Toshiba A3 or A30 as upscalers

vfowler · 02-19-2008, 07:46 PM

I have purchased, over the past year or so, 3 upscaling DVD players. The last being the Toshiba A30. The Toshiba beat the other two by a wide margin. Why can't Toshiba continue to market the A3 as just an upscaling DVD player and keep the capability to play HD-DVD? I do have the A30 than can run 1080p but I cannot tell the difference when I change it to 1080i so the A3 might be just as good. If they could do that and just market it as a DVD player with HD-DVD capability it would not leave the early Toshiba supporters without a device to play the current HD-DVD library of movies. I for one am afraid to buy any more movies without some kind of backup plan like that. If they could continue to manufacture the units and continue to lower the price from time to time the products could have a pretty long life. I'd rather see something like that rather than take another unknown risk on Bluray. Just like HD-DVD, Bluray could fail to take over the SD=DVDs and we could see the same outcome.

markfoto · 02-26-2008, 04:40 AM

I bought a Samsung BDP-UP5000 at BB the other day; Toshiba A3s were pyramid stacked on the floor, and the pitch card said " Toshiba A3 Upscaling DVD Player (Plays HD DVDs also)"

mobiushky · 02-26-2008, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vfowler

I have purchased, over the past year or so, 3 upscaling DVD players. The last being the Toshiba A30. The Toshiba beat the other two by a wide margin. Why can't Toshiba continue to market the A3 as just an upscaling DVD player and keep the capability to play HD-DVD? I do have the A30 than can run 1080p but I cannot tell the difference when I change it to 1080i so the A3 might be just as good. If they could do that and just market it as a DVD player with HD-DVD capability it would not leave the early Toshiba supporters without a device to play the current HD-DVD library of movies. I for one am afraid to buy any more movies without some kind of backup plan like that. If they could continue to manufacture the units and continue to lower the price from time to time the products could have a pretty long life. I'd rather see something like that rather than take another unknown risk on Bluray. Just like HD-DVD, Bluray could fail to take over the SD=DVDs and we could see the same outcome.

Becasue they are losing money selling them at $150 and now the price is down to below $100. They already have a line of upscalers on the market. It would not be a fiscally responsible thing to do. That and they have already announced that they have stopped all production. As much as we would love it, it isn't going to happen.

**bruceames** · 02-26-2008, 09:59 AM

No doubt that at under $100, they are worth it for the upscaling alone. I think many people don't realize how well these players actually upscale.

Super XP · 02-26-2008, 12:24 PM

They are both great up-scalers. So either way you go you cannot go wrong. I have both and they work flawlessly.

**PFC5** · 02-26-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobiushky

Becasue they are losing money selling them at $150 and now the price is down to below $100. They already have a line of upscalers on the market. It would not be a fiscally responsible thing to do. That and they have already announced that they have stopped all production. As much as we would love it, it isn't going to happen.

I would imagine they have gotten the cost of just mfg the A3 down to under $100.00, but the marketing (no longer needed), licensing, etc, would raise the costs. Without the marketing costs, and if the license fees get eliminated (or reduced to SD DVD rates), they could still make a small profit possibly. Not as much as regular upscalers, but there might be something there. We will likely never know for sure what they actually cost to make now.

mobiushky · 02-26-2008, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFC5

I would imagine they have gotten the cost of just mfg the A3 down to under $100.00, but the marketing (no longer needed), licensing, etc, would raise the costs. Without the marketing costs, and if the license fees get eliminated (or reduced to SD DVD rates), they could still make a small profit possibly. Not as much as regular upscalers, but there might be something there. We will likely never know for sure what they actually cost to make now.

But then Toshiba already has a line of upscalers on the market at a much lower price. It would not make business sense for them to produce a more costly device with non-essential capabilities at a higher price to compete with what they already have. Even if the A3 does actually cost $100 to make (which BTW means they were ripping us off at $300 a month ago), they are still losing money since they are selling now for under $100. Toshiba is not stupid. They are not going to appease anyone but the accountants right now. They are going to stop making them and stop including the HD-DVD capability. We can all dream about what we would like, but it isn't going to happen.

**PFC5** · 02-26-2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobiushky

But then Toshiba already has a line of upscalers on the market at a much lower price. It would not make business sense for them to produce a more costly device with non-essential capabilities at a higher price to compete with what they already have. Even if the A3 does actually cost $100 to make (which BTW means they were ripping us off at $300 a month ago), they are still losing money since they are selling now for under $100. Toshiba is not stupid. They are not going to appease anyone but the accountants right now. They are going to stop making them and stop including the HD-DVD capability. We can all dream about what we would like, but it isn't going to happen.

And that would also mean the BD player mfg are ripping us off even more (which is likely), since the cost difference is no more than about $50.00 at most to make a BD player over a HD DVD player.

mobiushky · 02-26-2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFC5

And that would also mean the BD player mfg are ripping us off even more (which is likely), since the cost difference is no more than about $50.00 at most to make a BD player over a HD DVD player.

Why do you have to bring BD into this? I made no mention of that. I was talking about Toshiba. I honestly don't think they were ripping us off at $300. I think they were losing a ton at $150, but were doing it to clear out the inventory.

anythingwt · 02-26-2008, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PFC5

And that would also mean the BD player mfg are ripping us off even more (which is likely), since the cost difference is no more than about $50.00 at most to make a BD player over a HD DVD player.

That is very interesting.. I didn't know that. Why is it then that they cost so much? If your statement is true, you would think that the BD camp would have been more inclined to get more competitive on player prices. They still won either way, but that would have have put them on the same level as one of HD DVDs biggest selling points.

Bravestime · 02-26-2008, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobiushky

Why do you have to bring BD into this? I made no mention of that. I was talking about Toshiba. I honestly don't think they were ripping us off at $300. I think they were losing a ton at $150, but were doing it to clear out the inventory.

Must be the Sony hatred mentality!

jswerve · 02-27-2008, 01:54 PM

I bought the A3 for upscaling and it is amazing. Looks as good as my OPPO 970 if not better.

EdwardTheHead · 02-27-2008, 02:35 PM

I bought the 30 just to upconvert as well. Now I'm just waiting for some of the HD movies to drop in price so I can pick some up. So far the few movies I have watched have looked great. My brother-in-law thinks I'm crazy, but for $130 it's worth it.

**PFC5** · 02-27-2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobiushky

Why do you have to bring BD into this? I made no mention of that. I was talking about Toshiba. I honestly don't think they were ripping us off at $300. I think they were losing a ton at $150, but were doing it to clear out the inventory.

I brought it up because YOU said HD DVD/Toshiba was ripping people off when they charged $300.00. I was just connecting the dots for BD as well using YOUR logic.

You did say "Even if the A3 does actually cost $100 to make (which BTW means they were ripping us off at $300 a month ago)"

The point is that more goes into the cost of a player than just the mfg cost. Toshiba likely being basically the sole mfg of HD DVD players COULD get their costs down faster because they made ALL the players, while BD mfg all split the volume of BD players sold.

e30cabrio · 02-27-2008, 02:46 PM

I bought an A30 months ago. It has worked flawlessly and makes regular DVDs look great.

During this time I had 2 Samsung 1400's, 2 Sony 300's & two Sharp 20U's and I am currently waiting for another Sharp from Sharp.

Having this player allowed me to buy HDDVDs that were not available on BD and it has been much more reliable than three other brands of BD players.

02-19-2008, 07:46 PM	#1
vfowler High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 48	Toshiba A3 or A30 as upscalers I have purchased, over the past year or so, 3 upscaling DVD players. The last being the Toshiba A30. The Toshiba beat the other two by a wide margin. Why can't Toshiba continue to market the A3 as just an upscaling DVD player and keep the capability to play HD-DVD? I do have the A30 than can run 1080p but I cannot tell the difference when I change it to 1080i so the A3 might be just as good. If they could do that and just market it as a DVD player with HD-DVD capability it would not leave the early Toshiba supporters without a device to play the current HD-DVD library of movies. I for one am afraid to buy any more movies without some kind of backup plan like that. If they could continue to manufacture the units and continue to lower the price from time to time the products could have a pretty long life. I'd rather see something like that rather than take another unknown risk on Bluray. Just like HD-DVD, Bluray could fail to take over the SD=DVDs and we could see the same outcome.

02-26-2008, 04:40 AM	#2
markfoto Ah, HDTV Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West of the Rockies, from Montana to Mexico Posts: 178	I bought a Samsung BDP-UP5000 at BB the other day; Toshiba A3s were pyramid stacked on the floor, and the pitch card said " Toshiba A3 Upscaling DVD Player (Plays HD DVDs also)" __________________ In My Motorhome: Panasonic TH-42PHD7UY Plasma Monitor (w/Component and HDMI blades) Samsung BDP-UP5000 Duo Format Player Panasonic XR55K Receiver Polk Surround Bar Polk sub Dish Network ViP 211 receiver 1000.2 dish Harmony 880 remote 51 HD DVDs 12 Blu Ray discs

02-26-2008, 09:59 AM	#4
bruceames Moderator Join Date: May 2006 Location: San Rafael, CA Posts: 10,171	No doubt that at under $100, they are worth it for the upscaling alone. I think many people don't realize how well these players actually upscale. __________________ Blu-rays: 55 Latest purchases: John Adams, Gone With the Wind, Up, Rocky: The Undisputed Collection

02-26-2008, 12:24 PM	#5
Super XP Star Trek: The Movie! Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Toronto, ON. Canada Posts: 5,776	They are both great up-scalers. So either way you go you cannot go wrong. I have both and they work flawlessly. __________________ Toshiba Regza 46" HDTV (46RF350U) LCD 1080p/24p Toshiba HD-A35 / HD-A3 / XD-E500 LG GGC-H20L Super Multi / PC Drive Onkyo TX-SR605 7.1 TrueHD/DTS HD MA Precision Acoustics™ 8Ch. Hi Def Loudspeaker Series DVD's = 200 = 130 = 10

02-27-2008, 01:54 PM	#12
jswerve High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Midwest Posts: 96	I bought the A3 for upscaling and it is amazing. Looks as good as my OPPO 970 if not better. __________________ Samsung 5687W HDTV TOSHIBA HD-A3 HD DVD Player VIP 622 HD-DVR Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver Polk audio CSR Center Polk audio R50 L/R front Polk audio R150 Rear

02-27-2008, 02:35 PM	#13
EdwardTheHead High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gaithersburg, MD 20878 Posts: 48	I bought the 30 just to upconvert as well. Now I'm just waiting for some of the HD movies to drop in price so I can pick some up. So far the few movies I have watched have looked great. My brother-in-law thinks I'm crazy, but for $130 it's worth it.

02-27-2008, 02:46 PM	#15
e30cabrio High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 123	I bought an A30 months ago. It has worked flawlessly and makes regular DVDs look great. During this time I had 2 Samsung 1400's, 2 Sony 300's & two Sharp 20U's and I am currently waiting for another Sharp from Sharp. Having this player allowed me to buy HDDVDs that were not available on BD and it has been much more reliable than three other brands of BD players.

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