Fear not, intrepid buyer
Jan 22 '01
The Bottom Line You should note what you have to start with, then find a good unit at a good price that has those types of connections and outputs.
Watching people purchase video components is both fascinating and frightening at the same time. Whenever I go into the local video shop and listen to people talk amongst themselves, it's all I can do to keep from either strangling a salesman or setting up a "tech advisor" service right there on the floor.
"How many channels will this DVD pick up?"
"Is this DVD cable ready?"
"Oh, is coaxial output important?"
"How long can I record on each disk?"
Lord, grant me the strength and courage to teach them...
There are 3 primary reasons for purchasing a DVD player for your home entertainment system: Video quality, sound quality, and reducing unit count in your console. Right now, DVDs do not record and are NOT a replacement for your VCR! They work side by side with your VHS deck, similar to the way a CD player works alongside a cassette deck, only with video rather than sound.
Video: Let's face it, the incredibly sharp picture is the big driving force behind your purchase. Maybe you heard all about how much sharper the pictures are compared to a VHS tape. Well, those stories are true. There are more than 480 lines of resolution coming out from a DVD player compared to 260 lines from the best VHS deck. More lines of resolution means sharper detail; I can make out each individual hair on the actor's head in most of my DVDs. You will also notice the abscence of noise in the picture, which we have all trained ourselves to overlook. The first time you see a movie without all the noise you will be amazed, I promise.
To get this super sharp picture you will need to have one of two types of input on your TV; either SVideo, which is the best, or RCA Composite, which isn't as good but will at least be servicable. You will also need a good quality TV at least 25 inches diagonal to see any of the detail you are paying for. Sure, it will work fine with a smaller screen, but the screen itself then limits how sharp the picture can be, so anything under 25 inches will give you the same picture as your tapes no matter what. I strongly recommend 27 inch screens minimum and using SVideo connections.
Audio: DVDs have sound capabilities that are, quite frankly, out of this world. Most new movies contain the actual digital soundtrack that the movie theater uses to create the intense sound that moviegoers have come to expect. You can have the same quality sound in your home; if your stereo is up to the task, that is.
First, you will need a modern amplifier that is capable of decoding digital information supplied to it directly from the DVD player either by a Coaxial cable or by an Optical one. The amp will say Dolby Digital or DTS somewhere in the manual. These amplifiers are rather new so if yours is more than 6 years old then it is unlikely to have these inputs. The digital connections allow a suitable amp to drive all the speakers, surround speakers, center channel and subwoofer correctly with only one wire. Personally I've found no difference between the quality of optical and coaxial connections, so use the one you feel best using.
A quick aside if you use the coax cable; salespeople will try to steer you toward "special" coax wires. Such are not necessary -- a good quality RCA Video cable is all you need. Don't buy the hype and you'll save enough money for your first DVD disk.
Now I realize not everyone has the amp needed to turn the living room into the megaplex. Some people need to upgrade a piece at a time in the long-standing tradition of audiophiles. That's not a problem since most DVD players also have audio-out jacks (L & R) to plug into regular amplifiers. This method loses all the surround sound abilities, but still sounds many times better than VHS. These connections are the familiar RCA audio jacks and will plug into any Tape In or AUX jack.
Third, the component count: Now, what the heck does that mean? Component count? Who cares how many components a stereo cabinet has? Well, I do for one. And anyone who lives in a small house, apartment or dorm does also. A DVD should also be able to play CDs; it's standard now. This means you can retire your CD player and just use the DVD player for that job rather than have two devices in the cabinet. Some of us have small cabinets to begin with so this feature is very useful. If you are thinking of getting rid of your CD player anyway then this will save you some cash since you won't need to buy a new one at all!
So assuming you have a good set and a good stereo, what do you need to do in order to purchase the best DVD for your money?
First, look here and in other pages to find some reviewed units. Look for the bad information as well as the good. No machine will please everyone. Make a list of 6 units (Yes, I'm serious; 6) On another sheet of paper, make a list of what outputs your DVD must have. If you have an older TV without SVideo inputs your DVD must have RCA Composite output, for example. Write down the requirements to add the player to your system.
Next, and I recommend this whether or not you are purchasing at the store or not, go to one of the local superstores and take notes of what units are there. Also note what new units are there that you never heard of before! DVD tech changes VERY rapidly and a unit that sold well only 6 months ago may already be superceded by a newer model! You will lose about half of the models you wrote down before visiting; expect it, and expect to add a couple of units as well.
Going to a store also allows you to compare the picture of several units on the same screen. Ask the salesman to give you a head to head comparison on a big-screen TV. Odds are you won't see any difference between the 700$ unit and the 200$ one -- I certainly can't. As far as sound goes you probably will just have to note what each unit's abilities are rather than hear them plugged in and going. So long as the DVD has the connections you need, that's all you need worry about.
Finally, once you've picked your machine, you must decide whether to buy it at the store that showed it to you or online. If the store was competent and helpful and you may need/want their help in the future, then I strongly recommend doing business with them. Technically competent people are good to know, and they need to feed their families. But if you can't find a store with good, knowledgable people, then by all means buy a unit on the web. Usually the unit either works right out of the box, or it doesn't. Pray that it does, as doing business on the web causes you to lose any local support. As little competent support as there seems to be in stores nowdays, that is becoming less and less of an issue since you will be on your own anyway.
As far as wires go, go ahead and get good wires to hook up your gear. Gold SVideo cables are a good idea since they won't corrode over time. I don't recommend the highest quality Megacables (or whatever) as they are often just a money-making gimmick that work no better than regular mid-priced cables. Most expensive doesn't mean most expensive in this case.
Yes, it is a lot to cover. Buying a DVD requires you to know your equipment and what you hope to get out of it. If you are building a system from scratch then I can't stress enough the importance of a Digital Amp like my Pioneer VSX21 (which I reviewed here as well; blatant plug.) Is it a bit of work and hard-earned cash? Yes, it is.
But the first time you turn the lights low, crank up the stereo and watch "Jurassic Park," your mouth will hang open in utter amazement!
Some things are beyond price...
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
MajorWombat
|
|
Reviews written: 37
Trusted by: 14 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.