DVD player reviews: High definition DVD
What is high definition DVD?
Blu-ray high-definition DVD, backed by Sony
High-definition DVD players boast pictures that, providing you are watching a high-definition disc, are far superior to standard-definition DVDs.
Rival high definition formats
There were two rival high definition DVD formats: Blu-ray, backed primarily by Sony, and HD-DVD, supported by Toshiba among others. But in 2008, when Toshiba decided to withdraw from the battle and stop producing HD-DVD players, Blu-ray won the day.
HD player drawbacks
However, HD players have their drawbacks. On the high-definition players we've tested, basic features such as 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 10 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 that players and TVs output and display on a screen – see below.
None of the first wave of high-definition 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 (fps) – 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
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) neither claim to be HD-ready 1080p nor sport logos like 24fps, but actually still work rather well with high-definition DVDs thanks to their superior digital processing software.
We're 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
Paying Blu-ray discs on games consoles
As well as allowing you to play games, the Sony PS3 can play Blu-ray DVDs, and going down this route can be cheaper than buying the standalone high-definition DVD player.
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 since been fixed by a software upgrade, so it now produces smooth motion when used with a compatible high-definition TV.