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Toshiba XD-E500 Upconverting 1080p Extended Detail DVD Player | 
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| Brand: Toshiba
Category: CE
Buy New: See price in cart
New (32) Used (2) from $76.32
Rating:  55 reviews
Sales Rank: 454
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 16.9 x 2
nv:Device Type: DVD/CD Changer
Compatible Format: CD-DA
Compatible Format: CD-R
Compatible Format: CD-RW
Compatible Format: DVD
Display Type: LED
Remote Control: Yes
Video Input: S-Video
Video Input: HDMI
Video Output: S-Video
Audio Input: Coaxial Digital
Audio Input: Optical Digital
Dimensions: 16.93" x 1.97" x 7.8"
Warranty: 1 year warranty
MPN: XD-E500
Model: XD-E500
UPC: 022265001912
EAN: 0022265001912
ASIN: B001D9IWIY
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Full 1080p Upconversion with 24 frame capability | | • | No need to replace your current DVD library |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
selectable 720p/1080i/1080p(60Hz, 24Hz) output via HDMI digital interface * 3 XDE upconversion modes: Sharp, Contrast, and Color * 1 set of audio/video outputs (composite, S-video, 480i/480p component video, and HDMI) * coaxial digital output for Dolby Digital/DTS/PCM * remote control *
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| Customer Reviews: Read 50 more reviews...
 See what you've been missing with XDE January 6, 2009
PROS:
XDE detail enhancement is very effective, brings new life and detail to standard DVDs; excellent upconverting player even with XDE turned off
CONS:
Does not automatically show 4:3 material in pillarbox format
COMMENTS:
I've tried several upconverting DVD players (Philips DVP5990, Toshiba SD6100, and Sony NS700) but their performance improvement is negligible compared to my existing 4-year old Pioneer 220 progressive scan, non-upconverting player. Why? The reason is that my 32-inch LCD HDTV already has an equally good upconverting processor (all pixel-based TVs have built-in upconverters) and so the TV does a fine job no matter if I send it a standard 480i/p signal or an upconverted 720p/1080i signal. If you have a decent HD TV, the same is likely true for you, too. But everything changes when you plug in the Toshiba XDE upconverting player.
I was skeptical about the Toshiba XDE enhancement features and their promise to provide a better looking image for standard DVDs. After all, standard DVD video is fixed at 480i/p and there's no way to improve actual resolution if the information isn't there in the first place. To get more resolution, we can use HD content like that provided by Blu-ray (aka Sony) or HD DVD (aka Toshiba). With Blu-ray now the apparent HD standard, Toshiba's HD DVD technology lacks a bright future. But what if a company like Toshiba applied their HD DVD image processing expertise in order to breathe new life into the millions of standard DVD collections in existence? Well, inside each XDE player is a unique image processing chip developed by Toshiba (a derivative of their HD DVD development) that provides real-time, selective, image enhancements for sharpness, color, and contrast on regular DVDs. This unique processor/memory combination makes subtle enhancements to each frame in order to optimize the perceived clarity of the picture. And it works very well, especially with high-quality DVD transfers.
The XDE player allows you to choose from four XDE modes: Sharp, Color, Contrast, and off. Sharp mode provides the HD-like clarity in that it discretely adds subtle edge enhancement (for lack of a better term) to only certain areas of the video image that the XDE processor has determined will improve the clarity of the picture you see. Contrary to some internet reviews, the XDE sharpening method is nothing at all like turning up the sharpness control on your TV. If you crank up the sharpness on the TV, the TV applies sharpness (edge enhancement) to the entire picture regardless of content (just like it would if you cranked up color or contrast) and this brings undesirable visual effects. The XDE, on the other hand, analyzes individual portions of the image such as facial features, background details, eyes, fabric textures, etc. and then applies very discrete enhancement that, at a normal viewing distance, really do make the picture very HD-like in clarity. If you get very close to the TV and toggle XDE Sharp mode on and off, you'll be able to see the specific areas of the image where XDE has been applied -it is not applied everywhere and it changes from moment to moment. Similarly, the color enhancement mode in turn enhances blue and green colors to give some DVD material more vibrance (like trees, foliage, blue skies, animation, etc.) without negatively affecting skin tones and other colors. Finally, the Contrast mode selectively enhances contrast in various parts of the image to improve image quality in dark scenes and to bring out background detail. Both the Color and Contrast modes always include the Sharp enhancement by default. The Off mode simply turns off the XDE enhancements and sends out the standard upconverted image like any other DVD player. Switching between XDE modes is easy via the remote control and there is no delay between modes.
With a good HDTV using an HDMI connection (the XDE features are only available using HDMI) and a good quality DVD transfer, the results are immediate and remarkable when using XDE. I have tested many DVDs from my collection including The Shawshank Redemption, Amadeus, Lord of the Rings, Alien Quadrilogy, Blade Runner, A Beautiful Mind, etc. and each film looks much more crisp and clear when viewed at a normal distance from the screen. As a true test, I watched an HD recording of Shawshank Redemption that I Tivo'd off HBO HD and compared it scene-by-scene to my Shawshank DVD in the XDE player. The results were amazing and I could barely tell the difference between the actual HD recording and the DVD played back with XDE sharpness enhancements. If you watch your TV at a normal viewing distance (proportional to your screen size), all you will perceive is an increased clarity of the picture. The better the DVD quality, the better XDE works. Some lesser quality DVD transfers (and they are a dime a dozen) use a lot of image compression and edge enhancement -in some cases, XDE will only make these defects more apparent. However, the fact is that Toshiba has really taken standard DVD viewing to another level beyond typical upconversion hype. In addition, if the XDE enhancements don't provide the quality boost you want (say, on poor quality DVDs or some home-burned DVD-Rs) you can always turn XDE off. With XDE off, you still have what is arguably the best upconverting DVD player on the market.
Of course, now that I've watched so many DVDs from my collection on the Toshiba XDE, I can no longer switch back to standard DVD playback. The difference in picture quality is simply too dramatic now that XDE has set a higher standard for what can be achieved beyond good upconversion. If you have a decent HDTV setup and want to enjoy your standard DVDs at the highest possible image quality for years to come, the Toshiba may be the ideal solution. Even the best Blu-ray players available cannot upconvert and improve standard DVD playback like the Toshiba XDE.
Finally, the icing on the cake is that the Toshiba XDE has been smartly priced at under $100 and so it's hardly a gamble to see if it works for you. If you're looking for an upconverting DVD player that provides noticeable improvements in image clarity using cutting-edge image processing technology, the XDE is a perfect fit.
 Found a better product January 1, 2009
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
After purchasing a Toshiba 37" HDTV, I thought about replacing my Sony upcomverting DVD player with a Toshiba XD-E500. WHAT A MISTAKE!!!! I purchased the XD-E500 a ended up returning it to Best-Buy because the product did NOT even come close to the quality or options that my current Sony upconverting player has. I read all of the comments on the XD player, and thought that it was going to be the best component to enhance my HDTV. Without a doubt, Sony still has a better quality machine, plus works well with the REGZA link...the XD did not! The last straw that made up my mind to return the product was the high-pitched whining sound the XD made when it was turned off. Also, another low was the flimsy tray when it opened. I pride myself in making my living room truly a "movie" experience...sad to say that the Toshiba XD-E500 will never meet my standards. Check out the Sony DVD upconverting model DVP-NS700H...you will NOT be disappointed! I'm sticking with Sony, until Toshiba comes out with a product that can beat or match it.
Piece of Junk January 1, 2009
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I purchased this dvd player from Amazon on 10/03/08 and it died on me last night, less than 90 days later. The manual states the player carries a 90-day warranty, so I'm hopeful to get a replacement unit or have it serviced free. Still, it's a pain in the butt to have to go through this aggravation so soon. Before the player crapped out on me, it had a nice picture and I was pleased with it. However, I'm now skeptical of the reliability of this dvd player and Toshiba products in general.
Not So Great.... December 29, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was very excited after reading the reviews on this upconverter. However, it did not come close to comparing to my Samsung upconverter. The picture almost seemed grainy to me. I watched a total of two movies before the drive belt for the tray broke. Not a big deal though, I opened it up and fixed it with a quality replacement band. I would recommend going with a BluRay player, but if you are like me, you have too many DVDs to start over with BluRay. This unit has been moved to the bedroom and my old Samsung has been put back in the family room. This unit was a major letdown and a waste of money in my opinion, when you could spend half the money on a better unit.
Great DVD Player for the Price. December 26, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I purchased this unit for $80 from Amazon it is $100.00 at the big retail stores. This unit has a great picture and is easy to use. The upconverting feature is why I purchased this unit.
I would highly recommend this unit to anyone who does not want to spend the extra cash on a Blu-Ray dvd player.
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