5.1 analog

Could I use composite cables or spare component cables or plain old red and whites for analog 5.1 connection or do I need something specific? Just about ready to go HD DVD but I must do my research first(Ahem limited budget) so I am ready. Thanks guys you have been a big help. I am thinking the A1 is the way to go but is cheaper and has all features I need. Who cares if its first gen!

For the 5.1 analogue connections, you can use any coaxial cable with RCA plugs on the ends.

If you talk to sales clerks at Best Buy, Radio Shack, or other electronics stores, they will probably tell you that you need special cables, which they will gladly sell you for $50 or $100 or $500. But if you've ever bought electronic equipment, and who hasn't?, you probably have any number of unused connecting cables out in the garage or on a shelf in the bedroom. You'll need three pairs, with one you can strip in half or simply leave unconnected.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with using audiophile connecting cables, either. (And the more expensive they are, the more the cost effect comes into play. If you paid a bundle for them, they damn well WILL sound better.) Audiophiles have been arguing for decades about which cables sound "best." But unless your player is, like, twenty or thirty feet from your receiver, almost any cables will do. OK, I use Monster Cable, but it's only because a friend who worked for the company gave them to me some time ago. I heard no significant difference between them and the cheap ones I was using before.

You can also buy special 5.1 cables at Radio Shack and most electronics stores, and these units come bundled with five cables joined together instead of the normal two. Again, it makes no difference to the sound.

John

John is correct. Use the cheepies. When I bought my A-1, the saleskid talked me into getting big bucks cables special jacketing, one way signal, etc. Big mistake. I have since moved the A-1 to may daughters apartment and used whatever cables were lying around. NO difference whatsoever. If you use singles just make sure you connect them to the correct terminals. With 6 wires it's ez to make an error.

Yeah I when I hooked up my A1 to avoid confusion I used regular red, white, and yellow wires for right left and center. Then I used some extra component video cables I had for left rear, right rear, and sub. However like everyone has said any RCA wires will do. I just used to different ones to keep track of what is hooked up to what.

John you are so right about Best Buy or any electronics store. The margins on cables are huge a 70 dollar HDMI cable might cost the store 4 dollars. So always be wary when a sales person keeps pushing the expensive cables.

Ironbull: The A1 is a great machine if you don't need 1080P, which I didn't. The only complaints against it are the boot up times when you turn it on but I just changed the way I watched movies. I turn it on first then go select a movie or go to my mailbox to pick up my netflix. By the time I'm ready it's all booted up. Also remember with the A1 if you get one right out of the box you'll have to update the firmware in order to listen to Dolby true HD.

[Post edited by Movielover316 on Dec 4, 2007]

Oops the player at Costco is not the A1 its is the RCA HDV5000. People say it is the A1 just a different faceplate. but I don't think RCA is Making them anymore. I wonder how I would get firmware? Need more help from you guys on this. : DVDTown is the best. thank you.

Ironbull, all HD DVD players have an ethernet connection on the back of them to simplify the update process. So if you have high speed at home all you gotta do is run an ethernet cable to the A1, plug it in and then go through the menus on the A1 for updates.

Alternately you can go to Toshibas web site, download the firmware update and burn it on to a CD. Take the CD and put it into the A1 and it will update for you.

The Cosco RCA is an A-1 with an all black faceplate and Amazon still has a few Toshiba A-1s for short money. In my opinion, your best method of upgrading is burning the upgrade on a CD-R from ISO file provided at the Toshiba website. I posted the exact address on another thread a couple of weeks ago. If anybody needs it, I'll find it again Toshiba does not provide an intutive link to their downloads.

you can also pick up the A1 on Ebay. They're usually selling there for about 140 dollars.

Do the A1 and XA1 both have 5.1 analogue outputs? I thought it was only the XA1 for the first generation players. Also the XA1 has a better upscaling chip for regular DVD's I believe?

The A1 has the 5.1 analog outputs. It wasn't until the A2 that Toshiba started taking them off as a cost cutting measure. If you read John's review of the XA1 he says that the A1 and the XA1 are practically identical. I think they even have the same internals.

[Post edited by Movielover316 on Dec 4, 2007]