Customer Reviews

Astar PD-3020 7-Inch Portable DVD Player

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We ordered two of these units. I must admit, our expectations weren't very high. Because of the very low price, we anticipated something that didn't work, or didn't work well. That was not the case.

Both units worked fully. They played both commercial DVDs as well as DVD-R and DCD-RW discs recorded at home. The picture was clear and the controls intuitive. Sound quality was adequate.

We successfully tested the unit using the included car adaptor as well as the AC adaptor. We used both for over 20 hours each while traveling by car over the holidays.

I saw the other reviewer had no luck with these units, but our experience implies that they're worth a try.

I had this unit for a day before I had a problem with it, but having solved the problem that first time, it has not recurred and I'm pleased with the DVD player now.

Here's what happened: Playing DVD's worked exceptionally well, including DVD-R and DVD+RW discs, but after the first few minutes using the video input, the image went nuts.

It still worked for playing DVD's. The machine was only flaky when using the video input.

What I saw was first that the image scrolled up the screen like the vertical hold was off and then the image stabilized in the center, but black bars obscured portions of the image and occasionally the whole screen would go dark for several seconds.

I tried connecting the device to the outputs of my VHS, DVD player, DVD recorder and XBox. The video problem remained. I tried changing aspect ratios on the Astar DVD player and using the Reset command and that was ineffective.

I was on hold awaiting an RMA number when I discovered the fix.

Here's the fix: I connected it to my set-top DVD player's composite output and changed the aspect ratio on that output from 4:3 to 16:9 and then back to 4:3. Apparently, that was enough of a kick to get the video input working again on the Astar DVD player.

My theory is that the analog-to-digital converter chip on the Astar DVD player was freaking out and when I changed the aspect ratio on the signal going into it, that effectively kicked it past whatever glitch it had encountered.

Since that time it has behaved perfectly well. I would go so far as to say that sometimes it has been abused a bit, having been kicked around in the back of the car. Nevertheless, it's still going strong.

Bought one, found it defective with first dvd, returned it next day. Received second unit, also defective first try, but other symptoms, returned that the next day. Bought a third player, different brand!

Got to hand it to Amazon, though, no hassle return policy had the second dvd player on the way to me before they had received the first one back. You can't find a better place to shop!

Pros

Very good screen. Easy controls on device. Loud speakers. Video input and output is an awesome combination. Compact enough. DVD playback is great. Extras definitely a plus.

Cons

Battery is attached externally. Would have been better if built-in. Remove control is too confusing and has a non-standard layout. POWER OFF on remote is standard in most devices am surprise this one has none. It's a manual switch. Screen view using video input keeps scrolling after a few minutes and there's no control to stop it. But video input from HD source seems to stabilize it. Clamshell locking mechnism is clumsy, it would have been better if it was on the center like most notebooks locking system.

It's good enough for the price I paid for it.

I have 3 of these which I bought for using in my car (for my daughter), for travelling and one for my sister. I have opened and used 2 of them and I have faced absolutely no issues.

I have an 18 month old child and this DVD player has been a lifesaver. We purchased this player before a long airline flight this summer. The picture quality is phenomenal and the player is very easy to operate. I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a low cost portable DVD player. I do have two issues with the product. 1) The sound without headphones is not great. This was not too much of an issue for me right now, but certainly something you should know prior to buying this unit.
2) The design for the battery is a pain. first you have to pull out about 4 small rubber pieces before inserting the battery. The small pieces do not stay latched on so this could be a choking hazard or can be very easy to lose.

Overall, the player met my expectations and I am very satisfied.

We have had for 9 months and it has worked good up until now. We have not even used the player that much and now there is a loose connection somehwere between the screen and the player. It has been taken well care of and has not been exposed to anything harmful whatsoever. We cannot open the screen past 90 dgrees or the screen will blank out...sound still works for what its worth since the volume is a big weakness. Regardless of where you may read about a year warranty, there is only a 90 day warranty on these and customer service can be difficult to locate. Astar has offred to fix for a $35 fee, but I would rather spend that money on a brand we can trust. I would spend your money on a different brand altogether.

I have used this DVD player for a few years now, and it still works wonderfully. The buttons are well labeled on the player. The DVD's speakers are not very loud; thus, it is helpful to use a headset. The screen is not powerful under the sun, but I haven't seen any electronics that has a powerful screen under this particular condition. I use the player to connect to the TV sometimes, and the effort to connect the player to the TV is minimal. I like the remote that comes with the player when I am using it with the TV. I have not encountered any major problems with the player, and I would recommend this player to anyone.

I love this DVD player! This is the best value, it comes with a case, every cable you will need, two sets of headphones, and a headphone splitter to make two headphone jacks! I am a gamer on the road, and so I used its A/V ports a lot! If you want to play games with it though, find a Female to Female A/V Adapter to connect your system to the player. I highly reccomend this to just about anyone who wants a solid DVD player for a good price!

This player is very convenient for long trips. If you want to save the money, you can get it Free from this web site: ilikethis.info/portabledvd