7" Active Matrix TFT LCD - DVD-R, CD-RW - DVD Video, MP3, JPEG, Picture CD, HDCD Playback - MPN: IDM1731
Strengths: Slick, solid, metal case, video input/output, plays most of the DVD/CDR-burned media with no skip at all
Weakness: Battle doesn't last long as advertised, screen is not sharp enough
Actually I bought two of these Initial DVD players, one was given to my Dad but I haven't asked for his user's comments yet. The one I am using was bought from officemax three weeks ago, with a coupon to drop the price to $104+tax. Initial plays a lot of the DVD/VCD movies downloaded from the internet in mpeg-1/mpeg-2 format which is universally accepted in most such players in the market. The key thing I considered in buying a portable DVD player is its format and media compatibility, which my Initial just did well. Light weight, slick design and metal case are the added advantage to look for. The only downside is the battery life, in my case, it lasts less than 2 hours compared to the 2.5 hours as advertised. Certainly, Initial has another version of Divx-compatible player IDM-750DX at $197.63 in Wal-mart. If you don't mind spending a few more bucks for a multi-format player, go for IDM-750DX.
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TopStrengths: Good battery life, solid performer, many hardware extras
Weakness: Remote required for many features, screen quality not the best
Better than I expected. The battery lasts the advertised 2 hours, although the battery setup is kind of clunky.
The player includes everything you will need for most tasks - the only things I have bought for it are a vinyl case and headphones. I use it in the car, office, and at the gym. No troubles yet!
Unfortunately, you must use the remote for things like fast-forward, rewind, subtitles. Next and previous chapter stop buttons are on the case, though.
I have noticed that the screen color is not always very accurate, and sometimes the scan lines are very visible.
Overall, however, I am very pleased. This is a nice inexpensive device to get a full 7-inch LCD screen, and the battery life is sufficient.
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TopStrengths: have used both on & of the battery to be sure all is ok, had the kids test it out. worked well, no complaints
Weakness: none noticed (yet)
was purchased for my children, to be used during car trips & travel, they are pleased with it, the size is very compact but for us, that's good. during our "test movies" all the buttons were used, just to try them, no complaints, all went great. am very pleased with the purchase.
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TopStrengths: Plays many formats and works well - Great for the price
Weakness: Take too long for battery charge.
Easy to use. The weight and size of screen are suitable for travel. The user guide did not state clear about charging battery and even indicates that charger is supplied, but there is no charger included.
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TopStrengths: Video quality for the price after rebate.
Weakness: Won't play DVD-R /-RW
Actually, retail store item was listed as Shinsonic DVD player. Video quality for the price after rebate plus a FREE DVD player case, i can't complain.
Played slideshow of burn jpegs into a DVD+R and DVD+RW media.
Got an extended warranty for 2 yrs since manufacturer cover this for only 90-days.
Attached a Creative 2.1 speaker set, and the sound was so very good!
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TopI just thought i would mention that the s-video is not as available as it looks, I called initial yesterday and asked them about the s-video cable that is not included (3.5mm headphone style jack on one end of cable and s-video on the other) - it is not only impossible to find something like it on the net even at a high price, they have stopped making the cable and are out of stock. So if you are interested in getting any portable dvd players from initialdvd.com then just make sure the s-video is not the reason you are interested.
Strengths: Excellent picture, 3 hour battery life, sturdy built
Weakness: Poor speaker sound
Excellent value for the money. The main problem is the speaker volume. Sounds tinny.
Headset volume is excellent.
I hope longevity is as good as the product is so far !!!!
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TopStrengths: Price, battery life, features
Weakness: noisy, weak volume, only one earphone jack
7" screen is a good enough size. (Many in-car factory included DVD systems are usually 7" as well). The price is good when you consider how much more you have to pay for one or more inches still.
The rechargeable battery is good enough to run a 2-hour long movie. We usually simply plug it into the car power to avoid any doubt.
This machine has all the basic DVD player features plus a few more, such as to change the screen aspect ratio (Full screen or widescreen). However, some of the features can only be operated from the base unit while some others can only be operated from the credit card size remote control unit. I like the small size of the remote control. This machine plays all the different format of disks (DVD+/-R/RW, VCD, MP3, etc) that I have thrown in.
When the disk spins, it is noisy. I have to crank up the volume when using the built-in speakers. By the way, the two speakers are weak. When we are on the road, we still have a hard time hearing the sound even the volume is cranked all the way up. So using the earphone is almost a must when on the road. This player only has one earphone jack. However, its newer replacement model comes with 2 jacks.
Overall, the picture quality is reasonally good. You get what you pay for. Of course, you cannot compare this model with SONY or JVC while they are still selling for over $300. If your budget is tight, this player is a good choice.
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TopStrengths: I bought this DVD player a year ago. It works well for all formats(DVD Video, DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, CD Video, CD-R/W Player, MP3, JPEG and Kodak Picture) although it's not a "Name" brand. There's no problem so far with rough usage.
Weakness: The Car-seat mounting is not included. It gets approximately two hours of movie playback per battery charge. The Dolby Digital Sound and DTS outputs is so-so.
The IDM-1731 offers a good value on the dollar. It has a parental lock feature to keep the kids from using the player without permission. If you look for a cheaperPortable 7" DVD Player for rough usage, it'd be a good choice.
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TopStrengths: the price,plays PAL, antishock.
Weakness: complicated battery charging, conecting, noisy, ff or rev futures only on remote
So far the performance is good, but the unit makes a lot of noise when starts. In the begining i was afraid it will scrach my discs, but it didn't. There are some nise futures of disk information and finding time, but you have to enter exact time with seconds(too much numbers) The charger is a little box and it has to be connected between adaptor and battery,you can't watch and charge at the same time.
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TopStrengths: Screen Size Progressive Scan Anti-skip Price Accessories
Weakness: The Hinges!! Fragile Slow to Load
I picked this portable DVD player out for Christmas two years ago. When comparing it to other models, it compared favorably. The Initial IDM-1731 had many of the features (large screen, progressive scan, decent battery life…) I was looking for at an average price at the time (around $250). A year later, I found myself quite frustrated with a virtually unusable DVD player; the hinges on the screen broke after a year of gentle use.
Pros-
·This DVD player has a nice sized seven-inch screen; if the screen were larger the player would be bulky; smaller, and the image is hard see. This screen is also wide, a good shape for wide screen movies.
·Progressive Scan- Progressive Scan is a clearer way of projecting an image. With a regular TV, the vertical lines of pixels (blocks of color) on the screen are shown first, then the horizontal lines. Think of the vertical lines as odd numbers and the horizontal lines as even numbers. In a regular TV the image is displayed (1,3,5,7,9, …) then (2,4,6,8, …). With progressive scan, the image is displayed with alternating horizontal and vertical lines, (1,2,3,4,5,6, …). This results in a sharper picture.
·This player comes with a good accessories bundle. You get an A/C (wall) charger, a car charger, remote control, and A/V cables to hook it up to a TV.
·Good anti-skip system. I never saw this DVD player skip, even on bumpy Michigan roads.
·This DVD player can play several types of media. DVDs, CDs, MP3s, CD-Rs
Cons-
·The Hinges- Within a year the hinges cracked and broke, naturally right after it came off warranty. When they first broke, I was able to hold the monitor in place and continue to watch movies. Now, the damage is more extensive and the player is nearly completely useless. There are two small metal parts located in the hinges that must be in contact for the screen to work, not a wire. The hinges on this player are small, about an inch wide, having broken off; you need to hold the screen just right to get any image (impossible on roads with potholes or expansion joints). When looking for portable DVD players, try to find one with large hinges. Look at the hinge on the Initial IDM-9520.
·Fragile. We were careful when using this player and were not rough with it. It broke under normal use.
·Slow To Load. Some DVDs would take a while to start after being loaded; some DVDs took multiple tries.
·No case included. This was no big deal but a case was definitely needed to carry around player and accessories.
Although this DVD player did its job well, I would not recommend buying it because of its lack of durability. Purchasing this product is a gamble, will it break, and if so, before it comes off warranty? I would recommend a different DVD player, even from Initial, with more robust hinges.
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TopStrengths: Who Knows?
Weakness: Who Knows?
It would be nice if I could give a rating on this product but since it is now June 2nd, 2006 and I have been waiting since May 4th, 2006 for delivery of this item and I have not yet received it from (PriceGrabber via Mighty- Monkey-CloseOut) I guess I am not the person to ask. Forget trying to get my money back, I have been ripped-off and I am going to let as many people know as possible so it doesn't happen to them.
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Initial IDM-1731 receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 2.69 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #9 portable DVD player of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer features, market value, and a product's...
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Initial IDM-1731 Portable DVD Player
Strengths: Great disc compatibility (plays CD-R, CD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R, MPG-DVD+R, JPG-CD-R, and JPG-DVD+R). Good JPG viewing and durability (won't skip in the car or when you child drops it).
Weakness: Does not have all the goods like the high end players such as progressive scan, numerous menu options, and the battery pack is a little bit big, but still acceptable. The DVD must be firmly pressed correctly in position. Other players don’t require some m
The picture is sharp, and the colors very good, with an excellent wide viewing angle. The sound quality is good (for portable), and was clearly able to hear it in the car over the background noise (if you are looking for theater sound without headphones, don't buy portable). With headphones, the sound is outstanding. The battery has lasted longer than the advertised 2.5 hours even after multiple charges. It attaches very easily to my home TV, and works nicely in that capacity. Overall the DVD performance is quite acceptable. The transport is reasonably quiet, and the player responds quickly. This portable player is definitely recommended, especially if you travel extensively.
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