Product Review: Phillips Portable DVD PLayer

I recently got the opportunity to try out a Phillips portable DVD player that my friend has had for about 3 months now. It was a model number PET824 and it had an 8.5 inch screen. I have to say I was happy I got the change to check it out because although it certainly wasn’t the best portable DVD player I’ve ever used, there is a lot to like about the Phillips machine. It looks rather flimsy but in reality the machine is very well put together and sturdy. It feels as if it can tolerate pretty severe treatment and still keep on functioning.

I was moderately interested in checking this thing out because Philips happens to be one brand I hadn’t owned or ever even used in the past. With my interest adequately stimulated, I began investigating an assortment of other models with greater scrutiny. Philips occupies the middle of the portable DVD player price range with quite a few models, all of very good quality. Prices range from around $125 to just about $250. That price might be a little high because to tell you the truth, you can get similar quality for a lower price from other brands.

There is a uniform appearance to all the Philips players. For whatever reason, Philips’ design statement is one of shiny plastic with curved edges on the outside. Shut the top and you’ll find a slightly taller (and heavier) device as compared to other brands of equal screen size. Open it up and the straightforward, intuitive controls are all within easy reach.

Picture quality is very good. Philips promotes a feature known as their “bright dot policy”, which is said to enforce a rigorous intolerance of any LCD defects known as bright dots. I’m not sure how much of that is marketing hype, but they definitely turn out a great LCD that generates brilliant picture quality.

I was surprised to discover that every Phillips portable dvd player model was capable of playing a myriad of file formats. So there is no trouble if you wish to watch DivX, Mpeg4, view photos, etc. This feature makes the player quite versatile for more than just watching DVDs. The sound is pretty good too, although I was a little amazed to observe that some models only have 1 headphone jack. In this price range, I really believe that 2 headphone jacks should be the standard. Of course, the external speakers provide only average sound quality on all but the finest and most costly portable DVD players, and that is the case for Philips too. A moderately good set of ear-buds or headphones improves the sound quality significantly.

Depending on model, you can expect between 4 and six hours of battery life, which is not outstanding but is pretty darn good compared to the competition. The batteries themselves however are a bit on the bulky and heavy side, which tends to add to the already oversized feel of the device.

All in all, the Phillips portable DVD player is worth a look from anyone who is shopping for a new player. You can learn more, or check out other brands and models at this portable dvd player site

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