HD DVD has finally arrived

With the race to provide HD content outlet, Toshiba strikes first!

Toshiba HD DVD player

Of course this will probably mean some sort of hardware upgrade to Dual Layer or something. But it is here. Moore's law is at it again.

HD DVD is the format itself, so it isn't about Dual Layer or anything. See the Wiki for it, and for its competitor, Blu-Ray.

Like I believe everything Wiki says.

What I meant to say was that HD DVD-R or DVD-RW discs will probably be single layer at first and probably have to upgrade to dual and triple layer later. So there'll be the same upgrading from DVD-R single to dual or something to that effect. I'm surprised Apple hasn't jumped in and put a HD-DVD-R ...hmmm Mactel Desktop?

It seems like it is focusing on the HDMI output - This will be limiting in this price range. Home theaters and large flat screens (on the wall custom installs) don't and cant have HDMI cables they are not long enough yet ir can't be installed. Plus serious home theaters have separate audio surround, sending the audio via HDMI is pointless.

I hope the video via the component output assuming it is there is equall. As far as I know, no one can tell the difference of HD tv with component compared to HDMI. If anyone knows something about the player in respect to component and HDMI I am all ears.

Well if you download the brochure, you can see component and even composite plugs. There are also 5.1 sound outputs.

As for component vs DVI/HDMI, well I've tried both and really can't tell the difference. DVI/HDMI are less robust, with control over impedence being not as tight as say SDI or coxial cables. So like my girlfriend always says, it depends on the quality of cable, connection etc etc.

I'm more concerned right now about getting my content onto HDDVD or Blu Ray.

Like I believe everything Wiki says.

What I meant to say was that HD DVD-R or DVD-RW discs will probably be single layer at first and probably have to upgrade to dual and triple layer later. So there'll be the same upgrading from DVD-R single to dual or something to that effect. I'm surprised Apple hasn't jumped in and put a HD-DVD-R ...hmmm Mactel Desktop?

I was trying to ... reduce confusion, since your post talked about the HD DVD / dual-layer relation ambiguously.

It seems like it is focusing on the HDMI output - This will be limiting in this price range. Home theaters and large flat screens (on the wall custom installs) don't and cant have HDMI cables they are not long enough yet ir can't be installed.  Plus serious home theaters have separate audio surround, sending the audio via HDMI is pointless.

Have no reason to try it myself, but the products do exist.

Actually the Blu Ray player was annouced some time ago too.

http://www.avland.co.uk/sony/bdzs77/

I'm curious to hear what people are going to do with these players. I can't imagine how expensive the disks will be. I don't even spring for DL disks and I have two DL burners.

Announced is like Nikon talking about the D2X for almost a year. Toshiba has a real product launching in March. Well first adopters always pay through the nose for new technology. Remember when VHS vcr came out. They were $1k a piece for the top of the line single head with wired remotes. And that was 70s $.

Well it says April so they must have some units in production. Personally I'll stick with my Media Center PC hooked to a Hidef TV.

Well just bought the JVC SRDVD100U. It plays HDV,WM9 and DivXHD on DVD. VideoDan mentioned it in another thread I think. So there is an alternative to using HD DVD burns.

Drew,

How has this worked for you? How do you get content set up of this device...don't know anything about it.

Shawn

Here's what I mentioned in another thread. It is very easy to make HDV-DVD's that will playback through this DVD player to any HDTV or HD Projector. The playback quality is spectacular. I'm probably going to sit out the first generation HDDVD/Blueray wars, and see what happens next. Right now I have full HDV playback through this player.

The IO Data/JVC SRDVD-100U plays back the native HDV .m2t files incredibly well. I burn up to 40 minute HDV movies on dual layer DVD's in Nero as a data disc, and they play back in this deck beautifully. The 1440 x 1080 resolution is anamorphic (not square pixels) and automatically convert to 1920 x 1080 resolution in any HDTV. All 1080 HD broadcast is anamorphic. I watch UW footage from my FX1 through this DVD player to a Panasonic PT-AE900U projector (720P) on a 90" screen, and it looks absolutely spectacular. I watch it in my home from 10' away, and at a dive club meeting of about 50 people, with stunning results. The brilliant colors and HD resolution of HDV is amazing!!! One note on the IOData/JVC DVD player. Check the online forums? before updating the firmware. I have an older version (fortunately) of the firmware, and according to the forums, the new versions have crippled some of it's features such as SD upconversion and other things. I absolutely love this DVD player, but won't do the crippling updates. There are two versions of theIOData player, AVeL LinkPlayer 2, and the JVC version with DVI output.

Videodan:

Is there anything special you have to do in order to burn these discs? What DVD burner are you using and can you use any standard DVD burner like that on a G5?

Drew,

How has this worked for you? How do you get content set up of this device...don't know anything about it.

Shawn

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You burn WM9 or DIvX HD and even MT2(HDV) onto a normal DVD (DL would be wiser if you want any sort of length). Conversions are kinda lossy but files are smaller. I've got the Tosiba HD-DVD player on order and that should be arriving soonish.

Just get FCP suite, all in one solution :-)

I don't bother with any extra compression (DIVX, WM9, etc.), and just copy the native .m2t file as a data disc. Very simple, and it doesn't matter if you use Mac or PC, any burner will work. M2t is the MPEG Transport stream that is the same as what is recorded on your tapes with HDV, so there is no loss in quality. Currently the IOData/JVC Linkplayers are the only ones that can play the 25mbps .m2t files. Works great, but you won't be able to to use any DVD navigation, such as for different chapters, etc. As Dru says, you should use dual layer discs You get up to 20mins. on a single layer disc with .m2t, and up to 40mins. with dual layer. Dru, please give us a full report when you get the Toshiba.

Looks like I-O/JVC don't intend to sell the SRDVD-100U over here:

Re: Availability of the SRDVD-100U in Singapore

 

Thank you for your inquiry.

But we haven't sell this product in Singapore.

Now IO Data sell it only in Japan and North America.

(We also don't have any plan to sell this product in East and South Asia area.)

I'm sorry.

Sincerely yours

 

I-O & YT Pte Ltd

7 International Business Park,

#04-09 Techquest, Singapore 609919

Tel:+65-6665-4478  Fax:+65-6665-4473

Home Page: http://www.iodata.com/

Anyone know of a similar device I could use to playback my HD material? BTW the upgraded firmware for copy protection on up-resing SD material on the SRDVD-100U sucks. Don't you love global free trade?

Hi Nick, the SRDVD-100U is available at many retailers that ship overseas. I got mine at B&H who I believe ship almost anywhere. I agree, the new firmware has castrated the SD upconversion, but luckily I haven't upgraded. The SRDVD-100U also will play PAL footage, but I think the 1080i50 upgrade is coming. Unfortunate if you shoot 50hz 1080/720 and also want SD upconversion. This DRM (Digital Rights Management) fiasco is just plain bad for the consumer. Who are they trying to kid, SD upconverted to HD resolution looks great, but certainly will never compete with real HD. The corporate types have too much control.

Aah - good point Dan thanks. As I shoot only 1080i50 (Sony A1P) not much point getting the US version. I'll wait for the upgrade or another box before I plunge. You saved me another impulse buy this month!

Aah - good point Dan thanks. As I shoot only 1080i50 (Sony A1P) not much point getting the US version. I'll wait for the upgrade or another box before I plunge. You saved me another impulse buy this month!

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And here I was about to offer to bring one back for you in Apr on my way to PI.

As for the HD DVD player from Toshiba, nothing to report. There's no blank media yet and writers don't write HD DVD yet. I think that's where Sony will beat with Blu Ray.