Magnavox MPD820 8-Inch Portable DVD Player
Better than Average Picture w. Good Viewing Angle
The MPD820 is a widescreen  rather than \\"full screen\\" unit, which means most DVDs will play without black bars over and under the image.     The TFT LCD display is crisp, with good horizontal (side-to-side) viewing angle, which is a real-life advantage for backseat passengers in a vehicle. Predictably, vertical (up-down) viewing angle is rather less, so you may find yourself tilting the screen occasionally to find the best picture if you change your viewing position (e.g. slouching down or sitting up straight). You can adjust the color and brightness, but the factory settings are subjectively optimal.     Screen size: To my eyes, an 8\\" screen is noticeably bigger than a 7\\" screen. Sure, it costs more, but the xtra real estate is worthwhile, especially when you figure how many hours you will spend peering at the thing.    Sound: You would expect the tiny stereo speakers just below the screen to buzzy, but they are surprisingly clear. Obviously, the laws of physics have not been repealed and they produce nothing approaching bass, but the articulation of dialog is crisp (which is much more important for movies). Another pleasant surprise: There was no buzzing or harsh distortion at their relatively polite \\"top volume.\\" The sound through either of the two headphone jacks is excellent.     Other observations: The aluminum and plastic case feels solid, and the screen feels securely attached by the two hinges. The removable battery (included) clips onto the back of the unit. The power cord is a little over seven feet, so you can't range too far from an outlet when using AC. Thermally, it stays cooler than a laptop, which is a plus on long flights.    A couple of gripes: 1.) The remote's white-on-gray lettering is hard to read (though the slide out battery drawer is a nice touch); 2.) While you can change scenes with the push of a button, you need to dig out the remote to fast-forward or skip back within a scene. Doh! This omission alone costs a full star; 3.) The disc handling mechanism is buzzy getting up to speed, then settles down to the barely-audible whirring common to DVD players everywhere. Sound-deadening adds cost, weight and thickness, so this is a logical and defensible design tradeoff.    As another reviewer noted, this unit is clearly sourced from the same manufacturer in China that makes the entry-level players for Mintek. One might read Mintek reviews for hints about reliability.    I have enjoyed watching movies on the MPD820 and find this is one entry-level DVD player that doesn't seem cheap at all.