Considering Toshiba's original entry-level HD DVD player (the HD-E1) only launched towards the end of 2006 at a price of £450. So it's remarkable that its direct replacement, the HD-EP30 here, is widely on sale for less than half as much.

The format war with Blu-ray is a big driver behind this. But what might be bad for Toshiba's profit margin means good news for consumers. At least for the time being.

Of course, in the back of any potential buyer's mind is the fact that HD DVD players like the HD-EP30 can't spin Blu-ray titles, and vice versa.

While HD DVD has gathered support from Paramount, Universal and Warner studios (the latter releasing also on Blu-ray), industry support for Blu-ray is also strong. Toshiba's format remains in danger of becoming the niche alternative, unless dual-format players become the preferred choice in the market.

Full HD resolution

But what of this cut-priced HD-EP30 deck? In many ways it's identical to its pricier forerunner, bundling CD and DVD playback alongside HD compatibility, though the continuing lack of DivX playback will be a letdown for some people.

Standard DVD images can be upscaled to a maximum of 1080p resolution, improving on the HD-E1's 1080i limit. As before, the DVD upscaling is excellent, giving a serious boost to your existing DVD collection and compensating for any high-def movies that are only on Blu-Ray.

Just remember, however, that the HD-EP30 is locked to Region 2 for plain DVDs but is multi-regional for HD DVD. We played US releases, like the new Heroes box set, without any problems

The HD-EP30's HD DVD playback is also offered up to full 1080p quality, with the bonus of unconverted 24-frame-per-second output - the preferred route for cinephiles who have shelled out for the latest, high-spec flat-screens and video projectors.

24fps mode for 'true cinema'

24fps output removes frame-rate conversion problems that show up when trying to get movies onto TVs, which are based on variations of 25 or 30 frames per second as opposed to cinema's 24.

The connections on the HD-EP30 are similar to the older and rather limited HD-E1 player, including the v1.2 HDMI port. So it's unable to deliver the widest selection of picture and sound options for those with the newest v1.3-equipped gear.

But for most people, the line-up of sockets should be adequate and, as before, there's an Ethernet connection for fetching software upgrades and online interactive features via broadband.