HD-DVD players actually in homes, general consensus on picture quality is just OK (1 Viewer)

[John Troutman]

Well, even if a universal player DOES hit the market, it'll probably be far outside the price range of most folks. I'm think $1000 to $2000 or so. That actually would almost make it a better deal to buy two seperate players anyway!

 

[JonZ]

"And the longer the format war drags on, the greater the chance that even those consumers who MIGHT be interested will just pass on both of them, in favor of HD offerings from their cable or satellite provider, downloading... or just plain old standard DVD (like most audio consumers passed on much higher quality DVD-Audio and SACD, in favor of far lower quality iTunes or MP3 downloads, satellite radio and current CDs). DVD became the success it is not just because it had better quality going for it over VHS and laserdisc, but because it had significantly better value and convenience going for it too. HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc offer the same basic value and convenience as regular DVD, so the only real improvement is the video and audio quality. And better quality isn't always enough to separate people from their cash."


You are very wise grasshopper.

Im tempted man, but Im waiting. Thanks for the info though guys,keep it coming.

 

[FrancisP]

I have to agree with the wife. I was looking at the HD-DVD at BB and I didn't see enough of a difference between HD and SD to justify replacing my SD discs with HD discs. I remain unconvinced that the general public will embrace either format until HD players get down to $50 -100 just like SD players.

 

[Max Leung]

Considering how poorly set up the TVs and players are at Best Buy and other stores of its ilk, no wonder the HD-DVD players won't look good.

I've seen HDTV feeds hooked up to expensive 60" Widescreen TVs look as bad as analog cable. Ditto for computers hooked up to expensive 2560x1536 LCD monitors. You can't judge anything on a poorly set up system.

People that can't tell the difference between HD and SD are usually looking at systems that are not set up properly.

And until places like BB even bother to set up their systems to meet minimum standards, HD players will not sell at all to the general public. The onus is on us HTF'ers (and AVS'ers) to show people the light.

 

[TravisR]

That may be true but those TVs are still leaps and bounds above what the average consumer has. They'd notice probably even less of a difference between HD and SD on their sets.

 

[Sean Bryan]

Projector central has a review of HD DVD here: www.projectorcentral.com/hd-dvd.htm

Here are just two paragraphs:

I must admit to having been a bit skeptical of both HD-DVD and Blu-ray technology since the demos I've seen in stores and at trade shows have left me underwhelmed. Beyond that, there has been the preoccupation with whether HD-DVD or Blu-ray will win the format war. (Once it looked like Blu-ray had it locked up, but now all bets are off.) And then there has been the endless chatter about specs and outputs and whether you need a frightfully expensive 1080p resolution projector to get the real benefits from the new HD discs. All of this has contributed to a sense of confusion on the part of consumers as well as my own skepticism.

However, when the first images from the HD-A1 began to light up the screen Tuesday afternoon, all of my doubts melted away in short order. The image quality was superior to any of the previous demos I'd seen—pure, rock solid, pristine, razor sharp, highly detailed, and virtually artifact-free are just some of the superlatives that come to mind. It actually surpasses broadcast HDTV, for it is in the same class in terms of image resolution, but it is free of the noise and compression artifacts that are part of the broadcast signal. We have used several 720p resolution projectors for our initial look at HD-DVD and the results are beyond any expectation I had. Our associate Bill read my mind when he said "After seeing this it will be hard to look at standard DVD again."

 

[Ron-P]

That review pretty much sums up my experience with HD-DVD. The image quality is off the charts fantastic, sound quality is better but not a huge improvement. The image though, just jaw droppingly awesome.

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

Well, that may be true because obviously I have no idea what you saw.

However, my logic is this.

1. SD looks great.
2. HD looks extremely great on my DirecTV channels, particularly when the transfer is solid. From my experience, HDTV from DirecTV usually blows away SD DVD, even when one factors in its drawbacks . If you don't believe me, compare an episode of the Sopranos between HDTV and SD DVD. It's no contest, and that's with the annoying compression and artifacts associated with DirecTV HDTV being taken into account.

Therefore...
3. If the transfers are identical, HD-DVD/Blu-Ray must look better than DirecTV HD and be worth investigating, right?

Conclusion: The upgrade is worth it when you can afford it (which for me is not quite yet).

 

[Ed St. Clair]

That's just the opposite of what I thought it would be.
Maybe the sound, remember WB sound is wack, will improve down the road.
The Last Waltz (lossless) should ROCK!!!

 

[Paul_Scott]

i'm prepared to drop $1000 on a universal player.
but i'm going to do it in installments- $500 now (for the Toshiba) and another $500 a year from now, when the prices on the Bd players are more amenable.
That's assuming that in that time, none of the 'exclusive' Bd studios jump ship and announce content on HD DVD. If that happens, i'll just stick with the Tosh (which seems to have already proven that it can deliver high quality at its price points and capcity sizes)

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

Checked out the demo at Ultimate Electronics. They had it on a nice Toshiba monitor playing next to another monitor playing a DVD. Even though they were completely different movies, and the DVD one being Chicken Little, it was hard to see a glaring difference. The DVD did look softer.

One thing that I have yet to see anyone do, and what really surprised me of Ultimate Electronics, is that no one has it setup to a good sound system. UE had it hooked up to 2 speakers that weren't even on. This is a place that sells $5,000 speakers, you would think they would try to demo it there.

Most interesting thing a salesmen told me is that they still sell $500 and $600 DVD players everyday. Getting someone to purchase an HD-DVD player for $500 is a piece of cake even if they didn't even know what it was coming in. Given that, Toshiba has a hit in the price arena.

I still wish one of these places would setup a proper demo room with a side by side showing the DVD version and the HD-DVD version complete with audio.

 

[Ryan-G]

I'm really surprised by TDB's wife's comments about HD-DVD, I've seen a dramatic difference in PQ just with 720p, and I'd imagine that 1080p is even more impressive.

Even looking at showroom models running HD feeds I've seen PQ that is incredible.

Of course, one other thing I've noticed is that it often depends on what is in the picture. Some scenes aren't improved as greatly as others from High Definition. Can't explain it, I'm not as well versed as the other members here, but from my experience close-ups and scenes with water show the most dramatic improvements.


Why am I not surprised that the person who's spent the last few months screaming that HD-DVD and BR will be the death of freedom does not like HD-DVD when he saw it?

But I will give you that you are correct that the general public won't embrace HD discs until it hits a lower price point, of course that's more due to the fact that HD displays are still priced outside of the general publics tolerance range, and the fact that there is less than 10% penetration of HD displays so the general public can't embrace any HD format right now.

 

[Stan Rozenfeld]

I had a chance to watch Last Samurai and Phantom of the Opera on Toshiba hd-a1. I was concerned that the difference between hd dvd and regular dvd would not be so great on my 61 inch 720p DLP. The good news is that the picture is spectacular! Eyepopping really. The more I live with it, the more I see just how much it adds to the experience of watching movies. Three other people I know, without any pressure from me made comments equivalent of 'Wow!'.

The player is also pretty good on regular dvds, unlike predicted by most, which is a nice bonus.

Obviously you won't see much difference if you hook it up to a 32 inch set with composite cable, but on a good mid-end display, the difference is striking.

 

[JediFonger]

when you folks say your piece on HD-DVD experience. please include your display size. i think this time around, size is going matter. anything less than 60", can't really see a big diff. marginal yes, but not leaps and bounds (after proper calibration). but with anything larger than 60, 80+ like front projection, then you will see a huge diff, leaps and bounds.

 

[nolesrule]

I have a 55" widescreen RPTV, and I can see the "leaps and bounds" difference between DVD and compressed HD over my cable system. I honestly don't think it'll take 60+ inches to tell the difference between DVD and HD DVD (or Blu-ray Disc), which should be of better quality than compressed over-cable HD.

 

[Jason Harbaugh]

Both times I've seen it, one was a 56" the other 61".

 

[Paul_Scott]

the in store demo i saw was on a display 42" or under and the differences were readily apparent to me. the picture was simply rock solid and finely detailed, no matter what was happening on the screen.

so let me ask this of people with displays in the 27-46" range;
do you see a need for anamorphic transfers or progressive scan players on SD DVDs? if you think you are getting any benefit from the above, there is no way you could not 'feel' the difference with an HD disc.

 

[TonyD]

so has anyone tried to buy one at sears yet?

i was just in one.
they had a Toshiba HD-XA1 hooked up but it didnt have a dvd in it.
i asked if they had any in but the guy had no idea so he had to call someone.

none in stock ,but they can order it.

i tried to get him to use the best buy coupon but he wouldnt do it.

as i was leaving i just casually asked how much it was.

$500.00.


so i wasnt sure if it was the ax1 that was the more expensive model or not.

after checking now i see it was.

i may go back tonight to douoble check.

 

[TonyD]

so i went back later and ordered the xa1,or at least thats what the kid continued to say thats what they have on order.
so for $500 i oredered what is hopefully the xa1.


earlier when i was in there he told me no one has bought one or even asked about one yet.
the player that was on the shelf, he said, has been there for months and it keeps crashing.

they also now had the demo disc in.
half hd on one side and sd on the other.

but on the bottom of the sd side it says simulated sd, so it's faux sd.

 

[Randy Korstick]

This statement was made over and over again about the difference between VHS or Laserdisc compared to DVD during the 1st 2-3 years of DVD and it was just as inaccurate. The prices on DVD players during the 1st couple years were between $200-$500.00 compared to $40.00 -$100.00 for VHS players and look where we are today.The key word is "Justify". Meaning people try to Justify things to avoid having to change.