Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD Player
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Manufacturer: Toshiba
Price at amazon.com: $699.00This item is not stocked or has been discontinued.
- 10-bit, 27 MHz digital-to-analog video converter
- ColorStream component-video and S-video outputs
- Coaxial or optical digital audio output (single minijack output, coaxial adapter provided)
- D-2 component-video cable included
- PC compatibility (requires optional ATAPI card)
Product Description:
Description from Manufacturer:Toshiba's first venture into portable DVD is a remarkable success. The SD-P1000 pulls ahead of the portable pack with high-quality audio and video and the unique ability to double as a DVD-ROM drive for your PC. The unit is lightweight, and the built-in anti-glare screen--though smaller than the now-common 7 inches diagonally--offers an astonishingly good picture, clear and bright with deep blacks even in bright environs.We found that the portable SD-P1000 also works exceptionally well as a home player, thanks to Toshiba's extensive hookup options, which include digital and decoded analog and surround-sound outputs, plus the company's famous ColorStream Po progressive-scan component-video outputs. State-of-the-art progressive-scan offers an image of seamless near-perfection that has to be seen to be believed. (It also has to be viewed on a compatible monitor to be appreciated.)
When setting up the component-video input, be sure to select the type of component-video--interlaced or progressive scan--that matches your TV (Y/Cb/Cr for interlaced, Y/Pb/Pr for progressive). According to Toshiba, the fluorescent tube that illuminates the front panel from inside will deteriorate with use. The standard life is about 10,000 hours of continuous use at normal room temperature; that's 1.4 years of non-stop playback or, at a generous 10 hours a week, 19 years. (Hand it off to your five-year-old when he or she heads off to college and call it a good deal.)
While the SD-P1000 doesn't offer screen-adjustment controls, we found the factory settings to appear surprisingly well balanced under many conditions, from sunlit rooms to nighttime bus rides. Blacks are always a deep, satisfying black, even during daytime viewing. We do recommend changing the background screen color from bright blue (the default setting) to gray, which is not as flashy but much more screen-friendly when you're listening to CDs and the screen is still technically "on."
The assumption with this unit, of course, is that you'll be using it primarily as a portable. The quality of the supplied component-video cables is merely average, and because of the multipin connection at the player, you can't upgrade to better cables. Also, be warned: like all portable DVD players, this puppy gets mighty warm during use, as do your discs.
Audio quality is excellent from the various inputs. However, the supplied headphones, as with most portables, leave much to be desired and don't begin to do justice to the quality of the main unit. We recommend picking up a good closed-ear set (which will block sound from without) for portable use.
Use of the SD-P1000 as a DVD-ROM drive requires an ATAPI card and connection cable (not included), but this will greatly expand your uses of the device, granting access to encyclopedic DVD-ROM discs and exciting software. --Michael Mikesell
Pros:
- Great picture quality
- Lightweight
- Quality audio with a multitude of hookup options
- Short (3.5-hour) charge time for battery pack
- Aqua screen frame minimizes reflected light while viewing
- Antiglare screen
- Menu access from main unit as well as from supplied remote control
Cons:
- No display setting controls (brightness, tint, etc.)
- Cannot run on standard batteries
- Short battery life (around 2.25 hours per charge)
- Smaller-than-average screen
- Surround output but no surround decoding
Toshiba SD-P1000 portable DVD player, composite-video/stereo analog audio interconnects, coaxial digital-audio adapter cable, D-2 component-video cable (multipin to tri-color RCA), a remote control, a battery pack, an AC adapter/charger, earbud headphones, and a user's manual.Average Customer Rating:
Comment: Almost Great Rating:
This is a great (almost) portable player. It has a teriffic picture!! The best I've seen and the sound is very good. Easy hook-up to TVs. Screen is a little small compared to others but it isn't a problem. You seem to see picture details you don't on others or regular TVs.
The downside is you need to carry the fullsize remote, the battery is clunky and the unit gets hot. It doesn't have an car adapter although the adaptors for several notebooks (Libretto 100/110 and Portege 3000/3010/3020/3110) should work because they use the same AC Adaptor. Toshiba car adaptor that should work is part #DPS50 but good luck finding it. Try an DC to AC inverter such as Linksys L03040, currently (8/6/01) a good price here at Amazon.
Comment: Crystal Clear Rating:
My friend bought a Panasonic player last year for about. When I showed him the picture quality of this Toshiba, he was amazed. He didn't realize how poor his unit was until he watched mine. And he also commented on how much better the speakers sounded. The scan lines are very apparent on the Panasonic, and the Toshiba's is like a photograph. I admit that his battery life is a lot better than the Toshiba, but I'm guessing that the screen consumes more juice than his also. When the accessories are available, I'll be buying a spare battery.
Comment: Still the best picture of any portable DVD player (2004) Rating:
Although some of the reviews are approaching four years old, the words are still true -- as of 2004 this player has the best picture quality of *any* portable DVD/LCD player EVER. At 5.9" it doesn't have the biggest screen nor does it have the most pixels. What it does have is an incredible picture quality that is unmatched by many larger home plasma and LCD televisions and no other DVD/LCD player.
It's that good.
The later portables by Toshiba can't touch it. Panasonics and Samsungs don't come close. Minteks, Sonys, whatever else don't even rate. The SD-P1000's viewing angle is acceptable and the contrast ratio is quite good. The color accuracy is outstanding. No adjustments to the picture (except for backlight brightness) are available and are not needed. I can't technically state why this player looks so good but the secret has to be the quality of the LCD screen. It is special. Perhaps it is a screen used by Toshiba in its Libretto series of pocket computers. In any event, the later, larger screens by Toshiba are not as good -- poor consrast ratio and viewing angle.
This player passes Avia and DVE test DVDs with ease. Excellent color and geometry. Incredible detail.
Downsides? The battery arrangement is a bit clumsy and the battery is, of course, proprietary (why can't they make these packs accept a bunch of replacable AA NiMH cells?). The remote is bit large. There are few controls on the player so the remote is *needed*. The player can get a bit hot. Battery life isn't the longest -- good for one two hour movie and not much more.
Still, even with the downsides, the amazingly detailed, smooth, colorful picture produced by the Toshiba SD-P1000 makes one forget the shortcomings and just enjoy the beauty of the movie.
Posted at November 11, 2003 07:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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