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PRODUCT REVIEW: Toshiba HD-A20 HD-DVD Player

With its bargain price of $399.99, the Toshiba HD-A20 could be considered an entry-level HD-DVD player. Fortunately Toshiba has not compromised quality for a lower price and has packed a lot of player into one beautiful machine.

Look & Feel

Typical of most Toshiba HD-DVD players, the HD-A20 has a very clean, simple look. The unit fits great next to my other components, as it's the same size of a regular DVD player. The control buttons are located under a flip-down cover on the front (unlike the LG Super-Blu, which runs along the top), making it easy to access when needed. One thing I really like about Toshiba players is that the power cord detaches, making it much easer to set up in a cabinet, and this one follows that same form.

Toshiba HD-A20

HD-DVD REVIEW: Disturbia (2007)

It's a very simple formula: "good" teenage son (Shia LaBeouf) turns introverted after father accidentally dies. Teenage son takes out anger on teacher and is charged with assault. Under house arrest, teenage son starts spying on neighbours and suspects that one of them is a murderer. No one believes teenage son because he is now considered "problematic". Disturbia is not only a subtle rip-off of the Hitchcock film Rear Window, it also borrows a lot from the 1989 Tom Hanks film the 'burbs.

To be fair, the movie is not bad. It's a great end-of-summer flick for teens.  I just expected a lot more suspense and a lot less Ferris Bueller. Any film that is marketed as a thriller and then has a Disney opening with a father and son fly-fishing is never a good sign. Disturbia starts out this way, and takes an hour before it even resembles a thriller.

HD-DVD REVIEW: 300 (2007)

300 is a movie meant to be seen on the big screen. It's big, it's loud, it's a movie opera if you will. Watching it on HD-DVD is the closest you will get to that experience in your living room.

The Movie

Based on Frank Miller's graphic novel, the tale focuses on 300 Spartan warriors led by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) as they fight King Xerxes and the Persian army in the Battle of Thermopylae. It's a visually stunning masterpiece in the same vein as Sin City (another Frank Miller adaptation). The narrative story line, special effects, and soundtrack make 300 an experience in which your mouth will fall open in awe. The movie isn't without some flaws (where did that apple come from?), but it is much better than a majority of the big summer blockbusters.

PRODUCT REVIEW: LG Super Blu (BH100) Blu-Ray/HD-DVD Player

I was really excited to get my hands on the LG Super Blu - the world's first combination Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, and Progressive Scan DVD player. One machine to handle all my viewing needs? What's not to like?

Look & Feel

The unit itself is about the same size as a stand-alone DVD recorder. It's shiny black and has a nice blue glow when turned on. The control buttons are placed on the top of the unit, which is esthetically pleasing, but almost impossible to use once inside a cabinet.