I am going with HD-DVD.Now or later?

[TankTopLover]

I have decided to get a hd dvd player.I have read loads of posts on this forum.I read today that in September toshiba will be releasing the beast in the uk?

Will the UK version be more expensive than the imported us version?

Will it be better/improved etc? (load times esp.)

Are there any pictures of the tosh,i need to get an idea of how it will look in my current set-up?

What is the genral opinion here,wait a month for the uk version or import now?

 

[Rasczak]

I read today that in September toshiba will be releasing the beast in the uk?

September they annouce it, November they release it.

Will the UK version be more expensive than the imported us version?

Until we get the official announcement nobody knows.

Will it be better/improved etc? (load times esp.)

Unknown at present. It will almost certainly play R2 PAL SD DVDs but then it probably won't play R1 SD DVD discs unless a region hack comes along. Toshiba have denied reports of a second generation model this year so I should imagine it will probably be a slightly modified version of one of the US models.

What is the genral opinion here,wait a month for the uk version or import now?

Only you can decide that! R2 SD DVD playback is important to some (those who don't want to run 2 DVD players) so that might be a consideration. However almost certainly the range and breadth of US HD DVD releases will probably be greater than the UK choice for sometime. And whilst a UK player should play them compatibility is guaranteed with a US player. Personally I brought the XA1 and haven't looked back.

 

[Uruloke]

The price of the UK machine is rumoured to be around the £499 mark. If you have a large collection of R2 DVD's and want to play them on your HD-DVD player then wait for the Uk one as the US machine simply will not play them (no PAL output). If you're not bothered then, hey... Like Rascak said, I've got mine and haven't looked back! It's been one of the few expensive purchases I've made where I HAVEN'T felt any remorse.

 

[RyanK]

The price of the UK machine is rumoured to be around the £499 mark. If you have a large collection of R2 DVD's and want to play them on your HD-DVD player then wait for the Uk one as the US machine simply will not play them (no PAL output). If you're not bothered then, hey... Like Rascak said, I've got mine and haven't looked back! It's been one of the few expensive purchases I've made where I HAVEN'T felt any remorse.

I agree, it would be nice to upscale my R2 discs but i`ll wait until BD comes to the UK. In the meantime if you don`t mind shelling out a small fortune i would get an HD-DVD player NOW!!!

 

[theo cupier]

Only you can decide that! R2 SD DVD playback is important to some (those who don't want to run 2 DVD players) so that might be a consideration. However almost certainly the range and breadth of US HD DVD releases will probably be greater than the UK choice for sometime. And whilst a UK player should play them compatibility is guaranteed with a US player. Personally I brought the XA1 and haven't looked back.

Any owners have a view on how the A1 rates as an upscaling SD DVD player? One factor for me is that my DVD player is a touch elderly. Since most of my SD DVDs are R2, it would be nice if a single machine could do the HD and SD. However, if I can get better SD performance out of a cheapish R2 SD player it might be the better option.

Will I get better SD PQ for my money with an R2 A1 or an R1 A1 + R2 SD player?

 

[RyanK]

The A1 upscales R1 NTSC DVD very nicely.

For example i have watched Law & Order: Criminal Intent which is usaully quite grainy but is much clearer and sharper. Also i am watching "The World At War". This was made back in 1974 and uses much older archive footage but yet again the results are very impressive.

 

[Uruloke]

Yep. I have a Philips DVP5900 that upscales to 1080i and the Toshiba HD-A1 upscales my R1 NTSC discs much better than the Philips does. So it's a fair bet that the Uk machine will be up there with the best of upscalers. But seriously mate, you'll buy it for the HD-DVD playback not the scaling ability. When you see the difference, you'll want to replace your collection.

 

[Timbo21]

If you ever rent DVD's then of course importing an HD-DVD player will leave you scuppered.

 

[Quickbeam]

The UK model would be the obvious choice if it can play US HD-DVD discs, but who knows how the region coding fiasco is going to play out, or if region hacks will ever become available?

 

[Rasczak]

The UK model would be the obvious choice if it can play US discs

Just to complicate things further initial discussion on these forums of the specs of the UK HD DVDs discs suggest the US players will be able to handle at least some of the UK releases.

 

[Quickbeam]

I take it you are referring to 24p European releases? AIUI the (X)A1 stutters when fed 576i50 material.

 

[Uruloke]

I take it you are referring to 24p European releases? AIUI the (X)A1 stutters when fed 576i50 material.

But is that 24p or 25p material? Or am I missing something?

 

[Rasczak]

I take it you are referring to 24p European releases? AIUI the (X)A1 stutters when fed 576i50 material.

We only have specs for a few UK HD DVDs so far and they are 1080P/24 and are likely to be, according to the discussions over on the AVS forum, compatible with the US players. Needless to say no UK HD DVD release will be 576I/P. The 50Hz/60Hz issue could be the stumbling block but Amir from Microsoft doesn't seem to think so...