Customer Reviews

Initial IDM-1810 Portable DVD Player with 8-Inch LCD and Car Kit

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

B4 I type in my review, I have browse the web a lot reading various reviews and models of portable DVD Players. Regardless of bad reviews I too bought this player and got a different feeling to it.
I chose this model mainly for the price. What other models are out there with these specs with 8" wide screen for under $300. As soon as I rec'd my model IDM-1810 I was already pleased with what it comes with. The slim design is very nice and the battery snaps to the back nicely with 3 hours playing time and 5 hours playing time when the LCD screen is closed.

I tried every type of media including DVD Rom DVD-R,DVD+RW, CD, CD-R. It passed. It only takes 4 ½ hours to charge the battery.
I wasted no time and I watched a movie right after another. I wanted to see if it would get hot on me and turn off. Wow, I had it on for over 4 movies. That's about 8 hours of nonstop playing time plugged in. It didn't even skip or shut down on me. So that test passed. I then tried the battery alone, this time I used the RCA cables it comes with, and plugged it in to this player and to a TV monitor to see how it would work. I can even plug in my Xbox to this thing if I want it to. It has an input and output for audio and video. Very nice. I saw a movie a little more than 2 hours using the battery, I did close the player so It would conserve the battery. That passed.

The next day, was the test I was scared of. Plugging it in the Car cigarette lighter, with the car on. Let me tell you guys, I tried plugging it in using various ways and it worked all the time. I did all this with the battery not plugged in the player. I even shook the hell out of it, The anti shock works also. This test Passed. The remote has everything you want except it does not have volume control. If anything that is my only negative remark. I guess I'm just being lazy to just higher it from the player. Now All I have to do is test the durability of this and see how long it will last. It does have a one year warranty and you have to mail in the warranty card within 14 days of purchase to receive this limited warranty.

I called Initial electronics to find out more about this product. They told me they have sold thousands of these and the reason why if the screen goes dark that's because it protects your player from over heating kind of like a fail safe. I guess I haven't been that unfortunate yet. They also said the difference between IDM-1810 and IDM 830 is the software updates. These 2 products are there newest and IDM 830 has a software update but both have the same functions. IDM 830 does cost more. I inquire for accessories and you can purchase accessories straight from them just not the player itself. The extra battery for this is not out yet and they estimated it would cost $100. Too much if you ask me, They do carry a universal battery but it does not snap on the back of your player. They don't have a case for this also.

The MFG is located at La Verne Ca. and there customer service number is 800 216 5156. I should get commissioned for this detailed review. Bottom line is this product receives my high rank of 5 out of 5 stars. Just read my Title for my review!

3-27-2005

I just want to give a rare update since most feedback usually don't test the durability.
I have been using the same DVD player almost 5 days a week since I take it to work.
I watch movies and play mp3s on this device lots of times a day.
My dvd player now has scratches, blemishes on the grey coated paint. I have dropped it a few times, since I carry it in my backpack. However, with all this usage I must say its still working like the first day I bought it.
It seems that not all are happy with this model, after reading all the reviews. My DVD player works great and I would not trade it for any other player. Trully, the one I bought has been battle tested. Within 1 1/2 years of service I have been using the battery, and the plug in. I still have not gotten the black screen. Just thought this extra vailidation would assist you guys. Sticking to my Title all the way!!!!

Do NOT -- I repeat DO NOT buy this unit. I made the mistake of purchasing it at Circuit City on a Friday for a week-long trip. Got on the plane, turned on the unit and within 5 minutes, the screen was black. I arrived at my destination, went into the local Circuit City and we went through 3 brand new units before I found one that wasn't black when I turned it on. I took it back to the hotel and poof, it went black.

Saturday, went back to Circuit City, and I know you'll find this hard to believe, but the store clerk tore through 6 boxes of brand new Intials before finding one that wasn't a black screen. I took it back to the hotel and needless to say it went black within 15 minutes.

So, that's a total of 12 units that were delivered to Circuit City in two different cities that had a black screen. So please, folks at Initial, don't tell me you don't know what's going on and this is something quirky. You know exactly what's going on.

By the way, kudoos to Circuit City for providing great customer service and doing the best they could under these circumstances. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore and just got a refund.

The IDM-1810 is the same as Circuit City's Initial IDM-830. That's what I bought. The picture is crystal clear and the volume is loud enough for car use. It's definitely a better picture than the comparable Mintek 8" unit. Everything about the Initial unit is nice, except one fatal flaw. The screen goes black when the thing is plugged into a car cigarette lighter. I tried it in both our cars - a Honda and a Subaru - and with another car adapter also (the Initial adapter worked fine with another device too). I tried it with the car engine running and with the engine off too. So it's gotta be the DVD player itself. One white flash and then black screen (but audio OK) every time you turn the unit on. But when I used it in the house or with the battery, this only happened once. Strangely there's a note in the package that says if the screen is black when using the car power adapter, turn it off, unplug it, then try again. So Initial KNOWS about this problem! What's the deal? If you ever want to use this otherwise fine DVD player in your car, forget it.

I'm sorry I did not take the advice of the other reviewers. The product failed just as described. It played one movie and then nothing, the screen went black and thats all she wrote. I'm glad I tested it BEFORE the raod trip I have planned for Christmas vacation. Thanks AMAZON for this great forum.

I got several hours of use from my player before the screen went black. I tried to revive the system for several more hours and gave it up for dead. Very disappointing.

I bought one unit and was very happy with it for a while. The power cord was flimsily attached and eventually required holding it just so to get the movies to play. Even with that, it would cut out for no reason, so back it went. I paid the $50. repair fee (the three month parts and labor warrantee was over).
I just got the new unit (or probably refurb) two days ago. I had one happy day then the unit went black. It plays the DVD, because you can hear it, but the screen is too dim to see. I believe that this had been an infrequent problem on my first unit. Back this unit goes. The technician was friendly and Initial is paying the shipping this time, but I have to wait another 4 weeks, and hope that I don't have problems again.

Yes this is a good price for a portable DVD, but I wish I had paid more and gotten better quality. No matter how little money you pay, you might be wasting it.

I had major problems with this Initial DVD portable player. The first time I turned on the player, I found a small glowing green dot at the top of the screen (I believe that's called a dead pixel). Then, I found the player took forever to load dual sided DVDs. I could have lived with those problems for the price I paid for the player (around $355).

However, the next day when I turned on the player, I could barely see the image on the screen even after adjusting the brightness control. Obviously, the player was defective. Fortunately, I was able to return for a full refund and I ended up buying the more expensive Toshiba player with the 8.9" screen. I figured you get what you pay for.

I'm only giving this piece of junk 1 star because the rating scale is from 1 to 5. I wish I could give it a -10 !!!!

Unfortunately I did not read all the reviews of this product. I was in a hurry to buy a portable DVD player and saw the screen size for the price. BAD move. I too have the problem with the black screen. I was at home watching a DVD on battery when it flashed the "low battery" warning. So I plugged in the adapter. The screen went black! I tried removing the battery and running on adapter. BLACK SCREEN! I tried replacing the battery and having the adapter plugged in. BLACK SCREEN! I charged the battery and removed the adapter. Tried running on battery. BLACK SCREEN! I guess I'm now stuck with a $300 paper weight!

DO NOT.......I REPEAT..........DO NOT BUY THIS DVD PLAYER!!!!!!!!

I wish I hadn't!

My previous review of this product was based on a big mistake. I thought that the DVD player would work with the AC adapter or DC adapter as long as the battery was attached. It did work that way for me, but little did I know at the time that it was because the battery was fully charged and it was the battery that was powering the unit. The AC adapter wasn't doing anything. I tried it with the DC adapter and received the same results. Whenever the battery ran low the unit would shut off even though an adapter was attached. What a piece of junk. I apologize to everyone for this error on my part. I thought I was doing a good thing by helping and as it turns out everyone else was right. This unit should be recalled. Do yourself a favor and save some aggravation. Do not buy this unit! I returned it and purchased the Sony DVP-FX700 on sale at Circuit City. With the exception of it not including a DC adapter (available at Radio Shack) The Sony is one impressive unit. Sorry everybody for the mis-information.

I purchased this player a couple of days ago and have been very happy with it thus far..After reading a lot of the reviews on this site I was a bit reticent about this player but decided to take a chance and I'm glad I did! So far..so good..this player has a great picture and plays DVD R + discs as well! I set it up in my car and with a "cassette adapter" (plugs into your cassette deck in the car..) you feel as if you're experiencing surround sound in a theatre! Now granted..this review is based on only two days of constant use but honestly..I can say that this little player is definitely a great value and will give you hours of sheer enjoyment! Hooking it up to my TVs at home with the audio, video cords provided and I was enjoying DVDs on my larger TVs..you didn't even need an RF adaptor. The car adapter is provided and the remote control that comes with it works great as well..for the money I don't think you can find a better deal! The unit is very light and feels like a feather when you carry it..I picked up a Case Logic case at Comp USA ($12.99) and it fits perfectly in it and I'm able to entertain my two youngsters while on a road trip..so for that alone it's worth it! You can also plug a headphone into it and with headphones..the sound is amazing! All around..no problems like I've read on this site and I'm really happy with it! Buy one!

UPDATE! 12-31-04

I was a little bit overzealous with my review of the the IDM 1810..a couple of days after I posted this above review I could not get the player to load a DVD..I thought maybe that moisture might have something to do with it so I let it sit for a couple of hours and tried again but had the same problem! So I promptly packed up the player with all the accessories and ran it back to the store where I purchased it and ended up exchanging it for the IDM 830 which is the "newer" version of this player..the dimensions are exactly the same with a few custom modifications..I read one review on this site where someone recommended getting the IDM 830 at Circuit City..well..ironically..I was over at Circuit City the other day and noticed a unit that looked exactly the same as the IDM 830 but they called it a "Liquid Video" player...I called Initial after exchanging the player and asked them about the 1810 and they said that the 830 was the "newer" version...well I've had the 830 for a couple of weeks and so far so good..I had had it on a 5 hour road trip..ran movies continuously on it for a couple of days and so far so good! It's a great player with the best picture I have seen on these portable DVD players..just like the 1810..but apparently IDM must have solved the problems they had with the 1810..so my recommendation is..get the IDM 830 and any extended warranty..just in case....it's the same player as the "Liquid Video" player at Circuit City and much more reliable..so far..I'll keep y'all posted!!

UPDATE 6-2-05

The player is still working beautifully!!!