Coby TF-DVD7005 7 in. Portable DVD Player

Portable DVD players should give a good viewing experience and withstand the abuses of travel. This player, for the price, excels in the former and lags in the latter.

I like its trim size and large screen. It can easily fit in your book bag or briefcase. The picture is sharp and bright. The battery life is decent, though I have not watched a full-length movie on it. The volume is ample for both spoken and musical material.

I didn't like the fact that it defaults to widescreen all of the time. Most of my DVDs are SD, so I have to change the frame aspect ratio every time. Not a big deal, just an annoyance.

Another issue I have with it is the lack of a display button on the unit itself. Many times, I leave the remote control behind (since it is another small item that I can easily lose). I have basic arrow functionality, but no means of displaying what track number I am on. Oftentimes, I have to stop playing the DVD, and it would be nice to know which track I can jump to when restarting.

When on battery, it stops spinning within a minute or two and goes into screensaver mode to save battery power.

This unit only serves well in an environment that does not require it to move, such as an apartment or dorm room. It is not made to handle the rough and tumble world of portability. This is the second Coby DVD player I've owned (my first was a Coby TF-DVD7100) and the second Coby player to die 4 months into ownership. The manufacturer's warranty is a convenient 3 months.

Each time, the laser would fail to reach the outer parts of the DVD. It could only play the first part and then stop when attempting to play later chapters.

In each case, I bought a Mack Camera warranty, and each time it served me well. When I sent in the unit for repair for the first unit, I was told that it was unfixable. Mack Camera refunded my money. I am now in the process of boxing up my current unit, anticipating once again, that it will be unfixable.

Hence I have sworn off Coby DVD players. If you must get one, be sure to pick up a portable DVD player repair policy (like Mack Camera). You do not have to buy the warranty with the unit - you have 30 days to get one, and you can register it with Mack Camera at any time (despite their strong warning to register immediately). You can buy a Mack Camera warranty from any store that sells it, as long as the warranty description matches the item.

So if you plan to keep your portable DVD player on the move, don't buy this unit. This unit is built to last until the expiration of the manufacturer's warranty (3 months).