More for your Money
J. Kevin Tumlinson

DVD players are coming down in price across the board, with some models selling for around $150. No one can disagree that this is a great price, but how can you be sure you get the quality you're expecting?

Most DVD players actually have the same playback quality, and the differences are often found in features. The cheaper models are most often brand names that either cater to a lower standard or are new on the market and therefore untried and untested. If you want more bang for your buck, there's only one way to go: Sony.

Sony has opted to concentrate on more high-end products, and this commitment is reflected in price. Some of their more elaborate, feature-laden models can be anywhere from $500 to over a thousand dollars, and offer a huge range of features. But this is not to say that Sony has given up on the price conscious consumer. The Sony DVP-S360, for example, weighs in at just under $300 (read that as $299) retail, and offers many of the same features as some of its more expensive "big brothers," including the ability to play DVD, CD and Video CD with perfect clarity.

Other features of the DVP-S360 include SmoothScan and SmoothSlow modes for clean, flawless pausing and searching and the Sony Digital Cinema Sound mode for home theaters utilizing Dolby 5.0 surround. There are also nifty features such as CD and DVD text support, a feature that tells you the name of the disc inserted as well as the name of audio tracks being played (the discs must support this feature). And for those who do not possess a home theater audio system, the DVP-S360 also offers Virtual Enhanced Surround, letting you "fake it" with a stereo system.

For the ultimate quality seeker, the DVP-S360 is also equipped with Component video output (Y/PB/PR) for perfect picture quality on compatible television sets.

You can purchase the Sony DVP-S360 DVD player at any major electronics retailer or online at Sony.com or Amazon.com.