Toshiba readies mid-range HD DVD player with 1080p
updated 02:35 pm EST, Wed January 10, 2007
Toshiba A20 HD DVD Player
Recognizing a gap between its high- and low-end HD DVD players, Toshiba at CES unveiled a new, mid-grade player named the HD-A20. Sitting in between the previously announced HD-A2 and HD-XA2, the A20 adds the crucial feature of native 1080p video playback, making it the lowest-cost HD DVD player to show movies at their native resolution, Toshiba says. The new tier reduces costs by withholding the top player's costlier HDMI 1.3 output and its accompanying support for deep color as well as enhanced Dolby and DTS HD sound. Other features remain identical to the A2, the company's basic 1080i-capable model. The A20 will ship in Spring for $599, $100 more than the A2 but far lower than the $999 XA2.
