Why is the Toshiba HD-A2 Better Than the HD-A3 ?

[ofield1]

Hello,

What makes the Toshiba HD-A2 Player better than the HD-A3 Player.
They are both 1080i players. Yet Amazon is selling the HD-A2 for 399.99 and the Hd-A3 Player for $94.88.

Could someone Please explain this for me. I have no Idea why there is
such a difference in price??????????

I need some real help here. I thought the A2 was 2nd Generation
and the A3 3rd Generation. Shouldn't it make the A3 a better player??

[FulciLives]

My guess ... often times older models are in limited quantities and as a result the price goes up in an unnatural way as a result.

The HD-A3 is one of the current models and is being discounted now by Toshiba since HD-DVD is now dead.

The HD-A2 is an older model and Toshiba doesn't care about it ... retailers that have it (at whatever high price they paid for it) are "stuck" with it at the higher price.

Tis a guess that I bet is correct.

In other words if you really want one of these just buy the HD-A3 model.

Although you do realize that HD-DVD is being discontinued?

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[ofield1]

Thanks for the help I appreciate it.

[jman98]

I don't know the difference between the HD-A2 and the HD-AX2 players, but the AX2 has an unofficial firmware available for it that allows playback of PAL DVDs and can put the player in multi-region mode. If this firmware works on the A2 (I have no idea), that might also drive up the interest in the A2 and thus the price. FulciLives is probably correct, but if the AX2 hacked firmware works in the A2, it might also make the A2 desirable.

[Grain]

The HD-A2 is an older model and Toshiba doesn't care about it ... retailers that have it (at whatever high price they paid for it) are "stuck" with it at the higher price.
- John "FulciLives" Coleman

My thoughts too, there aren't many new ones to be had anymore.
The A2 is also capable of becoming region free and of displaying PAL, but like the XA2 it doesn't convert it to NTSC, it just output's it. You need a display that is PAL capable. The A2 converts Dolby True and Plus audio to full bit-rate DTS(1.5 mbps), whereas the A3 will only play the Dolby Digital core(640kbps), making the A2 slightly more desirable IMO.

[samijubal]

The A2 also has the Reon video chipset the A3 doesn't have.