CD or DVD media are not expensive where I am (even dvd-9 disks are now a fraction of what they cost a year ago. $5 each or about $1 for dvd-5 disks.) eg: I temporarily copy & burn borrowed videos onto dvd-rw disks so we can watch them when we like if we're pushed for time. Keeping everything on your computer takes up space & adds to wear on your HDD. Burnt as disks they will most likely last longer than the majority of HDD's. And having a dvd data disk of video music clips (or just music) for example keeps it organised & indexed for easy playback.

Same in the Faroe Islands about US$ 1.25 for a DVD-R and US$ 0.30 for a CDR, but since DVD-R fits more than 5 times the data it's cheaper in the long run.

BTW my DVD player/recorder wasn't cheap at all, but it has the works. Plays most formats, PC-link (I don't even have to burn a DVD, just turn on a program ), internet connection for musicchannels and to see what on the various TV-channels I have even if they have no TEXT-TV and a 40GB Harddisk where I can move recorded video to my PC and then burn it with Nero.

Had to order it from Denmark. After customs + tax it cost me about US$ 850

If you're after a cheap DVD player that plays most formats just burn a test DVD containing those formats and take it with you to the store for testing. Don't just jump right in and believe everything it says on the box. The DVD player my sister bought didn't even say that it was MPEG 4 compatible. It only said VCD and SVCD