Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD Player
Worth it if you have HDMI and the latest firmware
I got the HD-A1 last week as a business investment--I write multimedia books and do a lot with video. (To be honest, I probably would have waited to get for a second generation HD DVD player if I wasn't employed to research multimedia.) But if you're a die-hard High Definition (HD) video fan, then I would get this unit *if*:<br /><br />1) You have an HDTV unit with an HDMI input. Last year, I bought a Sony BRAVIA 40\\" LCD, and it features an HDMI input. HDMI is the one of the latest input technologies that is digitally uncompressed (no analog signal) straight into the HDTV unit. Many devices now feature HDMI outputs, such as my Comcast HD DVR (made by Motorola). If you don't have a TV with an HDMI input, then I'd probably not get this model because the standard definition DVD signal can not be \\"upconverted\\" to an HD signal unless you have HDMI.<br /><br />2) You get the latest firmware. Several home theater online forums have posted links to the first firmware update for the Toshiba HD-A1, and it solved a lot of issues for a lot of people. For me, it fixed an audio signal problem with DTS on my Sony AV receiver. Prior to that firmware update, I noticed an audio glitch on the center channel while watching HD DVD's such as Jarhead or The Chronicles of Riddick.<br /><br />3) You don't mind being a bit of a guinea pig, and you are patient. This unit is very slow compared to regular DVD players. When you first turn it on from standby, it can take about 1 minute to go through the boot cycle (the unit is essentially a computer--it has a Pentium 4 processor with 1GB of RAM!), and an additional wait time (around 30 seconds) to load an HD DVD disc. Once the disc has loaded, though, it's smooth sailing.<br /><br />I'm a little unnerved that the audio CD player functionality isn't more comprehensive. This unit has an ethernet port to connect to your home network and the Internet--why can't album information display when I pop in a new audio CD? It just displays a generic \\"CD PLAYER\\" title at the top of your TV screen (if it's turn on) when you insert an audio CD. Seems to be a huge waste of processing power to just display that title.<br /><br />The unit's look also harkens back to the days of the first VHS VCR's that hit the market in the early 80's. I mean, seriously, this thing is huge compared to today's technology like an Xbox 360 or a slim DVD player. I have a feeling that Toshiba is making this unit much bigger than it needs to be so that Americans think they're getting something for their money. Maybe that's just the wannabe Canadian in me talking. But, I honestly don't think the internal hardware needs all of that room to function properly.<br /><br />At the end of the day, though, it's currently the most affordable way to get the _best_ HD picture on your brand new HDTV. The picture is way better than the HD picture quality I get from Comcast with HBO HD. I have yet to see any compression artifacts show up when watching fast paced action scenes. If you love watching movies at home and have the budget to buy this piece of equipment, I think you'll be happy with the results.c \\"CD PLAYER\\" title at the top of your TV screen (if it's turn on) when you insert an audio CD. Seems to be a huge waste of processing power to just display that title.  <br /> <br />The unit's look also harkens back to the days of the first VHS VCR's that hit the market in the early 80's. I mean, seriously, this thing is huge compared to today's technology like an Xbox 360 or a slim DVD player. I have a feeling that Toshiba is making this unit much bigger than it needs to be so that Americans think they're getting something for their money. Maybe that's just the wannabe Canadian in me talking. But, I honestly don't think the internal hardware needs all of that room to function properly.  <br /> <br />At the end of the day, though, it's currently the most affordable way to get the _best_ HD picture on your brand new HDTV. The picture is way better than the HD picture quality I get from Comcast with HBO HD. I have yet to see any compression artifacts show up when watching fast paced action scenes. If you love watching movies at home and have the budget to buy this piece of equipment, I think you'll be happy with the results.