So you're on the hunt for a portable dvd player, because they're one of the "in things" to have right? I don't blame you if you want one, I think that having a portable dvd player is a great thing. If you're like me, having the option to play a movie and keep your kids entertained, can actually make your trip quite pleasant. The option to have a couple of hours of peace is an amazing thing for your sanity. Sometimes though going for a cheap portable dvd player, just because of low price, could be trouble down the road, when it doesn't meet your needs or leaves you thinking "this thing sucks".
Quite often I hear of people looking for "cheap" portable dvd players, and let's face it, we all want a good deal. There are a number of good deals when it comes to portable dvd players, but there are definitely some downfalls if you think saving a few dollars is the biggest factor in purchasing your portable dvd player.
Nowadays, most dvd players have the ability to play many different file formats (dvd, cd, cd-r, etc.), but you want to make sure that if you go cheap, you aren't missing out on the ability to play the different types of formats you might come across. This especially holds true if you're into creating your own cd's or home movies.
As well, you want to make sure that the portable player you purchase has decent speakers. More than a few times you'll come across reviews of a portable dvd player that just doesn't have enough volume when there's other noise encountered (like road noise, conversations, etc.). Quite often when you go with the cheapest product (notice the word "quite often"), you usually have less quality components making up the unit. So having the ability to test a portable dvd player before purchasing, isn't a bad idea.
The last key item in this article that will be discussed is screen size and viewing angle. If your intentions is to have a portable dvd player for a crowd larger than two, you might want to consider staying away from a five inch screen, the smaller screens definitely make it more difficult for those sitting farther away from the portable player to view the screen. As well, if you have people sitting off to the side (like viewing at a 45 dregrees or less to the screen), some screens become blurring, much like first generation big screen tv's. Once again, usually what you pay is what you get. Just make sure you find out what type of screen size and how good the viewing angle is on the portable dvd player you're considering.
There's no reason why you can't get a good portable dvd player for a reasonable price, on sale or some other means. It's important that you make yourself aware that not all portable dvd players are created equal. Get out and look at some players first hand, so that you can see all that they offer and how well they perform. Looking for "cheap" sometimes means you end up with something you won't use or don't like, in other words you've thrown your money away. Get something you'll use and be happy with, cheap ain't always the way to go with portable dvd players.
Allen Reed runs the site http://www.portable-dvd-players-guide.com, which reviews and gives information on the portable dvd player world, he also just started the site http://www.trampoline-review.com.