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Philips PET721D
by Elaineee
We have alot out of use out of these DVD players, so when ours broke I replaced it with this model. Seeing this Philips one in Asda with £20 off I snapped it up, having had cheap branded ones before I wanted a proper 'make'. They retail at £99 but I paid £79- at the time of writing Amazon are selling them at £99.
The techy ... bit:
Play movies, music and photos
DVD, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW, (S)VCD, CD compatible
DivX videos, MP3-CD, CD and CD-RW playback
JPEG images from picture disc.
7" color LCD screen
16:9 widescreen format
Built-in stereo speakers
Up to 2 hours of playback with a built-in battery and car adaptor
Remote control
I've had this for over two years now and it's still in good shape apart from cosmetic scratches on the top. The DVD player itself is stylish black plastic- the inner looking more matt. The screen folds down which makes this small and neat the whole thing is only about 8x6in, this also protects it. The hinges haven't snapped and aren't loose. The built in speakers are beneath the screen and are loud enough and the quality isn't bad. The DVD player has complete control buttons so you don't have to use the remote control (if you've lost it like me). I find these difficult to see as they are also in black and are flush. This is a rechargeable device but can be used plugged in although the lead is only short. On the side there are portals for the 9v charger, AV output and headphones, there's volume control and the on/off switch- a green light tells you it's on which turns red to warn of low battery. I wish the light was on the side and not the front as it can be distracting. To open just lift the screen up and then flick a switch on the front to flip the DVD lid open, this is still in good condition.
My son loves this he takes it in the car on long journeys, we have to plug it into the cigarette lighter as although the spec says 2hr playback the charge lasts less than this maybe long enough for a short film, normally it's watched indoors and plugged in. I don't know exactly how long it takes to fully charge it but it's hours rather than overnight. Sometimes he plays music CD's but not often when he does it sounds okay, but better with headphones (for all of us!).
Although the screen is only 7in it's big enough, the sound is loud enough and the picture quality is good enough. The DVD player is still working and in solid condition- I would recommend it. I'm giving it 4 stars because the control buttons are black and the battery could be longer lasting.
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Technika DVD7SS10
by Mama-Q
The name sounds familiar, right? Well if you shop in Tesco or have bought any Technika products then that's why it sounds familiar; Tesco sells Technika brand products, some of which are TVs, DVD and Blu-ray players and digital radios. They probably sell a lot more but off the top of my head these are the items I can think of. I've ... noticed that the Technika brand updates their products in line with what's popular but that they tend to follow a Tesco pricing strategy; selling cheap, but not stocking high or providing sub-standard items.
When buying Technika products from Tesco it is Tesco who will deal with any issues with the Technika products, through their customer helpline.
With all this in mind I have to say that I've never had a problem with Technika products and have certainly never had any issues with this product. I remember when portable DVD players came onto the market, starting at around £200 for the most expensive, high quality and going down to £89 for the cheapest and cheerful. I couldn't tell you what this cost new as it was given to me by my brother :).
These days I use it if we're going on a trip somewhere for hours on end and stock up on DVDs for my son to keep him from getting too cranky on public transport. I've had a portable DVD player before that played like a dream but the volume always seemed low on it. With this DVD player volume isn't an issue at all, it goes up full pelt and even at the maximum volume is loud enough that you wouldn't want to have it at this level if you're on your own. The machine itself comes with a black, glossy finish that works better than my previous WHITE DVD player (I ask you, who thought of that one?!) as these things tend to be handled an awful lot so black is the ideal finish to have. The player also has the basic play, fast forward, stop and rewind buttons on it and comes with a small remote that will probably be very easy to lose ;).
There aren't many 'features' to this player - it does what it says on the tin. It plays DVDs and CDs, keeps children entertained and keeps adults enthralled, too ;). It is definitely on the smaller end of the portable DVD player line, but this isn't really noticeable when you're close to the screen and as this is designed for portable use then you're probably not going to be too far away from the screen so I can't see it being much of an issue. Picture quality is decent - clear, crisp and everything you'd expect.
The battery life is decent on this, at around 5 hours or so when fully charged, and is a good travel companion. I wouldn't say this is a 'must have' item as most tablets and smart phones have the capabilities to now play full length movies so DVD players are being made a little redundant by these devices...however if you don't own a tablet or smart phone then hey, why not have a portable DVD player. After all they're far cheaper than a tablet or smart phone! I don't find myself using this item an awful lot these days as we do tend to use our tablet when we're traveling but it's nice to have it around, fully charged, if we did need it as a back up either when traveling or stuck indoors. Overall I'd give this item 5/5 because although it's not an essential item it does perform very well and has lasted me years.
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Philips PD9030
by EdgySurveys
I got this portable DVD player for a birthday present from my parents earlier this year. And from what I've experienced of it through my use of it so far - it's very good.
I've not previously had a portable DVD player so I can't strictly compare this to any other portable DVD players or say how it holds up in general, but just ... based on a basic analysis of the audio/video quality and general build, this one seems solid.
== Display ==
This player has a 9" TFT LCD screen which is wider than most portable DVD players, and definitely wide enough when you have it in your lap (whether you be on a train or in the car); close range viewing makes for an enjoyable experience, a great display size.
== Video Quality ==
The video quality on this player is very good. The screen has an almost 'coated' shine to it, and DVDs look rich and clear on it, with great colour depth resolution.
== Audio Quality ==
Next to video, the most important thing in terms of a quality rating of course would be audio - as you may enjoy what you're looking at all you like, but if you can't hear it properly, what's the point!?
So how does this audio stack up? well, like I say: I haven't owned any other portable DVD players but just going by way of comparison to the audio quality of say an MP3 player, or what I am used to from good speakers or a television: this audio quality is very good.
This audio is Dolby Digital stereo and aside from sounding very crisp and 'surrounding', it also appears to be quite loud and you'll certainly have plenty of range with it.
== Quality of Build ==
In terms of the quality of the product itself, as in, its structure and manufacturing materials... it seems sturdy enough to me - with a solid base and thick screen.
Phillips are known to be a quality brand, even amidst some of the top dogs cheapening their hardware - Phillips is one of those brands that continues to make solid products.
My only slight gripe with this would be the noise of the disk spinning, it is sometimes noticeable, a very slight whirring but overall, you barely notice it, and won't at all if you have headphones in.
Overall I'd say this is an excellent gadget and great DVD player; great for traveling or perhaps curled up in bed: you can attach it to the back of a car seat too!
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