Coby DVD-209 Ultra Compact DVD Player

by Coby

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 1 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000EN43EC
• Item model number: DVD-209
• Average Customer Review: 2.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,106 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #63 in Electronics > Televisions & Video > DVD Players & Recorders > DVD Players

Product Description

Ultra Compact DVD Player

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great Idea K.O.'d by Fatal Flaw, March 28, 2006

By 

M. Schnitzer (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Coby DVD-209 Ultra Compact DVD Player (Electronics)

This pint-sized portable DVD player from Coby belies its compact form with a sleek, attractive design, a sharp, crisp image accessible through composite outputs, a full-functioned miniature remote and the ability to read and smoothly play virtually any disc format, including + and - RW DVDs,

So why, you may well wonder, have I given this ostensibly marvelous little device a rating of only one star? The answer is that sadly, it suffers from what is, for anyone with normal hearing, a fatal flaw: It is loud. I mean truly unbearably, irredeemably LOUD.

On playback, the motor revs up to whir at such blaring decibels that it actually drowns out any quiet scenes that you may be watching, and yields an interminable din that competes even with normal levels of volume. In other words, its sound is omnipresent and endlessly, hopelessly distracting, rendering the machine, for this user at least, completely useless.

If larger DVD players, as well as compact CD players of the same size, don't generate this kind of noise, then there's really no excuse for the DVD-209 to be doing it, other than just plain poor engineering design.

What a waste -- of both a good idea for a compact DVD player -- and my money.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Dirt cheap DVD, April 15, 2007

By 

Frankland S. Strickland (Memphis, Tennessee) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Coby DVD-209 Ultra Compact DVD Player (Electronics)

This little "el cheapo" cannot go head-to-head with the better, more expensive units out there. For what it is, though, it suits its role quite nicely. For starters, there's the price: I've seen these things for as little as $20. I actually paid nothing for mine as it was a "freeby" door prize. With that in mind, I suspect this would make an ideal "stocking stuffer" or office party gift (Secret Santa and all the usual holiday festivities).

Its portability is its most poignant virtue. Seriously, this thing will fit nicely in a briefcase, backpack, school bag, or even a large purse. Since I already own a $400+ NAD player as my main unit, I've taken this one to my classroom at school to show DVDs. Teachers, this little DVD is ideal for your classroom!

As far as its performance, it surprisingly holds its own with other slightly more expensive competitors in the $50 range. Today, that includes a whole slew of them. It displays a nice, crisp picture and delivers above average sound quality. The remote is miniscule, but for portability issues that may be a good thing.

On the down side, this thing feels quite flimsy and "plasticky" so you'll likely need to handle it with extreme care. I've also read other reviews where the actual noise of the unit has been an issue, and I'll agree that I also hear an occasional whirring sound as it loads tracks. It's also a bit slow to load the digital information, so you'll find yourself wondering if it's actually working at first.

I've seen other units in this price range that bear a stricking resemblance to it---most notably GPX and Lennox. I suspect that all of these budget brands are maufactured under various brand names.

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Waist of Money, November 29, 2006

By 

Tory Pinder - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Coby DVD-209 Ultra Compact DVD Player (Electronics)

Very fragile. It dropped to pieces the first day I got it. When you play a DVD for a hour or so, the machine "over-heats" and the disk stops. Lasted me for 5 or 6 days.