Everyone wants high-definition, so it seems everyone would want a high-definition DVD player. But most people are sitting on the fence rather than investing in Blu-ray or HD DVD, the two high-def DVD formats launched last year. Maybe it's less about what the player costs or which movie studio supports which format, and more about nobody wanting to be stuck with Beta when everyone has gone VHS. But now you can dismount the fence with confidence, thanks to LG Electronics. The company's BH100 Super Blu Player plays both Blu-ray and HD DVD.

 

 

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Although you can actually purchase separate HD DVD and Blu-ray players for less than the BH100's price, the convenience of having one unit—and the impossibility of placing your high-def DVDs in the wrong player—will make the BH100 an attractive option for many despite its lack of interactive functionality with HD DVD discs . (Click image to enlarge)

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The BH100 is a straightforward movie machine: It plays ordinary DVDs, too, but does not play CD, SACD, or DVD-Audio, and it also lacks extras like USB and memory card slots. Unlike HD DVD players (and some Blu-ray models), there is no Ethernet port for accessing updates or special disc features over the Internet.

Fortunately, the new audio formats which HD DVD takes for granted but some Blu-ray players lack are here too: Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD (two-channel only). Like all of the first-gen HD DVD and Blu-ray players, the BH100 is equipped with version 1.2 of the HDMI digital video/audio output. Version 1.3 (currently available only on Sony's Playstation 3) is necessary to convey these high-resolution audio formats digitally to some future surround-sound receiver or processor equipped to play all these formats. However, you can still enjoy DTS-HD and the new Dolby formats by connecting six cables from the BH100's analog multichannel output to your surround processor's multichannel input.

Video plays at 1080p resolution, but here's the rub: Just about all HDTVs right now accepting an external 1080p input do so at 60 frames per second, or 1080p/60. HD DVD/Blu-ray discs contain 1080p content at 24 frames per second (being film's native speed) or 1080p/24. Right now, most HD players reprocess the signal to 1080p/60 to be compatible with the displays out there. But the LG outputs 1080p/24 as is, causing 1080p/60 displays (such as my Samsung LED HDTV) to refuse the signal. For these displays, the BH100 lowers the resolution to 1080i, which the display can then convert to 1080p. Since there's no mention of this in the manual, I can see it being a source of confusion—it is to me until I get the skinny direct from LG. But few people are likely to notice the difference in picture quality, especially on displays measuring 47 inches or less.

The same week I receive the BH100, I also get a prototype of the new HD DVD version of the Digital Video Essentials test DVD. It's brimming with ways to bring out the best from your home theater system (although the audio tests aren't active in the version I receive). Through the BH100, the test scenes off the disc blow me away—it's like looking through a window at a NASA space shuttle launch. In the restaurant clip, I get hungry watching the luscious raspberries and other culinary delights. And the redheaded female model's translucent skin sheen and gradation highlights point out why high-def video on a properly calibrated set is such a treat.

 

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The transport buttons on the BH100 feature a cool touch-sensitive action and formerly cool but increasingly ordinary blue backlighting. (Click image to enlarge)

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The HQV Benchmark DVD lets me evaluate the player's standard video capabilities. It does well as regards color performance, picture detail and controlling artifacts, but only moderately on the disc's jaggies and noise reduction tests—decent results, although not state-of-the-art.

But now for some real movies. When I load a disc into the tray, the BH100 recognizes it and behaves as if it were made for that particular format. Startup speed for Blu-ray and regular DVDs is around 30 seconds (average for BD though a bit longer than usual for DVD), with HD DVD coming in at around 40 to 45 seconds. Starting with Superman Returns on Blu-ray, I revel as the S-man chases the "doomed" airliner before successfully making the catch in a baseball stadium. Clarity, sharpness, and brilliance of color is everything you could ask for. Switching to the HD DVD version of the same movie, I replay the scene and it looks just as good. Nor do I see a real difference reviewing the scene again on my Playstation 3 at 1080p. I do notice, though, that my Toshiba HD DVD player seems to produce a slightly sharper picture.

And the audio keeps up with the picture quality: Dolby Digital Plus really improves upon the sound, and its strength over Dolby Digital is apparent.

The only real trouble the BH100 presents is in disc navigation. BD-Java support lets Blu-ray discs show advanced menus, pop-ups, etc., but accessing these on HD DVD must be done through a software-based menu. This is annoying as there's no images associated with the choices, and some special features aren't accessible at all. Also, with HD DVDs the main feature always starts playing immediately.

 

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The BH100's back panel reveals connectors for 5.1-channel analog audio output—which, unfortunately, is the only way to get such advanced audio formats Dolby Digital Plus and DTS True HD out of this player. If the player were equipped with HDMI version 1.3, it could output these formats digitally—although at the time of this posting, no receivers or surround-sound processors that can play these formats exist. (Click image to enlarge)

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The BH100 provides a much needed marriage between the two HD disc formats. Even if one of these formats gets its plug pulled, you'll be able to continue playing all those discs you bought. So for those of you up on that fence, it's time to jump down and let your display start showing movies the way they're meant to be seen.

DESCRIPTION
Dual-format high-definition DVD player

SUPPORTED DISC FORMATS
Blu-ray, HD DVD, DVD, DVD-R/RW

CONNECTIONS
HDMI digital video/audio output (version 1.2), component video output, composite video output, optical and coaxial digital audio outputs, six-channel analog audio output, RJ-45 jack for service

DIMENSIONS
3.1 x 17 x 9.9 inches (hwd)

PRICE/CONTACT
PRICE: $1,199
CONTACT: 800.243.0000, www.lgusa.com