My mom had asked for a portable DVD player as a gift, and as the techie guy of the family, I was charged with getting a good one for less than $250. It had to be simple to use and support JPEG playback (so my mom could share digital camera photos with friends). With those two requirements, I stopped by the local big box electronics store with two players in mind: the Mintek MDP-5860 and the
Polaroid PDV-0700.
One look at the display models immediately ruled out the Mintek. Not only was it a non-widescreen model, but "flimsy" was an understatement and the metallic paint was chipping off the case just about everywhere. In contrast, the Polaroid was a widescreen model with a large 7" display, had a much more polished and solid appearance, and was around $200.
So I ended up taking one home, and like a good techie son, I ran the player through its paces and got it set up for Mom.
The Player
The PDV-0700 is in a clamshell case, meaning that the unit opens and closes like a book, with the DVD drive on the lower half and the display screen on the upper lid. It measures 7.5" length x 5.5" width x 2" height (1.5" without the detachable battery that clips onto the bottom of the unit). The unit weighs over 2 pounds with the battery--not light but definitely portable.
The unit is metallic silver in color, but like most consumer electronics today, the case is plastic. This is definitely a drawback if you're looking for a player that can withstand frequent use and scratches--if so, you'll have to spend more for a player with a metal body or a ruggedized case. The nice looking shiny buttons on the case include four buttons underneath the screen to adjust the color and brightness of the picture, and a number of buttons to control DVD playback (start, menu, next chapter, etc.) on the base.
Most of the lower base is taken up with the DVD drive, which is similar to most portable CD players: you press the "Open" button and the lid flips up to reveal the inside of the drive. You center the disc on the spindle and press down to snap the disc in place--those familiar with PC laptop drives will be right at home.
On the sides are status indicator lights, a power switch, volume control, and connectors for audio and video (for headphone or connection to a TV). The rechargeable battery pack slides onto the bottom of the unit and provides up to 3 hours of playback without being plugged in.
What's included in the box?
In addition to the player and rechargeable battery, you'll find an AC power adapter, a 12V DC power adapter (for plugging into a car cigarette lighter), an A/V cable with RCA composite jacks to hook the unit up to a TV, and a slim remote control with battery.
What's NOT included in the box?
The player does not come with headphones, a cable to connect the unit to a Dolby Digital decoder (for use in a home theater setup), or any sort of travel case. You'll probably want to buy a padded case or tote that's designed for portable players to keep the unit protected during travel.
What formats does the DVD player support?
The Polaroid support all of the common DVD formats, including the commercial formats and the recordable DVD+/-RW discs. It also plays CD, CD-R, and CD-RW audio discs (as long as the disc is formatted for audio play). The player can handle either 12cm or 8cm (less common) sized discs. I don't know if it supports the VCD/SVCD formats since the documentation does not mention them.
The player also supports playback of MP3 music files and JPEG photos on CD, including support for files in directories.
Putting the Player through it's paces
The PDV-0700 is ready to play out of the box once you remove the protective insert in the drive and plug it into AC power. Keeping in mind how my mom will use the player, I tried several commercial movie titles, such as A Bug's Life, The Patriot, and The Matrix Reloaded (unlike another reviewer, I didn't have any problem playing that title). I then tried some homemade DVD videos that were recorded on both DVD-R and DVD+R media with complete success. I even tried a badly scratched DVD that my computer has trouble playing, and it didn't have a problem reading it.
Then I switched to CDs. No problem with CD Audio discs. And most importantly, I was able to display CD-R's with digital camera photos on them. The player has a basic interface that lets you scroll through the directories on the CD and see a thumbnail of each photo. You can also set it in slideshow mode to play all of the photos. Exactly what Mom was looking for!
So how's the picture quality? Well, if you're picky or used to expensive portable DVD players or laptop computers, you'll probably be disappointed. The picture is pretty good for such a reasonably-priced player. The brightness is good, although turning the brightness setting too high tends to make the colors bleed. The colors can be adjusted to be reasonably accurate. After connecting the player to a TV, I can conclude that it's more an issue with the size and quality of the TFT display on the unit than the quality of the signal coming from the player.
The audio from the built-in speakers is fairly weak--good enough for personal use or small groups, but hard to hear with background noise (such as a fan, loud conversations nearby, or road noise in a car). With headphones, it's much better, although the bass response is really shallow...explosions sound like they do when you listen to regular television: no booming. But the audio is pretty clear and free of distortion.
What's good about this DVD player?
Great value -- If you compare the Polaroid PDV-0700 to other portables, you'll find that you'd be spending closer to the no-name, poorly constructed brands but getting the features and quality of more expensive players.
Format support -- While the playback of recordable DVDs tends to vary depending on the brand of player and the brand of DVD media used, it's nice that this player seems to support both DVD-R and DVD R format. The fact that it can also play MP3 CD's and JPEG/Kodak PictureCD discs is a bonus.
Included cables -- It's nice that the player includes both AC and DC adapters, as well as the cable you need to hook it up to a TV. That makes it great for car trips--and for hooking the player up to a TV when you get to your destination.
Stylish design -- This player looks a lot more solid and expensive than its price tag. It doesn't look like a cheap overseas design. Although it's a bit bulkier and heavier than the latest models on the market, it's not something you'll be embarrassed to be seen with.
Good viewing angle -- Although all LCD displays tend to be hard to see unless you are positioned directly in front of them, the display on this player is visible at wide angles from center. That means that people seated next to you will be able to watch too.
What's bad about this DVD player?
Build quality -- Although it's a stylish player, it's still made out of plastic, so expect the case to be cosmetically scratched before long. Also, the drive lid and the battery release latches are very flimsy. Finally, the design of the unit uses tiny magnets to keep it latched in the closed position. The one that I bought has a slightly warped case, keeping the magnets on one side from making contact.
Button response -- The buttons have a nice tactile feel to them, but unfortunately, they are slow to react. Sometimes you'll press a button, and the player doesn't react, so you'll press the button again. The player eventually catches up and then executes BOTH presses. You'll just have to get used to being patient for a couple of seconds.
Don't lose the remote -- You can only access many of the features of the player (such as player setup, changing angles or subtitles, and FFWD/RWD search) using the included remote control.
Limited audio and video quality using built-in screen and speakers -- Well, you can't have it all! I've definitely seen and heard better from more expensive players. But for what you pay for and what you'll probably use it for, it's not a huge negative.
Overall Rating and Recommendation
Since this player is for my mom, there's no way that I would give her something that I wouldn't be comfortable having her use. Granted, she's anything but a videophile, but I'm sure she'll be pleased with this player and will be able to use it. And for me, that's important, since she tends to call me first if anything goes wrong!
I recommend the Polaroid PDV-0700 as a good gift for a responsible teenager or a parent. It's not rugged enough to leave with a child, nor is the quality high enough to satisfy someone who's into home electronics (give 'em a gift certificate instead!). Another possible purchaser would be a family on vacation--it's quite adequate to keep the backseaters occupied but still inexpensive enough that you won't be heartbroken if it's damaged or stolen on the trip.
