Little Ditty On The Toshiba HDA3 HD-DVD Player

[ed klein]

Any non-CSS-encrypted DVD will play at 1080 through component, and ALL DVDs will play at 1080 through HDMI. With non-encrypted DVD's, the A3 will output 1080 through component and HDMI at the same time. With CSS-encrypted DVDs, it will output 1080 through HDMI and black screen through component. If no HDMI is connected, you get the 480 output through component on CSS discs.

[rago88]

good to know..
on the other hand,

hassle free..
plays any dvd encrpyted/non encrypted and upconverts to 1080i/1080p or close enough that you cannot tell thru component hookup.
Baically for people like me with a Panasonic Plasma that came with only 1 HDMI that I had to use for HD Cable box to tv setup.

http://www.helios-labs.com/us/products/hline/index_hline.shtml?gclid=CJnBpJO8n5ACFQMsFQod53rZ6Q

[admin]

If you can use HDMI, use it because I find that it provides a much better quality unless you are using $50+ component cables.

ed klein: Does the HD-A3 have settings for the HDMI output like on the PS3 (you can select RGB output, normal or full range mode)?

The lack of 1080p output mode on the HD-A3 is really not much of a problem at all. For people without 1080p native res TVs, it makes no differences. For people with 1080p native res TVs, it normally makes no difference either unless you need the 1080p/24 output mode.

The HD-A30 adds 1080p. The HD-A35 adds audio bitstream output mode (has HDMI 1.3 support). The HD-XA2 includes the best video processor/DVD upscaler currently available (usually found in $2000+ devices).

[tigerman8u]

Do you know if the HDA2 will upconvert to 1080 using the component output