Looking for a compact DVD player

[okyup]

I need something to watch DVDs in motel rooms!

- small size for travel... and durable enough for travel
- powers from outlet
- no screen
- proper subtitles and aspect ratios
- region 0, NTSC and PAL preferred!

I've seen a few online but the product reviews aren't very nice so I hope something better exists. If you can recommend for me, that would be great.

[jman98]

No screen may be impossible in anything that 99.99% of us would call "portable". Are you really willing to take a pizza box sized player just to not have a screen when there are very small and portable models with screens? You should probably consider the fact that some hotels still use old tube style TVs and it may be difficult to impossible to connect an external device to them unless you maybe plan on bringing an RF modulator with you.

Region free is going to be tough. It was always hard on portables to begin with and all the manufacturers sucking up to Hollywood has made it even harder to find them now in the USA and Canada. I'll leave it others to mention any that they know about that can still be made region free.

It would be insanely easy to use a laptop for this purpose except for the "no screen" part of it.

[yoda313]

There are those cheapy no-name and off brand units you can get that are compact shell like units. Look up coby or craig players. They are not much bigger than the disc itself.

However chances of making them region free is not likely.

Of course all you have to do is rip the disc and burn it to a new blank and you are all set.

jman 98 is right about the hotel issues. Also I've read in another thread some hotels apparently put alarms on the cable connection on the back so if you try to disconnect the cable to hook up an rf adapter it might send the staff after you thinking you're trying to rip them off.

Also jman 98 is also correct to point out the ease of use of a laptop in this case. - You might want to reconsider that option especially if you already own a laptop with a dvd player.

[okyup]

Thanks for the comments.

The motels I'll be in a few times this summer have RCA inputs on the TVs!!! Wow so modern. But I'm really not sure what an RF adapter is used for other than Super Nintendo.... :P

I don't have a laptop and not really interested in one, although that would work.

All my discs are already region free I suppose? (I burned them on DVD+Rs) It just needs to support PAL and NTSC playing.

I've seen these coby units but all the reviews said they are junky and broke fast... and some complaints that the subtitles don't work (which is bad, since I watch lots of foreign films) so I hoped maybe there something a step up available. But it's the right idea.

[yoda313]

All my discs are already region free I suppose? (I burned them on DVD+Rs) It just needs to support PAL and NTSC playing.

Should be. Assuming region protection was deselected during ripping. I have to imagine the default on any ripper program is to remove the region protection.

I've seen these coby units but all the reviews said they are junky and broke fast

If they are cheap enough just buy a couple of em for when or if they fail.

and some complaints that the subtitles don't work (which is bad, since I watch lots of foreign films)

Can't help you there. Other than to suggest reencoding them with hardcoded subtitles that will be displayed all the time. That would be a pain unless you only have a few to do.

I'd say keep looking or consider something else.

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One other thing - I know you mentioned you want one without a screen. However the ones with a screen DO have video outputs you know. I have a 7" inch portable dvd player with a screen and it has composite (rca) video and audio outputs. If I wanted to I could hook it up to a tv an not watch it on the player itself.

Of course I can't say 100% for certain EVERY SINGLE portable dvd player with a screen has rca (composite) outputs. MOST should but just check the box before buying to make sure it does have it.

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edit - regarding pal support - I think its more likely on a no-name or offbrand device to handle pal. However again read the box or check the specific model and search online (this forum for example) for the specific model you are looking at. It should note if it can handle pal or not.

[okyup]

Ya I know the portable ones (usually) have outputs, and if I can't find a compact player without a screen then I'll look for one of those instead. It's just a matter of principle that I don't like 7" screens and I'll never watch a DVD on such a stupidly small screen and I'd rather not possess one at all.

[yoda313]

Ya I know the portable ones (usually) have outputs, and if I can't find a compact player without a screen then I'll look for one of those instead. It's just a matter of principle that I don't like 7" screens and I'll never watch a DVD on such a stupidly small screen and I'd rather not possess one at all.

They make larger ones. They are just more expensive (10" I think is max but there may be more larger ones)

But you may have to consider a portable with a screen if you can't find a small enough compact model with good reviews and subtitle support.

Unfortunately its not a perfect world and compromises have to be made sometimes

[okyup]

They make larger ones. They are just more expensive (10" I think is max but there may be more larger ones)

Yea they're all tiny compared with a TV from the last 30 years.

Unfortunately its not a perfect world and compromises have to be made sometimes

Yup

[lacywest]

See what is selling at Bestbuy ... walmart ... Target ... kmart .... check the return item policy and see and find out what suits your needs

[edDV]

Most of the rest of us use a laptop for this purpose. If the TV won't take the S-Video or composite inputs, you can at least watch on the laptop. Most any old laptop will play a DVD or a file off disk. No need to buy a new one.

[budz]

Get a Philips portable dvd player.....it's factory region free and pal/ntsc.....ok i just read OP....the philips has a screen so never mind.....

[em-t-wallitt]

Ya I know the portable ones (usually) have outputs, and if I can't find a compact player without a screen then I'll look for one of those instead. It's just a matter of principle that I don't like 7" screens and I'll never watch a DVD on such a stupidly small screen and I'd rather not possess one at all.

I think it's better to have one with a screen, even it's a 7 inch one. I know it's rare for this to happen, but what if you're stuck at an airport during a storm for several hours?

Or stuck in a bathroom.

You may want to consider buying a used portable player through Craigslist. Price ranges from $20 to $50, but as always, buyer beware. I picked up a Dynex DX-BPDVD7 for $10 with a dead built-in rechargeable battery complete with accessories. Works fine with the tiny AC adapter. Plays PAL discs too. Can be made region-free with the remote. This player is no longer sold at Best Buy or Future Shop though. The Dynex is more compact than the no-screen Aveis compact DVD player sold at the Real Canadian Superstore.