To start, all DVD players are digital. So what's the difference between a player that cost under $100 and one that's over $500? As with any purchase, you'll want to buy a DVD player that meets your budget as well as your needs, or more specifically, those of your home theater system.
It's
All About Image
Image quality is the result of the type of video that your television supports
and the type of signal that the DVD player outputs to it. The larger your
television's screen, especially if it's bigger than 36-inches, the more that
these differences will be noticed.
At the low end, composite video connections (a.k.a. RCA jacks) are standard on almost every television set-even those that are a decade old. If all your DVD player has to do is support a television, you can buy a low-cost player with RCA connections. (Keep in mind that this DVD player will still yield pictures that are superior to anything from a VCR.)
Most DVD players support S-Video, which does a better job of separating colors and serves a better picture than composite video connections. If your television can accept S-Video, be sure to look for a DVD player that outputs it.
Higher order Component Video outputs separate the video signal into primary colors and produce sharper images with excellent color reproduction. Keep in mind that only new, high-end televisions, including HDTVs, can accept Component Video. And if you own an HDTV or HDTV-ready set, you may want to pay big bucks for a DVD player that supports progressive scanning-the ability to generate an amazingly clear picture in a single pass instead of using the standard two (interlaced image) that most televisions display. If you're looking to the future, a progressive- scan DVD player can output a conventional interlaced picture so you may use it with your current analog TV. Later, when you upgrade to a digital TV, you can still use the player.
Most DVD players let you pause the action to view a single, crisp screen, and can scan forward as well as in reverse. You'll find special slow motion effects and frame-by-frame advances. Some higher-end players have zoom capabilities that let you pan up and down and left and right while magnifying an area, so you can study a scene in detail.
Sounds
Good
The other half of your home theater experience relies on the quality of the
sound. All DVD-video players support analog stereo surround sound and most
feature 24-bit audio digital-to-analog converters (DAC) to faithfully reproduce
a DVD's soundtrack.
But if you own a high-end home theater system, you'll want to consider a DVD player that supports DTS or Dolby Digital 5.1. Both DTS and Dolby Digital work with Dolby Digital-ready receivers to send music, sound effects, and dialog through different channels and create multi-channel sound on five or more speakers. This offers sound quality that rivals that at the movie theaters. Digital surround sound comes in two type of digital audio outputs: coaxial and optical. Both support Dolby and DTS surround sound and either one can send the Dolby Digital or DTS signal to your receiver, but you'll want to make sure to buy a player that can connect with your receiver.
Many DVD players can play various disc formats-generally, the more expensive the player, the more disc formats it can read. The supported CD standards can include audio CDs, video CDs, and CDs with MP3 files, and you also have to consider whether the CDs are CD-Rs or CD-RWs that were created on home computers.
Other formats that some DVD players can play include: DVD-R; Super Audio CD (SACD) format, a new high-resolution, multi-channel audio format that supports six music channels; and DVD-Audio, another high-resolution, multi-channel audio format based on DVD. If there's a particular disc format that you will want to play, be sure that your DVD player can handle it.
Other
Extras
If you like to watch movies in a dark room, you might want a remote control
with illuminated buttons. Even better, there are remotes for high-end players
that can operate other systems, such as televisions and receivers (usually
from the same manufacturer), and even learn the remote control codes of other
devices.
Some mid-range and high-end DVD players offer carousels that hold two to several hundred discs. DVD players that handle two discs are convenient when watching multiple-disc movies or the evening's double feature-a feature that's more a luxury than an essential. Large DVD changers, the kind that hold 100 or more discs, are handy for those who own extensive DVD and audio CD collections. These DVD players can become the center of a home entertainment system, storing and playing DVD movies and audio CDs, as well as discs in other formats.
Other DVD options include portable DVD players with built-in color LCD screens that let you watch DVD movies anywhere. You can purchase home theater systems that come with DVD players, in which case you can be sure that the DVD player supports all the system's bells and whistles. There are combo models that combine a television and DVD player in a single unit, or a VCR and DVD player. You can also use game consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Xbox as basic DVD players.
A final small, but important consideration: be sure that you purchase the correct DVD player for your region. Those of you who live in the United States and Canada need to purchase region 1 players.
Here are the features that you should find in low-end, mid-range, and high-end DVD players.
Low-End
Video Connections: Composite connections (a.k.a. RCA jacks). Some come with
S-Video connections to output sharper images. If your television supports
S-Video, look for a DVD player that supports it. Stereo: Stereo surround sound.
If you're playing audio through a television's built-in speakers and not a
home theater system, a DVD player in this price range is adequate. Extra Goodies:
Few or None.
Mid-Range
Video Connections: Higher order Component Video outputs for a better picture.
If you own a home theater system, chances are that you will want a DVD player
with this capability. Players in this price range generally offer more multi-camera
views, zooms, and other visual capabilities. Stereo: Higher order DTS and
Dolby Digital 5.1 sound support. Players in this price range begin to support
more audio disc formats, including MP3 and can read audio CDs burned onto
CD-R discs. Extra Goodies: Some players come with carousels that can hold
2-5 discs, and support Video CD.
High-End
Video Connections: Progressive-scan component video offers sharp, film-like
images for HDTV and HDTV-ready television sets. If HDTV is a key component
of your home theater system, you will probably want to pay a lot more for
a DVD player with these capabilities. Stereo: DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound
support. Players in this price range can read audio CDs burned onto CD-RW,
as well as CD-R discs. Extra Goodies: Support for Video CD and some have carousels
that can hold up to hundreds of CDs.
video-editing - Buying a DVD Player
