Home > Consumer Reviews > Pioneer PDV-LC10 Portable DVD Player

This portable DVD player is killer. After months of research and comparing the available portables - as well as those that are soon to be available - I finally sucked it up and bought the Pioneer for less than a grand. For a price comparable to that of Panasonic's 5 inch model, you get a 7 inch screen - side by side the two are not even comparable. Picture quality, while not perfect, is much better than on the smaller models, and is enhanced by the non-metallic portion of the player that is visible when the player is open. It's a lot easier to watch than the Sharp or Panasonic models. The attachment for the battery is a little goofy - reminds me of a cardboard egg container, only a little sturdier - but that just keeps the heat down. Definitely the best of what's available, and nothing really superior appears to be coming down the pike any time soon. By the way, it does come with an adapter, even though the write ups rarely mention that.

I chose this unit after side-by-side comparisons with the most popular Panasonic and Sharp models. The picture quality and larger size make for excellent viewing, and the speakers' sound quality is much better. Hooked to the large scren TV, it performs fantastically. It is well worth the extra cost compared with other models. Our first use was on a 9 hour flight to Italy, and with a spare battery we watched three movies on the way. My suggestions would be to get the extra battery, and a "boosteroo" audio jack that allows you to plug in multiple headphones and ups the headphone volume. The Pioneer comes with a battery charger and extra power cord so you can watch and charge at the same time -- but beware -- you cannot use the AC adapter to charge the battery while it's in the player. That was unexpected, and is occassionally inconvenient. Still, on the whole, I'm close to buying another, because my girlfriend takes this one to the office too often.

We purchased the Pioneer PDV-LC10 after a side-by-side comparison with the most popular Panasonic model. The Pioneer's 7" screen was far better, and the resolution is great. We bought ours when it was $1500, and it was well worth the extra amount for the better picture quality and wide format screen. The speakers and controls are also superior, and the black face surrounding the screen enhances viewing compared with shiny silver models. The one main flaw is that the battery cannot be recharged while in the player's battery case. A separate recharger and cord is provided, but it's worth buying the extra battery for long trips, or to use one battery while the other is recharging. I would also recommend getting a multi-port headphone amplifier (about $20) if you're going to have more than one person listening in a noisy environment -- for example, on a plane. You can plug in two headphones to the player itself, but the amplifier is nice if you want to hear soft dialog very clearly over background noise. Definitely a head-turner. We normally keep it hooked to our very large TV, and it works great as a home unit.

... not to mention a reasonable price. Seriously, I checked out the price here last month and it seems to have dropped by $100 or more. Now is the time to buy if you're looking for a portable DVD player/TV combo.

Before purchasing, I had read the reviews here on Amazon and compared them with the highly rated panasonic model. Both players seem to be well thought of by owners. I then checked out a live demo in a local store for both. It was no contest. The pioneer took the prize.

It's not that the panasonic model didn't look good or perform well -- it did. But the larger LCD screen of the pioneer made all the difference in the world.

The picture is clear and sharp and does not have any 'ghosting' or 'pixelation' apparent with it. Visual quality was as good as or better than a regular television set. Reviewer 'cons' stated a tinny sound (using the built in speakers) and a somewhat other than top-notch picture. Frankly, I've not experienced either of these problems with the player I bought. Granted, the sound is better with headphones, but is entirely adequate using the speakers only -- and as I mentioned before, the LCD picture is very sharp - the color, vibrant.

Another feature you'll appreciate is the clustered controls on upper right surface of the player. These are logically organized and large enough (without being overly large) so that they can be easily reached and used. The player has a remote that comes with it, but honestly, I bought it for travel and bedside use -- I doubt I'll ever have a use for the remote. Still, it's there for those who want to hook the device up to their regular television set in lieu of having a larger 'desktop' DVD player.

All cables and misc items are included with the player -- including two power cables -- so you can watch a movie with the AC adapter while also recharging the 3.5 hour battery (the battery does not charge while mounted in the player itself - rather it has a separate charging unit). There is nothing extra to buy except for the DVDs you want to watch.

Light-weight, attractive, sturdy and reliable; this device is perfect for a car or plane trip, or use in a hotel room. Parents will find it a great boon for long trips and the inevitable "when will we get there daddy?" from the kiddies. Insomniacs (like myself) will love the player since you can use the headphones and watch your favorite DVDs in bed while not disturbing your sleeping spouse.

Buy it and join the multitude of satisfied users.

** Highly Recommended **

~P~

I travel alot and get bored with the very limited cable channels I get in hotels so I decided I needed a portable DVD. I looked at the 7" Panasonic model and the Pioneer PDVLC10. Hands down, the Pioneer spanked the Panasonic model. Setup is user friendly so you can start playing movies right away. The image is clear and crisp and the sound is awesome with headphones or using external speakers. I didn't find the battery and it's docking station heavy at all. I tried to play a double sided DVD in both models and found that the Panasonic didn't play DVD's 2x in Wide Screen format. I'm not going to knock the limitations of the Panasonic model but if you want a true test and get a chance to, try playing the Matrix, Blade and ID4 in both models...

That's what sold me on the Pioneer PDVLC10 Portable DVD Player

Nuff said!