-: Test bench: HD disc players

Nearly 7m people have bought an HD-ready television in Britain on the promise of crisper pictures. However, to watch HD films from a disc on these sets you need an HD player.

Once connected to an HD-ready television and supplied with a suitable disc, these players deliver far more detailed and richly cinematic video than any standard-definition DVD. Most HD disc players can also display movies at the best current level of video, known as 1080p (see jargon buster, below). However, you will need a so-called “full” HD TV or projector to get the true benefit as only these sets can handle the higher resolution.

Although many standard DVD players incorporate upscaling, which can enhance the picture from standard discs, even the worst HD machine (when playing an HD disc) outguns all conventional DVD players, leaving them looking fuzzy by comparison.

The problem with buying an HD disc player is that there is a battle raging between the two rival HD formats: Blu-ray and HD DVD. Both types of player will play standard DVDs as well as the relevant type of HD disc, but neither format is compatible with the other, and neither has total support from the film and TV studios. If you buy an HD DVD player you won’t be able to play films from Sony Pictures, Disney/Buena Vista or Fox. Conversely, if you buy a Blu-ray player you won’t be able to play films from Universal, Paramount or DreamWorks. And if you pick the “wrong” player, it’s potentially akin to buying a Betamax video recorder rather than a VHS one.

So which should you choose? In terms of audio and picture quality, there is no inherent difference between the two formats. The advantages of HD DVD are that the machines tend to be cheaper and the format is more settled than Blu-ray, so today’s HD DVD players are unlikely to have compatibility issues. By contrast, the specification for Blu-ray (known as BD Profile 1.1) has only recently been finalised. This became mandatory for the manufacturers of disc players in October, but only the Sony PlayStation 3 gaming console meets it – all other current Blu-ray players are a risk because they may not be able to handle newer features or future discs. There is more choice of hardware maker in the Blu-ray format, whereas the only HD DVD players available are either made by Toshiba or are in the form of an Xbox 360 console add-on.

For many, the obvious solution is a universal player capable of handling both. The only model that can do so is currently the pricey LG machine on test, though others are due in the spring.

The crunch is the availability of discs. The big film studios are in one or other camp, apart from Warners, which releases discs on both formats, but is likely to pick sides soon. Choice remains limited, but there are roughly 1,000 titles for sale on Blu-ray and 800 on HD DVD. There is little difference in disc price, which is about £18.

If you take the plunge, look for a player with the newest type of HDMI digital socket, known as v1.3 (see jargon buster) as this is more future-proofed, even though no current discs take advantage of it. Of the players on test, the Sharp, Toshiba and, surprisingly, the PS3 include one.

All HD disc players will also upscale conventional DVDs but only the Pioneer produced upscaled pictures as good as a standard player costing about £150.

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среда, 2 января 2008 г.

Test bench: HD disc players

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