New Toshiba HD DVD Players In October?

[Ian]

According to Crave, we could see Toshiba's third gen HD DVD players in October. Could this be the reason why Toshiba has continued their $100 off promotion?

http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9753816-1.html

Toshiba hasn't made any official announcements, but some early Amazon product pages seem to indicate there will be three new HD DVD players released on October 1: Toshiba HD-A3, Toshiba HD-A30, and Toshiba HD-A35. From the admittedly limited details available on the Amazon pages, there doesn't seem to be any big shakeups to Toshiba's HD DVD line--there are three models, with the entry-level model lacking 1080p output. Interestingly, there's no HD-XA3, which would be the logical successor to the current HD-XA2, so perhaps Toshiba has ditched that naming scheme or maybe there's an additional flagship model. We're also a little surprised by the HD-A3's pricing, as we were hoping to see HD DVD player prices drop even further to undercut rival Blu-ray players. We'll almost certainly get more details about these players at CEDIA next month, so check back for more information.

Links:

Toshiba HD-A3 ($299) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000U6 ... B000U62N1S
Toshiba HD-A30 ($399) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000U6 ... B000U6AHYS
Toshiba HD-A35 ($499) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000U6 ... B000U6AHZW

[Grain]

Amazon has pulled all that info. ie links dead, no info when you search.
One piece of advice I'll give to anyone buying a HD player of either format, make sure you get one that has a built in audio decoder with analog audio outs(rca). Unless you have one of the few a/v receivers that has hdmi audio in, you'll need it to take advantage of PCM &/or Dolby TrueHD lossless audio tracks.

[Wesociety]

I wonder what the improvements will be over the 2nd gen models. Most people are speculating that these will probably be a smaller form factor and less expensive parts compared to the current models.

[Ian]

Toshiba has officially announced them:

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stori ... 654&EDATE=

Toshiba's third generation family starts with the entry level HD-A3 player featuring 1080i output capability. The other two new models, Toshiba's HD-A30 and HD-A35, will output 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080p), the highest HD signal currently available. Both models are capable of outputing signals at 1080p/24 frames per second so consumers can enjoy movies in their native frame rate. The HD-A30 and HD-A35 models also feature "CE-Link" (HDMI-CEC), allowing two- way control between the HD DVD player and a TV through an HDMI connection.

The top-of-the-line HD-A35 also adds support for Deep Color via HDMI allowing compatible display devices to deliver outstanding video quality - displaying millions of possible colors to billions of possible colors.

Additionally, the HD-A35 offers 5.1 channel analog output and High Bit Rate Audio (up to 7.1 channel) via HDMI. With content encoded in 7.1ch, this advanced surround sound is achieved through the HDMI connection bypassing the player's internal audio processor and sending the signal to a 7.1 capable A/V receiver. High Bit Rate Audio will allow the consumer to integrate the HD-A35 with the latest multi-channel A/V receivers and enjoy a whole new dimension of high definition home entertainment.

All of Toshiba's third generation HD DVD players are refined with new cosmetic designs. Rounded edges, slim chassis (only 59.5 mm - nearly half as tall as first generation players) and high gloss, black acrylic face plates create very sleek devices - a perfect complement to Toshiba's award winning REGZA® HD LCD televisions.