The Toshiba HD-A1 HD DVD Player has all you would expect from an affordable next generation player. It boasts HDMI connection for the best possible video and audio streaming capability. The player also has all of the old connections that you might need just in case all of you home theater equipment isn't quite up to date. The LCD display is a little lackluster for such new technology, but that isn't exactly important when you are really shopping for video quality. The remote is ergonomic and fairly easy to use. The unit is easily controlled by a toshiba television remote for basic functions.
The HD DVD that I decided to test was Serenity, because it is a high action sci-fi action thriller. The plan was to test the HD DVD and compare it to the regular DVD. The nice part about this player, and most others, is that it takes old DVDs and actually up converts the video quality to make it look better. This is done by filling in the unused lines of resolution. The difference between the HD DVD and the regular DVD was stunning. You could definatley see more detail and the color was much more impressive. I did not have the chance to sample the sound with an enhanced audio system, but the HD DVD had a wider spectrum of sound. The highs were a little clearer as were the lows, especially with the subwoofer.
The player performed well with video, but there were some things about the player that did not perform so well. The operation was very slow when you are loading DVDs and navigating through menus. Another main drawback to the player is that it does not have a 1080p video output, which is not a huge problem for most televisions out now. It does show that even with the new HD technology you will have to get a higher end player to get the full set of features, but for $499 this is a competitve player that is a good start.


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