Group test: Budget DVD players

Even though Blu-ray is threatening to steal its crown, DVD is still the king of movie disc formats and doesn't look like abdicating any time soon. Not only are the discs ten-a-penny (well, ten for £30 perhaps) but the players are also plummeting in price without compromising on features.

Nearly all modern DVD players, from budget up to high-end, can upscale standard-def movies to 1080p and make them look great on Full HD TVs, plus with features like USB ports and multimedia support they do much more than just play DVDs too. So with that in mind, we're taking a look at four models at the cheaper end of the scale to find out exactly what you can get for your money.

Overview Price: £130 More info: LG Electronics Size: 430(w) x 52(h) x 212(d)mm Weight: 1.3kg HDMI upscaling: 720p, 1080i, 1080p Disc compatibility: DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW (VR & Video), DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MPEG-4, DivX HD, MP3, WMA, JPEG Connections: HDMI output; component video output; composite video output; coaxial digital audio output; stereo audio output; USB port LG DVS450H Billed as a 'floating' DVD player, the DVS450H is quite unlike any deck we've ever seen, which probably explains why it's slightly pricier than the others on test. It eschews the usual set-top box design for a slim tablet look, and in the middle of the snazzy gloss-black front panel is a slot that slides open to reveal the disc drive. Groovy. On the back is a circular panel with screw holes for wall mounting, and because it sits slightly away from the wall it creates the illusion that it's floating. The rear also sports a small bank of connections, including an HDMI port and coaxial digital audio output, and they're easy to access when the unit's mounted on the wall. There's also a USB port on the side. Uniquely, the deck supports DivX HD, the high-definition version of the popular MPEG-4 compression codec, as well as MP3, WMA and JPEG files. It also upscales DVDs to 1080p and offers all the usual trickplay features. The only thing it doesn't do is down-mix DTS soundtracks to two-channel from the analogue outputs. Operating the deck is a piece of cake using the credit-card style remote, and its DVD picture performance is highly pleasing. Edges look clean and well-defined, bright colours appear vivid and natural, while the decent upscaling ensures sharp detail and a lack of artefacts. There is a little touch of noise visible in wide open skies and skin tones look occasionally waxy, but on the whole it offers solid picture quality. We also played back some DivX HD clips from the web and the quality is sensational, making this a potential alternative to a Blu-ray deck - provided you can find enough HD content, that is.

Verdict Plus points Unusual design, DivX HD playback, USB port Minus points Picture noise, price

Overview Price: £90 More info: Onkyo Size: 435(w) x 58.5(h) x 250(d)mm Weight: 1.7kg HDMI upscaling: 720p, 1080i, 1080p Disc compatibility: DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DivX, MP3, WMA, JPEG Connections: HDMI output; component video output; Scart output (RGB & composite); composite video output; coaxial and optical digital audio outputs; stereo audio output

Thankfully there is. On the front is a USB port, which lets you play back MP3, WMA, DivX and JPEG files from a flash memory drive, while the well stocked rear panel includes both optical and coaxial digital audio outputs and an HDMI output, of course. Using this output you can upscale DVDs to 1080p, 1080i or 720p, depending on your screen's requirements.

The deck handles like a dream thanks to the responsive, easy-to-follow onscreen menus, but the remote's buttons are slightly too small and fiddly for comfort.

Still, the player's pictures are of the highest order. It demonstrates a wide contrast range, with deep, solid blacks and crisp whites, and all the colours in-between are rich and vivid, but never look anything less than natural. Detail reproduction is excellent and edges are rendered without any signs of over-sharpening or jaggies. It's also a terrific performer with audio too, making it a great all-rounder, even if its looks don't get the pulse racing.