I also recommend waiting, until both more titles are released, as well as some more, speedier HD-DVD players to choose from are released. David Pogue wrote a column on high definition DVDs a couple months back that I think contains a lot of good insights. The article has been posted here before, but here's the link if you haven't read it yet: Why the World Doesn't Need Hi-Def DVD's by David Pogue

Your opinion became worthless for making that statement. Loved Serenity, its definitely a good sci-fi flick, but at worse only one of the many good HD DVDs to choose from.

Again, waiting is an option but the more standard DVDs you buy while waiting the more you may have to replace if you do get on board. HD DVD is a very safe risk and considering you are getting a qualtity upconverting DVD player and a very good CD player for your $400+ with the Toshiba you really have little to lose.

A winner to this war is a long way from being decided and both formats may end up sticking around for years. If you have an HDTV you really are missing out on a lot.

Depends on if you're gonna get the PS3. If you don't, then you should get HD DVD. If you are getting a PS3, then not much reason to buy HD DVD currently.

i hope sony falls on their asses

You need to consider the fact that the PQ of most of the current Blu-ray movies ranges from mediocre to down right awful. Even if you get a PS3 you want to avoid the current crop of Blu-ray movies. HD DVD has a huge picture quality lead right now.

If everybody waits, there won't be ANY HD format...

To me, Serenity is the killer app that would put me over the edge if I had a HDTV and enough money for a player.

i was at Best Buy last week and watching an HD DVD player play Hitch and it didnt make me want to buy one. I'm not sure if it was the dvd or what, but the movie was skipping and having a hard time going longer than 20 seconds without skipping

That was Blu-Ray, not HD DVD. Blu Ray sucks, to put it plainly. Buy HD DVD, now, and you will not regret it.

You were not watching a HD-DVD player play hitch unless you were watching a SD DVD of it. You might have been watching a BD disc, if so that says a great deal because Hitch is supposed to be one of the better transfers on that format.

Visit the designated HD Talk Forum where all various HD topics are discussed.

The only two films on that list that I can truly say suck are Sleepy Hollow and Traffic. I've yet to see Ray, Jarhead, Million Dollar Baby, and Seabiscuit. The rest are films I'd love to see in HD.

It is a matter of preference.
Sleepy Hollow got a 72% rating on Rottentomatoes.com so more critics liked it than disliked it, almost 3-1.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sleepy_hollow/
I loved it.

;)

It's up to you, if you can afford it and can find one at a reasonable price and you want to experience the benefits of your new HD-DVD tv, than I'd say yeah get one.

Perhaps, but it looks like more titles will be coming out and the price is sure to go down eventually for the media.


Not as many as DVD's. I don't know exactly how many, but if you love DVD's and the price and selection you should consider that this format is still young and growing, but catching on but there are still more DVD's at half the cost of HD-DVDs and Bluray discs.

It's up to you and your budget, I would say if you are in the market (around $500 or so) for a new player and a disc or 2, why not upgrade just to enjoy yourself and the new format. Just beware that there aren't that many titles to choose from. It is my knowledge that these players will still play your DVD's. So, that may help you make a choice. At least you will be up to date with HDTV.

My bottom line:

The new format demos are impressive, that is a given. Player prices/features are getting there, but price will obviously come down as time goes on, also a given (it's semi-new, should only get better).

The choice right now, is pretty much based on the titles available. If you have good interest in the ones available, then its probably worth it, otherwise hold off.

(I'm in the hold of camp for now, FWIW)

Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one.

Agree 100%.

The bonus is that when this is settled everything will be less expensive, discs players etc. I see no reason at all to jump into this now.

Really? Why?

So consumers should just act like lemmings, buy what they are sold and conviced it is good?

I am a big believer in the motto, you get what you pay for. and in this case there are still too many variables to convince me that the time is right.

Let's not forget Superman Returns and MI3 coming out, albeit for both formats. Batman Begins, The Matrix Trilogy, and Harry Potter 4 also. But there will be HD DVD exclusives of King Kong, The Thing, Army of Darkness, Spartacus, Casino, The Mummy, Dawn of the Dead '04, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, etc...

So far, BD hasn't shown any reason why their format would survive. The quality of their software has been subpar.

Nobody is going to win. Or you might have to wait a couple of years. In the meantime, I'll be watching movies in HD.

The player is more expensive than current DVD players, but it's a world of difference. I was in the market to buy a very good ($200-$300) DVD player and just decided to buy an HD-DVD player. The build quality on the Toshiba impressed me - I can see still having this player and having it work in ten years.

The movies, if bought at Best Buy or Circuit City, do get expensive. If you buy through Amazon, if you buy at least 3 HD-DVD movies, you get 10% off those and all others for the rest of the year. So now most movies cost me $17-$22 which is only a few dollars more than a regular DVD might cost me.

Fixed.

The only convincing you'll need is to see HD DVD. That's really all it takes.

The player will not only play HD DVD's (which look amazing) but will upconvert your standard DVD titles (which look great). And let's not even get into the sound because, imho, the AQ jump is just as large as the PQ.

Oh and I completely agree with Davy. If people sit back and do nothing, it's much much worse.

I wouldn't buy an HD player until there's only one format left. And I definitely wouldn't replace all my DVDs; only new movies and movies where you had to to flip or switch discs on DVD.

What about the players not supporting the full line of HD audio codecs yet?

The Toshiba will be updated via firmware within the next couple of weeks to decode full 5.1 True HD.

Toshiba is set to release a firmware update within the month that upgrades the player to support Dolby TrueHD (I think I got all this right - I just woke up). Toshiba has been improving the player regularly since release through firmware since it is basically a computer. (damn, should have known that digital would beat now that it is over in the HD forum)

Everyone that keeps saying price will go down is absurd. The price is already rumored to be about $300 less than what Toshiba spends to build and sell the machine. Plus, if it does go down, I would bet money it will have a lower build quality as the current player is built like a tank. I plan to use the player I buy now for a few years and then get another when the technology has progressed a little. I see only one real flaw with the Toshiba - 1080P support. If I had a 1080P HDTV I might be hesitant to get the first generation machine. But honestly, I would have to hav e something and I would still get it because of how bad the BD reviews are right now and how cheap the HD-DVD unit is being sold for. People act like it is absurdly expensive when I paid less for it than I did my first DVD player - way less actually.