Toshiba Hi Res Deck: MORE INFORMATION
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MyOhMy
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It looks quite neat, stylish and tidy but I was (unrealistically?) expecting much more from a unit such as this. Although it has a modern appearance it's little more than a lightweight desktop player, given it's relative small size the potential was there for a battery compartment to enjoy portability. Putting a cheap tape player in this box and expecting buyers looking for a half decent tape player to fall in love with this just isn't going to happen.
To me, it's seems like the race to the bottom has no intention of changing to a race to the top.
To me, it's seems like the race to the bottom has no intention of changing to a race to the top.
Toshiba really have lost the plot - poor tuner, poor tape deck, non functioning ‘upscale function’, crappy sounding speakers, AC only: what’s the point of this thing?? 
metalhandbag
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Barb Bush
Member (SA)
Can we have someone show them one of their old boxes and ask them to make one like that? Seems so sad that they had a very quality product in the day to end up with this.jimmyjimmy19702010 said:Toshiba really have lost the plot - poor tuner, poor tape deck, non functioning ‘upscale function’, crappy sounding speakers, AC only: what’s the point of this thing??
Not sure what the cost of that thing is but I might not mind having one if it's cheap enough. Could always connect it to an external amplifier for workplace tunes.
As for the high resolution thing... gimme a break. Maybe it works for CD or MP3 or any other digital format because by nature, digital is a sampling of the original material only. The higher the resolution, the greater the sampling rate to it's possible to upscale the sample by filling in the blanks with additional material between the sampled data. But tape is analog. By definition, analog signals are sampled infinity and theoretically has no breaks or "samples" per se. All of the music should be there, subject of course to the frequency response capability of the circuitry and tape system. If any information is missing, it's gone and not recoverable. So technically, there is no way to "upscale" analog music because there are no samples to upscale. It is one continuous and dynamic sample.
As for the high resolution thing... gimme a break. Maybe it works for CD or MP3 or any other digital format because by nature, digital is a sampling of the original material only. The higher the resolution, the greater the sampling rate to it's possible to upscale the sample by filling in the blanks with additional material between the sampled data. But tape is analog. By definition, analog signals are sampled infinity and theoretically has no breaks or "samples" per se. All of the music should be there, subject of course to the frequency response capability of the circuitry and tape system. If any information is missing, it's gone and not recoverable. So technically, there is no way to "upscale" analog music because there are no samples to upscale. It is one continuous and dynamic sample.
It's really a shame to see a company like Toshiba take this route with it's marketing. In the previous posts and the press release for this system, Toshiba claimed it to be a break through technology, a new digital system, but never explaining what it was or how it would work. Was it an all new proprietary cassette formula? An all new digital cassette system? Would it play old cassettes? They provided no information at their press release.
In the end, they jumped on the Buzz Word band wagon. Using "Hi Res" as a lure and by allowing this device to play FLAC files, it pulls in the audiophiles. But any ridiculous claim to "UPSCALE" audio is as stupid as claiming they could make a new VCR that converts your old VHS tapes to 4K and suddenly it's in high definition. It's just simply not going to happen. You can't create data and fill in the blanks in video or audio at least not in 2018.
IMHO, this was a poor attempt at a table top player at best. I would have had more respect for it if they would have taken the Bose Wave radio path and at least aimed for a solid audio performer that could also play all these formats. But instead it's on par with an alarm clock.
Norm, he lists the prices at roughly $200 plus shipping and import fees.
In the end, they jumped on the Buzz Word band wagon. Using "Hi Res" as a lure and by allowing this device to play FLAC files, it pulls in the audiophiles. But any ridiculous claim to "UPSCALE" audio is as stupid as claiming they could make a new VCR that converts your old VHS tapes to 4K and suddenly it's in high definition. It's just simply not going to happen. You can't create data and fill in the blanks in video or audio at least not in 2018.
IMHO, this was a poor attempt at a table top player at best. I would have had more respect for it if they would have taken the Bose Wave radio path and at least aimed for a solid audio performer that could also play all these formats. But instead it's on par with an alarm clock.
Norm, he lists the prices at roughly $200 plus shipping and import fees.
Reli
Boomus Fidelis
LOL you can't even record on tape with this.
I'm not even sure this is made by the original Toshiba. Their website actually says "TOSHIBA Lifestyle Electronics Trading Co.,Ltd." and it's not even really a Toshiba website. They are indeed located in Tokyo, but it says they originated in 2002.
Probably just a new company that bought the rights to the name for a limited set of product categories.
I'm not even sure this is made by the original Toshiba. Their website actually says "TOSHIBA Lifestyle Electronics Trading Co.,Ltd." and it's not even really a Toshiba website. They are indeed located in Tokyo, but it says they originated in 2002.
Probably just a new company that bought the rights to the name for a limited set of product categories.
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