Here's the deal -- my DVD player is dead, and it's time to replace it. As it happens, I have about $300 in store credit at Target, so I'd like to buy the new one there if possible. Here are my questions:

1. Can I buy a decent player at Target? It would need to have 6 speaker capability, and DTS would be ideal. I don't have a high end system otherwise -- no HDTV, my speakers are out-of-the-box cheap speakers, etc. I just want something that will throw a decent picture onto my 30-whatever-inch screen and make decent noise come out of my came-with-the-last-player speakers.

2. If the answer to #1 is yes, what should I be looking for (besides making sure it has all the right inputs and outputs)? Any specific brands to avoid (obviously I'll steer clear of Magnetbox, Sorny and Panaphonics)? Like, is JVC significantly better or worse than Toshiba, for example? Or is a middle-range name brand pretty much the same regardless of manufacturer?

Target has a fairly limited supply of DVD players, and from what I've seen none of them are new models. You can buy older Toshibas there fairly cheap though.

My opinion would be to buy a DVD player elsewhere and spend the $300 in credit on DVDs.

As renaldow says, Target's selection does suck. I couldn't find a single player with 5.1 output, so it's off to Circuit City tonight. Anyone have any good suggestions on what to get there in the $200-$300 range?

Jason,

I just picked up a Panasonic XP50, it's last years model, and tough to find, but it is the best DVD Player I have ever owned or demo'd that is less than $1,000.00 all for only $250.00. It is similar to an RP82, which is a also very coveted player. The XP50 has DCDi by Faroudja. It has played everything I have tried on it flawlessly. It loads and navigates very fast. It has dts and DD5.1 decoding ability, Progressive Scan, optical out. It plays most DVD-R's and all that stuff if you are into that. Quite simply, it kicks ass....and it blows away any DVD Player under $1,000 according to the HT people that did the DVD shootout (XP50, RP82, XP30...all Panasonic models). Also listed were a Denon and a Yamaha model but they werent as good and cost alot more.

Good Luck!

VTS

Would you spend $99 more for a Sony Progressive Scan DVD 300 + 1 Changer? If so www.jandr.com will sell you a Sony CX-875 for $399, I own 2 of them plus a 300 + 1 Sony CX-860.


You store all your discs inside the player, then when you want to play a disc, it's already in the machine. I have bought 4 Sony DVD changers, their first on in 1998 capacity was 200 (CX-850D), and I still have it.

In the $200-$300 dollar range, it is still possible to find a Panasonic CP72 or XP30/50. I would recommend picking up one of these units. They have now chroma bug and have the Faroudja chip.

Check out the DVD Shootout for more info:

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/cgi-b...rch&articles=5