Toshiba HD-A30 1080p HD DVD Player

Manufacturer: Toshiba Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours List Price:$199.99 Our Price:$149.77 Features: HD DVD Playback DVD/CD Playback Upconversion for SD 720p/1080i/1080p resolution Includes Warner Bros' 300 HD DVD and Universal's The Bourne Identity HD DVD (packaged inside) Description: caption {series-family: Verdana, neue helvetica, Arial, serif; series-format: 10px; series-weight: GRASSETTO; series-style: italics; } ul.indent {list-style: inner disc; text-it res-enter: -15px; } the player of Toshiba HD-A30 HD DVD lever in feet less than the inches than two-and-a-half high but packages that a long list of the blade thread characterizes. Sales HD-A30 to a price much reasonable one but has characteristics of the part-extremity which support the video 1080p/24-frame and the compatibility of HDMI-CEC. Toshiba HD-A30 lever in feet less than the inches than two-and-a-half of height but has support the video 1080p/24-frame. Greater sight. HD-A30 upconverts the DVDs standard for exposure on one screen of 1080p HD. Greater sight. A refined and thinner look the HD-A30' s has refined the design -- with the edges it rounds off to you, a thin chassis and a slab of black face high-gloss -- sembr polishes and elegant nel your domestic system del theatre without to take real estate too much. The exceptional performances all of the players of HD DVD of the Toshiba support the characteristics increased of the disposition of HD DVD, comprised the video of the image-in-image, the audio comment and Fotoricettore- have allowed the possibilities of the net. With an orifice of Ethernet, the A30 can connect to the Internet affinchè the modernizations of firmware maintains the player modernized on the characteristic new and in order to support the number to grow of tito them of HD DVD with the interactive characteristics and satisfying online you of ndemnity. The HD-A30 uses the last interface of HDMI 1,3 in order to connect to your television of HD, supplying the great bandwidth in order to eliminate all the ingorghi of data and in order to support the new technologies for the maximum in the observation experience. The HD-A30 can produce the video 1080p, the highest resolution available and includes the support 24-frame the video, that it carries out 24-structure-in order to-according to rate born them of the films, therefore transporting a experience more similar to one in the theatres. If you have a wide collection of the definition standard DVDs, upconvert of will HD-A30 they to near-HD quality for exposure on your television of HD. The progressive escape of exploration means that the esplor-lines of the interlaced video are eliminated and result is the clean that does not have distortion or manufatti image of movement. Beyond that 1080p, also escapes HD-A30 to 720p and 1080i if intentional. Sparking it encircles the sound that supports HD-A30 more encircle the healthy champions audio, with the built-in decodification for TrueHD dolby 5.1ch, Digital dolby more 5.1ch, DTS 5,1 and DTS HD (nucleus only). Un-Tocchi the convenience that you can use CE-Link (HDMI-CEC) in order to connect the HD-A30 with other devices you of CEC-capable for insuperate semplicità and convenience. As an example, if the HD-A35 is connected to a compatible HDTV, you can ignite is the player of HD DVD that the TV and to begin to play a film with a single touch of key on the external resumption. The HD-A30 is supported from one guarantee of a limited year. Six times the normal resolution of DVD (until 1080p). Upconverts DVDs standard to the resolution of the escape. Tons of new characteristics and to satisfy you of ndemnity interactive. That what is in the player of the box it HD-A30 HD DVD, in the remote control and the cable electrical worker.

Reviews:

awsome player
the hardly too much defective player awsome the player of the hd is probably on the relative escape however.


So what if HD lost -Not in my house
I own Toshiba HD-A20,A-35,A-30 The A20 A30 and A35 great upconverters and great Hd Players no problems even befor upgrades. Use them alot. Do not Watch reg Tv unless it is D/l dvd5 yes they also upconverts them too.Watch alot of SD dvds Andromeda Farscape Firefly Stargate (Brisco County jr D/L dvd5) and movies all players worked perfect out of the box.Too bad they will stop making them but maybe I have enough players too keep me going.Do not think I will buy or even want a Blo Ray.1.They are still working on the tech.and 2 When Toshiba pulled out all BR players jumped 100 dollars or more.
Bottom line Great players Great pic and sound Great price even to use for SD dvds cause SD is not going away.


Excellent Technology
The Toshiba HD-A30 brings high definition entertainment to your home at an excellent and affordable price.

As far as I can tell the only difference between the A30 and the A35 is that the A35 supports 7.1 sound.

Make sure you update your firmware (do not expect a brand new unit off the shelf to have the latest firmware - mine, purchased new at the end of February 2008, was *many* versions behind.)

Beware - these machines are SLOW to "boot up". It takes about 30 seconds before the machine is ready. So just be patient, power it up, go get a snack and when you are back pop in a disk and enjoy!

The design of the remote certainly isn't the best I've seen (I'd call it downright weak). The tiny display indicators are impossible to read from six feet away. Once you get used to the player it works fine, but there is a bit of an initial "learning curve".

Overall I'd recommend those who enjoy bargains go ahead and buy this player and enjoy a good selection of HD material while we wait for Blu-Ray to become more reasonably priced (it might be a *long* wait).


It's being phased out
Good ones is a product much if wished to play old dvds.It you will modernize the quality of the image. But the dvds HD they have lost the battle Blue-beam. They are eliminandi. It buys one of new Blue-beams that are upgradable.


Very happy with it!
I have obtained to this player a week before that the disposition of HD DVD died. Therefore That what? I have a new Samsung 46"1080p lcd TV-4669, than, on purpose, it is fantastic!, and I have wished a player of HD and a upconverter large to couple until it. I do not buy the dvds normally, but I have bought some HD used on ebay and must say, I have enjoyed to watch it for the friabilità hardly and nearly the quality 3d. Moreover had received the earth of the planet for Been born them in the shunting line standard, decided in order to buy with of HD, the distortion of speed, it observes unbelievable on this Toshiba. That one is something that watches various times. The beginning on time is not an edition, cannot believe people more low the appraisal for that one! Which thing is of 30 second ones in the outline of the things? Moreover I have called Toshiba for the modernization of the Cd of the 2,0 to firmware, I have received 2 CD in a week and have installed they one, even if the player was working perfectly before that one. I have paid $144 and I have obtained 2 accreditations of reimbursement from Amazon, so as to they are much happy one with it. Highly it suggests!


HD loses, but that's okay
I have obtained this full-well knowledge that HD-DVD probably was going to lose hi-def-def the battle. Therefore that what. I have wished to watch something endured with my new plasma 1080p. With 7 enclosed HDDVDs and of prices of the player a half of the blue-beam, was too much good of a transaction to pass in on. I have added hardly the 100 bucks in the price of the TV, so as to I have not thought therefore defective to this purpose. I hope to obtain a moment one PS3 in the immediate future, therefore alls good.


I don't care...this is a GREAT machine
I purhased this player just a week ago, and I love it. I hooked it all up and had no problems with it at all. I am really enjoying it, and would recommend it to anyone for the upconversion alone. But more than a review, these are some personal comments that I will indulge in making

I personally don't give a rat's behind about this war thing. This is a fabulous machine...I love it...and I purchased it AFTER the whole 'Blu Ray Wins' hoopla. First of all, I trust the Toshiba name. And to be quite honest...and realistic...the pricing is a definite factor.

As to the technology, I really don't understand the world today...maybe because I remember when all we had was 6 channels, and everything was in black and white. To be honest, I don't WANT the movie theater experience in my living room...that's what I go to the MOVIES for.

That being said, I have to laugh at those on here who have complained about the time it takes for the player to boot...like that minute or two is going to drastically affect their lives...PLEASE...just turn it on and go get the microwave popcorn...by the time you come back it'll be ready.

As for the media (or lack of, as some say) that's available...

OK, so studios are going to be doing the other format exclusively. There are, right now, enough movies on the HD format to keep me busy for quite a while. And my standard DVD's (over 1,000 of them) look absolutely amazing with this player. The older movies that I have look really good, and the newer ones look fantastic. If there's a new release that comes my way that I simply HAVE to see, I have no problem purchasing it in SD...because I know it will have near hi-def quality.

So, my take on all this? I remember back in the day when the 8-Track tape was proported to be the next-gen...taking over the world of LP vinyl. All the people who were 'in the know' ran out and bought the player. This fervor lasted about 4 years...and then the cassette tape became king. I don't think that SD movies are going to disappear any time soon, and High Definition is really still in it's infancy. I'll just wait here...exuberantly watching my movies on my Toshiba...and see what happens next.


Best Value....Even For A Dead Format!
In the first place outside, I wish to ask that people stop of simply giving to these stars of the units 2 or 3 because HD DVD fazing towards the outside more fastly than Blu-Raggio. That is a large player of DVD and that one is that what is important. I have a rather great collection than HD DVD and have bought this pricipalmente in order not to have reason not to be able to enjoy my films. Therefore I have begun to control the costs of high players dell' extremity after that Toshiba lost ai profits del SONY. It increases and the bottoms were abound nearly in the cost that every day, more increases sadly lately. I have obtained one fortunate night in which I have seen the A30 on the sale for $112 with 7 free films. Therefore I have seized it in on, assuring my longevity of the collections. Hour, for the review. Distortion of speed! I have the A2 and thought it it has made a good job of in on-convertirsi, I was wrong. Not only the way 1080p/24f renders the sembr of sbalorditivo HD DVD on the A30, it to align has it since reason king-not buys is of of mine rather great accumulation than DVD. The A2 has seemed always good, but species of digital opacity has emanated one them around to the images, more prevailing on the distant objects. The A30 does not suffer at all from this. Good thing is similar of the DVD more to a bad quality HD DVD... which is one on purpose... The colors are astounded to you, the sembr of structures natural. Use this on a high floodlight of the def of Panasonic PT-AX100U. That is the more graceful thing in order to hit my screen of 110". Mine gripes approximately this unit is no. If you are uncertain approximately spending close to $500 in order to obtain a good player of Blu-Raggio, attends. He does not give in the cheep ones that one for is already antiquated. While the only reason the A30 is antiquated is because HD DVD is being faded via. It does not obtain the twisted one to me, that one is one great negation, but at least not been standi to to such purpose. And for the price, it is one of the players in on-convertentesi better on the market. More, you can obtain some high films of the def for the great prices in the process. One of the benefits accessories of support of the losing disposition. I will say to high voice the other great claim. Time of cargo. Obviously, no of that protest approximately a that own player of Blu-Raggio or have possessed a previous model of HD DVD. The time of cargo is half that what the second players of GEN were. They are not to go not to begin with how much time the first players of GEN have taken. For me, my floodlight is necessary exact the same time to heat of the A30, approximately 20 second ones. With my A2 the floodlight had heated and still I was attending around to others 15 second ones. Therefore the time of cargo is not defective at all. Less than naturally you are in a such haste in order to watch a second film that supplement 20 is going to render delays it you for a sure enormous appointment in the which case probably been watching a film. Seriously! To watch films is supposed to stretch itself. From when ago dying anyone because they could not put the DVD in the moment have hit the feeding? My conclusion. If been waiting for SONY for falling theirs pride/greed and dates to medium Joe one probability to enjoy the high def, well, been going to attend around to a moment. While you attend, the A30 is a great option in order to close transform in your accumulation DVD current a high def one. It maintains an eye on the price however. If you can tear it in order around $100, is a real transaction. Moreover, it maintains an eye on the software of HD DVD. If you see a good piece of films for the occasion prices that really wished, this could also be a good investment. Ricordisi of, all the technology is antiquated in a year however. The force pure hour enjoys it.


Ok
Not that bad for the price. But Blu-Ray is taking over so buying and HD-DVD player is just about useless.


Toshiba HD A-30
This has got to be one of the best values in the market place. Finally I have a DVD player that makes regular DVD's look great on my high def TV, and the Hi Def DVD's are brilliantly clear. Plus, the High Def DVD's are more reasonably priced than Blue Ray, even if it only last for a while due to the format war ending. Anyway, I can not think of a better value in improving regular DVD's, and I will be looking for great values on high def DVD's. I hope someone capitalizes on the fact so many of these players have been sold, and maybe someone can make a living supplying Toshiba owners with current high Def DVD's in this format!


Toshiba HD-A30 - Excellent video quality
Ok, I'll make this short.
Pros: Video quality of HD-DVDs is excellent, I could not ask for anything more. Quality of standard DVD upconverting is excellent. One of the best in my opinion. Now that HD-DVD is practically dead it will make a great upconverting DVD player. Planet Earth looks fantastic (except for a lot of noise in the dark areas of some scenes, but, that's in the original and not the fault of this player or the HD-DVD format). The 10/100 ethernet port is nice. I plugged it in and told the player to check for firmware updates (try doing that with Blu-Ray!)

I bought mine for $153 and then asked for a partial refund when it dropped within 30 days. If Sony didn't put Blu-Ray into PS3's and sell the package for almost $300 less than it cost to produce it never would have won.

Cons: Ok, besides the fact that Toshiba has announce they are discontinuing all HD-DVD products. The boot up time is rather long. I'm used to throwing in a disc into my DVD player in less than 5 seconds. This thing takes probably 30 seconds before it will open the tray after being turned on. After that it's pretty standard, <10 seconds to read the disc and start playing it. My other gripe is the remote. It's kinds small and doesn't feel right in my hand. The black buttons are impossible to see in dim light as well as the gray on black lettering (a backlight would have been really nice). I'm probably going to program my Harmony remote to control this player and put the original remote away with the manuals. There is a fan on the unit that runs when on. It's not very loud, but, audible during quiet scenes. I may move it into a cabinet to muffle the sound. One last thing, the remote needs to be pointed at the player to respond. You can't bounce it off the opposite wall like some old TVs I've had.

Overall I like the unit and will be buying up HD-DVD discs as they are sold at closeout prices. It will probably be a couple years before I buy a Blu-Ray player as the prices for them are still outrageous and not likely to come down due to lack of competing format.


Toshiba changed format
Found out several days after receiving the item that Toshiba was not going to make HDDVD's any longer so I sent the item back to Amazon. Presently waiting for reply and credit.


The spoils of war.
I got this device after I knew the format war was over and after the price dropped. First, it is an excellent DVD upcoverter, replacing my old hdmi DVD player (not very good on a LCD) and my PS3 as a DVD player (save on the wear and tear). I guess I helped blu-ray win by actually buying 8-9 movies. Comparing the movie "300" on both formats by hdmi switch, there is really no different in image quality. The only gripe I had with this player is the slow boot time and loading time. Loading time is long, about 35-40 sec for the screen to boot and some more time to load the movie. The PS3 movie loading time was close to a regular DVD player, which is fast. Most of the features on both movies and players are the same. I could not get the web access features, but I will check the setting again. The remote for this system is IR which is not good as the Bluetooth on the PS3, which is omni-direction. Small pointing range for IR.

I got to say this is a great HiDef movie player and only shortcomings are the dead format and the loading time. I really did favor more of the movies coming out on blu-ray, granted half were from Warner. HD-DVD selection was limited to begin with. I will be picking up decent HD-DVD close-out movies. I have two other Toshiba DVD players, one skipped and the other 5-disc changer was too slow, but I always enjoyed Toshiba picture quality.



DO NOT BUY
It does not buy some players of Toshiba HD DVD. It communicates press to you declare that they are not more in the commerce than HD DVD. They have rinunciato to make them.


Great player even though the format has lost.
He is a large player, modernized easy after that has obtained it online and has worked flawlessly, shining HD, hatred hardly that they have lost the war of disposition endured after I have obtained it, but for $160,00 I have HD and a good player upconverting. I will buy finchè films for are available. It is a shame because these really are excellent players.


Superb HD-DVD Player!
Jumping on the HD-DVD wagon 2 days before the announcement of the Warner Bros. in order to support Blu-Raggio, they are not here to unload, but extol on the not just virtues of HD-DVD, but of Toshiba and this exquisite player of HD-DVD. I have obtained the player with ebay while he has come with an entire film bunch. When I have obtained it, the player only me has cost $230. To the times of this review, he is approximately $115. But I have obtained 7 free films and has come with a cable to high speed of 3ft HDMI (monster: at least $50!) I have new the 42 "Toshiba LCD 1080p/24 with which I watch is the TV that the films. To couple all in on was simple. Anyone that it possesses hello-def a player of marks it will try their patience. It attends the periods for that they feed over, loading of the disc, disc that it expels and the game of the disc is really along. Currently all we are used to the things that happen immediately. The sink has had to learn that the player remains over graceful the much all time! And the preparations in order to play all the film are made 15 minuteren in advanced! But to regulate the things on menu the saggie was one breeze. The player could play "300" without the problem. They have been taken care that I would have to connect this player to my Internet in order to transfer a modernization from the system centers them towards the satellites of the software, but after 3 months to possess it, I have not had need. It is played all my old burnt pure DVD (even if some DVD not game). The image is sbalorditiva! The ability to control the options of the menu without to make a pause the film is therefore characteristic large. Since the cable the TV (Time Warner) only transmits for radio 1080i, playing a film of HD to 1080P full is that what makes my water of the eyes. Literally! The first HD-DVD that I have bought for this new player was the series "earth of BBC of the planet". By far the title it of first minister for all the owners of HD is HD-DVD or Blu-Raggio. I swear that some of the life of the sea resembles it the CG! The only edition that I have had was that the resolution I have had to select I was the 1080P. If it will put it on 1080P/24 better the greater part of films they would jump visually like if fastly being sending 50%. And to speak about the CG. Happy feet of sembr incredible on this player. Up to now the only problem that I have had was playing "we is marshall" like the sense half interrupted film through and my player would feed itself outside. Risoluto that was badly something with the dics. I have bought this player and I have chosen this disposition for 2 simple reasons: Price and facility of use. This player was little expensive and the HD-DVD films are more little expensive (than Blu-Raggio) and many owners of Blu-Raggio complain themselves of editions of technology and the repeated frustrations. In order not to point out that HD-DVD is liberations region! Alas, the technology is all solo the dead men. Or it is? My recommendation would have to buy this player! It is therefore little expensive like you could not? The nearly equal price like player upconverting of DVD, this player moreover will play hello-def films! This persevererà disposition! They wish HD-DVD in tension!


Trouble right out of the box
Unit played one movie OK, Put the 300 movie that came with the player, Got a string of numbers across the display and a System failed message on the TV, Unit could not even play both disk that came with the unit.


Hosed again.
Bought this 2 weeks before demise of format. Works great, decent price exept for the fact its worthless.


Great Bang for the Buck
Yes I know that HD-DVD is out of order. Still these are large players with the integrated circuits excellent of in on-conversion. Happy with the player and it will maintain it. HD-DVDs is going hour to obtain less expensive, so as to I am waiting for with eagerness to dig them in on. 1080P it is 1080P any thing player or the formatta one is within.


Good player, format is history.
This is a good player. Sad to see the HD DVD go the way of Betamax. This player would still be a good buy for two reasons. 1) It does an exceptional job of UPCONVERTING regular DVD's and 2) The price will surely drop to at least the price of a regular DVD player and hey, the inventory of HD DVD's is already starting to be dumped at fire sale prices, so I plan to pick up my favorite HD DVD movies for next to nothing and if you see this $400.00 player selling new for $50.00??? Well, then you decide, it still sounds like a deal to me.


What a waste....sought of.
I bought this as a gift for my brother's birthday. Now just to clearify, This is not a bad product by any means, it just seems kind of pointless to do any type of review since barely a couple of weeks after purchasing it Toshiba declared the format wars over and admitted defeat to Blu-ray. However, to be fair, for the price, this is a great player. It up scales standard DVDs and is a low cost way to take advantage of that HDTV you purchased. Not to mention that all HD-DVD movies should be hitting the bargain bin about now. So you could build a decent sized low cost HD-DVD movie collection to enjoy...at least until the player dies and you can't purchase a replacement.


Very Nice! Gotta love the cheapest 1080p player on earth.
This player is large. HD DVDs plays that mine xbox adds over could not read. Havn' t has found a disc that it will still not play. Upconverts that mine dvds normal while it is they suppose pleasantly in order to make. If fairies to go a HD TV badly you cant with this player. Ricordisi hardly of that the blue beam has won so as to you will not be able to rent HD DVDs more long in order much. I do not take care myself to such purpose because I am going to continue to enjoy the accumulation that I have and that I will buy while they become more little expensive on the spaces. The only one with that really I do not consider with is that it is necessary to 1 minute to 1 minute 30 second to the loading of the system in on and then loads a HD DVD. Little time for the dvds.


Still useful, no regrets
I bought this at a low price, when it is about $60 more than a sony upconversion player, same price as high end oppo, and $90 more than cheap philips upconversion. Although it would be better if the format was still alive, what did I get?
I can make home made hi-def DVD's from my hi-def camcorder with standard DVD media and the machine will play it. Much easier than hooking up the camera. This was the main reason I got it. It turns out you can make a 20-23 minute high def video on a standard DVD-R, I've done it and it works great. The machine plays DVD + R as well. I will update and see if double layer discs work (may not), then you can make a 45 minute video. I will also try burning hi-def DVD's off the airwaves with my PC's TV tuner (you may be able to get about 1 hour).
I don't really buy movies, so I don't really care about commercial DVD's that much.
So I will stay on the sidelines for a while, letting Blu-ray drives and burners drop in price (or possibly go obsolete). Ultimately, I'd like to be able to burn and play longer home movies. For what I wanted to do, play home movies in hi def conveniently, I got what I wanted at a cheap price.


ATTENTION: PLEASE DO NOT BUY ANY HD DVD PLAYER
In a few moments, Toshiba corporation is pulling the plug on all HD DVD players. This means that they will stop selling any HD DVD players. This news comes as a result of the dominant Blu Ray players, lead by Sony corp. Toshiba HD DVD players have been struggling to compete with Sony, especially in the recent months. Since last month's Warner Bros. announcement that they will only distribute in the Blu Ray format starting this May 2008 during the CES 2008 convention, it has become a domino effect. Just last week, Netflix, Best Buy and Wal-Mart have pledge allegiance to only go Blu Ray exclusive, following the footsteps of other vendors such as Target and Blockbuster to mention a few. Most major studios are only supporting Blu Ray exclusively. Only Paramount and Universal are the ones that are exclusive to HD DVD. By Toshiba having the official announcement in a few hours, Paramount and Universal can start publishing to Blu Ray format as this action from Toshiba will be a reason to pull out of their contract.

Bottom line is please do not purchase any HD DVD players. It is now an obsolete player.


Nothing but trouble
We have bought this player of DVD approximately time of Been born them. From we have then not had nothing but difficulty when we try to play HD DVD' s. (DVD normal is right.) Everytime we have played a HD DVD that the player has blocked in on, fallen, black-selected audio, pixelated and/or sure an other problem. Toshiba knows apparently of the difficulty poichè has freed the times of multiple of the modernizations of firmware.


Pray for the Fall of Blu-Ray
This product is awesome! First time I had to actually configure a DVD player - that was interesting. But computer nerds like me love options. Hooked it up to the network and it downloaded the latest firmware upgrade. Did a side by side comparison with DVDs old (Top Gun) and new (V For Vendetta, Transformers) and you can see the difference. When we put in the recently made movies (V For Vendetta, Transformers) it was crystal. I connected with an HDMI cable to my 1080i HDTV - but had an optical cable to the receiver since my receiver is a bit old and doesn't have HDMI inputs. Great sound - great picture!!
With all the publicity coming out this week going against HD DVD - it seems like I might not open all the DVDs I purchased and wait a month to see how it progresses. I heard that Toshiba might be calling it quits soon (from an unknown web site source). If nothing drastic happens after a month - I'll be sure to write more as I open and compare all the HD DVDs I purchased. I hate Sony and hopefully everyone will get on this standard - then we can get all the cool movies that are only being made for Blu-Ray at this time. I'd love to get the Terminator collection, Man on Fire, The Rock, etc. . . .


excellent player
Specifications list dvd -r, dvd -r/w, etc. But it can also play dvd +r and dvd+rw.


OK for the price
It has bought this player of DVD for the price, even sapente that the blue beam was beginning to gain the battle. Image of HD and sound many bonds (with digita them optical), sink of the DVD standard of modernizations. To only it has given the 3 it because it is THEREFORE SLOW to begin it in on is to align annoying, I cannot seem to convince mine universal external resumption in order to still recognize it (working to this) and the HD technology will have soon to be obsolete. I am storing in on on mine videos of HD hour so as to I will obtain the lotteries of use from it while aspect the blue players of the beam in order to come down in the price.


verrry slow
Player of Toshiba HD-A30 1080p HD DVD not that what I have previewed. I must say that the image and the sound are really exceptional. (on Samsung 50 "DLP 1080p via HDMI and receiving of the SONY 5,1 DTS via toslink). That one saying, the operation of the player is much slow one (as an example starts in on and "play"ing of films therefore like shipment and the repetition of the scenes). Moreover it has had a problem with a sure DVDs that attacks approximately 3/4 of the sense through. I have modernized the software via the Internet that has resolved the problem forward but hour seems to be still slower "on game" that begins. The following problem that it comes in on is the availability of HD DVDs. The doesnt of the warehouse of BBuster it sells them and nobody transports a great locativa selection or obtains all the new films, even if theyre still available in the subscriptions online. the Wal-wal-mart has decided not to transport also. Defective news! The inferior line is you can must spend more in order to obtain a better device. And the difference of quality between one or the other disposition of HD and a normal player of dvd of the good quality (progressive exploration As an example upconverting), while remarkable when lend the attention to the image, is lost if lend the attention to satisfying. They are happy I I have obtained this player for a price reasonible, otherwise I would consider it one complete waste.


Great Buy
I think that the Toshiba HD DVD is a great product and buy. Quality is superb. You can't go wrong with this item.


5 free disk offer lie
My comment isn't about the quality or format et al. I also am one of those who own both formats. What I am curious about is if, in either format, did anyone out there ever actually receive those five free blu-ray or HD-DVD disks promised when you mailed in the coupon or whatever it was. I faithfully mailed in the coupon, original receipt and the UPC bar code cut from the side of the box. It's now been over four months and I have received nothing from either manufacturer. Truth be told the five free disk offer(s) were a major enticement in purchasing each machine and I hope someone can suggest where to lodge a complaint over what is beginning to appear is nothing short of intentional misrepresentation.


Toshiba drops HD DVD format
Endured after to watch my favorite program (dekimasu of Nihongo) this morning, NHK Newsline it begins to you and I it was approximately extinguishing the TV when I have seen this on the screen: "Toshiba falls the disposition of HD DVD". NHK is the distributor to spaglio Japanese more stimabile, something like the Japanese equivalent of the BBC, but still I have found this hard one to believe. Therefore they have gone online and I have controlled that Reuters, PCWorld and all the stimabili sources are signaling the same thing: Toshiba has arrested the development of HD DVD. Not even Keisuke Ohmori, a megaphone from Toshiba, has not been able to deny this fact. That is a sad day for me because I was uprooting for HD DVD. Until yesterday, really I have hoped that it survived like disposition of the posticino, hardly as the mac had made. I was planning uniform in order to buy the added XBOX-360 and in order to connect it to my PC. However, I think alleviated that I have not made it. I know that this is not one review of the product. A sad warning is right that hour, would have to avoid to buy ALL the player of following-GEN disposition, even players of the Blue-beam, than transformano in every time in partially obsolete releases of $ony a new version of the technology. People have read the reviews in order to obtain not only more Info approximately produced determining, but in order to know more approximately the relative technology of bottom, the compatibility, the future development, etc. From that what I have found, only a fraction much small of the population has an indication approximately that what is igniting. The more still tasks that DVD is the last technology and that all the optical drive 12cm would have to play any disc optical 12cm. They cannot calculate simply towards the outside that what is the difference between the dispositions and not there is simply other sense that could be informed approximately this except the reading of the warning in a place cospicuo. CNET has behaved with the responsibility sending a warning on their reviews of the player of HD DVD, but Amazon has not followed the dressed one. Therefore, I have thought that it was my responsibility to send these rompentesi news to right here, in the review section. It is sad that HD DVD, that was buyable and has had spec. more complete, is officially out of order hour. Hatred SONY for the vincita one of the this time... They are sure that they must use their deep pockets in order to corrupt Warner. Hour, is prepared for a complete change of management of draconiano DRM (that is not being able to make the supports), the SONY courtesy, over all your new film discs and for repeated double-tuffarsi as they free and king-they free their films repeatedly in order to be useful for last "profile". In fact, "the fifth element" already has had two releases of the Blue-beam. Yes, you have read it skillful, it already you have been freed in a shape modernized, more less than 2 years after the release originates them. That is happened before to normal DVD and is still happening in hi-Def-Def. I will supply you a new example of the importance of the wait and with attention to study of the situation before the jump in one new technology: Hour there are DVD discs towards the outside here that they have to encircle the sound in DTS and only use the dolby for the 2,1 "" obligatory track. Those of we that the systems in the box have bought "domestic theatre it" behind in 2004, a period when DTS has not been integrated in the greater part of the players, hour are leave you with the partially obsolete systems and that they are not expandible poichè input audio they have digita them. Lasci this not to happen you with the new dispositions. It attends one aims small. On purpose, I do not possess some section commandos (game of on the PC) or following-GEN the disposition player/discs: My floodlight is only 480p and all my film accumulation is in good old champion DVD. They do not believe it? Controls my recent reviews and my purchases. I hope that this starter shaft has been useful. Ricordisi of, satisfied patience outside. Modernization: Amazon finally has sended "an alarm of the product" on this edition.


Takes too long to get started
This is a nice product, good picture, easy user interface but it takes too long (up to 2 minutes) to warm up. After turning it on, you have a to wait and wait before it can accept commands such as open to insert disc or play the disc already in the player. Buy BluRay there are lot more titles available.


Great value at $150 - Just Beware HD-DVD May be a Dying Format.
I have jumped to the chance in order to buy this to $150, because of the great transactions on means of HD-DVD (7 free Films with the purchase) and Amazon attends 50% outside and buy the two, obtain and buy the one, obtain the sales one. But not to invite this for being the only player who of HD you will have to buy. Blu-Raggio seems to have all the momentum hour and is favorite in order to gain "the disposition war". I have already had a PS3, but many films are currently still only available on HD-DVD.


Not even worth a discounted price
I went out and bought this unit over the holidays just before Warner bros. pretty much triggered the end of the hd-dvd vs. blu ray format war. I ran the unit with a 1080i CRT HDTV (Toshiba 36HF73) which has always had an excellent picture. The HD-DVD had a pretty good picture when playing HD-DVD's. But there was absolutely no difference in picture between a 720p DVD player and this unit's upconversion of standard DVD's.

The worst part was the performance of the player. It took about 2 minutes to boot up and another 30 seconds before I could eject the disc that was already in there. After that, the unit frequently locked up in the middle of a movie. To top it all off, when I hit stop on the movie, I couldn't resume play from the point that I hit stop.

After three weeks of this, I went out and bought a blu ray player (Panasonic BMP-BD30K) and have been far more satisfied with the performance. Though it seems that blu ray will ultimately win the format war in time, I will be the first to admit that right now there are more movies that HD would be serious value added on HD-DVD than are available in blu ray (e.g. the Matrix, Bourne Identity series, Heroes, etc.) If you use this logic and want an HD-DVD, than spend the extra money on a dual format player rather than buying this unit. After this experience, I wouldn't mess with a Toshiba HD-DVD if someone gave it to me for free.


Very happy with player
Up to now I do not have claims approximately HD DVD that I have bought. Publicity works like fact to. I have convinced in order to go with my HD LCD TV that I have bought. Use Netflix for my DVDs, however, has informed it that they are going to use then from the blue beams that are that what Hollywood is going to use. Desires that I had known that before that it has bought this player.


No Problems
After reading about the firmware updates that I'd have to endure, I couldn't pass up on the great price. So I bought it. I have not had any problems. In fact, the hddvd player started right up w/out having to do any firmware updates. The player has a very easy set up which guides you very easily. I am very pleased w/this player.


HD DVD, the Betamax of HiDef
It is in some ironico way that SONY would still enter in one disposition war. They have learned apparently from their past and have chosen to market their estimate in the introduction instead rendering to a advanced product this time. I have is HD DVD that players of Blu-Raggio and seems normal like day that HD DVD is the Betamax of Def. high If you are too much young in order to remember itself of the VHS against the war of Betamax, Google it. Too much defective. R.I.P. HD DVD that however I will continue to use my Toshiba in order to watch that what I have and to watch qualche.cosa in the DVD disposition, since the relative one upconversion is much more better than that one of Blu-Raggio. The prices are falling and there are calm films that are produced in the disposition of HD DVD, if nothing otherwise, this is a great unit for upconverting normal DVDs


A30 with 5087S
I have read mixed reviews on this product. With the recent price drops I decided to give it a try. It seems the HD format has lost the format war, but the recent price drop makes this product the same or less than most of the upconverting players I was considering. Plus it has the added bonus of playing HD DVDs.

I am using mine with a Samsung 5087S and am very pleased. I have yet to understand the negative reviews as I have yet to experience any negatives. Mine came flashed with the latest firmware and configuration was simple. Picture and sound for HD is great and the upconverting capabilities are just beautiful. For HD I tested Batman Begins and was impressed. For SD upconverted to 1080P I used The Fellowship of the Ring and was even more impressed.

I have read numerous complaints about startup time. Maybe I am lucky or more patient because I do not experience anything unacceptable. If my biggest complaint is a couple minutes startup time in order to watch a movie a couples in length, then maybe I am doing pretty well. I am not understanding the need to be able to start watching it any faster. I turn the player on and go to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Then I take my dog out for a bathroom break and the player is ready when I get back.

Overall I am very pleased with my purchase. And after comparing true HD DVD and BlueRay both I wish the format war would have turned out differently. Cheaper player with equal quality sounds better to me.


Works, but not pretty - inside nor out.
I bought this to play Netflix HD-DVDs, then 1 week later Netflix announced going blu-ray exclusively - no wonder it was so inexpensive. Video color is a little off and sort of dark/dim.


TOSHIBA HD-A30 - Excellent HD-DVD player
A lot is satisfied with the performances of the player reasonably estimated of Toshiba HD-DVD A30. I have received the error messages occasionally when in the first place it has used the machine, but from the call of the Toshiba, asking and receiving the modernization of firmware, they have been problems ZERO. The resolution of the image is to crack of the eyeball. Ché shame is that the electronics suppliers could not gather on selling a player arranged REASONABLY estimated of Blu-ray/HD-DVD that would have avoided this controversy of disposition and the demise appearing of the HD-DVD disposition. If the consumer has the right to decide that disposition in order to use. G-R-E-E-D


Awsome
The more well hi-def-def player that I have seen outside here. That is to must buy if wished hi-def-def.


Forget Blu-Ray
With Blu-Raggio putting of all the recent company to the front part, I do not see HD-DVD to go wherever, nevertheless, Hd-DVDs it is therefore little expensive hour, your crazy one not to obtain this player. Satisfied single free of 7 HD-DVDs for this image and fantastic sound of model and... hope is a modernization of firmware of DivX in happening here, it will put this player over the advanced part!


Great Upscaling!!!
Pros: Upscales old DVDs like a champ! Great DTS decoder. Plays HD-DVDs. Price cant be beat. 7 Free HD-DVDs!!!

Cons: Dying format. No track listing displayed when playing CDs. Slow boot-up times

I bought this Toshiba for my Sony HD 60A3000 TV and have enjoyed every minute of it (except the minute it takes the player to boot up the first time you power it on). My biggest concern going into this was how my old DVDs were going to look on a 60" 1080p HDTV. Well it didnt take long for me to realize that this player upscales old DVDs like a champ!!! Great quality. You would really have to stare and actually try to find imperfections, its that damn good!

I also use it as a DTS decoder for playing DTS Audio CDs on my Onkyo surround system and it also plays great! My only issue with this is, it doesnt display track information on the front of the player or on the TV display. So you never know what track you are on.

Now it is obvious that HD-DVD is pretty much dead at this point. However for the price you pay and what you get, its worth it! Even if HD-DVD dies tomorrow, I will have no regrets whatsoever about getting this player. Who needs "HD" DVDs when you can just upscale your old ones and they look almost as good!?

For anyone on the fence, I say go for it! Just dont get too disappointed when Toshiba finally admits defeat, which I am guessing will happen before Holidays 2008.


This thing KICKS BUTT!
I just picked up this player to compliment my HD-A20 as I placed the A20 in my office and WOW.. A30 is slick, slightly faster then A20 and provides KICK [...] picture and audio quality at full 1080p. But let's not even discuss the HD quality of the disc you watch like Bourne Ultimatum for example or the sound of Transfomers, this player upscales my existing DVDs to a point where even after A20 I'm still amazing how great of a job it does on regular DVDs.

What's funny is that it's [...] FREAKIN' DOLLARS :) It's priced as a better brand name DVD player but the thing plays real HD that simply looks incredible.

Forget about unfinished Blu-Ray crap.. I tried it, similar stuff, somewhat more movies but the price is just not worth it, not to mention that you don't know what you're getting, whether it's profile 1.0, 1.1, 2.0 or 66.0. It's a mess, some stuff works some stuff doesn't work.

This HD DVD player is AWESOME. Simply no other words say it better. Everything about it is great value and quality.


too quick to buy
I am satisfied with the product, but should have waited a bit longer.
I saw it advertized two weeks later at 50$ less than what I paid for.
So for the use it provides, I suggest anyone should wait....


1080p for a great price!!!!
They are much happy one with my purchase. I have had time to make the search on this A30 model. It is for the people that have a television that is one put to complete point 1080p. Accosento with some of the points made approximately the time of loading. But some people do not understand that it is hard drive that decodes the many more information that your disc of base of champion DVD. It is necessary time and for the quality brillant of the image and the sound it is worthy. I appreciate some other back the outside I possess a Xbox here 360 HD DVD added and noticed the difference endured in the healthy unit between the two players. I was held outside for the A35 model but I have found it for the incredible price I could not resist to Are a consumer to that it must have the right possess that what hello-def the disposition the want.I never does not think that a bunch of journalist and retailers who are outside to make a buck that expensive surplus tries to force an estimated disposition as the blue-beam on the consumer would have to deprive people of one freedom in order to choose. For: The image in the image, Fotoricettore-Permesse characteristics, DD, DD TrueHD, DTS HD, deep color, connection of CEC, plays CD' s


Excellent Player, stunning picture, Wonderfull upscalling
Hello, I have bought this player from BB, but I have given back it badly not because of qualche.cosa with the player, but because BB will not estimate the match after that the price fell in theirs I placed to you, some sense... Hocked this child with HDMI to my Onkyo TX-SR705 that passes with HDMI to the loudspeakers of JBL and LNT5271F CS6100 and boy I say you that that what the image is large, the sound is scuotendo. You see that I have watched gladiator the film at least 100 times before that it has bought this player and in which it I have watched on this relative child the similar one who I see it for before the time. We have watched some other films from BL.Bust. and the image is LARGE. If wished to see the image great, vigilance KINGKONG in HD while it is regulating to watch dawn OOOOOOO that is one great scene. You see that I have had to give back it in order to obtain the reimbursement behind and to that point I have bought a PS3 (blue-beam), therefore have up to now not bought this posterior part of the player but the planning in order to buy it soon, you knows that what that buys it hour. Also the moglie has noticed that the difference and saying we can need obtaining that posterior part of the player:) Coooool.. The pleasant inferior line if wished and upscaling large in order a that emptier player of the binder does not obtain this, image is large, voice is wonderful nothing that who lacks never protests approximately the time of wait, that one is their problem, these are enormous amount of necessity of data of being proceeded and the electronics and the things must once be necessary the relative time and that the feeding of u it on aspett a sbalorditiva image (obtain a sip of coffee) of the ur minimal of the auction are in on. It goes buy and it does not hesitate... Only downside that it will not play pal but I it was previewing that that one and I a lot little expensive will resolve it having a player 20$..


whats all the hype about??



Great Price
So far, it does what was advertised. I will say though, the player takes a long time to boot. I can't compare it to other HD players. Maybe they are all slow.


toshiba hd-a30
Haven't used a lot but video is good. My only complaint so far is the amount of time the unit takes to be ready for use when turned on.


High definition at bargain price
This the devices is working extremely well in my video room. The can`t it says to the difference between the relative resolution and that one that I obtain from my PS3 which I join with mine 46 inches of SONY Bravia. I have tried all the kind of material, beyond to the dvds of the hd: Burnt DVD, DVD and the result have been many positi to you. As far as the price, it is unbeatable: you obtain the player more 7 HD DVDs for less than $200. If the price of a disc of HD DVD is $25, it means only satisfied $30 to them for the player. Two films "the 300" and "identities of Bourne`s" re-enter in the box it; the others 5 must be asked via mail mail them that still I am attending. 300 and Bournes are many bonds. The only negative thing approximately the player is that it does not have a coaxial audio escape (for in order saving on the input optical) and that the reason is a lot slooowww to begin (takes to approximately 60 second): it has a microprocessore like a calculating. An other negative thing however therefore important are not that I could not modernize it that for means of a CD, I CDs has burnt 3 but could not farlo. (could not possibly burn the CD well, in any case, can order one free for mail). Therefore I have had to use a cable of Ethernet in order to make it, in order to discover in any case that the modernized software more has been included in the player... good this is good. In the reassumed this it was buy a a lot of satisfaction in terms of moneies and up to now the haven`t of he has had all the problem of quality, to the contrary, I a lot am satisfied with the quality of the image and the sound that I am obtaining from my system of the audio-video.


for the price, it can't be beat!
with 7 FREE HD DVD movies, even if all you use it for is an excellent up-converting DVD player, you can't go wrong @ this price!

btw, mine already had the latest FIRMWARE factory installed! Toshiba customer support is lightning fast & very helpful, too.


At these prices, you can't go wrong.
FOR: Normal Upconverts DVD in order to make to observe it the little best one. You will be able to say to one difference confronted to a normal player of DVD. A library of 500 films of HD available hour (if already you have a subscription of Netflix, you have possession films available sent in this disposition to no loads additional.) Exceptional image and sound. With the regulations until 1080p/24, you are good to go with all the television outside here. AGAINST: They are not crazy approximately the remote control. I personally do not appreciate the disposition of the key. The time startup is of approximately 40 second ones. There is approximately according to delay of the 1/2 when hit FF, rewind, jump of understood it, etc...... while one tip that is gotten annoyed initially, you will obtain used to it (ricordisi of, this thing is given much moving around.) For the quality of the image, you cannot go badly.


Toshiba HD-A30 HD-DVD player
This HD-DVD player is as expected, I updated the firmware before using it and it plays well and the upconvert improves old dvd's. There were two HD-DVD's in the box and sent for the other five from Toshiba, but havent received those yet. The HD-DVD look and sound execptional. Nice player.


Real HD at less than many upconverters!
My own sensibility is that the slow approval hello-def of dvd/players mainly has had cost, not confusion. They have been satisfied to be based on the sidelines that they wait for the costs of the player in order to come down to the $150-range and to means to ~$15. That the day finally has arrived and I has sen affinchè the HD-A30 is useful for the possibility of 1080p of my Defect. My first observation of HD DVD was the episode to earth pole of the planet "Pole" and is the image that the healthy quality was fantastic. they are felt I that times of loading could be interminable but was reasonably express, more or less like mine upconverter of Philips DVP5982. More subsequently that levelling, moreover we have watched upconverted the version "of the watered one of via" and it also has observed and played large. Since we possess the hundreds of the shunting line DVDs standard (lotteries comprised of the titles dark them who will probably not see never the light hello-def of a laser), upconverting were one characteristic a lot important and are happy for saying, ", therefore up to now good!" Well they are informed of the disposition war but moreover they are informed that to wide-based band video-on-it demands and average-type options of the instantaneous one renders this war potentially debatable less than this currently public squares the market can find a sense to become more competitive. The lotteries of the players and satisfying to the good prices and in the multiple dispositions if necessary, will give to the consumer more hello-def the choices and to help this disposition in order to obtain have established more quickly and saldamente that all the will of single-disposition never (IMHO....).


Unbeatable value - Great HD plus fantastic upconverting .
If you're reading this review, you probably already know the specs and features for this HD dvd player, so I won't repeat. I have this hooked up to a Panasonic TH-50PZ700U plasma with the cheapest $5 Inspire brand HDMI cable I could find. After playing 3 HD disks and 2 SD disks, my observations:

- I didn't have an ethernet cable long enough to connect to my router, so I didn't update the firmware. I was suprised that the front USB port couldn't be used to flash the firmware. This USB port is reserved for "future" add-ons, so hopefully someone will hack this soon and add new features. In spite of not updating the firmware, I've had no problems at all playing any disks.


- Overall disk play was flawless - no hiccups, glitches or pixellation. I did notice a slight lag before some commands take effect, like FF and REW.

- The included remote is useless, the buttons are too small. I had no problems programming a basic universal remote to control this.

- My boot/loading time was slightly less than the 60 seconds others have quoted. Note that after the 20 seconds initial boot, it is much quicker when loading standard def disks compared to HD disks. I think the long loading time is endemic to all High Def players, as my friend's Sony Blu Ray player takes even longer -- about 90 seconds -- to boot/load.

- Image quality from HD disks 1080p was marvellous, as expected. What was shocking was the quality of upconverted Standard Def disks. I have a new Panasonic home theater system with 1080p upconverting dvd player that is connected to the same TV via a $45 Sony HDMI cable. The difference when playing the same DVD between this Toshiba (and its cheapie cable) versus the Panasonic was noticeable, and suprising. I also have a Samsung 1080i upconverting player, so I'm quite familiar with the benefits and limitations of upconverting standard def disks. I have also experimented with outputting DVDs at 480p and 720p and having my TV (which is superb) handle the upconverting to 1080. I gotta say that this Toshiba HD-DVD provides the best upconverting performance I have ever seen.

So, for $150 (less than half the price of the cheapest Blu Ray player), I got a fantastic upconverting DVD player with HD and 7 free HD-DVDs to boot. It's worth the price just for the upconverting capability in my opinion.

Sure, Blu Ray may eventually win the format war. So I'll pick up a Blu Ray player once Sony drops the PS3 price down to $300 this year, as I am by no means an HD-DVD partisan. But I have no regrets at all about springing for this Toshiba, even if HD does lose the format war because of the cost-benefit advantages. I can always use this player for my extensive existing DVD collection. Plus I'm of the opinion that the HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray war will be moot in a few years when hard drive video solutions become the standard. So I view my investment in any high def optical drive as having a built-in obsolescence timeframe of 3 years, max.



Great player and absolutely love it!
I have the PS3 and buy blu rays, BUT I am a movie lover first! I just bought this player and love it! The low price along with the exclusive movies availble and the free movies make this a must have. A lot of the movies on HD DVD won't be on Blu ray for a while, so for about $150.00 now it doesn't matter what format any given movie is on to me. The A30 does a great job upconverting and is less than half the cost of any standalone Blu ray player, which makes it a great complement to someone who has the PS3 but doesn't want to miss the Bourne movies and others exclusive to HD DVD. The movies alone make the player much less than the cost of a regular upconverting player.


Best 1080p DVD upconverter bar none!
I was on the lookout for a 1080p DVD upconverter since I have recently bought a Samsung 40inch 1080p LCD HDTV. Currently, I have a library of 800 DVDs and am not planning of ditching them anytime soon. All I can say is this player totally rocks! The Bourne Ultimatum DVD is rendered in a near-HD quality that a casual observer would mistake for an HD-DVD copy. Upload time tops at about a minute (for HD-DVDs) and about half a minute or less for standard DVDs; but this is a much better improvement to the very first HD-A1 player (which I also own). Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (HD-DVD) almost has a 3D effect when rendered at the highest 1080p setting. It's amazing what this player can do, but you have to see it with your own eyes. I don't really care if HD-DVD format dies since DVD is here to stay the same way as CDs have survived SACD and DVD-Audio.


HD-A30 absolutely ROCKS!
I have bought hardly the HD-A30 for $153 from amazon. The price was to the inside of $25 of the HD-A3 so as to I have calculated that I would obtain the ability to cast in 1080P. My TV are only 720P but calculation that I will modernize a sure day and I will be already prepared. Before what that has been put "in conteggio of Mount the Christ" a dvd that I love but a lot of the low light has the scenes and therefore ruvidità degree a lot. Moreover the color has observed little diminished me when using my Panasonic S52 that upconverting the player of DVD or my Samsung that upconverting the DVD player. But when I observe this film with my new HD-A30 observes as it has been talked nonsense in HD. The colors are 10 times more vibrant, I can see more structure in order to object in the film and definition more makes them and color the much most natural one. They are so as to made an impression with this player of the dvd. Really ago it resembles it of your old ones dvd here the dvd of HD. Also but "in maze" with David Bowie. It is an old film of years 80 that I have bought to Circuitcity for $5. On mine two players who upconverting of DVD the film is extremely granular like it have been transferred from an old VHS to dvd. But when I have put that the same movement in my HD-A30 it pleasantly cleans up it in on. The greater part of the ruvidità degree has gone and the colors a lot are improve to you. It has come with dvd "of 300" HD in the box it. I must confess it I was not that one impressed. It has observed a small more better of the version standard of DVD that already I have but only of a small. A lot more is impressed with this ability of the players to the dvd of champion of the upconvert. Moreover I have put in "transformers" DVD standard. It seems impressive. I could see the particular that other players upconverting of DVD were not visible with mine. I have order the version of HD "of the transformers" from amazon but it has still not arrived. I am wondering if I have wasted my moneies. Who has need of the blue beam of HD-DVD' s(or) when you can upconvert DVD good standard therefore that is hard to say to the difference. They are felt to me that this is not upconverter better of the toshiba not even. The new HD-XA2($383 refurbished/$850) is supposed much more better for being. I cannot not imagine to obtain it more best than this. They are therefore happy I have bought this. I am thinking to obtain other for my living room. Once that my kidskin seem this here is sense will wish to watch the dvd with my old players upconverting of the dvd. In my opinion even if already you have a player upconverting of dvd the this is worth the investment. It is like obtaining one of those expensive players of the dvd of Denon for the price of a normal player of the dvd.


Unreal quality!
This is such an amazing player. I don't know a whole lot about this HD DVD, Blu Ray battle, but I am impressed with HD DVD so far. I gave this 4 stars because I bought this player right before they lowered the price but it was too late to get the difference in price from Amazon. I paid nearly double what it is currently going for and I'm thinking about buying another one. A great player for $160 with 7 free HD DVDs. If you're in the market for an HD system, this is the player to get. I am using it with a new Toshiba Regza 32" HD TV and I am shocked and amazed at the quality. I don't see any difference between the 720p and 1080p TVs so this is an ideal starter system. Get it!


Great Video Quality
***UPDATE FEBRUARY 11, 2008***

NETFLIX is dumping the HD-DVD format according to an email I just received - you may want to reconsider purchasing this player. Here's the email FWIW:

"We're Going Blu-ray

Dear MarkT,

You're receiving this email because you have asked to receive high-definition movies in the HD DVD format. As you may have heard, most of the major movie studios have recently decided to release their high-definition movies exclusively in the Blu-ray format. In order to provide the best selection of high-definition titles for our members, we have decided to go exclusively with Blu-ray as well.

While we will continue to make our current selection of HD DVD titles available to you for the next several months, we will not be adding additional HD DVD titles or reordering replacements.

Toward the end of February, HD DVDs in your Saved Queue will automatically be changed to standard definition DVDs. Then toward the end of this year, all HD DVDs in your Queue will be changed to standard definition DVDs. Don't worry, we will contact you before this happens.

You can click here to change your format preferences.

We're sorry for any inconvenience. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call us at 1 (888) 638-3549.

-The Netflix Team"

..........................................
*Original Review - January 27, 2008*

Great picture, slow loading time, was already updated. It took a little while to configure to my network but after I did it let me know it was running the latest software.

As many others have written, it takes a while to load. The tray won't open while it's loading either, but works normally after 40 seconds.

Upconverting is good as well.

I've had zero issues with the unit so far - considering I'm renting HD DVDs from Netflix and couldn't be happier. This blows away broadcast HDTV.

Considering the price & free movie offers this seems like a great deal - I don't suppose Netflix will nix the HD DVD section any time soon, and many of the movies I like are still coming out.

I'll buy a blu-ray once the prices drop to this range.




Great HD-DVD player!
I was pleasantly suprised when my toshiba HD-A30 arrived with the latest 1.3 firmware upgrade installed. Playing HD-DVD's on my mitsubishi 57" dlp tv definately has that "wow" factor. As many others have said, it does a very good job of upconverting standard dvd's to near HD quality. I also have a HD-A2 that I have owned since december of 2006. It has performed perfectly so I did not hesitate to purchase the HD-A30 at the price they are now selling for with the 7 free HD-DVD's. I also like that fact if I call within 30 days I can get refund for the difference if it drops in price.


Great value and awesome performance
The thankses to Warner Bros. and I they can hour to allow to a quality player much high 1080p HD DVD. I only hope that the consumers really take the warning and pick the opportunity to try HD DVD. With 2 the free film with player and 5 for mail. That to align is a transaction narcotic of the Amazon (paid $153 and with free transport)! I was much happy one with the quality of image 1080p from the A30. I know that it has constructed in decoder and it does not cross the true sound of HD with HDMI and that systems for me since I do not wish to replace my old receiving 5.1. The healthy quality of HD DVD from this machine is still impressive DVD and better standard. Upconversion the A30 is only fantastic so as to I have let out my SONY to the recycling bucket. Therefore for hour affitterò hardly DVD from all the other films I excluded of the blue beam because this A30 will to you upconverted all their films to near quality of HD. To Paramount, to Dreamworks and universal films of HD. It is time of shopping! Amen!


Excellent
That was the transaction that more cold you already obtained for $164 with 5 HD DVDs, waiting for 5 more on the MIR. I do not take care myself for how much bluray is making with more sales, but HD is little expensive and creed that is still better. It is therefore easy not to never use, the reas of the handbook up to now, but I we are using the watching champion and HD DVDs, upconverting is too much good.


Slow, non responsive, and annoying.
We are not sure if this is a defective product, or if the lack of responsiveness and annoying delays in function selection is normal. We only can say time will tell on this one, but it looks like it will be off to the shop soon.


Wish it had more support
I like HD-DVD and its kind of sad that it doesn't look like it will make it through the format war. This has an excellent picture and does a great job upconverting my standard DVDs. Haven't been able to figure out how to get it to connect to the internet though.


Great player, great price. Jump in with both feet..
I have simply begun watching the players high convertentesi standards of Def. But then I have seen the price on the A3. I had not really thought to a HD-DVD or a blue player of the beam because of the price (3 or 4 one hundred bucks in order to watch films no transaction). I have not had idea that a following player of GEN could be this buyable one to this date in advance payment in Short action of the head of a loss day, excellent secret special sales. Therefore I have weighed my options and I choose the A30. That is an pleasant player. They are not an expert in HD but I can say to an image breathtaking when I see one. They have gone to buy the earth of the planet the same day and lascilo they say to you. A snow on the mountain with the polar bears has observed therefore real, task that has obtained a small to watch just cold. Perhaps in any case, this was not the slyer thing. Inasmuch as the entire and blue beam has gained the opinion of war majority. But I know this. Until Blu-Raggio the roba it obtains mólto less expensive. I will live with my player of HD DVD perhaps and to watch mine upconverted DVD and affitta some HD DVD from Netflix and buys some films here and here and it is taken care for the gong of war on the external part.


Benefit of the doubt
Picture quality is superb and the bundle was a very good value. However my unit locked up while playing a movie on several occasions and I had to return it. Perhaps it was just a bad unit so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. I ended up going to Blu Ray on a Playstation 3.


Great buy for a great product
Already it possesses the player of Toshiba 1080i HD DVD and it loved it therefore a lot that I have bought this moreover. Great image and large adding to mine beyond 200 the accumulation of HD DVD. It could not leave to lose the price - and with all the characteristics this has with the HD DVDs, the competition does not confront. Also with all the pressed one on the competition, this is a rub.


Great Product
I am thrilled with the Toshiba HD A-30. Both my current 3 year old HD TV's are only capable of showing 720P/1080i input but when the TV's are replaced with the 1080P capable sets, my Toshiba HD DVD player will be ready.
In the meantime I find it hard to imagine a better picture then I am seeing on my Hitachi HD 65 inch rear projection television. My cable is analog so this is the first time I have ever had a HD source shown on my TV. The instructions were to download any available upgrades for the Toshiba AD-30 either directly into the player or to a blank disk and make a copy to insert into the player and upgrade it that way. I did the latter. So for, after playing what HD DVD disk's I currently have, there has been no need to upgrade the player in order to get it to play all the HD DVD disks features.
If you have been considering a high defination DVD player, then don't hesitate. You will not beat Amazon.coms price and their service is just unbelievable.
Oh BTW:
The Toshiba HD A-30 1080p DVD player upscales your old DVD disk's to near HD quality.
It is a win win buy.


Toshiba HD-A30
Toshiba HD-A30 1080p HD DVD Player

I own a Toshiba HD-A20 and just purchased a HD-A30 for the following reasons:

I have no plans to purchase Blu-Ray hardware or discs for many years, if ever. In this sense I'm going to sit this round out and wait for the next big thing. Blu-Ray is simply too expensive and will always be too customer unfriendly for me to stomach. If you don't know what I mean by Blu-Ray being "consumer unfriendly" - I can only suggest more research.

I never intended to purchase/repurchase a zillion titles in either Hi-def format. Most titles are just fine when played with an excellent up-scaling player such as the HD-A30. Blu-Ray players also do up-scaling but at twice the price. Not being able to enjoy a handful of (worthy) titles in Hi-def isn't going to ruin my life.

If HD does survive, for me, that will simply be a welcome bonus. Meantime, the HD-A30 is a first-class product from a company with excellent customer support.

One final thought - HD and Blu-Ray are already doomed to replacement. Replacement possibilities include broadband on-demand and very high capacity non-volatile memory media. Movies on memory cards rather than discs - no moving parts, no lasers, just a card/stick slot in the TV. Could be.



MIDDLE OF THE LINE HD-DVD PLAYER
excellent image quality. excellent upconversion.

as i write this, Blueray has already won @ CES 2008, I was in the market for a GOOD upconverting dvd player, i found a few @ the $140.00 range, Amazon had this for 179, free shipping, and 7 free hd-dvd's, so for $40.00 more i got one of the best upconverting dvd players, and 7 free movies that run about $30 each. seems like i got a steal.

This is not the TOTL Toshiba, you will not get every feature, so expect that. for the price, this unit is untouchable by the competition.

Even though i bought this KNOWING HD+DVD has lost the war, and will be the obsolete unit in a couple years, i still feel this unit to be the best buy untill Blueray comes down to a comparable price.



Slow, slow, slow and no Blu-ray.
This unit is slow and loud. Even with the "open door" command you have to wait. The picture is OK but HD is not Blu-ray. I was also disappointed to find out BlockBuster does not handle HD-DVD's only Blu-Ray. The unscaling isn't bad but what is really disappointing is that you can't really tell the difference between a HD vidio and one is standard DVD format. I'm viewing this on a Samsung 40" LCD w/1080i. Bottom line, Go with Blu-Ray, you'll be happier.


Toshiba HD-A30
In spite of the reviews approximately time lengthly ' of cargo ', I have bought the DVD player. I LOVE. Accosento that is necessary a moment to the cargo on a DVD, but when confronted the image from a HD DVD against a normal DVD on a player regluar, is worthy the supplement of 15 second ones in order to load them.


Worth Every Penny
I bought this player right before Christmas, and therefore, before Warner Brothers' announcement. Fortunately, I had already hooked it up and had at least had a chance to watch the last 15 minutes of the HD DVD movie "Serenity" - I was sold at that moment. Excellent picture, great sound. 10 free movies (at the time). Money back from Amazon after the price drop. Great upconversion - I've actually watched more upconverted movies than HD DVD titles on it so far. All goods.

Now, I am hooked up to a 1080i HDTV, and the only reason I bought this was that at the time, there was only a $9 difference in price between this one and the A3. With current price differentials of only $40, I still might recommend buying this one over the A3 for future proofing, even if HD DVD doesn't survive. There are lots of titles already available (>400), so even if you only have a 1080i TV like me, chances you will still own it when you upgrade to a 1080p TV.

Chances are that you may have an opportunity to get 10 movies with this player in the near future. Even with the 7 currently offered, it's a great deal - you basically are buying the movies and getting the player for free. Downside - don't expect to see the 5 movies from Toshiba anytime soon after purchasing - delivery delays because of the mass number of people buying into this deal are lengthy.


Great player but...
i'm really saddened by the move warner made but i think its for the best. but still toshiba HD-A30 rocks. it is a great HD DVD player and a good DVD upscaler and for a good price. the only gripe that i encountered is that when i watched Knocked up (w/c came from amazon and when opened, it was dislodged from the center leaving light scratches.), there was some stuttering issues and when it came in the 1'45", it froze, pexilzed without audio. i hope that the replacement copy wont do the same thing. otherwise a 5 star rating. :)


24p HD that works right now
If you have made of the job on the dispositions of the HD disc, know that what a transaction this is. For $, relative a sensational it adds over to yours hi-Def-Def installed. The image is similar the film on my floodlight of Mitsubishi HC3000; regular, organic, the intensity to brightness makes to delay has gone. After too many years, we can spin films of HD in the country and, we are obtaining glimpse the much best one than that what the director has seen. If not wished to spend $500-$1,000 for a blue player of the beam, not! It obtains the A30


its great
it loves the recorder, but the desire who is said to me to that he has had need of a upfront of the cable of hdmi


If you're in the market for an upscaling DVD player consider this!
Recently I have dawned to a HDTV and after the lotteries of search on the members I have decided to obtain this over a normal player upconverting of DVD or the player of Blu-Raggio in spite of the worries of one dying disposition. To the price of Amazon $170, this thing is a transaction. Tasks to this purpose: you obtain seven free films with the player, 2 in the box it and 5 via mail in the abatement. Even if estimated them to the $10 little expensive everyone been obtaining the player for $100. In an action plan of case the defective disposition dies and have.got an exceptional player upscaling of $100 DVD with some large films of HD. More, if the disposition dice I think the price to HD-DVDs will fall substantially, giving the occasion to construct one library to you on the little expensive one. To that point the blue prices of the beam will be come down and your net investment probably will be equal or inferior that if bought a player of the blue-beam hour. In an action plan of case best the disposition remains alive (thanks to the reduced prices of the players), victories a sure support of the study behind and hangs over until transferring the services from the system centers them towards the satellites renders all optical means obsolete:) In a generalized manner, this is a great purchase to a price unbelievable.


Great player -poor future and lost format
That is a large one player-but for those of new you to the entire war of disposition. The writing is on the wall for HDDVD. With only 2 film studies that support the format(and not for along second the members of industry) and taken 85% of bluray of high film sales of def since the hddvd fallen Warner for bluray-this it is a buy large and great Giocatore-Ma IS WATCHED from the day will come when you will have to dawn to a bluray if wished to watch more film, poichè only one small fraction of films hour is high-def with even one more small relegated fraction to HDDVD. That is slam on HDDVD, but a side must win and that one is shocks of the bluray- in the refutation will only say you to the contrary. If you do not have vested interest in HDDVD, or even if, you would have to study the possibility to invest in that hard. Bluray is the video following disposition. Not not sprec your moneies less than on this. It is the betamax of ventunesimo the great century like is.


Beautiful!!! Awesome at any price. A STEAL at this price.
Man, the picture quality is simply awesome. I run it into a 1080p/24 front projector and the picture is super sharp, much better than my Comcast cable HD. I just watched Transformers HD-DVD and the sound and picture were jaw dropping. The standard DVD upconverting is really good as well.

When a BluRay player gets down to <$199 with ten free movies, I'll pick one up. Until then, I'll enjoy this great unit. If you have an HDTV, this is the cheapest way to get top-quality hi-def video into it.

Awesome player. Highly recommended.


Worth the Investment?
I have bought Toshiba HD-A30 last month after that deciding HD-DVD had a future. With the recent news that Warner Bros. will support Blu-Raggio exclusively many analysts say that the war is excessive and Blu-Raggio will win. I have studied the possibility to give back the determined HD-A30 but to maintain based it that on the following tests of verification that could help them to decide if or not to buy one: 1. You have or soon you will buy hello-def one TV? If not, arrest and does not buy. 2. You have a player in on-convertentesi decent of DVD? If yes, then you have little reason to invest in that what can be concluded in on like second player in on-convertentesi of DVD. However, you can also consider here #3 under. If you then do not have a DVD player upconverting decent you would have to consider given HD-DVD the minimum estimated the difference between HD-DVD and the players in on-convertentesi of DVD. 3. The HD-DVD titles them currently available make appeal you? Unfortunately the film studies have taken sides in the HD-DVD against the battle of Blu-Raggio. The greater part frees the titles them exclusively in one disposition. While still possible, not to invite new the tito one them of HD-DVD in order to flow as they must date. It carries out a search of the titles them available for HD-DVD. If you do not look at that in a position to constructing a library adapted or if many of the titles wished them in hello-def are only on Blu-Raggio then probably not wished to buy a HD-DVD player. They are satisfied to have one small hello-def library of some favorite films and/or ages them. To have a HD-DVD player it grants the flexibility to me to watch those films in HD while DVDs watches standard in the near quality of HD. An other action plan is possible. Toshiba has a percentage del important market hello-def goddesses players in use that cannot be ignored. Once that the final negotiations are made (Toshiba arrests the production of players)and of HD-DVD the agreements excluded to you extinguishes the film studies can decide that it is favorable to render all the films available in both the dispositions until that the demand for the not wane titles them of HD-DVD. 4. You are disposed to more spend $400 or for a player who of Blu-Raggio? The prices for the players of Blu-Raggio are artificially due bottom competition with Toshiba. Once that that competition goes the prices absent probably increase a po' until that the disposition of Blu-Raggio does not become traditional - than it is not given. If not wished to spend the bucks and if you are not interested in game (PS3), then your alternative is to OPT-FUORI hello-def of a player altogether. Like famous lateral, the films downloadable are an alternative to HD-DVD or possible and more and more popular Blu-Raggio. Bill Gates foretells "and-film" like the future.


Incredible Deal!!!!!!!!!!!
In order hardly some dollars more than a player upconverting of the dvd you can obtain to a player of HD DVD dvds of those also the champion of the upconverts. The fact that they throw in 7 free HD DVDs renders this a rub. You do not listen to the people that say that HD DVD is going to die. Paramount and the universal one has both sayings will completely continue to support HD DVD. And this would be a lot even if that one was not the case. Coast to mala pain more than a upconverter and is HD DVDs that sembr standard of incredible DVDs on it.


Do Not Buy It
Before the purchase of the this player, I have read the reviews to this page. A sure number of reviews has pointed out that this player is much slow one to begin in on and much slow one playing when a DVD is inserted. However, the didnt about ' it thinks that it is a great edition. After all, how much slow one can be? Therefore I have gone ahead and I have bought it. Face I do not pray the same error. This player of DVD is horrific!!! He takes a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot, a lot a lot...... time along,,,,, to the loading of the system in on and plays a disc. You can buy all the player, but not this!


GOOD PLAYER, GOOD PRICE
It has bought this while an alternative to overpriced the offered ones of BluRay and is not disappointed, particularly when I have obtained a total of 10 discs in the entire package when I have bought it. Tried outside with the end of the runner of the cut lamierina and a lot was... impressed image was excellent on my SONY XBR3 Bravia @ 1080P. It makes a good job that upconverting my normal discs put into effect them of DVD to 1080P. To couple it in on and obtaining it that it works to my domestic net for the supplements and the modernizations they have not had difficulty. The time startup is approximately 30 second ones before that a disc can play. The optical escape on the unit has passed to DIGITAL DOLBY to mine 10 years Denon AVR without a problem. In fact, the optical escape was seperately accessible from the HDMI audio, that he was the much practical poichè my older player has not had that functionality. One what... obtains the modernization of firmware for this unit (you can modernize them via the Internet) because it repairs the periods startup and other editions that have been identify to you in the phase begin them. In all... this it is a great value if wished to dawn to a player upconverting with HI-DEF and to begin to construct one endured library. Even if HDDVD does not gain the disposition war finally, is with unconcern a good player because BluRay is not making anyone some favors to their prices.


great dvd player
got this as a gift. upconverts all my dvds to hd quality. great movie player.


Excellent HD Player
The Toshiba HD-A30 and HD-A35 are the two top Hi Def DVD players currently available (Jan 2008). Prices continue to drop and make these players a bargain compared to the deals of just a year ago. There is still a price premium (as is warranted) over the non-Hi Def players. Hi Def images (with a proper display and proper cables - i recommend Apple Computer HDMI cables at $20 each) are significantly better than standard definition images. I don't see the Hi-Def versus Blu-Ray battle as a reason not to buy. The Hi-Def player now does not cost significantly more than a standard def player (imo) and will play standard dvds and upconvert them to your TVs resolution capabilities (up to 1080p). Even if Hi-Def doesn't win out, you have a dvd player which will continue to play your standard dvds (better than a standard def dvd player.) In the mean time, you can watch Hi-Def movies you buy or rent. Renting versus buying your Hi-Def dvds will reduce your liklihood of becoming a casualty in the Hi-Def versus Blu-Ray battle.

Both the HD-A30 and the HD-A35 are capable of firmware updates - either over the web (ethernet) or by downloading a file from Toshiba with your computer, burning a CD and using the CD in the player to update the machine. I was NOT able to establish a connection with the HD-A30 via ethernet and i have above average networking skills. I downloaded Toshiba's update file which consists of an ISO image. These files require special handling and a Google search may prove helpful (i needed additional software to burn the ISO image to a CD.) Because of my initial attempts to update the player's firmware over ethernet, the machine did not accept the CD as a source. I finally re-intialized the player (the option above update in the player's setup menu) and this allowed me to update from the CD. I write all this because the update process can be confusing, but is important. Without the update, the player occasionally locked up during playback and sometimes allowed the audio and video to get out of sync. After the update, i had no more problems.

These players do take longer than a regular player to start up and the updates are essential. Check first though (according to the instructions) to see if you require the update. I first bought the HD-A30 and deciphered the update process. I later bought the HD-A35. Since i had the update process all figured out, i immediately downloaded the HD-A35 update file (different from the HD-A30 file), burned a CD and inserted it to update the player which promptly told me that i already had the latest firmware installed. Oh well. When properly updated and set up (again including proper cables and a proper display,) these Hi-Def players (and also Blu-Ray) offer the best image available on a TV.


Doesn't get any better than this!
I've been using this unit for a week now, and all I can say is...I love it! I had been holding off on buying a high def DVD player for a long time, waiting out the Blu-Ray/HD format war. I was leary of Blu-Ray with it's high price and technical problems. Then a 10 free HD DVD offer pushed me over the edge and I took the HD plunge. Needless to say, I have NOT been disappointed. I've watched at least one movie every day for the last week and have had absolutely no problems with this machine or any of the discs. Every thing plays fine, without any firm-ware updates. NO PROBLEMS! Movies look absolutely fantastic on my Panasonic HD TV. A comparison between the Casino sd-dvd and HD DVD totally blew me away! It's not even a comparison. The HD picture is sharp and crisp. Colors are warm and vibrant. Textures of fabrics, and facial features are extremely detailed and life like. This is the look of perfect! I am having a blast watching old favorites for the "first time" in HD. This is the best puchase I've made in a long time. Even the recent news regarding Warner Bros. supporting Blu-Ray exclusively isn't enough to dampen my enthusiasm. There is a plethora of HD titles available, both new releases and classics, many of which are not (and may never be) available on Blu-Ray. If you love movies, and if your favorites are available on HD DVD, do not hesitate. Take the plunge. Snatch up this amazing machine and immerse yourself in the HD experience.


Good upconverting player
Toshiba HD-A30 has completed my requirement of an modernized player of the dvd. Recently has bought 1080p a LCD TV and has wished a player that DVDs could upconvert standard to 1080p. has tried prior two players upconverting and this has made a remarkablly better job upconverting without costing too much. It can produce the video 1080p/24Hz that he is moreover available on my TV. I have bought the HD-A30 with the free offer of 10 HD DVDs. Are a little disappointing one that many companies are choosing to only support Blu-Raggio. Fortune teller that we will see if HD DVD survives. In all the case, this player makes a good job that upconverting my accumulation puts into effect them of DVD and can at least watch the 300 HD DVDs that already are freed. If your TV can use it, this player has exited of HDMI 1,3 (deep color and possibility of the CCE) like pointed out in other reviews, this device takes to a much time to the older players relati you than DVD "to the loading of the system in on". 30-40 perhaps second... I have had to record to that one I make to delay, but hour used to it.


Patience, patience
I have bought this because I would receive ten HD-DVDs to no loads additional, it I have had it the HDMI connection (so as to it could renounce cables commutation members in order to watch cable TV) and according to as reported it has given a better image on ordinary DVDs that my ordinary player of DVD. Up to now I have received 5 of the 10 HD-DVDs and are excellent. Even if my floodlight of Panasonic is limited to 720P, the projected image diagonal 12-foot is gorgeously croccante. The HDMI connection works well. Ordinary DVDs does not observe more best than video progressive connection through the cables that members I was using. It is necessary a moment for being waits for in order to accept a disc when you ignite the feeding, but so as to ago the video floodlight. However moreover use my player of DVD in order to play audio CDs with mine stereotipia and the wait is to align excessive. Therefore, if your TV or video floodlight is necessary a moment to beginnings in on this is a match for it and if the wished ones to play endured an audio CD after to have fed on you it would have to watch qualcos' the other.


Toshiba HD-A30
Large player for the moneies, even if probably I would go for the A35 if you had a second probability. This player produces to the beautiful DVDs and video 1080p 24fps upconverts standard to 1080p. This player cannot however bitstream that the newest audio than formatta HD. The only negations that I can find are the times discs of a valve of the loading of arrange-in on, times of access discs of a valve of the disc and the fact that the player probably will be nearly obsolete comes this time the successive year which had recent Blu-Raggio of support of the study has earned. The inferior line is that this is a large player, but if been studying the possibility to buy this highly I would suggest to go preferibilmente with a player of Blu-Raggio. Samsung BDP-1400 is pleasant and is relatively near in the price.


Does exactly what it says, but no more
This player performs exactly as advertised. It plays HD DVDs, DVDs and CD audio discs and nothing else. Although some have complained of seeing jagged lines in 1080p mode, I don't have this problem with my HDTV, which incidentally does not support 1080p/24 mode, so I have used 1080p mode with the player. I also have no way to test whether or not this player only downconverts audio as my 3 year old receiver can't accept HDMI inputs and has no Dolby TrueHD decoding, so I have to use downconversion from the player. The documentation seems to indicate that the player may be capable of sending out unconverted audio streams via bitstream, but I have no way to test this. There must be some kind of difference between the A-35 and this model to justify the higher cost of the A-35, so perhaps the other review is right that the A-30 can't send out unconverted audio streams.

Pros:
Plays HD DVDs very well.
Upconverts DVDs very well.
Excellent quality audio, even if it is downconverted to DTS or AC3.
DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-R DL and DVD+R DL were tested by me and all work fine. I've read that CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-RW and DVD+RW all work, but I didn't test them.
Automatically sends DVD output in 4:3 or 16:9 depending on how the DVD is authored. In other words, if the DVD is 16:9, the player sends out 16:9 video and if the DVD is 4:3, it sends out 4:3 video. This is a nice feature.

Cons:
Won't play VCD, SVCD, Divx, MP3, JPG.
Will only play region 1 and region 0 (all region) DVDs.
Won't play PAL video at all.
Won't play HD DVD format on burnable DVD DL discs, even though HD DVD format explicitly allows this and earlier generation players were reported to play such discs.
Firmware updates are SLOW. It took 15+ minutes to update my firmware from 1.1 to 1.3 (1.3 is also known as 1300U).

To be fair, Toshiba makes no claims at all to play anything in my Con list above, but I just want to be clear that if someone expects this to be a "play everything" kind of player that it certainly is NOT that. Interestingly, the player did play a test DVD I have of MPEG-1 video, so the player could support VCD and SVCD too if the firmware was written to allow it.


Underwhelmed
I have been hemming and hawing over the purchase of a HD player for a while now so I finally pulled the trigger a few weeks ago and bought The HD A30. At first glance build quality and design seem pretty ho-hum, the A30 sports the now trendy "black lacquer/chrome accent" look that Samsung seems to favor. Buttons are small and few which is ok because most functions are accesed via the remote however the remote is (as other reviewers have indicated) a joke, teeny weeny buttons, no backlighting and baffling ergonomics almost neccesitate replacement with a universal.

HD PQ at 1080p/24 is good but not great, less dithering, cleaner colors and greater detail are the Toshiba's strengths however all the movies I have viewed so far have been just a little blurry, bright sceenes and objects even seem to be surrounded by little halos. The Bourne Identity had some particularly distracting shots at the end that looked like poorly converted SD DVD. SD DVDs upscaled to 1080p/24fps looked darn good, especialy newer titles that had been converted to DVD with care. I would even say that the subjective differences between HD and SD were suprisingly few when played back at this resolution.

I watched everything in 2.1 stereo so I cannot comment on audio performance other than to say stereo output is fine. CD playback is ok but nothing special, performance from my modest AMC CD8b was considerably better offering greater detail and bass.

Just last night we decided that the pros just did not outweigh the cons so we gingerly repacked the Toshiba and sent it back. While I hope HD DVD wins the format war it appears I will be watching from the sidelines for a little while longer.


Satisfied...
It has wished to buy the upconversion and those best ones are like $160, so as to I spend 60-70 more in order to obtain the HD and observe that what the found..this is the better player of DVD on which normal excellent quality of HD-DVD... really of the turnes of DVD. I have watched the Bourne Ultimetum on dvd normal and I have not found some difference. Highly suggested for they that a lot plays normal DVD or that has successone membership..cause they do not have HD DVD.


nice player, but super slow
i bought an A3 for myself and an A30 for my parents this holiday season. so the first thing i noticed was booting up, loading discs, stopping and starting playback, just about anything that isnt watching a movie is super slow. toshiba even mentions this inside the front cover how advanced players like this are more like computers than standard A/V equipment. ethernet connection is diffucult to configure correctly on the first shot. Aside from that, picture and sound is great on my parents 60" sony XBR SXRD rear projection on 1080p. i guess you get what you pay for when you buy the cheapest hd-dvd player on the market.


Excellent player...forget Blue-ray
You cannot strike the price couples to you with the 10 free DVD. I have wished to attend before the choice of the side but I could not leave to lose the transaction and I am happy I have jumped. The image and the sound are exceptional on my SONY Bravia KDL-40V2500 and the upconversion of DVD my player then observes VERY more best standard of def the DVD on the same TV. The time of slow loading of start-up is the only thing that has maintained it from dargli 5 stars but this really is an not-edition and it would not have to urge it to think two times to this player. Firmware they really dawn have demanded one called to Toshiba that has gone rather quickly... for me that I have had to record some orificii under linguetta of Ethernet of the players @ the menu of putting to point. An other fast call to CS has instructd it on that what the optimal regulation of resolution would be for me given my TV... 1080p


Outstanding!
I was studying the possibility to be based on the recinzione for an other year that waits for the disposition in order to declare a winner but between obtaining a brace of films it arranges you of HD-DVD/DVD and the fantastic offer Amazon Toshiba currently is working, I has decided to make the jump. Famous lateral: kudos to HD-DVD for this. You can watch them on your HT installed with complete quality or on yours laptop ' normal ' of DVD when on the and...) Sink is therefore happy! - image: I can only make until 1080i (720p) so as to real I cannot comment 1080p but it is already for how much is gorgeous. - sound: that is where really I have obtained impressed (the image is pristine but I was previewing it...). As an example, the ultimatum of the Bourne transforma in in normal fantastic survey on old mine receiving itself of five years of Yamaha avoirdupois. The effects of circond are balance to you well, the sound are croccanti (the sound to break off the glass on the posterior loudspeakers during the scene render you the look two times in order to confirm someone really are not being broken off in your house; -). Ago the gladiator in healthy plain of DTS... - experience: I love the system of the menu, much ' FOTORICETTORE 2,0 ' or to watch moment of Netflix. The added characteristics work well with the ability to crack them up and down while they watch the film to the pressed one of a key. Moreover I have seen some critics to protest us approximately the moment to load discs. I find are much reasonable one and an not-edition and to load the system, on little films I have watched up to now, the studies hour have not put the advertising towings de-facto-facto and announcements to the beginning so as to you really obtain to good roba the fastest one than on a sure DVD - the connettività: they give it scato it, I have had difficulty to connect alla my net (Ethernet - and my player was with v1.0 goddesses to firmware, to be current v1.3). But like suggested however from the box-enclosed pamphlet, they have gone to the Web site of Toshiba - you could also order them but I was too much impaziente, I have transferred


Good player if it works
Great player, upscales old DVDs decent. Great 1080p playback on my 52" Toshiba Regza LCDTV.

After a month the player started to fail on me. Checked all DVDs and most of them i played (Both standard and HD DVD) were clean. Started to act like the DVD was skipping.

I am taking one star off for a quality issue. I'm sure once i get this fixed i shouldn't have any more issues. Will update as soon as i get my new player back.

Network connection and menu setup makes it easy for me to upgrade to the latest and greatest firmware.

Great menu system. Go buy this player as it is the best buy out there.


Clear picture but audio blows you away
Modernization: It does not buy, HD DVD interrupted from Toshiba. It has sold the unit on eBay after that BluRay "gained" the battle of the HD disc. The TV Apple TV with 40GB has gone with Apple hard drive - MA711LL/Arather that BluRay. The set-up costs them more little expensive, more the films can be rented/purchased for one fraction of the cost of discs. They are usually a adoptor begins them but I have held outside on a purchase a new player of HD up to now. The reason has gone with HD DVD was the price. Spiacenti, you cannot strike this price, more 10 free DVDs. Even if BluRay had to come towards the outside the winner, Marches of this player yours sembr normal of large DVDs however. (the disposition war is the reason that it the didnt obtains 5 stars poichè is a sure risk assigned to the purchase) assured to you in the first place to install the new modernization of firmware. I have transferred hardly the modernization from the system centers them towards the satellites from the place of Toshiba on a CD-R but you can connect via Ethernet pure. The quality of the image is large. I have a Samsung 5054 and the films come through much cutting and clear one. The extracting machine to release for me was the audio. The sound is phenomenal. I am using a single connection of HDMI through mine receiving of Onkyo 605. If you have a domestic theatre decent it has installed it is worth the pain to invest in this player. Amazon has transactions of some goods on HD DVDs, rents that probably I will make with Netflix. Modernization: It has sold the unit on eBay after that BluRay "won". It has gone with Apple TV rather than BluRay. The set-up costs them more little expensive, more the films can be rented/purchased for one fraction of the cost of discs.


Superb image quality
Just a word of advice: firmware! You must update firmware to get the most out of player, whether it's compatibility or interactivity. Easiest way to go to v1.3 was to connect via ethernet to an alway on jack and go to "maintenance" under "setup" to download.


Great Player But Some Complaints
Overall, this is a great player for a great price. Picture quality is stunning, the remote is well designed, and the device itself looks great. But, I do still have a few complaints about it. First, there is no HDMI cable included. Actually no cables are included other than the power cable. So to take full advantage of the features you need an HDMI cable and a Cat5 cable. There is no coaxial digital audio out. For digital audio you must either use HDMI or toslink (optical). Also, the startup and disc load times are unbearable. It takes about 30-45 seconds for the device to turn on. Standby does not improve anything - my PC wakes up from standby faster than that! Also, loading an HD DVD takes about 30 seconds. Notably though, loading a DVD only takes about 10 seconds, no idea why there is a difference.

Overall the player is great and I'm happy with my purchase. The HD A30 does still lack some polishing that I would expect from a "3rd generation" player, however.


Great Video!!
I have bought this unit in order to work with my Toshiba 1080p a DLP TV from 56 inches and my Oncyo 5,1 encircles healthy System..Connected with HMDI to the TV. EZ connect 1 cable, the great video and the digital sound them. Only negative is little a slow loading during ignites and extinguishes, highly suggests for the HD lovers. It makes a job great in order NOT HD Videos moreover.


Great Quality



Phenomenal Picture
It has obtained the A30 for been born them and absolutely it makes an impression to you with particular and the color of HD. Yes upscales much good for DVD but at all ago upscaled DVD confronts to HDDVD any thing people says. I love this player and I do not find it for being therefore great transaction in terms of time of cargo. For dii sakes the popolano this hour is a complex part of machinery like a PC. The price has put it over the advanced part. In order not to point out it determines to you tito them of Paramount that I find the selections kiddy of the Disney of the surplus of the advanced one. The word is that Amazon has sold players in order to cover hard 7 fields of game of soccer enough this festivity - blows of HDDVD to the blue beam!!!


Toshiba HD-A30 DVD Player is absolutely great!
My wife got this for me as a Christmas present since our old, standard DVD player's left/right analog terminals suddenly stopped working. Its hooked up to our 50inch Samsung DLP 1080p TV via HDMI cable and also hooked up to my receiver via HDMI cable and let me say that hands down the picture quality and sound quality is amazing! I couldn't be happier. It was easy to set up and worked right out of the box without updating any firmware. The setup options are simple and intuitive. Yes it takes a minute to "boot" up and 20 seconds or so to load the DVD but I don't find it that bothersome and personally I really like the fact that when I turn off the DVD player it doesn't "resume" where I last was on the DVD. There is nothing more irritating to me then putting a movie in and having the DVD player resume where I last left off, the last time I watched it!


WOW! HD at last!
I have been telling my wife for months that I wanted to save up and get an HD-DVD player. She really surprised on Christmas morning by having one under the tree for me!

Why HD-DVD?
I had asked for the HD-DVD instead of the Blu-Ray primarily due the price difference. In looking at the two formats side by side in stores, etc. I can see no difference between the video quality, and I can't justify spending more money on the BR player just to have discs with more storage.

Special Features?
I love eye candy, and the HD DVD experience is full of eye candy. It is really cool to have the full front end menu of the DVD available to you while you are viewing a movie. The picture in picture features is really nicely done, allowing for you to view the interviews with directors and actors and commentary while the movie is playing. Some of the studios have been pretty inventive with what they are doing with these features. For example the Bourne movies have the option to turn on a graphical representation of Jason Bourne that overlays on the movie itself giving you "Top Secret" information about him and what is going on onscreen. The system os runs on a Linux kernel that allows for the DVD developers to easily program/develop innovative, eye-catching content.

It should also be noted that as of right now HD DVD's are region free. They will still only play region 1 (in the US) on regular DVD's, but the HD versions do not have that limitation built in.

Video and Audio?
I am running this into my 46" Samsung dlp, and viewing it at 1080i, since I don't have the 1080p tv. The video is stunning in its clarity and color sharpness. The audio is running out to my jvc 5.1 dts receiver and is amazingly crisp. I have no complaints.

Online Support?
Configuring this for the internet was a piece of cake. However, I have had trouble downloading the firmware update. I tried to download a couple of times, and then I tried to create a disc from the ISO provided online, but I could get neither to work. This was a bit discouraging, but I called customer support and within 3 minutes the rep had me in their system and the disc has been mailed. This experience has been the only downside to this purchase so far, but I won't hit them too hard since customer support was so responsive and friendly. However, if I could only give 4.5 stars this would be the reason (I can't bring myself to dock them a full star for this issue).

Hot or not?
One other thing to watch out for is that the player does get warm after it has been on for a while. It has a built in fan, which I have never had on a DVD player before, but it still gets pretty warm. This weekend I plan to rearrange some things to see if I can get it running cooler.

Load times?
Yes, it takes longer for this player to boot up than a standard DVD player. Yes, it takes longer to load the movie. Is this a big deal to me? No. I remember when I got my first DVD player (waaaay back), and it took a lot longer to boot up than the current models do. I just don't see the big deal in waiting an extra 30-40 seconds for the player to boot. When I am sitting down to watch a movie 30 seconds is not going to detract from my viewing experience at all.

Before getting this player I did not consider myself to be firmly seated in either camp in the HD Format War, but now I do consider myself to be an HD convert. However, if Blu Ray ends up coming out on top I will gladly buy their player, as they should be cheaper by that time... Personally I feel (I have no hard data to back this up) that the only reason Blu Ray is still in the game (given its higher price point) is that a Blu Ray player is included in every PS3 sold. If these two were to go head to head on a level playing field (console integrations not included) I believe the numbers would skew more towards the HD. Also, I have experienced a great deal of the rabid Playstation fonboyism on other sites to know that there are a lot of people that will intentionally discredit anything that competes with their precious gaming console. Therefore, when I see an HD review from someone that says they have a PS3 I typically disregard what they have to say as it is usually very biased... but that's just me.

Synopsis?
In my opinion this is a great player for a great format. The video and audio are pristine (to my eyes and ears anyway), and the extra features are really cool.

Now to go watch Blade Runner in all of its HD glory...



Tales of Horror to Setup - No CS - Great Picture
The A30 comes with the defect of the system for 1080i/p. Therefore with a TV standard with a 480i, you cannot see in order to install the menu if trying to use effluite color (RSB 3 - it ties for the video) and digital audio optical them. In order to obtain around to this, I have used a thorn yellow analog and rossa/bianca of base that the A30 then has recognized and stabilized in order to grant to base review. Then screen has installed the system for one standard of 4:3, with a input 480i. After that one, I could complete put to audio/video point. However, then the putting to point for the transfer from the system centers them towards the satellites of the enternet for the modernization of firmware is an other mess. I have decided to introduce the card hardly and lasci then in order to pass with the expense to send it for mail it has modernized the system disc. Then we have watched three films, HD 300 (large - beautiful) also on 36"480i a TV (series of the cinematografo of Toshiba - I have not decided of a plasma, LCD or the DLP up to now and my TV still pleasant one has an image much). The GOOD Ones - we have watched hawk the black normal school of two DVDs down and the invisibile. Seeing BHD several times before, I could see the improvements a lot in the video and the high felt higher def in the audio with mine 5,1 to encircle around. The unit in if, more 10 free HDs renders this a good ones buy. The EVIL - the complete inability to put itself in contact with the support of customer of Toshiba (tried once for beyond two hours solid and 40 minuteren following - with the constant (YOUR CALL Is A LOT IMPORTANT to of the States Uniti-blah BLAH BLAH) if it is therefore important, therefore why it is that you have such CS sucky. I could finally calculate it to it that it has sure experience with the domestic theatre and the systems audio. The audio cable lack coxial (as the greater part of the DVD players is moreover less - even if the digitalis optical them available supplies a healthy process the much highest one.


HD-A30 Great Product!
I bought the A3 (1080i) for myself, and my son bought the A30 (1080p) for himself, they both work great! Easy to set up out of the box using the internet hookup... Just hook up to the DSL cable and it does the rest, downloads the latest software for carefree operation and viewing... just be patient and follow instructions... if you cannot hook up and download, Toshiba will send you a CD to download the info. Picture and audio quality are great. As one reviewer stated, good response time to remote commands, but a bit slower than a standard DVD player... much more data to load. Also, does a great job upscaling my standard DVDs to look like HD... As for the competitive battle between HD and Blu-ray, no problem, we all win... the prices keep falling... maybe when Blu-ray reaches a reasonable price as has the Toshiba HD, I'll purchase that as well... then I'll have a true choice of what I watch.


Simply outstanding
They are seated to me on the sidelines for a moment along, waiting for the HD-DVD against the war of Blu-Raggio in order to reach to a sure conclusion, but they are extraordinary happy that finally I have jumped it. With the great price that Amazon has had on this player and films impacchetta you that they have come with it, I could not see the wait at all more long. I have replaced a commutator of the disc of Onkyo 6 with this Toshiba. The Onkyo has been connected with component cables, while the Toshiba is connected with HDMI. The quality of the image is exceptional with HD-DVDs and much good ones with a normal DVD that I have tried. My TV is a older DLP TV than 720p Samsung and the difference is still remarkable. I cannot ATTEND until that it does not obtain 1080p a TV. The only negations upgrade them: It is necessary a moment to begins in on Is approximately two times finchè my old Onkyo, but mólto it is continuing within here. Remarkablly I have enjoyed up to now the runner a lamierina, the serenity, impossible mission III and the identity of the Bourne on HD-DVD, therefore like Battlestar Galactica on normal DVD. The only better thing of the quality of the image is the healthy quality. I have coupled this with exceptional receiving of Onkyo TX-SR805 and the sound is enough good to make your drop of the jaw! Highly suggested. I do not see reason to buy Blu-Raggio. I can suffer with upconverted DVDs for those films until that the world does not become sensato more. And Netflix oscillates with their support HD-DVD.


1080p/24 force option?
Not! The ps3 it offers the forced options 1080p/24, but not Toshiba. Many TV can visualize 24 options of the hzt, but if only forced, otherwise return to their native 60 Hertz of exposure, than he is not able of 1080p/24 without 3:2 pulls in down. Excellent Picture/sound if the TV can visualize 1080p/24.


Awesome Picture quality compared to some Blu-Ray players and movies I seen!
I watch always films of Blu-Raggio to my house of the friends on its 50inch samung 1080p t.v. I have decided to obtain a HD player because the films, HD player are then film and players more little expensive of Blu-Raggio. Naturally when Toshiba was offering a promotion with 2 free HD DVDs with a player and $20 outside of transport of the air from 2 days therefore that have cost like $5,00 in order to send it. Therefore since I was planning to obtain however one I have been useful for this promotion. I have watched in 1080i and the image and the sound are narcotic. Table never not seen observing therefore good. I cannot see some difference between its Blu-Raggio on its 50inch 1080p or my HD in 1080i 42inch Samsung. It is going to be obvious who the last time in the market and with Toshiba and HD that sell these DVDS and players to therefore great price. All that can say it is if you have not taken a player of Toshiba HD. THEREFORE! Not if the rammaricherete. My friend is in equipment a lot of the high extremity of sales and sales. He says to me mólto after that the reunions have every month with SONY, the pioneer, etc. Lasci these do not produce to the fool you. Difference in 1080i or 1080p is not going to be one. Not there are STANDERED in contrast, resolution of the screen, quality of the image, etc. Entire it is made from the fabrication detailed lists and every fabrication is going to be different. $7.000.00 plasma seen the t.v. made from the pioneer that they work in 720p and they have observed better then all the 1080i or 1080p, t.v. outside in the market. That is something produces would not say to you. Relative until the customer in order making to study. It hopes that these aids


HD is the way
I have obtained this player approximately a month makes and I love it. I have already begun my accumulation of HDDVD. Part better than HDDVD is that the lottery of films comes in arranged DVD/HDDVD so as to my kidskin can enjoy them in the automobile in the player DVD. That was the reason that main I have decided to select HDDVD rather than Blueray. Creed that Blueray cannot produce a duel disposition so as to in the order affinchè my kidskin we enjoy it, would have to buy a DVD and a disc of Blueray... no sense is to buy both dics. HDDVD would have to gain the disposition war for this reason alone. The parents will not buy kidskin film if they cannot play them in they automobile. Highly I suggest this player!


Outstanding purchase
This is a great HD DVD player, I have this one along with the external one for the Xbox 360. I also have a Blu ray player with the PS3. I think that the picture looks just the same as the Blu ray if not better. This player also came with the latest updates so I did not have to update anything on this player. The player worked fine right away out of the box no issues at all. The player also came with 10 free HD DVDs you cant beat that. This player is a win, win situation because it also does a great job of upscaling your regular DVDs. Plus at this price it does not matter who wins the HD DVD vs Blu ray war. If HD DVD loses you still have a great upscaling DVD player for less then $200. I dont see either side giving up in the near future so you might as well enjoy hd dvds on this player and upscaling your old ones for the time. I have bought more HD DVDs then Blu ray movies because I feel they look just as good or if not better and they have more features. This player has tons of great features that I am still learning about. I would recommend this player to anyone who has a HD TV. I also bought one of these players for my dad and he loves it as well. I also rent all HD DVDs from netflix, so I have seen just about all of them on this player they look incredible. The one con to this player is the fact that it will be hard for you to watch movies or television that is not in HD.


Excellent and Not So Excellent
I have bought this model because the A-35 has been sold outside and the A-30 and the 35 were obtaining the good reviews on AVSForum (http://avsforum.com) and because they are mistaken to me approximately outs the audio analog. The excellent one -- HD PQ is excellent. My exposure is a plasma of 50"Panasonic that that one not chip ax