OMFG!!! - $98.87 for Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player at Wal-Mart - Sunday Nov. 4 is supposedly the last day

[jasonja]

Search AVS forums, someone there posted a link to download the ISO of the firmware. I tried and it didn't work (didn't recognize the disc) but I know it worked for some others.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: jasonja
Search AVS forums, someone there posted a link to download the ISO of the firmware. I tried and it didn't work (didn't recognize the disc) but I know it worked for some others.

Follow the instructions in that AVS thread carefully. If you use the wrong burn modes on a PC it won't work. On a Mac, if you try mounting the ISO it won't work, but if you don't mount the ISO it burns fine in Disk Utility (but not Toast).

These are not modified ISOs or anything, as they are straight from Toshiba's website. However, it seems they have a very specific format to it, as evidenced by these burning issues.

Anyways, like I said, my network upgrade worked perfectly (after I turned on DNS and DHCP support, and rebooted).

 

[jlin101]

picked up the last one at my local WalMart--model #HD-DVD A2C (not sure what the C means)--even comes with an HDMI cable. Sweet.

 

[mcmilljb]

I went by my Walmart around noon, and they had plenty still left. I would close to 15 stil there. I might go back and pick one up. It might be best to wait for personal reasons though.

 

[Brule]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Is anyone else surprised that the Toshiba HD DVD player was more popular than the $349 Acer laptop? I could have purchased the Toshiba HD DVD online this morning (Best Buy Business deal) but I wanted it TODAY.

People love their cheap laptops but the HD-DVD deal was hotter IMHO so that's not too surprising. At my store they had sold 3 lappys and NO players at 11AM... till I bought one of both. With the 5 free movie deal (can't wait for Full Metal Jacket to arrive) this was a no-brainer for me, no matter the winner of Format Wars.

I was very surprised the the lack of interest in the plasma. Sanyo may not be a top brand but it's not at the bottom either and at this price is very good in the price/performance ratio. I would have jumped on it but it's a bit too much for what I need. My guess is those interested in a HDTV are waiting for something different as well. (like the 42" Sanyo for $300 off /wish)

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: jlin101
picked up the last one at my local WalMart--model #HD-DVD A2C (not sure what the C means)--even comes with an HDMI cable. Sweet.

I think that was originally a Costco model. Otherwise it's identical, aside from the free HDMI cable.

Most do NOT include the HDMI cable.

 

[fatpat268]

Originally posted by: Brule

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Is anyone else surprised that the Toshiba HD DVD player was more popular than the $349 Acer laptop? I could have purchased the Toshiba HD DVD online this morning (Best Buy Business deal) but I wanted it TODAY.

People love their cheap laptops but the HD-DVD deal was hotter IMHO so that's not too surprising. At my store they had sold 3 lappys and NO players at 11AM... till I bought one of both. With the 5 free movie deal (can't wait for Full Metal Jacket to arrive) this was a no-brainer for me, no matter the winner of Format Wars.

I was very surprised the the lack of interest in the plasma. Sanyo may not be a top brand but it's not at the bottom either and at this price is very good in the price/performance ratio. I would have jumped on it but it's a bit too much for what I need. My guess is those interested in a HDTV are waiting for something different as well. (like the 42" Sanyo for $300 off /wish)

My experience was different. I showed up in Wal Mart at 7:30 this morning expecting all the HD-DVD players to be gone already, no one took any (except for me that is). But there was a pretty long 20 person line waiting for the laptops. I also went to another walmart just a couple of minutes ago, and I was surprised to see they still had about 20 hd-dvd players left.

I was hoping to find a decent seleciton of hddvd movies though... but I didn't. A month ago, I remember my walmart had a ton of hddvd's , but today they had about four movies total in mass quantities (seabiscuit is the only memorable one). Bleh. At least I have netflix.

 

[Mal007colm]

Got to my local Wal-Mart (Westminster, CA) at 7:30 am and even though online it said the store opens at 8 they opened at 7. Store had a pallet of 20 and a line of 30 people. Some had lined up at 4 am. Checked another Wal-mart same deal if your in a heavily populated area your Wal-mart was most likely wiped out like mine. Ended up on Crutchfield when I got to work and picked it up for 129.99, added a $20 off $100 coupon and came to $120.99 shipped. not bad considering My HD-A30 cost me $399. This one (HD-A2) is for the GF.

 

[Shadowknight]

Originally posted by: jasonja
Search AVS forums, someone there posted a link to download the ISO of the firmware. I tried and it didn't work (didn't recognize the disc) but I know it worked for some others.

http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/ta...ces/hddvd2firmware.asp

 

[SocrPlyr]

I didn't see it in here, but Best Buy has the A3 online right now for $199...

Josh

 

[1EZduzit]

I live in a rural area and we just had a Walmart come in a year ago. I just got back from checking it out. They have 2 of the plasma TV's and another on display, but the picture was crappy compared to any of the other HD tv's they have on display, The whites weren't very white and the text was terribly fuzzy.

They had about 20 of the laptops and 30 of the DVD's, but they couldn't find the DVD's. I talked to the head guy and he said they were there someplace and took my name and number. I was only the 2nd guy to even ask about the "secret specials" all day.

 

[imported_nunya]

Got back from Lohman Walmart in Las Cruces, NM, bought 3, still 9 left. They were stacked so high you couldn't see the price behind em, probably why there were so many left. The other Walmart is sold out.

 

[shrumpage]

Originally posted by: Brule

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Is anyone else surprised that the Toshiba HD DVD player was more popular than the $349 Acer laptop? I could have purchased the Toshiba HD DVD online this morning (Best Buy Business deal) but I wanted it TODAY.

People love their cheap laptops but the HD-DVD deal was hotter IMHO so that's not too surprising. At my store they had sold 3 lappys and NO players at 11AM... till I bought one of both. With the 5 free movie deal (can't wait for Full Metal Jacket to arrive) this was a no-brainer for me, no matter the winner of Format Wars.

I was very surprised the the lack of interest in the plasma. Sanyo may not be a top brand but it's not at the bottom either and at this price is very good in the price/performance ratio. I would have jumped on it but it's a bit too much for what I need. My guess is those interested in a HDTV are waiting for something different as well. (like the 42" Sanyo for $300 off /wish)

I live in a rural area, Wal-mart is the only 'box store' that carries big screen TV for 100s of miles. 998 for a 50" plasma? fantastic deal for me. The store only had one, and it was in the back, had to ask for it. Took some time and they got it out.

Just did a quick setup at home with an X-Box 360 component cables, 1080i - looked fantastic - both games and DVDs.

The only problem is we don't have a good setup at in the living room for it - going to have to do some rearranging.

Oh they had the laptops, but no HD-DVD players.

 

[Computergasm]

CC has also lowered their price of the A3 to $199. So, as soon as all the A2's are gone, perhaps the stores will be dumping the A3.

 

[lupi]

Went to one of my local ones after work and they had about 8 on a cart. An offgoing employee was talking to a cashier in electronics about how the sale went and it sounds like there was more than enough people there at the start to buy everything. But later they found another box with some more dvd players and they got put out later, after the sign was taken down. So they lasted abit, although after grabbing my 2 a couple others came by and only 3 left when I walked out.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

For those who missed it, CC has now dropped their price online to $129.99, still in stock.

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage
For those who missed it, CC has now dropped their price online to $129.99, still in stock.

Time to start yet another HD-A2 thread?!?

 

[skyofavalon]

only thing that sucks about this player is no 5.1 analog.I picked one at lunch but probably would of passed on it if I new about that .

For some reason i thought I read somewhere that it had 5.1 analog.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Brule

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Is anyone else surprised that the Toshiba HD DVD player was more popular than the $349 Acer laptop? I could have purchased the Toshiba HD DVD online this morning (Best Buy Business deal) but I wanted it TODAY.

People love their cheap laptops but the HD-DVD deal was hotter IMHO so that's not too surprising. At my store they had sold 3 lappys and NO players at 11AM... till I bought one of both. With the 5 free movie deal (can't wait for Full Metal Jacket to arrive) this was a no-brainer for me, no matter the winner of Format Wars.

I was very surprised the the lack of interest in the plasma. Sanyo may not be a top brand but it's not at the bottom either and at this price is very good in the price/performance ratio. I would have jumped on it but it's a bit too much for what I need. My guess is those interested in a HDTV are waiting for something different as well. (like the 42" Sanyo for $300 off /wish)

btw, the Full Metal Jacket available in that offer is a crappy, crappy transfer. The Kubrick transfers they released last week includes a re-masterd FMJ, and it's way better. same price, too. Honestly, it looks like an upscaled DVD

 

[Eug]

Originally posted by: skyofavalon
only thing that sucks about this player is no 5.1 analog.I picked one at lunch but probably would of passed on it if I new about that .

For some reason i thought I read somewhere that it had 5.1 analog.

Nope. The previous model, the HD-A1 had 5.1 analogue.

The only way to get lossless audio output is via HDMI.

However, I use optical for DTS 5.1, and the sound is excellent.

 

[deepinya]

I couldnt find one but something tells me the price will be $99 come christmas time.

 

[doornail]

I got one but it's aggravating the hell out of me.

It refuses to upconvert DVD's over component video which is pretty much what I bought it for. Why would they even care about scan doubling old content? My widescreen predates HDMI. Crummy bastards.

 

[CMC79]

I impulse bought one this morning when going after the $15 movies. I already had the Xbox player but I'm out of HDMI and component inputs, and after seeing the free movies available (liking few of them) I might return mine.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Originally posted by: CMC79
I impulse bought one this morning when going after the $15 movies. I already had the Xbox player but I'm out of HDMI and component inputs, and after seeing the free movies available (liking few of them) I might return mine.

Why don't you FS/FT it here? I'm sure there are plenty of us that would like a crack at it.

 

[TwiceOver]

Originally posted by: doornail
I got one but it's aggravating the hell out of me.

It refuses to upconvert DVD's over component video which is pretty much what I bought it for. Why would they even care about scan doubling old content? My widescreen predates HDMI. Crummy bastards.

That sucks. I do have HDMI but I really didn't want to feed another cable through the wall when the component cables are already there. Guess I'll need to order up a cable now and change my setup.