Panasonic Portable DVD LV55 $299 with (2) Rebates?
04-13-01, 11:23 PM
#26
DVD Talk Hero
I believe in at least one review I have read, that the 50 is active matrix and the 55 is not. Here is a post from fatwallet:
My coworker bought the 50. I bought the 55. When it arrives I will do a comparison also.
just got one of each model in from Costco.com. Side by side comparison:
1. The L50 has a better screen and better sound. It's thicker, and with that external battery a bit bulky for travellers. Perfect for the kids to use in the car or me at home, though.
2. The L55 has a good screen if you're looking at it head on. From the side it can get a little blurry - but it's just fine if only one person at a time is going to use it. This is the unit to get if you're planning on using it on airplanes. It's more convenient to use than the L50. More compact with no external battery.
We ended up keeping BOTH units - the L55 for hubby who flys alot and the L50 for the car for the kids.
1. The L50 has a better screen and better sound. It's thicker, and with that external battery a bit bulky for travellers. Perfect for the kids to use in the car or me at home, though.
2. The L55 has a good screen if you're looking at it head on. From the side it can get a little blurry - but it's just fine if only one person at a time is going to use it. This is the unit to get if you're planning on using it on airplanes. It's more convenient to use than the L50. More compact with no external battery.
We ended up keeping BOTH units - the L55 for hubby who flys alot and the L50 for the car for the kids.
04-14-01, 02:14 AM
#27
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Re: LV55 screen
Thanks Randy.
I headed down to Circuit City myself tonight and saw the LV55 myself. The review is accurate. The LV55 has a sharp image looking at it straight on, but from the side or top or bottom you can't see the image that well if at all. It doesn't look likes it's an active matrix screen. I didn't really test the sound, but I don't expect much from any portable system in the sound department.
I've ordered the L50 myself.
nakster
04-14-01, 03:04 PM
#28
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Don't waste money... take a look at the Toshiba portable
player..the picture quality is 100 times better than the others..Now I won't buy any player unless it is progressive.
Original L10 owner
player..the picture quality is 100 times better than the others..Now I won't buy any player unless it is progressive.
Original L10 owner
04-14-01, 05:05 PM
#29
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Wow crazybug...your second post since March 1999. Impressive. Sort of the anti-Jackskeleton.
Still, I would think that picture quality on the player is somewhat limited by the number of pixels available on the LCD screen. I can imagine an improvement, but it would be hard to consider that the picture quality can be that signifigantly different, on the LCD. Of course, since the Toshiba uses progressive scan, I expect that when hooked up to an output device, specially a higher end one, that the progressive scan will make more of a difference.
Still, I can't see it being 100 times.
For me, to pick up a player that is not going to be hooked up to my HDTV (but maybe to a small 13" bedroom TV or some hotel TV), that is 95% of the time going to be used with the LCD as a personal player, the price of less than $300 vs $800 for a Toshiba makes the Panasonic a better value.
If it came down to having to spend $800 on a portable, I would not buy one...I would continue to use a laptop and my normal home theater player.
[Edited by randyc on 04-14-01 at 03:25 PM]
Still, I would think that picture quality on the player is somewhat limited by the number of pixels available on the LCD screen. I can imagine an improvement, but it would be hard to consider that the picture quality can be that signifigantly different, on the LCD. Of course, since the Toshiba uses progressive scan, I expect that when hooked up to an output device, specially a higher end one, that the progressive scan will make more of a difference.
Still, I can't see it being 100 times.
For me, to pick up a player that is not going to be hooked up to my HDTV (but maybe to a small 13" bedroom TV or some hotel TV), that is 95% of the time going to be used with the LCD as a personal player, the price of less than $300 vs $800 for a Toshiba makes the Panasonic a better value.If it came down to having to spend $800 on a portable, I would not buy one...I would continue to use a laptop and my normal home theater player.
[Edited by randyc on 04-14-01 at 03:25 PM]
04-14-01, 05:21 PM
#30
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That is really anti-jackskeleton if i had to say something about it. 
Man buddy. i suggest you lose that life thing you have and just post like a crazy man on crack.
Man buddy. i suggest you lose that life thing you have and just post like a crazy man on crack.
04-20-01, 01:21 AM
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Randy,
I order mine on 4/12 and got it 4/18 shipped 2nd day air. I'm in California and from UPS tracking it showed it was shipped from California. (So I probably wasted money on the extra shipping. )
However, I ordered the L50.... not the LV55 - so I don't know if the LV55 is backordered.
nakster
I order mine on 4/12 and got it 4/18 shipped 2nd day air. I'm in California and from UPS tracking it showed it was shipped from California. (So I probably wasted money on the extra shipping.
)However, I ordered the L50.... not the LV55 - so I don't know if the LV55 is backordered.
nakster
04-27-01, 06:06 PM
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Well, I did it!
Got myself an early birthday present and ordered the LV50 just minutes ago. With $200 in rebates, this was just too hard to resist.
Where can I get an extra battery and a case? Anyone?
Got myself an early birthday present and ordered the LV50 just minutes ago. With $200 in rebates, this was just too hard to resist.
Where can I get an extra battery and a case? Anyone?
04-28-01, 08:40 AM
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Case Logic Case
I bought the following case at Amazon.com
It is built for the L50 pretty much, there is even a picture of the L50 on the box the case comes in.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00001ZSSY/
It is built for the L50 pretty much, there is even a picture of the L50 on the box the case comes in.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00001ZSSY/
04-30-01, 08:35 PM
#40
DVD Talk Hero
Brewc, I can't help you regarding an airline adapter, but for a car, you can get a simple 12VDC-120VAC inverter to run this and they can be found for under $30. That is what I use now for my laptop when we watch movies in the car.
Yeah, sorry, it doesn't help for airlines. But I did use an LV-50 and the battery life was about 4 hours on one battery. For me, one extra battery might be enough for most flights.
Yeah, sorry, it doesn't help for airlines. But I did use an LV-50 and the battery life was about 4 hours on one battery. For me, one extra battery might be enough for most flights.
05-01-01, 07:41 AM
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RandyC, I have yet to fly anywhere but that adaptor was the only authorized by Panansonc adapptor I have heard of. I just need something to power it in the car, have you tried using your adaptor on the L50, does accesory end fit into the L50?
05-02-01, 12:51 AM
#43
DVD Talk Hero
Yes, something like that inverter works just fine. But you can find it cheaper if you look around. I get mine from dbldistributing.com (you have to be a retailer/business to use them). The thing I would look for is 300Watt min, a cig lighter adapter, the ability to hook directly using clips to a battery.
Buy.com has one for $40
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10033675
Hmm..maybe that Walmart price isn't so bad?
Good luck!
Buy.com has one for $40
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10033675
Hmm..maybe that Walmart price isn't so bad?
Good luck!
05-04-01, 09:21 PM
#44
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Got mine Wednesday, 3 days ago, and I'm one happy camper!!
Already mailed off the rebates from Panasonic and Costco via certified mail with return receipt requests. I figure it's worth it to spend $6 to make sure the rebate requests are received on both ends.
My birthday is next week, and I've already got my present!
Already mailed off the rebates from Panasonic and Costco via certified mail with return receipt requests. I figure it's worth it to spend $6 to make sure the rebate requests are received on both ends.
My birthday is next week, and I've already got my present!
05-12-01, 07:03 PM
#46
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I received the player and its excellent. Does anyone know where to get another battery cheap? The only thing that worries me is that the manual says the battery is good for only 300 charging cycles; I'm afraid by then it will be impossible to find a replacement.
06-04-01, 08:29 PM
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I received my $100 check from Panasonic Saturday, took about 4 weeks...now just waiting for the check from Costco.
I got the DVD-L50 and I love it. I also snagged a Case Logic carry case for it from Amazon using a couple of free gift certificates of course. Great Deal!! Mucho thanks to the original poster.
I got the DVD-L50 and I love it. I also snagged a Case Logic carry case for it from Amazon using a couple of free gift certificates of course. Great Deal!! Mucho thanks to the original poster.
06-07-01, 05:24 PM
#48
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Car adapter?
Originally posted by randyc
Brewc, I can't help you regarding an airline adapter, but for a car, you can get a simple 12VDC-120VAC inverter to run this and they can be found for under $30. That is what I use now for my laptop when we watch movies in the car.
Brewc, I can't help you regarding an airline adapter, but for a car, you can get a simple 12VDC-120VAC inverter to run this and they can be found for under $30. That is what I use now for my laptop when we watch movies in the car.
06-07-01, 05:59 PM
#49
DVD Talk Hero
Degeneral,
Let me know if I missed this, but in reading my manual, it only states not to power it off the car's cig lighter. I read that to mean that you should not connect the 12V DC from your car, to this unit.
When you use an inverter, the electricty coming out is 120VAC, and it does not know that it came from the wall socket or the car's cig lighter.
At least that is how I read it. We have used the unit (and a LVD-50) on the inverter with no problems.
Let me know if I missed this, but in reading my manual, it only states not to power it off the car's cig lighter. I read that to mean that you should not connect the 12V DC from your car, to this unit.
When you use an inverter, the electricty coming out is 120VAC, and it does not know that it came from the wall socket or the car's cig lighter.
At least that is how I read it. We have used the unit (and a LVD-50) on the inverter with no problems.
06-07-01, 06:18 PM
#50
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Great Player
My Panasonic 50 is a well designed product. Already have used it for about 30 different DVD's without any playback problems. The picture size is perfect for me, as is the quality. The on/off switch kinda sucks, and a carry handle would be good.
I purchased a RF converter at BestBuy to be able to use the player on an Alaska Cruise. It worked perfectly to play movies for my 17 MO. old. And after everyone went to sleep I used the Sony MDR V-6 headphones to watch ACTION movies etc...
The player is great for riding on my 20 minute BART commute. Although a movie takes several days to see, I can nick away at the 300 or so movies I have.
Whatever you do don't get the Case Logic case or the Pany case to keep it in. It's not big enough for a RF converter, charger, cables, headphones, and movies. I picked up a bigger, nicer, video/35mm camera case for less money
HAS ANYONE RECEIVED BOTH REBATES YET??
I purchased a RF converter at BestBuy to be able to use the player on an Alaska Cruise. It worked perfectly to play movies for my 17 MO. old. And after everyone went to sleep I used the Sony MDR V-6 headphones to watch ACTION movies etc...
The player is great for riding on my 20 minute BART commute. Although a movie takes several days to see, I can nick away at the 300 or so movies I have.
Whatever you do don't get the Case Logic case or the Pany case to keep it in. It's not big enough for a RF converter, charger, cables, headphones, and movies. I picked up a bigger, nicer, video/35mm camera case for less money
HAS ANYONE RECEIVED BOTH REBATES YET??