orangerunner

I have a couple of players that may need the firmware upgrade. The old links to the Toshiba website are no longer valid.

Is there another method online for getting these? Does Toshiba still supply discs?

islandclaws

I don't know if Toshiba still supplies the discs, but I'm sure a Google search might turn up a website or two that hosts the file.

Gizmo

Have you tried connecting the player with an Ethernet cord? All HD DVD players have them.

Swinger

I found them on the Toshiba support website just now under "download."

orangerunner

Thanks guys, I got it from the Toshiba Canada website.

Should have done that before Google.

Alan Smithee

The ethernet doesn't work for getting firmware anymore- you just get a message saying "Can not find out server." I've got most of the firmwares saved on CD-ROMs- BTW in case you didn't know, the A2, A20, A30 and A35 can be made region-free and PAL-capable for standard DVDs.

E Unit

Don't suppose you'd like to tell us, would you? I have an A3. Might as well make use of it.

Dan

I never updated my A1 to 4.0. But I also haven't turned it on in two years, since my HTPC plays HD-DVDs. Damn thing probably isn't even worth trying to sell at this point.

Gizmo

Aside from the XA2 and XA1, the A1 is probably like $50-70. Only like 30k or so were made.

Raging_Bull

The Toshiba A3 iso I just downloaded today & burned to a CD-R worked perfectly on my good-ol' granny unit. (I have apx. 70 titles & I refuse to let them go to waste or "triple-dip" (consumers who bought a film on DVD then HD DVD then Blu Ray) if I can prevent it...
The problem is (even w/4.0) -- the update does NOTHING to UNDO the MAJOR problems with Warner Bros. HD DVDs "FREEZING-UP"... *** Avoid buying any more HD DVDs as they themselves (@ Warner) don't even want to discuss their poor quality HD DVD formatting process, trust me, it's bad...
I spoke to Warner Bros. all morning long using 4 different phone numbers, because after-all, Warner Bros. was one of HD DVDs biggest "pushers/marketers" of the format; if not THE BIGGEST (what a waste of cell-time, lol, I should've know better, they just want us all to "triple-dip" and "go Blu")...
I'm afraid there may not be any other choice however because their HD DVDs are so poorly made/manufactured, BUT Universals, Paramounts, others play JUST fine & look & sound wonderful now w/4.0...
So noooooo, DON'T TRASH your HD DVD player... Upgrade to 4.0 with the A3 iso and you'll be fine. If you want a copy of my new Toshiba A3 4.0 upgrade iso (assuming you have one), I'd gladly send it to anyone who asks & wants it sent as an attachment...
It was VERY difficult to find a trustworthy site to grab it & a lot of hard work & effort was put forth to my research & I dare not post it anywhere (I don't want to be responsible for flooding the site where I got a "working" download of the iso or possibly cause chaos (e.g., inadvertently "sparking off" some HD-DVD "hater-hacker" spending their precious time spoiling a "good thing" for everyone else here or elsewhere who enjoy/collect both formats & are avid film buffs)... If anyone has questions about the Toshiba HD-A3 4.0 Firmware Upgrade iso, I'd be glad to answer them for you.

BuckNaked2k

Love my XA2!

orangerunner

I assumed Toshiba wouldn't even have the updates after three years. I Googled it though and found links in various HiDef forums but came up with just expired ones.

The Toshiba Canada website had all of the 4.0 updates, which I think is the same update for all the A2 and newer machines.

Here it is:

http://support.toshiba.ca/support/ce...oads/index.asp

I don't think it'll cause any chaos from anti HDDVD types!

I've had a few freeze-up issues but were usually repaired by cleaning the disc. The scratch-resistant coating on Blu is definitely an asset!

A Clockwork Orange freezes up at the 55:00 mark, which seems to be the norm for that title.

Alan Smithee

The A3 can't be made region-free- the A30 and A35 are the only last-generation players that can.

The freezing problems on Warner discs are due to bad manufacturing. I had collected almost every US HD-DVD title released and didn't get around to watching many of them until later, it was only then I found out how bad this problem is- it's on par with the first DiscoVision laserdiscs. Through persistence I've been able to find working copies of most of them. Once I get them all replaced I'll send all the bad discs to Warner in a box and tell them they can either give me SOMETHING for them or I just won't buy any more of their media products.

Raging_Bull

Hi Orangerunner, I see you're from Vancouver, BC (CA), so I'm assuming (just assuming is all) that you bought your Toshiba player in Canada or maybe AMZN.CA??? I wont presume to know the differences, if any, between Toshiba HD DVD players to be gotten/sold/distributed there (or where Canadian Toshiba players are manufactured -- in addition, some, not all, distributed Canadian players (not just Toshiba's), whether they're DVD, HD-DVD or BLU-RAY ones, are even "Region-Free" units up there that can run off PAL, NTSC or both)... All I know is MY player and it's "roots", & I don't know if we can say for certain that we both know Toshiba Canada Firmware updates will be compatible with U.S. bought & distributed players like mine ... Those updates COULD very well be, per say, "universal" ones, I'm not sure, and IF NOT they could potentially "screw-up" some poor soul's player PERMANENTLY ... I was unaware of any Canadian Toshiba website with Firmware DLs, but if anyone was "paranoid" like I was about upgrading at all (because I already knew the source of my player's problem -- it dislikes Warner Bros manufactured HD DVDs (for GOOD reason too; they're cheaply made utilizing noted sup-par, flaw-filled production software) & plays all others - Dreamworks, Universal, Paramount, etc. just fine (so I pick up any Warner Bros HD titles on Blu Ray now). For people here in the states, I'd say: "try those Canadian firmware upgrades @ your own risk..." If anyone wants my U.S. Toshiba HD-A3 4.0 Firmware Upgrade iso, just send an e-mail and I'll attach it back to you; do realize I'm a bit slow about checking my web-based emails, but I'll try my best to be quicker about it (since this post & me being a DVDTalk 'newbie' an' all, lol)

RobLutter

I made my A2 region-free... it was a WHILE back but I seem to remember loading the UK firmware on my US device. It plays PAL DVDs, but it does not convert PAL. Works for me, as my TV also does PAL natively. That said, my A2 has been in the closet in a box with my HD-DVDs left to rust for the last 2 years

orangerunner

I would imagine all North American machines all came from the same factories overseas.

Canada has a separate warranty and they toss in a French language owner's manual.

Alan Smithee

If you have a player region-free, it thinks it's a European model so you DON'T ever want to update it with US or Canada firmware after that (there is a way to roll it back to its original firmware if that's what you want to do). I bricked an A2 that way- it loaded the firmware but afterwards was stuck on "WELCOME" when you turned it on and would never start up. I took the drive out and threw out the rest of the player.

Raging_Bull

It really is a "tough-call" as pointed out by Alan, Orange, and myself (above). Again, I have to say "upgrade your U.S. Toshiba Unit with any Canadian iso's at your own risk." If I wasn't "scared" about using them; I probably would try one -- as LONG as I had a way to get my original firmware back (a rollback iso) if the Canadian Firmware didn't work. So, just "go with your gut" on any Toshiba Canada Firmware Upgrades.

redbigguy

Could I trouble you to share your firmware for the Toshiba HD DVD A3? Please I need a copy of it asap. [email protected] Thank you

wakwak007

Nice to hear others are still using their HD-DVD players. I have the A-35 and from what I'm hearing, I thankfully didn't buy many Warner Bros discs. I also have a 4.0 firmware that Toshiba sent me should anyone need it.

RocShemp

I'm still rocking my HD-A2.

Gizmo

Watched Seed of Chucky last week on my 360 add-on (holy shit that thing is loud. Guess I'm used to super-quite now).

orangerunner

Funny to see this thread resurrected. I just watched Dazed and Confused last night on HDDVD for its 20th anniversary from when I saw it for the first time in the theatre.

I just bought an additional A3 player I found at a church sale for $4. I plugged it in, updated the firmware and it worked perfectly. That's machine #6 for me! Couldn't resist it for $4.

JimRochester

Mine are still running strong. I have one in the family room, one in the bedroom and one brand new in the box. I should be set for years. (knock on wood) no problems with any discs. I did double dip on some Blu's because I had some U&S coupons I needed to use so a few titles I have both formats.

zyzzle

Still rocking on with my HD-XA2! It is built very well. Still pop an occasional HD-DVD in there. I just watched OMEGA MAN the other night. However, its main use nowadays is for the excellent upconversion of DVDs.

A week or so ago, I found a mint condition A35 at Salvation Army for $10. Updated the firmware to 4.0, and now I've got a great backup player if my XA2 should ever give up the ghost. I think it'll last longer than all my other components combined, though!