Blu-ray and HD DVD players offer great picture and sound quality, but prices are still high.

The transition from standard DVDs to high-definition Blu-ray and HD DVD discs is in its early stages, so it's no surprise that prices for the new players are high. What you might not expect is the turmoil surrounding this long-awaited technology. The two formats are incompatible, meaning that a Blu-ray disc won't play on an HD DVD player and vice versa. That raises the possibility that consumers who buy one of those devices could discover that their expensive hardware is obsolete if the rival format becomes the industry standard.

To address that concern, LG Electronics recently introduced the BH100, the industry's first "hybrid" player, capable of playing Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. Tackling the issue from the other end, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has announced that it is developing a hybrid disc format, called "Total HD," which can contain movies in both formats on a single disc.

Given the current state of high-definition DVDs, it's tough to recommend purchasing a player now. For one thing, we expect prices to fall later in the year as the market for high-def DVD expands. While Toshiba is currently the only company selling HD DVD players, several Chinese manufacturers have said they'll have less expensive HD DVD players in the U.S. by the end of 2007. We also hope to see more dual-format players capable of playing both types of discs. But we don't expect the format war to be resolved for at least another year.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

As mentioned, Toshiba currently has the only HD DVD players on the market (RCA offered a model early on but has exited the business). Onkyo is expected to sell an HD DVD player later this year. Blu-ray enjoys broader hardware support from companies including Dell, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung, and Sony, among others. You can play Blu-ray discs on Sony's PlayStation 3 (two versions, priced at $500 and $600), which has an integrated drive, and HD DVD discs on Microsoft's Xbox 360, which connects to a $200 external drive. There are a growing number of notebook and desktop computers that either come with Blu-ray or HD DVD drives or that can accept add-on/external drives.

All but one of the high-def DVD players we've tested so far can output video signals with a maximum resolution of 1080p. The exception is the low-priced Toshiba HD-A2 HD DVD player, which is limited to a maximum video resolution of 1080i. And while the LG can provide 1080p video, it will not do so with all HDTVs that can accept 1080p inputs. All will play standard DVDs, and will up-convert them. Essentially, they scale the pixel count of the DVD's video to match the HDTV's native resolution. The picture quality will depend on the quality of the scaler, but even at its best, it won't be the same as video that originated in high definition.

Like regular DVD players, the Dell, Panasonic, and Samsung Blu-ray players we've tested will play audio CDs, as will the Toshiba HD DVD players. But the tested Blu-ray players from Sony and Pioneer, as well as LG's hybrid player, do not play audio CDs. All current high-def DVD players are single-disc players. There are no changers available, and there aren't yet any portable high-def DVD players. Nor are there any standalone Blu-ray or HD DVD recorders, though we could see the first later this year. There are a handful of expensive notebook computers with Blu-ray recordable drives, but none so far can record to HD DVDs.

Typically, HD DVD players sell for $400 to $1,000. Current Blu-ray players are pricier, ranging from $600 to more than $1,200. LG's dual-format player sells for $1,200. We expect prices to fall significantly as the holiday shopping season draws closer.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

All high-definition DVD players have most or all of the features you get on a regular DVD player, enabling you to pause, fast-forward, rewind, and search the discs. In addition, all the units have a front-panel display that provides information about the player's operations. Timers let you know how much time has elapsed and how much time is remaining on the disc, and an onscreen set-up menu will typically allow you to adjust various settings. For example, you could adjust the picture (such as selecting a widescreen 16:9 or standard 4:3 image to match your TV screen) and sound (stereo or multichannel surround sound), and choose a language preference.

Most high-definition DVD players also have a screen-saver feature, a moving image that plays when the machine is turned on but isn't being used, that can help to prevent stationary images from being burned into your HDTV screen. Several models offer additional features, such as built-in memory-card slots for displaying digital photos and playing music, or ports that allow them to be connected to a PC for distributing picture, video, or music content stored on your computer, on a TV, or on a sound system as appropriate. The Toshiba HD DVD models have an Ethernet/LAN port for connecting the player to the Internet, enabling interactive features such as supplemental movie content (such as actor's commentaries and links to locations, for example), games, and even online shopping.

In addition to the HDMI and component-video connections needed to receive high-def pictures on an HDTV, many players also include S-video and/or composite-video outputs. All we've seen have an optical digital audio output, and most will also include 5.1-channel analog audio outputs for connecting the player to a Dolby Digital or DTS surround-sound receiver with analog audio inputs.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Wait if you can. Given the current high prices and the incompatibility of the two rival formats, we think it's wise to wait until things shake out before committing to a purchase. At the least, waiting a few months could save you money. If you prefer to jump in sooner but are concerned about one format disappearing, consider LG Electronics' BH100 combination player. It's pricey, though, and has a few idiosyncrasies that keep us from recommending it without reservation.

Don't settle for less than excellent HD picture quality. You shouldn't have to compromise on HD quality. The models we've tested have all been capable of producing excellent HD picture quality. All will convert standard DVDs to pseudo HD (HD resolution, but not with HD picture quality). But be aware that on the models tested to date, you will need to use an HDMI connection to carry up-converted 720p, 1080i, and if available, 1080p signals from the player to the HDTV.

For more choice in movies, get a Blu-ray player. There are a growing number of high-def DVD titles, as many Hollywood studios are now releasing high-def versions of their movies at the same time as standard DVD releases, though at a slightly higher ($25 to $35) price. At this stage, you'll find more movies available in the Blu-ray format, which has the backing of seven of the eight major studios. Five of those studios--Disney, Lion's Gate, MGM, Sony Pictures, and Twentieth Century Fox--are issuing their movies only in the Blu-ray format. Only Universal is supporting HD DVD exclusively. Warner Bros. and Paramount are releasing movies in both formats.

Consider which, if any, special playback formats matter. All high-def DVD players can play pre-recorded DVDs. Some, but not all, Blu-ray players will play commercially released CDs, plus CDs burned with MP3 files. So far, all Toshiba HD DVD players will play standard audio CDs, but not CDs burned with MP3 files. LG's BH100 hybrid player can play Blu-ray and HD DVD discs, but has only a basic movie menu for HD DVD playback, and doesn't support the format's more advanced interactive features or Internet connection option.

Make sure a player has the connections you want. All high-def DVD players have HDMI and component-video connections, which are required to view high-definition pictures on an HDTV. All have composite-video connectors, and all except the LG have an S-video connection. Some of newest players have the latest versions of HDMI, referred to as HDMI 1.3. That has twice the bandwidth of the earlier version (1.2), and can therefore support some new audio and video technologies theoretically capable of producing better pictures and sound.

But not all manufacturers will implement all the new HDMI 1.3 features, so you'll have to check packaging or product brochures to make sure the player supports specific features, such as Deep Color (a jump from millions to billions of colors), Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, the new higher-quality "lossless" audio formats, and a lip sync, which automatically synchronizes audio to match on-screen actions. That won't be easy, though. Some manufacturers could give those new technologies proprietary names, making it harder to choose among models.

While most players can output 1080p signals from a high-def disc, they will transmit it only via the HDMI input. None allows the component outputs to provide video resolutions above 1080i. In addition, movie studios reserve the right to "down-convert" HD signals sent through the component-video connections (which lack copy protection), although so far none has activated that feature. None of the tested models will allow viewing of up-converted regular DVDs unless an HDMI connection is used. And if you want to use digital-audio connections from the DVD player to a receiver, make sure the DVD player's digital-audio outputs are the same type as those on your receiver--optical, coaxial, or HDMI.

Check on surround-sound capability. When used with high-def discs, most models will support at least 5.1-channel sound through the digital and analog audio outputs (for exceptions, see Recommendations and Notes). The Panasonic can provide up to 7.1 analog channels with Blu-ray discs but offers only 5.1-channel sound when used with regular DVDs. The Philips and Samsung can provide 5.1-channel analog sound from Blu-ray discs but only stereo sound from regular DVDs. While the low-cost Toshiba model provides multichannel digital audio, its analog audio output is stereo only.

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