Editors' note: Toshiba officially announced it will stop producing HD DVD products, bringing an end to the format war. For that reason, CNET recommends that people avoid buying this player for high-definition movie playback.
The Toshiba HD-XA1 ($800) is the step-up model from the HD-A1. It offers a motorized flip-down front panel which hides the disc tray, an RS-232C port for connection to custom installation setups, and a backlit remote control. Technical specs, features, and performance should otherwise be identical to the $500 entry-level HD-DVD player, the Toshiba HD-A1.
