Portable DVD Players - comparo
Submitted: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 19:56
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Member - Andrew & Jen (Melb)
For those that like to go bush without mod cons - read no further. For those of us who enjoy modern conveniences like 4wd's, sunglasses, toilet paper and jocks - read on....
Choice magazine May 2004 has an article on Portable DVD players under $700. I am sure that if you are in the market for a portable DVD player that this is worth reading. They tested 8 DVD players and checked a number of things including the "ability to cope with the vibration of a car going over some pretty rough roads."
The winner was the Shinco MDP-1770. Their summary: "As well as being the best model overall, it's equal best for picture quality and best for sound. It's also reasonably easy to use, handles faulty discs well. has the longest battery life in the test and is the lightest of the models to carry around. Unfortunately you can't adjust the picture when you are using an external screen, it doesn't have an S-video output and its menus are in English only. Its remote is small but OK."
Interestingly they said "picture quality isn't a strong point for most of the products in this test. Resolution is not as high as a normal LCD computer screen.
Andrew
Reply By: John - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:06
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:06
Hey Andrew
What are you reading test reports like this for.
You already have a great DVD player in your car, Just ask your kids and mine for that fact.
Or are you thinking of a new player to have some sort of excuse to buy a new car to put around it. LOL.
Regards
John
P.S. Still awaiting your suggestions for a new alias.
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Follow Up By: Andrew & Jen (Melb) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:36
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:36
I was just reading the report in Choice and thought people might be interested. I am happy with my setup but it would be good to have the sound get from my laptop to the car stereo rather than have computer speakers running off the inverter.
How about Horse?
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:48
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:48
G'day John,
Thought you may take up Diver Dan actually. Not sure how that would go as partner to Muddy Girl though.
Hope that troopy gets to the next meetings of the Wombat Assembly. Missed you this time...........
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Follow Up By: John - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:55
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:55
Yeah right "Horse". Horse what ?
Hiya John R sorry missed Wombat as I had a prior commitment and could not change it, will be there for the next one, no fear.
As for Diver Dan not original enough.
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Follow Up By: Member - JohnR (Vic) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:56
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:56
Reckon I may have got the wrong John and am not talking to myself, it just looks that way.
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Reply By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:09
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:09
Andrew I thought you could use the lap top as a dvd player, not an expert in this area as you know.
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Follow Up By: Andrew & Jen (Melb) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:37
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:37
Yeh - we use the Laptop but they are pricey and I thought others might be interested - like you for the Grandkids!
Andrew
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Reply By: Member - Al & Mrs Al (Vic) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:16
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:16
Hi Andrew...
We've got one that is a Dvd/TV combo...5" screen....picture quality...great...it's a Sound4 model got it from Repco...sound probably a bit low...but the kids could use headphones whilst in the ar...and when I've listened to it on my own it's fine...with a couple of excited kids...a bit of a test..but hey...we've seen most of the dvds at least 100 times...ahahha...the unit runs of 12volt and 240volt which makes it very handy...and plugs into an external aerial for TV viewing if that's what you want....
approx cost around $599 though much cheaper on special or if you smile sweetly at the sales rep...or maybe that was just me...ahahah
cheers
Lyn
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Andrew & Jen (Melb) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:39
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:39
A telly would be nice - though a five inch screen would be hard to see the balls when the cricket or tennis is on.
Can you get a discount on almonds with that smile? Hahahha!! Where is the old fella by the way?
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Member - Al & Mrs Al (Vic) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:22
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:22
Depends on how close you sit to the tv
and the smile works wonders in all sorts of
places... :0)
not sure where he is at the moment...almost
home I expect...
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Reply By: Member - Andrew R (VIC) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:25
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:25
And just think Andrew, if you had a camper trailer you could watch DVD's in there too.
hehehehehehe
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Follow Up By: Andrew & Jen (Melb) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:45
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:45
I still have my uncles - he is away for nine weeks so...... not as sexy as your camper though. I hope you post your planned itinerary soon - so I can follow!
Andrew
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Reply By: Member Eric - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:38
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:38
Guys , you should all hang off DVD screens & players for a month or 2 , the new 10.5 and 15 " screens or combp players have just hit the market . All the 7 " stuff and smaller will halve in price. Already the combo screen with dvd is $1500. and $1100 for the drop screen 10.5 . I am waiting to order the 10.5 for the rear , lowest price so far is $980 ,
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Follow Up By: John - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:57
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 20:57
Bloody hell Eric where are you going to fit all this crap, you will need to do another lift on the 80 to cope with the weight. LOL
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Follow Up By: Member Eric - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:03
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:03
Funny you say that , was chatting to my suspention dude about it today . We cal always use another inch lol
When do you want to get the rear light mate , I am sick of tripping over it lol
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Follow Up By: John - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:12
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:12
If you really want to get rid of it chuck it in the car and ring me next time your over at the Mobil and we will catch up.
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Reply By: Tim (VIC) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:24
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:24
Hi all
JBHI-Fi have a special on one this week for about $350 but not sure on screen size i think 7.5 inch.
This is so i am told one that replaces your light on the roof.
Not sure how good these would be but if it keeps the kids amused for a few hours extra it has gotta be good. Just not sure how i will handle HI 5 on repeat.
Cheers Tim
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Follow Up By: Andrew & Jen (Melb) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:27
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 21:27
That sounds good but how do you watch Kellie and Charlie and Catherine from the front
seat?
Andrew
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Follow Up By: Tim (VIC) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 22:05
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 22:05
Not sure but after having to see it most days of the week it wouldn`t hurt
Or i could always get the handbrake to drive and i sit in the back LOL
Sure that would go over well
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Reply By: Des Lexic - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 22:41
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 22:41
Andrew, Can't you remember all the fun you had as a wee one. Playing "I spy with my eye some thing that starts with Z or singing 10 Green Bottles or that old parenial Old Macdonald had a Farm ei,ei,eio. Bet the kids would love that one.
Oh the good old days!!!!!!!!!!
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Follow Up By: Andrew & Jen (Melb) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 22:47
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 22:47
I can remember - that's why I bought em a DVD player.
The ants go marching.......
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Follow Up By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 23:21
Wednesday, May 05, 2004 at 23:21
Hey Des and Andrew,
What do you mean "the good ol' days".....we still rely on those games to amuse our kids on trips. I have often suggested to SWMBO that a DVD or video player would be a good investment, but she refuses to let me. In our case it would probably have to be video player anyway as we don't have any DVDs yet (we've got a dvd player at home, but no kids discs)
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Reply By: flappan - Thursday, May 06, 2004 at 09:06
Thursday, May 06, 2004 at 09:06
I heard some pretty good reports on the Shinco unit , so the story doesn't surprise me.
We decided to go the Laptop route for ours , so the very back
seat passengers can see it as well.
Looking at getting another small monitor for the back
seat , and a TV tuner . . . watch TV on the laptop.
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Reply By: Lachy - Thursday, May 06, 2004 at 13:44
Thursday, May 06, 2004 at 13:44
Hi Andrew and Jen
I use my laptop in the car as well. To get the sound from the laptop to the car stero we use a cd cassette adaptor. They are $14.95 from Jaycar Part No. AR-1762. It has a stereo connector that plugs into the laptop and a dummy cassette that goes into your car stero . Another option would be to use a car fm transmitter $34.95. Part No AR-3111. Once again it plugs into your laptop and you tune your care stereo fm receiver to pick up the audio.
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