Mintek MDP-1810KIT Portable DVD Player with 8-Inch LCD Review
I have had this portable DVD player (Mintek 1810) since 2003. That's right, 2003--for almost seven years. Although I took it with me on airplanes in the first few years, I have never owned a "real" home DVD player, because the Mintek is all I need. I hook it up to the various Tvs I've owned over the years and it functions as my 365-days-a-year DVD player.
NEGATIVES
There is only one major negative with the Mintek 1810, and that is that the *only* way to control the DVD is to use the remote control. That is, the only buttons or controls on the actual unit itself are a Menu button, a chapter (<< and >>) skipping button, and the usual Play, Pause, and Stop. If you want to fast forward or rewind; change the screen format; or do any other more refined actions, you are forced to use the remote control. The remote is a good one (see below), but if you've lost it, if the battery is run out, or if it has broken, you are left with no way to refine your watching of a DVD.
POSITIVES
1. Durability! Have I ever put this thing through its paces: I've lugged it through several moves; carted it around in boxes and cars and airplanes; had to open it up and dump it in an airport security bin 20-30 times; and it has even fallen off my (low) table a few times.
I too was skeptical when I first bought it, worrying that this off-brand would be a waste of money. But I didn't have a lot of money to spend at the time, and did not have a laptop computer; my long and frequent airplane rides needed a modest enterntainment upgrade, and the Mintek appeared to provide it for less money than the big name brands.
2. Sound Quality. This baby has better sound quality and volume control in its tiny--and powerful--speakers than my 00 LCD (brand name) flatscreen TV. When this is placed on a knee-high table and turned to a even a medium-low volume, you can hear it across an average sized room. FYI, when it's hooked up to your TV, it's best to turn down the volume of the unit completely, so you can concentrate on the sound coming through the TV.
3. Decent color and picture quality; nice big screen for something so portable.
NEUTRALS
The reason I am reviewing this now is because over the past few months, the mini-remote control that comes with the player has started winding down. I'm not sure exactly why, but for some reason, the battery does not hold a charge for longer than a few days now. Perhaps this is because I really abuse the remote; it falls on the ground, gets tossed about inbetween uses, and otherwise takes a beating. Because of my shoddy treatment of this remote over seven years, I'm pretty impressed with the fact that it's only now starting to run into problems.
I'm now looking to find a replacement for this remote--however, if it's too expensive, I'll just buy a new Mintek.
SUMMARY
I won't promise that Mintek or any other off-brand will give you the same length of years, durability, and performance as mine has. Other reviewers here have clearly had their problems with the product, and I respect their contributions. But, based on my personal experience, getting an electronic of ANY sort is a gamble--I have had a Magnavox TV-VCR combo, Sony flatscreen TV, and RCA mini flash camcorder all permanently fail within a year, a few months, and a few days, respectively. And one of these companies provided such atrocious customer service that it belied the conventional wisdom that "brand name electronics companies will stand by their product and have better repair or return than non-name brand companies."
If you do not have a lot of money to spend on DVD entertainment, I say you might as well give Mintek a shot. Personally, I've been so impressed with this product, that I would buy a different product from this company in the future.
Mintek MDP-1810KIT Portable DVD Player with 8-Inch LCD Feature
- Compatible with DVD, VCD, MP3, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and Kodak Picture CDs
- 8-inch 16:9 widescreen TFT color LCD display; AC/DC power; case and headphones
- Analog, optical digital audio out; S-video, composite-video out; headphone jack
- Dolby Digital, DTS, and MPEG audio output; virtual surround; stereo speakers
- Measures 8.27 x 1.18 x 5.9 inches (W x H x D)
Mintek MDP-1810KIT Portable DVD Player with 8-Inch LCD Overview
Whether you're traveling cross-country or want to show your DVDs at a friend's house across town, the Mintek MDP-1810KIT portable DVD player is an all-in-one, easy-to-carry entertainment package: the player and its stereo headphones slide into a supplied carry case. The unit plays DVD-Video (both NTSC and PAL-formatted discs), CDs (including recordable and rewriteable CDs), MP3-filled music discs, and Kodak Picture CDs for custom slide shows of your digital photos. A bright, 8-inch TFT(active-matrix) color LCD makes any program look great, and it's configured in a 16:9 widescreen dimension that matches the shape of most DVD movies.
At home, you can connect the player to a television (either composite- or S-video), and--when it's hooked up to a compatible audio/video receiver and multichannel speaker system--the tiny player can bring soundtracks to life with Dolby Digital 5.1-channel sound.
Designed for easy use on the road, the MDP-1810KIT includes a high-capacity rechargeable lithium battery pack, a car power adapter, and an AC power adapter. Its built-in anti-shock system helps prevent annoying interruptions. Listen through headphones or use the built-in stereo speakers. A wireless remote control will come in handy when you're sitting across the room from the player, as when you have it connected to a TV.
It supports multiple audio language tracks and multilingual subtitles, and you can select from multiple camera angles on DVDs providing that option. Among other key features are 6-mode picture zoom, 4-speed slow motion, fast forward and reverse search, chapter preview ("digest") mode, random play, and repeat play--a feature that's especially useful for trade shows or demonstrations.
What's in the Box
CD player, a high-capacity rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack (external), a remote control, remote battery, stereo headphones, a carrying case, an AC/DC power adapter, a vehicle DC power adapter, audio/video hookup cables, and a user's manual.
Mintek MDP-1810KIT Portable DVD Player with 8-Inch LCD Specifications
Mintek is one the largest suppliers of DVD players in the global marketplace today. Mintek has taken the next natural step in the evolution of the company's product line combining leading DVD technology with state-of-the-art LCD technology.PRODUCT FEATURES:DVD/MP3/CD/CD-R/CD-RW/Kodak Picture CD;8" 16:9 TFT widescreen monitor;Built-in stereo speakers;Built-in anti-shock system;Optical output;AV output;High capacity rechargeable lithium battery;Multi function remote control;Car cigarette adapter included.
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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Nov 30, 2009 09:03:27