Jeff Bakalar,
Assistant Editor
June 6, 2008
The 2008 portable DVD players have arrived, and we've taken a look at four of the top competing models. Portable DVD players have come a long way since they hit the market with most models being able to do a whole lot more than simply playing a DVD.
With the DVD-LS86, Panasonic has taken a new approach on the traditional swivel screen and has opted to incorporate a collapsible hinge. While we liked its vast range of format compatibilities, it may not be as compact and portable as you would like.
The Toshiba SD-P71S is the smallest of the portable DVD players we've recently seen and is best suited for the person who just wants a "bare-bones" portable player. It supports MP3 and JPEG file playback, but that's about all the extra features you'll get.
The Philips DCP851 is an ambitious portable DVD player with an iPod dock that will play music and video. While we weren't really impressed with its picture quality, we did like the fact that the DCP851 comes with a flash card reader and DivX compatibility.
The Sony DVP-FX820 (the successor to the FX810) really captured us with its gorgeous 8.5-inch high-resolution screen. It may not have the bells and whistles of the DCP851, but in terms of video quality, it can't be matched.
| Product name | ||||
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| Price | $105.32 to $105.44 | $118.19 to $135.45 | $153.88 | $190.92 to $204.99 |
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| Review date | May 09, 2008 | April 30, 2008 | May 06, 2008 | May 05, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | The long list of features on the Philips DCP851--including the ability to play DVDs, digital media files, and iPod videos--is overshadowed by its mediocre picture quality and short battery life. | If you don't need an extralarge screen and a lot of extra bells and whistles, the Toshiba SD-P71S is a solid portable DVD player. | Despite a few drawbacks, the combination of a stunning high-resolution screen, long battery life, and impressive design make the Sony DVP-FX820 a winning portable DVD player. | The Panasonic DVD-LS86 delivers some of the longest battery life we've seen in a portable DVD player--though not quite as long as Panasonic claims. |
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| Features | ||||
| Remote Control | Remote control - Infrared | Remote control - Infrared | Remote control - Infrared | Remote control - Infrared |
| Audio D/A Converter | Info unavailable | 24bit / 192kHz | 24bit / 96kHz | 24bit / 96kHz |
| Video D/A Converter | Info unavailable | 14bit / 108MHz | 12bit / 108MHz | 12bit / 108MHz |
| Media Type | CD DVD CD-R SVCD CD-RW DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW Video CD | CD DVD CD-R CD-RW DVD-R DVD-RW Video CD | CD DVD CD-R CD-RW DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW DVD+R DL DVD-R DL | DVD CD-R SVCD CD-RW DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW DVD-RAM DVD+R DL DVD-R DL Video CD |
| Form Factor | Portable | Portable | Portable | Portable |
| Product Description | Philips DCP851 - DVD player with iPod dock | Toshiba SD P71S - DVD player | Sony DVP FX820/L - DVD player | Panasonic DVD LS86 - DVD player |
| Product Type | DVD player with iPod dock | DVD player | DVD player | DVD player |
| Sound Output Mode | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo | Stereo |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs | 1.6 lbs | Info unavailable | 2.2 lbs |
| Dimensions (WxDxH) | 9.3 in x 1.6 in x 7 in | 7.5 in x 5.8 in x 1.5 in | Info unavailable | 9.6 in x 7 in x 2 in |
| Battery | 1 x DVD player battery - Rechargeable - Lithium polymer | DVD player battery - Rechargeable | DVD player battery - Rechargeable | DVD player battery - Rechargeable |
| Display Type | LCD display - 8.5 in - TFT active matrix - Color | LCD display - 7 in - TFT active matrix - Color | LCD display - 8 in - TFT active matrix - Color | LCD display - 8.5 in - TFT active matrix - Color |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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