Although the transition from standard-definition to high-definition DVD discs is clearly under way, there are still reasons, ranging from price to format maturity, you may want to hold off buying a Blu-ray player. That means that many of us may still be in the market for a standard DVD player—most likely, our last.

DVD players are one of the electronics industry’s biggest success stories. The vast majority of U.S. homes have one or more players, and prices have dropped so low--into the $25 range for some models--that these devices are sold almost everywhere, even in supermarkets and drugstores. You’d be hard-pressed to find any other home-entertainment product that gives you more bang for the buck than a DVD player.

Despite their low prices, most DVD players typically have numerous features and connections, including HDMI and component-video output. In addition, many standard DVD players can play a variety of disc types, including recordable DVDs and CDs burned with music files and digital photos. Some can even play high-resolution, multi-channel SACD or DVD-Audio music discs.


WHAT’S AVAILABLE

Sony, Magnavox, Philips, Panasonic, and Toshiba are among the best-selling brands of DVD players. Almost all new DVD players are now progressive-scan models that can convert (or deinterlace) the interlaced video (480i) contained on DVDs and output it to your TV as a 480p video signal. With a TV that can display high-definition (HD) or enhanced-definition (ED) images, you can expect a smoother, more detailed image. That’s because HD sets can support the player’s progressive-scan 480p mode, drawing 480 consecutive lines on the screen in a single pass.

By comparison, a conventional TV accepts standard-definition images, also referred to as 480i. Here the image is drawn on the screen in alternating lines--odd first, then even--so quickly that the eye perceives them as a single image. Interlaced images are generally less smooth than progressive ones, and the line structure is sometimes visible if you’re very close to the screen.

A growing number of progressive-scan DVD players are “upconverting” models that can convert the 480i video contained on all regular DVDs to simulate 720p, 1080i, or even 1080p. These pseudo-HD resolutions more closely match an HDTV’s native screen resolution. (This feature will not work with standard-definition TVs.) These DVD players analyze the lower-resolution video, guess what pixels would be present in a higher-resolution image, and then add them to the picture. (Our tests have shown that this feature isn’t always a plus. See below.)

Progressive-scan models come in single-disc and multidisc versions. The few nonprogressive-scan models now on the market are mostly single-disc models; they tend to be the cheapest type.

Single-disc consoles. Even low-end models usually have all the video outputs you might want, although it’s possible the cheapest units could lack an HDMI output. Price: about $25 to more than $300.

Multidisc consoles. Like CD changers, these players accommodate more than one disc at a time, typically five. DVD jukeboxes that hold hundreds of discs are also available, and many can automatically sort discs by content type: movies, music, and photos. Price: under $100 to over $400.

Portables. These DVD players generally come with a small, 16:9 widescreen-format LCD screen and batteries that claim to provide three or more hours of playback. Some low-priced models don’t have a screen; they’re intended for users who plan to connect the device to a television or other display. Some portable models designed for car use are tablet-style players, and some of these have two screens that can be mounted behind headrests. You pay extra for portability either way. Prices start at less than $100.


HOW TO CHOOSE

Buy a progressive-scan model unless the lowest price is your highest priority. Although you won’t see progressive-scan picture quality on a conventional analog TV, it’s definitely worth getting a progressive-scan player for use with a digital TV, which is capable of displaying the smoother picture these players can deliver. You’ll have a wider choice of products as well, since almost all new players are progressive-scan, and it’s likely you want even have to pay more for this feature.

Don’t pay much more for an upconverting model. A standard-definition TV is unable to display video that’s upconverted to pseudo-HD, so there’s no reason to buy a DVD player with this feature. With an HDTV, this feature may or may not result in better picture quality, depending on your TV. Note that you'll need an HDMI input on your digital TV to accept upconverted video from a player with that capability.

With an HD picture-tube TV, it’s unlikely that upconverting will improve picture quality. In our experience, 480p signals typically yield the best combination of smoothness and fine detail, and you can get that from a regular progressive-scan player.

With LCD, plasma, and rear-projection microdisplay HDTVs, the story is a little more complicated. These TVs are all fixed-pixel displays that have built-in upconverting capability. It’s possible that a specific DVD player might do the upconversion better than a specific TV, but it’s also possible the TV will do a better job on its own. If you decide to buy an upconverting DVD player to use with any fixed-pixel display, try setting the player to various resolutions—such as 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p--and use whichever setting produces the picture quality you deem best.

No matter what player and TV you’re using, there’s one point to keep in mind: While upconverted video can look quite good when done well, the quality is never the equivalent of true HD.

Choose a multidisc model if you want continuous music or easy access to a DVD library. A single-disc player is fine for movies and CDs one at a time. But if you want to use your DVD player to enjoy hours of uninterrupted music, consider a multidisc model. A DVD jukebox may also be handy, especially if you’ll be installing it in a rack that’s not easily accessible for changing discs. Note, though, that multidisc models are typically about 1 to 2 inches taller and 6 to 7 inches deeper than single-disc players, so make sure it will fit on your rack or in your entertainment center.

Make sure there are enough of the connections you want. Virtually all DVD players now have outputs for optimal connection to most TV sets. All but the least expensive models have both component-video and HDMI connectors that are compatible with new digital TVs, though these don’t necessarily offer improved picture quality.

HDMI cables can send both digital audio (including multi-channel) and video via a single cable. If you want to use digital-audio connections from the DVD player to a receiver, make sure the DVD player’s digital-audio outputs match the receiver’s inputs. Some receivers use a coaxial input; others, an optical input. Some players will include multi-channel analog audio jacks for sending 5.1-channel Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound to older receivers.

Consider which, if any, special playback formats matter. Most DVD players can play pre-recorded DVDs and CDs. Most models also play several types of discs you can record yourself, such as DVD-R, DVD+R, and CD-R/-RW. Most can read DVD+RW, but the ability to read DVD-RW discs depends on how they were recorded. Some can also play DVD-RAM discs. Most models also play CD-audio and MP3 music files recorded on discs you burn yourself. You’ll need to shop around more if you want to play Windows Media Audio (WMA) files, video CD, and high-resolution SACD and DVD-Audio discs in their original format.

Do you want to present slide shows on your TV? Then choose a model that can read JPEG image files that you’ve captured with a digital camera and burned onto a disc. Some models have built-in card readers that accept various memory cards.