Tuesday, May 30, 2006
PC Magazine: Toshiba HD-A1
Posted by Jeremy Charette in "HARDWARE" @ 06:00 AM
"Much has been made of the format wars between HD DVD and Blu-ray, but most of it has been relegated to mere talk. Not anymore. Toshiba is the first out of the gate, with its HD-A1 HD DVD player. The HD-A1 offers a perfect example of an ideal early-adopter product. It's got well-hyped bling (six times the detail of DVDs means gorgeous video!), a clunky feel (ever spend a minute waiting for a consumer electronics device to boot?), technical limitations (no 1080p output), minimal software support (20 titles by the end of May, hundreds, in theory, by year's end), and a relatively stiff price tag. Then again, HD DVD's competition, players using the Sony-led Blu-ray technology, won't ship until mid-June at the earliest, and even then they're expected to sell for around $1,000. That makes the $500 HD-A1, as well as its pricier sibling, the $800 HD-XA1, seem like a bargain. Still, there is plenty of reason for buyers to be cautious."
Different review, same conclusion: save your money for round two. Existing HD DVD hardware is slow, expensive, technically limited, and just doesn't have the same bang for the buck as an upconverting DVD player. Wait until the Holiday season, you're bound to see prices drop like a rock, and there will be more devices to choose from.
Different review, same conclusion: save your money for round two. Existing HD DVD hardware is slow, expensive, technically limited, and just doesn't have the same bang for the buck as an upconverting DVD player. Wait until the Holiday season, you're bound to see prices drop like a rock, and there will be more devices to choose from.
