Panasonic DVD-LS 91

Author's product rating:   

Picture Playback	Good
Sound Level	Good
Ease of Use	Simple
Durability	Satisfactory
Value for Money	Satisfactory

Advantages:	Good quality screen and sound .  Region - free .
Disadvantages:	Would have liked some longer playback time .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Here we have the Panasonic DVD-LS91. It's a portable DVD player by the company that brought the public the first ever portable DVD player a few years back. I guess the real question is then…how much an improvement is the LS91 on their previous efforts, and indeed the competition in this highly competitive market ?

Well I always like to start with the appearance. This is a small device, silver in colour that has a 9in LCD screen. That in itself makes it attractive and quite at home on the back of a car seat. The screen itself is a widescreen display too which is vital for people intending on viewing dvds filmed in the 16:9 ratio (can result in massive borders on a non-widescreen).
Something that some people may not consider is that most people see in widescreen format too. Think about it. You can generally see more to the left and right than the top down. This is probably why people I know get less headaches than they used to with the square monitors and screens.
The dimensions of the screen are 235mm x 179mm x 46mm and it works via an AV input for those who are keeping score!

The weight of the player is 1Kg which is very reasonable when you consider the amount of things that it does, and does well. You wouldn't be too concerned about its weight when it's attached to the back of a car seat, and you're enjoying your favourite films either.

So, what about some of the features? It has Electronic shock protection. An absolute must have for car journeys with lots of twists, turns and bumps along the way. This will in most cases stop the dvd skipping or stopping and starting at different parts of the films etc. Anyone who's been out jogging with a CD player without shock protection will know the necessity of this feature for comfort and convenience.
The brightness is a good feature of this product, as you can adjust the brightness level very easily and it makes it easier to see if you are watching it on a sunny day. This is an area in which other manufacturers have failed to capitalize. I can't honestly say that this one is perfect for this but it is a step in the right direction without a doubt.

The LS91 comes as region free.
YES I hear you scream.
This means that you can play dvds from many different countries, including some movies that have not yet been released in the UK.
The downside with the player is that while you can play photos on it, and movies from multiple regions..it has up to 3 hours playback only. This may well be above average, but it still doesn't inspire much confidence when you consider that some car journeys may last twice or treble that number with screaming children in the back. It's a good thing that you get a rechargeable battery, and it may be an idea to buy a new battery as a spare which could be charged up prior to the journey. Also ask the dealer if you get a car charger with it. You do get the bracket for the car which is good, but I'm unsure of the adaptor. You also get the mono arm included, which is what allows you to adjust the position of the player to suit your viewing. It also has an easy release system to allow you to detach it from its position quickly and easily.

On the whole, this is a good product that's good value and only lacking in maybe some extended playback from each charge. I'd advise asking for a demonstration if possible to be absolutely sure that it's what you're expecting. The prices of this item can vary quite a bit from place to place, and as usual I'd recommend using a search engine such as kelkoo or pricerunner to find the best priced at the time you wish to purchase. Also look into other things though such as quality of service, and any delivery charges if it's mail order etc.

Thanks for reading, and if you're buying one then enjoy your new player!

Formats supported via this player are shown below……

DVD, DVD+R(W), DVD-R(W), DVD+/-R DL CD-R, CD-RW, SVCD, CD audio and video discs, MP3, JPEG, MPEG-4 (DivX and Xvid formats).