All Rise...

What can compete with the pathos of "Fireplace: Visions of Tranquility?" Nothing, says Judge David Johnson.

The Charge

Them pictures sure are purty!

The Case

It's $5. It's high-definition. There is four minutes worth of penguins. That might be enough for some folks newly ensconced in the world of HD-DVD. The HDScape Sampler is nothing more than a collection of trailers for other, full-length HD-DVD features. The clips run about four minutes each, and as a bonus you get a couple of throw-away "digital essentials" bits that offer some options for audio and video tuning. In total, you're looking at about45 minutes worth of stuff on this disc.

Here's a rundown of the clips:

"Antarctica Dreaming"
See penguins, seals, glaciers and water that looks, really, really, really, really, really cold.

"Exotic Saltwater Aquarium"
Fish of all flavors swim around an enclosed area, as if you're looking at a real aquarium. Even better: no green grime obstructing your view.

"Fireplace: Visions of Tranquility"
Pretty much exactly what you expect: a pile of burning logs.

"HD Window: Hawaii"
Soak up the sun and waves as the HD cameras pan over Hawaii. So clear you can see Tiki dolls buried in the sand.

"HD Window: The great Southwest"
Same thing as Hawaii, just with more sand and less ocean.

"Serenity: Southern Seas"
Water, water everywhere.

"Stargaze II"
Dive headlong into HD visions of nebulas and black holes and, um, blastulas? Is that right? Either way, it's colorful and pretty to look at.

"Visions of the Sea: Exploration"
Take a trip underwater. Features more acreage than the Exotic Saltwater Aquarium.

There's nothing much to say about this disc. The clips are short, but all look great and could prove to be a handy show-off disc for visitors (there's a standard DVD version on the flipside, but who cares?). The landscapes are all stunning—with the exception of "Fireplace"—and footage is supplemented by calming, New Agey music, suitable to get your yoga groove on to. Really though, it could just as easily be included in your HD-DVD purchase, or even sent away for free. Even at less than $10, you're essentially getting a disc full of advertisements.

Give us your feedback!

Did we give HDscape Sampler (HD DVD + DVD Combo) a fair trial? yes / no

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