OTHER TECH

Psst! Hey, you! That's right - you! You wanna hot deal on a DVD player? I've got an SUV full of factory-fresh hardware. There are a few scratches and dents, and maybe some broken glass inside, but I'll give you my full lifetime warranty. Any problems - just bring it back to me here, in the alley off Broadway.

Since you're a nice-looking person, I'll give you my special deal: pick any player you want, and I'll sell it to you for only $500 or less. Trust me - a year ago, players that do the same things were going for twice that. You won't believe how many features you'll be getting. What a steal!

What? Can't decide exactly which features you really need? Well, just pick a player that has everything! (Ha! That's an inside joke.) For the best deal, you still have to figure out what's most important to you. Let me clue you in.

All players provide the same basic features. Fast forward, reverse, slo-mo, and freeze frame are standard. Most players have hardly any front-panel controls. The action is handled by the remote control - another standard feature. So, are all players alike? No way.

As you'll see from the product listings beginning on page 00, "DVD" doesn't just mean video. And it doesn't mean your machine has to be limited to playing the discs you rent from the local video store. There are changers, portable players, DVD recorders (although not in the sub-$500 range), and players that can handle multichannel Super Audio CDs (SACD) and DVD-Audio discs.

Listings & Comparisons Listings Compiled by Peter Pachal