Is it finally time to buy a Blu-ray player?

We've just updated our report on Blu-ray players, and the biggest news is how far and how fast the prices of some really excellent choices have dropped. The Panasonic DMP-BD60K, for example, delivers terrific picture quality, especially with Blu-ray Discs, and a reasonably complete mix of features at a street price of around $150. You can also find some lesser but still decent Blu-ray Disc players for even less -- as low as $100 with careful shopping. That $100 price is significant, as that's the price most experts have long said would be the tipping point for mass adoption of the Blu-ray format. So, does that mean that the time is finally right for most people to make the switch to Blu-ray?

For many, we think that it is. Price is just part of the reason, albeit an important one. Another is that the technology is finally maturing and all but the very cheapest Blu-ray players are fully compatible with all Blu-ray features.

But in the end, it's the picture quality that seals the deal. As noted in a "view off" conducted by The New York Times, when viewed on an HDTV, Blu-ray picture quality simply blows away even top-end upscaling DVD players; once you've experienced it, there's no going back. And don't forget, if you own an extensive collection of DVDs, all Blu-ray Disc players are backward compatible with them and many Blu-ray players perform pretty well as upscaling DVD players in their own right. If that's a concern, our Blu-ray player report sheds some light on which players do best with DVDs.

Are there those who could or should skip the move to Blu-ray? Sure. Owners of standard-definition TVs who have no plans on moving to HDTV in the foreseeable future can probably forget about Blu-ray for now, especially seeing how dirt-cheap non-upscaling DVD players have become. For almost everyone else, though, it seems that Blu-ray's time might finally be here.