HD DVD player is clunky but offers clear image
Published by Admin on 24.9.06 at 9/24/2006 05:11:00 PM.
Consumers looking to upgrade their home theaters now can choose between two types of high-definition DVD players -- the confusing result of a long-running format war involving Hollywood studios and technology companies.
Both HD DVD and Blu-ray promise clear pictures on high-definition TVs, and extra bonus features. But discs in one format won't work in players designed for the other, and consumers who buy gear now run the risk of ending up with a high-def version of a Betamax VCR.
The limited number of high-definition DVD titles available now -- lots of warmed-over action flicks -- also could temper the immediate acceptance of the technology. The movies aren't cheap either. The HD DVD version of "Backdraft," a 15-year-old movie starring Kurt Russell, lists for $30.
I took Toshiba Corp.'s HD-A1 player ($499) for a spin. I also attempted to get a Blu-ray unit to review, but Samsung -- maker of the BD-P1000 Blu-ray Disc Player -- declined to provide one for a head-to-head test.
The Toshiba -- the first high-def DVD player to hit the market -- is a beast. It is twice as tall and heavy as my trusty Panasonic 5-disc DVD player. Link
Both HD DVD and Blu-ray promise clear pictures on high-definition TVs, and extra bonus features. But discs in one format won't work in players designed for the other, and consumers who buy gear now run the risk of ending up with a high-def version of a Betamax VCR.
The limited number of high-definition DVD titles available now -- lots of warmed-over action flicks -- also could temper the immediate acceptance of the technology. The movies aren't cheap either. The HD DVD version of "Backdraft," a 15-year-old movie starring Kurt Russell, lists for $30.
I took Toshiba Corp.'s HD-A1 player ($499) for a spin. I also attempted to get a Blu-ray unit to review, but Samsung -- maker of the BD-P1000 Blu-ray Disc Player -- declined to provide one for a head-to-head test.
The Toshiba -- the first high-def DVD player to hit the market -- is a beast. It is twice as tall and heavy as my trusty Panasonic 5-disc DVD player. Link