We offer facts, figures, and first impressions of Bill Gates and company's latest (and quite major) step toward providing Microsoft with a foothold in the world's living rooms. We look at games and accessories here, too, with a full review in the March 2006 Home Theater Magazine.

It's here, but only just. On April 18th Toshiba launched the HD DVD format with the release of the $499 HD-A1 player. On the same day Warner released The Last Samurai and The Phantom of the Opera on HD DVD, and those two titles were joined by Universal's Serenity. Warner's Million Dollar Baby, also scheduled for the launch, was delayed initially but is in stores now. These were joined on April 25th by additional titles, including what is the easily best film released on the format so far, Apollo 13.

• $499


• Digital Video Output: HDMI


• Video Upconversion: 720p, 1080i


• Audio Decoding: DD, DD+, Dolby TrueHD, DTS


• Ins and Outs: HDMI, others TBD


• Feature Highlights: 2nd gen HD DVD player with full Dolby TrueHD decoding, upconverting HDMI and component outputs for standard-def DVDs

The new models of HD DVD and Blu-ray players are coming faster and faster. Even better, they're getting cheaper and offering more features. The big draw for the HD-A20 is its 1080p output. That, and a price tag of $499.

• $399
• Audio Decoding: DD, DD+, Dolby TrueHD, DTS
• Ins and Outs: HDMI
• Feature Highlights: 3rd gen HD DVD player with 1080p/24 output, DD+ and TrueHD decoding/transcoding (output as PCM over HDMI), upconverting HDMI and component outputs for standard-def DVDs

A new prerecorded video format is big news. It doesn’t come along every day. It’s been nine years since DVD was release, and it was 19 before that since LaserDisc. Enter HD DVD. Its higher transfer rate (35.5 mbps versus broadcast’s 19.4 mbps maximum) and advanced codecs (VC-1 and H.264) create a potential for audio and video quality to far exceeds broadcast HD, as well as containing a host of new features and capabilities. The first two models are the HD-A1 ($499) and HD-XA1 ($799). Both have the same performance; the step-up HD-XA model adds a better enclosure, a motorized door, RS-232, and a backlit remote.