Pioneer PDV-LC10 7 in. Portable DVD Player

In the spring of 99 I entered the world of DVD with the purchase of a new gateway laptop that had a player. I was a skeptic at first but it did not take long to see what the hype was about. In the fall of that same year I took a job in Japan teaching english (where I still am) and the DVD player was perfect for bringing with me. It served me well for a few months and i was even able to order DVD's from amazon.com and ship them here and still save money (DVD's here are BUCKS!! BUCKS!!). However, in early months of 2000 my laptop developed a harsh attitude and refused to play a movie all the way through. PLus I could not work on my computer and put a movie on in the backround like I usually like to do. So this prompted me to look for a new player.

I knew that I could not buy a player here in Japan because of the region differences in DVD's so I began to investigate getting a region free player. I researched long and hard wasn't crazy about dropping big bucks on a portable but after close consideration it made sense. I could pack it easier and I could watch movies anywhere. So ... through an extensive search on the web I found a electronic shop that had this player as a region free player. I was able to have a few online chats with the owner of the store and he guaranteed me that it would work with all regions of movies. So about a month after finding that store and lots of thinking I dropped about 1100 US on the pioneer and it was on my doorstep in two days. I was skeptical at first but it played all of my movies perfectly. Now I am able to rent movies here in Japan and watch them which has made a huge difference. My girlfriend here was a little skeptical but the advantages of the player have enriched our lives. I can watch the english and she can read the japanese subtitles. You can't beat that!!

Ok ... so that's the story ... now about the player ...

The good ...

The size is great. It is very nice to have in my home because it takes up little space and I can move it from room to room. It has all of the hook-ups needed for TV and Stereo compatibility. (NOTE: if you have S-Video on your TV use that for you video signal!! It will look much better!!)I cannot comment on the Dolby digital and DTS sound because I do not have a reciever. However I can say that when hooked up to my sony mini-component system it doesn't bad at all!!! When I get back to america I plan to complete the home audio experience. The GUI (graphical user interface) is easy to use and the manual explains everything in detail which I love to see in a manual. There is no substitute for a good manual in my opinion. I was able to hook up the player and set it up in about 20 minutes. As far as the screen goes I enjoy watching it when I am not at home. It looks great and does the job. A good pair of headphones will complete the portable experience. I had my player on a 2 hour train ride from sapporo and it was just me and the Last of the Mohicans in my own world. Can you beat that?
I think not!

As a side note for sound ... I use the headphone jack and run the cable (one end is a headphone jack and the other is a red and white audio outs) to my mini component system. The standard red, white and yellow cable that attaches to the video/ audio port will give you good sound but the headphone jack gives me a little extra juice. I set the volume on the player to about 6 and let my stereo do the rest!!

The Bad ...

Yes there is one glaring thing that all owners of this unit have pointed out!! The battery set-up. I was taken back by the size of the unit with the battery pack attached. It reallsy adds weight and in my opinion takes away from the aesthetic look of the player which looks ultra cool when just sitting on your coffee table with nothing attached but an ac adaptor cable. I know there is a new version of the LC10 out now here in Japan that has smaller battery pack so it looks as though pioneer did their homework. Another quibble I have is the headphone/digital jack. The LC10 has placed the jack in the front of the unit which makes sense for headphone use but what about when you want to use it at home. You have to wrap the cable from the front to the back which in my opinion takes a little away from the sleek look of the player. Once again the newer version has addressed this issue which is good to see.

Clarification ... I only consider the battery bulkness to be an issue with this player. The jack placement is a minor beef of mine that I can live with!!

All in all I love this player and feel that it was money well spent considering where I am and what I use it for.
It is a bit pricey but it will serve you well. Because newer portables are on the market you can definitely find a good deal on this unit especially on EBAY!!

Good luck and hop on the DVD train!!

TY