DVD Players Overview
Price wise, they start from $100 and go up to thousands of dollars for some high-end models. While we can\'t review and evaluate every single DVD player model, we are able to review and assess the performance of some DVD players. Of these that we have hands-on experience, we are recommending the following DVD players and believe that these models are worthy of your consideration. For your convenience, they are grouped by price range and category. In some categories, the players we have recommended have since been discontinued, but we still list them here for your reference to see which brands and models we have recommended in the past. These models are clearly marked as "discontinued". For current recommendations, look for the label "new for 2002" in the list below. Be sure to read our DVD Player Buying Guide, if you haven\'t done so already. You can check out our DVD Player Comparison Charts and DVD Shopping Guide to see what other DVD players meet your needs and budget. Before you buy, be sure to check out the latest sale prices on our Special Savings and Discount page. If you buy online, please consider supporting this site by buying through our links.
What type of DVD player do you want to look at first?
Choose from the following categories: entry- level, multi-disc changers, progressive scan, DVD- Audio/Video, mid-level, high- end, and portable DVD players.
Entry-Level Models
These models start from $140 and go up to about $200 at retail. (Budget models start below $100 and go up to about $140, but we are not currently recommending any budget models.) All entry- level models include the basic features, and many models now come with features usually found in higher-priced mid-level models (features such as built-in Dolby Digital decoder, component video output). The video and audio performance are generally good, and should be satisfactory for all but the largest TVs and finest home theater systems.
Panasonic DVD-RV32 DVD player - new for 2002
Read our full review of this model
Panasonic DVD-RV31 DVD player - new for 2001
Read our full review of this model
Panasonic DVD-CV40 5- disc DVD changer (discontinued)
Read our full review of the similar DVD-CV50
Toshiba SD-2200 dual- tray DVD player (discontinued)
Read our full review of this model
Multi-Disc DVD Changers
These models offer the convenience of continuous multi-disc DVD/CD playback and in-player storage. The models we list here start at $180 at retail and go up from there. We recommend the multi-disc design if you want to integrate your CD and DVD player into one convenient, space-saving unit. These designs range from dual-tray units, to five/six/seven-disc carousel changers, to 200/301/403-disc jukebox- style mega-changers.
Panasonic DVD-CV40 5- disc DVD changer (discontinued)
Read our full review of the similar DVD-CV50
Panasonic DVD-CV50 5- disc DVD changer (discontinued)
Read our full review of this model
Progressive Scan Models
Progressive scan DVD players deliver a better picture (one that has less flicker and less motion artifacts) when used with compatible progressive scan- capable displays. Progressive scanning allows the entire picture to be drawn at the same time, at a refresh rate of 60 frames per second. (This is in contrast to conventional interlaced scanning, where the picture is drawn by "painting" the odd- numbered scan lines first, then the even-numbered scan lines. Two passes are required to complete the picture and the entire screen is refreshed at 30 frames per second. Due to the nature of interlaced scanning, there are motion artifacts when objects in the picture move across the screen.)
Mitsubishi DD-6000 progressive scan DVD player (discontinued)
Read our full review of this model
DVD-Audio Players - Coming Soon
These models can play the new DVD-Audio format (read our DVD-Audio tutorial here), which supports high resolution 24-bit digital sound in either PCM stereo or multi- channel surround sound for music. Of course, these models play the usual repertoire of DVD-Video, Video CD, and audio CD discs. Unfortunately, DVD- Audio music titles are still very limited at this time.
Mid-Level Models
This category has been replaced with the progressive scan and DVD-Audio categories. These models used to range from about $250 to $600 at retail. They generally feature slightly better video and audio performance than the entry- level models, and come with more convenience features designed to maximize your enjoyment of DVD and home theater. Some models feature a built-in Dolby Digital decoder, digital video noise reduction filters, and convenient custom memory to store your preferred playback settings for each DVD/CD disc. All models include component video output for excellent picture quality.
Mitsubishi DD-6000 progressive scan DVD player (discontinued)
Read our full review of this model
Panasonic DVD-CV50 5- disc DVD changer (discontinued)
Read our full review of this model
High-End Models
These models start from about $700 and go up to thousands of dollars. They represent the best of what DVD technology has to offer and are built with uncompromising quality to satisfy the most demanding and discriminating audio/video enthusiasts, videophiles, and audiophiles. To realize the higher levels of video and audio performance, you usually need a state-of- the-art home theater system that is of equal caliber.
Sony DVP-S7700 reference-quality DVD player (discontinued)
Portable Models
For those of you who are always on the go, or want the added convenience and flexibility of portable DVD players, these are the models you should consider. The portability of these designs, particularly those with built-in LCD displays, opens up a whole new world of DVD enjoyment. These portable units are full-featured and can easily pull double duty as your primary home theater DVD player.