How to Compare DVD Player Brands

When you compare DVD player brands, you might notice that manufacturers will produce DVD players that emphasize different features at the expense of other features. The trick is to find the brand that emphasizes the features that you care the most about.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Choose a price range. It’s easier to compare brands in a given price range.

2. Select several DVD players from different manufacturers that fall within the chosen price range. It helps to have a modest number of brands, at least 5 but not more than 10.

3. List the features of each brand of DVD player. Set up a comparison table with a word processor or just scratch out some notes on paper.

4. Note which categories of features each brand seems to cover well. Some brands may offer superior connection options, while another brand may be able to read and play virtually any format.

5. Note which features each brand does not support very well. One brand may not give you the ability to connect with component video, while another brand may only play one format of DVD. With all this information, narrow down the options to three DVD players.

6. Head to the store. Check the audio and video quality of each brand of DVD player on your short list.

7. Go hands on with each DVD player to discover how user-friendly each brand is. This is the tie-breaker for most DVD players.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don’t know how much you want to spend on a DVD player, set three price ranges: low, medium and high. Low is less than $100, medium is less than $250 and high is more than $250. Compare brands at each price range.
• Remember that audio and video performance always top out features. The only consideration that may be more important than these is the DVD's ease of use.
• Beware of standard performance items that are labeled as features. Remote open and close, for example, is pretty much standard on any DVD player of recent manufacture.
• Don’t mix types! The features available from a portable DVD player are going to be much different than those available from a non-portable DVD system at a given price range.