» Selecting a Home Theater DVD Player

If you do not yet have a DVD player, there’s a whole world that you are missing. The difference in video quality between old VHS players and home theater DVD players is too great not to notice. Even if you already have a DVD player, it may not be the optimal choice for a home theater system.

There are some very important features that you need to know about, before you purchase a home theater DVD player. If you have bought a model already, you need to check that it fulfills all you need from it, or you might need to buy a new model instead.

Audio Capabilities

First you need to check out the audio output of the DVD player, and compare it to your home theater speakers. If you have surround speakers, the DVD player needs to have multi-channel audio output.

If your speakers are for example 5.1 speakers, the DVD player should have capability for the same type of output. That’s why it is often advisable to buy a home theater audio system, where the DVD player comes with compatible surround speakers. Remember to test them for sound.

Video Capabilities

There are many different video connections that are used these days, and you need to make sure your television set or home theater projector (whichever you use) can input the type of video that the DVD player outputs.

Common video connections used include composite video, SCART, S-video and component video. Of these composite video and SCART connections are older technology (though SCART can carry also RGB signals). It is often recommended to use component video, because of the better picture quality.

Remember that a home theater DVD player is often the heart of a home movie theater, and responsible in part for both audio and video. Consider the options carefully, and make sure everything in your system is compatible. If you are unsure, buy a package with both a DVD player and speakers.