With advances in technology, many TV and computer monitors have now moved away from the analog resolution limitations of VGA and now support 720P, 1080p and even 4K. However, viewers are looking for more stunning visual and auditory enjoyment. Usual HD quality is no longer good enough to satisfy these needs and therefore more people are going for Blu-ray players. Popular brands such as Sony and Panasonic offer very affordable Blu-ray players. This shopping guide sets out the main features with 4 great recommendations for you to choose.

(1) What is a Blu-ray Disc player?

Blu-Ray Disc (BD) is a disc that has a larger storage capacity than DVDs and offers higher quality images. Designed to deliver images in 1080p with a picture clarity that is around 6 times better than previous generations of DVDs. Some support online video streaming such as Netflix as well. In addition to BD, Blu-ray players also support DVDs and CDs. Some models play high resolution audio as well. If you want high quality audio and visuals, a Blu-ray player is what you need!

(2) What to look for in a Blu-ray player

1. Choose by image quality

Although Blu-ray players offer a higher quality than regular DVD players, there is a huge difference between HD and 4K so check image quality-related features. Make sure your TV supports 4K or above, otherwise you don’t need a Blu-ray player. If your TV does not support 4K playback, you can still get a Full HD model and enjoy excellent picture quality.

2. Check the type of media it supports

Blu-ray players play normal DVDs as well as Blu-ray or DVD discs known as "downward compatibility". There are many formats and types of discs available so check the type of media it supports before you buy.

The following are some common disc formats.

Blu-ray (write-once): BD-R / BD-R DL

Blu-ray (rewritable): BD-RE / BD-RE DL

DVD (write-once): DVD-R/DVD+ R/DVD-R DL/DVD+ R DL

DVD (rewritable): DVD-RW/DVD+ RW/DVD-RAM

3. Additional features

4K upscaling: If you are going to use your player with a 4K quality TV or screen, you may prefer one which can upgrade a non-4K disc to a similar quality to 4K. Enjoy a better visual experience.

Quick Start function: Blu-ray players read high-definition videos so require a longer response time. A model with a "Quick Start" function increases projection smoothness and viewing convenience.

	Features
PANASONIC DPUB150 4K Blu-ray Disc Player	4K UHD quality with HDR support for true picture reproduction HDR10+ and HLG capability for cinema-quality visual enjoyment 4K multiplier support for upgrading Full HD images to Ultra HD 4K2K Full HD 3D video playback support 4K 60p/50p/4:4:4 output Supports high resolution audio playback (DSD, ALAC, FLAC, WAV, AIFF) Equipped with an HDMI output jack
SONY UBP-X700/BM 4K Blu-ray Disc Player	Supports 4K upscaling Child lock and parental control Equipped with HDMI output Supports the new BT.2020 colour space for a wider colour spectrum than conventional TV signals Enjoy fast and stable multi-streaming Listen to music in a variety of file formats
PANASONIC Roxy DPUB450 4K Blu-ray Disc Player	4K UHD quality for true picture reproduction Plays Full HD 3D Blu-ray discs Supports HDR10+, Dolby Vision and HLG 4K multiplier support for upgrading Full HD images to Ultra HD 4K2K images Supports 4K 60p/50p/4:4:4 output UHD audio support (DSD 11.2MHz/ 5.6MHz/ 2.8MHz, ALAC, FLAC, WAV, AIFF)
SONY BDPS1500 Blu-ray Disc	Full HD 1080P support Triluminos for true colours and tones Quick Start and Quick Load Multiple decoding support for more viewing options Enjoy unparalleled sound quality with Dolby TrueHD DTS-HD Master Audio lets you enjoy original, uncompressed tracks and movies