Will Dolby-HD and DTS-HD require HDMI to run, or will it work over optical/iLink?

There isn't enough bandwidth via optical. So, yes, you need HDMI (and HDMI 1.3, the current versions won't work).

Of course, analog outs would also work... if the player had on-board decoders.

Would iLink (essentially a firewire cable) work? And if I hooked it up by HDMI, I presume I would hook it directly to the receiver, and then from the receiver to the TV, right?

I would guess firewire would have the bandwidth, but I am not certain it would be enabled to transmit the HD-audio on any player (but who knows).

Yeah, you'd route the HDMI through your receiver. However, it could still be months before HDMI 1.3 is approved. Maybe (hopefully) by the end of the year we'll see some HDMI 1.3 devices...

Oh, I wasn't expecting to see HDMI 1.3 receivers yet. Hopefully they're far enough off that I'll be able to have enough money to buy one when they do come out.

I'm guessing that the Sony player would use the iLink, since they invented it, and Pioneer might use it, since their current high-end DVD/SACD players do. But at the moment that's just conjecture on my part.

I'd like to know this as well. Just joined the HD era last night with BB's $1500 Westinghouse 42" LCD monitor. Wasn't even in the market, but I couldn't pass that one up since it is HDCP-compliant and accepts the 1080p input (is that redundant?).

Anyway, thinking of getting an upconverting DVD player, but wondering if my money might be better spent towards an HD-DVD player. Thoughts?

The HD-DVD players will upconvert standard DVDs over HDMI but not component. I expect likewise from Blu-Ray players.

How's the upconversion of this first batch vs a cheaper, DVD version?

According to other reports in this folder (there is at least one thread dedicated to it), people say it (the Toshiba HD-DVDp) upconverts better than the well-regarded Oppo 971 ($200).

I have an Oppo and I love it. But if the Toshiba does a better job, and HD-DVD... well, if I had to re-do that purchase, I'd easily go with the HD-DVDp (at $300 more).

Thanks, mbs. I saw that mentioned as well, probably by you. Just noticed Suprmallet wasn't specifically answered and thought I'd try here as well. Looks like a no-brainer that my next player purchase will be one of these.

Are the current crop of HD-DVD discs 1080p? I know the Toshiba only offers 1080i, but it would be nice to know that down the line with the right player, the discs could be shown at 1080p.

Yes, all of the HD DVDs (from Warner and Universal, anyway) are at 1080p, although three Warner titles -- The Perfect Storm, Full Metal Jacket, and The Fugitive were mastered from older 1080i transfers, and the HD DVDs weren't encoded quite right.

Hmm. Now I really am strongly considering picking up the Toshiba. Damn these HD devices!

There's also the possibility that 1080p will be possible on current players with a firmware upgrade. If you look at the face of the players, there is a 1080p light that has yet to light up.

Gee, if only there were reviews that had information like this...

Sorry, Josh, I generally don't read DVDTalk reviews. C'est la vie. Besides, this is an FAQ thread. It's not as if I can't post questions about HD formats in this thread.

I want to take back what I said. Since that post, I've actually taken a look at quite a few of the DVDTalk HD-DVD reviews. Didn't want to come off as rude.

Well that blows. So it won't show 1080i over component?

I guess I'm not buying an HD-DVD player after all.

You can get 1080i from HD DVDs from Component, but it won't upconvert regular DVDs over Component.

That was the reason I was considering buying an HD-DVD player. Now I'll wait until I have a new TV or Toshiba upgrades their firmware. Too bad.

He meant that you CAN get 1080i from HD DVDs over component, but not SD DVDs.

I don't believe a firmware upgrade will fix it either.

Damn typo! I've edited my last post.

Doesn't matter. He's looking for something to upconvert.

Is this correct:
The current HDDVD players will, as of now, transmit HD signals [1080i] via component cables or HDMI, correct? However, that analog hole could be plugged at any time by studio/release, though there are no current plans to do so.
The HDDVD players do convert SDVD to 1080i reasonably well, but only over HDMI; so if you only have component, you're out of luck. And if your tv is older, and you have DVI, you need to get an HDMI-DVI cable [which means you'd only be sending audio to the tv with that cable], and hope your DVI is compatible with the HDMI/DVI thing.
Is that correct? I know I have asked this before, but I'm dabbling again and this is confusing.

My TV is 1080i and has DVI, but it says "Because DVI is such new technology, the
electronics industry is still working toward a decision on one standard. Philips testing has determined that compatibility issues exist with respect to a limited number of high-definition receivers when they are connected to the DVI input on this television."
"This television is designed to be compatible with high-definition signal standards 1080i
and 480p as specified by the Electronic Industries Association standard EIA770.3."
Assuming my first paragraph is correct, are the HDDVD players compatible with that standard, or does that even mean anything?

Also, I'm seeing some people talking about analog audio. I'm currently using optical audio from my dvd player. My receiver does have "The FRONT, SURROUND, CENTER, and SUBWOOFER jacks can be used to connect a component with an analog multichannel audio output, such as a DVD player with a 5.1-channel analog output." Is this what they are talking about? And is it better than optical audio?