13 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Up-Convert the World! HD Style...
Date of Review: Apr 28, 2008
The Bottom Line: This is the type of item you buy now to get you buy until the higher price technology comes down!
Up-Convert the World! HD Style...
Toshiba HD-XAI
My Story
Yes, I know HD DVD players and their discs have finally gone the way of the beta max, but why buy a up-converting DVD player when you can get a better model for less? I was able to pick up this amazing piece of technology for under $50. Ever since the dump from Toshiba prices have plummeted and owners have too.
Although, I must say that the HD DVDs are still selling for a good amount on eBay and other sites. I heard rumors that HD was still popular in other parts of the globe. The player itself is a monster compared to my old standard DVD player by three times in height although the depth is apparently within the universal standards for electronics. All I had to do was plug in the power and insert the HDMI cord into my 32" Sony Bravia and presto it came to life!
The first standard DVD I used was Star Wars, of course, and it was amazing. The picture was not as grainy, the sound was clear and crisp. I then started watching other obvious favorites, Lord of the Rings, Transformers, etc...
Price
$35.00 is hard to beat for something with 1080i conversion power! Just make sure if you buy it used that they give you the HDMI cord, if not you will have to fork out another $20-$50 depending on the length for a good one from Best Buy or somewhere similar. By the way, this is a garage sale price, if you buy it online through ebay you will have to pay that amount for shipping so it might cost a little more - keep you eyes open for the deals though!
Style & Features
I like the aluminum bottom finish with the black obsidian like top. The on and off switch has a lighted ring effect around it which also adds a tough of new age Techno effect. The drop down door is eye candy and nothing more, although it does hide the system buttons for a clean look.
You can play HD DVDs, DVD any region, and audio discs. It can also play recordable discs as well, such as CD-RW, CD-R, DVD-RAM and others. If you need to restart the machine, it is simple! Just hold the on/standby button on the unit itself for ten seconds and then let go, this will reboot the machine if it froze. You can select surround sound or not. It can also connect to the Internet for other cool features.
The unit also has some of the newer audio formats for you surround sound system guys and gals. It can convert to (5.1): Dolby Digital, Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, & DTS HD. The video processor is a SHARC processor by analog devices.
You have the option to select what video output, such as 640 or 1080i. The remote can act as a limited universal remote. I like the top aluminum feel (bottom is plastic) with a back light feature which you can turn on and off, overall the unit is a 9 out of 10 on style and features.
Cons
It takes a good minute or two to boot up. You can insert or play until then. The front panel that drops down can break easily, NEVER manually pull or push – always use the buttons on the system or remote (the servos break easily). The remotes range is not optimal either, I always have to push hard or twice to make sure I hit it correctly. In all I would rate the unit a 6 out of 10 based on all pros and cons.
Just For You!
There was a firmware update for this model, so go to toshiba.com and do a search for this model, the link will pop up as the first result. Also, if you need more information, the link to the owners mannual is here (it is an archived product):
http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/tacpassets-images/models/HD-XA1/docs/HD-XA1_om_e.pdf
In the End
Why waist several hundred dollars for a blu-ray and then the money to upgrade your collection of movies, just wait! Already since the war has ended, the blu-ray players are much cheaper. However, I would still wait as they work out the boot times and hard drive issues. In addition, the movies are still in the $30-$40 range. In another year, prices should come down again. However, if you are must have fan, buy a PS3 – since they are the same price but will retain their value much better than just a regular player.
The clarity of my DVDs increased two fold by just using something that can up-convert standard DVDs. And unless you are going to spring the money for the new movies, the best HDMI cord and a good AV system, save your money for later.
