Best Budget DVD Player (1 Viewer)

[JasonG]

Hey All

My Samsung dvd player looks like it might be on its last leg. So my question is what would you suggest for a good budget dvd player. I want it to be able to read cd-r, have componet video, and excellent image quality. Can you suggest a standard player and also one that can hold may dvd's. Thanks for all your help!

Jason

 

[John Garcia]

It is often a good idea when saying you are interested in a "budget" player, that you include what that budget might be. To me a budget player is ~$300-$400, and a nice one is in the $1K+ range.

I just picked up a Panasonic S35 for my brother for $94 a few weeks back. Progressive scan, single disc. There is a 5 disc version, the F85, wich is also quite nice for the $129 price. I've had good luck with Panasonic and Sony players in the under $300 (3 Pannys, 2 Sonys) price range, so I typically recommend them, but the recent models from Sony have not totally impressed me.

 

[JasonG]

Ok well my budget would be under 200$. My samsung has served me well and it was about 250 or so and it worked great until recently. I don't need progressive scan because my tv can't support it. So if you could suggest some models to look at I would appriciate it!

Jasong

 

[John Garcia]

Sony NS325 is the new interlaced model from Sony. These have just been released recently, but you if you don't mind last year's model, you can probably find some clearance 315 or 415 at a discount at your local stores. I would check for Panasonics as well, as their new models are only a few months old also. With the current generation of models, it seems interlaced only is becoming rare (I'm not even sure if Panasonic has an interlaced model in their new lineup).

If you were happy with the Samsung, maybe just check out their current lineup for interlaced models.

 

[Ted Lee]

in most reviews that i read, sony's generally have great video performance - especially it's in-letterboxing performance. iirc, that's the players ability to "fit" a 16x9 image into a 4x3 screen.

i have an older sony that is still working great. i would buy one again in a heartbeat.

 

[John Garcia]

I sold my nice, old (1st generation) Panny to a friend because it didn't have some features like DTS, and I am now using a relatively old inexpensive Sony (S560) in my HT. I will be upgrading from this sometime this year. No complaints about it to date. Good picture quality, no chroma bug, and no problems so far at about 5yrs old. I haven't had a chance to check out the performance of the most recent models, but they look a bit better constructed.

 

[Kevinkall]

I would suggest the Toshiba SD-3900. You can find it for under $150 and it's a great player for the price.

http://www.toshiba.com/tacp/dvd/current/SD3900.html

I've had one for about 4 months and it works great. I play ALOT of VCDs with no problems, it doesn't play SVCD discs. It will play anything that you put in it with no problem. The only drawback is that sometimes it produces a low hum that is noticable. Other the that it's a GREAT player and one of the best that I found in this price range.

 

[DanielSAY]

Bestbuy is selling a KLH model (KD1220) for around $38 (Father's Day sale, regular price is $50)

AFF (Active Fullscreen Function) reduces or eliminates black bands associated with viewing a widescreen 16:9 (letterboxed) DVD on a conventional 4:3 TV

Kodak Picture CD player

WMA playback

Outputs include: component video, S-video, composite A/V, optical digital audio and coaxial digital audio

Full-function remote

I got one, works like a dream.

 

[HienD]

I just bought the pioneer dv-363 progressive scan dvd player. It play everything under the sun. (s)vcd, cd-r/w, jpeg, mp3, wma...etc. It also has good picture and audio quality. The picture is better then my parents jvc dvd player. MSRP is $99 I believe.

 

[SteveKNJ]

I have a Toshiba SD2900 which I bought for $75 a few months back from Sears, it works great. I had an inexpensive RCA that came with my HTIB that I loved because of it's simplicity (I had to return it to RCA with the HTIB, long story, but the DVD player was the only thing I liked in the HTIB. I've seen it for under $100 too. I've heard good things about APEX machines which do just about anything under the sun for next to nothing, but I had trouble with one that I owned (maybe I had a bad unit). I think when it comes down to the inexpensive ones, you have to determine what is most important to you and then buy the unit that fits your needs (i.e. picture vs. CDR playback, vs. MP3 vs. Picture slideshows vs. (S)vcd vs. progressive scan).