HD Disc Player Feature Comparison Chart

Last Updated 2/21/2007

This is the fourth in a series of equipment comparison charts that I've put together for the site. Predecessors include the Surround Sound Processor Chart, DVD Player Chart, and the Receiver Chart that was split off from the SSP's. In this case, we're looking at HD disc players that support HD-DVD, Blu-ray, or (eventually) both. Eventually, this chart may replace the DVD Player Chart, but I expect that will take at least four or five years (if it happens then).

While we wait for Toshiba's first HD-DVD players to ship and for the final specs on Blu-ray players from Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic to be made available, I've laid out the chart. Once we have at least a few players clearly defined, I'll start to populate it with player data.

Update, 6/15/2006: I've made some updates to the chart. Samsung has shipped the BD-P1000 to stores, and it will be available for sale in less than two weeks. Once we start getting reviews back on the BD-P1000 I'll know more (the manual leaves a few things unclear). Sony has pushed the BDP-S1 back to mid-August, and I haven't heard when Panasonic plans to release the DMP-BD10.

Update, 8/25/2006: Today sees a few interesting updates. First, I've added Pioneer's BDP-HD1 to the chart, even though it and nearly all of the Blu-ray players still have a number of question marks regarding features. Second, I've revised the entries for both Toshiba HD-DVD players to reflect the new v2.0 firmware's support for multichannel Dolby TrueHD (rather than the limited two-channel support that the players were originally restricted to).

Update, 2/21/2007: This chart has had too many holes in it for too long now. I've patched things up a fair bit and added a couple players, but until work eases off I probably won't have a chance to really hunt down answers for all of the question marks still floating around.

FEATURES
Outputs/Inputs
Composite Video Outputs	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
S-Video Outputs	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Component Video Outputs	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
HDMI Outputs	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Coaxial Digital Output	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.
Optical Digital Output	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
IEEE-1594 Output	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Stereo Analog Outputs	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
5.1 Analog Output	1	1	.	1	1	1	.	1	.
7.1 Analog Output	.	.	.	.	.	.	1	.	.
RS-232	.	x	.	x	.	.	.	.	.
Ethernet	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	x	x
Discs and File Formats
HD-DVD	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Blu-ray	.	.	.	.	x	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	.	.
Audio CD	x	x	x	x	x	.	x	.	x	.	.	.	.	.
Video CD	?	?	?	?	x	.	?	.	?	.	.	.	.	.
DVD-Video	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	.	.
DVD-Audio	.	.	.	.	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
SACD	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.
DVD-R (read-only)	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	.	.
DVD+R (read-only)	.	.	.	.	x	.	x	x	.	.	.	.	.	.
DVD-RAM (read-only)	.	.	.	.	x	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
BD-R (read-only)	.	.	.	.	x	.	x	.	x	.	.	.	.	.
BD-RE (read-only)	.	.	.	.	x	.	x	.	x	.	.	.	.	.
MP3	.	.	.	.	x	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	.	.
WMA	.	.	.	.	.	.	x	x	.	.	.	.	.	.
FLAC	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
DivX	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
WMV	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	.
HDCD	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Features
# of discs	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
HDMI version	1.1	1.1	1.2a	1.3	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.3	.	.	.	.	.
Dolby Digital Decoder	x	x	.	x	.	x	x	x	.	.	.	.	.	.
DTS Decoder	x	x	.	x	.	x	x	?	.	.	.	.	.	.
DVD-Audio decoder	.	.	.	.	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
SACD decoder	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
DD+ decoder	x	x	x	x	.	.	x	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
DTS-HD decoder	.	.	.	.	.	.	F 1	.	F 1	.	.	.	.	.
TrueHD decoder	x	x	x	x	.	.	F 1	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Bass Management	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	.	.	.
adjustable XO	x	x	x	x	.	.	?	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
number of XO's	1	1	1	1	1	1	?	1	.	.	.	.	.	.
Video Upsampling	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	?	.
1080p output	.	.	.	x	x	x	x	x	x	.	.	.	.	.
1080i output	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
720p output	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
4:3 "Squeeze"	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x	x
PAL/NTSC conversions	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Zoom	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	?	.
Video DAC	11-bit 216MHz	11-bit 216MHz	?	12-bit 297MHz	12-bit 216MHz	_-bit _MHz	14-bit 296MHz	?	?
Audio DAC	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	192/24	?
THX	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Regions Available	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Secrets Shootout Score (Comp/HDMI)	84/84	.	.	.	71/65	72/65	78/73	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Manual Online	x	x	.	.	x	x	.	x	x	.	.	.	.	.
Dimensions (WxDxH)	17x 14x 4	17x 14 3/4x 4 5/8	17x 15 1/16x 2 9/16	17x 15 3/16x 3	17x 12.8x 3.11	17x 14 1/4x 4 1/8	17x 13x 2-5/16	17x 14-15/16x 3-11/16	12.8x 10.8x 3.9
Weight (lbs.)	_	_	_	_	9.26	_	_	19.8	11
Price
List Price ($)	500	800	500	1000	1000	1000	1300	1500	500+	.	.	.	.	.
Street Price ($)	350	650	500	1000	1000	1000	1300	1500	500+	.	.	.	.	.

¹ "F" indicates support planned for a future firmware update.