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Best High Definition DVD Players (part 2)
The perfect gift for the gadget lover, but making an uninformed purchase
could cost you.
By: Bruce Bahlmann - Contributing Author (your
feedback
is important to us!)
Created: November 5, 2006
Article Continues...
[1] - [2]
The following players represent the best currently available high
definition DVD players that support either Blu-ray or HD-DVD. Both high
definition DVD format players are backward compatible with DVD and will
up-convert the 480i/p from traditional DVDs to whatever format you are
displaying (720p, 1080i, or 1080p).
| Player: |
Format: |
Pros/Cons: |
Recommendation: |
Where to Buy: |
Panasonic
DMP-BD10
 |
Blu-ray |
Pros:
Short (10 sec) startup, responsive to remote control, near DVD
eject/load times, better than average scratched or errored disc
handling, very light weight (less than 10 lbs), very easy setup, comes
with one free Blu-ray disc in package and two more (of your choice) that
can be ordered.
Cons:
Fairly expensive ($1,300 suggested retail), no HDMI cable included,
oversized minimum featured remote control that is the weakest aspect of
this player, graphical user interface is also less than impressive. |
Best high-definition DVD player currently available
in terms of error free play and reliability. Player performs better than
any other player (on any HD format) currently available. If you can
afford it, the DMP-BD10 is easily a notch above the rest of the
currently available players (in either format). NOTE, this unit is under
HIGH demand and is often back ordered.
Available Reviews:
Amazon ( )
Birds-Eye.Net (coming soon)
CNet
(glimpse only) |
Abt Electronics
Amazon |
Pioneer
BD-PHD1
 |
Blu-ray |
Pros:
First DLNA Blu-ray player, remote control similar to popular plasma
remote (nice) with logical layout and nice feel, GUI is what you would
expect from a top of the line player, 2 year parts and labor warranty
(best)
Cons:
Moderate startup time (25 sec), Fairly expensive ($1,300 suggested
retail), no HDMI cable included, uses a newer control link scheme that
is all new for 2006. |
My current HD player, but I'm less than completely
happy with it. The Panasonic is still a better player, however the
Pioneer controls and operation are better designed and presented than
the Panasonic.
Available Reviews:
CNet
(glimpse only) |
Abt Electronics
Amazon |
Toshiba
HD-A1/AX1/A2
 |
HD-DVD |
Pros:
Loaded with top of the line features and handsome remote control, comes
with HDMI cable, Ethernet jack for easy firmware upgrading, somewhat
inexpensive (~$320-550).
Cons:
Very poor reliability on scratched or less than brand new discs (unit
can lock up), very slow (55 sec) start up time, slow response time to
remote, slow (20 sec) disc eject/load times. |
The best HD-DVD format player available. If you have
mostly new HD-DVDs this player performs very well and has workings one
would expect from a top of the line player. This player has significant
troubles with less than perfect media (slightly scratched discs) such as
those you would rent and is very slow. Other than that, which is a lot
to forgive, it works great.
Available Reviews:
Amazon ()
Birds-Eye.Net
CEN -
HD-A1
CNet -
HD-A1 (6.9/10) |
Abt Electronics
Amazon |
Samsung
BD-P1000
 |
Blu-ray |
Pros:
The lowest price Blu-ray player available (~$600), comes with Ethernet
for updating its firmware.
Cons:
Known issues with picture quality that are to be addressed with firmware
update available soon, has issues reading damaged media (image freezes). |
An economy version of the Panasonic Blu-ray player,
only without the better error tracking or pictures (currently). When
Samsung announces its firmware update, it is believed this player will
be very close to Panasonic with a better remote.
Available Reviews:
Amazon ( )
CNet
(5.8/10) |
Amazon |
Sony
BDPS1
 |
Blu-ray |
Pros:
Simple operation.
Cons:
Fairly expensive player ($1,000 suggested list). Controls are very
thin and not well designed. |
Available in Dec 2006
Available Reviews:
None (yet) |
Abt Electronics |
Conclusions:
While some experts have said that high definition DVD players are not
quite ready for primetime and the best thing to do is wait - based on having
tested the Toshiba and Samsung high definition players we can see why. Since
these initial reviews, much progress has been made - namely by Panasonic who
has come through with a very good first generation player that trumps any
player currently out there. This first good showing of reliable high
definition players provides a huge boost to the Blu-ray format that is
already out distancing HD-DVD in terms of technology and content
availability. Sony and Pioneer models which were release late (December
2006) are also both good players but in a different class than Panasonic
which we feel has the hands down, best HD player on the market. The current
generation of our top three picks (Panasonic, Pioneer, and distant third
Sony) yields a formidable collection of best in class HD players (all of
which happened to be Blu-ray) that is unmatched by performance or
reliability of any HD-DVD player.
We believe that if HD-DVD doesn't produce a significantly better player
that becomes available by Christmas 2006, Blu-ray will be an immovable
object in 2007 and beyond. The combination of very slow response times, poor
error tracking, and limited content availability place numerous obstacles
for HD-DVD players to outsell Blu-ray - even if their prices are less than
half those of Blu-ray players. The fact is, the price of all players will
come down with the second generation (especially when most first generation
players are "good enough"). In the case of HD-DVD, most of the players are
barely good enough to recommend and you can only use them with discs which
are brand new - rental discs such as those from
Netflix are problematic.
Check out these other Birds-Eye.Net papers/products
regarding HDTV:
Article Continues...
[1] - [2]
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