Portable DVD Players - How are they?
 

Hey!

My father is looking into getting a Portable DVD Player. He works for an electronics company that makes them and for his 35 year anniversary one of the items he can pick is a 7" Portable DVD Player.

I was curious how these things really look. Is a 7" screen good enough to watch a movie or is it so small that the small details get lost? He's mostly planning on using it on airplane flights so it would most likely only be used One to one and a half feet from him.

Anyone have any experiences they'd like to share??

As stated above, he isn't looking for a deal/bargain on one, since it'll be a gift from the company for 35 years of service. That's why I put the thread here...

Thanks!

A 7" screen is great for watching movies. I had a PDV-LC10 for a few weeks and loved using it (up until it started having problems). Heck, a 5" screen is much more watchable then you'd think. That's great that he's getting it as a gift because these things don't come cheap. What company does he for?

He works for the parent company of Panasonic... He'd be getting the DVD-LV70 I think... although he said the warehouse is out of stock so if there's a new model he'd be getting that. But, he thinks the 7" screen is small and would rather have a laptop size screen...

Laptop size screen? Well, considering the largest screen size available is 9" (from Panasonic. Any chance he'd one of those, or is the 7" a requirement?), I don't think that's possible. I think a laptop would be better suited than portable DVD player. If he really felt that it was too small (and perhaps, if he hasn't already, really take a good look at a 7" screen player) he could always just except the player, sell it on Ebay, and put the money (they go for around $500-$600 on auction) toward a laptop. Just a suggestion.

I agree. For the price, I don't think they're worth it (maybe when the prices come down) to get a small picture, and poor sound.

But if he's going to get it for free, that's cool. It would be better to have a laptop though, for the bigger screen, ability to play games on it etc...

Yeah, thats what i meant by a laptop size screen... He'd rather get a laptop, but the laptop isn't free... :)

Thanks for the advice! I've read the reviews for the Panasonic player on amazon and 90% of them are good reviews... He went to best buy but they didn't have any in stock or on display. We're going to have to shop around a bit this weekend to find one.

Thanks again!

I consider Li the resident expert....but here is my 2 cents.

I have a laptop and a Panasonic 5" portable DVD player. They are both great but for different reasons.


Portable DVD player

Pros:
1. Great battery life. Can watch 3 movies in a row on one charge.
2. Easy hook up to external monitors/tvs/receivers with supplied S-Vid, RCA A/V, and Digital audio connections.
3. Small size and weight is great for watching movies.
4. Cost. Unit was under $400.
5. Remote control.

Cons:
1. All it does is play movies. :)
2. Small screen means the movie experience is less enjoyable for multiple people to watch.


Laptop DVD player

Pros:
1. Can use the laptop for other tasks, such as games, work, etc. Maybe a business write off.
2. Bigger screen means it works well for watching for more than one person, assuming it can drive the audio loud enough.

Cons:
1. Cost. A good laptop will be more expensive.
2. Size/weight.
3. Battery life. Many laptops struggle to do more than play one movie (if that) on a single battery. You will want extra batteries for an airplane flight.
4. System overhead. The DVD s/w and playback may tax the laptop if it's not fast enough, or has too many apps loaded, or not enough memory. Jerky video may result.
5. May not have digital audio output and may not hjook up to your TV set.
6. Sound may be anemic.
7. No remote for the DVD.
8. Maybe noisier.

My experience using both for an extended periods when travelling:
I find I use the portable to plug into the hotel TVs. With the supplied A/V cable, it's simple and then everyone gets to watch DVDs on the larger TV. The portable also works great for individual use on an airplane or laying in bed. The 5" screen works well when you are only inches from it. The portable also makes a great secondary player for the bedroom since it plugs into the AC adapter and then I plug in the A/V. A laptop would be overkill.

I would still not buy a laptop without DVD, but next laptop I buy will also have audio and video output connectors so I can hook it up to a TV.

I also found the sound on my Compaq laptop, though it's great at home, is not loud enough in the backseat of the car for two people. So we bought a headphone splitter jack.

Thanks Randy! Great info!

Right now my dad is tossing around the idea of what to get.. this is only one of the options on the list the company gave him. Right now he's leaning towards a large TV since he only travels 2-3 times a year, and thats really the only time he'd use the portable dvd player.

One of the reviews at Amazon said the 5" screens are better than the 7"... does anyone have any opinions on this??

Thanks for all the input guys... I'll email him a copy of this thread so he can make up his mind.

I've had experience with both, and while a 5" screen is "sharper" looking (because it is smaller), but I'd much prefer at least a 7" screen if I were going to buy another. I paid $600 for a LV60 (5.8" screen) after I sold my screwed up PDV-LC10 on Ebay, but I returned it after a few weeks. I used it quite a bit (though I was always freaking out about it getting scratched. I wouldn't even touch the top of it), I figured if I was going to spend that much I might as well get a bigger screen. I guess it just depends on the person. Smaller screens normally cost less, so most people are willing to put up with them. Like I said before, a 5" screen is much more watchable then you might think (I’ve used my cousin’s Panasonic L50 quite a bit before). Just because of how light and small these things are, it makes using them, even in your home, a neat experience.