http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/ Engadget HD Comments for Eyes-on Toshiba's new XD-E500 upconverting DVD player http://www.engadgethd.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadgethd.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 2:50PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 3:00PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 3:06PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/
After the first sentence, they truly do "set [that] all aside", and actually evaluate the product for what it tries to be.

]]>Aug 19th 2008 3:26PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 3:11PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 4:53PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 3:42PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 4:05PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 6:43PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/If you want to keep it that real, then even with all the features of the new upscaling in xDE and the cell, the PS3 could easily out do that because of 2 things:
1. the PS3's cell is faster and has more cores then the version Toshiba is using
2. the PS3 has the RSX to also help which you won't see in any DVD player (except if you use your PC or 360)
Anyways, this player in comparison to other upsampling DVD players is what really matters and it sounds like its good for that. Some people may argue that the difference in price isn't worth the extra quality of this upsampling player compared to others. I'd argue against this purchase for HD TV owners; just get Blu-Ray already. If you don't own an HD TV then Blu-Ray isn't needed but then again, neither is upsampling!
I guess you could sum this up by saying, you could spend an extra $50ish dollars to upsample DVDs a bit better vs buying a PS3 or comparable 2.0 player for $300ish dollars more to get upsampling and Blu-Ray. It all depends on your budget and how much of a tech junkie you are.
All I can say is for me, once I got used to Blu in 1080p, its really hard to watch upsampled DVDs. That's just me; I'm sure other people could care less. But this player is obviously not geared towards those that want true HD looking as good as it can; its meant to attract people who aren't jumping on the Blu wagon and want their DVDs to look a bit cleaner on their HD TVs.
]]>Aug 19th 2008 4:15PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 20th 2008 3:18AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/
There's no doubt Sony can build this technology, the question is will they? Toshiba's attempts to push HD DVD players as "Excellent, cheap, up-convertors with an HD library available for them" came to naught. So it's not even clear Sony would push out more units by doing this.]]>Aug 20th 2008 5:18PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 4:25PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/
Still wouldn't buy one though, even if it bests the PS3. You'd be better off saving your money and wait a few months to pick up a standalone BD player on Black Friday.]]>Aug 19th 2008 4:47PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 7:38PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 7:04PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 20th 2008 4:10AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/
I wonder what happened to SpursEngine. Maybe Toshiba wisely concluded that the margins aren't there to stick it in a DVD player, even one costing $150.]]>Aug 20th 2008 4:31AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/
Certainly this story being listed on a HD site is controversial, so how about a real and fair comparison between this player, a standard DVD player and a blu ray of choice.
No doubts BR will win handsomely, but the comparisons would be very interesting to read......................and I'm sure there's a little thing like driving truckloads of traffic for that story!]]>Aug 19th 2008 10:42PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 19th 2008 10:44PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 20th 2008 4:33AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 21st 2008 7:34AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 20th 2008 7:38AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 20th 2008 10:46AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/
And out of the 6+ billion people on this planet "no one" will buy it? If they manage to sell one does that mean they're not gay?]]>Aug 20th 2008 4:47PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Aug 21st 2008 7:35AMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/Movies are mostly $32 plus ... I have been buying HD-DVD movies for $5.00.

I have an A30 which upconverts bought DVD movies ... just great.
I also have a Pioneer DV-400 and a Onkyo SP405 (really a reboxed Pioneer) which
have saved my home made DVD's (w. a Panasonic DMR-ES25 whose HDMI output sucks)
and the Onkyo & Pioneer do just about a good a job as the A30, in upconversion.

The Video dac I saw at Toshiba's Site for the E-500 says it's 14bit/54MHZ ... this is impossible ... Isn't It?
Does anyone know different ??? ... and the Audio dac is only 24bit/96kHz.

One forum review also said the three enhancements, only work for a 1080p output to a 1080p flatscreen.
Unfortunately, my Sharp is a 1080i/720, so this player's enhancements are useless to me, although
one review said if you set it to "Auto" ... the 3 enhancements will come down to my Sharp... but how well !!!
... and with no control ....

Can anyone confirm this ?

Apparently all current BD Players suck at upconverting DVD's ... even the new Panasonics.
I wish Panasonic could divorce themselves from Sony, and build a 900 line recorder with better
HDMI output and a better BD Player with quality upconversion. Can't we have both ?

Adios,
Bob
]]>Aug 23rd 2008 2:28PMhttp://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/08/19/eyes-on-toshibas-new-xd-e500-upconverting-dvd-player/
As for a good review of the XD-E500, here's one taken on the Yahoo group : Thebombshelter. The review is made by Bill Cortner.

enjoy,
Alpha1

-----------

Well my Toshiba SuperUpConverter, re-named "XDE" came in
yesterday [Fedex Next-Day], and needless to say, I wasted
no time getting into some very extensive evaluations.

HARDWARE USED:
Sony KDL-46XBR5, 1080P, 120hz, 24fps, HD Display
Monster Cable 1000HD, 1-meter 10.2 Gbps HDMI cables
Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD + UpConverting DVD player [Silicon Optix]
Oppo DV-981HD UpConverting DVD player {Faroudja DCDi]
Toshiba HD-A35 HD DVD + UpConverting DVD player [Anchor Bay]
Toshiba XD-E500 Upconverting DVD player [Cel processor]

WIRING:
All devices were wired with identical HDMi cables,
and the signal path was direct-to-monitor [no switchers]

SOFTWARE:
Identical/twin-copies of the following HD DVD/SD DVD Combi discs...
American Gangster
Bourne Ultimatum
Hot Fuzz
Smokin' Aces

TESTING:
Identical discs were placed in competing players, cued up to
the exact same frame, and then started simultaneously.
Switching between opponents could be conducted at will,
and I frequently chapter-backed to watch a key element,
color, edge, texture, color, or pan/tilt/motion sequence
over and over again [ad nauseum].

I did not conduct these tests by myself.
I dragged my poor brother into this mind-bending,
eye-marathon, and he graciously sat there making his own
observations, with the intention being, that a 2nd opinion
would be rendered/posted for the group's consideration.
Special thanks also to Bruce [my brother] for providing
the 2nd identical/twin combi-discs that were needed to
conduct fair SD DVD to SD DVD as well as HD DVD to SD DVD
hardware performance evaluations.

FRAMING THE RESULTS:
I gave some thought to how I would go about putting into words
precisely what was revealed during this marathon session.
In the end, I decided that a 1-10 scale would be used.
Additionally, I'm going to frame the scale by defining what
a "1" and what a "10" represents, in a way that you can relate to.

1= VHS Tape
3= DVD at 480P, not Upconverted
10= HD DVD or Blu-ray at full 1080P on a full 1080P display

RESULTS:
Oppo DV-981HD UpConverting DVD to 1080P = 5
Toshiba HD-A30 UpConvert DVD to 1080P = 5
Onkyo DV-HD805 UpConvert DVD to 1080P [Reon Edge OFF] = 5.5
Onkyo DV-HD805 UpConvert DVD to 1080P [Reon Edge ON] = 6
Toshiba HD-E500 UpConvert DVD to 1080P = 8 [XDE ON]
Toshiba HD-E500 UpConvert DVD to 1080P = 7.8 [XDE + CONTRAST ON]
Toshiba HD-E500 UpConvert DVD to 1080P = 8.2 [XDE + COLOR MAPPING ON]
Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD at 1080P = 9.7 [Reon Edge OFF]
Onkyo DV-HD805 HD DVD at 1080P = 10 [Reon Edge ON]

VERBS, ADVERBS, ADJECTIVES AND WHATNOT:
This industry is so ripe with exaggerated claims, creative
interpretation of the numbers, and outright lies, that I'm
almost afraid to put into words what the preceding numerical
test results [clearly] reveal/indicate. Almost afraid, not... afraid.
[subtle but important difference, as with the numerical ratings].

Let's do this arse-backwards [reviewers always make you read
a lot of verbs, adverbs and whatnot before they generally say
anything even remotely useful, or God-forbid, controversial...
Stated simply, this Toshiba SuperUpConverter, which was renamed
"XDE" absolutely eats/annihilates the Silicon Optix HQV Reon,
and words can not even describe what it does to [formerly]
world-class/award-winning UpConverters like the Oppo DV-981HD
and the ABT-equipped 3rd generation Toshiba HD DVD players.

Look, unlike the big review sites... I have absolutely no axe
to grind here. This isn't my business, it's my hobby, and
I own...
(2) Oppo DV-981HD
(2) Toshiba HD-A35
(4) Onkyo DV-HD805
So it's not like I'm doing what human beings do...
Trying to justify their prior decisions/investments and
convince themselves/others that whatever they own is the
right thing to own... I honestly don't give a crap...
As I said the other day, let the chips fall where they may.

As to why that c/Net guy wrote an op-ed piece [not based on a test]
that went all-out to trash the SuperUpConverter, even going so
far as to suggest that the only thing XDE had to offer was
"edge enhancement"? Frankly, after spending 6 hours [two three
hour sessions with a good night's sleep to rest the eyes in between]
I am truly stunned and perplexed by this c/Net "opinion" [not test]
that is without a doubt, completely at odds with truth/reality.

The problem Toshiba faces here is the fact that the studios,
electronics manufacturers, B&M stores, online retailers, and
MAGAZINES/PRESS that get their income/revenue from advertising
funded by all of the above... are on a do or die mission to
try and convince everyone to buy Blu-ray Disc. Why? Because
DVD mas been around so long that it has matured [begun to stagnate].
For the 1st 9 years, DVD was up up up over every previous year.
But now it's leveled off, and begun heading down.
So to combat this, the studios, retailers and CE manufacturers
have gotten into a blow-em-out-cheap to make it up in volume
mentality that has totally eliminated/eroded the profit from
DVD software and hardware.
This is the REAL reason that the industry wants Blu-ray to succeed.
It's not because they want to give everyone better picture and
sound quality out of the goodness of their hearts...
It's because the are scared sh#tless about the downward trend
in DVD sales, as well as the continuing to erode profit margin
of yesterday's golden-goose... The consumer's beloved DVD.

Blu-ray Disc aims not to put high-definition in your living--room,
nut to put the profit back in sell-through movies [and players].
Blu-ray literally is the studios, retailers and CE manufacturers
wet-dream... An potentially very exciting product that, if adopted
by consumers, could turn into a PROFIT GRAVY TRAIN for all of them...
Thus solving their ever-looming DVD nightmare.

Is it therefore surprising that the preliminary "buzz" on
a new INEXPENSIVE DVD player, than IN FACT actually puts
your standard DVDs in the same [general] league as that
profit gravy train, errrrr Blu-ray Disc... is getting the bum's rush?
My opinion? Expect more similar hatchet jobs.

Back to the SuperUpConverter...
How good is it? OMG! This DVD player is a revelation!
It greatly increases detail, but does not increase noise/artifacts.
It was astonishing, and a little sad to watch this $149 player
produce a picture that mas MUCH more detailed AND much cleaner
than the Silicon Optix equipped Onkyo DV-HD805
Normally when you increase "sharpness", you increase "noise"
But there isn't the slightest hint of that happening with XDE.
Yet it's not only the detail/sharpness that leaps ahead of
any other UpConverter, it's everything! The color for example
looks like you washed tobacco/nicotine off your screen when
going from the Oppo DV-981HD, Toshiba HD-A35 or Onkyo DV-HD805
to the SuperUpConverter. That's the thing... True high-definition
video isn't just sharper, it's also got much better/more crisp color.
But the Toshiba XD-E500 gives you BOTH the sharpness you expect
from high-definition AND that crisp/vivid color!

What about side-effects, artifacts or problems?
Frankly, I got eye-strain trying to find something, anything
that the SuperUpConverter was getting "wrong" that the Silicon
Optix HQV Reon was getting "right" The verdict? Nada.
Whatever artifacts were visible on the XDE device were also
present and visible on the other conventional UpConverters.

I know- I know- The [...] question...
Is the SuperUpConverter a "Blu-ray killer"?
Well, since I don't own a Blu-ray player, I can't really say.
However, my opinion, based on evaluations of Blu-ray vs HD DVD
[using a PS3 and a Toshiba HD-A35 on a 46" Sony XBR5 a few months ago]
have left me with the very strong opinion that, assuming the same
transfer/encode/film... There is no visual difference between
Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. Therefore, extrapolating on that previous
test... I am going to say that, NO, THE TOSHIBA XDE/SuperUpConverter
IS NOT a BLU-RAY [or HD DVD] KILLER.
That being said... The Toshiba XD-E500 at all times looked
like TRUE HIGH DEFINITION in terms of sharpness and color.
It literally blew me away, and it is without a doubt the
very best UpConverter I have ever seen.
This player's radical new approach of analyzing 9 frames
of video in real time is a quantum leap forward in upscaling
mechanics that deserves some kind of major tech/achievement award.
I want to repeat something to make sure you caught it...
The Toshiba XD-E500 at all times looked
like TRUE HIGH DEFINITION in terms of sharpness and color.

The bottom-line?
If you own even [...] DVDs? You would have to be crazy not
to invest a paltry [...] in a device that will in fact,
raise them to a level of performance that would convince
anyone that they were watching true HD video.
What else can I say other than don't wait for DVD 2.0
which any marketing major will tell you is exactly
one year away, and won't produce a picture any better than this!
It will just have HDi menu's IF the Blu-ray gravy-train
riding studios decide to support it... A very big if guys!

Where was I? Oh yeah...
BUY THIS PLAYER as soon as you can find it for [...] or less...
Do not buy it from Amazon... They are price/gouging and
charging [...] over the manufacturer's list price!
Circuit City offers it with free shipping for [...]
If anyone finds a better deal, please post it here
at TBS because anyone with a decent-sized DVD collection
definitely needs to own one of these DVD dream machines!

-Bill ]]>Aug 25th 2008 7:51AM