Standard DVD Players
Yep, still worth covering
Although many of the other technologies discussed in this guide appear to offer more exciting features than the *standard DVD player[DVD Player Price Guide], the simple truth is that they are merely evolutions of a product that still has a lot of love to give.
Since it’s unlikely that most consumers will head out this holiday season to pick up a $1,000 or more Blu-ray player, we’re also inclined to cover the hottest items in the realm of the traditional DVD player. They’re still being made, still being improved, and perhaps most importantly, still being purchased.
So, is it STILL a big deal?
DVD players are still kicking, and many of the high end versions produce visuals that can rival the early wave of high definition devices. That’s impressive, but entirely up for debate: big fish in a small pond, or little fish in a big pond? When it comes to technology, sometimes purchasing a high-quality player late in the game is a much safer bet than investing in an early rendition of a new device. Still, it’s a gamble all around.
Within the standard DVD universe, there are a few factors to keep in mind when shopping. Here are some valuable tips to consider when walking the aisles of your nearest electronics outlet:
Be progressive
Progressive scan DVD players take advantage of digital televisions (HDTV) without making the final leap to HD. That can mean a very comparable picture for only a fraction of the price of HD-DVD or Blu-ray.
Consider multidisc
Since the focus will now be placed on high definition players, many of the previously extravagant toys are now going down in price. That includes multidisc players, which have previously been very costly. Not only that, they now offer the average homeowner continuous music for hours at a time, with easy switching between music and movies.
Formats, formats, formats
Sure, pretty much any DVD player can play movies and CDs, but not all support prerecorded material. It sometimes means spending a few extra bucks to rope in CD-R, DVD-R, CD-RW and DVD-RW. Also on the market is DVD+RW and DVD-RAM, and the sometimes elusive Windows Media Audio (WMA). These formats usually apply to burnt CDs and DVDs, so if you do a lot of ripping - keep it legal, kids - then you might want to look into a player that can support all of these formats.
