The BDP-S300 is Sony’s entry-level Blu-ray player and as such lacks some of the features of the more expensive players on the market.

That being said, the Sony BDP-S300 gets the job done and is a relatively affordable way to invest in a Blu-ray player, which plays back high-definition content in the Blu-ray format (for HD DVD content you will need an HD DVD player from the likes of Toshiba).

For an entry-level player, playback on the BDP-S300 is outstanding, with only a small handful of minor performance issues, which shouldn’t pose a problem to the amateur home theatre enthusiast.

Other features include DVD upscaling and a range of connection options, including HDMI and 5.1 analogue.

If you appreciate technology in your lounge room that is streamlined looks-wise, the BDP-S300 may not be your cup of tea as it is a comparatively bulky player. However if you want a basic unit that plays back Blu-ray discs more than adequately, the BDP-S300 is an attractive and affordable option.

Click here to find offers on Blu-ray players near you.

By Caroline Warnes

By now you have probably heard the term “high-definition” and possibly even associated phrases such as “Blu-ray” and “HD DVD”.

As the name suggests, high-definition broadcasts offer greater resolution than traditional broadcasts, meaning a better picture and better sound.

Beyond that, Blu-ray and HD DVD are the two disc formats that can store high-definition content - traditional media such as DVDs don’t offer enough storage space for it.

Without going into it, over the past couple of years there has been a small format war going on between the companies that are supporting Blu-ray (such as Sony) and the companies that are supporting HD DVD (such as Toshiba and Microsoft). Many consumers have been waiting to see which format comes out supreme in this war - after all, no one wants to invest in a piece of technology that could be redundant in a few years (as anyone who owned a Betamax player will tell you).

For now, it looks like Blu-ray is receiving the lion’s share of industry support and so if you are looking to invest in a high-definition disc player, you are best off going with a Blu-ray player.

Of the several manufacturers that have released Blu-ray players to the Australian market, Panasonic came fairly late to the party. The DMP-BD30 is its entry-level model, though with a recommended retail price of $899 it’s still no small investment.

The newly released BD30 is one of the first players to feature Blu-ray Profile 1.1, meaning that it is capable of several functions that earlier players running off the earlier standard may not be capable of, including picture-in-picture commentary and other interactive functions.

As you would expect, the playback quality with this player is far superior to anything you’ll see with DVD, and is just as good as what you’ll find with some more expensive Blu-ray players. Connectivity is also excellent, with outputs including HDMI, component, S-Video and composite.

Click here to find offers on Panasonic Blu-ray players near you.

By Caroline Warnes

The Samsung BD-P1000 is a good entry-level Blu-ray player… however that being said, it’s not as cheap as some HD DVD players from Toshiba (HD DVD being the competing high-definition format: think VHS and Beta).

As is to be expected, the image and sound output from the BD-P1000 are top-notch: this is high-definition, after all. However to get the most from your new player, you do need a high-definition screen. If you’re still using an old CRT television and aren’t willing to upgrade, forget about it - you’re wasting your money upgrading to a Blu-ray player without upgrading your TV, too.

The Samsung BD-P1000 isn’t just a Blu-ray player. It also plays back CDs and standard DVDs (though not HD DVDs - more on that later). You can virtually use this machine to replace your existing players in your home theatre setup.

A big question many people ask when investing in high-definition technology is ‘Blu-ray or HD DVD’? At first it looked like Blu-ray technology had the lion’s share of support from technology manufacturers and movie houses and that it was a shoe-in to be the dominant format, with the probability being that it would squeeze HD DVD out of the market, leaving HD DVD equipment owners with redundant technology.

However it has since become apparent that the matter is far more complicated than that. HD DVD has made some significant gains and is nowhere near to being squeezed out yet. In fact, at this point in time it’s safe to say that you’re better off investing in the technology that is more suited to your budget and any existing technology you have in your lounge room: for example, if you have a PlayStation 3 (PS3), you’re more likely to be in the Blu-ray camp, and if you have an Xbox 360, HD DVD is likely to be your poison (for that is what each console is compatible with).

Click here to find offers on DVD players and recorders near you.

By Caroline Warnes