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289 of 291 humans found the following review helpful.
Solid Portable DVD Player
By Sasquatch Boy
When I purchased this at Best Buy a couple of weeks ago, I thought I was buying the DVP-FX950, which had received beauteous good reviews. I didn't realize at the time that I was in truth buying the alternate for that model, the DPV-FX970, but I'm very happy that I did. There have been a couple of significant improvements to address the shortcomings of the former model. This is the firstborn portable DVD player I've owned, but I messed in regards to with a few others in the store. Here are my thoughts.
I like the size and feel of DVD player itself. The swiveling hinge feels very sturdy and has a bit of a snap to it when it closes but there is no latch to keep it closed. The screen may be rotated 180 degrees and then laid flat if so desired. The case does not feel cheap to me. It has a nice texture to it which helps when it's being gripped. You will probably find, as I did, that the exterior holds fingerprints and smudge marks very well, but that's not a big problem.
Like the former model, most of the controls go throughout the bottom of the screen. They are all touch controls with the sole exception being the 5-way rocker switch that you use to navigate and click on menu selections. The touch controls work very well, but they are at times a little too sensitive. When you go to rotate the screen, the natural place to grip it incisively where the Play or Option buttons are. I've inadvertently pressed them a few times. Also, the mechanical rocker switch is somewhat sensible and it may now and again be difficult to get your thumb square in the center to select a menu option. I've found a number of times I've tried to select something but ended up clicking up or down instead. I likewise hit the option button now and then when reaching for the rocker. All of these interface issues may be gotten around though, by moving a mechanical switch on the side of the player to the "Hold" position which locks out all other controls on the player. Then you may use the included IR remote to operate the player. The on-off switch is a mechanical switch on the side as well, so you're less likely to turn it on or off by accident.
The remote is a little more spectacular than I expected for a portable unit. It's when it comes to the size you'd suppose from a full size DVD player. If the remote were in regards to half as thick and not rounded on the back it would be a little posing no difficulty to manage on the go. Functionally, the remote works just fine.
DVD's snap onto the player spindle, which is a will have to for a portable DVD player. If the player is hanging vertically, you don't want the disc to fall out when you hit the eject button. The player motor noise was a concern with the former model. I found that the motor may be reasonably noisy when the player spins up or when you're navigating the menus, but as soon as it starts playing the movie or TV episode, the motor spins down to a lower speed and becomes MUCH quieter. While I haven't been trying, the player has not skipped on me while I was picking it up, setting it down, carrying it or turning it upside down. I have turned it sideways and watched a movie while laying on my side with no problem.
The firstborn disc that I tried to play with this device was the "Lord of the Rings Extended Edition." I was without delay concerned that the player was unable to read the disc, because it held spinning up and stopping and would take almost a minute for it to recognize the DVD. I in the end figured out that the disc I was using likewise had DVD-ROM content with a bunch of Windows exe and selective information files, and the player was looking at each file attempting to figure out if it could play it or not. Other popular DVD's and CD's that I've put in have been recognized and play immediately. The disc player supports DVD, DVD+-R, CD, CD-R, and Video CD but not MP3 CD.
Image and audio quality are of course subjective. I'd have preferent that the video be a little sharper but it suits me fine. It mechanically detects aspect symmetry and displays accordingly. Audio may only be so good from a portable player, but I was enjoyably surprised. There are two stereo speakers beneath the row of controls underneath the video screen, so the speakers and screen are always pointing in the same direction. Please be conscious that iPod earbuds are NOT compatible with the headphone jacks on this player. On stereo DVD's the music plays through, but the dialog is muffled almost inconceivable to hear. Using a dissimilar set of headphones solved the problem.
The player also does A/V in and out, but it only does composite video, not factor or HDMI. I would have preferent that the player itself have RCA jacks for audio and video, but it uses a stereo mini-plug for left and right audio and a single mini-plug for composite video. Mini-plug to RCA cables are included with the device. There is a mechanical button on the side of the player lid to chose amid DVD, Line-in, or USB (more on USB below).
Also included are a wall charger and a car charger. It takes regarding 6 hours to charge this device for in regards to 6 hours of video playback. I haven't measured it exactly, but my impression is that I got when it comes to 6 hours on a change. The battery is not removable.
One major betterment over the former model is that the USB port may now be used to play video rather of just photos and audio off of a USB flash drive. The following formats are supported: mp3, jpg, DCF, MPEG-4 (.mp4), and ISO 9660 Level 1. AAC (the iTunes default) is apparently NOT supported.
While I have cited a few things that I wish were different, none of them are deal breakers for me, and on the whole I am very happy with this player. I'm glad I purchased it, and would unquestionably make the same decision again.
52 of 53 persons found the following review helpful.
It's perfective for me
By K. Allen
I have only had this for a few days so I can not comment on logevity. Granted, I haven't had much time to experiment but so far I actually like it. I do not think it is cheap looking or feeling, as another reviewer stated. I love the picture quality- it's very crisp and clear. The sound is everything I would suppose and it's much better than an older portable DVD player I have. If I were to compare the two, there would be no reasonable comparison. This one is sooo much nicer! I love the 9 inch screen. The swivel may come in handy but I don't see it as a retail point for me. I have taken this unit outside to see how it plays in the sunshine which is not so good. I could watch it in a shaded area just fine but direct sunlight is too harsh. I have not tried fiddling with the controls to alter the view settings though. There may be a way to do that. However, I don't see that I would need to be observing a DVD out in the sun. I don't observe much spinning noise as I have in other units. Sometimes they are so deafening you have to blast the movie to listen over the spin. This one is very quiet. If I hold it on my lap I may feel the vibration of the spun altho and that may bother some people. The DVD seems to be solidly in place and I defintely like that. I may move around and carry it from one place to another without the movie falling off track. The one thing I don't like is that you need the remote for some functions. The basic play, pause, volume and such are on the unit itself but if you want to make adjustments or toggle through a menu, you need the remote. Well, I think that is the case anyway. To fast forward, you need the remote. To skip by chapter, you may do it on the unit. It would be nice to have all funtions on the player itself. It's possible that I missed something in the directions when it comes to that but it's not apparent to me. All in all, I in truth like it and am very happy with my purchase.
74 of 78 humans found the following review helpful.
Excellent portable DVD Player
By D. Ward
So far the reviews are all over the place on this new portable DVD player from Sony. One reviewer states theirs broke after a year and a half but plainly it isn't this model that has only been out approx. one month. Others complain that it is cheap. Of course it feels cheap. It's plastic just like most each thing else we receive in the U.S. when it comes to electronics. There isn't much we may do when it comes to that and if a good deal of metal alloy was applied the cost would be much higher so why complain with regards to plastic? The unit works perfectly and the picture quality is rather nice for casual DVD viewing.
We place this in the back seat wedged in a crevice underneath the lip of our baby's car seat for the duration of our general 10-12 hour trips. It keeps her content for the duration of the long travel. The remote works the right way and I think this is a fine unit for the price being offered. There in all probability is little divergence amongst the quality of this model equated to the former generation. People act as if they have made numerous terrible fault in purchasing this model because a few reviewers have had negative things to say in regards to this player.
Let's not over react and base our life's conclusions over something reasonably simple just because an individual on Amazon didn't like it. It's a plastic DVD player made for DVD viewing. It's not a high tech device. It is what it is and when you read the overall reviews of most all portable DVD players the reviews always appear rather mixed. It isn't meant to provide a movie theater or home theater observing experience. Let's just hope these units are dependable and we may get a year or two of dependable service from them.
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