Features

DVD Extras

  • Because DVDs are so durable, film aficionados can watch a favorite movie repeatedly without the disc losing its quality. This is also good for parents whose children like to watch the same movies over and over again.

  • DVD players allow you to find scenes, play them in slow motion or freeze a scene, and the video quality will remain the same.

  • Software loaded from DVD, as opposed to CD-ROM, can contain more information. An entire encyclopedia can fit onto one DVD, whereas other formats would require multiple discs.
    • Supported Formats
    • DVD movies
      Just about all players play DVD movies.

    • Music CDs
      Most players also play music CDs.

    • Video CDs
      Some players can handle this format, which is used mostly for music videos and some movies from foreign countries.

    • CD-Rs
      Some players can play content that you create on your own computer.

    • Audio DVDs
      A few players can handle this format for high-quality audio.

    Other Features

    • Dolby Digital decoder
      This feature allows the DVD player to decode the Dolby Digital information from a DVD and convert it to six separate analog channels. This feature is not necessary if you have a Dolby Digital receiver, which has a digital input that carries all of the audio information.

    • DTS decoder
      This feature allows the DVD player to decode the DTS information from a DVD and convert it to six separate analog channels. Again, this feature is not necessary if you have a receiver with a DTS decoder.

    • DTS compatible
      All DVD players are DTS compatible. They pass the digital audio information on to the receiver, which then decodes it.

    • Simulated surround
      If you are going to hook the DVD player up to a TV or a stereo system with only two speakers, a DVD player with simulated surround processing will give you some sense of surround sound without the extra speakers.

    • Disc capacity
      Some DVD players can hold three, five or even several hundred discs. Since most DVD players can also play audio CDs, if you buy a player with a high disc capacity you could store your whole CD collection in the machine.

    • 96kHz/24-bit DAC
      This is the speed and accuracy of the digital-to-analog converter (DAC), which converts the audio information into an analog signal. Most movie soundtracks are encoded in this format, so this is really a required feature, and most DVD players will have at least a 96kHz/24-bit DAC.

    • 192kHz/24-bit DAC
      This is an upcoming format for audio-only DVDs that are recorded at speeds of up to 192kHz and 24-bits. Only the newest DVD audio players have the 192kHz/24-bit DAC required to play these audio discs.

    • Remote-control type
      DVD players may come with three types of remotes:
      • A dedicated remote, which only runs the DVD player

      • A multibrand remote, which can control other components, like VCRs and TVs made by other manufacturers (Usually, they only support the more common brands.)

      • A learning remote, which can learn the signals from other remotes and assign them to a button (This feature is useful if you have uncommon brands of components to control.)