Since the HD DVD format has been discontinued, prices have plummeted on HD DVD players and media. There are some good options out there; these include the original Toshiba HD-A1 and the HD DVD player for Microsoft’s Xbox game console.
Toshiba’s HD-A1 has built-in processors in order to handle the multi-channel decoders for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby True HD (2 channel) sound, DTS, and DTSHD. It employs the use of four DSPs to decode a wide variety of multi-channel audio formats. These 32-bit floating-point DSPs are very highly regarded for their high accuracy and are employed in many high quality audio setups in the home theater industry.
The HD-A1 player includes a USB interface on the front panel, thus enabling you to connect external hard drives, portable thumb drives, MP3 players/digital cameras, and play JPEG, WMA, and MP3 files. You can also connect to the Internet via an always-on broadband connection using the Ethernet port in the back of the player. In addition to accessing special HD DVD sites, this function can also access firmware updates as they are released.
For a while, Microsoft offered a HD DVD player for its Xbox 360 game console that was capable of playing HD DVD movies. The drive was first offered with a suggested price of $199 in November 2006, and included a USB cable to connect to the Xbox 360. The first drives also threw in Peter Jackson’s King Kong on HD DVD as an added bonus. On February 23, 2008 Microsoft discontinued the Xbox 360 HD DVD player, and cut prices accordingly. They are really, really, cheap right now.
The Xbox 360 has other advantages in tandem with Xbox 360 can be used as a wireless extender for Windows Media Center? It’s true. Your Xbox 360 can access live and recorded TV, digital photos, digital music, home video, and exclusive online multimedia content, such as news clips, downloadable music, local weather, RSS feeds, and more from your PC. It can support video in the following formats: MPEG-1 with MPEG audio, MPEG-2 with MPEG audio or AC-3 audio, WMV 7, 8, and 9 with WMA Standard or WMA Pro audio, and WMV Image 1 and 2 (Photo Story 1, 2, and 3) As far as audio formats, it will support Windows Media Audio (WMA) Standard, WMA Pro, WMA Lossless and MP3.
After having lost the format war with Sony’s Blu-Ray, and having Toshiba cease the development of the format. Although HD DVD might have lost the format war to Sony’s Blu-Ray, the current economic downturn has given new life to HD DVD. When Sony got the backing of the biggest Hollywood studios in spring, it appeared to be the knockout blow for HD DVD as the studios also dropped HD DVD. However, aggressive price cuts have kept the market alive for HD DVD players and HD DVDs. HD DVD players also play standard DVDs.
The Microsoft Xbox’s HD DVD player, being cheaper and in some ways of better quality, is the clear choice over the Toshiba HDA1.
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