Review of the Panasonic DVD-LS91 Portable DVD Player with Screen
“Dad, are we nearly there yet?” will be a question of the past when you give your kids the Panasonic DVD-LS91 portable DVD player on those long and boring journeys that they insist to complain about. Design |
The completely portable design of the LS91 is due to lightweight, but durable materials being used by the switched on guys at Panasonic. With it’s whole 9-inches of gorgeous widescreen; this player is plenty big enough for all three kids to watch in the back of the car. It comes with a headrest-mounting bracket with a quick release mechanism for adjusting or removing the player. You can also adjust the screen position using the mono-arm, coming in handy on those sunny days where glare causes problems. The player itself moves smoothly away from the base, and all the controls are located where the keyboard would normally be on a laptop. This is also where the disc is loaded.  |
| Features |
| We knew Panasonic was the first to launch a portable DVD player in the UK, so we expected some pretty futuristic features on the LS91, taking into account all the practice they’ve had. The multi-language, easy-to-navigate menu system enables you to navigate around your DVDs without wasting any time. Being portable, the LS91 is more prone to spillage damage, especially when used by Ribena-clad children, so Panasonic have supplied it with protection against electric shocks. So, we know it’s weather-proof, but you can also go off-roading with the LS91, as bumpy roads don’t phase the Hi-speed smooth scan feature in the slightest. As for DVDs, the LS91 is compatible with all DVD and DVD-RW formats, it’s also compatible with WMA, MP3, JPEG and DIVX6. You can enjoy a multi-format playback, with depth enhancer and MPEG digital noise reduction. Panasonic haven’t overlooked the LS91’s sonic features, by providing its built-in speakers with a multi-remaster 8, Dolby Digital Decoder, DTS Decoder, and Advanced Surround Sound. For searching for your favourite scenes, you can use speed controls ranging from 0.6 to 1.4. A mains adapter, or the included rechargeable battery can power the LS91, alternatively you can plug it in-car using the DC adapter. Other connections include video-out, s-channel audio out, and 2 headphone jacks. |
| Performance |
| After the initial charge of 4 hours, we managed to watch the animated film ‘Robots’ for 91 minutes, and we viewed photos for 1 hour before the LS91 gave up the ghost. On the second occasion we watched Platoon for 120 minutes, and we were overly impressed by the performance. Motion was handled expertly, with only a tiny amount of juddering on one occasion. Pictures contained a nice amount of detail, and black levels were superb. Audio didn’t get as loud as we would have expected, but it was perfectly loud enough to drown out the normal level of commuter-noise. |
| Overall Opinion |
| As expected, Panasonic has outdone itself again with the LS91 portable DVD player . The picture performance was of the highest portable DVD player quality. We would happily shell out this much for such a great player, especially if it will keep the kids quiet. Other players to consider are the Mustek PL-407H and the Toshiba SD-P1880 for a similar price. |
| By Lisa Malyon |
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Pros + 9-inch widescreen + Electric shock protection + Hi-speed smooth scanner + Up to 3 hours playback time |
Cons - no remote control |
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Overall Rating 
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By Lisa Malyon
27/10/2006 at 1:08:28pm
27/10/2006 at 1:08:28pm
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