Toshiba SD-P1000 5.8 in. Portable DVD Player

Verdict

Portable DVD players are still at too high a price for me to recommend to everyone, but if money is no object and you can live with a slightly smaller screen, the SD-P1000 outdoes the competition.

OK, I don't have a DVD player in my Think Pad. If I want to watch DVD's on the go, I either have to buy a laptop with a DVD player in it, get an external drive, or buy something like this. After looking at the ridiculous prices, I still haven't got one yet...yet.


When it comes to electronic devices, making something smaller does not necessarily make it better. Sure, it helps to make the item more portable, but who wants to take along a less-than-ideal product, no matter how tiny? Toshiba seems to understand that a proper balance between small dimensions and great performance is necessary for delivering a compelling product, and its SD-P1000 portable DVD player is proof positive.

Barely larger than the DVD (or CD, or VCD, or CD-RW, etc.) it?s called on to play, the P1000 has all the advanced features you?d find in many expensive home-bound models. With its progressive scan output, you can connect this portable to your widescreen TV and revel in its image quality. And get this ? the cables actually come included with the player! Normally, you?d have to shell out an additional $75 or more for a decent set. Of course, you can save yourself about $1,000 by buying a full-sized player with these same features, but try shoving that into your knapsack when you want some DVD lovin? on the run.

Sound quality is another plus on the P1000?s ledger. Surprisingly, the small speakers on the unit do a pretty good job with all but the most bass-heavy soundtracks. Plug in the included ear-buds or a set of your own headphones, and the virtual surround sound will immerse you in your favorite flick in no time.

Even though the screen size is small compared to many of its contemporaries, the picture quality is so good that it would be a treat to watch at half its size. This is assuming you have the screen set at a perfect position; if the viewing angle is too high or low (a millimeter makes a big difference!), the black level takes over the screen, washing out the colors and adding a hideous glossy effect. Keep this in mind if you?ll be using the player in a moving vehicle ? trying to maintain such millimeter-perfect positioning can really suck the enjoyment out of watching your favorite feature.

The majority of the P1000?s negative points are endemic to portable players as a whole. When you consider that the prices of some large, HDTV-ready widescreens are approaching the same price as the P1000, it?s hard not to consider the portable a bit overpriced. Once these babies get down to around the $500 retail price range (and does anyone doubt this will happen given what we know about how the pricing of electronics works?), they?ll probably be as ubiquitous as watches or MP3 players (or MP3/watches, even). But for now, they remain in the realm of extreme luxury items.

As with any widescreen unit, watching 4:3 or letterboxed material (non-anamorphic) will reduce the viewing area even further, as framing bars take up a good portion of the top, bottom, and sides of the screen. In its defense, the P1000 still holds your attention even with its near-postage-sized screen ? the picture really is that sharp and attractive.

Other problems arise from Toshiba?s single-minded determination to keep the unit?s size to a minimum. The Power, Open, Pause, and Play buttons are on the face of the unit, easily triggered by stray fingers. Adjusting the position of the unit can sometimes end with movius interruptus as you accidentally hit one of the poorly placed buttons.

The battery is a clip-on model, shaped something like a small blackboard eraser. It?s not very heavy (a little more than 1/2lb.), but since the player itself is only 1 1/2lbs., the unit feels very unbalanced with the battery attached. It may seem churlish to complain about the battery in comparison to an admirably tiny player, but there?s no denying the fact that, when combined, the two feel awkward. The battery?s small size also means it doesn?t have the juice that other portable players enjoy. For instance, the Sony DVP-FX1, whose battery is a base unit that the player sits on, and which is roughly the same size as the player itself, can go for about 4 1/2 hours. The P1000?s smaller-sized unit can only play for about 140 minutes before conking out ? so much for watching Braveheart all the way through.

Also Consider:
Sony DVP-FX1 $1,599
Well-designed portable DVD player with a bigger viewing area, but the picture quality can't compete with the P1000.

The SD-P1000 is the new benchmark in almost every category except for screen size and battery life. The question you must ask yourself is, "Would I rather watch an inferior picture for 4 1/2 hours or the finest picture available for 2 1/2 hours?" Choose wisely.