Toshiba HD-XE1-K-TETM - Expert Reviews

Review summary: The Toshiba HD-A1 was the world's first HD-DVD movie player when it was released in April 2006. While it delivered the goods--offering a true high-definition picture and impressive better-than-DVD surround sound--it came with the quirks and glitches that

Pros: Plays HD DVD discs in true high-definition; upscales standard DVDs to high-def resolution; half the price of first-generation Blu-ray players; upgradable firmware via built-in Ethernet port or disc.

Cons: Slow start-up and sluggish operation; terrible remote control; spotty HDMI compatibility; quirky audio controls; network connection can't be used to stream media from PC; larger than most DVD players; small list of titles available; only three major studi

Verdict: The Toshiba HD-A1 bests the early Blu-ray competition in terms of picture quality and price--but only home-theater enthusiasts are likely to endure its long list of early-adopter caveats.

Review summary: Most of the reported 10,000-15,000 HD DVD players shipped to dealers apparently went to Best Buy, and if that retailer is representative, only 2-3 players were allotted to each store, along with a handful discs. The players were gone within a day--some de

Pros: Stunning image quality

Cons: Sluggish loading

Review summary: HD-A1 Up-Converting HD DVD Player The HD-A1 up-converting HD DVD player delivers outstanding resolution, bright, vivid colors, and stunning sound using the next-generation high-definition DVD te...

Review summary: The Format war heats up with Tosh's latest standalone player

Pros: Great high definition and DVD upscaling playback, impressive feature list

Cons: No 7.1 support, slightly lags at times, relatively expensive

Verdict: While the HD-XE1 is without a doubt the best HD-DVD player on the Australian market, it's also the most expensive. Non-enthusiasts may find the HD-XE1's asking price a little high, and ultimately may be better served by a more affordable model.