The LG DN788 is aimed at budget conscious consumers looking for a DVD player with 720p and 1080i upconversion that won't break the bank. The clean lines and black and white finish makes the DN788 a stylish addition to any home theater set up. Hook it up to a HDTV via the player's HDMI interface and it will upconvert your regular DVDs to superior definition of 720p or 1080i. If you haven't yet upgraded to a digital TV, the LG DN788 offers compatible connections to just about any analog TV as well. In addition to the HDMI output, the DVD player offers component, composite and S-video outputs.

However you choose to output the DN788, it is a solid performer, delivering clean, artifact-free pictures. Upscaling is excellent, delivering noticeably superior to the quality of images generated by an ordinary progressive scan DVD player.

The DVD player is compatible with just about every recordable format available. It handles DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW format discs as well as CD-R, CD-RW and Video-CDs. The unit is compatible with home recorded CDs encoded with MP3 and WMA digital audio files as well as those containing JPEG picture files. Insert a picture CD and the DN788 will create a digital slideshow on your TV screen.

The feature that really caught our eye was the inclusion of a front panel USB port. This is a really convenient way to access music files or JPEG images without having to burn them to disc first. Simply insert a USB flash drive and the player will read up to 1000 file names.

The LG DN788 offers a basic array of playback controls. The unit enables you to bookmark up to nine specific places on a DVD, which you can then search for or quickly jump between them. The parental control feature lets you lock out adult content to prevent children from accessing it, and The Last Scene Memory is a disc resume feature that memorizes the last scene viewed on a disc.

While the LG DN788 may not offer enough bells and whistles for diehard video aficionados, it is ideal for budget consumers looking for an inexpensive upscaling DVD player.

Pros: HDMI upscaling to 720p or 1080i, reasonable price, USB input
Cons: Limited playback features, uninspiring remote

Warranty
1 year parts, 90 days labor