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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
EddieBrentwood @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:40AM
Its not really such a good thing. I paid exactly $231 for my HDDVD player(it wasnt used). It is a 1080p lower end model. It is very slow to turn on, and the menu is not responsive or crisp like its competitor. A few times, while watching an HD-DVD, the sound gets all crazy distorted and at other times it freezes up.
Toshiba is I think trying to saturate their market with their cheap players as soon as possible. Thinking we will forgive them later when they have market saturation and better cheaper players out. And we will forgive them.
So, I wouldn't recommend Toshibas cheap player and I certainly wouldn't recommend this Venturer player.
I just think its better to put something out that is a couple hundred dollars more and reliable quality.
Matt @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:51AM
I think it's good to have both. For people who don't mind the little annoyances of cheaper players, and those who do :)
Dave @ Oct 2nd 2007 10:58AM
Interesting. I haven't had any problems with my XBox 360 HD-DVD add-on--and that thing was $170...and it's an add-on. You'd think the stand-alone player would work better. Anyway, I haven't heard of these problems--but I never buy any hardware before reading a review. I recommend that for anyone planning on purchasing new equipment.
Derrick @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:03AM
I know several people with A2 and xa2's and noproblem at all. Maybe your faulty player shouldn't be a representation of the brand.
Kevin Murphy @ Oct 2nd 2007 11:48AM
"Unresponsive menu"? The menu in HD DVD is lightyears ahead of blu-ray. Slow to turn on? Well, yes, but so is the competition. These things haven't been reduced to a single chip yet, like DVD. "Low end"? Straight out of the Blu-ray fanboy talking-points memo.
Jeff N. @ Oct 2nd 2007 2:47PM
Everybody is clamoring for cheap High Def DVD players. But cheap is cheap. Sort cuts will be made to cut the price. I remember in 1990 a 4 head Hi-Fi VCR from a quality company like Mitsubishi was $499. Yeah,that machine could be had 12 years later for $179. But it was a cheaply made,almost all plastic, more noisy and not nearly as quality of a product. High Def DVD players, Blu-ray of HD-DVD and going to be cheaply made with some compromises to hit that $199 price point. That's just a fact. And I'm betting many of you won't always be happy with the compromises.