Crave

Editors' note: Updated on November 23, 2009.

A few years ago, we used to do a feature highlighting some of the top DVDs that made your home theater really look and sound like one. Well, with Blu-ray in full swing, we thought it high time to come up with a similar roundup of our favorite Blu-ray Discs that will help show off your home theater in all its glory.

While my face is at the top of the column, the list was compiled with input from editors John Falcone, Matthew Moskovciak, and David Katzmaier, who look at a lot of content in their day-to-day testing of products. We also keep an eye on AVS Forum's Blu-ray picture- and audio-quality threads and have always appreciated the site's "tier" rating system.

This list is not set in stone, and we'll be adding and removing discs as new ones come out. As always, feel free to make comments and suggest your own personal favorites. They may get added to the list in the future.

Also: If you're someone who likes demoing your system and skipping around between scenes, you'll want a fast Blu-ray player. Right now, the fastest players we've tested are the LG BD390, Sony PlayStation 3, and the Samsung BD-P3600. Though not quite as fast as its step-up sibling, the Samsung BDP-1600 is among the fastest sub-$300 players we've tested. (See CNET's full list of best Blu-ray players.)

Click any of the images below to start the slideshow.

CNET's Top 40 must-have Blu-ray Discs

Vizio's VBR110 goes sub-$100 for Black Friday at Costco.

(Credit: Vizio)

We knew it was coming and now it's here: Costco will be serving up Vizio's entry-level VBR110 Blu-ray player for $99.99 on Black Friday. As usual, this comes with the disclaimer: "While supplies last."

In case you're wondering, while the VBR110 is an entry-level player that retails for around $150, it does have an Ethernet port and BD-Live capabilities. And you also get a free HDMI cable.

Here's a complete list of all of Vizio's Black Friday deals:

• Vizio VBR110 Blu-ray player with free HDMI cable: $99.99 at Costco and online at Costco.com from November 27 to 29, while supplies last ($40 savings).
• Vizio VSB210WS sound bar with wireless subwoofer: $199.99 at Costco from November 27 to 29, while supplies last ($50 savings).
• Vizio VA19LHDTV10T 19-inch HD LCD TV: $178 at Wal-Mart; available now through the end of the year ($30 savings).
• Vizio VA26LHDTV10T 26-inch HD LCD TV: $248 at Wal-Mart from November 21 to 27, while supplies last ($99 savings).
• Vizio VO320E 32-inch HD LCD TV: $339.99 at Sam's Club, Samsclub.com, Costco, and Costco.com; available now through November 29, while supplies last ($50 savings).
• Vizio VL320M 32-inch full HD 1080p LCD TV: $399.99 at Costco from November 27 to 29, while supplies last ($50 savings).
• Vizio VO400E 40-inch full HD 1080p LCD TV: $599.99 at Costco from December 3 to 20 ($100 savings).
• Vizio VF550M 55-inch full HD 1080p 120Hz LCD TV: $1199.99 at Costco and Costco.com from November 27 to 29, while supplies last ($300 savings).

This sub-$300 32-inch LCD features tons of inputs.

(Credit: Best Buy)

Sorry to hit you with TV deals two days in a row, but Wednesday's 26-inch Mag sold out so quickly, it seemed like the right thing to do.

Likewise, Wal-Mart's recent 32-inch HDTV for $298 barely lasted the day, so hopefully this offer will stick around a bit longer.

Best Buy has a Dynex 32-inch LCD HDTV for $299.99. It's a new unit, not a refurb, and you can save around $44 in shipping charges by opting for in-store pickup. (You'll still have to pay sales tax, though.)

Dynex is definitely not a household brand, but based on the 4-stars-out-of-5 review average on Best Buy's site, the DX-L32-10A is a pretty decent TV.

As you might expect, it offers 1,366x768-pixel resolution (720p, which is fine for a set of this size). Less expected: an impressive three HDMI inputs, plus two component, two composite, and one PC. You can plug everything you've got into this baby!

I'm glad to see 32-inch TVs starting to settle into the $300 range. Hopefully the larger models (42- and 46-inchers, for example) will follow suit, as their prices have barely budged in the past year.

Think you'll grab one of these for the den, bedroom, game room, or somewhere else? Or are you holding out for an even better Black Friday deal?

Fox's "Family Guy" is one of only a handful of network shows that has yet to make the jump to high-def

(Credit: John P. Falcone/CNET)

When HDTVs first appeared for sale in the late 1990s, they were a doubly bad deal. In addition to being prohibitively expensive, there was also very little high-def programming one could actually watch. Even if you were fortunate enough to have an HD channel or two broadcasting in your area, most of the shows weren't in HD anyway. And--years before Blu-ray--there weren't even any HD home video options, either. Most folks were lucky to see a few hours of high-def per week.

What a difference a decade makes. As we approach 2010, high-def is nearly ubiquitous, at least as far as national networks are concerned--whether you get your TV from an over-the-air antenna, cable/fiber, or satellite. Instead of having to consult enthusiast Web sites like AVS Forum to see which handful of shows are in high-def, it's now easier to list the few shows that are not yet in HD.

To that end, we did a quick survey of the current TV schedule (with a focus on the major broadcast networks). Listed below are the programs that, for whatever reason, have yet to make the jump to high-def:

Sony's 46-inch KDL-46V5100

(Credit: Sony)

If you had been waiting for a low price on a midlevel LCD to make the jump to a flat-panel set, Sony may have what you are looking for.

Sony Style has a refurbished 46-inch KDL-46V5100 for $799.99 with free shipping, a good $150 cheaper than the closest low price for a new unit. This 1080p (full HD) unit has a 120Hz refresh rate and a dynamic contrast ratio of 50,000 to 1. This TV comes with plenty of connectivity, featuring four HDMI inputs, two component video inputs, and one PC input.

CNET's David Katzmaier gave this TV three and a half stars, saying that while its design was a bit pedestrian, it produces relatively deep black levels and accurate color in bright areas. "The commendable picture quality of Sony's entry-level 120Hz-equipped LCD makes it a very good value," Katzmaier wrote in his review.

The model is listed on the site at $1,379.99 but the price drops to $799.99 when you add it to your cart. It comes with a 90-day warranty.

Ever wander into one of those Verizon or AT&T stores, attempt to have a conversation with one of the smartly dressed salespeople, and whisper to yourself, "What kind of emotionally awkward humans end up working in a place like this?"

Well, I have good news for you.

Ricky Gervais, who made David Brent perhaps the most painfully sympathetic character in modern television in the original BBC version of "The Office," has been asking himself the very same question. "Phone Shop" a new British sitcom, enjoys Gervais as its script editor (he reportedly took one look at the idea and volunteered his involvement). The pilot airs Friday evening on Channel 4.

"Phone Shop" will explore the life of salespeople in a soul-sucking mall cell phone shop.

(Credit: Channel 4)

Unlike "The Office," which gained existential pleasure from the old-world business of paper manufacture, "Phone Shop" is set in a mall cell phone store.

The pilot episode follows the troubles experienced by trainee salesman Christopher, who has to sell a cell phone by 6 p.m. as part of his one-day trial.

Clearly this series will reside in the emotional halfway house that has just two difficult residents--comedy and tragedy. And one wonders just what impression will be left by the arduous task of pushing yet more portable technology on a populace that bristles with sensory overload.

I am deeply concerned that the cell phone business will not come out so beautifully in "Phone Shop."

You see, The Independent quoted Angela Jain, head of the E4 Channel, which has bought the series. And beneath her words I sense a little cackling: "Everyone's got a mobile phone and has had some encounter in a phone shop. It's also about those difficult dead-end jobs that everyone has at least once in their lives."

So the Droid and the iPhone are being pushed by people in dead-end jobs? What has become of our brave new, smartphoned world?

A 42-inch plasma for under $500? That's one helluva deal.

(Credit: Panasonic)

Hurry, hurry, step right up! No, I mean it: hurry, because Dell is offering the 42-inch Panasonic Viera TC-P42X1 plasma TV for $499 shipped only until 1 p.m. PST Friday, i.e. today.

That's assuming they're in stock that long. This is a decidedly Black Friday-caliber deal, one of the best I've ever seen on a TV of this size.

Note: you have to add the TV to your cart and proceed to the checkout to get the $499 price. And you'll probably have to cough up sales tax.

CNET hasn't reviewed this particular model, but does note a review of its virtually identical, larger sibling: the TC-P50X1. The verdict on that model: "The best black-levels-to-dollars ratio of any HDTV we've tested."

For what it's worth, the customer ratings on Dell's product page average 4.8 stars out of 5. Even at its usual price of $749, this TV is loved by most.

I should note that it's a 720p model, so if you're hankerin' for 1080p (which you can't even get from most TV sources, though you can from Blu-ray players and game consoles), look elsewhere. Of course, some would argue that at this size, 1080p is overkill. Thoughts?

In the interests of expediency, I'm going to leave it there. Check the specs on Dell's product page, and be sure to read the user reviews and CNET's related review. But my Spidey senses (cheapy senses?) say this is an outta-the-park awesome deal. Get it while you can.

Bonus: Want a Blu-ray player to go with it? Circuit City has a refurbished Samsung BD-P1590 for $100 shipped. It supports BD-Live, Netflix streaming, YouTube, and more.

Boxee Box: More fun than kittens?

(Credit: daveyp.com)

Even though Hulu Desktop and other software have stolen its thunder a little, we love Boxee. It was one of the first and best ways to browse streaming media from multiple outlets on a big screen, and we like its indie spirit, even though some content providers have given it a hard time.

Rumors of a Boxee Box--an actual piece of hardware to free the software from a PC--have been floating for a while, but it's becoming real very soon, according to the Boxee blog. Boxee's first hardware partner has been found, and we are already guessing as to what the Boxee Box will have inside. More importantly, how will it compare with Roku? Or, could it possibly be...

A launch event on December 7 in Brooklyn will give a lot more details including mock-ups, and CNET will be there. Look for more then. Until that day, enjoy the kittens.

A new 32-inch HDTV for under $300 is mighty hard to pass up.

(Credit: Walmart)

Sorry for the late post today, folks, and sorry to serve up a one-day-only deal at the same time, but that's what happens on those rare occasions when I travel.

Anyway, today only, Wal-Mart has a 32-inch Soyo LCD TV for just $298, and shipping will run you a mere $4. (You can also opt for in-store pickup, but either way you'll pay sales tax.)

The last time I found a TV that size for that price, it was a not-too-great refurb. This one's brand-new, complete with a one-year warranty.

However, I'm a little concerned by one of the user reviews on Wal-Mart's site that states Soyo is out of business. Sure enough, I can't seem to find a working Web site for the company. Just who will honor this warranty, I'm not sure.

In any case, the Soyo features a 720p/1080i display and HDMI, component, composite, and VGA inputs (one of each, apparently--the specs aren't terribly clear).

In short, it's a pretty bare-bones HDTV, but one that might be ideal for a den, dorm room, game room, or the like.

And I'm going to leave it there (discuss!), as the streets of San Francisco are calling my name. Happy shopping!