As techie people ourselves, we’re unsure what kind of gifts people give that aren’t tech. Cookies? Cookies are good. Cookies should have been on this list.
Cookies aren’t on this list. But edible treats aside, we’ve got some assorted tech gifts for the videophiles in your life. From under $20 to $10,000, we’ve got you covered.
For $30 you can’t beat a good setup disc. Get the most out of your HDTV (new or old) with one of these. We like the Disney World of Wonder, as it combines some excellent test patterns with easy to follow tutorials that everyone can understand. Highly recommended.
If you’re looking for something to play that Blu-ray on, check out the Oppo BDP-103D and BDP-105. On the video side it’s got things like 4K upconversion, and with the BDP-103D, it’s got Darbee processing, which adds apparent resolution to all sources. Check out our review of the standalone Darbee processor. The 105 doesn’t have Darbee, but it does have some series DACs for analog audio quality. Both models feature HDMI inputs so you can use the excellent scaler with your other sources.
Amazon Holiday Electronics Gift Guide
Best Selling Soundbars and 5.1 Surround Systems
For an under $100 Blu-ray, there’s LG BP540 . In addition to Blu-ray playback it that does streaming, 3D capability and rated 4 out of 5 hearts in our review.
If a new Blu-ray player isn’t your thing, how about a media streamer? Netflix, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, and Amazon or iTunes content, it’s a near infinite amount of content in one tiny box. The Roku 3 has a slick and speedy interface. If you’re got Amazon Prime, get this one, as it lets you stream shows and movies as part of your membership. Apple fans might want to get the Apple TV, which lets you stream music easily from your iTunes library.
Speaking of Amazon, their Fire HDX 8.9
If you want to go for a bigger screen, The Samsung UN55HU8550 4K Ultra HD 120Hz 3D Smart LED TV
Also consider the Panasonic’s 4K UHD AX800 series has excellent color and signal processing. The 58-inch is on-sale for $1999.
TiVo has updated their DVRs with a whole new interface and hardware. The $100 TiVo Roamio OTA 
Lastly, give the gift of silence. OK, near silence. In my Bose QuietComfort 20 review I said, “Their noise cancelling performance is so much better than what else is out there, their price is largely justified.” They’re really well designed, and a must-have for any traveler or person who suffers with a noise office. At $300 they’re not cheap, but they’re the best out there.
Geoff Morrison (@TechWriterGeoff)
Geoff’s book is now in paperback
Have a question for the HD Guru?
HD GURU|Email
This above article is an update from a previously published version.
Copyright ©2014 HD Guru Inc. All rights reserved. HDGURU is a registered trademark.
Stay connected