If you can spring an extra $24, the Toshiba 4700 is, in my opinion, one very fine DVD for the money, and is progressive scan to boot. Their 3700 is probably within your price range, and is most likely a very fine unit also, but I've never used one myself.
Panasonic RP56 is right at $225 at Best Buy and can be had for less online. this is a top-notch player with very good reviews. i just got my dad to buy one today and i highly recommend it. (no chroma bug!)
However, the RP56 has been known to have a flickering problem in progressive scan mode.
The Toshiba 4700 may be a nice starter player, although I haven't auditioned one. If it has the dreaded chroma bug (color banding and noise problem that many MPEG-2 decoder chips seem to have except for Panasonic's), then the Panasonic RV31 maybe a good bet (interlace scanning only).
If you want to stay under and don't need progressive scan, I suggest a Sony player. They have one for around $180. I have had a Sony player for over 3 years and have not experienced any problems.
I would stay way from Sony. I have a S360 that just died on me and I found out that there are other hundreds of people with the same problem and Sony ahs done nothing about it.
I don't know if the new players have the same problem, but I'm not taking the reisk.
The JVC 40/45 was advertised at Kroger(of all places) for $129.99. This is far cheaper than you can get it online. This was a post Thanksgiving sale, but if they have any left, I am sure that you could get it at that price.