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How to choose a video player

Consumers nowadays are spoilt for choice when it comes to home entertainment. There's the ubiquitous DVD player which is still going strong after so many years. DVD/hard disk recorders have also started gaining momentum in many markets. And with the HD format war finally over, the road ahead looks set for Blu-ray players to finally hit the mainstream crowd. So do you go for a player or recorder? Is it worth investing in Blu-ray now? Check our guide below.

The space you have

Space is usually not an issue in the living room where you're likely to have a large enough TV console to contain all your home A/V components. You just need to ensure that your deck sits as close as possible to the TV and other home A/V equipment in order to minimize long unsightly cables running around the room, and should be easily accessible to facilitate disc changing.

Your video viewing requirements

Player types:
While consumers only had to decide between VHS recorders and DVD players previously, there are a lot more options to choose from these days, from DVD recorders and DVD/VCR combo players to the latest Blu-ray players.

DVD player:
These days, you can do a lot more on the DVD player than just watching DVD and VCD movies or listening to music CDs. Most DVD players also support playback of MP3 and WMA songs, JPEG pictures and DivX movies. Some even play multi-channel audio formats like DVD-Audio and SACD. Look out for DVD players with HD upconversion (or upscaling) if you are planning to pair it with a HD flat-panel display. This feature essentially upconverts DVD content to HDTV resolutions (720p, 1080i or 1080p) using a HDMI connection, resulting in a better picture quality. The majority of the new DVD players also come with progressive scan, a feature which generally produces sharper image quality and minimizes flicker. With prices starting from as low as S$50, DVD players are currently the most affordable video players in the market, making them a popular choice for those on a tight budget.

Pros: Affordable; supports various popular file formats; available in compact sizes.
Cons: Cannot play Blu-ray discs; no recording function.

DVD recorder:
DVD recorder generally offers the same playback functionalities as a DVD player, plus the added capability of recording video directly onto a DVD media. Like a VCR, DVD recorders normally come with an onboard tuner for recording TV shows. Some models even offer an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) to facilitate the recording process. Depending on the brand, most of the recorders support at least three of the five major DVD formats (DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM). It's not hard, however, to find recorders that write on all five disc formats. Among the DVD media, DVD+R and DVD-R discs can be used only once, while the rest are rewritable, meaning they can be reused multiple times. A new Dual-Layer (DL) format for both DVD+R and DVD-R discs allows for double the normal storage capacity.

Manufacturers have the tendency to play the number game when specifying the number of hours you can record on a DVD disc. These exaggerated figures are usually measured using the lowest-quality recording mode, which in most cases is hardly usable. To get a better estimation of the true recording time, look at the given specifications under the two highest-quality recording mode. A unique feature of the DVD-RAM format is that it can record and playback at the same time. A popular feature arising from this capability is the time-shift function, which generally allows the user to watch an earlier part of a recorded program while it is still recording.

Pros: Cheap DVD media; easy archiving; no need to wait for rewinding/forwarding of tape as in a VCR; time-shift function.
Cons: Limited recording capability (especially in best-quality mode); time-shift function only on DVD-RAM discs; cannot play Blu-ray discs.

HDD/DVD recorders:
HDD/DVD recorders combine the functionality of a DVD recorder with the additional ability to record on a built-in hard drive. There are several advantages to having an onboard hard drive. The large storage capacity means longer recording times. The video recordings can also be conveniently stored and retrieved any time for viewing. Because only the desired footage will be recorded onto a DVD, you are likely to save on disc usage. Most of all, it extends the whole time-shift concept to allow simultaneous recording and playback of TV programs with the onboard DVD drive. Nowadays, the hard drive capacity in HDD/DVD recorders can range from 120GB to as high as 500GB. Like DVD recorders, manufacturers like to exaggerate the recording times with estimations from low-quality recording modes. So be sure to look at the higher-quality recording modes to get a better idea of the device's true recording capabilities.

Pros: Long recording capability; easy to back up and retrieve video content; save on disc usage; time-shift; easy to make multiple copies of DVD.
Cons: Can be rather complicated to operate; relatively expensive and bulkier compared to DVD recorders.

DVD/VCR combo:
DVD/VCR combos offer the best of both worlds by combining a DVD player with a VCR. This way, you can enjoy all the playback functionalities of a DVD player with the basic recording and playback capabilities of a VCR. Not surprisingly, this is a popular option for many families who are still more comfortable operating a VCR than a DVD recorder. Increasingly, manufacturers are also introducing combo players that combine a VCR with a DVD recorder instead of a DVD player. This is an interesting proposition as it allows users to backup VHS content on a DVD, and vice versa.

Pros: Easy to record programs; offers both DVD and VHS functionality; cheaper than buying the two players separately; allows backup of VHS to DVD (DVD recorder-VCR combo).
Cons: Relatively bulky; cannot play Blu-ray discs.

Blu-ray players:
Blu-ray players are designed to provide the best viewing experience on today's latest large-screen flat-panel TVs. They are capable of delivering the highest-resolution 1080p video and support the latest 7.1-channel surround sound standards as well as enhanced menu and interactive features. Current Blu-ray players are also backward-compatible to the older DVD and CD formats. Even though Blu-ray has emerged victorious against HD-DVD in the HD format wars, many people feel it will take some time before Blu-ray players will hit the mainstream crowd. This is because Blu-ray players and discs are still relatively expensive and the movie titles available are also quite limited. Besides, many people are happy with their DVD players and are simply not willing to upgrade to the next-generation format so soon. There are Blu-ray recorders in the market, but they are mainly available in Japan only.

Pros: Supports the next-gen Blu-ray format as well as DVDs/CDs; offers the best video resolution you can get; latest onboard audio and video technologies onboard.
Cons: Still quite pricey (player and disc); no recording function; not many Blu-ray titles available.

Connectivity options:
As with most of the home A/V equipment today, many video players in the market offer the standard bundle of connectivity options including component, composite, S-video and digital audio output. Some players also come with VGA port which allows connection to PC monitors, while USB ports and onboard memory card slots add the ability to playback content from external USB storage devices. You will also find DV input (also known as FireWire or iLink) connection on recorders to allow dubbing of content from digital camcorders. Some models come with the DV input in front to facilitate frequent camcorder usage. The connectivity option to look out for is HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), the latest digital interface that combines both audio and video in one cable. Many HDMI-enabled players also feature HDMI-CEC, a feature that lets you control compatible devices linked via HDMI. This is, however, usually only restricted to devices under the same brand.

Your budget

The video player you decide to buy at the end of the day really depends on how much you are willing to spend. If you are on a tight budget, DVD and DVD/VCR combo players are your best bets. Go for a DVD recorder or a lower-capacity HDD/DVD recorder if you need a recorder but really don't want to splurge. But for those who want only the very best that money can offer, look no further than the top-of-the-line HDD/DVD recorders and Blu-ray players.