Portable DVD Players for Training
If you are looking to provide interactive
video based training to people who are constantly travelling, the
chances are that your choice boils down to a laptop computer or a
portable DVD ("Digital Versatile Disk") player. The problem with a
laptop is that it is relatively large and relatively expensive, when
compared to a portable DVD player, and, because a laptop performs all
manner of background tasks, the whole of its processing power is not
given up to playing back DVD media. A dedicated, portable DVD player, on
the other hand, may be a "one trick pony", but is specifically designed
to be compact and lightweight, with a high quality DVD unit, and
connection options appropriate to that one, single purpose.
Design, Size & Weight
Portable DVD players are usually available in two basic designs. A
"clamshell" portable DVD player resembles a laptop computer in design,
with the screen and the DVD player unit folding together when not in
use, while a "tablet" portable DVD player is completely flat, with the
screen on the outside, and visible at all times. This latter design is
the more popular for use in cars, and other motor vehicles - in some
cases, the screen, or screens, may be completely separate from the
player unit - because the screen does not intrude into the passenger
cabin.
Screen size is important, not only in determining how comfortably DVD
content can be viewed, but also in determining the overall physical size
and weight of a portable DVD player, which in turn govern just how
"portable" a player really is. This is likely to be less of an issue if
a portable DVD player is to be a permanent, or semi permanent, fixture
in a car, for example, but, even so, a typical screen size of 7 inches,
or so, measured diagonally, generally provides a satisfactory compromise
between visibility and portability.
Supported Formats
All portable DVD players will play back commercially recorded DVD
content, but if you are in the habit of creating your own DVDs - or CDs,
for that matter - look out for a player that supports all of your
favourite formats. These may include rewritable DVD formats, such as
DVD+/R, and DVD+/-RW, and rewritable CD formats, such as CD-R, and
CD-RW, together with other, specialised formats, such as VCD, SVCD and
DivX. Be aware, however, that not all portable DVD players support all
of these formats. The Shinco SDP1720C Portable DVD Player, for example,
supports MPEG4, DivX, MP3, JPEG, and many other common formats.
Connectivity
You may also want to use the portable DVD player to make a presentation
to two or more viewers, in place of a standard, full-sized DVD player.
You will want to plug into a projector or large screen monitor or tv.
If this is the case, you should look for as many different connectivity
options - component video, RGB SCART, S-video and composite video are
all likely to be available, together with coaxial, or optical digital
audio, for connection to a digital surround sound, or stereo HiFi,
system - as possible. The Hyundai HDP719 Portable DVD Player, for
example, features composite video output, and 2-channel Dolby Digital
audio output.
Battery Life
Portable DVD
players by their very nature, should be capable of operating on
battery power for a reasonable length of time. A typical Hollywood film
has a running time of 2 hours plus, so it is reasonable to expect a
portable DVD player to run for 3, or more, hours, on a single charge of
its rechargeable batteries. A large, bright screen requires more power
than a smaller, dimmer model, and the use of the speakers in a portable
DVD player, as opposed to headphones, also draws more power from its
battery. In a car, or other vehicle, it may be possible to power a
portable DVD player via a DC adaptor, which plugs into a standard
cigarette lighter socket. The Philips PET716/05 Portable DVD Player, for
example, provides 2 hours of playback from its rechargeable battery, and
is supplied with a car adaptor.
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