Dad’s Other Big Gift
Toshiba HD-A1
Although it can often be a perilous journey when a non-techie searches the electronics landscape for an appropriate Christmas gift, Toshiba has done these unfamiliars a favor. You see, they’ve actually made the name of their product - the Toshiba HD-A1 - somewhat similar to the primary feature it provides. That’s because the company’s recent release is one of the first HD-DVD in DVDplayers to hit the market, and offers a good primary stab at high definition movie playback.
What’s so special about it?
The high definition DVD players are here. That doesn’t mean your old Toshiba, Sony or Samsung DVD players - especially those with upscaling - are completely out of date…but they soon might be. The Toshiba HD-A1 offers almost unparalleled picture quality, including the deepest blacks, awe-inspiring blues and fruity, engrossing reds. Don’t be worried if Dad appears to cry when this thing loads its first HD-DVD; in all likelihood, his eyes are just salivating.
Not only are the (well-supported) HD-DVD movies a feast for the peepers, but your mountain of standard DVDs are still going to look fantastic on the HD-A1. That’s because Toshiba’s player effectively upscales all of those other DVDs to near-native high definition technology. Meaning? They look even better on the HD-A1, and although they still don’t look quite as good as the HD-DVD disc sporting Mission Impossible III, Toshiba’s upscaling technology will leave you thankful that all those dollars spent on standard DVDs weren’t wasted.
Of course, the only concern with Toshiba’s HD-A1 is that it is, essentially, the first brave warrior in a whole new war. Like that poor sucker who carries the flag instead of a sword into battle, it’s possible that the Toshiba will be buried by other players in the coming year or two. Still, it’s a fine device that in all likelihood will stand the test of time, and so is a worthy purchase. In addition, is there ever a more exciting gift than one that is on the cutting-edge?
Ok, it rocks. How much does it cost?
Although we do classify the HD-A1 as the "other big gift", it’s still significantly lower in price than the lavish Sony TAV-L1 HDTV. In fact, it’s even lower than the competing format, Blu-ray, whose cheapest player currently retails for about $1,000.
The HD-A1 is priced between $400 and $500, depending on your skills in shopping around.
