Home > Consumer Reviews > Panasonic DVD-LS5 Portable DVD Player

Compared to the Chinese imports (Apex, Initial, Cyberhome, etc.), the Panasonic DVD-LS5 is definitely a premium model, and both the price and quality show. If you just want to watch DVDs on the road and don't mind teeny sound or blocky images, the low-end models will serve you well. In fact I love my 8-inch Initial. On the other hand, if you want to truly enjoy a mobile DVD experience, you gotta buy this product.

Better styling and build quality aside, the Panasonic has at least three significant advantages over non-Japanese players: 1) the screen is clearer and offers better viewing angles horizontally, so you can share the joy of DVD with another person; 2) the sound is just incredibly loud for a small player like this, unlike the low-end players -- in fact it feels almost like surround sound in a quiet room; 3) the tilting mechansim is really cool and allows you to adjust the screen angle freely.

The battery snaps to the back (and raises the player a bit) and offers a little over 2 hours of viewing pleasure. All considered, the Panasonic player is also much more portable than the other ones; even with the battery installed we are talking something you can just grab and watch, as opposed to carrying in two hands.

Is the Panasonic worth the extra money over the other players? I definitely think so.

For Christmas this year I decided on a portable DVD player as my present. I dont travel very much but I LOVE technology so I figured why not, and so began my quest. I went to various online sites and eventually went out to my local electronics stores to do some research and to see the different players. I visited the usual Wal-Mart and Target, which had decent amount of relatively inexpensive portables on display but none of which were working models. I went to BestBuy to find 3 models on the floor. The one which price wise, was close to the Panasonic, was a Toshiba sd-p1200. It was HORRIBLE, it looked like an Etch-A-Sketch playing a DVD. The other two models, one a Poloroid that wouldnt work, and the other a Mintek which like the Poloroid wouldnt work, looked very cheaply put together and not worth the money. So I decided to move on to Circuit City. Once there I came across this wonderful little DVD player. The Panasonic DVD-LS5. I didn't want something clunky or bulky, and this player fit the bill. It is about the size of a portable CD player. The screen resolution is amazing. It is like a nice LCD computer monitor (albeit a small one). But with just over 500 lines of resolution and a 5 inch widescreen display, it does the DVD's justice. It is lightweight and very quiet. I played two movies back to back (Terminator 3 and Indiana Jones and the last Crusade) and this bad boy didnt even work up a sweat. The entire unit stayed cool and whisper quiet 4 hours after I first turned it on. I used wall power as my battery was not charged yet. Later on I used the battery and got through one 2 hour movie. So the description of 2 hours per charge is accurate. It only takes 2 hours to charge the battery back up and since it is a lithium ion battery there is no need to fully discharge the battery. The swivel screen function is really very cool. It allows you to watch a movie in classic portable dvd player fashion (like opening a book) or you can adjust the height and tilt, or you can completely compact the unit by laying the screen flat on the player. Little rubber wheels on the bottom of the screen prevent the screen from scratching the player. Panasonic has thought of everything. I only paid $299 for mine and at that price I almost felt like I stole it! It is an amzing little machine that has phenominal sound too. I am a radio dj so I am all about sound. When the headphones are plugged in.. WOW!!!... I've heard sounds on the portable that I never heard on my full size DTS home theater system! The bottom line is, if you on a quest for a solid portable system, the quest ends here. I know that it is a little pricy, but considering some of the other models out there that are shotty construction and hit or miss as far as it working or not, for the money (and it was well spent money), the Panasonic DVD-LS5 is at the top of its class!

UPDATE:
The hinge which allows the screen to be tilted broke after about 10 months of heavy use. Unit is still completely useable. So, my only recommendation would be to not overuse the screen tilting function, as it isn't very sturdy.
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I received the Panasonic DVD-LS5 for Christmas 2003. Although I had asked for one of the cheaper portable DVD players by Initial or Apex, my wife picked the DVD-LS5, after doing a considerable amount of research.

I'm glad she did, because I've been thrilled with this DVD player. I commute to work via bus, which allows me to watch about one movie each day. The adjustable screen allows for easy viewing, even in crowded conditions. The picture quality is excellent, and I haven't yet had any problems with the player.
For accessories, I would recommend the following, for those who plan to take the player on travel:
1. Case: I use the CD ACC CASE II (Item #9481), from XLARGE.COM. The DVD-LS5 with attached standard battery (CGR H603) fits perfectly into the CD player pack. There is also a CD folder with slots for 8 DVDs or CDs, and a pouch for headphones & accessories.

2. Earbud headphones & splitter: I've got 3 sets of inexpensive earbud headphones, so I can watch with friends, when on a plane, etc. With multiple headphones, you'll need a splitter - I use the RadioShack 3 Channel Headphone Volume Booster.

3. Extra batteries: I've got 2 extra CGR-601 batteries, which last around 4 hours each on standard play, for a total of 10 hours play time on long trips, when combined with the included CGR-603 battery.

4. DVDs: Since I watch up to 5 movies a week, I've found Netflix.com to be a great deal.

I spent hours and hours searching for a portable DVD player and got caught up with everything from price and size to functionality. Let's face it, every feature comes with a trade off and, for me at least, the primary function of a portable DVD player is to BE PORTABLE. The Panasonic DVD-LS5 really delivers.

I looked at all the high end models including the Panasonic DVD-LA95 and the Samsung 10 inch model. All were great but none of them had much in the way of battery life. Usually 2 hours or a bit more. Extra batteries were either very expensive and/or hard to find. The DVD-LS5 is also just over two hours but the batteries are way cheaper.

I was happy to see that the replacement/extra batteries for this unit are easy to find and don't make a major dent on the wallet. The 5 inch screen looked small from the spec sheet but when you see it next to other models at 7 and even 9 inches you can see how rich and clear the picture is. I was amazed to see the clarity with no noticable ghosting or jaggies even when watching high action films. Bigger isn't always better. I found eystrain looking at some of the larger ones for the same money that were not as crisp.

I'll post again later once I have had more time to use the player but the features on the machine are great. It even played DVD+RW! Output to a TV is good but I will have to get the S Video cable to see how nice it really looks. It also has a dual analog/optical out port for sound so you can get surround sound if you have the system to support it. I think it is stereo only via headphones or analog output.

I think Panasonic really has the best line of players out there and with the prices coming down they are fantastic tag along entertainment for the weary train, bus or air traveller. One suggestion is to get a good set of headphones. Preferably one with an isolater to keep out ambient noise. The built in speakers are very good compared with other models but you'll want the quality and privacy of a good headset. I am sure folks around you will agree.

I am going to buy a bunch of batteries cause I am road warrior and can't handle a player that has no battery backup. It is small, easy to cary, anything but flimsy and won't run out of juice with the extra batteries <-- that you can actually find and don't weigh like bricks.

Kudos to Panasonic!

After reading all the other reviews on Amazon and looking at everything in a few of New York City's major electrical stores (J&R, Circuit City, Best Buy) I bought the Panasonic DVD-LS5 portable DVD player for $329 from Amazon.

It was the most streamline and compact, solid feeling, good looking and highly recommended DVD player of this size. The screen looked sharper and brighter than it's competitors including larger much more expensive models.

6 months later, several friends and colleagues have fallen in love with this portable DVD player and after doing their own due dilligence, all chose the same model. Panasonic really seem to have gotten it right and the premium one pays for this consistently strong and reliable brand is well worth the money.

Size? I travel a great deal and wanted a very good tough small well made machine for around $350. The LS5 fits the bill and seems to stand alone in it's corner of the market. Larger portable DVD players start approaching the size of a small laptop and cost around $600 and up. Moreover, this model is perfect for a tray table even when the seat in front is reclined in your face. Ideal for the back of a car. Sits on my knee in the airport lounge. In hotel rooms I either connect my DVD player to the TV using the supplied cables or usually prefer it's crisp clean screen and awesome headphone sound.

Extras? The battery gives just over 2 hours of juice - basically one movie plus change. I recommend people buy an additional battery: Panasonic's CGR-H601A/B extended life battery is good for an extra 3-4 hours (a very reasonable $69 especially considering most batteries cost more than a hundred bucks).

Sound? The headphone sound is absolutely amazing and the external speakers in such a tiny machine can't match their sophisticated range and power. So I recommend a really good pair of headphones - don't skimp - the sound is incredible! I can hear a depth and nuance in a movie's soundtrack and dialogue which I've never noticed before. A headphone splitter is a very good idea. Additionally I recently bought Sony's small and highly touted SRS-T55 travel speakers ($47.50) so that a small group could join the fun. Two or three people can all view equally well without losing quality from being off centre.