HD updating firmware

[baggio]

I hear you have to update these Toshiba's HD players. Regardless of how easy it could be, thats why I'm not buying a HD or Blu-ray player yet. How can they sell these things with updates still coming?

Here's a (not mine) review on the Toshiba HD-A20 player:

"When I first got this player, I was amazed at the HD DVD playback. But it had a long boot time and standard DVD playback was average. I have kept up with the firmware update. Version 1.5 did not do much. 2.0 dramatically improved standard DVD playback. I kid you not - it is almost high def (like more than 95%). Version 2.2 has cut the boot time in half. I am waiting for v2.5 which will add 24 fps support (although my TV lacks this feature). I have only owned my player for 5 months and I have updated it 3 times. Toshiba support is outstanding. I also own a Sony BDP-S300. Blu-Ray playback is similar to HD DVD but standard DVD upconversion is terrible. Also Blu-Ray Java is inferior to HD DVD when it comes to menus and extra features. I have updated my Sony one time but I have yet to notice any improvement."


Thats 3 updates and a 4th on the way in 5 months. That all affected the playback qualities. What about the people that don't know about this? They must think their players stink. Either way, this should not be.

[Reverenddave]

I love the firmware updates. If a problem pops up, they fix it. I don't have to worry about sending it back to the factory or getting stuck with an obsolete out-of-date player.

I remember the first couple gens of DVD players. The first and second gen players couldn't handle dual layer DVDs or seamless branching. My old 3rd gen player can't read blank discs. I ended up junking those players. If they could've been fixed with a simple 2-3 minute firmware update, I might still be using them today.

[Reverenddave]

What about the people that don't know about this? They must think their players stink.

Firmware updates are covered pretty well in the instruction booklet. Almost all the feature packed discs have a slip of paper inside the case that says firmware needs to be up-to-date. And my PS3 forces me to update the firmware when there's a new version.

So anyone with a HD player that doesn't know about firmware, is probably a moron that's hooked the player up to a standard TV using RCA cables.

[Damed]

Also, this is a NEW technology. New technologies always have growing pains, this is no differnt.

Kudos to HD DVD for being to support the new features/implementations via firmware, wheres most stand alone bluray players CANNOT be updated to include new features. (Profile 1.0, profile 1.1 and profile 2.0 are all completely different and for the most part [PS3 possibly excluded] aren't upgradable)

[X-human]

My old 3rd gen player can't read blank discs.

And your 4th gen can? Does it sense whatever you write on the top of the disk with marker and then recreate the contents that should be on the disc? ;)

most stand alone bluray players CANNOT be updated to include new features. (Profile 1.0, profile 1.1 and profile 2.0 are all completely different and for the most part [PS3 possibly excluded] aren't upgradable)

Well for now that remains to be seen how many can handle 1.1. Since PS3s make up the vast majority of players it's safe to say more players probably can handle it then can't.

[Damed]

And your 4th gen can? Does it sense whatever you write on the top of the disk with marker and then recreate the contents that should be on the disc? ;)



Well for now that remains to be seen how many can handle 1.1. Since PS3s make up the vast majority of players it's safe to say more players probably can handle it then can't.

Agreed on the PS3.

It's the standalones that have the potential issue.