Wal-Mart $198 DVD w/4" Screen!

[EdwardChang]

Walmart has the portable DVD player with 4 inch screen for $198.. anyone can add to this thread with reviews, personal experiences, etc...

w00t.. linkage

 

[croaking]

Nice price, anybody have any experience with battery life in these? Better or worse than a laptop?

 

[JetsFanatic]

I am gunna go for it

 

[wiru]

i wonder if it plays vcds? does not say on site

 

[exisle]

pretty cool for the price, although I can't reason buying it for myself but it would be so nice at the airport waiting for transfers etc I'm sure it's practical for a lot of people

 

[JameyF]

Originally posted by: croaking
Better or worse than a laptop?

Cheaper. I can't justify paying $200 for a DVD player when you can find a laptop for $800 or so that plays DVD's and does so much more. I do see a market for something like this, but I would think it would have to get down around $125-150 to go for it instead of a notebook deal. Of course, most people are going to pay over $1000 for a notebook with a DVD player so that is why this will sell.

 

[cliftonite]

Very nice, would be great if it can used as a stand alone dvd player and if it played vcds

 

[Psychosematic]

Originally posted by: JameyF

Originally posted by: croaking
Better or worse than a laptop?

Cheaper. I can't justify paying $200 for a DVD player when you can find a laptop for $800 or so that plays DVD's and does so much more. I do see a market for something like this, but I would think it would have to get down around $125-150 to go for it instead of a notebook deal. Of course, most people are going to pay over $1000 for a notebook with a DVD player so that is why this will sell.

You make it sound as if $800 is right around the corner...

It's 4x the price of this. Wake up.

 

[DDCSpeed]

what are the size of the screen on other name brand portable dvd players?

 

[Aztech]

There was a thread on an Apex that was under $200 a while back as well

 

[BullishDad]

I am thinking about taking my laptop w/DVD on a long car trip with my kids (ages 17 and 11). However, I'm not sure how to secure the laptop somewhere in the back, between the front seats. If anyone has a suggestion, I'd appreciate it. Also, I'm not sure how much bouncing around the lappy could take, as opposed to a portable DVD that should be designed to withstand some bumps.

 

[bertrandom]

Laptops can sustain quite a bit of bouncing, in fact, laptop hard drives are used in hard drive based car mp3 players all the time and they work perfectly. The real question is do you trust your kids enough not to put a crack in the LCD.

 

[JameyF]

Originally posted by: Psychosematic

Originally posted by: JameyF

Originally posted by: croaking
Better or worse than a laptop?

Cheaper. I can't justify paying $200 for a DVD player when you can find a laptop for $800 or so that plays DVD's and does so much more. I do see a market for something like this, but I would think it would have to get down around $125-150 to go for it instead of a notebook deal. Of course, most people are going to pay over $1000 for a notebook with a DVD player so that is why this will sell.

You make it sound as if $800 is right around the corner...

It's 4x the price of this. Wake up.

read the first word of my post...again...and again...and if you still can't understand it, look it up. Then, look at the fact the second word stated I was talking about myself...me...I...you know first person. I know it's cheaper, but yes, $800 is right around the corner for some people. I'd rather spend 4x the money and get a 12-14 inch sceen versus a 4" screen, plus the ability to play games, plus the ability to check email, plus the ability to surf the net, plus the ability to carry tons of files with me, plus the ability to work so $800 can be right around the corner for the next deal. You may not. That's why I said I can see a market for this. I can't believe you want to disrespect someone by crapping on there post over there own opinion of whether they would get it or not. Why don't you wake up JUNIOR!

 

[emonkey]

I paid a few hundred bucks extra for a laptop that had video out and dvd onboard. I definitely regret investing in the laptop over getting a seperate portable dvd player like this. Even though DVD's look great on the laptop there are many more reasons why a seperate system would work better for me.

- Laptop battery life is barely enough to finish a movie

- Laptops are sized nicely but if i'm only going to a hotel or car trip then a laptop isnt something i necessarily want to bring.

- I dont want my laptop sitting in the car while we're at the beach AND if my laptop gets stolen then thats my life. If the portable dvd player gets stolen then its not a big deal

- Laptops when watching dvd's get so damn hot

- No remote control on laptops

- Laptops are hard to mount anywhere in a car

- If its for the kids then you dont want them holding your laptop in a moving car

So for me, this is a perfect solution. But i'm not going for the deal. Im kicking myself now because i just recieved that outpost.com TV/DVD combo for my car. Its nice and all but its 20lbs and a hassle to carry around. I really shouldve gotten in on this deal instead because for what i'm going to use it for then this is a better solution...

 

[RossMAN]

While this price is very attractive I have to partially agree with JameyF (after they take a Midol and simmer down ). CostCo is going to have that Toshiba Satellite 1105 for $799 this month, yes it's 4 x $200 but you can do so much more with a laptop.

 

[bit]

5.8inch one for $296.

 

[LuZeR]

how is that laptop 799$???

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: LuZeR
how is that laptop 799$???

Starting the week of 8/26

 

[sleefer]

Yes I agree that a laptop would be better in some cases. But, if you don't have a home dvd player now then this could serve both purposes. If you figure that you'd pay $100 for a home unit an extra $100 is not so bad to get one that's portable instead. I have a Panasonic 5" that I use this way and it works great for me. I hook it up at the house to my AV unit and when I want to take it with me I just unplug it and go. The other advantage is you can hook it up to a TV when you get where your going if you visiting someone that doesn't have a DVD player. I use mine all the time and have no regrets about having bought one.

 

[jbserra]

If you're in the market for a portable DVD, then you're probably not looking for gaming, 12 inch screen, 7 lbs, and short battery life. A laptop isn't designed to play movies on it's battery pack (some exceptions, of course). If you're going somewhere where you can plug it in, then that's a little better. We just took the wife's laptop on a trip and we couldn't finish a movie on it's battery pack, it got hot, was hard to position so we could see it, the amplifier actually wasn't enough to hear over the car noise (even to headphones!), and it was a pain in the butt to haul along. I wish we would've left it at home.

I think this device looks great. I'd be concerned with the quality, which is why I'm checking this thread. Any reviews?

When the portables were $1000, then this debate was a little more realistic, but now that you're talking 1/4 the price I think it is starting to destinguish itself as a better option for the $$.

 

[Atrac]

Dang, if this had component and/or S-Video Output, I'd be all over this deal.

 

[DRS]

Correct me if I am wrong but is the $198 model a 4:3 screen while the $296 model is 16:9??

 

[Ottobot]

Don't you people F()CKING read books anymore? Why do you HAVE TO have movies to watch? Buy a good book for $5 and read it while waiting for a plane. I like DVDs, especially imports you can't get in the US, but it is just ridiculous how people are spending so much time watching movies and TV instead of reading books. Pick up an "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" and educate yourselves in small doses. Get your kids some comic books to read instead of letting them watch Toy Story for the 324th time. You are all raising a bunch of illiterate little monsters.

:|

 

[hans007]

i wouldnt watch a dvd on a 4 inch screen. but yeah this looks like a great deal, especially since it has composite out too, so you can use it at home also.

 

[Valkore]

Originally posted by: Ottobot
Don't you people F()CKING read books anymore? Why do you HAVE TO have movies to watch? Buy a good book for $5 and read it while waiting for a plane. I like DVDs, especially imports you can't get in the US, but it is just ridiculous how people are spending so much time watching movies and TV instead of reading books. Pick up an "Uncle John's Bathroom Reader" and educate yourselves in small doses. Get your kids some comic books to read instead of letting them watch Toy Story for the 324th time. You are all raising a bunch of illiterate little monsters.

:|

Good point, bad place to make it.

Anyways, UJBR is quite a good book, if you're looking to build up your Trivia skills. I prefer classic literature as a read. Call me boring. Anyone wanting to read an easy and deep, but deep and reflective book, check out Catch 22. Had me engaged like nothing before.