mySimon Video Players and Recorders Shopping Picks

In case you haven't heard, the format wars are over, and Blu-ray (which has the support of Netflix, Walmart, and Best Buy) is the winner. So if you've been looking for excuses to buy a PlayStation 3, here you go: The PS3 plays Blu-ray movies as well as standard DVDs and old PS2 games, which means you save space in your entertainment center and get more bang for your buck. Compare prices on stand-alone Blu-ray players.

High-def on the road! The Slingbox Solo lets you watch and control your favorite standard- or high-definition TV source (DVR, digital cable, satellite receiver, DVD player) on your laptop or smart phone, so you can watch the World Series/Heroes/Gossip Girl from halfway around the world. It's easy to set up - all you need is a high-speed broadband internet connection - and the laptop SlingPlayer software even has an onscreen remote control that looks exactly like your home TV's remote. Note: The SlingPlayer Mobile software (for smart phones) is sold separately. More Slingbox devices.

Remember how you laughed/cursed when you saw the price of the TiVo Series 3? Good news: The new TiVo HD has most of the same features - for less than half the price of the Series 3. While you still can't use the TiVo HD with satellite TV or your cable company's video-on-demand, it does accept cable TV and over-the-air signals and lets you download Amazon Unbox and TiVoCast videos. It also lets you record 2 HD programs at the same time while you're watching something you've recorded. Other highlights include the 30-second commercial skip function, the customizable programming guide, Universal Swivel Search, and lots of Internet and home networking features.

Have your cake and eat it too with LG's new player, the BH100, which earned a "Best in Show" award at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The BH100 supports both Blu-ray discs and audio/visual content from HD-DVD high-definition discs, as well as DVD, DVD±R, and DVD±RW discs, so you can still enjoy your current video collection. Other features include 5.1 channel surround sound, 1080i upconversion, and lots of outputs. But be warned: Having it both ways isn't cheap.

TiVo will change your life. Ask any TiVo user. Commercials will be a thing of the past, and you'll be able to watch your favorite shows when you want to. And with the new 80-hour TiVo Series2 DT (Dual Tuner), analog cable subscribers can record 2 shows at once. Still not convinced? If you also subscribe to the TiVo service through Buy.com, you'll get a $150 mail-in rebate on the machine, bringing the cost down to $59.99.

Panasonic's DMR-EH75V DVD/VHS/hard drive recorder solves all kinds of problems: What to do with all those boxes of VHS tapes in the closet (easily transfer them to DVD), how to watch one thing and record another at the same time (use the handy Time Slip feature), and how to watch a program from the beginning while it's in the process of being recorded (use the Chase Playback feature). You choose what you want to record to: VHS, DVD, or the 80GB hard drive. More digital video recorders.

TiVo will change your life. Ask any TiVo user. Commercials will be a thing of the past, and you'll be able to watch your favorite shows when you want to. And now, with the new TiVo Series2 DT (Dual Tuner), analog cable subscribers can record 2 shows at once. The device is easy to set up and its 80GB of disc space allows for short-term storage of up to 80 hours of medium to high-quality recordings. Note: TiVo subscription required and sold separately.

One reason we love the iMac is that it houses the computer and display in the same compact box. The Audiovox DVD Shuttle System does the same thing: Its 10.2-inch LCD screen and DVD player are housed together in one portable unit, so you can use it anywhere, including in a docking station in your car. It comes with wireless headphones, a wireless remote, parental locks, and plays CDs and MP3s too. More portable DVD players.

Attention TV junkies: With Sling Media's Slingbox, you can watch TV programming (or anything on your DVR) anywhere! This device turns virtually any laptop or Internet-connected device into a personal TV. Don't be fooled by the picture; the Slingbox is less than 11" long, and only weighs 1.5 pounds. More must-have gadgets.