A Portable DVD Player and Hand Held TV

A portable DVD player can be a handy thing in a lot of situations. My thing with my own is that it's perfect for my fitness DVD's. My little portable DVD player with a remote control is great for being able to work out to fitness DVD's somewhere in the house that's away from coffee tables and any (even if temporary) couch potatoes who'd really rather not have a grown woman jumping and dancing around when they're watching their favorite program. Other people get handy little DVD players for their kids. After all, they're not only handy - they're cute. What could be cuter than a personal-sized, portable, DVD player (except, of course, children)? Well, other than some absolutely adorable, teensy-tiny, flash-drives that are available these days; and, of course, the ever-adorable, mini, netbooks, not too many things rival the cuteness of a portable DVD player - except, maybe, a portable DVD player that is also a television. (Hmmm... Imagine watching those workouts some way other than on the same old DVD's. )

Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of television. Still, there can be something kind of intriguing about the thought that, with the right mini-DVD player and right pocketbook, a person could carry her own television around with her, wherever she went (only for those times when there was some big, news or weather emergency going on, of course). On the one hand, one wouldn't think I'd have been as intrigued by the DVD player/TV thing as I was. After all, I have a smart phone. I pretty much can all the live news and weather I want on that. I suppose what caught my interest was that watching news or weather on a little cell phone screen is just that - watching news or weather on a cell phone screen. Now, watching those things on a 7" TV screen - THAT'S watching TV for the sake of watching TV.

Well, there's actually a sensible side to me too; and that's the side to me that likes to cover all possible bases when it comes to emergencies. We all know that cell phone service was the first thing to get mucked up on September 11. Between September 11 and The Blizzard of '78, I'll admit to being a little "emergency-aware". Call it "paranoid". Call it "ready for anything". Call it "over-prepared". I'm just the type to have an umbrella and a back-up umbrella; a cell phone, a back-up cell phone, and a back-up/back-up cell phone. In any case, while I'd once never given a thought to a portable DVD player/TV combo kind of thing; I recently found myself not only thinking about such an adorable and nifty gadget, but having the opportunity to get to know one.

This following is divided into two parts. The first part mentions some things you might like to keep in mind if you're thinking about buying one of these DVD/TV combo units. The second part is a review of the Envizon Duo Box Pro, with which I've had some experience.

If the thought has occurred to you that it might be nice to have a portable DVD player that also has a digital TV tuner built in; there's a good chance you're thinking in terms of an emergency TV to have on on hand during storms.  There's also a good chance you're thinking in terms of camping trips or long trips in a car with kids who keep asking, "When are we getting there?"  There's even the chance you've imagined having such a handy item in the kitchen, when you're preparing dinner but might like a little entertainment or news at the same time.  Then, too, if the thought has occurred to you that it might be nice to have a portable DVD player/TV, there's the possibility you've been imagining leaving the hustle-and-bustle of a busy family-room or living-room; and going off to some secluded area in your house or yard and indulging in a few hours' worth of PBS documentaries.

Regardless of the reason you've even thought about getting a portable DVD player that's also a television, there are three things to keep in mind:

1.  An individual whose work had been to service electronic items, such as portable DVD players, pointed out that portable DVD players are among the "most temperamental" of products.  (I don't think "temperamental' was the most correct of terms for him to use, because that word suggests that one, individual, device is likely to "sometimes work/sometimes not".  Within the context of what this individual was saying, it may have been more accurate for him to say that these devices, in general, are "iffy" or "fragile" overall; because he added that one company "can make a bunch of units that work great, but lots of times you'll just get one that doesn't work at all".  In other words, among the "population" of new, portable DVD players (as well as CD players), there's a higher rate of new units' not working than there are for a lot of other products.
Nowhere is that more evident, perhaps, than in reviews of these products; in which there will seem to be an equal number of positive-versus-negative reviews.

When looking at reviews, it can be pretty difficult to know what to think; because you may see 4 people who say, 'I absolutely love this product," and 4 others who say, "Don't waste your money on this piece of junk."  It can also be difficult to figure out whether someone who has written the review is being particularly unreasonable or picky, whether it's someone who has followed directions, or whether he's someone who has mistreated the item.

In any case, if you're considering buying a portable DVD player of any kind keep in mind that "one bad unit does not necessarily a bad-manufacturer make"; and since manufacturers and retailers seem to understand the frailties of these products it's usually fairly easy to get a replacement.  There can, of course, be a "once-burned/twice-shy" element involved when a consumer gets a "lemon" of one kind or another.  There can also be a "once-burned/twice-burned" element with some products, of course.    The point here is that most of these products are going to get their share of bad reviews.  Maybe another point here is that nobody who buys one of these items should get to excited about what he just bought/ordered until the thing is home, out of the box, and all working.  With portable DVD players, however, it's not all that uncommon for them to work for a short time before "dying"; so maybe yet another point to be made here is, "While portable DVD players may surprise you by lasting for years and through all kinds of abuse, don't be surprised if one doesn't."

2.  When televisions first became something "everyone" had they were generally built into expensive, wood, cabinets and viewed as "furniture - only with a television built into it".   Somewhere along the way people started to realize that an expensive cabinet didn't necessarily mean a high-quality television; but even if the "television part" of the unit was of excellent quality, picture tubes died.  People were stuck with an expensive and useless "piece of furniture".  This little bit of television-cabinet history is brought to you with the idea of pointing out that a similar concern might be worth considering if you're looking for a hand-held television (particularly, perhaps, if you're thinking in terms of emergencies or camping).

If you look where hand-held televisions are sold you'll see there are many makes and models, ranging from 7"-screens down to under-4" screens.  What kind of signal any of them gets can depend on the area in which it's used.  How long batteries last can vary from unit to unit.  As with all products that involve both battery life and reception, there's usually a wide range of reviews.  Some individual models seem to get consistently bad reviews.  Few get consistently good reviews from what I've seen.

In any case, one question you may want to ask (and I'm not able to answer this question, because each product, manufacturer, individual unit, and user-area are different) might be whether paying x dollars for an item that's only a TV means paying those x dollars for quality of TV, as opposed to paying the same amount for an item that offers both DVD player and TV for the same price.  In other words, are you paying for the DVD player (the way people once paid for those expensive TV cabinets) and getting a half-baked TV?  Or, are you paying for a decent-enough TV but getting a cheapy DVD player?

3.  Before even considering buying any hand-held television you need to keep in mind that a strong signal in the area in which you'd use the item can make the difference between the tv "working" and "not working".   For information on signal strength in your area (and general information about digital tv reception and signals) go to:

 http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/

For additional, basic, information on digital TV, go to:
http://www.dtv.gov/

Things like trees (something to think about if your plan is to have a TV at a camp-site), weather, and specific location inside a home can affect reception, so even if the area in which you plan to the use the TV is one that gets a strong signal in general; there's the chance you'll get "weak or no signal" in one corner of your home but have no problem if you move the TV closer to a window or outdoor wall (as with any TV, and as you most likely already know).

The portable DVD player/TV units generally come with their own little antenna, which may or may not be enough to get a signal (or a good signal).   Putting the antenna on something metal can boost the signal.   A "better" (more powerful) antenna can help, but if the "better" antenna is one that requires an electrical outlet this starts to defeat the "portability purpose" of the hand-held TV.  It also defeats the "storm purpose".

The thing to keep in mind (if you're thinking about getting a DVD player/TV for a purpose like bringing it into the basement family-room and watching those hours and hours of documentaries - all may not be quite as simple as your visions of the luxury of solitude may suggest.  Of course, you can remedy a lot of reception problems by adding that "better" antenna, or changing the location where you watch the TV; but that gets into the matter of whether there's any sense tethering a 7" TV or finding a new place-of-solitude.  In other words, why not just put a little TV and antenna in that basement family-room; and settle for an emergency, wind-up, radio for storm emergencies?

The point to all this is that if you're thinking you're going to get a hand-held tv (with DVD player or without) and just bring it wherever you feel like bringing it for a half hour here or there, you may be very disappointed.  On the other hand, these products (both the DVD/TV combo and the TV-only units) are, for the most part, fairly inexpensive.  If you're thinking that it never hurts to have a couple/few hours of back-up TV in a power failure, chances are you won't mind figuring out where the unit works best in your house or finding a way to boost the antenna if necessary.  Or, if you think it might be handy for your twelve-year-old to be able to watch his own TV at, say, Grandma's house, then chances are your twelve-year-old can figure out where the reception is best at his grandmother's (and everyone will be happy as long the unit you purchase isn't a lemon).

The Envizen Digital Duo Box Pro (from Noah Company) boasts that it is still the only such "home entertainment center" that allows you to play DVD's, listen to music, view a slide-show of digital photos, or watch television on one device. With cables that come with the unit, the Duo Box Pro can also be used as a monitor for any device (including a game console) that has an A/V output. Using adapters (that don't come with the product), the unit is equipped to accommodate a USB flash-drive. The unit also has a built-in three-in-one memory-card reader compatible with SD, MMC, and memory stick cards. The battery charge is said to last in the area of two-and-a-half hours. A spare battery is, of course, available for about $20 (a little under).

The super-portable unit comes with all the cables you need for the uses mentioned (but, as mentioned, not the adapters for viewing files you've stored on external memory), a remote control, the power adapter/charger, an antenna (with a magnet in the base in case the user wants to securely fasten the antenna to something metal for boosting reception), and a nylon carry case that can also be used to fasten the unit for viewing in the backseat of a car.

I've had a chance to use the unit for a few hours (so keep in mind that I don't have a six-month or year-long history of use with it), so I thought I'd share my impressions/experience.

Upon first seeing the closed "entertainment center" (I'll refer to it as "The Envizon," "DVD player" and/or "TV" for my own convenience from here on in), I thought it looked good. The unit has the standard black, glossy, exterior, which, to me, always looks a little more "high-quality" than the similarly standard metallic exterior of a lot of electronic products. From outside, the unit looks almost identical (except for the name) to the Philips DVD player(s), which look to me to have a general appearance of "decent quality". Upon lifting the cover of the Envizon I was a little disappointed to see that, to me, the unit looks like a lot of other portable DVD players. Like so many others, it looks fine but doesn't have that slightly better-quality look to it that the Philips units do. I think this is mainly because the Envizon unit has the same matte, metallic, buttons that so many DVD players have; whereas Philips (and some other companies) seem to know that the "uni-color look" can come across looking a little less cheesy. That could just be my personal preference, I suppose. In general, the Envizon unit doesn't really look any cheesier than a lot of other portable DVD players do. It just doesn't look quit as "cut-above" as the Philips model does, in my opinion.

Still, on the whole, I found the Envizon unit one that generally comes as across as "decent-quality". Unlike some portable DVD players I've seen, this one seems tight and without rough (or sort of rough) edges or loose (or sort-of-loose-ish) buttons, covers, etc. If quality can at all be judged just by how something feels and seems to function "mechanically", the Envizon is every bit at "quality looking" and "quality feeling" as some Philips units I've seen (except, as I said, for those metallic buttons). There's something to be said for those metallic buttons, however, because I've found the buttons on the Envizon easier to use than some of the button on the Philips (if only because the Envizon buttons are simple, well spaced, easy-to-find, separate, and round buttons).

Speaking of the look and feel of "quality", I'd seen in a review that someone called the carry-case "cheapy nylon". Nylon, in general, is "cheapy", of course; but I was expecting to see a particularly cheesy looking carry case. It's not. It's nylon, so it isn't as if it has some appearance of "strikingly high quality", but the fabric straps seem fastened well. The zippers are smooth. As far as I'm concerned, as far as nylon cases go this one is fine. There's a handle for carrying the bag "pocketbook style", and there are two straps for hanging the bag (with the unit in it) from the headrest in a car (for backseat viewers, like children). I haven't tried fastening the case in a car, but the straps don't look like a particularly complicated or big deal to me.

As far as how the unit worked for me goes, it generally works fine. It was easy (very easy) to figure out and use. The picture quality is sharp. (In fact, the television picture was sharp enough that a long-time, local, news woman's signs of aging showed up a whole lot more on the Envizon TV than on "regular" TV's I've been watching.) The sound of the built-in speakers is fine and easy to adjust. The sound through headphones is amazing. Unlike with some portable DVD players, the flip-up door to the DVD compartment seems to operate smoothly and without the feeling that the door may come off easily. Unlike with some portable players, there's no chance of accidentally flipping up the door by hitting a button the side of the machine; because the Envizon's "door button" is located on "the main part" of the open machine (as it is with many, but not all, portable players).

The power switch is a teensy-tiny switch toward the back of the machine, and I can see how someone could have a little trouble manipulating it. Still, I've used machines with bigger switches that can be more difficult to manipulate than this one, sometimes because they aren't raised out and beyond the machine very much. The switch on the Envizon is tiny but protrudes enough that turning the machine off or on is only mildly challenging. I didn't consider it a big deal, because most of the "activity" is done using either the remote control or the buttons on the machine, and using either is so simple and easy.

The biggest challenge I ran into was with the signal. My general location isn't particularly one that would have too much trouble (although there are a lot of trees around). After some different tries at searching for channels I was able to get quite a few channels. I got most of my local channels and some I've never heard of; as well as, I think, about six different PBS channels - but only if I left the unit in one place on one table, with the magnetic antenna stuck to metal cake pan that happened to be on the table because it was drying after my daughter's birthday.

For the most part (and keep in mind I've only had limited opportunity to see what/where gets the best signal), I couldn't just walk around the house with the unit and still keep getting good signals (which shouldn't, I guess, be a surprise to anyone, but which could make a difference to some folks). Carrying the little antenna with me, I was able to pick up signals in one spot or another; so I know devoting a little more time to zeroing in on just the right location would have helped. I couldn't get any signal at all at the front of the house. Maybe if I'd spent some more time on one day or another, trying to get a signal (and maybe using the cake pan or some other metal object), I would have had more luck.

As it is (without more fooling around with it), it looks to me as if I can get a consistent and strong enough signal with the help of the the antenna and something like the cake pan (or a metal chair I tried) in the back of the house. Using the antenna alone (without the metal boost), I was able to get a signal but one that was inconsistent and would be too aggravating (or ineffective) to count on.

I suspect if I spent some time playing with getting a signal in one location/position or another elsewhere in the house, I'd probably find there are more locations/positions (of the antenna or unit) than it seems (especially after such limited experimentation). As it is, I've found those few locations/positions that, with the help of the cake pan, offer hours of viewing pleasure on a screen that I found to be impressive, in terms of clarity and colors.

Earlier, as I was looking at information on this product and others similar to it, I ran into a photo that I don't think was intended to be humorous (but that may have been). In any case, it was humorous because it showed a tiny, portable, DVD, player (not the Envizon) connected to a whole, big, "antenna deal". With the results I've been able to get with the help of the cake pan, I have no doubt that a better antenna would turn this little hand-held TV into something comparable to a "regular" TV. The only reason I can really imagine for hooking up such a "big, antenna, deal" to such a tiny device would be in the instance that someone's regular television set gave out; and he needed an interim tv until he bought another. (I have to say that there's a part of me that isn't really "OK" with involving a cake pan with my television viewing - but maybe that's just me. I'd be happy to call upon the trusty cake pan in a power failure, I'll admit.)

In a perfect world, the mini-antenna that comes with the Envizon unit would be able to pick up signals better without the need for cake pans or metal lawn chairs. In a perfect world, digital TV signals would find their way through tall pine trees and layers of interior walls. Oh, but alas (do people still say, "alas," in this technological era of ours?), the world is not a perfect world. Still, from what I've seen, the Envizon portable DVD player/TV is a nice little machine. Whether or not any reception challenges would/should make or break a person's decision to buy the product would depend on the person's needs/expectations, as well as location. It does occur to me to suggest to parents considering giving a child "a little TV of his very own to take to Grandma's" (or "to watch in the car") emphasize that with a TV or this type, reception can sometimes be a very iffy thing. Children aside, it's probably also worth mentioning that if you're thinking about getting one of these to watch the Super Bowl you'd be wise to do some planning when it comes to location, position, and available cake pans.

If you saw the height of the trees in my area you'd know why I'm fairly confident in blaming them for whatever signal "issues" I did run into with the tiny antenna; so, call me, "easy-to-please", but I'd give the Envizon four stars - only because I haven't used it long enough to feel confident adding that fifth star. (Note: Should I discover something terrible about the unit I'll be back to modify what I've written here, or to at least remove this Hub - written 01/16/11.)

If you've made it through that whole sensible, mature, and serious attempt I just made to share what I've observed about the Envizon entertainment center, I just need to mention this: This super-compact little DVD/TV combo (even with its respectable, business-like, and sensible black exterior, as opposed to, say, raspberry pink) is just the kee-ewtest little thing! Rest assured, however, I have not been so blinded by its cuteness to have allowed that to color my otherwise sensible review.

(Of course, if a cake pan has to be involved it isn't nearly as cute as it would otherwise be, but I've already discussed the matter of cake pans and lawn chairs.)