Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD Player
No it's not cheap, yes it's bulky, indeed it probably will be half the cost in two years,but hey it looks simply fantastic
As most of you have probably done periodically coming to amazon and checking the reviews for this player you might have noticed the steady increase of reviews[very positive reviews] each week. I was also curious as well and ever since this piece has hit the market I've continued to read those new positive reviews and statements  which have finally convinced me to purchase a player and leave a review myself. <br /> <br /> I am a professional custom audio/video installer in a city with a very competitive market for high dollar high end equipment and have simply been blown away with this piece. Installing and being around $10,000 plasmas, audio/projectors/screen setups neighboring in the range of $40,000-$300,000 has given me a fair standpoint of reference I'm confident enough to say. The bottom line is this player outputs the highest quality video I've seen and it's not insanely expensive either compared to other would be high end players that aren't even as advanced. All of you home theater buffs out there considering buying a \\"high qaulity\\" standard DVD player with upconverting capability stop in your tracks and save your money for crying out loud. Regular DVD players cannot begin to compare even if they do have great upconverting ability. This isn't your father's DVD player. This is a whole new technology and a whole new format.Yes I know this player doesnt have a name that starts with a D or it's not a boutique-esque brand with years of history or it might ,and I certainly hope not,cost as much as a set of cables you own; don't furrow your brows any further and rest soundly in knowing this player will make your monitor/screen look it's very best. If you think your Sat/cable HD receiver makes your set look great get ready for a whole other ballpark. I laugh at HD broadcasts now. <br /> <br />Whats this I hear? The loading time is long? Really! you can't spare 1.5 minutes to be bathed in glorious resolutions like many people have never seen before? Fine! Be that absurd then and let everyone else enjoy what is the finest in video reproduction. <br />The remote is horrible? Yeah, and, so what? With a picture like this I'll gladly shrug off a tiny tradeoff such as a crumby remote and still be happy without a universal remote to replace this one. Yeah it's big and bulky and will be smaller as they refine their manufacturing procedures ,but so what. When you see your set look the best it's ever looked you'll be in utter awe and will have the satisfaction knowing you are watching movies as they were intended to be watched. <br /> <br />As far is blu-ray is concerned and the rage over 1080p I really don't get it. It's twice the price and I don't see twice the qaulity by any means and I certainly don't see as many titles available. I looked at the blu ray demo and then walked away to look at the HD-DVD demo as many as 6 different times back and forth really watching for what I regarded as the best picture and blu-ray couldn't convince me to spend $1,000. Will blu ray make your larger than 50 inch monitor look better than HD-DVD with it's so called 1080p resolution? I can't say with certainty yet as I've yet to see both formats on anything bigger than 50 inches. I do know however that if you go HD-DVD with anything 50 inches or less you will be immensely satisfied. Additionally from what other reviewers have claimed that have purchased both formats HD-dvd simply delivers the goods better at half the price....