REVIEW: Best Progressive Scan DVD Players

Znews.com --
If you have high-definition TV (HDTV), a DVD player with progressive scan will give you a better resolution image when used with your HDTV set. If you do not have an HDTV, and aren't planning on getting one, then don't bother with a Progressive Scan DVD Player -- it won't do you any good.

Progressive Scan technology has become much less costly recently, and a good progressive-scan DVD player will give you very sharp, detailed images with very good color saturation. Keep an eye out for a feature called 3:2 pulldown.

While a regular DVD player displays in what is called 480i -- this stands for 480 lines resolution, with interlaced frames (a technology whereby the TV flashes one-half of the picture information at any given moment), a progressive scan DVD player outputs a 480p signal, which means the whole picture is on the screen at the same time, much like most computer monitors.

Keep in mind that your HDTV may convert the 480i signal to 480p, so you may not even need a Progressive Scan DVD Player even if you have an HDTV. But if you're sold on Progressive Scan, here are some of our top picks:

Rated	Model	Price	Review	Customers
#1	Philips DVP642	~~$79.99~~ $63.94	Full Review	Customer Comments
Rated #1 for its excellent value and excellent video quality, this Philips DivX-Certified Progressive-Scan DVD Player packs great features and quality into an affordably priced DVD player. Tap into multimedia with Philips' broad-format, high-style, and ultra-slim DVP642 DVD player. The DVP642 is not only a high-end progressive-scan DVD player equipped to offer excellent images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs, it's a tech-savvy player that spins your MP3- and JPEG-encoded recordable CDs (as well as Kodak's and Fuji's variants of the same) and CDs loaded with MPEG-4 and DivX video (3.11, 4.x, and 5.x files), perfect for viewing Internet-sourced content in your home theater. Want more? The player also converts Region 1/All Region PAL-formatted discs (the video standard in Europe) for viewing on standard NTSC televisions (and vice-versa, if only for video CDs). [MORE INFO]
#2	Panasonic DVD S47S	~~$99.99~~$82.59	Full Review	Customer Comments
The Panasonic DVD-S47S progressive scan DVD player plays a variety of audio and video disc formats, including DVD-Audio (two-channel), DVD-Video, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, video CD, audio CD, and CD-R/RW. DVD-Audio discs, the new standard for super high-fidelity sound, provide multiple channel stereo, incredible storage capacity, and unique bonus materials not available on regular audio CDs. This player is also compatible with MP3 and WMA audio files and JPEG image files. [MORE INFO]
#3	Panasonic DVD S27K	~~$74.94~~ $79.99	Full Review	Customer Comments
Panasonic's surprisingly affordable DVD-S27S DVD progressive scan player handles just about any optical media format available, from standard DVD-Video to DVD-R, DVD-RAM, CD-R and CD-RW, MP3- and WMA-encoded audio CDs, and even JPEG picture discs. A handy feature called Quick Replay jumps back seven to 10 seconds in case you miss an important bit of action or dialogue, while high-resolution 24-bit/192 kHz audio processing and 10-bit/54 MHz video processing ensure vivid sound and picture from all compatible sources. Color is Black. Also comes in Silver Color. [MORE INFO]
#4	Sony DVP NS575P/B	$42.95	Full Review	Customer Comments
Sony's budget-priced and feature-rich progressive scan DVP-NS575P/B DVD player is everything a budget-savvy music and movie lover could ask for. The progressive-scan DVP-NS575P/B plays just about any disc out there--including DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, and DVD+RW--as well as spins your digital photos and MP3 files burned to CD-R/CD-RW discs. It will also play discs recorded in the DVD-VR format (which grants more flexible recording and editing options than do standard DVD-RW/+RW or DVD-RAM formats). [MORE INFO]
#5	CyberHome CH DVD 300S Progressive-Scan DVD Player	~~$49.99~~$37.99	Full Review	Customer Comments
Cyberhome has taken the Budget DVD Player market by storm. Offering a downright amazing feature set for such an affordable price, Cyber Home's compact CH-DVD 300S makes a rich and promising starter player. You get everything from top-of-the-line progressive-scan component-video outputs to built-in MP3 decoding, JPEG image viewing, and 3:2 pulldown for viewing movies in their native frame rates. While customer experiences with this product have been spotty, the price can't be beat. [MORE INFO]

More information
For more about how to buy a DVD Player, see Znews.com's DVD Player Buyer's Guide. Or see our reviews of Top DVD Players by category:

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