Buying a DVD player

Print page

The popularity of DVD has continued to boom since DVD players took over from the humble VCR. Now you’ll find DVD players and recorders with a whole host of clever and convenient features to simplify your recording. And if you've stepped up to a HDTV, the next generation of high definition players are the perfect complement. We’ve detailed the different types of machines and features below to help you choose the box that’s right for you.

DVD Players
DVD Recorders
HDD recorders
Blu-ray and HD DVD
Home cinema systems
Formats
John Lewis Partner quotes
Back to shopping
More buying guides

DVD Players
With a DVD player you’ll enjoy superior picture and sound quality compared to a video recorder. You’ll also be able to navigate discs quickly and easily through menus and chapters and access special features on DVD movie discs. All our DVD players come with a free 2 year guarantee. Look out for the following features:

Progressive scan

This method of scanning displays all the lines of a video frame at the same time instead of ‘interlacing’ two separate ‘fields’. This will improve the overall picture quality and reduce any on screen flicker.

HD upscaling

Some DVD players now feature technology that ‘up-scales’ DVDs for improved picture quality. When connected to a High Definition Ready TV, you’ll enjoy breathtaking images that are almost as good as high definition, from a standard DVD. These players all output through a HDMI socket, which can be linked to the HDMI or DVI socket on a HD Ready TV.

Combis

If space is at a premium a combi machine with both VCR and DVD is a compact solution.
Top of page

DVD Recorders
With a DVD Recorder you’ll be able to record in the same way as a VCR with blank DVDs. Many DVD recorders allow you to choose to record at a lesser quality for a longer recording time. Look out for the following features:

EPG

An EPG (electronic programme guide) makes it easy to plan what you want to watch and record. You’ll be able to view TV listings on screen for the next 7 days (or more) and simply select what you wish to record at the touch of a button.

DV input

A DV input will allow you to connect your digital camcorder and burn your home movie footage to a blank DVD.
Top of page

HDD recorders
Some DVD recorders include a hard drive which provides hours of additional recording time (A HDD recorder without a DVD recorder may also be known as a PVR). An 80GB hard drive will provide up to 100 hours of recording space. Once you’ve saved and edited your programmes on the hard drive you can simply transfer them onto a DVD to keep. Hard drive and DVD-RAM technology has also opened up a range of exciting and useful new features including:

Time slip

Time slip functions allow you greater recording flexibility so you can watch what you want, when you want. These include ‘Chasing playback’, ‘Simultaneous record and playback’ and ‘Pause live TV’.

Chasing playback

If you’ve set your DVD recorder to record a programme but are late home from work ‘chasing playback’ allows you to start watching the programme from the beginning while it continues to record to the end.

Simultaneous record and playback

This allows you to watch a programme that you’ve already recorded while you’re recording another.

Pause live TV

If you’re halfway through watching a film and you’re interrupted, you needn’t miss anything. Simply press the pause button to freeze the action and then press play when you’re ready to resume watching.

Dubbing

This means transferring footage from one place to another e.g. from hard drive to DVD and vice versa.

Memory card slots

View photos from your digital camera, save them to the hard drive or burn them onto a DVD to keep.
Top of page

Blu-ray and HD DVD
New High Definition DVD players take entertainment to the next level with superior pictures and sound. When connected to your HD ready TV you’ll enjoy clearer, shaper and more vibrant images. The new generation of high definition discs are available in 2 different formats – HD DVDs and Blu-ray discs. The new players are also compatible with regular DVDs so you won’t need to replace your existing collection.

HD-DVD

A HD DVD disc has around 3 times the capacity of a normal DVD, and will transfer data faster allowing greater levels of image detail, multi-channel audio and more. HD DVD also promises greater interactivity, with enhanced menu, searching, and commentary features, and in the future you may be able to download additional content.

HD-DVD players are no longer being manufactured. Toshiba will continue to provide full product support and after sales service for all owners of HD-DVD products purchased from John Lewis.

Blu-ray

Blu-ray laser technology gives you much greater storage on just one disc. For example, one Blu-ray disc holds the equivalent of 35 CDs’ or 5 DVDs’ worth of storage. It’s the same size as a DVD disc, but by using a shorter wavelength and a narrower (blue) laser beam spot, it can hold greater capacity.

Home cinema systems
Recreate the cinematic experience at home with immersive surround sound. Home cinema systems typically include a receiver, DVD player or DVD recorder as well as a subwoofer and multiple mini satellite speakers. The subwoofer provides powerful low frequency bass while mini speakers are placed around the room to provide the sound effects.

Find out more about home cinema systems

View our range of Home cinema systems
Top of page

Formats

A variety of recordable discs are available. Check the compatibility of your machine.

  • DVD-R DVD+R: Record just once for a permanent copy
  • DVD-RW, DVD+RW: Re-recordable
  • DVD-RAM: Re-recordable disc with a Random Access Memory for flexible recording and editing capability

Dual layer discs

A dual layer disc has two layers on one side of the DVD and so doubles the amount of recording space.
Top of page

Our range of DVD players
View our range of DVD players   View our range of DVD recorders   View our range of Blu-ray players  
     
Top of page

John Lewis Partner quotes
"Using a special DVD cleaner on your machine will help keep the lens clean – as that’s the part that reads the disc, it will mean best possible picture quality. "
"If you want to record lots of films on your new DVD recorder, then choose one with a “chapter report”; this enables you to delete unwanted ad breaks!"
"If you buy a DVD/video combi, there are 3 advantages; play old and new formats on the same machine, transfer old family videos on to DVD (or vice versa if you need a copy for someone who doesn’t have a DVD) and one less remote control!"
Ian, Audio & TV, Milton Keynes
   
Copyright © John Lewis Partnership 2001-2008
John Lewis plc Registered office: 171 Victoria Street, London SW1E 5NN. Registered in England.
Company registration number: 233462. VAT no: GB232457280