DVD players.(Best gifts)(Buyers guide)

With high-definition televisions becoming so ubiquitous, it might seem like a no-brainer to buy a high-definition DVD player.

But there's a compelling reason to wait: Blu-ray and HD DVD are still vying to be the high-def movie format of choice. Most high-def movies come in either Blu-ray or HD DVD but not both, and there's no way to predict when, or whether, one format will eventually become the standard. Right now, Hollywood support is split about evenly between the two formats, with roughly 300 movies available in each.

Consumers who buy a player now will have to live with the fact that some high-def DVDs won't work on their player. And they could be left out in the cold with no high-def if the industry unites behind one format and it's not the one they chose. One solution, a hybrid that can play Blu-ray and HD DVD discs, is expensive. LG and Samsung will introduce hybrid players this year. But at $1,000, hybrids cost more than one player of either type.

If you want to buy a high-def DVD player now despite those issues, we can help you choose. No matter what, you'll be able to use it for standard DVDs.

If you need a DVD player now and you want to play it safe, consider sticking with a standard player instead. Most do a fine job and cost a lot less than high-def units. In fact, many new HDTV owners are surprised to find that standard DVDs played in progressive-scan mode look much better than on their old TV. And many new players, including all we tested, are "up-converting" models that can change regular DVDs into "pseudo-HD," which might look better on some HDTVs.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Given the uncertainty in this category, wait to go high-def if you can. Prices have dropped, but most of the players we recommend are pricey, at $500 or more.