When DVD emerged in 1997, it was slow to catch on, with many movie lovers fully invested in VHS. But as DVD players slowly made their way into home entertainment centers, movie watchers witnessed the dramatic increase in resolution and sound; and by 2003, sales of the technology had reached their peak, with 21 million units sold that year alone. At the height of their popularity, DVD had it all over the competition€"better picture, clearer sound, extra features and they cost less to make so the price difference soon became a non-issue. DVD had it all.

Today, DVD players have dropped off in sales, with many consumers going online to purchase and watch content. As mobile providers and online TV sites are able to provide HD picture to computer screens and home entertainment systems become more compatible with computers and the web, DVD on its own has become something of an also-ran. But for lovers of high resolution, innovation and interconnectivity that made DVD a success all those years ago, DVD players have evolved, offering new features that keep the technology from disappearing.

Companies have rolled out these features at varying speeds. But today, many companies offer the technologies early adopters are clamoring for. Toshiba DVD players have added USB connectivity so users can access hard drive content on their TVs. Sony adds wearable 3D masks to their DVD systems, adding more life to your movies. These additions have renewed interest in a technology that many analysts thought would go the way of the tape deck and DVD precursor, the VCR.

DVD players have continued to add resolution to attract users to its newest platform, Blu-Ray.
According to recent studies, it is working. When the Digital Entertainment Group released their annual report in January, findings showed that the number of households with Blu-Ray players increased 62 percent in 2010. Now, 27.5 million households have Blu-ray players, which helps to explain the 68 percent increase in Blu-Ray Disc sales on the year.

The numbers still pale in comparison to over 90 million households that have DVD players. But as DVD sales have dropped dramatically since 2008, Blu-Ray sales have skyrocketed. This trend has left many Blu-Ray DVD player companies looking to add more of the features that kept DVD sales alive since 2008. This, these companies hope, will continue boosts in sales for this emerging market and increase the versatility and internet connectivity consumers demand.