Which DVD player should you buy?
Jun 03 '01 (Updated Jan 11 '04)
The Bottom Line Choose carefully and enjoy your player for years to come. If not, you may find yourself having to choose again in the near future.
Update: December 2001 -This being the Christmas season, I thought I’d add a little to this article, since some of it is a little out of date from the date of the original writing. There have been some developments in the area of DVD audio since I originally wrote this. Well, it has been on the horizon for a while. DVD audio is a relatively new addition to DVD that basically puts a DD 5.1 audio soundtrack on a DVD disc. Although it would seem that you could just play these on any DVD player, it seems you have to buy one that’s compatible with the DVD Audio format. Personally, I already have a DVD player and don’t consider this a significant enough advance in audio technology to warrant spending the extra cash on a new player. It’s something you may want to take into consideration though if you haven’t yet bought a DVD player. I’m personally very content with my CD collection and see no need to upgrade until a new format is firmly established. Currently, it seems that DVD Audio and SACD (Super Audio Compact Disc) are battling it out amongst audiophile types. People who can generally afford to spend the extra cash. I have no experience with either of these formats and don’t feel that I’m qualified to give advice on either of them. If you’re curious, a great source of information on both formats is Sound & Vision Magazine.
Audio Concerns -Are you ready to take the DVD plunge? It can be a significant investment, with players that are still slightly more expensive then a Hi-fi VCR. Adding to this, to take full advantage of the benefits offered by DVD, you’ll need at the very least to invest some money in a decent Dolby Digital/DTS receiver and speaker system. Decent, reasonably priced integrated systems are available that include a DVD changer, receiver and the six required speakers. For one of these systems, in a retail store, expect to spend at least $500. If you decide to buy your components separately, you’ll probably end up spending significantly more, but will also probably end up with a vastly superior audio system. The only real advantage to buying one of the integrated systems is that you'll be getting components that are all well matched for a more or less balanced system.
A new TV? -If you have a little more money to spend, you can also invest in a television set that’s optimized for DVD display. For example, there are now a decent variety of 16:9 widescreen displays on the market. They’re still quite expensive at the time of this writing. At least $2,000 for a 36 inch direct view set (Another term for a tv with a CRT or picture tube). The 16:9 RPTV sets (Large floor models commonly referred to as big screen TVs) are a little more reasonably priced and are not that much more expensive than the standard 4:3 RPTVs. You can also choose to stick with the 4:3 standard set and save some money. There are 4:3 sets available that utilize what’s referred to as “Vertical squeeze” to improve the resolution of an anamorphic DVD. What this means is that you’ll still have a widescreen picture with the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen but the resolution is enhanced because the TV vertically compresses the scan lines that make up the picture into the space between the black bars. The result is a much smoother picture with much better detail. This feature becomes more and more important as the screen size increases because the scan lines become much more noticeable as the screen size increases. The most popular sets that have the 16:9 enhanced feature is Sony’s Wega line, but a few other sets now have this feature.
If all of this sounds like something you’re ready to invest in, then welcome to the wonderful world of DVD. Viewing your favorite films on DVD, with full DD surround is an incredible experience. Generally speaking, the more time and money you put into your system, the better and more Theater-like the experience will be. Although DVD has been around for a few years now, many people still haven’t made the switch. I’d have to say that the expense has probably been a big part of the problem. However, prices for DVD players and DVD related components are dropping fast and the format is catching on very rapidly. Prices for DVD movies are relatively reasonable compared to what prices for VHS movies were a few years ago. DVD also has other advantages. The discs do not come into direct contact with the apparatus that reads them. Thus, just like audio CDs, if you take care of your discs and protect them from scratches, they’ll last for many years and retain every bit of the original audio and video quality. Also, they’re much easier to store than VHS tapes. You can store 2 DVDs in the space that one VHS cassette would occupy.
Original Review -In this opinion, I’m assuming that many of the folks reading it are people who may not have already purchased a DVD player. Choosing a DVD player is really a lot different from choosing a VCR. With a VCR, it was always quite easy to purchase a very inferior unit. For one thing, the fact that they were an analog format made their performance vary at least somewhat from one brand to another.
DVD has taken at least some of the guesswork out of your decision. These days, any DVD player you buy that costs anywhere from $150 up is pretty much guaranteed to deliver equal or better performance than what you could have gotten a few years ago even with a moderately priced Laserdisc player. In other words, regardless of brand name, you’re going to get a good picture and great sound. However, there are features, such as progressive scan, that can dramatically enhance picture quality. You'll need digital TV to take advantage of this feature though.
Are you on a budget -If you are, there’s good news. The ever-increasing popularity of the DVD format has driven prices down to a point to where you can get a great player at a very reasonable price. Most of the major manufacturers (Sony, Panasonic, JVC, Toshiba, Samsung) have entry level players selling between $70 and $200. To be honest, you couldn’t go far wrong with one of these players from any one of these manufacturers. That’s not to say there aren’t some important differences though. I’m usually loyal to the Panasonic name brand but I chose a Sony for both my TV and DVD player. I’ll get into the reasons why later on.
Now when I say you’re fine when you purchase an entry level player, I mean as long as it’s from a manufacturer that you’ve heard of and that has a pretty good track record for reliability and performance. There are units out there from companies like Oritron that I really wouldn’t recommend. Although they sell them very cheap, and their performance is usually adequate, they already seem to have a reputation for poor reliability. In my opinion, why would anyone take a chance on a no name brand when you can spend a little more and know you’re getting quality?
The Remote Control This is where the different brands begin to distinguish themselves. The remote control is the part of the DVD player that you will probably physically use the most. If the remote is poorly designed, it will likely detract from your viewing experience. Some people prefer large remotes and some people prefer small ones. Neither is inherently superior but large ones usually tend to have a button for each function. Smaller remotes tend to use some of the same buttons for two different functions. This can be very confusing and is really needlessly complicated, particularly if you like to view movies in the dark. Speaking of that, it would be nice if manufacturers would pay more attention to consumer demands for backlit remotes. There are probably players out there with them but you’ll most likely not find them on reasonably priced players. You’ll want to check out the remote control of every player that you consider purchasing. How does it feel in your hand? Are the buttons for key functions easy to locate? If the Play and Stop buttons look and feel just like every other button, I can assure you that you’ll quickly tire of searching for them when trying to view a movie.
Also take notice of the range of the remote. The transmitters in some remotes are much more directional than others. Meaning you almost have to be aiming the front of the remote directly at the infrared sensor on the player to control it. Others have a very wide range and you can control the player from practically anywhere in the room. Of course this is really nitpicking but some of us are picky people. I’m a little more picky than most. It can be very frustrating to keep hitting the button and get no response from the player simply because you‘re aiming the remote slightly lower or slightly farther to the left than the player prefers. In short, if the players in the store where you plan to purchase are all plugged in and the remotes all have batteries, you’ll want to try them all out. I can’t over-emphasize the importance of a good remote control. Unfortunately, most manufacturers don’t seem to pay a lot of attention to their remotes. I’ve even seen units from companies such as Onkyo with dreadful remotes.
Outputs -The outputs on a player should help you to further narrow down your choices. As I said before, I came very close to purchasing a Panasonic player but opted for a comparable Sony. The reason was simple. The outputs and the remote. The receiver that I own right now has both an optical and a coaxial digital input. However, optical digital connection cables are somewhat more expensive than a basic coaxial connector. Also, my receiver is placed about 10 feet away from my DVD player. In my setup, I have no way to place it any closer. The cheapest optical cable that I could find was a 6 foot one selling for about $12. There is no audible difference to my ears between optical and coaxial. Anyway, the Panasonic only had an optical digital output. It also didn’t have a component video output.
The component video output is definitely a feature you’ll want to look for on any player that you’re considering. Thankfully, component outputs are becoming very common on most DVD players these days. You’ll want to look for a player that has not only composite video out but also S-Video and component outputs. This gives you maximum flexibility with the option to go for the highest video quality currently possible from an interlaced DVD source. If your TV has a component input (Which is becoming much more common lately), you’ll definitely want to use it. The increase in quality isn’t extremely pronounced but it’s definitely noticeable.
In past reviews, I’ve recommended against buying premium cables. In most cases, you’re just wasting your money. However, if you’re going for a component connection, it certainly can’t hurt anything to purchase decent quality cables. I went with a set made by Acoustic Research. The quality is very good and the price was only half of what the comparable Monster brand cables were selling for in the same store. There are also a few other companies that make relatively inexpensive component cables. Shop around and buy by price. There’s only a certain amount of improvement the average consumer is going to get by buying quality cables. Beyond that, you’re probably just wasting your money.
At any rate, back to the topic of this section. You’ll want to pick a player that has a good variety of outputs. At the very least you’ll want:
* 1 composite audio/video out
* 1 S-video out
* 1 optical and 1 coaxial digital audio out
* 1 Component video out
Build Quality -You’ll also need to take into account the quality (Or perceived quality) of the construction of the player. A good indicator is usually weight. A heavy player usually indicates the use of more metal parts on the mechanism (Which is really quite rare on players intended for the average consumer). It’s also pretty easy to tell from looking at the cabinet if the manufacturer put a lot of thought into the design. It’s not really rocket science. Press eject and watch how the loading tray slides in and out. Is the action smooth and straight or does it jiggle a little? Do the buttons and other exterior parts feel solid?? Now granted all of this may or may not mean a thing in terms of durability but it never hurts to look for things that may be an indication of cost cutting. If they skimped on the parts that you can easily see by looking at the unit, imagine what they’ve done inside.
Single Disc Or changer? -Now this is all a matter of preference and cost. You’ll usually generally pay less for a single disc model. I prefer single disc units because when it comes to movies, I rarely watch more than one movie at a sitting and also because changers are more complicated and have more moving parts to break down. Changers also usually tend to be more complicated to operate. On the other hand, many DVD movies come in two disc sets, with the feature on one disc and the extras on a second disc. If you have a changer, it’s certainly more convenient to load up both discs at once, rather than swapping them to view the extras. If you choose a changer, you’ll definitely want to buy one from a company with an outstanding reputation for reliable products. I would choose Panasonic. The choice is yours though.
Conclusion -Choosing any electronic component these days can be a bit confusing or intimidating, Your best bet is to shop around extensively before buying. Familiarize yourself with the features and the terminology. It helps if you have friends who are into DVD. If you do, ask them if there are features they wish their player had. Ask them if there is anything about their player they can’t stand. Chances are you’ll get some great feedback from them. Above all, regard any salesman at any electronics store with suspicion. Especially if he tries to point you to a more expensive player. These sales tactics are not quite as common these days as they used to be but it still happens from time to time. You can usually tell if someone sincerely wants to help you or not. I’ve came across a few sales people at places like Best Buy and Circuit City that were extremely helpful and friendly. They are the exception rather than the rule though. If you are planning to purchase a DVD player in the near future, good luck and happy viewing. I hope I’ve at least pointed out a few things for you to look for and beware of.
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Ahab1973
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Member: Brian
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