DVD-Player Recommendation

Are you just looking for the 3:4 ratio or do you want to zoom in some fashion?

I think most mass-market DVD players offer a 4:3 "Pan-and-Scan" display option - that's pretty common. Some TVs offer similar capability. Often, a DVD itself will allow you to select either 16:9, which on a 4:3 screen will be a "Letterbox" display, or full-screen 4:3 display, via a button on the title's menu/setup page, and many titles are simultaneously available both formats, check the DVD's lable.

And all that aside, converting a 16:9-formatted video to fill a 4:3 display cuts off around a third of the available image, discarding the side portions to fill the screen with a 4:3 image; that may or may not be a big deal to you, but you certainly won't see the video the director intended you to see. Personally, I'd rather see what the director put there - all of it.

parados: Doesn't really matter. The main thing is I would like one with the 4:3 ratio zoom.

timberlandko: Thanks for the info. As you stated, its really not a big deal to me: I perfer fullscreen. I like being able to watch a movie using the whole screen.

The ones I did find was the Panasonic DVD-RV32 and Samsung DVD-P241 Ultra Slim DVD Player and the Sony DVP-NS575P/S.

I'm also in the market for one, just a plain old DVD player would do the trick - any recommendations for the layperson?

KetchupLady, I thing the best startingplace would be a comprehensive crawl through the various review websites - there are lots of 'em. Figure out your budget and feature list, then go see which ones in that group have the fewest complaints, while having a track record more than a few months long, would be my advice.

Great, thanks for the tips. What are some good review sites?

I don't want to spend too much time on it - I really just want it to watch a movie every now and again. I was going to go with the cheapest name brand model - the strategy has served me well in the past, but it can't hurt to do a little research!!

I never go with the cheapest or generic brand with electronics. I think sticking with a good brand like Sony is worth the extra money. Typically last longer, and just better quality overall. You can get a cheap model of a good brand....when you pay for more on a good brand, you're paying for features. When you pay a little more to get a good brand over a crap name, you're paying for quality.

Here are a few links to sites with A/V equipment review pages, by no means an exhaustive list, in no particular order, with no particular endorsement - find and use the info that works for you

http://www.avguide.com/

http://www.audioreview.com/

http://www.stereophile.com/

http://reviews.cnet.com/Home_video/2001-6463_7-0.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/video/

http://www.epinions.com/

http://reviews.designtechnica.com/reviews_cat-3.html

http://www.digitaladvisor.com/

http://products.consumerguide.com/

I agree, I try to stick with the brand names, even if I get a smaller screen than I would with some of the generic brands. Cheapest name brand has my vote...

I was told recently that Toshiba has surpassed Sony in quality tests and customer satisfaction. So maybe go with a Toshiba.

I have no complaint with my current DVD player - does the job just fine. Still, if anyone out there is stuck for a stocking-stuffer that'd be certain to meet with a great big timber smile, One of these would broaden the Big Bird's beak for sure.