BajaNomad - Portable dvd player for camper....which?

Portable dvd player for camper....which?

surfer jim - 6-7-2006 at 05:52 PM

I want to get some sort of portable dvd player for my camper...(to watch surf and racing movies of course)....what works and what didn't for you.....

Bruce R Leech - 6-7-2006 at 06:19 PM

I have no info but I to am interested in finding out witch one is the best buy Jim.

comitan - 6-7-2006 at 06:21 PM

Toshiba has a combination TV 9" and DVD great little unit.

Dave - 6-7-2006 at 06:35 PM

Why don't you just take a laptop?

Oso - 6-7-2006 at 06:48 PM

I had a Compaq Presario with DVD drive, but for camping the battery would only last for the first 15-20 minutes of the movie.

I've also been wondering about the "portable" DVD players and how long the batteries are good for. Sooner or later, Consumer Reports will do a comparison but I haven't seen it yet.

Bruce R Leech - 6-7-2006 at 06:55 PM

Oso get a car adaptor

Debra - 6-7-2006 at 08:00 PM

I was going to sugget that as well........or use your invertor, I got one at Costco a couple of years ago for $20, funny thing though, I've only used it once....(mango Magies) :lol:

TV/DVD combos are so cheap now, I saw one at WalMart the other day for less than $100, 17" I think it was.

I don't own a DVD player yet, since my son's PlayStation2 plays them and also my LapTop.........but, the next TV I buy I will probably get the combo deal.

bajalou - 6-7-2006 at 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Oso
I had a Compaq Presario with DVD drive, but for camping the battery would only last for the first 15-20 minutes of the movie.

I've also been wondering about the "portable" DVD players and how long the batteries are good for. Sooner or later, Consumer Reports will do a comparison but I haven't seen it yet.

I got a 12V cord for my Presario so just plug it into the lighter outlet, or a cheap inverter will power it also.
(I've used both with great results) I traveled all across the country with the Presario on the consol in the van running Street Atlas and showing the location with my gps plugged into it.

Bruce R Leech - 6-7-2006 at 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalou

Quote:

that is a nice way to travel

Debra - 6-7-2006 at 08:13 PM

Hey Lou...........Where did you get the 12V cord for the Presario (I have the same computer) I've been looking for an easy way to keep this thing powered up while on the road, it's the pits when the battery dies in the middle of a home school lesson! :fire:

bajalou - 6-7-2006 at 08:16 PM

I went to Compaq on line - this was 4-5 years ago. Think some of the computer stores have universal ones. But the $20 inverter will do the job.

Debra - 6-7-2006 at 08:35 PM

I never ceases to amaze me the gagets that I learn about, I had no idea that a 12v cord was made for a computer (duh!) but then I only learned about the inverter (on this site) a couple of years ago when I bought the one I have,

I also learned here that you can buy an adapter for your cassette car radio to play CD's (I did finally buy myself a CD radio for my birthday)

This is proably old news for most here (but, just in case) Space is always a concern for me, it's a long trip (3days) so smaller is always what I'm looking for. A friend of my came down with me last year and had the coolest set up. I was just a Walkman plugged into battery operated speakers, they looked just like regular computer speakers, worked great! Of course I had to get my own set up.......I found even smaller speakers, (about 4" high, they work really well, as long as your batteries are good, music in the middle of "no where" and no worry about running your ride out of juice!

Oso - 6-7-2006 at 10:52 PM

Thanks for the advice, all. But, I gave the Presario to my grandson. (It weighed too much anyway) So now I'll eventually get another newer lighter laptop... probably. But the portable DVD players are getting cheaper all the time. Also, the term "portable" is relative. I like the idea of not being plugged in to a wall or a vehicle and watching, net surfing or (hah) "working" on a plane, in an airport lobby, Dr's office waiting room, in the park, wherever. So, anybody know of such device that will run 2 hrs between charges or switching spare batteries?

El Camote - 6-8-2006 at 10:29 AM

Surfer Jim,
As the portable DVD players became more and more ubiquitous, I waited until the prices started to drop and bought mine a little over a year ago. Of course, the prices have dropped even more and selection has improved so it's probably a good time to jump in.

Gotta say, I don't know what I'd do without it now. I've used it for everything from entertaining the little spud with Elmo DVDs (that voice drives me insane - did you know he's a large African-American dude?) on long car rides to demonstrating videos to clients. It came with a battery which lasts over 2 hours, AC cord/charger and cigarette lighter plug and a compact, padded carry case. Last summer, I was on a flight to the midwest, pulled out my unit

and rented movie. The guy in the next seat pulled out the exact same unit to listen to a music CD.

Here's another nice feature, with the supplied audio/video cord, you can hook up to another TV or VCR and play the DVD through it. Also, you can reverse the signal and play from another DVD player or VCR into the attached monitor screen.

I bought mine from Costco because of their return policy since I thought it would receive a lot of use and abuse, which it has with no problems. It's the 8.5" Mintek. They had a 10" model as well but it just seemed to big for portability and the 8.5 looked so much nicer on wide screen than the 7". Think I paid about $200. but know they're cheaper now.

Toshiba makes some nice, rugged models too. Just make sure you get all the accessories I mentioned along with 2 headphones.

Happy viewing :bounce:

surfer jim - 6-8-2006 at 02:15 PM

Just came back from COSTCO but store is so big I didn't see any players...will look closer next time.....

Is there a tv/dvd player that is portable also?

comitan - 6-8-2006 at 02:23 PM

Jim

The toshiba at Best Buy.

Oso - 6-8-2006 at 04:59 PM

Maybe this is the answer?

http://www.myvu.com/

BajaGeoff - 6-9-2006 at 11:36 AM

I have a $50 Panasonic 13" tv with a $35 dollar cyberhome DVD player that we run off of a Cobra power inverter. As cheap as they were they have held up great on the road. We also added a Behringer (around 35 bucks) headphone amp into the mix so the driver and co-pilot can listen to music while passengers in the back can watch movies without disturbing the driver. It is a great system that can be put together for very little money.

Bruce R Leech - 6-9-2006 at 11:43 AM

check this out only 79 bucks

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-Det...

Bruce R Leech - 6-9-2006 at 11:45 AM

here is a photo

Diver - 6-9-2006 at 12:04 PM

We have the Costco brand with two headphones for the kids. It made it to Baja for two months and is still kicking. Charged batteries will last for more than one movie. It came with 110v and 12v (cigarette lighter) plugs.

I still like the laptop with the 14" screen and the WinTV software so you can watch cable or local TV, as well. If you download your music and bring the micro speakers (or connect to your stereo input) you have great music as well. Also, email, kids games, map software, photo downloading, etc.
(and internet phone if you have or can pirate a wifi satelite signal)
.

surfer jim - 6-9-2006 at 01:21 PM

Was in WAL-MART and they were stacking up small tv/dvd player combo units $138 ...ac/dc.....9 or 10" tv...looked good but may take up too much space and sort of heavy also for what I want.....may go with just dvd player as weight is around 2 pounds.....

BajaGeoff - 6-9-2006 at 04:52 PM

Nice and compact and the price is right......but a 7" screen? That is tiny!

surfer jim - 6-15-2006 at 02:38 PM

Went with the costco 10.2 " player...comes with battery, 2 headphones, charger and plug for 12 volt auto outlet...

Bruce R Leech - 6-15-2006 at 03:22 PM

Tiger direct has one right now on special for about 180 dollars. it has 2 9 inch screens and a game controller. this one is made to be portable so you can move it from car to car.

Bruce R Leech - 6-15-2006 at 03:26 PM

never mind thay sold out

Cyberhome DVD

MrBillM - 6-15-2006 at 04:29 PM

I'm a big fan of the Cyberhome line. A great value for the price. My first DVD Recorder was a Cyberhome and I wore it out. Bought my wife a Cyberhome portable DVD player that she uses on our drive to Baja. I also have (11) of those $33 DVD players.
Five in the US (+one spare) and Four (+one spare) in Baja. No complaints with Commercial DVDs, but inconsistent usage with DVD+/-Rs depending on the unit's mfg date. Mine run from 03/03 to 10/05. Obviously, they've tweaked their firmware as time has passed. In addition, they will only play commercial DVDs that are "all region" or "region one". No problem for me. Otherwise, a super deal.

BTW, I just got my "Band of Brothers" DVD set that I ordered via EBay. Super deal. Perfect Quality. Canada Vendor. Shipped International mail from Hong Kong. However, it will play only on the Cyberhome players with a manufacture date of 2005. The 2003 and 2004 models won't even recognize it.

Plays OK on my other DVD equipment, even older models.

[Edited on 6-18-2006 by MrBillM]