Why Get a DVD
Sep 05 '00 (Updated Sep 15 '00)
Of course you can get good picture quality (and CD quality sound) by getting good Hi-Fi VCR and renting or buying prerecorded tapes. However if you have anything bigger than 20" TV, you will really notice the difference in visual quality when you get DVD.
DVD has 480+ lines of resolution comparing with just 200 for VHS or 8 mm VCR or camcorder. It is even better than Super-VHS or Hi-8 with 400 lines. Also there is virtually no video noise, since the image (and sound) is recorded digitally versus analog VHS, where quality deteriorates with use and/or time.
Another DVD's feature - you don't have to rewind it, as you'd have to do with tapes. Also DVD movies include menus where you can choose subtitles (in several languages) and one of several soundtracks, jump directly to a scene by selecting a thumbnailed image; see other info about the movie.
The bad part - if you scratch the disc you get all sorts of "freezing". Also some players refuse to play some discs (this is called incompatibility). My Sharp 600U DVD player sometimes “overheats” and starts “freezing” until I let it have some rest.
You also should make sure that your TV has the inputs that would allow you to see DVD movies in full quality – S-Video input, or, even better, component inputs (3 RCA jacks).
If you want to be able to play CD-R discs (or even CD-RW), make sure that you get the model that does it. My Sharp 600U does not have CD-R playback capability (but I got it for $135 eight months ago). Some players even have dual-laser pickups that use one laser for DVD and another one (with different wavelength) for CD/CD-R/CD-RW.
Currently you cannot record video on DVD. Panasonic sells DVD recorder, but it costs several thousand and uses discs that are incompatible with standard DVD players. These DVD-RAM discs are even enclosed in caddy-like square cartridges.
This means that DVD, at its present state, cannot completely replace VCR. It is a highly specialized player and excels at playing movies.
DVD players are currently much cheaper than they used to be and the prices continue to go down. Simple DVD player can be bought for $100-200.
I recommend you get a brand name player - Panasonic for example. Panasonic DVD-RV30 is a solid machine with excellent picture quality ( see my review of it).
The cheaper models also provide excellent picture quality, but may have some unwanted “features”. Check out my review of my "cheap" ($135) Sharp - DV-600U.
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dkozin
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