So I bought a Toshiba HD-DVD player... My thoughts on it.

[DjfunkmasterG]

With the extra $100 off and the 5 free DVD deal I said I might as well grab one especially since I also purchased a Toshiba REGZA 37" Flat Panel LCD TV for my bedroom. (TV arrives next week, but I have my Sony Grand Wega 50" to give it a test run)

So I swung by Circuit City and picked it up today and I bought the Departed and .... UGH.... Land of the Dead. (I wanted to see a zombie movie in HD-DVD, and if they would have had DAWN 2004 I would have bought that instead) To get the 5 free you have to mail in a certificate.

Anyway, so I get it home and hooked up via the HDMI system. Now I also have a SAMSUNG HD960 1080P Upconversion SD DVD player as well I have both hooked up to their own HDMI ports I put in my SD Land into the UPCON DVD player and the HD-DVD of LAND into the HD-DVD player. I paused both films in the same spot and switched back and forth between the HDMI's to see the picture difference... I don't see jack.

To be honest I felt like I wasted $300 almost $400 considering the Two DVD's. Now there is some pro's to this player. If I want to go to the disc menu for Land on the SD player the movie has to stop playing for the menu to come up. On the HD-DVD version you just tap the down arrow key and the disc menu appears on screen and the movie keeps playing. You can also do PIP with the HD-DVD player too... but the HD-DVD players don't have the cool animated Background menus like SD DVD's do, it is just a standard menu with 4 options no fancy splash screen or menu art.

The other pro is the player can play SD discs so i don't have to run out and replace my collection anytime soon, but to be honest anyone considering buying one... save your money. The Picture on SD DVDplayers, especially the UpConversion units is damn good and you save your self $200. Not too mention the DVD for Land was $29.99 in HD-DVD and for SD it is $5.99.

The big reason to switch was supposed to be picture... blah it is all horse pucky to me. Even the Blu-Ray player in the store didn't impress me and since it is clear HD-DVD is going to win the format war might as well go with the clear winner.

So a word of advice to all of you, if you buy a 720P 1080I or 1080P TV just buy an upconverting SD unit and and HDMI cable. Unitl something better comes along save the $200.00

[capncnut]

Cool review Deej. I don't think I'll be updating to HD-DVD or Blu-Ray until (as Jim Morrison says) the war is over. :D

In fact, it'll probably be a while longer 'cos I'm totally happy with the regular DVD format and I don't really see that much difference in the picture.

[MinionZombie]

Definitely, buying one format now is daft, one of them is gonna be the new Betamax...also, what's wrong with DVD? Bah, I'm not one for this HD movement now anyway, there's all this faddy pimping of it going on right now when SD is perfectly fine...there's too much rush with technology these days, f*cking retarded...and yes I'm all pissed off, I'm tired, my eyes are all tuckered out and it's sweatier than balls here today for some gheay reason...I f*cking HATE the summer, DESPISE it...roll on Winter.

[capncnut]

...and yes I'm all pissed off, I'm tired, my eyes are all tuckered out and it's sweatier than balls here today for some gheay reason...I f*cking HATE the summer, DESPISE it...roll on Winter.
You too eh, I've been in a right poxy mood the last two days 'cos of this immense heat. Right now, I'm absolutely covered in sweat and I ain't even logged in to YouPorn yet. ;)

[acealive1]

they'll get the hint sooner or later that we arent rich over here. in the states they're pushing HD and blu ray like its the fountain of youth but no ones buying.

[Terran]

The only way you notice the difference between regular DVD quality and Blueray/HD-DVD is if you have a really big TV screen...

[acealive1]

The only way you notice the difference between regular DVD quality and Blueray/HD-DVD is if you have a really big TV screen...

or if ur a stickler for detail like me. but i dont want a $30 dvd that i can buy on regular format for $22 dollars cheaper

[axlish]

Any report on the discrete 5.1 PCM? What types of audio tracks are those discs sporting?

[Cody]

if I had money I probably wouldnt even update im fine with regular dvds.

[DjfunkmasterG]

Well, HD-DVD will win the war. You can now buy a player for $249.00 whereas blu-ray is still $800+ not to mention Blu-Ray already said no pornography which is exactly why Beta died.

Axlish, I haven't done an audio check yet, but this player does support DTS-HD, True Dolby, Dolby Digital EX and Plus, and a few others.

I did the comparison on a 50" Sony Grand Wega LCD HD-TV. I have a Toshiba Regza coming and I will retest it on that, but I am thinking at the moment it really ain't all that.

[axlish]

I am pretty sure that there are still levels of compression on most, but not all, HD and BlueRay releases. DVD took a while to take off as well, most of the early releases were nothing more than laserdisc captures.

[acealive1]

I am pretty sure that there are still levels of compression on most, but not all, HD and BlueRay releases. DVD took a while to take off as well, most of the early releases were nothing more than laserdisc captures.


they're still around,look at stephen king's tommy knockers......2 sides

[Terran]

not to mention Blu-Ray already said no pornography which is exactly why Beta died.


What an idiotic move....

Just goes to show how important porno is....even though people dont like to admit its value....

[Cody]

no porno lol

[Kaos]

I own the Toshiba A2, and I can see a difference on most movies I own. Typically the better the transfer, the better the difference on HD-DVD's. I have a good number of HD-DVDs that are eyepopping compared to the standard dvd. Others however are only marginally so due to poor mastering, certain filmstock used for certain films, and mediocre cinematography.

[darth los]

The fact remains that by the time HD- technology, that includes dvd's and tv's, becomes affordable to the masses what they have out now will be considered the "prototypes" so to speak. The hd technology in a few years is bound to look much better than even the high end ones do today and as usual the ones we're paying 800-1000 bucks for today will come free when you open up a bank account at a local branch. Either way both formats are likely to fail, the future lies with digital distribution. People in the music industry scoffed at that idea 10 years ago and now look at how the masses aquire the bulk of their music, if they even have to pay for it at all. I've seen both SD and HD in action and i must admit the difference is noticeable, but not $3,000 noticeable ( Factoring in the tv, payment for an HD box and channels,hdmi cables and the players and HD dvds as well) for a working schmuck like me who's also a full time student.

[DjfunkmasterG]

Well, HDMI cables are seriously over priced. Anyone whom buys their HDMI cable from circuit city deserves to be ripped off by $80.00 especially when you can buy the same damn cable on ebay for $20.00 not mention get two cables for that price.

TV's are coming down in price. You can get a 1080P lCD flat panel now for about $1700.00 and the players start at $249.

37" LCD 1080 P LCD Flat Panel $1700
Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD $249.99 (Amazon.com) 1080i
Toshiba HD-A20 (1080P HD-DVD Player) $379.99
HDMI Cable $20.00 eBay

Most of us by now should own a Dolby Digital or DTS surround amp for sound. So for about $2,000 you can be fully HD in your home.

[Terran]

I own the Toshiba A2, and I can see a difference on most movies I own. Typically the better the transfer, the better the difference on HD-DVD's. I have a good number of HD-DVDs that are eyepopping compared to the standard dvd. Others however are only marginally so due to poor mastering, certain filmstock used for certain films, and mediocre cinematography.

Ive seen your TV screen though....its pretty darn big so I can imagine how a sharper picture HD-DVD will compare to a regular DVD when its magnified that big....maybe its just my eyes but I cant see the difference unless its on one of those bigger screens....

[axlish]

Get your A/V cables at your local Sam's Club. HDMI cable is around $22, all others are under $10, and they are all of the fat variety.

[DjfunkmasterG]

Exactly axlish. However, there is a world of dumbf*cks out there buying them at circuit city and best buy paying $100 or more for an HDMI cable.

[darth los]

Exactly why posts like this and reviews like yours are so helpful. :D It helps educate those who would be ignorant otherwise. You think circuit city and best buy would ever tell us that we're paying 60-80 bucks too much? :eek: Hell F**king no !!! Great info guys. Especially since i can't afford to see what's the best value and which hookups look the sharpest through trial and error.

[DjfunkmasterG]

You're welcome. I have been fiddling with it more and I am starting to see some money well spent, but you have to buy the high end stuff. Superman Returns looks awesome. I picked up the Matrix trilogy today and Reloaded looks Out-f*cking-standing.

Once I get my massive ebay order I will give those a whirl and give you all an update.

[darth los]

looking forward to it. I'm not what you would call a "tech" guy, so all this hd jargon really confuses me. You simplify it for those of us who are less astute at this sort of thing. I mean, who doesn't understand hdmi cables 60 bucks cheaper? That's like the universal language. All you have to say is "you can get this stuff cheaper or even free" and that get people's attention immediately. :p

[Kaos]

You're welcome. I have been fiddling with it more and I am starting to see some money well spent, but you have to buy the high end stuff. Superman Returns looks awesome. I picked up the Matrix trilogy today and Reloaded looks Out-f*cking-standing.

Once I get my massive ebay order I will give those a whirl and give you all an update.
Let us know how things look on the new tv too, DJ. I expect a full report by Wednesday! ;):p:clown:

[DjfunkmasterG]

You will have to wait until Saturday. even though the TV is coming tuesday I have new carpet being installed in the upstairs of the house so I have to move everything out of my bedroom so the carpet can be installed. By Friday i will have everything back I and the TV hooked up.

Once I get the improvements done, by mid august I am going to have a house warming party, there will be beer and well... more beer. I will also have both the Sony 50" and the new Toshiba 42" 1080p TV hooked up downstairs and playing some flicks.

[darth los]

You will have to wait until Saturday. even though the TV is coming tuesday I have new carpet being installed in the upstairs of the house so I have to move everything out of my bedroom so the carpet can be installed. By Friday i will have everything back I and the TV hooked up.

Once I get the improvements done, by mid august I am going to have a house warming party, there will be beer and well... more beer. I will also have both the Sony 50" and the new Toshiba 42" 1080p TV hooked up downstairs and playing some flicks.

Awesome the three b's. Basement, beer, and big screens. NOICE !!:D