$100 or less Video Players and Recorders

The Bottom Line: The LG BD390's combination of excellent image quality, superfast loading times, and its currently unbeatable feature set make it our top choice among premium standalone Blu-ray players.

Specs: Blu-Ray disc player, Tabletop, Remote control, DTS decoder, Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD Master Audio, Surround Sound, Gloss black, 6 lbs

The Bottom Line: The one-two punch of Amazon and Netflix makes the Roku Player an enticing choice for anyone looking for a simple, convenient, and affordable alternative to cable or satellite TV.

The Bottom Line: The Magnavox TV100MW9 DTV converter box competently handles the basics, but doesn't offer a standout reason to choose it over its competitors.

Specs: Remote control

The Bottom Line: The Toshiba XD-E500's XDE picture enhancements don't live up to the hype. While it's a solid upscaling DVD player, its high price makes it a hard sell.

Specs: DVD player, Tabletop, Universal remote control, Dolby Digital, DTS decoder, Stereo, 3.5 lbs

The Bottom Line: The Dish Network TR-40 CRA is a great DTV converter box with a best-in-class electronic program guide and should be your top choice, unless you value the simplicity and superior remote of the RCA DTA800.

The Bottom Line: The Toshiba D-R410 handles basic DVD-recorder functions at a budget price, but you can get better features and performance from Panasonic's DMR-EA18K, if you're willing to spend a little more.

Specs: DVD recorder, Tabletop, Universal remote control, Stereo, 5.3 lbs

The Bottom Line: The Sony DVP-NS70H is a good deal as long as you don't mind a slim, black bar at the top of your screen.

Specs: DVD player, Tabletop, Remote control, Dolby Digital, DTS decoder, Stereo, Silver, 4.0 lbs

The Bottom Line: For less than $100, you can't get a better digital media receiver than the Hauppauge MediaMVP.

Specs: Digital multimedia receiver, Remote control

Specs: Blu-Ray disc player, Tabletop, Remote control, Stereo, 4.2 lbs

Specs: DVD player, Tabletop, Remote control, Stereo, Black, 2.6 lbs