dlstewart's Full Review: Philips PET702 7 in. Portable DVD Player with Scre...
I created a workout area in my home. I'm not one to exercise without the benefit of watching exercise DVDs while I workout. Watching the occasional movie doesn't hurt either! That's why I bought this Philips Portable DVD Player with Screen.
What Comes in the Box
* Portable DVD Player with built-in 7" TFT LCD screen * Remote Control * Audio / Video Cable * Car Adapter (12V) * AC Power Adapter * User Manual (large paper folded in fifths then thirds)
This Philips player will play the following: DVD, DVD+/-R, DVD+/-RW and (S)VCD discs. It will also play: MP3-CD, CD and CD-RW music. It can playback JPEG still images with Picture CD.
The player has a 16:9 widescreen format. Audio choices include: Mono left, Mono right, and stereo. The manufacturer says the built-in battery will play for up to 2 hours at a time. There is also a password and zoom function.
Setup & Operation
This DVD player is simple to set up. The player needs to be charged before use. Make sure the on/off switch is in the "off" position. Plug the AC Power Adapter into the side of the player and then into a wall outlet. The player usually takes about two hours to charge (depending on how low the battery is). When the player is charged, the charging light will go out. Remove the AC power adapter.
The remote control comes with a plastic tab sticking out of it. This tab prevents the battery from running down during shipment and shelf-life in the store. The battery was already installed in the remote. It takes a lithium 3V battery (CR2025).
This DVD player is hinged at the back. Pry open the two halves. The bottom half sits on a flat surface and has all the controls (where the DVD is inserted as well as the on/off button, volume control, adapter holes, and operation controls). The top half contains the LCD screen and speakers.
Operation is simple. The player has an on/off switch on the left side as well as a volume control. Turn on the player. At the front of the player is a small sliding "open" switch. Slide this switch to the side and the compartment where the DVD is inserted pops open. Insert the DVD and close the compartment. Once the compartment is closed, the DVD will automatically begin to play.
The remote control is small and slim. It measures 3 3/8" long x 2" wide. Some of the operations are intuitive: play, pause, stop, fast forward and reverse. There is also a menu, audio and angle button as well as buttons for setup, display, zoom and sub. A number keypad and directional arrows help one navigate menus. There are also two buttons for a repeat feature. None of the buttons are rubberized; they are smooth plastic and need a firm push to work.
My Experiences
Usually I do a lot of research before making an electronic purchase. However, I found myself in a department store with a nice selection of portable DVD players and decided on an impulse to buy one while there. My luck was running in overtime. The woman who usually does customer service returns was chatting up the guy in the electronic department. She immediately offered the incredibly helpful information of which portable DVD players she most often saw returned. She pointed to this Philips brand and said that she had never seen it returned. Say no more! I bought it.
This portable DVD player is everything I could wish for. It literally fits in one hand, like an oversize paperback book. I can carry it around the house, or tuck it into my exercise bag. I'm famous for walking into the house after work and yelling, "Hi everyone! I'm off to the gym!" Then I grab my exercise bag (with portable DVD player already in it) and head to my workout area in the basement.
I have played store-bought DVDs, DVD+RWs and DVD+R discs in this player. The player also plays music CDs. Sometimes when playing a recording that I made, the player will pause a bit then resume playing, but this doesn't happen all the time.
At first I was nervous that a 7" screen would be too small to see image detail. But this screen shows a great picture and is plenty large enough for me to see whether it is close up or several feet away. The brightness of the image is affected by the angle of the screen. Sometimes I have to adjust the angle of the screen to obtain the best picture. It's great though that the picture on this screen is visible from the side, so if more than one person is watching the screen, it's okay if people sit to one side and watch it. (If you need to manually adjust the brightness and contrast, you can do it.)
The color and clarity of the image is great. I have no trouble reading text on the screen either. If the screen is idle too long, a screensaver with the Philips name floats on a black background. This player keeps a DVD on pause for quite awhile, too, without turning off!
When a CD is placed into the player, the screen shows the Track listing. Using the number keys, it is easy to cycle through the different songs to play favorites.
Sound varies depending upon the DVD or CD. I keep the volume midway and adjust it as needed. I have never used headphones with this player, but it does have a headphone jack. The sound is fine. However, it lacks the depth of the sound quality I receive from my regular television.
When the battery begins to run low, a low-battery icon flashes in the left corner of the screen. Even if the display option is in use (showing how much time a DVD or CD has been playing, the battery-low icon will flash. If you have access to a wall outlet, you can use the AC adapter to plug the player into the power outlet. The DVD or CD will then feed off the electrical power rather than what is left of the battery.
The "Manual"
If there is one thing to complain about, it is the manual. I would not call this large sheet of paper that is folded so many times that it could pass for an origami book a manual. It is difficult to use. A small booklet would be much better than this enormous paper.
Purchasing
I bought this DVD from my local Walmart store for $89.88.
Update -- May 12, 2009
Thought you would like to know that this portable DVD player is still working great. I love the convenience of it!
Summary
This Philips Portable DVD Player was an excellent purchase. I am enjoying the portability factor. I can now exercise while watching my exercise DVDs, or a movie, or I can listen to music. It's nice having options!
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