Nextbase SDV 77 B

.../> Nextbase sell under a variety of names including "Voyager" so you may see the exact same model with a different badge. The SDV77 is the entry level 7" screen top loading DVD player that has now been upgraded to play DiVX, whatever that is! It is also multi-region. The player costs between £120-£150 and comes fully bundled with manuals, mains charger, incar charger, small earpieces, av cable, remote, headrest mounting holder, and ...
...What really attracted me to Nextbase over similar priced competitors is the easy availability of spares, a two year warranty, and a wide range of accessories. Accessories such as proper wireless headphones with IR transmitter (even dual channel so two separate players can be used without interference) , a small games console/joypad, and a few different headrest mounts. I also bought a centre mount which allows the player to be positioned in front ... more

"Are we there yet?...I'm bored" is the phrase most parents hate to hear when on a longer trip in the car (except apart from "I'm going to be sick....blueurghhhhhh"). My daughter seems to have discovered both. Having seen that newer cars are coming with DVD players as standard I thought I would have a look at a low end portable player to stick in the car and also use in the house when the main TV is busy with soaps.

Nextbase sell under a variety of names including "Voyager" so you may see the exact same model with a different badge. The SDV77 is the entry level 7" screen top loading DVD player that has now been upgraded to play DiVX, whatever that is! It is also multi-region. The player costs between £120-£150 and comes fully bundled with manuals, mains charger, incar charger, small earpieces, av cable, remote, headrest mounting holder, and battery.

What really attracted me to Nextbase over similar priced competitors is the easy availability of spares, a two year warranty, and a wide range of accessories. Accessories such as proper wireless headphones with IR transmitter (even dual channel so two separate players can be used without interference) , a small games console/joypad, and a few different headrest mounts. I also bought a centre mount which allows the player to be positioned in front of the very middle of the rear seats rather than on the back of a headrest, as our child seat is in the middle.

The player can be controlled from the buttons on the front of the player, but a remote is also present which is needed for the OSD settings. There are controls for brightness, contrast, and sound. There are also AV out options to use a second monitor.

In use the top loading cover feels a bit plasticky and flimsy, but seats firmly. Discs spin up quickly , seems to handle bumps in the road well, and I'm surprised just how good the screen is. The screen has a wide viewing angle so you don't need to be directly in front, and the only real gripe I have is the sound could be louder. So far my kid has been happy without headphones, but headphones would allow the driver to have the radio on or be talking.

In the house there is a little stand on the back of the player so it can be propped upright. The battery lasts a few hours so long enough to watch a film in the garden whilst sipping Pimms in the hammock.

What else can I say? This does exactly what it says on the tin.
I was sceptical at first about such a small screen, but it does seem like quality components have been used. If the sound was louder then it would be excellent.

As an update the player stopped reading discs just before the 1yr warranty ran out. I couldn't find the recipt but a quick call to the service centre and the palyer was accepted for full repair free of charge and returned within a week. Excellent backup from the importers. 

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