Home > Consumer Reviews > Koss DVP2161 Compact DVD with MP3/CD Player

We love this player. First, I read a prior review where the reviewer complained that it wouldn't play through their VCR. Macrovision copy protection provents you from doing this!!! It is not the fault of the KOSS player. If you don't have the component (RCA cables), composite, or S-video inputs on your TV, you'll need an RF modulator to hook up to your TV's coax jack.
We use this primarily in our van for my kids to watch movies. I've played DVD's, SVCD's, VCD's, and MP3's through it. I bought a $4.99 12v DC power cable from Radio shack to power it and 3 Y-adapters to split the signal on the video and audio (left and right) from the DVD player to two portable LCD screens. I've only had it skip twice before and that was over a few very large bumps last weekend. Both times it paused for a second, but kept it's place in the movie. As others have mentioned, this unit can run hot if you block the air vents at the bottom and it does seem to run hot with the provided AC adapter (but not in my van on the DC cable I bought). I've read that the provided AC adapter may output more than 12V, so I think I'll buy a new one from Wal-mart soon (buy one that has at least a 1,000 Ma (1 amp) or higher rating, 2,000 Ma (2 amp)if you can get it. I've tried an 800 Ma AC adapter and it wasn't enough. I had audio but no video).

In conclusion, we love this player. I deducted a star because I felt the manufacturer should've provided a better AC adapter.

I've played with one of these for about 6 months now. There is a bit of a heat problem as others have mentioned, I hacked mine to install a small fan (mpja.com part 12929 FN) and have not had problems since. I haven't found any format it won't read, from VCD to SVCD to CVD, DVD-R and -RW, JPEGs and MP3's on a DVD. (80 hours of music on one disk!) Outputs for composite video, S-video, and component video, as well as analog and optical digital audio. User interface isn't great, but it works. There are buttons for some functions on the player, but Koss didn't include enough to run a typical DVD, you will need the remote (which reduces its portability somewhat). Video filters are very sharp, which looks really good on some movies but introduces a little edge noise on some others. Runs on 12vdc, I've used mine in my small trailer with a LCD monitor, it's great to be able to take your movies and songs on the road.

I took a risk with the mixed reviews and the player that arrived today failed to play several disks and would error out shortly after the two times I got it to start playing at all. I'm returning the unit for a refund.

When it worked, it was OK -- decent picture/sound and small profile. But most of the time it wouldn't play disks, or it would freeze in the middle of them; all kinds of playback problems. I eventually stopped using it altogether and it's collecting dust in my closet. I would feel too bad trying to pass it off to someone else so I should probably just throw it away.

Plays DVDs with a little startup delay, and freezes a bit with scratched DVDs compared with larger units where no delays are evident. Has a hard time with VCDs, large pixels, frames freeze, and a persistent high pitched screech. If I didn't have a pile of VCDs, I'd consider this as a travel unit even with the big power supply.