Philips DCP850

The Philips DCP850 is more than just a standard portable DVD player. It offers an integrated video iPod dock, an SD memory card slot and is DivX Home Theater Certified. While the DCP850 delivers an excellent feature set and all around solid performance for an affordable price, there are a couple of flaws in this player that prevent us from giving it our highest rating.

The neat design of the DCP850 allows for a video iPod to slip into the bay where the remote control would otherwise sit during transit. An iPod locks securely into place and remains flush with the player's chassis. Unfortunately, the remote is not able to control much in the way of playback from an integrated iPod aside from the pause control. Of course, you can easily access the controls on the iPod itself, but it would have been more convenient if Philips had fully integrated the unit.

The quality of the images displayed on the 8.5 inch screen of the DCP850 is good, comparable to most similar sized units. The screen can swivel up to 180 degrees, so you're more likely to find the viewing angle that is just right for you. You can even swivel the screen to turn the DCP850 into a tablet-like viewing device (although that would prevent you from being able to access the controls on an iPod). The audio performance on this portable left us disappointed. Like many similar models, the integrated twin speakers on the DCP850 are tinny and weak. Audio improves when using one or both of the dual headphone jacks, although volume level is still a weak point on this unit.

We were disappointed by the Philips DCP850's battery performance, but perhaps the biggest drawback is that the battery is not removable, so you don't even have the option of carrying a back up for those long flights without AC power. Of course, if you intend to primarily use the DCP850 to keep the kids entertained on road trips, the units includes a car adapter so battery life won't be an issue.

The DCP850 offers excellent disc compatibility. As well as just about every type of home burned DVD and CD it can also access discs loaded with DivX files sourced from the internet. The built-in memory card slot also enables you to access video and photo files from SD or MMC cards. The Philips DCP850 is a competitively priced portable DVD player that will greatly appeal to video iPod owners wanting to view content on an 8.5 inch screen.

Pros: Inexpensive price, video iPod dock, memory card slot, DivX compatible, excellent disc compatibility
Cons: Weak built in speaker volume, disappointing battery life, no possibility of carrying a spare battery

Warranty
1 year, parts and labor