Although DVD, as we know it, will be around for some time to come, the advent of high definition playback for consumers is now available in the U.S., with recording capability possibly becoming available at a later date. Check out the current Blu-ray Disc Player offerings.
NOTE: HD-DVD is now discontinued, so no new units are being manufactured, but as new Blu-ray Disc Players (or recorders) enter the market, they will be considered for addition to this list.
In addition, if you looking for PC Blu-ray Disc drives, check out some suggestions from Mark Kyrnin, About.com Guide for Computers.
11. Sharp BD-HP22U Blu-ray Disc Player
Sharp is well-known for its LCD TVs, but also have a great Blu-ray Disc Player product line. The BD-HP22U is a Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) compatible player that features 1080p/60 or 1080p/24 output via HDMI for Blu-ray Discs, as well as 1080p upscaling for standard DVD. However, the BD-HP22's biggest claim-to-fame is its fast loading time, which can be as fast as 10 seconds on some discs. If you are looking for fast loading and good playback quality from Blu-ray Discs and DVDs, then check out the Sharp BD-HP22U as a possible choice. If you have a Sharp LCD TV with Aquos link, you can control both units with one remote. For a detailed look at how the Sharp BD-HP22U operates before you make a buying decision, you can download the User Manual.
12. Sony BDP-S360 Blu-ray Disc Player
The BDP-S360 is a 4rd generation Blu-ray Disc player from Sony. This unit plays Blu-ray discs at 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolution via its HDMI output, and is also compatible with standard DVDs, most recordable DVD formats, and audio CDs. In addition, standard DVDs can be upscaled to 1080p via HDMI. The BDP-S360 incorporates Profile 2.0 (BD-Live) which allows for access to online bonus content associated with a growing number of Blu-ray Discs. The BDP-S360 also has a very easy-to-use onscreen menu that novices will really like. However, the BDP-S360 does not online audio/video streaming capabilities being offered on some more expensive player. The BDP-S360 is a good choice for a basic Blu-ray Disc player.13. Sherwood BDP-5003 Blu-ray Disc Player
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
The BDP-5003 is Sherwood's first Blu-ray Disc player. Features of the BDP-5003 include playback of Blu-ray Discs at full 1080p/60 or 1080p/24 resolution and Standard DVD upscaling to 1080p via the HDMI output. The BDP-5003 does not have built-in audio decoders, but does provide Bitstream output for all formats including both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD via its HDMI 1.3a output. The BDP-5003 adheres to Profile 1.1 (Bonus View) specifications, but with no Ethernet port or memory expansion slot, is not upgradable to Profile 2.0 (BD-Live). On the other hand, both video and audio quality are very good. For more details, check out both my Short and Full Reviews, as well as a Photo Profile and Video Performance Test Results.
14. Yamaha BD-S2900 Blu-ray Disc Player
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
The BD-S2900 is Yamaha's first Blu-ray Disc player. This player features 1080p/60 or 1080p/24 resolution playback for Blu-ray Discs, provides bitstream output for both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD via its HDMI 1.3a output, and is playback compatible with standard DVDs, most recordable DVD formats, standard music CDs, and CD-Rs/RWs. The BD-S2900 upscales standard DVDs up to 1080p via the HDMI output. The BD-S2900 adheres to Profile 1.1 (Bonus View) specifications, and is not upgradable to Profile 2.0 (BD Live) specifications. In addition, the BD-S2900 does have a high suggested price of $1,199. To find out if this Blu-ray Disc player is right for you, check out both my Short and Full Reviews, as well as my Photo Profile.
15. Panasonic DMP-BD55K Blu-ray Disc Player
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
Blu-ray Disc players are getting more versatile and less expensive. I had the chance to check out the DMP-BD55K in a colleague's setup and found that the Blu-ray playback quality is top-notch, and the standard DVD upscaling performance is improved over previous Panasonic Blu-ray Disc players. This player also features built-in Profile 2.0 interactive capabilities which can access additional internet content related to some Blu-ray Disc releases. This player also has the ability to download firmware updates directly. Two other conveniences include the inclusion of 7.1 channel analog outputs for use with older non-hdmi-equipped receivers, and a has very slim design. If you haven't experienced Blu-ray, the DMP-BD55K is definitely worth a look.
16. Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-ray Disc Player
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
The Samsung BD-P1500 plays Blu-ray Discs at full 1080p/60 or 1080p/24 resolution, provides bitstream output for both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD via its HDMI 1.3a output, and is fully playback compatible with standard DVDs, most recordable DVD formats, standard music CDs, and CD-Rs/RWs. Another bonus is that standard DVDs are upscaled up to 1080p via the HDMI output. The BD-P1500 adheres to Profile 1.1 (Bonus View) specifications, and is firmware upgradable (including a forthcoming Profile 2.0 upgrade) via internet download. For more details, check out both my Short and Full Reviews, as well as my Photo Profile.
17. Panasonic DMP-BD35K Blu-ray Disc Player
Photo (c) Robert Silva - Licensed to About.com
The DMP-BD35K plays Blu-ray discs at full 720p, 1080i, or 1080p resolution via its HDMI output. This player is compatible with standard DVDs and most recordable DVD formats, as well as standard music CDs and CD-Rs/RWs. Standard DVDs are upscaled up to 1080p via the HDMI output. This player also outputs Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD in bitstream form via HDMI which allows audio decoding by home theater receivers equipped with Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD decoders. The DMP-BD35 aheres to Blu-ray Profile 2.0 specifications, which provides access to improved interactive features available on many newer Blu-ray Disc releases. This player is a great value for $299.
