Panasonic delivers for portable DVD consumers
Pros:
Better picture and sound than expected, plus user-friendly features.
Cons:
It's only a 5-inch screen, so it's probably not ideal for your SUV.
The Bottom Line:
This is a solid portable DVD player that delivers where it counts, with exceptional images and sound (for its class) as well as more than two hours of battery life.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
A recent wave of business trips finally motivated me to invest in a portable DVD player. I did plenty of research and dragged my wife around to several electronics stores before I finally settled on the Panasonic DVD-LS5.
I have not seen a portable DVD player with a better picture. Period. Granted, the 5-inch LCD screen is smaller than most, but this is a true case of quality over quantity. I’ll take a smaller, sharper picture over a larger, muddy image any day of the week. But I’m using this primarily for airplane travel; if you want a player for your car or mini-van, this may not be big enough to satisfy the kids in the back seat.
The monitor includes brightness and color controls, plus you can stretch or zoom a 4:3 image so it fills the wide screen. I don’t recommend stretching or zooming, because it reduces the quality of the image. You can even shut off the monitor to save battery life if you’re just listening to music. The DVD-LS5 mounts the screen on its own arm, which provides more viewing angles than most portable players. I thought this was a rather unnecessary feature at first, but now I really appreciate the additional flexibility. Battery life tops out near 2 1/2 hours as advertised, so you’ll be able to make it through most movies before a recharge is required.
I am yet to hear exceptional audio from portable DVD speakers, and the Panasonic is no exception. But its speakers are pretty good comparatively, though they distort if you try to play your DVD too loudly. Thankfully, the headset jack offers plenty of volume for your own headphones.
Also, the unit ships with a video/audio cable that allows you to connect the DVD player to a TV with standard inputs. This has come in handy in more than one hotel room already, plus it’s a great way to share DVDs or data (it handles MP3 and JPEG files) when you’re visiting someone who is lacking in the DVD player department. A remote control and on-screen menus complete the functionality of this player.
You’re probably looking for some negatives here, but I honestly have no complaints. The Panasonic DVD-LS5 delivers with great pictures and sound, ample battery life, and plenty of user-friendly options. If you can live with a 5-inch screen, this portable DVD player is a great choice.
