Panasonic DVD-LV70 Portable DVD Player
A Private World of Entertainment
I purchased the Panasonic LV70 as a replacement for an older Panasonic L50 which recently died. So I guess the \\"WOW!\\" factor isn't quite so great for me but I am very well pleased with this unit. Without the battery it's about the size of a DVD case and feels very light. The battery adds bulk and considerable weight. but it was the battery life which sold me on this particular model.<br />For me, the 7\\" screen size is perfect! The 5\\" screen of the L50 was more than adequate for personal viewing, but the 7\\" size allows me to more easily share with a friend or to view the screen from a bedside table instead of having to hold it in my lap. The screen image is sharp and clear, but I think a fraction less sharp than the 5\\" size, so although I don't know for sure that the larger 9-10\\" size screen sizes would be even less sharp, I suspect that they would tend to be more pleasing only from an even greater distance. <br />The sound quality is first rate, even from the small speakers...far superior to the speakers on my old L50, which sounded tinny and didn't give much volume. These speakers sound just as good as any TV speakers and are plenty loud if you crank up the volume.<br />I own an iBook, which does very nicely play DVD's, so it might be difficult to justify the purchase of a dedicated DVD player on any basis other than absolute self indulgence, which I freely admit. But a laptop isn't something one can so easily carry around and battery time is way less than the almost 5 hours I get from the Panasonic.<br />I'm especially pleased with the little LCD display, which tells me exactly how many minutes have elapsed into the movie. The unit, although no more fragile than any other portable DVD player, is not something one would want to throw around or leave to the devices of small children! I am intrigued that it offers an ability to restrict access based on ratings because I would never trust it to the hands of a child who isn't old enough to watch an R rated movie. <br />I would suggest that you shop carefully for this model, if you decide that you want one, because the price range is huge from place to place. I recommend the Panasonic brand simply because they've been doing it longer than anybody else and they seem to really \\"have it right.\\"