A quick background story. Last year, we got a Samsung LE46M86BD. Initially we had no HD source but even so I was impressed by how good SD DVDs could look. Some were better than others but many were good.
Next my son bought an XBOX 360 Elite. Just before Christmas, we succumbed to the HD add-on. We were aware that HD DVD could lose but reasoned that £100 for the player with 5 free discs was not bad anyway. If it did lose, we assumed that disc prices would crash and we would pick up some bargains. Well now we are picking up those bargains, we just did not expect to do so quite so soon.
Now, I have a nice collection of HD DVDs but a couple of problems. If in a couple of years time, the XBOX or the add-on dies, then my collection would be unplayable. My son is now 16 so in a few years may leave home and take his XBOX with him. Also, annoyingly, the add-on does not support TrueHD or 7.1 so I may not be getting the best out of it. (It is connected to an Onkyo 605 with 7.1 speakers).
The add-ons are now dirt cheap so I could buy one as a backup but this would not protect against failure or loss of the XBOX itself and not help with the sound. Well, I guess I could use the add-on by itself with a PC but I would rather not have that hassle.
The Toshiba EP30 is cheap. It would protect against an XBOX or add-in failure but it seems to be no better than the add-on, it does not even seem to be quieter. A friend has the EP30 and the add-on and says that the EP30 is almost as noisy. Also, the EP30 does not seem to have any better sound support.
So, I am looking at the EP35 or better but, annoyingly, the prices of these do not seem to be crashing. It seems pointless to pay as much as, or even more than, a PS3. If I get to that price level then I will get the PS3 and gradually build a BluRay collection.
If the wanted bargain does not materialise then I will buy a cheap add-on as insurance and hope that I do not need to use it.
Does anyone know a bargain source of a suitable player?
TueHD, 7.1 and quieter essential.
Ability to hack to play R1 SDs would be nice but not essential.
Next my son bought an XBOX 360 Elite. Just before Christmas, we succumbed to the HD add-on. We were aware that HD DVD could lose but reasoned that £100 for the player with 5 free discs was not bad anyway. If it did lose, we assumed that disc prices would crash and we would pick up some bargains. Well now we are picking up those bargains, we just did not expect to do so quite so soon.
Now, I have a nice collection of HD DVDs but a couple of problems. If in a couple of years time, the XBOX or the add-on dies, then my collection would be unplayable. My son is now 16 so in a few years may leave home and take his XBOX with him. Also, annoyingly, the add-on does not support TrueHD or 7.1 so I may not be getting the best out of it. (It is connected to an Onkyo 605 with 7.1 speakers).
The add-ons are now dirt cheap so I could buy one as a backup but this would not protect against failure or loss of the XBOX itself and not help with the sound. Well, I guess I could use the add-on by itself with a PC but I would rather not have that hassle.
The Toshiba EP30 is cheap. It would protect against an XBOX or add-in failure but it seems to be no better than the add-on, it does not even seem to be quieter. A friend has the EP30 and the add-on and says that the EP30 is almost as noisy. Also, the EP30 does not seem to have any better sound support.
So, I am looking at the EP35 or better but, annoyingly, the prices of these do not seem to be crashing. It seems pointless to pay as much as, or even more than, a PS3. If I get to that price level then I will get the PS3 and gradually build a BluRay collection.
If the wanted bargain does not materialise then I will buy a cheap add-on as insurance and hope that I do not need to use it.
Does anyone know a bargain source of a suitable player?
TueHD, 7.1 and quieter essential.
Ability to hack to play R1 SDs would be nice but not essential.