[July 06, 2011] Sound Advice: Upgrade to high-def video for $80 Tweet Jul 06, 2011 (McClatchy-Tribune News Service - McClatchy-Tribune News Service via COMTEX) -- Q. I have an older Toshiba SD3980 DVD player. It is hooked up to a brand new Sony LCD HDTV and used to view Netflix movies received through the mail. It suddenly started showing in black & white only, no color at all. The player does not have a B&W setting. Toshiba suggested replacing the connecting cables but it did not help. The TV is also connected to a HD DVR that views in color so I assume the TV is OK. Do you have any suggestions on fixing the problem before I buy a new player? _S.B., Plymouth, Minn. A. My suggestion is you not waste another second trying to fix that old DVD player, as it is a poor match for your new HDTV, problem or no problem. First of all, it does not have an HDMI connection or upconversion capability. Upconversion will noticeably improve the picture quality from DVDs you receive from Netflix. Second, it will not help you get the most from your Netflix membership. An inexpensive Blu-ray player will open up new worlds for you. All Blu-ray players will upconvert your DVDs to high-def resolution that matches your new HDTV. They can also play Blu-ray discs, which provide true high definition content with five times the resolution of a DVD. What that means to you is a much better, sharper picture with deeper color and a more natural look. Netflix will send Blu-ray discs for you to view if you upgrade your subscription for a small monthly charge. Blu-ray has noticeably better sound as well, but you need a separate sound system to appreciate it. Almost all Blu-ray players can stream content from Netflix as well as other sources. Netflix includes unlimited video streaming with your existing disc rental membership. They even offer streaming-only subscriptions for $7.99 per month. I use the streaming with my home televisions as well as with my iPad. A very cool feature is Netflix remembers where you left off in the show. I can stop playback on the plasma TV in my bedroom and pick up where I left off on my iPad in an airport later. It's really great! Streaming picture quality has a way to go yet but the convenience can't be beat. I request anything available on Blu-ray be sent on Blu-ray, more obscure films sent to me on DVD, and use the streaming for instant gratification when I want to spontaneously check out a film or an old TV show. Blu-ray players are very inexpensive now. My own preference runs toward the Panasonic players, but you may want to consider a Sony unit to match your Sony TV, as the remotes will be compatible without programming any codes. If you are on a budget you can get a refurbished Insignia Blu-ray player with WiFi connection for under $80 at bestbuy.com. As you can see, a mere $80 will improve the picture quality of your DVDs, allow you to view Blu-ray movies with the best quality high-definition picture available, and open a whole new world of convenience with streaming. A final note: Don't spend more than $5 on an HDMI cable for your new player. You can buy an extremely high-quality cable for under $5 at monoprice.com or amazon.com. ___ Read past columns and product reviews by Don Lindich at www.soundadviceblog.com, and contact him using the "submit question" link on that site. ___ (c) 2011, McClatchy-Tribune News Service Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]