Not all your favourite entertainment gadgets lend themselves to a portable format. However a portable DVD player being slim and sleek is easy to carry around without a problem. Like any DVD player they provide crisp images and realistic surround sound offering you the advantage of uninterrupted entertainment either on a plane, train, car, bus or simply whenever you feel bored. These players are also useful in business applications for presenting product videos or to promote your business at a trade fair. These amazing players come with various options making it hard to choose one that suits your needs.

Shinco as a Manufacturer

Shinco is a major manufacturer of consumer electronics and air conditioners with the reputation of being ranked in the “top 100” national electronic enterprises for 14 consecutive years. Shinco has become one of the well-known consumer electronic brands in Europe and worldwide, producing portable DVD players with superior picture and sound quality. The growth of Shinco was demonstrated in 2003, when they produced 3 million portable DVD players to meet the worldwide demand.

Key Features to Look For

• Tiny players are great to slip in your luggage but may offer limited viewing with screen size constraints whereas a bigger screen device may be too heavy to be easily portable. So, it’s important to base your decision on the trade off between maximum portability and the screen size.

• A 7 inch screen is the most widely recommended size for portable models to provide clear pictures yet remain easily portable.

• Check the formats supported by your portable DVD player. Most DVD players can also function as a CD, CD-R/RW, DVD-R, VCD, and MP3 Player and can play WMA files, support JPEG game formats, consoles and more. Also check if your player incorporates a TV tuner and if it is region free.

• If you choose to connect your portable DVD player to your home entertainment system or hotel room system then remember that the sound and the image quality depend on the video and audio output types offered. S-Video for video and optical Out for audio will give you the best digital playback.

• Some players come with longer battery life, but this may increase the weight of the player and its price as well. Shorter life battery players are fine if you wish to watch only half a movie. Most players now come with a rechargeable battery.

• Some portable models have anti-shock protection to avoid annoying jumps when watching in a car.

• Ensure that all the essential accessories such as headphones, remote control, bags and other goodies are included in your purchase.

Shinco Model Players

Shinco portable DVD players are recognised as being well built quality players ranging from simple to highly sophisticated models. The SDP1720A is a solid model with the advantage of multi-region out of the box and supporting major format playback such as MPEG4 (DIVX and XVID), DVD+R/RW and DVD-R/RW, producing high contrast display. Another Shinco model worth a look is the SDP1720C, with features including wide screen, multi region DVD, high resolution TFT display, Dolby digital audio output and a solid build. The Shinco SDP-6820 is a multi region player with TV tuner support. This model comes with a high definition screen, virtual surround sound, SD/MS/MMC card reader and USB ports.

The SDP-1280 is another Shinco offering worth mentioning, including multiregion, USB, card reader and TV tuner support. This player also has twin built-in headphone jacks that allow you to plug in 2 sets of headphones. The SDP-2002 model has recently replaced the SDP-2001, adding tilting capability.

Conclusion

The choice of the right portable DVD player is dependent upon its intended use. If you want to enjoy home movies on the move or indeed your favourite recorded TV shows then choose a player that is compatible with the playback formats supported by your home DVD recorder. If the primary objective is to take it on overseas trips or you have multiple regions in your DVD collection, opt for a player with multiregion disc compatibility. With so many manufacturers and models around, it is important to carefully analyse your needs, compare prices, do some basic research and shop around before choosing one.