Toshiba Launches XDE DVD

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

This morning, Toshiba officially announced its new DVD upconversion technology called XDE (which utilize Cell processor), as well as the first DVD player to feature the technology, the XD-E500, which will ship this month for $150.

The idea behind XDE, which stands for extended detail enhancement, isn't that it will compete with Blu-ray, but rather that it will get a little extra performance out of your existing DVD collection and serve as a bridge to high definition--without you having to spend a bundle on new discs.

It upconverts standard definition (480p) DVD content to HD (720p, 1080i or 1080p), requiring HD Monitor with an HDCP capable HDMI or DVI input.

Three selectable setting are available on XD-E500, offering different image enhancing tweaks:

• Sharp Mode offers improved detail enhancement that is one step closer to high definition. Edges are sharper and details in films are more visible. Unlike traditional sharpness control, XDE technology analyses the entire picture and adds edge enhancement precisely where it's needed
  
  
• Colour Mode makes the colours of nature stand out with improved richness. Blues and greens are more vivid and lifelike. Colour Mode combines the improvement in colour with the detail enhancement of Sharp Mode and is ideal for outdoor scenes
  
  
• Contrast Mode is designed to make darker scenes or foregrounds more clearly visible without the typical "washing out" that can occur with traditional contrast adjustment. Recommended for dark scenes where detail may be difficult to notice, Contrast Mode is also combined with Sharp Mode to provide a clearer viewing experience.

XD-E500 also can output in 24 frames per second mode, reducing jitter associated with 2:3 Pull Down method. Viewing 24 frames per second requires an HD display capable of accepting a 1080p/24 Hz signal.

Here is more information on Toshiba's web site:

http://www.tacp.toshiba.com/dvd/prod...?model=xd-e500

Oh great, it adds the very thing that is the bane of the DVD, edge enhancement, a peristant problem already that causes halo's around the edges of objects. So you have edge enhancement already in the source, with Toshiba's added edge enhancement, yuck.

Color mode and contrast mode are useless when your television is properly calibrated. All I can say is good luck Toshiba.

[Smokey]

Oh great, it adds the very thing that is the bane of the DVD, edge enhancement, a peristant problem already that causes halo's around the edges of objects. So you have edge enhancement already in the source, with Toshiba's added edge enhancement, yuck.

I agree that Edge Enhancement does obscures picture detail, but if it is done right (not too much) and with right source, it does enhance the picture a bit as it give it more 3D effect.

I had a Panasonic 27 inch TV back in 1999 that had Velocity Scan Modulation which is basically similar to edge enhancement feature, and when engaged it made picture sparkle and sharp as a razor. Not too much as cover up the details, but enough to enhance a flat images such as black and white images.
And for first time I could see stage lighting in actor’s eye balls with VSM engaged which was hardly noticeable when VSM was off.

Toshiba said that it is using a Cell Processor (what is the world is that?) that is supposedly "smart"--meaning it only adds edge enhancement to certain parts of the image. So I might give them benefit of doubt. The review for this player have not come out yet, so we may have to take “lets wait and see” attitude.

Apparently, they recognize companies like Oppo that already provide similar features are eating them for lunch. My 971H already bridges the gap quite a bit.

But it seem Toshiba is offering those features at half price of Oppo players.

[pixelthis]

"FROM HELLS OWN HEART I STAB AT THEE"
One last dig at the new format, BLU RAY.
Basically scan velo modulation and "smart" contrast, better watch it, it might turn into a terminator, start dialing up Skynet or something.
I HATE SCAN VELOCITY SO MUCH that I took the cover off of my first HDTV (a Panny 47") and disabled it at the crt(all three of em)
basically the only way to turn it off, noise by any other name.
Blu is evoutionary, true, but a big enough leap to render all disscussion
of "getting by" with great upconversion moot, especially since blu players do great upconversion as a bonus anyway.
I was somewhat worried about mr p and his critiqe of upconversion
with his samsung Blu player, I neednt have worried.
The upconversion on my new player isnt true HD, but its close.
So why buy a 300 (or even 150) dollar player that doesnt do blu?
MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER.
I watched serenity on my blu player last night, it was simply amazing,
there is a site that compares upconversion on my player with a 1200 dollar scaler, I WAS DUBIOUS but no more.
So the future of this project?
Well, theres no market. PQ addicts will get a BLU, cheapskates will
say that their player from BILLS DOLLAR STORE (free with a case of thunderbird) is good enough.
DVD is 480i BTW, not 480p, a DVD couldnt hold a true 480p signal,
further emphasizing its obsolescense.
I predict that as prices fall, people will pass right by this one to get the latest blu player, which will be around 200 bucks in no time.
This will be an historical footnote, not much more, kinda like putting a horse on crack to keep up with autimobiles

[Rich-n-Texas]

"FROM HELLS OWN HEART I STAB AT THEE"

Pix has been reading Shakespeare. Impressive.

One last dig at the new format, BLU RAY.
Basically scan velo modulation and "smart" contrast, better watch it, it might turn into a terminator, start dialing up Skynet or something.

I'm getting caught back up with The Sarah Conner Chronicles myself.

I HATE SCAN VELOCITY SO MUCH that I took the cover off of my first HDTV (a Panny 47") and disabled it at the crt(all three of em)
basically the only way to turn it off, noise by any other name.

This is why they only let him have a Visio.

Blu is evoutionary, true, but a big enough leap to render all disscussion
of "getting by" with great upconversion moot, especially since blu players do great upconversion as a bonus anyway.

So in actuallity, VOD is dead right?

I was somewhat worried about mr p and his critiqe of upconversion
with his samsung Blu player, I neednt have worried.

Capital P.

The upconversion on my new player isnt true HD, but its close.

Have you paid your friend yet for it? It came from DOLLAR RIOT right?

So why buy a 300 (or even 150) dollar player that doesnt do blu?
MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER.
I watched serenity on my blu player last night, it was simply amazing,
there is a site that compares upconversion on my player with a 1200 dollar scaler, I WAS DUBIOUS but no more.

Ya know, it seems to me that Sir Talky's message has finally gotten across to you, IMO.

So the future of this project?
Well, theres no market. PQ addicts will get a BLU, cheapskates will
say that their player from BILLS DOLLAR STORE (free with a case of thunderbird) is good enough.

This is where you come in right? Must be since you know about the Thunderbird deal.

DVD is 480i BTW, not 480p, a DVD couldnt hold a true 480p signal,
further emphasizing its obsolescense.
I predict that as prices fall, people will pass right by this one to get the latest blu player, which will be around 200 bucks in no time.
This will be an historical footnote, not much more, kinda like putting a horse on crack to keep up with autimobiles

I'd swear you're sounding more and more like a BR advocate everyday. VOD is DEAD!!! Long live Blu-ray!

[bobsticks]

Pix has been reading Shakespeare. Impressive.

Don't be too quick to hand out accolades. I'm pretty sure he cribbed it off an old Star Trek movie.

[GMichael]

Don't be too quick to hand out accolades. I'm pretty sure he cribbed it off an old Star Trek movie.

That movie was on last night.

[pixelthis]

[QUOTE]

Pix has been reading Shakespeare. Impressive.

Watching the wrath of khan actually.
Figures you'd know nothing about the true classics

I'm getting caught back up with The Sarah Conner Chronicles myself.

The new terminator movie with Bale as john conner will render it obsolete

This is why they only let him have a Visio.

I choose a Visio, just because the apparati at TI wont let you have anything but a DLP the size of the box the USS LINCOLN
came in doesnt mean the rest of us are so limited

So in actuallity, VOD is dead right?

What has this to do with anything
Non sequiter city

Capital P.

Have you paid your friend yet for it? It came from DOLLAR RIOT right?

CIRCUIT CITY, not all of us are crazy (and cheapskate) enough to order major electronics from , of all places, new jersey
MAIL ORDER is ok, but not from a third world UN eco disaster zone.

Ya know, it seems to me that Sir Talky's message has finally gotten across to you, IMO.

The only message that has gotten across to me from talky is that hes a jr high student that can google really well to cover up his ignorance
of just about anything.
Tells a good story tho. Crackheaded but interesting

This is where you come in right? Must be since you know about the Thunderbird deal.

One of my crack hos told me about it. Probably too rich for you

I'd swear you're sounding more and more like a BR advocate everyday. VOD is DEAD!!! Long live Blu-ray!

I have never changed my positon on Blu or VOD.
i came out and predicted it the winner months ago.
I thought it the best format for movie collecting but knew that it had a limited window for getting established before VOD really got up steam.
And with DRM popping up everywhere a good format for collecting movies is important, since you wont be able to bootleg anymore.
Why is it one or the other? Vod will be for everyday casual use, for
kickass experience and collecting BLU will be it, no reason the two cant co-exist, unlike your brain and logic, which cant be in the same room at the same time, fundamental breakdown in the universe if that happens

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

I agree that Edge Enhancement does obscures picture detail, but if it is done right (not too much) and with right source, it does enhance the picture a bit as it give it more 3D effect.

Here is the rub bear type individual. Edge enhancement is already in the source, and its over done to the bone. As a disc reviewer have seen far too many DVD's, and quiet as it is kept bluray's as well with too much edge enhancement, too much to the point that halo's are clearly seen around sharp objects. The problem here is that its already apart of the source because the studios have to pre-filter the video before encoding, and an attempt to sharpen after pre-filtering has always produced the worst kind of side effects. With this players circuitry (since it does not do pre-analysis) you will not be able to tell it that there is already edge enhancement in the source, or not.

I had a Panasonic 27 inch TV back in 1999 that had Velocity Scan Modulation which is basically similar to edge enhancement feature, and when engaged it made picture sparkle and sharp as a razor. Not too much as cover up the details, but enough to enhance a flat images such as black and white images.
And for first time I could see stage lighting in actor’s eye balls with VSM engaged which was hardly noticeable when VSM was off.

I would advance that videotape and television signal were the primary source that was played on this television. With the rolled off high frequency of video tape and broadcast, this would probably be a complimentary feature. Now with the extended frequency response of both DVD and Bluray, SVM is usually defeated during calibration. That was the first thing I did with every projection source I have had since I could remember.

Toshiba said that it is using a Cell Processor (what is the world is that?) that is supposedly "smart"--meaning it only adds edge enhancement to certain parts of the image. So I might give them benefit of doubt. The review for this player have not come out yet, so we may have to take “lets wait and see” attitude.

The cell processor is the same process used in the PS3, but this one is a smaller 45nano sized one used in the latest PS3 SKU.(the earlier one was a 90nano in the 60 and 20GB models). Its a very powerful and expensive processor, and quite frankly at $150 Toshiba is taking another loss on this one. As a matter of fact, it cost Toshiba more to make this player than Sony to make the PS3. However, there are no real application for the Cell processor at this moment, and Toshiba bought the manufacturing rights to the processor and must do something with it. It would have been smarter to put this processor in their televisions rather than this player, because there is no guarantee this DVD player is going to sell when sitting next to other upscaling DVD players.

But it seem Toshiba is offering those features at half price of Oppo players.

The question becomes, with DVD sales falling year after year, will the public look backwards for a player that supports nothing but SD video, or will they look forward to a player that supports both HD and SD sources. That is the million dollar question.

[Smokey]

I would advance that videotape and television signal were the primary source that was played on this television. With the rolled off high frequency of video tape and broadcast, this would probably be a complimentary feature.

Yes, the source was from television signal. I used VSM feature mostly on TCM channel where most program were old black and white movies. It brought t image to life. And on color programs, it mad any type lights on screen sparkle.

But also had VSM on other TVs such as JVC where it made picture look even worse, even with black and white images.

The cell processor is the same process used in the PS3, but this one is a smaller 45nano sized one used in the latest PS3 SKU.(the earlier one was a 90nano in the 60 and 20GB models). Its a very powerful and expensive processor, and quite frankly at $150 Toshiba is taking another loss on this one. As a matter of fact, it cost Toshiba more to make this player than Sony to make the PS3.

Wow, that sound like an impressive processor. But the question is why Toshiba is taking this route knowing that they will lose money since DVD player market is already flooded with cheap players. Haven’t they learned a lesson from HD-DVD adventure?

But if price on this dvd player fall, this might actually be bargain player for those looking for DVD player.

The question becomes, with DVD sales falling year after year, will the public look backwards for a player that supports nothing but SD video, or will they look forward to a player that supports both HD and SD sources. That is the million dollar question.

This is just a hunch, but I think Toshiba may have geared this product toward those that have large library of DVDs and not yet ready to replace them with BR. And looking for something better than ordinary upconversion DVD players on the market. Lets face it, there are not too many quality DVD players out there except may be from Denon or Oppo.