Video Players and Recorders Buyer's Guide

Before purchasing a video player/recorder, whether it's a DVD player, Blu-ray player, or even a VCR, you should consider how you'll use it. Will it be part of your home entertainment system or do you have more professional needs in mind? Some players can support several different formats - DVD, Blu-Ray, even CD, and sometimes burned discs. Some video players come with multi-disc changers - with room for up to hundreds of discs - for your viewing and listening convenience.

Video Player Systems

The way we watch videos has changed considerably over the years. Not only can you view them on your TV or monitor by hooking up a video player, you can also watch them on your PC, iPod and MP3 players, smart phones, newer models of e-book readers and more. Still, video players that hook up to your home entertainment systems rule the roost. Here are the most common you might consider purchasing:

• Blu-ray
• DVD
• Portable

Blu-ray players

Blu-ray players are more and more often replacing the standard DVD player. Designed for HD displays, especially the highest quality 1080p resolution models available, they can also play regular DVDs in addition to Blu-ray discs. Many also have Wi-Fi capabilities, so you can stream movies and television from the Internet. Some newer Blu-ray players also have 3D capabilities.

DVD players

Standard DVD players were designed with non-HD TVs in mind and are still commonly found in homes. Newer DVD players are usually progressive-scan models that offer higher quality images; though they're not nearly as clear and precise as Blu-ray players, since they aren't able to handle high-definition video.

Portable video players

These convenient, portable Blu-ray and DVD players are great for vacations, car trips and whenever else you're on the move. They come with a built-in screen so you can view them independently of a screen or monitor, though you can still plug them in for at-home use.

DVD recorders

DVD recorders let you record standard definition television to either removable discs or a hard drive. Some higher end models will also record high definition video.

• Quick tip - What's a region code?
  Region codes allow content providers to control where they release their copyrighted material, such as the DVDs and Blu-ray discs you might purchase. The world is divided into six different regions, with North America being Region 1. The codes for each region are embedded in the data on the discs you want to play. You need to purchase a video player that matches that region in order to playback the video.

Video players and Audio

It's not all about the video. The quality of audio your video player offers is just as important as the quality of the images it displays.

Dolby Digital and DTS compatibility

Surround sound provides viewers with a fully immersive cinematic experience. Both Dolby Digital and DTS offer up to either 5.1 or 7.1 channels of discrete multi-channel sound. Most standard DVD players support Dolby Digital. DTS-compatible players offer audio encoding at higher data rates.

Audio D/A converter

D/A converters - or digital-to-analog converters - are used to convert digital signals into analog signals for speakers and amplifiers. They sometimes come built-in to your video player and other pieces of A/V equipment. An external converter will offer higher quality sound and is especially useful with older television sets.

A/V Playback File Formats

There are several ways to store and play back your audio and video files. Keep in mind that not every video player can play back all formats. The most common file types are:

• AVI
• MPEG
• VOB

AVI

Created by Microsoft as the first A/V format for Windows, this is a multimedia format that contains both audio and video data. It's most often used for playing videos on your PC. It's known as a container format because it's used with a variety of encoding methods, called codecs, most commonly DivX, DV and Motion JPEG. They normally use less compression than other formats.

MPEG

A format standardized by the Moving Pictures Expert Group, these file types are the most popular for downloading and playing videos from the Internet. There are several types of MPEGs - MPEG1, MPEG2 and MPEG4.

MPEG1 is used for smaller video clips that are easier to transfer and include the popular MP3 audio format. MPEG2 is used for commercial and home-recorded DVDs, while MPEG4 is a flexible container format used for streaming and downloading content from the Web.

VOB

VOBs - Video Objects - are the file formats you find on your standard DVDs. They contain MPEG2 video, audio, subtitle, menu and other navigation content together in a single stream.

Input and Output Connectors

The inputs and outputs of your Blu-ray and DVD players will vary depending on the model. Check to make sure the model you purchase matches your receiver.

Most Blu-ray players will offer a variety of outputs to match the signal your receiver is capable of handling. They usually will have analog stereo or 5.1 channel outputs, in case the TV or monitor you're using doesn't support Dolby Digital surround sound. There might also be outputs for composite video and S-video which plug into the matching connector on your AV receiver and only access standard definition resolution. There will also be component video outputs for standard and high definition content. For best results, use the HDMI output to get the highest quality audio and video from your high definition display.

Your DVD player will likely also offer a variety of outputs depending on the capabilities of your receiver. It might have either a DVI or HDMI output. There might also be composite, S-video and/or component video outputs. Then there will be two digital audio output options - digital coaxial and digital optical. If you're connecting it to an older television that can't accommodate the outputs available and doesn't have an antenna output, then you'll need to purchase an RF modulator.