Audio Video News

How do you know a consumer electronics technology has hit the big time? When you can buy it in the grocery store. While running last-minute Christmas Eve errands in the western suburbs of Houston with my Dad, I noticed Sylvania Blu-ray players near the checkout lines at the local Kroger—the first time I've ever seen Blu-ray players for sale at a supermarket. The high-def machines were displayed at a grocery-shopper-friendly price of $109, atop piles of candy bars and seasonal sundries.

Don't rush out to your nearby Kroger in search of an HD Deal, though. While a quick scan of Internet merchants showed the $109 price is quite reasonable, the Sylvania NB501SL9 isn't the kind of Blu-ray player the Sound + Vision reader probably wants. It's Profile 1.1, so it won't deliver the increasingly entertaining BD-Live capabilities that a Profile 2.0 player offers. Still, what a great gift for an HD-starved parent or sibling—and if you're home for the holidays, you can even hook it up for them.

— Brent Butterworth