Yup, I went HD-DVD. While I didn't pick up the top end HD-XA2 (even though I would love the 5.1 analog audio outputs for use with my Pioneer Elite VSX-54TX), I think that I will still be pretty happy.
I ended up with a $198 HD-A2. I know it is a model year older than the A3, and doesn't do 1080p like the A30 and A35, and yadda yadda yadda...
The price was right for me, the specs and performance are about identical to the A3, and I have a 720p projector, so I don't need 1080p.
As some of you know, I wanted to get into HD-DVD "on the cheap" so to speak. I won't get 2 free HD-DVDs bundled like the newer models, but don't care about the movie 300, and Bourne I've seen so many times that it would go to waste. Yes, I will still have to pick 5 other free HD-DVDs that many of which I don't care about either, but so what. They are free.
I am sure that some place will have a great sale on some other model, and someone will say that I should have waited... I say, "Bah! I am tired of waiting." Someone will tell me that the player is slow to load, or that there are problems with some of the players "glitching"... HDMI is a big source of the slowness according to people that at least pretend to know what they are talking about, and that isn't going to improve a ton any time soon. As for glitching, I hear that it is hit or miss. I am homing to get a player that is a hit.... or is that a miss???? Whichever works right out of the box. If not, I'll get it taken care of.
I plan on having some "adoption" issues anyway, but was willing to deal with them for $200. Some poor folks have been dealing with them on players that cost them hundreds more.
Someone will tell me that Blu-Ray is going to win out, or that it is superior. I've been tracking this whole thing for a year prior to actual release, and I just like how HD-DVD approached it, and the real difference for consumers is just what movies you can get on what format. So what will happen if Blu-Ray DOES win? By then, I will have gotten my $200 out of this machine and be ready for an upgrade anyway!
Someone will tell me, "Good job Nick!" or "Have fun Nick!" and I will thank them!
Party on everyone!
