Latest Trends in DVD Players

 
Portable DVD players have gained popularity among commuters in major cities, as well as frequent travelers, and among parents who want something to keep their children busy during long car rides. The portable DVD player, which typically includes an LCD screen ranging anywhere from two inches to ten inches, provide convenience and portability for those who like to watch DVDs on the go. 

 
Most portable DVD players now sport the ability to read CD, CD-R, some foreign formats, and can play MP3’s, making these systems truly versatile. Leaders making quality portables include Jensen, Sony, Memorex, Philips, Samsung, and Toshiba. The upscale models use Blu-Ray technology, which is the latest trend in DVD quality. However, Blu-Ray models are typically a few hundred dollars more than their normal DVD counterparts

 
As for the standard DVD player that hooks up to television for both recording and viewing purposes, the law changes that have caused the end for Analog television, causing all DVD recording manufacturers to add a feature to the new models: the ATSC tuner. This tuner allows owners of the DVD recorder to tune into local digital stations using the ATSC antennae. Because the technology is new, the ATSC tuner does not yet seem capable of full HD quality, but that is coming next. HD quality DVD recorders do exist and are offered by all of the leading manufacturers. However, for the recording to be at the HD quality, it must also be attached to an HD level television. But if you have an HD television, then choosing an HD quality DVD player makes sense because with a standard DVD recorder, you will not save your recordings at the same high level of resolution that you are able to watch it on the television. So matching the type of DVD recorder you purchase with your television is important, and because not everyone has purchased an HD television, there are plenty of non-HD DVD recorders available. 

 
The dual recorder, which features both DVD and VCR capability, is mostly used by consumers to upgrade their prized VCR recordings to DVD, and almost all of the latest models of dual recorders do have this capability. Companies like Panasonic and Sony have models that are particularly strong in this market, with additional features like ports that enable camcorders to be plugged directly into the recorder for transfer to DVD or tape. Though of course, most consumers record to DVD as the picture and sound quality are much higher, and scene menus allow a viewer to quickly skip around the disc, which you can’t do with a tape. Those two reasons are why the DVD player made the VCR player obsolete in the first place. Now with the dual recorder, prized home videos can be transferred from tape to DVD at the touch of a button.

 
Whether you decide to acquire a portable or attachable DVD player, one thing is clear. The technology is progressing at the same rate that the television is which means that every year new features to improve resolution and sound quality, which is great for the consumer.