LG Super Blu HD video player

The Good: Plays both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs; backwards compatible with all varieties of DVDs and CDs; relatively fast operating and simple to use
The Bad: Many of the features that make HD DVD a next generation format are inaccessible; costs a pretty penny
The Verdict: It's more of a Blu-ray deck with limited HD DVD functionality than a true dual-format player

Canadians have seemingly ravenous appetites for all things high definition, and that, says electronics manufacturer LG, has prompted the Korean company to select Canada as one of two places on earth where consumers can buy the world's very first dual-format high-def movie player (the other country is the United States).

This one-of-a-kind machine has been dubbed the Super Blu. Now, if you're suspicious of why it wasn't called the Super HD DVD instead then you're very close to stumbling upon the Super Blu's dirty little secret: it's not so much a dual format player as it is a Blu-ray deck that (sort of) plays HD DVDs.

A sly way to promote Blu-ray?

What's the difference between a true dual-format player and a Blu-ray player that also plays HD DVDs? A dual-format player, one would think, ought to exploit the capabilities of both formats equally and that simply isn't the case with the Super Blu.

While the deck does a fine job of playing HD DVD movies — it supports full 1080p video output and digital 5.1 surround sound — many of the features that make the format attractive, such as interactive games, pop-up trivia, picture-in-picture commentaries, and scene bookmarks, are simply inaccessible.

What's more, we aren't even provided access to HD DVD title screens; the movie just starts to play once inserted. If you want to select a scene or access standard features such as making-of documentaries and deleted scenes, you'll need to call up a rather bland looking menu while the movie is playing and choose from a series of video files that are designated by duration, nothing else — no name, no thumbnail, no clue as to what each one might contain.

Yes, the Super Blu plays both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs, but it makes HD DVD a far less desirable option. If a movie exists in both formats (as many do), a Super Blu owner will almost certainly choose Blu-ray. And the conspiracy theorist in me can't help but wonder if this isn't some sly strategy on behalf of the Blu-ray Disc Association — of which LG is a long-time member — to make it appear as though even those with the ability to play both formats overwhelmingly choose Blu-ray.

Good for all your non-HD DVD needs

HD DVD playback aside, the Super Blu is a fine machine and no more difficult to use than a standard DVD player. It automatically detects disc types (not just high definition formats but DVDs and CDs, too), then selects the best available playback resolution. 1080p images in the Blu-ray version of The Prestige and the HD DVD edition of Peter Jackson's King Kong looked great on the LG LCD screen I was using to evaluate to the player. I tried watching Ice Age 2: The Meltdown on standard DVD and found that the Super Blu does a fine job of up-converting standard definition video to high definition as well.

Happily, it has a relatively speedy startup time compared the Blu-ray and HD DVD players I've tried, clocking in at about 30 seconds from the time the unit is switched on to movie playback. I occasionally noticed some lag as I moved from menu to menu in Blu-ray titles, but that could be attributed to the fact that I was evaluating a pre-production model. In general, the Super Blu functions just as well as most other high definition players I've tried.

Two brains, one laser

Industry watchers have long assumed that a dual format player would be cost-prohibitive for plenty of reasons, ranging from the combination of royalties associated with Blu-ray and HD DVD technologies to the mechanical complexity of the machine. Conveniently, an LG representative confirmed this theory for me. He stated that the Super Blu isn't meant to be a revenue-generating product, but rather a flagship device meant to show off LG's engineering and manufacturing prowess.

And, to be fair, it is quite a clever piece of gear.

Contrary to many speculators' predictions, the Super Blu doesn't employ separate lasers for each high definition format, but instead uses a single violet laser capable of reading both formats that is controlled by separate circuit boards. Or, as it was explained to me, the Super Blu has two brains, one for HD DVDs and another for Blu-ray discs, that share control of the same laser. (The Super Blu does, in fact, have a second laser on board, but it's of the inexpensive red variety used to read DVDs and CDs).

And, according to LG, the drawbacks associated with HD DVD playback apparently aren't due to any technical limitations, but are rather self-imposed restrictions that the electronics giant was forced to make in order to honour agreements with its Blu-ray and HD DVD partners. Indeed, LG has hinted that a dual format player without any HD DVD limitations could be at retail before Christmas this year, assuming certain changes to current agreements (in which case I might be forced to withdraw my conspiracy theory).

Better off buying separate players

When you get right down to it, the Super Blu is a Blu-ray player that feels as though it's been hacked to play HD DVDs. The (not so) funny part is that, at $1,500, you'll pay through the roof for the curtailed HD DVD playback capability. If, for some strange reason, you absolutely need to be able to play both formats right now, you'd be better served buying separate Blu-ray and HD DVD players, which, if you shop wisely, should come out to about the same amount as the Super Blu.

Still, LG gets props for trying to come up with what, at least on the surface, appears to be a consumer-focused solution to this ridiculous format war. If its proposed successor overcomes the Super Blu's HD DVD limitations and hits shelves at a slightly lower price point, it just might be something worth serious consideration.

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