What should I buy

[dryfly]

I know this question is as broad as the oceans of the world. First off I am a newbie. Second I have done a lot of reading on this site. Third I have a Panasonic RV-32 DVD player. This model had so much contradictory information, from people on this site it is unbelievable and hard to weed through. Regardless of the other inconsistent replies regarding this player, the one consistent reply is that it should have no problem playing DVD-R using DVD shrink and Nero. In my case this is not true. I have used Fuji DVD-R 4X, Memorex DVD-R 4x, and TDK+R 4X. They have all burned flawlessly on my brand new Sony DRU-530A. And play on a friends 3 year old (unsure of the model) Sony DVD player. On mine they can't even be read. I am going to buy a new player tomorrow. I would like something under $150 dollars (I will be making much more money in a couple of years and plan on upgrading my whole T.V., sound system, DVD player, etc. I have looked on the ratings but there are inconsistencies there also, especially as far as the age (dates) of the posts. I live in America. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance
DryFly

[hech54]

Just do like I did....take all that you want to play WITH YOU to Best Buy or wherever you may go. I took VCD's, SVCD's DVD+R's....the works....to Best Buy and came home with a little JVC player that played everything I stuck in it...including region free PAL.
This was years ago however...before I had my DVD Burner...I only had a DVD Recorder at the time.
Nothing I have ever sent out to customers has not played in their machines...whether they were + or - R's made with my LG4040B Burner.

[dryfly]

Hech 34,
Thanks for the advice, it's simpel and I like it. I will take in some discs and try them on there machines. Just for clarification sake, it is legal to make back-ups of DVD's that you own, right?

[hech54]

Just for clarification sake, it is legal to make back-ups of DVD's that you own, right?

According to most people here it is. I'm sure the salespeople at Best Buy....especially in the computer section....know what goes on in the real world. Of course some would rather sell you DVD2Copy El Supremo Deluxxe or some other off the shelf software..