Panasonic DVD-LS5 Portable DVD Player

by Panasonic

Product Details

Product Manual [994kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 5.7 x 1.3 inches ; 1.2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000AINEH
• Item model number: DVD-LS5
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #127,005 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com

Panasonic's DVD-LS5 offers the versatility of a portable DVD player alongside the performance of a sophisticated home-theater component--and you can use it as both. The player handles DVD-Video, high-resolution DVD-Audio, DVD-R, and DVD-RAM playback, as well as standard and recordable audio CDs, including MP3- and WMA-encoded discs. Its slender, 1-inch chassis holds a 5-inch widescreen (16:9) liquid-crystal display and a built-in rechargeable battery good for about 2.5 hours between charges.

Designed to take full advantage of both audio and traditional video DVD formats, the DVD-LS5 delivers the super high-fidelity (192 kHz/24-bit) sound of DVD-Audio. DVD-Audio software titles offer classic music titles in both multichannel and stereo, though be aware that this model plays discs in stereo only. Most DVD-A discs have compressed Dolby Digital or DTS 5.1 surround tracks, however; these can be passed through the unit's digital-audio output to a compatible surround receiver and speaker system.

Audio features also include DTS and Dolby Digital passthrough, built-in stereo speakers, and Panasonic's Dialogue Enhancer for DVD movie viewing. Advanced Surround Sound (VSS) simulates surround effects from any two speakers or from headphones.

Cinema Mode reduces the detrimental effects of screen glare from ambient light, rendering cinematic colors in pictures that are gentle on the eyes. Further, Cinema Mode improves the visibility of details in dark scenes by automatically adjusting picture contrast.

This player is HighMAT compatible. High-Performance Media Access Technology is a standard co-developed by Panasonic and Microsoft to improve interoperability for digital media programming between PCs and electronics devices. HighMAT provides an efficient method for arranging digital photo, music, and video collections on recordable media.

What's in the Box
DVD player, remote control, AC adapter, audio/video cables, rechargeable battery pack, user's manual, and warranty information.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

99 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deserves five stars, September 24, 2003

By 

Gadgester "No Time, No Money" (Mother Earth) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Panasonic DVD-LS5 Portable DVD Player (Electronics)

Compared to the Chinese imports (Apex, Initial, Cyberhome, etc.), the Panasonic DVD-LS5 is definitely a premium model, and both the price and quality show. If you just want to watch DVDs on the road and don't mind teeny sound or blocky images, the low-end models will serve you well. In fact I love my 8-inch Initial. On the other hand, if you want to truly enjoy a mobile DVD experience, you gotta buy this product.

Better styling and build quality aside, the Panasonic has at least three significant advantages over non-Japanese players: 1) the screen is clearer and offers better viewing angles horizontally, so you can share the joy of DVD with another person; 2) the sound is just incredibly loud for a small player like this, unlike the low-end players -- in fact it feels almost like surround sound in a quiet room; 3) the tilting mechansim is really cool and allows you to adjust the screen angle freely.

The battery snaps to the back (and raises the player a bit) and offers a little over 2 hours of viewing pleasure. All considered, the Panasonic player is also much more portable than the other ones; even with the battery installed we are talking something you can just grab and watch, as opposed to carrying in two hands.

Is the Panasonic worth the extra money over the other players? I definitely think so.

58 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Portable magic!!!, November 16, 2003

By 

Josh Turchetta (Loveland, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic DVD-LS5 Portable DVD Player (Electronics)

For Christmas this year I decided on a portable DVD player as my present. I dont travel very much but I LOVE technology so I figured why not, and so began my quest. I went to various online sites and eventually went out to my local electronics stores to do some research and to see the different players. I visited the usual Wal-Mart and Target, which had decent amount of relatively inexpensive portables on display but none of which were working models. I went to BestBuy to find 3 models on the floor. The one which price wise, was close to the Panasonic, was a Toshiba sd-p1200. It was HORRIBLE, it looked like an Etch-A-Sketch playing a DVD. The other two models, one a Poloroid that wouldnt work, and the other a Mintek which like the Poloroid wouldnt work, looked very cheaply put together and not worth the money. So I decided to move on to Circuit City. Once there I came across this wonderful little DVD player. The Panasonic DVD-LS5. I didn't want something clunky or bulky, and this player fit the bill. It is about the size of a portable CD player. The screen resolution is amazing. It is like a nice LCD computer monitor (albeit a small one). But with just over 500 lines of resolution and a 5 inch widescreen display, it does the DVD's justice. It is lightweight and very quiet. I played two movies back to back (Terminator 3 and Indiana Jones and the last Crusade) and this bad boy didnt even work up a sweat. The entire unit stayed cool and whisper quiet 4 hours after I first turned it on. I used wall power as my battery was not charged yet. Later on I used the battery and got through one 2 hour movie. So the description of 2 hours per charge is accurate. It only takes 2 hours to charge the battery back up and since it is a lithium ion battery there is no need to fully discharge the battery. The swivel screen function is really very cool. It allows you to watch a movie in classic portable dvd player fashion (like opening a book) or you can adjust the height and tilt, or you can completely compact the unit by laying the screen flat on the player. Little rubber wheels on the bottom of the screen prevent the screen from scratching the player. Panasonic has thought of everything. I only paid $299 for mine and at that price I almost felt like I stole it! It is an amzing little machine that has phenominal sound too. I am a radio dj so I am all about sound. When the headphones are plugged in.. WOW!!!... I've heard sounds on the portable that I never heard on my full size DTS home theater system! The bottom line is, if you on a quest for a solid portable system, the quest ends here. I know that it is a little pricy, but considering some of the other models out there that are shotty construction and hit or miss as far as it working or not, for the money (and it was well spent money), the Panasonic DVD-LS5 is at the top of its class!

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Portable DVD Player, January 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Panasonic DVD-LS5 Portable DVD Player (Electronics)

UPDATE:
The hinge which allows the screen to be tilted broke after about 10 months of heavy use. Unit is still completely useable. So, my only recommendation would be to not overuse the screen tilting function, as it isn't very sturdy.
---------------
I received the Panasonic DVD-LS5 for Christmas 2003. Although I had asked for one of the cheaper portable DVD players by Initial or Apex, my wife picked the DVD-LS5, after doing a considerable amount of research.

I'm glad she did, because I've been thrilled with this DVD player. I commute to work via bus, which allows me to watch about one movie each day. The adjustable screen allows for easy viewing, even in crowded conditions. The picture quality is excellent, and I haven't yet had any problems with the player.
For accessories, I would recommend the following, for those who plan to take the player on travel:
1. Case: I use the CD ACC CASE II (Item #9481), from XLARGE.COM. The DVD-LS5 with attached standard battery (CGR H603) fits perfectly into the CD player pack. There is also a CD folder with slots for 8 DVDs or CDs, and a pouch for headphones & accessories.

2. Earbud headphones & splitter: I've got 3 sets of inexpensive earbud headphones, so I can watch with friends, when on a plane, etc. With multiple headphones, you'll need a splitter - I use the RadioShack 3 Channel Headphone Volume Booster.

3. Extra batteries: I've got 2 extra CGR-601 batteries, which last around 4 hours each on standard play, for a total of 10 hours play time on long trips, when combined with the included CGR-603 battery.

4. DVDs: Since I watch up to 5 movies a week, I've found Netflix.com to be a great deal.