lzpoof said:Venturer brand ? really ?

These are the same folks who market the 20 buck car speakers that WalMart sells. So we're talking a dead format (although one cheap to collect) on a very noname brand player. I wouldn't touch this thing with a 20 foot pole.
Luckily, people like me have done the research for you and discovered that this unit is a rebadged Toshiba HD-A3, identical in almost every respect (even the remote).

Second, if you wanted to buy 300 and The Bourne Identity (two awesome movies) on Blu-Ray, you would be spending $40-$50 on the movies alone. Here you can get both movies plus an HD-DVD player, which also is one of the best upconverting DVD players on the market for about the same price.

Plus, now that HD-DVD lost the format war, there are warehouses full of cheap high-def movies. I can walk into my local Fry's Electronics and find rows of $7-$10 HD-DVDs. I bought the Bourne Ultimatum for $10 on HD-DVD, and each of the five Harry Potter movies for $10 each. Fry's even had $4 HD-DVDs for Labor Day yesterday. I often find that the HD-DVD version of a movie is cheaper than the regular DVD version, and 50%-70% cheaper than the Blu-Ray version.

A disc is a disc; doesn't matter if it is Blu-Ray or HD-DVD, both are 1080p and look awesome on your HDTV.

If they woke up and started offering 2 different movies I could justify this as a back-up player. Problem is most HDDVD owners already have these 2 titles.

Ok, let me see

--"Only stupid people buy HD-DVD"
--"Get with the program, you lost the format war!"
--"Too much for a dead format!"
--"Blu-Ray looks better"
--"They couldn't pay me to use HD-DVD!"
--"Spend a few bucks ($300) more for Blu-Ray!"

Ok, I think I've gotten them all. Can we move on now? Can we assume that everyone interested in HD-DVD has been properly chastised, and we don't need/want your smug comments on this thread?
Really, Blu-Ray fanboys, why would you even click on this thread if HD-DVD is of no interest to you?

BTW, I bought one of the Toshibas right after they dropped the price, and it's one of the best purchases I've made. Best up-converting DVD player I've owned.

Does it play avi files? Could not find it in description.

How's up-converting quality on this player? I was going to pick up a cheap DVD player, but this might be a good option.

Does it have USB or support DIVX? If so I think I'm sold.

I have had SEVERAL standard dvd players. Oppo, Panasonic, ALL of them were "the best upconverting player" with the faroudja chip. Well, sad to say imo they all suck compared to the Toshiba A2 that I had a while back. If this is anywhere NEAR that, which it should be the same thing, then its STELLAR. I just payed 100 for an oppo, and it looks no different than my last player. I may sell it and pick this up.

Only small prob with the Toshiba players is that there is like a 1-minute boot time on them. REALLY. 1 whole minute. Its worth the wait though.

BargainActivist said:Same question before I pull the trigger....
nquinn said:Also, to clarify.. is this the HD-A3 or HD-A30? It sounds like the A3 only supports 720p/1080i, not 1080p.
HD-A3, which means it outputs 1080i and your HDTV will de-interlace the signal to 1080p (if your HDTV even supports 1080p in the first place).

8%

Makes it hotter

credit goes to disposable!!!

Gambit3 said:Ok, let me see

--"Only stupid people buy HD-DVD"
--"Get with the program, you lost the format war!"
--"Too much for a dead format!"
--"Blu-Ray looks better"
--"They couldn't pay me to use HD-DVD!"
--"Spend a few bucks ($300) more for Blu-Ray!"


Ok, I think I've gotten them all. Can we move on now? Can we assume that everyone interested in HD-DVD has been properly chastised, and we don't need/want your smug comments on this thread?
Really, Blu-Ray fanboys, why would you even click on this thread if HD-DVD is of no interest to you?

BTW, I bought one of the Toshibas right after they dropped the price, and it's one of the best purchases I've made. Best up-converting DVD player I've owned.

I actually owned an HDDVD player and recommend them as upconverting players and for those that don't have massive collections and want only certain select movies on hd dvd cheaply. I don't believe I ever criticized the format nor lauded blu-ray in anyway, that was your own ignorant inferrence.

What I said was that I was skeptical of buying a noname brand player for a dead format. It's good if it's a rebranded Toshiba drive however my point was more that I don't know what level of support you're going to get from a budget WalMart brand company for a discontinued player. I'd imagine they save their money by skimping on support and this adds the whole other dimension of them having to hunt down parts/players if yours has a problem. There's little incentive for Toshiba to help them out at this point.
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