When it comes to audio, DVD is a winner as well. DVD can deliver two channels of standard CD-quality sound and several configurations of Dolby Digital, from mono sound to 5.1-channel surround. Most DVDs offer multiple language and subtitle options and a host of other features, including alternate sound tracks that can be used for an isolated music score or a forum for the director, the writer, the stars, or a noted film critic to engage in running commentary on the on-screen action.

Player set-up and configuration using the on-screen display should be easy to figure out. You should also note how quickly and easily the player navigates the menus and features programmed on discs. The manufacturer's manual should be provided in plain language, free of jargon and stilted translations.

Do be aware that not all films will look the same and you may find some better than others. This is because films are encoded onto the discs using different compression methods in order to save space on the disc. Badly encoded DVD discs will display obvious "blocking" where there are contrasting colours or dark areas or fast moving scenes, such as explosions.

You should also examine a player's searching features; note how well it's able to rapidly fast-forward and reverse-scan while providing a glitch-free picture. Some players offer special visual effects such as a variable zoom, which allows you to examine elements of a scene in greater detail.

The most common connector you'll see on UK DVD players is SCART, which is in-line with the connections available on most UK TVs. When connecting via SCART, it's worth noting that there are usually two options within the on-screen menus to configure SCART to either use a composite signal, or RGB. Where possible you should use the RGB option as it provides a sharper and better defined picture. To get the best results you will need an RGB SCART cable and an RGB compatible TV. Also, it's worth noting that a SCART connector will also handle an audio signal.

An S-Video connection offers high quality video, though it is less common to see this connection option on UK TVs. However, if necessary, you can buy connection adapters that will enable you to hook up an S-Video connection on a DVD player to a SCART socket on a TV.

Composite video is the next notch down on the quality scale. Most DVD players have both composite and SCART outputs. Even if you have to use the composite format, you'll still see a huge improvement in picture quality over VHS--just not quite the same quality as with component, SCART or S-Video.

Most DVD players also provide options to view widescreen DVDs as letterbox (with the black stripes top and bottom), or to use "pan and scan" to pick the key area of the image and show this on a 4:3 screen, so you lose the left and right extremities of the image, but have an image that fills your screen.

Another point to be aware of with widescreen on discs is that there are a variety of different formats, ranging from 16:9 (which is the common TV widescreen format) right up to 2.35:1 which is more commonly seen in cinemas. If your disc is a widescreen disc at 2.35:1, then it will still have stripes at the top and bottom, even on a widescreen TV.

For the very best in surround audio, it's best to have your Dolby Digital decoder built into your home cinema surround receiver. But if you only have a "Dolby Digital-ready" receiver--which might not decode the digital signal but does offer six-channel analogue inputs-you should look for DVD players that have built-in Dolby Digital decoding and six-channel analogue outputs.

Many discs are now available with DTS (Digital Theater Sound) surround sound as well; DTS is another 5.1-channel format that uses lower compression rates than Dolby Digital (and thus tends to sound a little better) but uses more disc space for audio. DTS is currently the only format on which you'll find surround mixes of mainstream musical releases. If you're interested in exploring DTS surround sound you'll need a player that passes the DTS bitstream.

All DVD players can play CDs as well. Some also have the ability to play CD-R/CD-RW discs and some even play CDRs containing MP3 files. Depending on the quality of audio equipment you are used to using, you usually won't be compromising much if your DVD player is going to be doing double duty as a CD player. In fact, depending on the DVD player, you may find that your CDs have never sounded better. Our reviews will examine how each player sounds with CDs.

DVD Region Breakdown:
Region 0: Region-free (plays on any DVD player)
Region 1-1: US, Canada, US Territories
Region 2: Europe, Japan (region 2 NTSC), South Africa, and Middle East (including Egypt)
Region 3: Southeast Asia and East Asia (including Hong Kong)
Region 4: Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Central America, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean
Region 5-5: Eastern Europe (Former Soviet Union), Indian subcontinent, Africa, North Korea, and Mongolia
Region 6: Peoples Republic of China
Region 7: Reserved
Region 8: Special venues (airplanes, cruise ships)
 

Because films tend to be released on DVD earlier in the US than in the UK, multi-region players have become very popular. Also, in some cases, region 1 DVDs have extra material.

In an attempt to stop the export of region 1 DVDs to other countries, some of the biggest US movie companies implemented a security feature on their discs called RCE (Region Coding Enhancement) that effectively stop a disc from playing on a non-region 1 DVD player. However, DVD manufacturers have found a way around this feature so check a player can play RCE discs if you plan to buy region 1 DVD discs.