The Basics: DVD Players

DVD players emerged slowly from the gate following their launch in March of 1997, but the format's popularity exploded in 2000. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, more than 93 million players (including single-disc players, changers, DVD/VCR combinations, and DVD-Audio players) have been sold to date in the United States, including nearly 20 million in 2004 alone. Considered a "future technology" only a few short years ago, DVD players are now the dominant format for home video playback, a position previously held by VCRs.

The same size as a CD, a standard commercial Digital Versatile Disc, commonly referred to as DVD-Video or simply DVD, can store approximately 133 minutes of video per side. DVD provide excellent-quality digital video, but the signal must be converted to analog to play on analog TVs. However, with the proliferation of digital televisions (such as HD-ready and HDTV sets), it is now possible to watch DVD content that has not been subjected to the potentially resolution-damaging digital-to-analog conversion process. In addition, digital televisions support progressive scan DVD playback, a feature that "paints" a full-screen image 60 times per second. This creates a significantly sharper picture compared to traditional interlaced playback that displays a full-screen image 30 times per second.

Whatever type of television is handling the display duties, DVD plays with 540 lines of horizontal resolution, more than twice the resolution of a VHS tape. In addition to the stellar video, virtually all DVD players and changers can route Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 audio to a home theater receiver, letting you enjoy a full surround sound along with your movies.

These units are not limited to playing movie and home-recorded DVDs. All DVD players also support CD and most can handle MP3- and WMA-encoded CD-R/RW, hastening the decline of CD-only players. Many are compatible with other video formats such as DVD-RAM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, and VCD, and they are able to present slideshows of JPEG images burned to CD. The ability to play the high-resolution multichannel audio formats, DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD), is also being commonly incorporated into DVD players, but these combination units (DVD-Audio/Video and DVD/SACD universal players and changers) are discussed elsewhere.

In addition to the standard single-disc players and five- or six-disc changers, DVD players are also available as so-called mega changers that can hold 300 discs or more. These are primarily for people who want the convenience of storing DVD and CD without ever having to take them out of the player, which can be programmed to automatically find a particular disc.

How to Shop

Single-disc DVD players range in price from well under $100 for a basic, no-frills model to more than $1,000 for a top-of-the-line player. Obviously, changers cost more than comparably featured single-disc units, but competent changers can still be found in the $100 to $150 range. Like the single-disc models, flagship changers can easily command over $1,000. However, there is no need to break the bank to get high-end features. Low-cost players usually offer the same playback options as the more expensive models, and some now feature progressive scan playback. In the $150 to $500 range, you'll find players that offer progressive scan, built-in Dolby Digital decoders, top-quality audio and video processors, and numerous playback and video enhancement features. Some mega changers can be found in this price bracket. In the $500-and-over range, you're getting all of the above, plus the best hardware and design available, as well as things like a copper-shielded chassis to protect the device from all the other equipment in a home theater rack.

A relatively new feature on higher-end DVD players and changers (as well as a few select inexpensive models) is a high-definition multimedia interface, or HDMI. This connection supports the uncompressed digital-to-digital transmission of audio and video signals to a compatible device such as a digital television or home theater receiver. A few HDMI-equipped units even up-convert DVD content to HDTV resolution levels, creating a stunning movie experience that must be seen to be believed.

As of right now, the basic DVD playback technology is more or less set. Manufacturers will continue introducing new models each year, but the foundation hardware will stay essentially the same. What you get instead is ever-lower prices, compatibility with new formats, innovative design, and smaller, sleeker models. This presents an excellent opportunity for those who care more about their budgets than about being on the leading edge of new technology, as you may be able to get a great deal on a soon-to-be discontinued product that has all the features but not the new-model price premium.