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Heywood Jablome
Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 1548
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:08 pm Post subject: OT: Help me spend an unexpected bonus! |
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We had one hellatious couple of days a week or two ago (BIG IT/IS disaster,) right before flying to Arizona to my sisters wedding.
The company rewarded me and a peer for our triage and remediation efforts (we are a manufacturing shop, therefor triage = 1) Shipping 2) Production 3) Payroll 4) Finance 5) Engineering)
Anywho, I find myself holding a "go buy yourself a $250 present and bring us the receipt" pseudo-gift certificate.
Which HD-DVD player has the best integral SD scaling function? I've got a Moome ISS HDMI input card I intend to use, but will soon be considering a Fury for several reasons.
I'd like to do away with scalers and lots of wiring, and recalled that some Toshibas have nice internal scalers. Any recomendations?
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"Those countries which lag behind in industry, in the application of mechanics and technical chemistry, in the careful selection and utilization of natural products, where the respect for such activities does not permeate all classes of society, will unfailingly decline in prosperity. They will sink faster when neighbor states, with an energetic exchange between science and industry, go forward with renewed vitality."
-- Baron Alexander von Humboldt: 1769-1859
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Heywood Jablome
Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 1548
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:09 pm Post subject: |
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Stereo audio performance is also a concern, and an ideal player will have analog stereo outputs in addition to the surround digital options.
_________________
"Those countries which lag behind in industry, in the application of mechanics and technical chemistry, in the careful selection and utilization of natural products, where the respect for such activities does not permeate all classes of society, will unfailingly decline in prosperity. They will sink faster when neighbor states, with an energetic exchange between science and industry, go forward with renewed vitality."
-- Baron Alexander von Humboldt: 1769-1859
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draganm
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 8990
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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that's a no brainer, toshiba HD-A35 for $399. but only $150. out of pocket 
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stefuel
Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 3353
Location: Green Harbor MA USA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:24 pm Post subject: Re: OT: Help me spend an unexpected bonus! |
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| Heywood Jablome wrote: | We had one hellatious couple of days a week or two ago (BIG IT/IS disaster,) right before flying to Arizona to my sisters wedding.
The company rewarded me and a peer for our triage and remediation efforts (we are a manufacturing shop, therefor triage = 1) Shipping 2) Production 3) Payroll 4) Finance 5) Engineering)
Anywho, I find myself holding a "go buy yourself a $250 present and bring us the receipt" pseudo-gift certificate.
Which HD-DVD player has the best integral SD scaling function? I've got a Moome ISS HDMI input card I intend to use, but will soon be considering a Fury for several reasons.
I'd like to do away with scalers and lots of wiring, and recalled that some Toshibas have nice internal scalers. Any recomendations? |
Did they catch wind that you were about to tell them to piss up a rope and they threw you a bone? 
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Chip
A Barco is only a AmPro with training wheels
Card carrying member of the AVS chain gang.
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stefuel
Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 3353
Location: Green Harbor MA USA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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Oh, btw they threw me a rather substantial bone for xmas................................she took it 
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Chip
A Barco is only a AmPro with training wheels
Card carrying member of the AVS chain gang.
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Heywood Jablome
Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 1548
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:09 am Post subject: |
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I'm still going to tell them to piss up a rope. But not before my expense reports are in!
_________________
"Those countries which lag behind in industry, in the application of mechanics and technical chemistry, in the careful selection and utilization of natural products, where the respect for such activities does not permeate all classes of society, will unfailingly decline in prosperity. They will sink faster when neighbor states, with an energetic exchange between science and industry, go forward with renewed vitality."
-- Baron Alexander von Humboldt: 1769-1859
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paw
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 1176
Location: Arvada, CO
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:14 am Post subject: |
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XA2. It has the Silicon Graphic chip. More $ than the A35 but should beat it in SD scaling.
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Aubrey
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jask
Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 10187
Location: kamloops BC
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:31 am Post subject: |
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look at that!! you do not need to go to the store to be upsold 
The HD-A35 looked really good to me, but I would like to see it side by side with the XA2.
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:13 am Post subject: |
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Someone needs to start a thread dedicated to the Pro's and Con's of HD DVD and Blu-ray players. Its had to keep up with what shortcomings player X has and player Y does not have. So, the A2 and A3 only allow for stereo output on S/PDIF, but this isn't the case if one uses HDMI output, right? Same for the PS3? What about the A20/30?
BTW, why is it important to have analog outputs? Is this for those that will do not wish no external processing of the audio?
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Trust no one. Absolutely no one. Advice of the board.
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papalek
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 1536
Location: Longs SC
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:29 am Post subject: |
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The A2 gives you the option of PCM (stereo) or Bitstream on the S/PDIF.
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My current list of PJ's AmPro 1 1/2-4600,4200, 1/2-3600,2600.
I do love my AmPro's
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Heywood Jablome
Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 1548
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:40 am Post subject: |
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| WanMan wrote: |
BTW, why is it important to have analog outputs? Is this for those that will do not wish no external processing of the audio? |
I have a fairly substantial investment in the stereo audio portion of the HT (NAD T763 receiver, RG Dynamics RG20 dynamic de-compressor, and Klipsch LaScala mains.)
The T763 won't decode digital streams and feed them out the tape loop connector, which is required for the RG20 to function. I have not tried the 7.1 input to see whether it'll properly feed the mains when "TAPE MONITOR" is selected.
_________________
"Those countries which lag behind in industry, in the application of mechanics and technical chemistry, in the careful selection and utilization of natural products, where the respect for such activities does not permeate all classes of society, will unfailingly decline in prosperity. They will sink faster when neighbor states, with an energetic exchange between science and industry, go forward with renewed vitality."
-- Baron Alexander von Humboldt: 1769-1859
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Z-Photo
Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 2749
Location: Huntsville - Alabama
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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$250
Thats is one nice t*tties and ass viewing. Go to mons venus in tampa - they take all kinds of payments.......
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The Only GOOD AMPRO - is a Dead AMPRO.
wait - are they not all DEAD already?
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Heywood Jablome
Joined: 12 Mar 2006
Posts: 1548
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject: |
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Spent that and more at the Great Alaskan Bush Company in Phoenix last week  The groom (yes, my new brother in law) got to see more a$$ than Ron Jeremy and got so drunk he was found on the floor of the bathroom the next morning (I was designated driver.)
Altho, in retrospect, it should probably be The Great Brazilian Bush Company 
_________________
"Those countries which lag behind in industry, in the application of mechanics and technical chemistry, in the careful selection and utilization of natural products, where the respect for such activities does not permeate all classes of society, will unfailingly decline in prosperity. They will sink faster when neighbor states, with an energetic exchange between science and industry, go forward with renewed vitality."
-- Baron Alexander von Humboldt: 1769-1859
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garyfritz
Joined: 08 Apr 2006
Posts: 12088
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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| papalek wrote: | | The A2 gives you the option of PCM (stereo) or Bitstream on the S/PDIF. |
I noticed that. I assume Bitstream gives you full 7.1 through the S/PDIF?
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papalek
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 1536
Location: Longs SC
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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| garyfritz wrote: | | papalek wrote: | | The A2 gives you the option of PCM (stereo) or Bitstream on the S/PDIF. |
I noticed that. I assume Bitstream gives you full 7.1 through the S/PDIF? |
Actually according to the manual it is the "Core" DTS and Dolby digital in 5.1
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My current list of PJ's AmPro 1 1/2-4600,4200, 1/2-3600,2600.
I do love my AmPro's
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draganm
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 8990
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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| papalek wrote: | | The A2 gives you the option of PCM (stereo) or Bitstream on the S/PDIF. |
I thought SPDIF was co-axial? My A2 only has an Optical and stereo out. I actually had to run to wal-fart on thanksgiving and buy my first optical audio cable to hook up the A2 ( at least they were open).
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garyfritz
Joined: 08 Apr 2006
Posts: 12088
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:31 pm Post subject: |
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S/PDIF defines a protocol and two different hardware formats: coax and optical (TOSlink). See e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S/PDIF .
I bought cables at Walmart too -- it was less of a ripoff than Ratshack or BestBuy -- but I decided I could wait a few days so I returned them and placed an order at monoprice.com. Cost less than half as much, probably better quality, and I'd much rather support monoprice than the Evil Empire.
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GEBrown
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 729
Location: Denver
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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I agree it's hard to keep up with the differences in the Toshiba HD-DVD players. There's lots of information in the HD-DVD Hardware forum over on AVS - yes that place does have its pluses. But yes, there's lots of opinions over there, too. And opinions are like ******* - oops, I mean BellyButtons - everyone's got one.
The HD-XA2 is touted as still being the "flagship" model. It has the internal Reon (spelling?) chip that is supposed to be superior for SD-DVD upscaling. It also has the 5.1 audio outputs, I'm pretty sure. That has been the only way, except HDMI to get "True Dolby HD" (may not be the exact phrase) and the equivalent DTS audio outputs (DTS-MA?) until lately. But I "think" the newest firmware upgrade on the HD-A35 now allows True Dolby and DTS-MA out of the S/PDIF ports. Maybe on one or two of the other Gen2 or Gen3 players.
Unfortunately, you can't get an HD-XA2 for $250 not used or otherwise - at least not one that works. They are running at least $450 "gently" used. But it seems you can't touch an A35 for $250 either.
But many find that they were worried about good upscaling for their old SD-DVD's and now find that they simply don't watch them anymore, because the HD-DVD's really ARE that much better.
Other than the upscaling ability of the HD-XA2, no one has seen much difference in the HD PQ of the different players, just improvements in the audio processing/outputs and some slightly faster boot up and load times.
I have a simple HD-D1 (all-black version of the HD-A1) and I love it!
My 2 cents
Gary
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draganm
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 8990
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 7:43 pm Post subject: |
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well alrighty then, learn something new everyday
| garyfritz wrote: | | I bought cables at Walmart too -- it was less of a ripoff than Ratshack or BestBuy -- but I decided I could wait a few days so I returned them and placed an order at monoprice.com. Cost less than half as much, probably better quality, and I'd much rather support monoprice than the Evil Empire. |
I actually got a nice Pannasonic toslink for $18. including tax on Thanksgiving day, so ( for once) I was happy walking out of wal-mart. I doubt it's an "audiophile" cable but then that term doesn't really apply to a digital device anyway. As far as I could tell the audio levels from my 5 channels were the same as the co-axial SPDIF feed from my HTPC sound-card.
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garyfritz
Joined: 08 Apr 2006
Posts: 12088
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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| papalek wrote: | | garyfritz wrote: | | papalek wrote: | | The A2 gives you the option of PCM (stereo) or Bitstream on the S/PDIF. |
I noticed that. I assume Bitstream gives you full 7.1 through the S/PDIF? |
Actually according to the manual it is the "Core" DTS and Dolby digital in 5.1 |
OK, then I must be doing something wrong. I just hooked up my HD-A2 through my Onkyo HTR510 receiver. I've got the A2 set to Bitstream S/PDIF output, and the Onkyo says it's in DTS mode (which seems to be the best option). And all I'm getting is stereo out of the front speakers. No surround, no rear. (Though from your comment and the table on p. 34 of the manual, I guess DTS is only 5.1 & therefore has no rear?) Any guesses what I might be doing wrong?
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