DVD players: High definition DVD
What is high definition DVD?
Blu-ray high-definition DVD is backed by Sony
High-definition DVD players boast pictures that, providing you are watching a high-definition disc, are far superior to standard DVDs.
Rival formats
There were 2 rival high definition DVD formats: Blu-ray, backed primarily by Sony, and HD-DVD, supported by Toshiba among others. But now that Toshiba has decided to withdraw from the battle and stop producing players Blu-ray has won the day.
Drawbacks
However, HD players have their drawbacks. On the players we've tested basic features like resume from standby are missing, they’re generally more complex and sluggish, use more power and are pretty noisy. High-definition players also cost about ten times more than a standard player.
HD-ready TV compatibility
More seriously the move to high-definition DVD has created a mismatch between new discs and most existing HD equipment. New high-definition TVs and DVD players are better equipped to cope with the new technology but a deluge of logos and labels has made it difficult to identify which bits of equipment will work best.
Despite labels like HD full and 1080HD, if you've bought a new flat-panel HDTV in the past couple of years it may not display Blu-ray movies properly. As if that isn't bad enough, the first high-definition DVD players on the market are already obsolete.
Mismatched speeds
The problem is a mismatch between the number of pictures per second recorded onto the discs, and the number which players and TVs output and display on a screen - see table below.
None of the first wave of players and only a few TVs on the market match the speed of the discs. The result is juddery movements during fast-motion or camera panning scenes.
We first revealed the problem in February 2007, and hoped it would be a temporary glitch. If high definition discs were manufactured at slightly faster, traditional European speeds, they would work with the players and TVs already on the market.
The difference in speed is however so minimal that most people are unaware of the effect on normal DVDs.
New models and logos
Instead manufacturers have launched new high-definition TVs and DVD players designed to match the speed of Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs. All the latest high-definition players we've tested now output at 24 frames per second - but it's still difficult to spot a properly compatible TV.
The official logo
HD-ready 1080p
EICTA, the same people behind HD-ready, have finally launched an official logo that guarantees high-definition DVD compatibility.
The new official logo HD-ready 1080p means the TV has a high screen resolution of 1080 horizontal lines (1920x1080), can process a 1080p HD signal and refresh the screen at 24 frames per second - meaning it will work properly with high definition DVDs.
Similar sounding and looking logos such as, HD Full, 1080HD or 1080HD-ready are also commonplace. But crucially these labels do not guarantee high definition DVD compatibility and exact meanings can differ between manufacturers. So be careful and look for the exact match.
24 frames per second should eliminate picture judder on LCD and plasma TVs
24fps
In the absence of the official HD-ready 1080p logo, check for labels like this on HDTVs. It isn't an official EICTA standard but does mean the TV should process a 1080p signal and screen high definition DVD without the juddering images.
Some TVs on the market (including most of the Panasonic LCD Best Buys) claim to be neither HD-ready 1080p nor sport logos like 24fps but actually still work rather well with high-definition DVD, thanks to their superior digital processing software.
We're currently carrying out additional lab tests on older HD-ready TVs to see which are suitable for use with high-definition DVD players. Check our LCD and plasma reviews to see which work best.
The Playstation 3 can play Blu-ray discs
Games consoles
As well as allowing you to play games, the Sony PS3 can play Blu-ray DVDs and going down this route (£400) can be cheaper than buying the standalone high-definition player alone.
Like the first players on the market, PS3 consoles initially failed to match the frame-rate of high-definition discs, leading to jerky pictures. But it has recently since been updated by a software upgrade via the internet so, just like the high-definition players in the table, it produces smooth motion when used with a compatible high-definition TV.