Coby DVD-237 DVD Player

I purchased this as a secondary player after having owned a fairly reliable Coby-224. I needed something small and compact. I would still have the Coby-224, but I donated it when I moved out of state over the summer.

So, I buy the 237, expecting it to be of the same half way decent quality. Was I ever wrong!

First off, the remote is horrible. Instead of getting at least a decent sized remote with buttons, you get a little credit card sized remote like the kind they ship with portable DVD players. Very hard to use by feel, and it has to be aimed exactly at the player for it to operate. It also doesn't have seperate FFWD/REV buttons, you have to use the chapter skip buttons and just keep them pressed down. Frustrating to use, because quite often the DVD player will just change chapters.

Secondly, this player chokes on most discs. It definitely has problems with dual layer discs, and even has some minor issues with regular single layer discs. On single layer it will skip, sometimes just audio, sometimes just video, usually both. On dual layer discs it does all that with the added bonus of occasionally locking up. This isn't something that happens occasionally, it happens with every single disc.

Lastly, the build quality is horrendous. The DVD tray is hidden behind a false front door that blends in with the front of the player. Sadly, the motor that pushes the tray out (and supposedly the door down) is too weak to fully eject the tray! It gives a half hearted attempt and quits. You have to be right at the player, and as soon as the tray door tries to open you have to help it out and pull it all the way down to let the tray out. Incredible! It's like they didn't even bother testing it, let alone check the power of the motor against the strength of the door spring.

I'm throwing this player away on Tuesday. I'd donate it, or give it away, but I'd hate for anyone else to have to use it. Stay away at all costs!