Shinco MDP-1770

Shinco's MDP-1770 portable DVD player resembles a small silver notebook computer and features a top-loading optical drive with navigation and output buttons on the right-hand face beside the drive cover. There are separate outputs for headphones, audio and video, with an additional optical audio-out connector for integration into a home stereo system.

The player handles most common media formats, including DVD, CD and CD-R/RW, but we found we had problems getting it to play burnt DVD movies consistently. Some would work flawlessly, while others would fail to play at all. The MDP-1770 can also play back MP3 music from burnt discs and generate slide shows from Kodak Picture CDs.

The MDP-1770's 7" TFT screen has a 16:9 aspect ratio and sufficient brightness to use in shade outdoors, but it struggled in direct sunlight. A pair of speakers is located under the screen, but the audio playback is a little tinny for serious movie watching; you're much better off using a pair of high-quality headphones.

The player weighs less than 1kg and is obviously designed for use in bumpy conditions, as it features an impressive anti-shock function. We found that the Shinco player was able to maintain playback through heavy vibration, an important consideration if you're buying the DVD player to use on a plane, train or bus. The bundled rechargeable lithium battery drives the machine for a little over three hours of solid playback, and the player ships with a car power adapter so you don't have to worry about running short on the road. The player also ships with a mains adapter and remote control just in case you want to use it out of arms reach--such as on a coffee table or the foot of a bed, or driving a larger TV in a hotel.

With a reasonable battery life, bright screen and extra features such as optical output, the Shinco MDP-1770 is a quality portable DVD player, backed up by a one-year warranty.