Toshiba XD-E500 DVD Player

Reviewed By Our Editors

With a next-generation HD format like Blu-ray still trying to gain a more stable foothold in our country, Toshiba plays it safe and wants you to meet the advanced Toshiba XD-E500 DVD Player. Consumers have embraced the DVD format like no other technology and invested in sizeable DVD movie collections. As the market moves towards high definition, the XD-E500 lets them experience their existing DVD library in a whole new way. The XD-E500 offers consumers the chance to watch their existing DVD collections at near-HD resolutions, replete with enhanced detail and richer colors. Toshiba is delivering to consumers what they want: a high quality experience at an affordable price.

The Toshiba XDE-500 DVD Player has Toshiba's new XDE technology on board along with Sharp, Color and Contrast Modes to provide added detail, rich colors and deep blacks. Its DVD up-scale feature lets you watch your standard definition movies in 720p, 1080i or 1080p. An HDMI connection allows for seamless flow of both video and audio data from the DVD player to the HDTV. The HDTV also plays host to 3D Virtual Surround Sound technology, for audio that’s as pleasing as the visuals. Support for JPEG display and MP3 Playback round out its list of surface-level features. Undoubtedly, although the Toshiba XDE500 doesn't play HD DVD or Blu-Ray, it will make the very most of your standard definition DVDs and create a whole new movie experience for you.

The Toshiba XD-E500 looks like a little black box with a minimalist design philosophy. The size of an old VHS player and sporting a new look from Toshiba, it is something you’ll be proud to put in your living room. During operation, you'll get a glowing white Toshiba logo, and a clear green display giving you the chapter numbers and other info about the DVD you are watching. There are hard playback buttons along the front panel that are refined and easy to use. While watching though, it’s doubtful that you’ll be using the said buttons as virtually all the player's controls are operated via the well laid out remote. The remote, which is also black, gives you all the controls you want and is dedicated to the DVD player. The DVD player supports playback of standard DVDs, CDs and DivX, MP3 and JPEG, while audio formats from Dolby Digital and DTS get support too.

While there are no options to turn the new up-scaling technologies on or off, what you do have though is three options to control the picture with three presets: Sharp, Color and Contrast. Sharp will sharpen the picture where needed rather than the whole picture, Color ups the blues and greens, while Contrast deepens the blacks. The result is a noticeable visual improvement, making your DVD collection sharper whatever you opt to play.

The Toshiba XD-E500 is an impressive up-scaling DVD player that is not only affordable but will go a long way to giving new life to your DVD collection. It’s like watching your favorite DVD movies in a new light!

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