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How to Choose and Buy a DVD Player

Here are some pointers on what to look for when buying a DVD player:

Picture Quality of the DVD Player

Most DVD players now offer 10-bit video processing, which gives better picture quality during action and other motion sequences. However, the next step in image quality is the introduction of High Definition TV, and to get the most of this exciting new development, your DVD player will require the progressive scan feature.

Progressive scan reduces flickering, giving a clearer of picture. Resolution and brightness are also greatly improved. However, to fully appreciate these effects, you will require a High Definition television!

DVD Sound Quality

Make sure that your DVD player can handle 5.1 Surround Sound and look for a player that has built-in Dolby Digital decoding and six channel analogue outputs. 5.1 Surround Sound, whether it is Dolby or DTS encoded, consists of five full frequency speakers and one subwoofer for reproducing bass frequencies. Dolby Digital 5.1 is the most widespread format, but a growing number of releases now also use DTS encoding as well.

For the best in surround sound reproduction, a multi-channel DVD-Audio player or a multi-channel SACD-DVD player is recommended. These will enable you to get outstanding audio performance out of ordinary DVDs and CDs:

• DVD-Audio: Gives super high fidelity 24-bit sound, available in stereo and multi-channel formats. This signal is analogue due to the inability of current analogue to digital converters to take the high resolution signal.
• SACD: Stands for Super Audio CD and has been developed by Sony to potentially replace the Compact Disc. The SACD has a frequency response that is almost five times greater than that of a standard CD. It offers a dynamic range of 120dB, as opposed to 96dB with a CD. All SACDs are configured for a mixture of Surround Sound and stereo.

Ease of Use

Your DVD player should be easy to use. The front panel should be clearly labelled and set-up and on screen configuration should be easy to understand. Check that the DVD player can easily navigate on-screen menus and features. The instruction manual should be written in plain English with any necessary jargon clearly explained.

Regions

Originally, in order to protect differences in price, release dates and information, region codes were placed on DVD players. This meant that certain DVDs could only be played in certain countries, with Europe and the UK selling region 2 discs that were compatible only with region 2 DVD players, for example. However, multi-region DVD players are now available that can play discs from all regions. If you are a world cinema fan, this type of DVD player may be worth investigating.

DVD Disc Types

As well as different types of DVD player, there are also different disc formats The most common types are DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-R, CD-RW, CD+R, CD+RW and CD-RAM. It’s worth checking that the DVD player you’re considering is compatible with the types of disc that you’re most likely to use.

Widescreen Options through DVD Players

Many DVDs are ‘widescreen enhanced’, meaning that the picture is compacted into a horizontally narrow frame, making the picture appear taller and thinner. This is remedied by using a widescreen TV which displays the picture so it fills the screen. However, most people still have a ‘square’ TV in the 4:3 aspect ratios. It then falls to the DVD player itself to ‘unpack’ the picture and present the picture in a letterbox format. If you want to take advantage of widescreen enhanced DVDs, you may need to upgrade your TV when you buy your new DVD player.

Audio Connections

Digital outputs are provided by all DVD players for Dolby 5.1, DTS and 2-channel stereo sound. Remember that if you are using a DVD-Audio or SACD DVD player you will require six channels worth of analogue-audio connections to your AV receiver as opposed to a digital connector.

CD Playback

CDs played back on a DVD player will often sound better than usual due to the 96 KHz sampling rate of DVD-Audio, compared to that of the 44.1 KHz rate of a Compact Disc, enabling a wider frequency response. Some players are also compatible with HDCD encoded CDs: these are playable in normal CD and DVD players, but r offer greater perceived depth and dynamics when played on an HDCD compatible player. This feature is particularly worth checking out if you consider yourself to be something of an audiophile!

Guarantee

Most DVD players come with a manufacturer’s guarantee. Check to see that you are happy with the length of the guarantee. If you aren’t, make sure that you can extend it before you buy the product.

Further Information

You can find out about some of the most popular brands and models of DVD player on the market in our Brands and Top Models sections.

For details of some of the top online suppliers, including details of their delivery times and postage and packaging costs, visit our Where to Buy section.

You can learn more about other types of DVD player available in our Types section.

To find out about some of the different accessories that you can buy to go with your new DVD player, visit our Accessories section.