But don't rule out a standard player as HD formats battle it out.

If you're buying a new high-definition TV or already own one, it might seem like a no-brainer to buy a high-def DVD player.

But there's a compelling reason to wait: Blu-ray and HD DVD are still vying to be the high-def movie format of choice. Most high-def movies come in either Blu-ray or HD DVD, but not both, and there's no way to predict whether one format will become the standard in the future. At press time, Hollywood support was split about evenly between the two formats, with roughly 300 movies available for each.

Consumers who buy a player now will have to live with the fact that some high-def DVDs won't work on their player. They could be left out in the cold with no high-def if the industry unites behind one format and it's not the one they chose. One solution, a hybrid that can play Blu-ray and HD DVD discs, is expensive. LG and Samsung were expected to introduce new hybrid players as we went to press. But at $1,000, a hybrid costs more than buying one player of each type.

If you want to buy a high-def DVD player now despite the uncertainty, we can help you choose. No matter what, you'll be able to use it for standard DVDs.

If you want to play it safe, consider sticking with a standard player instead. Most do a fine job and cost a lot less than high-def units. In fact, many new HDTV owners are surprised to find that standard DVDs played in progressive-scan mode look much better than on their old TV. And many players are "upconverting" models that can convert regular DVDs into "pseudo-HD," which may look better on an HDTV.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

In the high-def category, Toshiba currently has the only HD DVD players on the market, but Onkyo and a new brand called Venturer are expected to have HD DVD players soon. Blu-ray enjoys broader hardware support from companies including LG Electronics, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, and Sony, among others.

Standard players. Almost all are progressive-scan models that can convert (or deinterlace) the interlaced video (480i) contained on DVDs and send it to your TV as a 480p video signal.

A growing number of progressive-scan DVD players are "upconverting" models that can convert the 480i video on all regular DVDs to simulate 720p, 1080i, or even 1080p. These pseudo-HD resolutions more closely match a fixed-pixel HDTV's native screen resolution. (This feature will not work with standard-definition TVs.) These players analyze the lower-resolution video, guess what pixels would be present in a higher-resolution image, and add them to the picture. Our tests have shown that this feature may provide better picture quality on some HDTVs, but doesn't necessarily do so in all cases. And in no case is the picture quality as good as true HD.

Progressive-scan models come in single-disc and multidisc versions.

The few nonprogressive-scan models now on the market are mostly single-disc models; they tend to be the cheapest type.

• Single-disc consoles. Even low-end models usually have all the video outputs you might want, although it's possible that the cheapest units could lack a component-video or HDMI output. Price: about $25 to more than $300.

• Multidisc consoles. Like CD changers, these players accommodate more than one disc at a time, typically five. DVD jukeboxes that hold hundreds of discs are also available, and many can automatically sort discs by content type: movies, music, and photos. Price: under $100 to over $400.

• Portables. These DVD players generally come with a small, 16:9 wide-screen-format LCD screen and batteries that claim to provide three or more hours of playback. Some low-priced models don't have a screen; they're intended for users who plan to connect the device to a television or other display. Some portable models designed for car use are tablet-style players, and some of these have two screens that can be mounted behind headrests. You pay extra for portability either way. Prices start at less than $100.

High-def players. Toshiba's HD DVD players sell for about $250 to $500. (Some lower-priced models may have a maximum resolution of 1080i, not 1080p, but that isn't a major disadvantage. It won't matter at all unless you have an HDTV that can accept 1080p input. Even then, the difference in picture quality may not be that noticeable.)

Blu-ray players range from $420 to more than $1,000. LG's dual-format player sells for about $1,000, and the Samsung is likely to be in the same ballpark. Prices are expected to fall in coming months.

FEATURES THAT COUNT

DVD-based movies often come in different formats. Aspect-ratio control lets you choose between the 4:3 viewing format of conventional TVs (4 inches wide for every 3 inches high) and the 16:9 ratio of newer wide-screen sets.

A DVD player gives you all sorts of control over the picture. Picture zoom lets you zoom in on a specific frame. Black-level adjustment brings out the detail in dark parts of the screen image.

If you've ever wanted to see certain action scenes from different angles, multiangle capability gives you that opportunity. Note that this feature and some others work only with certain discs.

A DVD player enables you to navigate the disc in a number of ways. Unlike a VHS tape, most DVDs are sectioned. Chapter preview lets you scan the opening seconds of each section or chapter until you find what you want. A related feature, chapter gallery, shows thumbnails of sections or chapter opening scenes. Go-to by time lets you enter how many hours and minutes into the disc you'd like to skip. Marker functions allow easy indexing of specific sections.

To get the most from a DVD player, you need to hook it up to the TV with the best available connection. A composite-video connection can produce a very good picture, but there will be some loss of detail and added color effects such as colors bleeding into each other. Using the TV's S-video input can improve picture quality. It keeps the brightness and the color portions of the signal separated, producing more picture detail and fewer color defects.

Component-video improves on S-video by splitting the color signal into three separate signals, resulting in a wider range of color and improved clarity. If you connect a DVD player via an S-video or component connection, don't be surprised if you have to adjust the television-picture control when you switch to a picture coming from an antenna, a VCR, or a cable box that uses a radio-frequency connection or a composite connection.

Most new DVD players also have an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) connection, which is for use with digital TVs with corresponding inputs. They may also be used to pass digital 480p, upconverted higher-resolution video signals, and HD signals, along with digital audio. These connections, which include digital copyright protection, potentially allow content providers to control your ability to record. In many unconverting players, upscaled video from recorded movies is sent only through the HDMI outputs because of concerns about piracy.

Another benefit of DVD players is the ability to convey multichannel surround sound like you'd experience in a theater. To reap the full sound experience of the audio encoded into DVD titles, you'll need a Dolby Digital receiver and at least five speakers, and a subwoofer. (For 6.1 and 7.1 soundtracks, you'll need seven or eight speakers.) Dolby Digital decoding built-in refers to a DVD player that decodes the multichannel audio before sending it the audio receiver. Without the built-in circuitry, you'd need a decoder built into the receiver or, in rare instances, a separate decoder box. (A Dolby Digital receiver will also decode an older format, Dolby Pro Logic.)

Most players also support Digital Theater System (DTS) decoding for titles using 5.1-, 6.1-, or 7.1-channel encoding format.

Some players have a virtual surround function that simulates surround sound when using just a pair of stereo speakers. When watching DVD-based movies, dynamic audio-range control helps keep explosions and other noisy sound effects from seeming too loud.

DVD players often support playback or display of many other formats. They include CD-R/RW recordings of standard audio CDs; the recordable DVD formats DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, and DVD-RAM; Video CD (VCD); and DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD).

They can also play CD-R/RW discs containing MP3 and Windows Media Audio (WMA) files and JPEG picture files. Make sure the one you're considering plays the discs and formats you intend to use.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Given the uncertainty in this category, wait to go high-def if you can. Though prices have dropped, most of the players we recommend are pricey, at $300 or more.

For high-def at the lowest price, get an HD DVD player. Toshiba's new entry-level model is priced at $300, compared with $420 for the lowest-priced Blu-ray models.

For a wider choice of players, consider Blu-ray. It enjoys support from mainstream consumer electronics companies such as Sony, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Samsung, and Sharp. Toshiba has been almost single-handedly leading the HD DVD charge, but Onkyo, along with Venturer, is expected to introduce HD DVD players this year. You might see less costly Blu-ray players introduced by a number of brands sometime soon.

Consider a standard "upconverting" player, but don't pay much more for it. Many progressive-scan DVD players, including low-priced models, can convert the 480i video on regular DVDs to 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolutions. The results can look very good, though they don't match true HD.

You generally need an HDMI input on your TV to use this feature.

Flat-panel TVs and rear-projection sets using DLP, LCoS, and LCD technology also upconvert incoming signals to match their native screen resolution. Some players might do a better job than some TVs at processing the video.

Make sure the player you buy supports the formats you want. All DVD players can play commercial DVDs and virtually all can play commercial CDs. Most standard players can play CD-audio, MP3, and WMA music files burned onto discs, as well as JPEG files (for displaying photos on a TV). Fewer high-def players support those formats.

Choose a multidisc model if you want continuous music or easy access to a DVD library. A single-disc player is fine for movies and CDs one at a time. But if you want to use your DVD player to enjoy hours of uninterrupted music, consider a multidisc model. A DVD jukebox may also be handy, especially if you'll be installing it in a rack that's not easily accessible for changing discs. Note, though, that multidisc models are typically about 1 to 2 inches taller and 6 to 7 inches deeper than single-disc players, so make sure it will fit on your rack or in your entertainment center.

Make sure there are enough of the connections you want. Virtually all DVD players now have outputs for optimal connection to most TV sets. All but the least-expensive models have both component-video and HDMI connectors that are compatible with new digital TVs, though these don't necessarily offer improved picture quality.

HDMI cables can send both digital audio (including multichannel) and video via a single cable. If you want to use digital-audio connections from the DVD player to a receiver, make sure the DVD player's digital-audio outputs match the receiver's inputs.

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