Toshiba offers fix for HD DVD glitches

Firmware upgrades improve HDMI connectivity, picture, sound

By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 6/12/2006

JUNE 12 | Toshiba is offering firmware upgrades to address certain glitches with its HD DVD players.

Owners of Toshiba models HD-XA1, HD-A1 and HD-D1 can access the upgrade by using their players’ high-speed Internet Ethernet connection.

The downloaded software should improve problems associated with the players’ HDMI connectivity, which allows for maximized video quality. Also, image pixilation and noise interruptions during disc playback should also be resolved.

Users of the first players have reported long start times, some freezing while films play and other glitches.

For those who don’t have broadband service, Toshiba customer service will mail discs containing the firmware upgrade.

The firmware can be retrieved at http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/dvd/hddvd.asp by clicking on the customer support button at the top of the page.

“As with DVD was 9 years ago, there are always going to be updates needed,” Toshiba VP marketing Jodi Sally said. “This is nothing new. The great thing about these players is the Ethernet connection. So it’s easier for consumers to perform the upgrades themselves.”

Sally reports that the firmware is indeed fixing player problems.

“Just from reading some of the [Web consumer] forums, it’s made a remarkable improvement already,” Sally said.

Some users reported that the update cut startup times and fixes the freeze play problem and HDMI connection problems.

Users on various HD forums reported the updates took about 30 minutes or more to download.

Additional reporting by Jennifer Netherby