HD-DVD playuer and 7 Titles 189.99
28 December 2007, 11:27 AM
#1
HD-DVD playuer and 7 Titles 189.99
I just ordered this:
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Elec...r/Product.html
Seems like a cracking deal.
You get The Bourne Ultimatum and 300 in the box, but you need to send of for the other 5 HD-DVD's. There is also a HDMI cable supplied.
Reviews seem to be great on it.
Any comments?
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Elec...r/Product.html
Seems like a cracking deal.
You get The Bourne Ultimatum and 300 in the box, but you need to send of for the other 5 HD-DVD's. There is also a HDMI cable supplied.
Reviews seem to be great on it.
Any comments?
28 December 2007, 11:46 AM
#2
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Yep- I got the EP35 instead cos Lee told me to 
and I have to say after listening to HD DVDs I'm glad I did - but the EP30 is a cracking piece of kit!
and I have to say after listening to HD DVDs I'm glad I did - but the EP30 is a cracking piece of kit!
28 December 2007, 11:54 AM
#3
Great. I just stumbled upon this deal on play, so didn't even look into the other players. But there is a summary of the EP35 on the 5 HD-DVD redemption form. They are very simular except the EP354 Supports 7.1 Bitstrream Audio via HDMI.
Did you get the free title deal as well?
Did you get the free title deal as well?
28 December 2007, 12:00 PM
#4
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Yep - you do get it with the EP35. The sound processing is better on the EP35 (let Lee explain why) but basically its more future proof (and supports analogue audio drop to a suitable Amp)
I'm very happy with the purchase (even more so as my wife paid for the DVD player!)
I'm very happy with the purchase (even more so as my wife paid for the DVD player!)
28 December 2007, 12:25 PM
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Well I'm pleased you like it. 
The EP30 and EP35 are great players with good deals on them too. The 35 is able to output Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio as bitstream via HDMI so is better suited to the new amps and the later 7.1 formats that will arrive. The EP30 converts the formats internally and outputs them as LPCM via HDMI which is good but the general opinion is not as good outputting the actual bitstream.
The EP35 also has on board Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD decoders and can output these formats via analogue 5.1 outputs, ideal if you have an older amp with 5.1 analogue inputs.
The difference is about £50-£70 so you have to decide if it's worth paying the extra or not depending on what other equipment you have.
A final note. Both players have had teething troubles and Toshiba have issued three firmware updates in just two months. You can update the firmware by connecting the player to the internet via it's lan port, you can download the firmware and burn it to disc on your pc or you can email Toshiba and they will send you a disc in the post.
Cheers
Lee
The EP30 and EP35 are great players with good deals on them too. The 35 is able to output Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio as bitstream via HDMI so is better suited to the new amps and the later 7.1 formats that will arrive. The EP30 converts the formats internally and outputs them as LPCM via HDMI which is good but the general opinion is not as good outputting the actual bitstream.
The EP35 also has on board Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD decoders and can output these formats via analogue 5.1 outputs, ideal if you have an older amp with 5.1 analogue inputs.
The difference is about £50-£70 so you have to decide if it's worth paying the extra or not depending on what other equipment you have.
A final note. Both players have had teething troubles and Toshiba have issued three firmware updates in just two months. You can update the firmware by connecting the player to the internet via it's lan port, you can download the firmware and burn it to disc on your pc or you can email Toshiba and they will send you a disc in the post.
Cheers
Lee
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28 December 2007, 01:26 PM
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03 January 2008, 11:57 PM
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Mine arrived today - got it hooked up to my 52" 1080p LCD through which it gives fantastic results, especially considering the price. The only (very minor) downside is that the unit takes a few seconds to initialise after being turned on or inserting a disc. Note also that it's the Bourne Supremacy that ships with it, not the Bourne Ultimatum as stated by the OP.
Gary.
Gary.
04 January 2008, 11:16 AM
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In the spec list on play.com, it's got 24 frames per second? Doesn't that make things appear slightly not-smooth? I thought 30 was a good ammount for smoothness? On computer games anyway? But hang on....isn't tv broadcast at 25fps, and that looks okay? Mannn I'm confused lol.
The only reason I ask is that I just got an xbox360 and a samsung LE37R87BDX 37" LCD and was tryin some HD video clips on it. The website I downloaded the clips from said they were all 24fps...and they just don't appear to be entirely smooth like. So if this DVD player was to play in the same not-quite-smooth way, it would annoy the **** outta me!
The only reason I ask is that I just got an xbox360 and a samsung LE37R87BDX 37" LCD and was tryin some HD video clips on it. The website I downloaded the clips from said they were all 24fps...and they just don't appear to be entirely smooth like. So if this DVD player was to play in the same not-quite-smooth way, it would annoy the **** outta me!
04 January 2008, 11:47 AM
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I've just been introduced into the HD world with my new HDTV and HD DVD Player, but damn, i never realised what a crap selection of HD DVD's were available compared to Blu-Ray. Gonna have to get myself a Blu-Ray Player/PS3 now!
04 January 2008, 12:08 PM
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It does, but I haven't compared it to the PS3 yet (which gives great results with regular DVDs).
1080p/24 is one of the video output options - but your TV must be able to support it. I'm no expert and someone more knowledgeable can no doubt correct me, but I believe that 24fps is what movies are shot at and laid to a HD-DVD or Blu-ray disc as, so outputing in this raw format can eliminate processing artifacts. The TV will still refresh the image at a higher rate.
Gary.
In the spec list on play.com, it's got 24 frames per second? Doesn't that make things appear slightly not-smooth? I thought 30 was a good ammount for smoothness? On computer games anyway? But hang on....isn't tv broadcast at 25fps, and that looks okay? Mannn I'm confused lol.
The only reason I ask is that I just got an xbox360 and a samsung LE37R87BDX 37" LCD and was tryin some HD video clips on it. The website I downloaded the clips from said they were all 24fps...and they just don't appear to be entirely smooth like. So if this DVD player was to play in the same not-quite-smooth way, it would annoy the **** outta me!
The only reason I ask is that I just got an xbox360 and a samsung LE37R87BDX 37" LCD and was tryin some HD video clips on it. The website I downloaded the clips from said they were all 24fps...and they just don't appear to be entirely smooth like. So if this DVD player was to play in the same not-quite-smooth way, it would annoy the **** outta me!
Gary.
04 January 2008, 01:57 PM
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1080p/24 is one of the video output options - but your TV must be able to support it. I'm no expert and someone more knowledgeable can no doubt correct me, but I believe that 24fps is what movies are shot at and laid to a HD-DVD or Blu-ray disc as, so outputing in this raw format can eliminate processing artifacts. The TV will still refresh the image at a higher rate.
Gary.
Gary.
Films are usually shot in 24fps. For DVD they just speeded the films up a little and the films were output at 25fps. The film is a little quicker and the audio slightly higher pitched.
For HD discs they retain the original 24fps so your movies are played at the correct speed and sound at the correct pitch. If your player is able to output 24fps and your TV can display a 24fps image you get a lovely smooth HD experience. If your TV can't display 24fps then the player will insert a frame every 24 frames. On non 24fps sets displaying HD movies you will sometimes get judder on panning shots or moving objects and this the result of the inserted frame. (It is a little more complex as they usually output at 60hz then perform 3:2 pulldown but that's far too technical for here.)
So really you need a 1080P set with 24fps ability and HDMI V1.3 Deep Colour to be fully specced.
A surround system with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio would be nice as well.
Cheers
Lee
Last edited by logiclee; 04 January 2008 at 02:01 PM.
04 January 2008, 02:03 PM
#17
I haven't got mine yet, they tried to deliver yesterday but no one was in. I see on line that its been signed for by one of my neighbours.
Looking forward to some HD viewing tonight.
With regards to the 24fps, there are 30 or some comments in the play.com link where people discuss that. IIRC something about it only being best on NTSC DVD's and not PAL.
04 January 2008, 02:11 PM
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Doesn't matter for HD material as the film itself is 24fps and that's the frame rate on UK or US HD-DVD's. You will find the majority of movies output at 60hz if you do not have 24fps ability on your TV. A few UK based HD TV shows were filmed at 25fps and these will output at 720P/1080i/1080P at 50hz with no judder on a standard Hi-Def display.
Cheers
Lee
07 January 2008, 03:46 PM
#19
Was enjoying Transformers in HD, and overall happy with my purchase until I read this:
https://www.scoobynet.com/computer-r...-p-hd-dvd.html
Couple of things about the player I didn't like:
Allthough reviews say that you can update the firmware via a CD as well as ethernet. I could only really see the Ethernet direct internet connection only.
It has a USB port that it doesn't use. Hopefully they'll update the firmware to incorporate an XVID/DIVX codec. That would be good.
Oh, and there is an addition to the main instruction booklet that says 1080p 24fps is only recommended for NTSC and not PAL.
I played the Bourne Supremecy on 1080p 24, and it was fine. It was only the extra's on the disc that were jumpy.
https://www.scoobynet.com/computer-r...-p-hd-dvd.html
Couple of things about the player I didn't like:
Allthough reviews say that you can update the firmware via a CD as well as ethernet. I could only really see the Ethernet direct internet connection only.
It has a USB port that it doesn't use. Hopefully they'll update the firmware to incorporate an XVID/DIVX codec. That would be good.
Oh, and there is an addition to the main instruction booklet that says 1080p 24fps is only recommended for NTSC and not PAL.
I played the Bourne Supremecy on 1080p 24, and it was fine. It was only the extra's on the disc that were jumpy.
07 January 2008, 03:54 PM
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It's betamax / VHS all over again. Think I'll wait till it settles down a bit before taking the plunge. Mind you the next new technology will probably be a long in the next couple of years killing both off, ho-hum!
07 January 2008, 04:15 PM
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Its a good deal at the price for the spec but like someone has pointed out above its Betamx v VHS all over again, i will also wait till things settle down before committing to either format.
Their should be some sort of regulation where all manufacturers can only produce dvd`s in one format whether that be HD or Bluray.
I think i will wait until a box is out that is a dvd recorder and it will also play the industry recognised format whether that be HD or Bluray, its crazy at the min as you have to have boxes everywhere that do seperate things.
Their should be some sort of regulation where all manufacturers can only produce dvd`s in one format whether that be HD or Bluray.
I think i will wait until a box is out that is a dvd recorder and it will also play the industry recognised format whether that be HD or Bluray, its crazy at the min as you have to have boxes everywhere that do seperate things.
07 January 2008, 04:18 PM
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Its a good deal at the price for the spec but like someone has pointed out above its Betamx v VHS all over again, i will also wait till things settle down before committing to either format.
Their should be some sort of regulation where all manufacturers can only produce dvd`s in one format whether that be HD or Bluray.
I think i will wait until a box is out that is a dvd recorder and it will also play the industry recognised format whether that be HD or Bluray, its crazy at the min as you have to have boxes everywhere that do seperate things.
Their should be some sort of regulation where all manufacturers can only produce dvd`s in one format whether that be HD or Bluray.
I think i will wait until a box is out that is a dvd recorder and it will also play the industry recognised format whether that be HD or Bluray, its crazy at the min as you have to have boxes everywhere that do seperate things.
07 January 2008, 04:21 PM
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They are crap Olly according the the reviews an the AV forums, its like the dual format VHS and DVD players which are also crap because they basically do both things ok but they don`t excell at either.
07 January 2008, 04:35 PM
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I have been pondering on building a media PC though which could have dual DVDs in it, one BR and one HD which should give reasonable output. The problem remains that I don't really watch enough TV / DVDs to justify it.
07 January 2008, 05:28 PM
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I ended the format war just before xmas..
.. Yes I bought an EP35
Cracking sound etc, but slow to load up disks and startup. Had a few bizarre panning problems playing standard DVD's also.
.. Yes I bought an EP35
Cracking sound etc, but slow to load up disks and startup. Had a few bizarre panning problems playing standard DVD's also.
08 January 2008, 05:23 PM
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There is no such thing as NTSC or PAL when viewing high def, they are specific standard resolution formats. We do then have 720P, 1080i and 1080P at 50hz or 60hz then 1080P at 24hz. Not all 1080P stuff has been filmed at 24fps either so you wouldn't want to watch it at 24fps.
The difficult part is having your player set to 1080P/24 then watching the standard def extra's on the same disc. Unless you alter the setting the picture will judder on SD stuff.
Toshiba are looking into an auto detect mode to switch between 24fps and the standard 1080 modes depending on content. They are also looking at being able to force a 1080P/24 output as the players are not detecting all TV's that are capable of displaying it. A firmware upgrade should sort it.
As for the format war, if buying a £200 player that may be redundant in two years time is a big deal then hang on. But if you have invested thousands in to a HC setup then it's no big deal and to enjoy all your favorite films on HD at the moment you need both formats.
Forget a dual format player, you can get an HD-DVD player and a PS3 for well under £500 and that's less than the first DVD players and half the price of the first HD players. It's even half the price of Laser Disc players that were out 15 years ago and the first VCR's 25 years ago.
You can also use the PS3 as a Media Server to stream all your music and video from your PC as well as view all your digital pics in HD on the TV.
We have it good and cheap now, why buy a HD TV and sound system then hang on years for the cost of a dozen DVD's?
Cheers
Lee
Last edited by logiclee; 08 January 2008 at 05:28 PM.