other "edge-enhancement" controls you find. Then, adjust the color setting. For me, it meant turning it down quite a bit. How far? You'll find a range of settings between too intense and too pale. You can use a professional set of color guides, but I would ultimately use the judgment of my own eyes for these changes. No matter what "experts" tell you, there is no "right" or "wrong" about the color adjustment it's purely a subjective matter, and what may look great to one person may be too bright or too dull to another. You need only look around you at real life to see what true color looks like if you've chosen a good picture source, try to match it to what looks real to you.

Next, adjust the hue, but not by much. I found the Toshiba too warm, and I had to set the hue a couple of notches away from the red end of the spectrum. Lastly, you have contrast (sometimes called "picture") and brightness to deal with. The THX Optimizer helps here. Be sure the light in your viewing area is not too strong to begin with, and follow the steps in the calibration test. If you do not have access to the THX Optimizer, again, use your own eyes.

When all is done, be sure to mark down the new settings in pencil. Over the first few days (or weeks) you'll own the Toshiba, you'll be running back and forth making minor corrections a pencil with a healthy eraser will come in handy. Eventually, you will get the color to your liking, and when you do, high-definition, even more so than standard-definition, will be a revelation.

Parting Thoughts:
It would be irresponsible of me right now to make a blanket recommendation for either HD-DVD or Blu-ray (or to recommend high definition in general, for that matter), given the format war going on and the hardware expense. What I can say for sure, though, is that for the most part, the Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD player works as advertised: It offers a superbly detailed picture along with a two-hour-plus movie, it accommodates multiple audio tracks and bonus items on a single disc and as of this writing, it is priced far less than the anticipated cost of its Blu-ray competition. Now, if Toshiba could take care of those few minor glitches I mentioned, the machine might be close to perfect.

Don´t you just love new technology?

Addendum: DVDTOWN´s Editor-in-Chief , Henning Molbaek, Reports on Toshiba´s Latest Firmware Upgrade:
Toshiba recently sent out a firmware upgrade for its A1 and XA1 HD-DVD players, available via Internet or disc. I decided to upgrade my A1 over the Internet. Although I have had no problems with my player and with the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" in mind, I felt it was my duty to do it so I could report my experience. I went into the player´s Setup menu and set my player to auto detect my Internet connection, and then I chose Upgrade. It takes quite a while to get the update downloaded, so be patient. However, it installed without a problem.

With the new firmware installed, I was excited to see if anything had changed. I had hoped for a faster boot of the player, but it seemed the same to me. What they had fixed was the "HDMI ERROR" that occurs when you turn off your TV or projector. It now stops the playback. But resuming playback at the same spot is not possible because Warner Bros. and Universal do not include this function on their first HD-DVD discs, a decision I really don't understand. However, I had no problem changing to another input source and then back to HDMI. It just continued playing fine.

The player also felt quicker and more responsive when changing chapters, etc. While I´ve heard that it also eliminates the problem people have had with discs locking up the player, I have never had that issue, so I can't verify it.

It looks like the Toshiba engineers have removed most of the problems that were present with their first line of HD-DVD players. My only gripe now is the boot time, but I guess I can learn to live with it. The upgrade made me appreciate the Internet connection that is on these players. It is good to know that your player is upgradeable and that you can do it from your home without having to send your player in for servicing. If you have no Internet connection, Toshiba will upon request send the upgrade to you on a DVD.

And if you haven't upgraded your player with Toshiba's 2.0 firmware, you haven't heard Dolby TrueHD in 5.1 channels. It's great.

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