Toshiba SD-350 questions

[chrisc0le]

Hi all

I'm considering getting this DVD player as a replacemtn for my Cambridge audio player. as i'm purchasing a phillips 9830 soon and my CA doesnt have prog scan or HDMI output.
I see on the specs it says "PAL Progressive Scan" does this mean that any NTSC movies wont play using p scan?

Also i see it has optical and coaxial audio outputs but does this send the digital signal for 5.1 to an amp? If not what other player around this price bracket does? ( with p scan & hdmi )

TIA
Chris

 

[neilmcl]

Most original Progressive Scan DVD players were NTSC Progressive scan only, then came along PAL Progressive Scan players. The chances are that the Tosh will be able to output both PAL and NTSC discs progressively but it's worth checking the specs to be sure.

 

[MarkE19]

I see on the specs it says "PAL Progressive Scan" does this mean that any NTSC movies wont play using p scan?

NTSC PS was available on DVD players (even those sold in the UK) several years before PAL PS. Therefore I think that when a player is listed as being PAL progressive it just means it can output a progressive scan image for both PAL & NTSC, rather than just PAL.

Also i see it has optical and coaxial audio outputs but does this send the digital signal for 5.1 to an amp? If not what other player around this price bracket does? ( with p scan & hdmi )

TIA
Chris

If you have an amp/receiver with digital coax or optical inputs then the SD-350 will be able to send 5.1 (or even 6.1) audio over these connections.

Mark.

 

[chrisc0le]

Great! thanks guys exactly what i needed to know.

Thanks

 

[telford_mike]

I don't believe it has optical output, so if that's important to you it might be best to check. Most a/v amps will accept coaxial digital though.

 

[chrisc0le]

Hmm on all the specs i've seen ( admittedly on shop sites ) it says coax/optical outputs..

EDIT: you are right..
http://www.home-entertainment.toshi...s.nsf/pages/dvd-dvdvideo-sd-350e?opendocument
as usual online stores being creative with the specs..

DAMN.. looks like i'll have to buy yet another cable..
thanks for the heads up

 

[Diode]

Hi, I've got the 350 and PQ is good. No optical out.

I do have a problem with it "freezing" occasionally, no where near the layer change. This is the second one (I returned the first for this reason). Anyone else seen the problem?

 

[ChildOfRarn]

Diode

I returned two SD350e's with the same fault.

I've now got a Samsung HD850 which, although quirky (see threads on 'HDMI Audio Not Supported' and DivX long files names), has been far more stable.

Trevor

 

[GW43]

Hi, I've got the 350 and PQ is good. No optical out.

I do have a problem with it "freezing" occasionally, no where near the layer change. This is the second one (I returned the first for this reason). Anyone else seen the problem?

Mine's been fine - it does however insist on playing The Incredibles every night - or is that the kids?

 

[paul1967]

my 350 done it a couple of times this is the second 1 coax out

 

[stu8]

never had the freezing problem and it gives a lovely progressive picture

got sound going to me dav550 with coax to optical converter no probs

 

[A5tra_G]

I think I read that the freezing issue was was on the early batches of these players and has now been identified and fixed by toshiba. I bought one a few weeks ago and have not had it freeze so far.

 

[Diode]

The shop assure me both players were from stock just in....

 

[telford_mike]

Just taken delivery of a 350 - seems very nice indeed

 

[Pelle76]

Also got occasional freezing problems with the sd350E. Bought mine 2 weeks ago (in Germany).

 

[dbedgood]

Hi, I've got the 350 and PQ is good. No optical out.

I do have a problem with it "freezing" occasionally, no where near the layer change. This is the second one (I returned the first for this reason). Anyone else seen the problem?

I too am having this problem. I've had mine about 4 months and it only seems to happen on my DVD copies. It is a pain though as I had a Pioneer DV656 before this wich played everything perfectly until it gave up the ghost.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend this player, the freezing and skipping is annoying.

 

[Taxidriver]

I too am having this problem. I've had mine about 4 months and it only seems to happen on my DVD copies. It is a pain though as I had a Pioneer DV656 before this wich played everything perfectly until it gave up the ghost.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend this player, the freezing and skipping is annoying.

I bought one of these a week ago (a bargain £61 from Amazon incl. P&P). I haven't had any problems yet, but then I haven't used any copied DVD's. If as a previous poster mentioned, the freezing problem has been found and sorted then I would thoroughly recommend it. I get great PQ using £14 component leads from Maplins. A couple of reviews I read said the upscaled picture wasn't quite as good via HDMI, but I haven't tried that yet.

 

[anakin373]

couple of questions:

- I'm using the HDMI connection - what should the video output on the Toshiba be set to? Component or RGB?

- On the Toshiba dispaly screen, the Toshiba, DVD and loading logos are surrounded by noise i.e. small dots/artefacts, however, the image when upscaled dvds are playing is free from any such effects. 1) can anyone else see this and 2) what's the reason.

 

[cirdan]

had mine for under a week. only really been able to try it out properly last few days. played 5 divx files all fine except about 20minutes into one (which was 40 minutes in length) it froze for a few seconds then carried on, it didnt jump or skip a load of the file it carried on in the same spot, although the audio was slightly out so i stopped it and then pressed play which resolved the problem, but apart from that it was fine.

then i played a full film ,original dvd. war of the worlds. this played fine except it again paused/froze three times at different times throughout the film. again for around 3 seconds and again started playing at the same spot. this time though the audio was fine.

ive had a look at the other posts here that say the problem was in early batches of the player. as i said ive only had it a week, but i dont know how long the player was in the shop, but i wouldnt have thought that long. is there any way to see how old my player is, i.e. serial number.

i like this player a lot, even using £10 hdmi cable its a great little player for the price. but if im sitting there almost waiting for it to pause then its going to be a problem.

cheers.

 

[cirdan]

just an update.

over the past few days ive had the freezing problem again a couple of times. once with a dvd+rw and with a region 2 dvd. there is no guessing if or when it may do it, ive even resorted to cleaning every disk just incase that was the problem, but to be honest the disks are fine.

its becoming a little annoying wondering if it will happen which is detracting from watching the dvd. its a very good little player though, do i see about getting it changed or is the problem still going to be there. i only ask because ive had the player under 2 weeks, and most of the posts that report this problem are from older players.

cheers.

 

[paul1967]

my second 1 is now starting to freeze on some dvds the 1s i buy are the x rentals

 

[weyland-yutani]

i seem to have a problem with subtitles. if i want subs on i have to do it through the DVD player menu. then ALL films have subs on permenently even if i go to the DVD disc menu and select subs off watching kill bill was a nightmare having to stop/start the film to get into the players set up to turn on/off subs when i needed them.

toshiba really do suck at these kind of things. and i'd really like to slap the what tv and video reviewer who gave it 5 stars. just how much gak are these idiots on?

 

[cirdan]

just finished watching a few episodes of seinfeld and its happened again. the same thing, it froze for about 3 seconds then plays fine from the same spot. the dvd was clean, i gave it a wipe beforehand just incase that may have been an issue, but he disk was fine. ive had it for about 12days and im nearly into double figures for the number of pauses ive had. i will have to get in touch with richer sounds.

i still want the player as for the price its very good, but not knowing if/when or why it could pause is a problem.

cheers.

 

[weyland-yutani]

christ, that means i have to sit through dozens of discs to see if i get the freezing thing before my "7 day cooling off" warrenty expires.

mind, isn't it 28 days if it turns out to be faulty. does disc freezing class as a fault or is it just "layer changing pause" which is mentioned in the manual and as such won't be accepted as a true fault?

 

[cirdan]

unfortunately for me its happened whilst watching divx files and normal dvd's. it happened a few times whilst watching seinfeld, but only once per episode, and not everytime. but the two full films ive watched it happened at least twice during the film and thats not counting the layer change, which i didnt even notice to be honest.

the problem is this is like an extended layer change, at least 3 seconds. even bad layer changes are usually just over a second. as i said in just over 12days its happened to me about 9 times. know considering how many different things ive watched isnt too bad but my fear is that it will just continue.