Brian: The Toshiba HD A1 is a superb upscaling SD DVD player, so if you can absorb the extra $150 or so over something like an Oppo player, you'll get the best of both worlds. (Though, obviously, that won't resolve this silly-ass format war. :) )
Yeah, what Doug said. In addition, take a look at a free, over-the-air HD broadcast. (The DirecTV HD feeds are reduced quality and, while better than SD, won't really maximize your HD experience.) You'll see that the level of detail and the color intensity is FAR beyond what you're used to...