Buying an Entry-Level DVD

DVD prices have dropped dramatically over the last few years and the main reason is that manufacturers had already figured out how to build $100 CD players, and a DVD player is, after all, just a slightly more sophisticated CD player -- the disc transport, the laser reading mechanism, and the associated circuitry are all very similar, so since the Sonys, Panasonics, and Pioneers already knew how to build $100 CD players, it took them much less time to get to that point with DVD players.

As for whether we recommend the very inexpensive (priced below $100) DVD players on the market, I'll be frank -- most of the really cheap no-name players aren't built to last very long, and many are defective right out of the box. At that price point, companies can't possibly afford to check the players before they leave the factory, so in effect, the buyer becomes the quality control technician as he drives back and forth to the store returning faulty players till he finds one that works. I know some people who bought these really cheap players and are perfectly happy with them, but why take a risk on a cheap no-name player when for another $25 you can have a name-brand player from the majors that's going to perform better, last longer, and give you peace of mind?