The HD-disc format war resumes in earnest as Toshiba's belated debut HD DVD player finally arrives in the UK, undercutting the price of the rival Blu-ray system. So was it worth the wait and can it be better than Blu-ray?
Compared to the first US machine, the entry level HD-E1 is an updated HD DVD player. It will soon be joined by the £649 HD-XE1 flagship, which might be worth holding out for if you're a real audio-videophile, because there are a couple of key features missing from the HD-E1.
The first omission is the lack of analogue 5.1 phono audio outputs, which is the universal way of hearing the better quality sound from HD DVD. Without these there are two options. The optical output downconverts a Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD or DTS HD track into a DTS-format bitstream. This means it has a slightly higher bandwidth (and so marginally better quality), than a regular Dolby Digital soundtrack. The second option is the HDMI port, which carries linear PCM digital audio, though it may be limited to 5.1 channels rather than 6.1 or 7.1. This is a high-bandwidth option but it only works if your surround sound amp has HDMI too. The HDMI format is v1.2, while the HD-EX1 will boast HDMI v1.3, which carries the new audio systems at full quality as well as improved video colour data.
HDMI is also used by the HD-E1 to output HD DVD images or to upscale normal DVD to 720p or 1080i levels. The relatively stripped down player also supports CD playback but little else (no SACD, DVD-Audio, MP3 or DivX) and of course it won't play Blu-ray or output at 1080 lines in progressive scan.
Some HD DVD releases are 'combo' discs with HD on one side and normal DVD on the other, which is a good way to upgrade without losing backwards compatibility. This player is locked to Region 2 for DVD but is multiregional for HD. Otherwise, the concept is similar to Blu-ray. HD discs offer noticeably better picture quality than standard DVD, as well as the aforementioned audio improvements, plus faster and more sophisticated interactive features (though, oddly, there is no Resume Play feature on the HD-E1 so far).
Our test model was glitchy, sometimes failing to power up, freezing at inopportune moments or even in one case failing to play a film (Superman Returns) without being 'reinitialised', but unlike Samsung and Panasonic's first Blu-ray players, Toshiba's inaugural machine does have an Ethernet port for connecting to broadband. This should enable big fixes and other upgrades to be downloaded easily, so problems might be resolved in the near future.
Performance
To test the HD-E1 we played several HD discs, all 30GB dual-layer (except Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which is 15GB, single layer) and each used VC1 (Windows Media Video HD) encoding.
These early discs are a mixed bunch. The choice of films available is arguably better than Blu-ray, despite fewer studios supporting HD DVD. But, as with HDTV and Blu-ray, simply putting a movie onto an HD disc doesn't guarantee top performance.
The player also lacks picture tweaking controls. Normally these aren't essential but with the HD-E1, the black level of some discs looks way too low via both digital and analogue outputs, so that some details simply disappear into solid black rather than appearing as grey shades, especially compared to Sky's HD channels and recent Blu-ray releases.
For example, the near monochrome tints of Sleepy Hollow show distinctly too much contrast - deep blacks dominate the image and there's not enough tonal range. The same happens with Constantine, which often has an unrealistic look. Sometimes this is deliberate but there is also a greenish tinge to the darker shades, obvious banding side-effects in smooth tones, some ghostly trailing on fast motion, and detail is not as sharp as it ought to be.
Superman Returns is warm and contrasty without seeming overly dark. Its detail is not so sharp but that's probably due to being made on HD video (as was Miami Vice). It's the super-sound that truly excels here however - with rich, booming bass in the action sequences and well defined surround effects, even in the quieter, more ambient scenes.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang on the other hand, is an underrated film and an unsung HD DVD hero. The gorgeous picture is ideally balanced, as if it oozes effortlessly onto the screen rather than being thrust up awkwardly by nascent technology, bugs and all. The resolution is so sharp you can see enough split ends to send most Hollywood starlets running for hair conditioner by the time the movie ends.
Unlike Samsung's BDP1000, upscaled standard DVDs fare extremely well on the HD-E1. There's not too much contrast 'crunch', detail is impeccable, motion remains beautifully smooth, while outlines stay crisp throughout. Pop in a hybrid HD disc the 'wrong' way round and you might struggle to tell the difference. King Kong's Special Edition looks almost as good as the HD version, while Pixar's latest CGI animation Cars shines with glossy hues.
The player's regular Dolby Digital 5.1 sound is pure and clean, resulting in clearly defined vocals and carefully steered bass and surround effects. However, it must be said that while the standard CD replay is perfectly acceptable, it's also a little cold and brittle compared to more highly priced machines.
Overall, you could get by with this as your DVD player and have the benefit of HD discs to dip into when the right movies appear. It's early days and dual-format players, such as LG's recently announced BH100, will be much more expensive and may have drawbacks of their own initially so, despite some flaws, if you can't wait to get HD discs but you don't want to break the bank, the HD-E1 is the best choice so far in a limited field.
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Coming in at a relatively low price means some elements (such as full support for new audio formats) are missing. Early discs are variable and our test sample was not too reliable. However, the player can be upgraded via broadband and, at its best, there are no nasty side effects - or even subtle ones - distracting you from the viewing experience. HD DVD shows that true visual realism is achievable... but not all of the time.
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