Blu-ray Player Information

Even with recent price cuts, buying a Blu-ray player may not be the most cost-effective option for all viewers. Those who wish to wait a little longer for prices to come down -- or technology to advance -- might find an upconverting standard-definition player a more practical choice. Upconverting DVD players take the 480i material encoded on a standard DVD and scale it to 1080i or 1080p for output to an HDTV. While you won't get all of the details of Blu-ray, reviews say that the best standard-definition upscaling players create an image that's nearly as smooth. See the ConsumerSearch report on DVD players for more information on these models.

The Blu-ray Disc Association has set up a website where you can get news, sneak peeks at future developments, information about movie titles and more.

Crutchfield.com, an Internet retailer, offers a simplified buyer's guide to choosing the right Blu-ray player that's especially useful for shoppers who are new to HD video or simply aren't tech-savvy.

The New York Times compares a Panasonic Blu-ray player against the Toshiba XD-E500, a standard-definition DVD player that's said to offer superior upconverting performance.

Manufacturers' websites can give you information on current models and specifications:

Funai (Sylvania, Magnavox)

Insignia (Best Buy)

LG

Panasonic

Philips

Samsung

Sony