A comprehensive study of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a‐Si:H) deposited by hot wire and conventional glow discharge suggests that temperatures above the so called optimum 250 °C substrate temperature can produce device‐quality films. These films show enhanced transport properties and improved structural order. In addition we show that hot wire material can be produced with just as many hydrogen atoms as are needed to passivate most of the dangling bonds present in unhydrogenated a‐Si:H.