1-Probably not as reliable as the Toshibas 2-This is required by the HD DVD standard, so yes 3-Will go up to 1080i over HDMI, 480p over component 4-Parent company (Alco) also makes several discount chain house brands, i.e. $69 dollar HTIBs 5-US msrp will probably be $199, expect street prices in the $150 range
If you can possibly afford a Toshiba forget the Venturer.
Like someone has posted earlier. You get what you paid for. Most home theater owner will problably will not even touch it and it's still way too expensive for Joe sixpack. I don't really think with the Exclusively release of the Transformers will encourage poeple to go out and buy the player. I would say almost 95 percents of the DVD owner out there rent more than buy. If Blockbuster don't carry any HD disc then you're only gonna end up with a Lower Brand and very expensive DVD player. If Sony owns "Spiderman" then I don't think it will be released on HDdvd either. There's good and bad coming out of this. It drives the price down a lot faster than we're all expected. Right now we're all just wait who gonna be the winner.
Like someone has posted earlier. You get what you paid for. Most home theater owner will problably will not even touch it and it's still way too expensive for Joe sixpack. I don't really think with the Exclusively release of the Transformers will encourage poeple to go out and buy the player. I would say almost 95 percents of the DVD owner out there rent more than buy. If Blockbuster don't carry any HD disc then you're only gonna end up with a Lower Brand and very expensive DVD player. If Sony owns "Spiderman" then I don't think it will be released on HDdvd either. There's good and bad coming out of this. It drives the price down a lot faster than we're all expected. Right now we're all just wait who gonna be the winner.
Don't know Matt Duda or Ultimate Electronics but I agree with the latter statement. Toshiba or Sony could tip the scales with a sub $200 player. HD-DVD is closest to that price now, but I would give the Venturer a spin @ 150 or less.
I would disagree that you get what you pay for. Someone in my family has bought several of the Sony vcr/dvd recorders. None of them has lasted for six months. All of them have been very expensive. It's a shame you don't get what you pay for.