DVD Player Ratings. Brands, Functions, Prices.DVD players are what made true home theater possible. They excel above VCRs/VHS in sound and picture quality. As well, the extra storage capacity on DVD discs allowed the space for the studio to provide multiple languages, extra scenes, actor and director interviews, multiple camera angles, trailers, documentaries (making-of-the-film), and in-movie actor and director commentaries. All features not available on VHS.
DVD players play DVDs (of course), but almost all current models sold today also play CDs, allowing them to stand in for the CD player you currently own. Panasonic, Toshiba, and Sony are some of the best-selling DVD player brands today.
Other DVD player manufacturers that have DVD player ratings and reviews are.... DVDs and DVD players changed how we watch movies today. DVD players and their layered recording format allowed for the storage of enough data on an easy to use CD-like medium, allowing for the encoding of digital video and multiple digital sound channels. Such was born multi-channel sound. This allows sound to faithfully represent what is being depicted by the video appearing on the viewing screen. This is movie theater sound!
DVD player popularity has caught on and will be the new video standard for many years to come. The long-held reign of VCR/VHS has been challenged and defeated by DVD. 17.1 million DVD players were sold in the United States in 2002, up 35 per cent from 2001. Sales are forecast to hit 20.1 million players this year. 90 per cent of U.S. homes will have a player in seven years. There are 18,000 DVD titles available - movies, TV shows and music videos are favorites - with 100 new ones coming out each week.
Fledgling technologies, Super Audio CD (SACD) and DVD-audio (DVD-A) appear to have failed in their bids to become the next audio/video format standards. Blu-ray and HD-DVD technologies are just now beginning their quests to become the audio/video standard for the next decade. For that reason we haven't included much information about them in the DVD Player Ratings section. Only time will tell whether they pass the grade and their technology takes hold and succeeds. Don't expect these guys to make a mark for the next several years.
However, DVD recorders , a convenient and wonderful technology, will surely become a standard in the near future. If DVD players have one drawback, its their inability to record audio and video. Until recently we still had to rely on our VCRs to record our favorite shows. Well, these DVD recordable players have now burst onto the scene with dozens of models available. Prices are very reasonable, and getting more reasonable by the month. Right now, expect to pay anywhere from $125-$800. Important Tip: If you record (burn) your own CDs, make sure you purchase a DVD player which can play CD-R and CD-RW discs with MP3 files. Expect to pay anywhere from $70-$400 for a single-disc conventional DVD player, depending on its features. For increasingly popular multidisc players, which can hold 3-20 DVDs depending on the model, expect to pay $100-$1000. Progressive scan models, which are recommended for high-definition enabled TVs (HDTV) will cost you in the neighborhood of $100-$1000. Portable DVD players are increasing in popularity but will cost in the range of $150-$1000, with widely varying features and capabilities. They are ideal and also function well as automobile DVD players , or for packing along when on travel.
For those of you who just can't let go of the old VHS format, and want to buy a DVD/VCR hybrid (model that plays both VHS tapes and DVD discs), expect to pay $200-$350. Combo DVD and VCR players will only have a short lifespan as the VHS format is phased out over the next few years. Take a look at the - DVD player ratings and reviews but also consider switching over entirely to the new standard, DVD.
All of the above DVD player formats have been reviewed in this DVD Player Ratings section. To see our reviews of what we consider the BEST DVD player overall, among all player types, and all brands available, click to see our BEST DVD Player Choice .
But enough technical stuff and statistics, right? Use the links throughout this page to go to particular DVD player ratings and reviews! Most players have fairly similar options nowadays so we won't highlight any features or functions you should specifically be looking for.
Our DVD player ratings and reviews are updated many times a month so check back often! Updates are listed in the Site Updates section of the site.
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