Group Test: High definition disc players pt2

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Overview Price comparison: Samsung BD-P1000 More info: Samsung Size: 430x79x325mm Weight: 4.2kg Plays: MP3, JPEG, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM, Blu-Ray 1080p output: Yes (but flawed) Connections: HDMI output, Component video output, 5.1 audio line outputs, optical/coaxial digital outputs, S-Video output, stereo audio outputs, composite video output Samsung BD-P1000 If looks were everything, this slick Samsung Blu-ray beast would have this group test in the bag. It really is gorgeous - as you'd expect of a glossy little number designed to partner Samsung's equally gorgeous flat TVs. Pity, then, that to some extent the beauty is only skin deep… All seems well on the connectivity side of things, though, as we find an HDMI output claiming to deliver 1080p pictures, an 11-in-2 memory card reader for direct playback of digital stills from multiple storage formats, and 5.1-channel audio line outs. However, there's rather a key catch - the 1080p output is flawed to say the least. For rather than just streaming the 1080p/24fps picture directly from a Blu-ray disc as you'd expect (and want), the BD-P1000 bizarrely converts the 1080p source into 1080i, then processes them again back up to 1080p at the output stage! This seemingly crazy state of affairs is down to the P1000's decoder chipset not being able to handle 1080p in its native form, and the double layer of processing seems bound to have a negative effect on the final picture quality. And so it proves. We tried a variety of Blu-ray titles on the deck, including the pristine transfer of Casino Royale, and in every case the P1000's performance came up short of all our other contenders. The main problem, predictably, is noise. There's just noticeably more grain and dot crawl in the Samsung's pictures than there should be - and these problems also seem to cause the picture to look slightly soft and imprecise. The Samsung's colour tones look slightly more washed out than on the other three decks we're featuring too; its upscaling of old DVDs is only fair (even though it uses Faroudja's DCDi processing), making it also the worst upscaler of our HD quartet; and its musical playback is rather wanting too. Don't get us wrong; the Samsung's Blu-ray HD pictures are still miles better than those of any standard definition DVD player. But they fail to shine in the high-quality company they find themselves in today. Couple the P1000's underwhelming performance traits with a lack of v1.3 HDMI support and the by-now anticipated lack of compatibility with the BD Profile 1.1 standard, and you really have got a deck that compromises the HD experience too much to seem attractive even at its relatively low £600 price point.

Verdict Plus points Great design, low price, fair features count Minus points Not BD Profile 1.1 compatible, only HDMI 1.2, uninspiring HD picture performance, mediocre audio

Overview Price comparison: Toshiba HD-XE1 More info: Toshiba Size: 430x79x325mm Weight: 7.2kg Plays: CD, CD-DA, CD-R/RW, DVD-R, DVD ROM, DVD-RW, DVD, HD DVD 1080p output: Yes Connections: HDMI 1.3 output, Component video output, 5.1 audio line outputs, optical/coaxial digital outputs, S-Video output, stereo audio outputs, composite video output, Ethernet port, two USB ports Toshiba HD-XE1 You probably won't be too surprised to find that this is the only HD DVD player in our group test, given that Toshiba is pretty much the only company currently making standalone HD DVD players! But you certainly might be surprised by how good it is… It's beautifully built, for starters. Not quite as aggressively attractive as some of its Blu-ray rivals, perhaps, but its robustness and finish certainly smacks of some serious interior quality. Connections do the business too, chiefly thanks to an HDMI 1.3 output which makes the deck the only one in our group able to deliver the next-gen thrills of Deep Colour, digitally-carried high definition audio formats, and automatic lip-synching. It also supports true 1080p output for the purest form of picture delivery to suitably talented TVs, and uniquely for this group test carries an Ethernet port with which you can access the online extra features some HD DVD discs will sport. This Ethernet port is in some ways quite a poignant reminder of the fact that unlike Blu-ray, HD DVD is a finished and rounded format - and has been from the appearance of the very first players. The XE1's AV performance is little short of sensational. Pictures from any number of HD DVD discs all looked pretty near perfect, with peerless levels of sharpness and detail, terrifically rich colours (we can't wait for some Deep Color-encoded discs to see how the XE1 handles them!), smooth, glitch-free motion, and not the faintest jot of video noise of any sort. We wouldn't say pictures are actually better than those of Pioneer's LX70 Blu-ray deck, but they're certainly pretty much on a par. The XE1 is also a cracking upscaler of old DVDs, and sounds sweetly toned and crystal clear with your CD collection. So although Toshiba also does a very good budget HD DVD player, the £299 HD-E1, the XE1 is very much now our HD DVD player of choice.

Verdict Plus points Stunning performer, great build quality, plenty of high end features Minus points Not particularly cheap

Final verdict If there's one thing this group test proves above all else, it's that the HD disc war isn't currently being fought on a truly level playing field. For while HD DVD's specification was pretty much all wrapped up and finalised before any players started to appear, ever since the recent announcement of the mandatory introduction of a new Blu-ray 'profile' in October, there's no getting around the fact that arguably no current Blu-ray players are completely 'finished articles'. Please note, though, that we're not mindlessly Blu-ray bashing here - in fact the format appears to be going from strength to strength in many ways, and we're genuinely not fussed about whether it or HD DVD wins out. But when you're talking about the merits of today's HD disc players, it's impossible to avoid the thought that if you've decided to go the Blu-ray route, you really might be better off waiting just a few months more and getting a fully specified post-October product rather than buying any of the three machines we've tested here. Obviously this feeling has filtered into this group test to some extent, giving the HD DVD contender an immediate advantage. But we must stress that this is certainly not the only reason the Toshiba HD-XE1 player has actually come out on top. There's also no arguing with its truly outstanding performance, terrific design and expansive feature count. So while we can't guarantee the HD DVD format's long-term future, or that all your favourite films will ever become available on HD DVD disc, we can at least say with confidence that whatever HD films you do play on the XE1 will all look absolutely bloody superb. As for the Blu-ray players lined up behind the Toshiba, there's a pretty defined 'league table'. Propping the others up is Samsung's P1000, which smacks of a rushed product in the way an inappropriate chipset has been allowed to foul up its HD pictures. Admittedly anyone who's not seen HD before will still be blown away by watching a Blu-ray disc on the P1000, but that doesn't hide the fact that its performance falls well short of our other three decks. Slotting in above the Samsung is Panasonic's DMP-BD10. This is a very accomplished HD performer with some decent specification considering its relative vintage. But it still falls marginally short of the truly outstanding audio and visual treats delivered by Pioneer's LX70, with the latter's LAN PC connectivity also helping it secure second spot overall. If you're fixed on Blu-ray and just can't wait any longer, the Pioneer is the deck for you. Especially if you've also got a new or recent Pioneer plasma TV.

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