Mobility Digest Review: 9″ Audiovox D1998PK Widescreen Portable DVD Player

Hello all, I’m back, yes three days in a row for me with reviews, a new record I think! Anyway, I’ve taken a look at many portable DVD players in my time but this is the first with a 9” screen on it. Geeks.com was kind enough to provide it for my review and it’s the Audiovox D1998PK that features dual headphones and a carrying case that can be attached to the back of a car headrest so you can take it on the go with you. Read on..

Author: Kristofer Brozio

Vendor: Geeks.com

Price: $64.99

Overall Rating: 4/5

9" Audiovox D1998PK Widescreen Portable DVD Player w/Headrest Mounting Case & 2 Pairs of Foldable Headphones (Black)

Enjoy your favorite movies in the car, at home or anywhere with this 9-inch Audiovox D1998PK Widescreen Portable DVD Player!

It features a 9-inch widescreen LCD display and built-in speakers for an impressive video and audio movie experience! And with dual headphone jacks along with two headphones, you and a friend can share the movie without disturbing those around you. There’s even an AV port for connecting the D1998PK to a big screen TV!

Plus, the headrest mounting case provides a convenient way to watch movies in your car. This Audiovox D1998PK Portable DVD Player includes a rechargeable battery, AV cable, AC power adapter and a 12V DC car power adapter!

General Features:
– Black color
– Portable DVD player
– 9-inch widescreen LCD display
– Region 1
– 16:9 and 4:3 selectable aspect ratio
– Plays DVD, DVD±R, DVD±RW, CD-R, CD-RW files
– View JPEG images
– Built-in stereo speakers
– Dual headphone jacks
– NTSC/PAL TV system
– Built-in 3.7V, 2000 mAh rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
– Includes headrest mounting case and car adapter

Top/Front Panel Features:
– Remote sensor
– Power indicator
– LCD screen
– Speakers
– Disc cover
– Disc cover open button
– Volume down button
– Volume up button
– Zoom & Slow button
– Repeat & Display button
– Menu & Title button
– Audio & Subtitle button
– Stop button
– Navigation buttons
– OK button

Side Features:
– Two (2) 3.5 mm headphone in jacks
– Audio out jack
– Composite video jack
– Power switch
– DC in 9V power plug

Unit Dimensions:
– 1.4 x 9.1 x 6.75-inches (H x W x D, approximate)

What’s in the Box?

So let’s start off with the video unboxing:

The Audiovox D1998PK comes in a brown box:

Inside the box is the player in the case.

Unpacking everything you’ll find quite a bit like two sets of collapsible headphones, remote control, both car and AC adapters, user manual and A/V cable. The remote is similar to other portable DVD player remotes, it’s small and has the functions you’ll need on it. The power supply is very large, not sure why they went with this kind for a portable device.

The player itself reminds me of a netbook, it’s black with no marking on it and of course it’s plastic like pretty much everything else is out there today.

What makes this different than most players today is the fact that it’s got a 9 inch screen, most have a 7" inch one, so the extra size is nice.

The bottom section pops open to reveal the DVD player:

One thing I like very much about this player is the fact that all of the buttons are right on the player. Many DVD players out there don’t have this and if you lose the remote you’ll lost some of the ability to use the features.

On the right side you’ll find dual headphone jacks, A/V out connections, power switch, power connection and charging LED.

On the front edge is where the infrared sensor is and the power LED indicator.

The bottom just has identification labels, vents for cooling and rubber feet.

Impressions / Review:

For testing I popped in Hannibal.

The main reason I selected this movie is because the run time is 2 hours and 11 minutes so it’s a good test for the battery. I got through 2 hours and 6 minutes before the battery died, which really isn’t bad. Most movies today are not over two hours, in fact the majority about 1 and 1/2 actually. So with 2 hours battery life you’re guaranteed to get through at least one average length movie, still though I would have liked to see a bit longer battery life.

It’s a 9” screen which is very nice, the portable DVD players I have are all 7” and I think that’s the average out there today. Having the extra 2 inches in nice.

Video quality is decent overall for a portable DVD player though I searched everywhere and can’t find what the exact pixel resolution is on this particular player. It’s obviously not HD, but it’s decent for watching movies on the go.

The audio is very good as well, it has two speakers so you’ll have nice stereo sound and it can get loud.

In the Settings you won’t find much special, just the common things:

The only improvement I might make to this player is the ability to input audio and video from another source, as is it only has output. Sure you can hook it up to your TV and use it as a regular DVD player but it would nice to se a USB port as well for playing other files.

Conclusion:

If you’re in the market for a nice sized portable DVD player then you can’t go wrong with this one. It’s $65 and you get a nice 9” screen with a few decent accessories.

The battery only lasted a little over two hours but that should be fine for most movies.

Picture quality is decent, and the sound is good as well.

 

Pros:
+Simple and easy to use
+Seems well made
+Control buttons right on player
+Picture isn’t bad overall
+Nice large 9” screen

Cons:
-Battery life not the greatest
-No video input