The DVD has been the king of home video for years now, shutting out VHS cassettes in many venues. DVDs are smaller, have better image quality, are more durable and store more than any VHS tape. The DVD player has taken its place as an essential part of the home entertainment system.

In fact, if you want to watch new movies you will need to buy a DVD player because most production companies don’t release movies in anything but DVD formats. Most movie rental companies are moving away from VHS cassettes too. As the industry begins to offer DVDs exclusively, you will want to own a DVD player so you can play new movies too.

DVD players offer better visual quality, as well. DVD image quality does not degrade over time, making your video as crisp as the first time you saw it. DVD players are designed to integrate seamlessly with your TV so you won’t need any extra gadgets to make your DVD player compatible. Many companies also offer software that will allow you to create your own DVDs of favorite shows or movies that you can also play in your DVD player, allowing you to personalize your home video library. Using a DVD player is so easy and worthwhile that buying one is one of the best things you can do to improve home entertainment.

In this site, you'll find articles on buying DVD players, news stories and comprehensive reviews on DVD players that will help you make an informed decision on which one is right for you. At TopTenREVIEWS - We do the research so you don't have to™.

There are so many DVD players on the market that it’s difficult to know exactly what to look for. But that’s why we’re here: to help you. We’ve carefully selected criteria to rate DVD players with so you can easily see what the best choice is. The following catalogs some of the most important factors in choosing a DVD player.

DAC – DAC stands for digital to analog conversion and applies to both video and audio signals. This is an important feature because it determines how well the DVD player converts the digital signal from the disc to an analog signal the TV can use.

Dynamic Range – This value determines the kind of sound quality you can get from your DVDs. The higher the decibel rating on the DVD player, the better the sound quality will be.

Output Resolution –This criterion determines the quality of the video signal from the DVD. This is especially useful if you are dealing with high definition discs. The better the output resolution rating, the better the image will be.

Upconversion – This rating determines how well the DVD player can improve a standard DVD signal on a high definition TV. This is useful if you are watching regular DVDs but want the image to look better on a high definition TV.

Though it sounds complicated, taking some time to find the right DVD player can help you enjoy your home entertainment system even more. And try looking at our side-by-side comparison of DVD players to simplify the process of picking one.