Issues;
1. Sometimes VHD can not boot correctly and it is necessary to unplug and plug power cord to correct this issue. NOTE : only one user has this issue, I think it is due to a corrupted download from your website …
We have a unit on "life test" which is permanently in use. A small number of customers reported seeing this issue with version 1.2.2 so we added a power cycle to the life test unit. It has cycled over 3,000 times now and only exhibited this behaviour on 3 occasions. It could be a corrupted download, as you will know we have had issues with the website which are now all resolved. We have verified that the all the firmware currently on the site is correct and not corrupted in any way. Perhaps this user should re-load the current version 1.2.2.
2. There are small stuttering in movements and pans. Both in Pal and NTSC [SD source].
This is not something we have been able to replicate, using a variety of sources (480i and 576i). Is this behaviour seen on all inputs? or only one? or all DVDs or only one? it could be a result of a poor change from video to film to video material within the disk encoding or any one of number of other issues. Until we can replicate this here we are at a loss about how to potentially offer a fix. Perhaps the customer who has this problem can confirm what player, what DVD, what signal type, whether the output frame rate is set to "auto" etc. Without all this detail is impossible to replicate the issue here. It is also useful to us to know the serial number of any unit showing this issue.
3. Automatic frame rate management does not work properly when source is HDMI (with a component input this function works fine)
This was corrected in firmware version 1.2.0 and has been extensively tested and proven to work OK now.
4. ANTI-ALIASING (SD/HD Multi-Direction Diagonal Filter (MDDF) ) does not work properly. This filter is defective when image projection is made on very large screen (2 meters and more).
I need you to define more exactly how you come to the conclusion that it doesn't function correctly. Do you have any screen pictures?
5. PICTURE FORMAT (normal, full screen, etc) does not work properly with HD source only 2.35 ration management added in v122 works fine.
Picture format has been extensively worked on between firmware versions. The ability to select some of the options is dependent on the actual format of the source HD material.
6. CUSTOM aspect ratio is always in English language even if French language is chosen
I passed this to the GUI development team for comment, perhaps you could suggest what the alternatives should be in the French language?
Improvements;
You list several items which you suggest need improving (SD de-interlace, Anti - Aliasing filter, MPEG noise reduction filter, picture quality on component source). However, this is difficult to quantify - I need you to define how you think they are deficient. "Performance" improvement is too vague. In our experience the MPEG noise reduction is the best we have seen, remember that it is easy to have too much filtering in use, only set the MPEG filter if you have MPEG noise present otherwise leave it alone - it can filter out detail in the image if set too high.
Certainly we are sure that the 1080i de-interlace performance is excellent - we ourselves use the Toshiba HD-A1 at all the exhibitions we do (InfoComm, CEDIA etc.) and the image is exceptional.
Improvement of Crop mode management.
This has been addressed, along with correction of the 4:3 SD aspect ratio image sizes, in the next firmware version 1.2.3 which is due for release shortly - when fully tested.
Improvement of FAN management (at least a stop in stand-by mode if possible)
We are addressing the whole thermal management issue for Vantage. Unfortunately even when in standby the unit is still using a lot of power and the Realta chip runs just as hot, that is why the fan still runs in standby - to save the Realta chip from burning up. We are looking at ways to make the cooling system more clever and automated but this cannot be done with the current board design as there is no method built in to test the Realta chip temperature - this is not a PC remember, if we want to employ a full thermal management system then is has to be designed from the beginning with a control mechanism to sense temperature and regulate the fan. We cannot win with this issue, if we shut large parts of the system down in standby to save power & heat then the power-up cycle will be a lot longer and people will complain about that instead.
The fan fitted within Vantage should not be noisy - if it is then it is faulty! It should make no more noise than your laptop computer.
New Functions;
I have a delaying in replying to you in detail about the new functions you have suggested. We understand that there will always be something which the customers request to enhance the product, but we have to work within the design limitations of the hardware and the commercial market for the product (for example, if I add this function can I sell more?).
Some of what you ask is under consideration anyway, but not a priority. We have looked at 1080i output - it seems it should be easy but it is not directly supported in the functionality of the Realta chip which means we have to try to do this my our own method. We were not happy with the results when we tried this and at present this is not progressing until other features are finished. The whole design strategy behind Vantage is to be the best de-interlacer on the market, adding 1080i output will inevitably mean making some compromises.
Adding user profiles will need a hardware change - we have limits to what we can do with the current hardware design and adding 3 output profiles with all the data for each parameter and combination of parameters requires a major hardware and functionality change.
Adding more advanced video calibration functions via OSD will probably not happen. We are adding some test patterns to the next firmware and we already have the ability to adjust custom colour gains AND cut-offs in the OSD but that is all we can do without a major hardware change.
We have not made a decision about 48/72Hz outputs, but remember that we do now have custom output timings which you can set for yourself.
The Vantage-HD firmware has only one or maybe two more versions before we will have made all the enhancements that are possible with this current product. There are many '000s of man-hours invested in the product already and whilst we welcome requests for new features from our customers there is only so much we can implement before we start to make a whole new design again.