Ok so I must admit that I absolutely love HD. I am planning to get my first HDTV, since I am on a budget I have come down to buying the Hitachi CRT projection 51F59 model. Thats what I can afford now and it will give me a bigger size as well. Anyways I would love to have a HD DVD player, but the prices are high. So here are my questions is it wise to buy the HD DVD player now or should I wait for some time like a year maybe so that the prices come down and for now buy a Oppo dvd player which is for around $200. I have heard good things about the Oppo but dont know what to do at this time. I am also assuming that in a year maybe the prices of the HD dvds will also come down right now its its expensive. Will the Hitachi and oppo give me good picture quality from the regular dvds.


I don't know if this made any sense to you guys.

Looking to hear from you guys out there.

Cheers!!!

I was in the same boat. I needed to buy my first DVD player and wanted to go the Oppo route on a ~$200 budget. From the excited reviews HD DVD got on here, I decided to go with an HD DVD player instead. I knew I would have one eventually and I didn't want to buy an Oppo now just to upgrade again in a year's time.

HD DVD hardware can be found for ~$400 if you're looking at the right places. My suggestion would be to try HD DVD out and see if it's worth the difference to you. Since the Toshiba HD DVD players upscale your regular DVDs you're getting what you want from the Oppo plus HD DVDs. If you don't like it you can always return it and someone else can get a nice open box bonus.

I'd say it's definitely worth a shot.

BTW, I'm a big proponent that a well-adjusted CRT RPTV can outperform some LCD projection TV's I've seen. I myself have a Hitachi showing off my HD DVD player and I couldn't be happier with it. I'm glad I bought this now instead of waiting a year or more.

If you're looking at buying an upconverting player, I'd go ahead and make the investment to somewhat 'futureproof' [HD vs BD war notwithstanding] yourself by getting an HDDVD player instead.
And for disks, it looks like a 'basic' [non combo disk can be had 19-23 bucks without even trying, and there's always Netflix or BBO for just checking them out.

Thanks guys, I guess I will utimately take the plunge into the HD DVD player world.
I would like to know more about how to acieve that once I get my Hitachi. I will post my threat and hopefully you will be able to assist me achieve that.

for now thanks a lot guys

I was also in your boat about HD-DVD when it first came out. But then after the following factors, I plopped my hard-earned cash down:

A. Seeing a demo at BB
B. Hearing a demo on my friend's HT
C. Seeing Last Samurai on my friend's HT

Well-worth my money

Don't forget the Continental Onepass deal - you can get the Toshiba HD-DVD player for $373 shipped. Also, I think the new models will be released at a lower price point, but I could be wrong. I'm sure someone here knows.

The Toshiba HD-DVD player is an excellent upconverting player. I don't miss my Denon 2910 at all (except for its SACD and DVD-A support, of course)

also don't forget you also get 3 free hd dvds in the mail if you buy any toshiba hd player starting next week. right now im deciding if I should get a toshiba or pick up the xbox 360 add on

Guys can you post a link to the site where its for $373. Also what is the difference between the model available now and the one new one coming out at a lower price as mentioned by BobDole42 and does any one know when its coming out.

I'm not the HD-DVD expert, but I think the new players take advantage of the HD-audo on the HD-DVD's???? Is that right??? Spiky? BobDole42???

Go here
https://www.continental.com/web/en-U...s/default.aspx
Sign up.
Subscribe to a magazine for at least ten bucks to get 100 miles/points.
Then go here
http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...rchandise.aspx
you'll have to sign up
and browse Electronics for DVD players, and there's the HDA1 for 363.xx incl. shipping.

Sdallnct: The HDA1 with FW 2.0+ supports 5.1 TrueHD; do you mean the new players support DTS HD and DDHD? if so, I don't know; that would be a difference; but probably only over HDMI.

I too am interested in knowing the price points of the 2nd gen. I *heard* they would be no cheaper than, and possibly more expensive than the current ones [especially the ~400 discount prices], but that was a long time ago.
If they can make them cheaper, say, 350-400 MSRP, in time for the holiday season, and the stores market them, I think BD would be in trouble.

Just my .02.

I will not support a format war. I will not purchase a box just because it CAN upconvert. I am perfectly happy to sit this one out, wait for prices to come way down and a single format to be in place, including a standard for hdmi as well as the audio.

I am ordering an Oppo this week to add to my Denon 2900 in my theater. This will tide me over until the next generation formats deserve my money.

Only the XA2 is really assumed to support DTS-HD, because it will have HDMI 1.3. That should just be a pass-through of the audio and support anything.

MSRP is $500 (A2) and $1000 (XA2) for gen2 Toshibas. The price is actually higher since gen1 was $500/$800. No doubt they will street for less than those prices by the end of the year. But the A2 is a step down from the A1 to anyone who doesn't have a receiver with HDMI.

I agree 100% with this. Cnet had an article regarding the HD DVD/Blu Ray technology and was suggesting that people wait for the dust to settle. I'm going that route as well,even though it's killing me not to take the HD DVD plunge which I favor over Blu Ray.

Only reason I'm less scared to jump into HD-DVD now? I can still play my entire collection. Far less risky than Blue Ray for me.

I just had my "2nd room" DVD Player go out and I'm toying with the idea of pickup up an HD-DVD player for the home theater and moving the current DVD Player into the other room.

It will cost more than just picking up another regular DVD player, but is far less of a "risk" than Blue Ray since I still have my entire collection I can enjoy and pick up HD titles as well.

If HD-DVD "loses the war" I have much less to lose. I'm guessing I'll make the plunge come December.

Which is the only thing keeping me from cursing aloud by buying when I did to lock in the A1, instead of waiting till Wed and getting 3 free titles, and possibly being stuck with the A2.....

And you can get the A2 for $449 shipped with 2 discs. Add in the other 3 and that's 5 free discs plus a player for $449 including shipping and no tax.

It's also a "no brainer."

And for those interested, the Toshiba DOES upconvert better than the Oppo.

This should also probably be in the HD forum.

The OPPO is region-free. Other than that, i'd go with the HD DVD player. I love mine.

You do realize that BD players can also play DVDs. Neither HDDVD or BD is compatible with DVD. They have made dual-laser players to playback DVD, as well.

You're likely in for a *long* wait. I have a strong feeling that these formats will coexist for some time.

I voted with my wallet and got an HD DVD player. It definitely is one of the best HT decisions I've ever made. Amazing.

It looks like you have a pretty good setup for your HT. I think it's too bad that you wouldn't just spend the extra two hundred (or less) to get the A1 instead of the Oppo. Once you've seen Batman Begins in TrueHD, I think you'd pretty quickly decide that HD DVD "deserves your money."

Just my 2 pennies. I was one of those "wait for the dust to settle" people too... until it became clear that the quality levels of HD DVD were very high and the entry point was approaching $350. Then it became a no-brainer.

Good points and thanks.

I am willing to wait, there are few titles that interest me in either format. And based on what I have read about the early models, even after a software patch, totally turn me off.

As far as choosing a format there are other considerations at least for me. My projector will only do 720p and 1080i not 1080p. My receiver has no upconversion or hdmi ports.

Money as you point out is not the issue but I do not feel that choosing a format and praying (I did that twice before) is in my best interest.

I'll gladly wait it out.

Waiting it out will make a longer wait. Choosing a format is in everyone's best interest.

Only by choosing will this war end. If everyone chooses one side, there is no war.

Well I did buy an Oppo a year ago for the same reason...It would tide me over until the "dust settled" and then I could buy in. And well that idea didnt last too long and I eneded up breaking down and got the A1 and I couldnt be happier. Now if I could just sell my Oppo, I would be doing great

Did you compare the Oppo and the A1? What display do you have?

I am happy for you and the Oppo is a fantastic unit you should have no trouble selling it.

Where did you see this deal? What 2 movies do you get with the player?
Thanks!

A question for the HDDVD folks...are there any HD players that do region-free? I have an Oppo now, but watch A LOT of region 2 stuff. Could I replace the Oppo with and HD player, or would I have to have both?