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anyone here have any opinions on toshiba xd-e500?

elbarto1

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http://reviews.cnet.com/video-playe...e500/4014-6463_7-33224998.html?tag=mncol;shop

I currently have a middle grade sony upconverting player (model # escapes me at the moment) that suits me just fine, however its region locked and has limited features. I dont want to invest in anything really expensive because I'd rather wait for the new oppo bluray player on the horizon.

So you're probably asking, why buy anything new at all then? Well, my folks recently got their own HDTV and are using a really old shitty dvd player that really looks bad. I figured, they dont need any bells and whistles so if I upgrade, I can give them my old sony and everybody wins.

I just wanted to see if anyone has any personal experience with the Toshiba I linked because reviews are pretty mixed but since I can pick it up for $70 that seems to tip the scales a great deal.
 

elbarto1

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Well since I had nothing better do I picked this bad boy up last night and here are some initial impressions (bare in mind I dont have the tech specs and bitrate math equations to back this up like AVSforum users :p I just report what I see with my eyes)

sleek design looks great, feels flimsy. face buttons feel cheap and sometimes require multiple presses to engage. remote works good but must be pointed directly at the unit.

XDE features "sharp", "color", "contrast" enhancement modes. all produced an unnatural image when viewing live action IMO. animation looked good though but need to experiment more. for now "off" suits me just fine. Oppo/XDE mouseover image comparisons here:
http://www.gfsma.com/xdetest/test.html

when viewing a DVD w/ a good transfer (POTC 3) playback looks fantastic. when viewing a shitty transfer (TDK) playback looks, you guessed it...like shit -_- so no magic pixies included.

Watched "Cube" on DVD-R last night. looked great (near broadcast HD at times) for almost every scene except the "red rooms" where artifacting was out of control bad. :oops: Noticed 2 instances where there was an A/V hiccup that made me think "layer break"? but it happened twice so, perhaps an issue w/ the DVD-R playback as noted in a few product reviews. Will need to investigate further.

Region unlock code enables PAL playback so I finally can watch those PAL fanedits without firing up the XBOX :smile: woot!

DIVX playback (only via disc) is a nice bonus for someone like me who never had that option. Streaming via XBOX/PS3 still looks nicer but its a feature I didnt have before.

Remote control is adequate, I programmed the XDE into my universal so its a non-issue for me.

Other than a few issues, like lack of 4:3 pillar boxing (which my HDTV allows) and no 'resume dvd function' after power off (and possible issues like crapping out) - I would initially recommend this player if you dont already own an upscaling player and/or want a cheap 2nd one. for $70 you really cant go wrong. Just get a warranty - something I never do - but with all the reviews citing early malfunctions I figured I'd spend more than $10 in shipping so I added it on.
 

elbarto1

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360 HDDVD add on does :)
 

joebshmoe

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nice! didn't know that...

i was thinking of getting a cheap unit just to play PAL (which i currently have no way of doing...) since i sold my opp 981hd.

i'm currently undecided as to whether or not i want a ps3, the oppo bluray player, oppo 983hd or some combination ;)

i'm not in a big hurry, tho. thanks for this review.
 

elbarto1

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Just an update, I watched another DVD-R last night (single layer so no layer break) and it froze as well.
I like the quality of the picture this unit displays and its got a nice set of features and an attractive price point but a player that freezes 1 day into its life cycle gets a big thumbs down here.
I bought the OPPO DV-980H online and this Toshiba is going back as soon as the Oppo arrives.
 

elbarto1

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Yeah, I just didnt really want to buy another SD DVD player for more than $100 at this stage in the DVD lifecycle, but you get what you pay for and the features and quality I want looks like OPPO is the best bet. Cant wait to see how it performs against ol freezy mcgee here :lol:
 

joebshmoe

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my 981hd was a f*ckin champ. i abused it for 2 years and AVI playback started getting lame (would not load AVIs off of DVDRW media any more for some reason...)

but the proper DVD playback was always top notch. best player you'll probably EVER have, lol.

also... regarding 980 versus 981...

the 980 has 7.1 support, but the 981 (5.1) has better PAL support and better chipsets/decoders in general (better picture)
 

elbarto1

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From what I have been reading the 983 seems like the one to buy followed by the 981. However, seems I missed the boat because (other than used on ebay) I could only find the 980 available as new. That and the 980 fits my budget a little more closely :smile:
Regardless, I'm sure it will be a substantial IQ improvement over my Sony DVPNS70H upconverter and the list of features on the 980 are enough to justify the (more than double!!) cost of the skippy Toshiba I just bought. Its a shame because the IQ of that Tosh is sweet. Too bad it seems to be built out of gum wrappers, cellophane and poo :)
 

joebshmoe

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i bought mine on ebay. i'd buy it on ebay again, too.

the 983 is obviously the best oppo unit out now, but at about 3x the cost of a (used) 981.
 

elbarto1

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After a few days w/ the Oppo 980h almost all the differences are as plain as night and day. other than the nice video quality of the XDE, (which the oppo only slightly edges out IMO) the features/build quality/etc are leaps and bounds better. Suffice to say the XDE got returned after just 1 night w/ the Oppo.

I have never owned a more satisfying DVD player and find it difficult to fathom that the model I have is the "low end" player from oppo. I cant wait to see their BluRay player :eek:

9/10
 
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