News(?) on the Halo DVD

[bhuskins]

Pretty Cool Frank...when do you expect to be complete?

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HT Guide Sponsor

[FrankG]

In about 2 or 3 weeks i will be completed.
The inside is a tjoep reference 4000 cd player with tubes

[Whistler]

Yeh, if the names D1 and D2 are no longer in the race, what about the U1 and U2?

But I think their problem is that they need so much time to complete the box, that the unit would be outdated when they would release it. :W

So, I think we will never see one. :cry:

The names D 2 and D 3 are in the race :W .

[P-Stone]

The norwegian designers confirmed on email that the Halo DVD will be introduced at CEDIA. Looks like this is it, guys :-)

Come to think of it, he didnt say if it was CEDIA 2005...

[bhuskins]

He's correct...both in the Halo and NewClassic lines...But wait there's more...HDMI...

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[Peter Nielsen]

He's correct...both in the Halo and NewClassic lines...But wait there's more...HDMI...

What's the tentative date when we will know the facts (or more) ?

Peter

[bhuskins]

I'll try to post pictures and details from the show. Sept. 7-11

Also, they're looking to ship "soon" after the show.

Can anybody say pre-order special... :B :B

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[Peter Nielsen]

Can anybody say pre-order special... :B :B

I'm in, for sure! :B

Hey, guys, Brent's got the best price out there! This is your chance! :T

Peter

[slick]

Hi guys.
New to the forums here. Been lurking around for a while, and reading up on products. I ended up buying a Halo P 3 and A 23 for my Hi Fi setup (getting rid of the surround sound, its not worth it in a small apartment).
Anyways, I too was interested in a Halo DVD/CD player source, so I email Parasound with an inquiry today, and within 1 hour of the email, I got a response:

Thank you for your email.
We will be unveiling our new Halo universal DVD player with HDMI outputs,
rs-232 control, 2 channel balanced outputs and other nifty features at the
CEDIA trade show in the beginning of Sept. We will post specifications and
information on our website: parasound.com in the middle of September with
an expected release date in the first week of November.

Regards,
Paul C. Brownlee
Parasound

I know I am getting one, I am too anal NOT to match it with my equipment. Can't wait.

[slick]

I got another reply from Paul @ Parasound (I replied to him thanking him for his quick response and made the remark that "I should start saving up").

We try to be quick!
One of the reasons it has taken us so long to release a player is that we
couldn't find a design that we felt was up to our standards. There are lots
of inexpensive players that perform well for $100 but aren't GREAT. There
are a number of expensive players that perform as well as $100 players but
still not GREAT. We want our player to be great!
I think you'll love it.
Start saving :^)

Regards,
Paul
Parasound

I'm quite glad that I went with Parasound for my equipment, seems like a great company so far.

[bhuskins]

They definitley are a great company...

I'll keep you guys informed of all the latest as they roll out.

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[P-Stone]

Any price estimates?

[tboooe]

Brent, count me in if there is a preorder special.

[zullo]

Countdown time. Two Days? !

[bhuskins]

We're still a go as of Friday...I had to triple check

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[Rags]

This is great news.

Brent - any idea if these will be multiregion and be able to play PAL as well as NTSC discs ?

[Hirogen]

Yeah I also hope the Halo DVD player can easily be made regionfree. I wonder what kind of transport mechanism Parasound has put in it.

[avddreamr]

I'm in for a preorder.
However if this unit has hdmi, one should assume that a c1/c2 upgrade is going to see the light of day?

Nes

[Peter Nielsen]

any idea if these will be multiregion and be able to play PAL as well as NTSC discs ?

No doubt they will play PAL and NTSC (anything less is unthinkable).

It is of course "multiregion" too (assuming that Parasound intend selling it outside the US). The question, however, is if Parasound is going to "accidentally" leak the info on how to switch regions.

I really hope the region lock is as nicely implemented as in many Philips DVDs; all you have to do is enter a few codes to set the player to R0, and voilà, the DVD is region free! :B

Peter

[Peter N]

It´s here, HDMI output, Faroudja DCDi processing, and multichannel DVD-A/SACD

The Spec. is available at www.gspr.com, but what about the HALO model

Regards Peter N

[Peter Nielsen]

It´s here

I can't see it... All I see is a New Classic DVD. That's NOT what we have been waiting for.

Now, where is the HALO DVD?

Peter

[jkscherk]

I assume that the Halo PR isn't too far behind. Using the Denon 3910 as a comparison, is there really anything here that is that special? On the surface, it seems like this gives Parasound a player that is comparable to other brands, but doesn't really take it any further. Am I expecting too much? Thoughts??

[Peter N]

I agree – but it is a Parasound DVD – a HALO version must be imminent – or not???

Regards Peter N

[slick]

Our good friend Brent Huskins will be at CEDIA from what he told me, so we should have an answer soon on whether there is a Halo DVD Player or not. I hope there is.

[jimmyp58]

Here's a pic, live from CEDIA:

[bhuskins]

Just got back from the parties at CEDIA...

I'll post all my pics when I get back...

$2,300 MSRP for the Halo DVD

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[Rags]

Brent - great news. When is it being released and will it be able to play Play discs ?

[bhuskins]

everything...dvda sacd and a lot of the other minor formats.

expect it in Q4.

Brent Huskins
Media Design
HTGuide Sponsor

[Peter Nielsen]

Brent, does the DVD have 7 balanced outputs to match the new analog pre-amp (P2) ?

Peter

[papaleo]

Brent, does the DVD have 7 balanced outputs to match the new analog pre-amp (P2) ?

Peter

Hi,
i'm a newbee here and this my first post here...

No,only two stereo outputs..

see link/pic.

http://www.htforum.nl/yabbse/index.php?topic=17603.msg478134#msg478134

[nicholtl]

With all those outputs, I'm assuming the player will be programmable to match, say, balanced outputs with CD, multichannel outputs with SACD/DVD-A, and HDMI/optical/coaxial with DVD?

[Peter Nielsen]

With all those outputs, I'm assuming the player will be programmable to match, say, balanced outputs with CD, multichannel outputs with SACD/DVD-A, and HDMI/optical/coaxial with DVD?

Yeah, but the D-3 will not match the P2 (or whatever the analog preamp will be called). The P2 will need 7 balanced outputs on the DVD...

Peter

[Hirogen]

Hi,
i'm a newbee here and this my first post here...

No,only two stereo outputs..

see link/pic.

http://www.htforum.nl/yabbse/index.p...8134#msg478134

Welcome PapaLeo! Can't find the banana but I'm sure you'll get one sooner or later. 8)

Has anybody more info about what transport mechanism is used in the Halo DVD player?

[papaleo]

Welcome PapaLeo! Can't find the banana but I'm sure you'll get one sooner or later. 8)

What do you mean whit "Can't find the banana"... :huh:

[Peter Nielsen]

What do you mean whit "Can't find the banana"... :huh:

Chris always gives a dancing banana to all newcomers:

:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana:

Hirogen, you don't need to look for the banana. You can simply type 'banana' with a colon before and after. Or to put it another way, the forum code for the dancing banana is:
: banana :
(remove the space before and after banana)

Peter

[papaleo]

D3 specs.

– HDMI digital video/audio output with HDCP
– 480p / 720p / 1080i selectable scan rate
– Simultaneous progressive scan component video output
and interlaced composite video output
– Faroudja DCDI processing for precision progressive scan
– DVD-Audio and SACD multi-channel
– SACD DSD bit stream goes directly to audio DAC
– DVD-A, SACD with bass management
– DVD+–
R/RW, CD-R/RW compatible
– MP-3, JPEG, WMA, DivX playback, Kodak Picture CD playback
– 192 kHz / 24-Bit audio DACs
– 216 MHz / 12 bit precision video DAC
– Pure Black mode with black level adjustment, 7.5 IRE or 0 IRE
– BNC and RCA jacks for component video output
– Two s-video and two composite video output jacks
– Gold-plated 5.1 channel analog audio output jacks,
two extra L, R output jacks
– Coaxial and optical digital audio outputs
– Balanced two channel analog output with XLR jacks
– Defeatable video & digital audio circuits for purest analog audio
– RS-232C two-way communication port with DB9 connector
– Easy to use remote control handset with glow-in-the-dark buttons
– External IR repeater input and looping output jacks
– Detachable IEC AC power cord
– 115v / 230v operation
– Heavy duty 3U chassis, rack mounts with HRA3 (not included)

To bad, he doesn't do 1080P...

[Chris D]

Ah yes, papaleo, welcome to Club Parasound and the Guide! :banana: There's my banana offering.

If only I could read Dutch. Maybe if I get really liquored up.

As for the player itself, I'd still like to hear back on the rumor that the D3 may be future upgradable to HD formats, etc. I'm holding out some hope that those specs we know aren't all inclusive yet or will be upgradable. 1080p, etc...

Brent, you said that you thought the video would be very similar to other units on the market today. (I think a lot of us are comparing it to the Denon DVD-3910 that many of us currently have) What is it that leads you to believe that it will be an improvement in audio? Perhaps inside info?

[jprafter]

I also currently own the Denon 3910. Would it be worth the upgrade to a D3 or should I continue to wait for blu-ray or HD-DVD while staying with the 3910?

[Chris D]

Well, that's the sticky question. Trust me, since many of us Halo owners run the Denon 3910 (or other brands very roughly similar) we're going to be doing a very hard look at the final D3 specs when the official press release and website postings come out, and we'll have some inside discussions direct with Parasound, to judge whether that upgrade will be worthwhile.