I have a XA2, A30, and a 360 add on drive....also have tried the A35. The XA2 seems to be the best bet imo and it's always seemed solid for hd-dvds. In reference to the upscaling capabilities, it is one of the better ones for sure, but my oppo 983h does a better job. Trying to locate a new one is going to cost you a lot of money so I'd recommend getting a used one from a reputable ebayer with one in decent condition.....that can usually be had these days for around $250-$300. It also depends on what you're trying to do, if you're trying to bitstream DD Plus, TrueHD, or DTS MA HD (very rare on hd dvds)....then XA2 and the A35 are basically your only choices. If you are doing lpcm to your receiver, then the A30 will do just fine, there's nothing wrong with that player.