All Video Players and Recorders

The Bottom Line: The Insignia NS-DXA1-APT DTV converter box has an easy-to-use design and solid video quality, but other boxes have more features or are easier for seniors.

Specs: Remote control

The Bottom Line: The Panasonic DMP-BD35 represents the best value in standalone Blu-ray players, with excellent image quality, a comprehensive feature set, and a price that's significantly lower than the PS3.

Specs: Blu-Ray disc player, Tabletop, Remote control, Stereo, 5.7 lbs

The Bottom Line: Now that Blu-ray has become the pre-eminent high-definition standard for discs, the Xbox 360 has yet to support it, but it still remains an excellent game console with a superior game library and online experience.

Specs: Xbox 360 - Game console, DVD-ROM, 1 x IBM PowerPC 3 cores 3.2 GHz, 1920 x 1080

The Bottom Line: The LG BD300 deftly combines Blu-ray and Netflix streaming in a single box, although there are better standalone players without Netflix.

Specs: Blu-Ray disc player, Tabletop, Remote control, Dolby TruHD, Stereo, 6.6 lbs

Specs: Sony PlayStation 3 - Game console, BD-ROM, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Cell Broadband Engine, 1920 x 1080

The Bottom Line: Even though PS2 backward compatibility has been dropped from this version, the 80GB PS3 is still a superb Blu-ray player and high-definition game console.

Specs: Sony PlayStation 3 - Game console, BD-ROM, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Cell Broadband Engine, 1920 x 1080

The Bottom Line: The Iomega ScreenPlay TV Link offers an easy way to watch digital video files without the need to hook up a computer to your TV.

The Bottom Line: The Sony Bravia Internet Video Link (DMX-NV1) will stream Web video and Amazon Video On Demand to your Bravia HDTV, but its slow interface and limited content options will have you looking at alternatives.

Specs: Digital multimedia receiver

The Bottom Line: The Panasonic DMP-BD55 is the best standalone Blu-ray we've tested and it's a good choice for those with older receivers, but most people will get the same performance out of the cheaper DMP-BD35.

Specs: Blu-Ray disc player, Tabletop, Remote control, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, Surround Sound

The Bottom Line: The Winegard RCDT09A is the first DTV converter box that can be powered by batteries, and it's a great choice for those who want to use their analog portable TVs after the DTV transition.

Specs: Stereo, Remote control