Polaroid PDV-0700 7" Portable DVD Player

by Polaroid

Product Details

Product Manual [493kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 2 x 8 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000EI9UC
• Item model number: PDV-0700
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (121 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,199 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The PDV-0700 portable DVD player from Polaroid Electronics lets you enjoy your movies, music, and digital photos when you're on the road or relaxing in the comfort of your own home. Its autosensing power adapter (AC 100 to 240V, 50/60 Hz) makes it perfect for international use, too--a great companion for business or pleasure. The book-thin, MP3-friendly player features a broad, 7-inch LCD configured in a widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio whose dimensions closely approximate those of your favorite contemporary movies. A supplied rechargeable lithium-ion battery keeps your discs spinning for three to four hours between charges, and the player also comes with separate AC and DC power adapters for use indoors, in cars and boats--you name it.

The PDV-0700 also offers built-in stereo speakers for headphones-free listening, picture zoom, and compatibility with DVD-Video, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3-encoded discs--not to mention digital photos stored as JPEG images on recordable CD (you can rotate and zoom on these, as well). Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround-sound signals can be routed through the player's digital-audio output (through a .125-inch minijack-to-RCA coaxial cable, not supplied) for direct connection to a full-featured audio/video receiver.

Use the supplied AV interconnects to hook the player up with your television and/or stereo system. The supplied wireless, credit-card-sized remote control is just as useful within your home or without. Playback options include frame-by-frame slow motion, forward and reverse play, and multiple-angle viewing (with applicable discs). Headphones are not included, though you do get a handy splitter for listening with a friend.

What's in the Box
DVD player, battery pack, remote control, remote battery, headphone splitter, an auto-switching AC power adapter, DC vehicle adapter, audio/video interconnects, and a user's manual.

Product Description

Polaroid 7 portable DVD player. Plays DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, VCD, MP3, and JPEGs. Built in Dolby Digital decoder and stereo speakers. ESP function for an uninterrupted picture while in motion.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

166 of 170 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great DVD player for the price, December 26, 2003

By 

"us1226" (Lynn, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polaroid PDV-0700 7" Portable DVD Player (Electronics)

This is a great machine for the price. The screen is a good size and the picture quality is good even when viewed from the side. The small overall size, even with the battery attached (the battery effectively doubles the thickness) makes it very portable. It also comes with a couple of accessories not found with the more expensive machines, like a car adapter as well as a 110 plug, and a splitter that allows you to plug 2 sets of headphones in. The sound is the only place were this machine falls short. The sound is okay at best with the built in speakers, but any background noise makes it nearly impossible to hear anything from them even with the volume all the way up. Not surprising since due to the size of the player the speakers are only a little bigger then headphone speakers, but with headphones or portable plug-in speakers the sound is superb. Besides the sound the only 2 complaints are that you can not control the volume with the remote and that the power switch is too easily turned on by accident (do not travel with the battery attached or you will find you have no charge when it comes time to watch a movie). The battery lasts 3.5 to 4 hours, long enough for 2 short movies or 1 long one. So if you are looking not to spend a fortune, nothing else come close in in the under $300 range.

99 of 104 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent picture, very good sound, December 11, 2003

By 

David M. Lovin (Willow Spring, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Polaroid PDV-0700 7" Portable DVD Player (Electronics)

Polaroid's portable DVD player PDV-0700 is a sharp looking, lightweight answer for trips in the car or long waits in an office. It has a very crisp picture, even when the picture is very dark. Many players can't handle this and the screen blacks out, but this player still shows all details.

The machine comes with Dolby speakers which sound good, but a little weak. When you plug in a set of headphones, however, the sound in them is great. The player will handle just about any format, from DVD to VCD to MP3 to CD-RW. It comes with a rechargeable battery which connects to the bottom of the machine. This powers the player for about 4 hours of constant playing. Of course, this player can also be used as the main DVD player in a house, with inputs to a TV and sound system. The remote is small and thin, and handles most features, but you have to go through a few hoops to do some things, like choose a chapter in a movie.

The only minor complaints I have about this machine are that the picture is not as good as some of the better machines I have seen, and the speakers could be a little better. However, these other machines also cost much more than the 300 dollars you would invest in this one. For the money, you won't do much better.

61 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New update for PDV-0700, December 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Polaroid PDV-0700 7" Portable DVD Player (Electronics)

The report is edited again mainly to highlight a few issues. Despite my lengthy review, people do not read carefully. As I spend more time with this machine, the more I am impressed with it. Therefore, the rating is changed from a 4 to a 5 stars. There are few good reasons to pick this portable DVD player over others. First, let's talk about the good points. All DVD players made in China are actually made to view DVD's from all regions. They use programmable software to make it region specific. Polaroid is no exception. To make it region-free, all you have to do is to press Setup on the remote and advance to "Preferences". Then, you simply enter "1379" and then use the arrow keys to change to Region "0" and press enter. (This is confirmed in the online manual and it also works for the 8"). Potentially, you can do the same with other brands from China but the code may not be availabe at present. Those from Japan with big names, such as Sony, Panasonic, etc., are truly regional specific except for the older models. They cannot be "hecked" except with powerful software on a dvd or one actually has to open the case and remove the "chip". There is always a risk of rendering the machine less functional or not usable. Seven inches screen is a must. Don't settle for anything less or you will have eye strain. The Polaroid screen has a very wide angle so having 2 or 3 people watching at the same time is not a problem. The quality is impressive only AFTER adusting the contrast, color and brightness. A larger screen gives you a better view but will likely drain out the battery much faster. For the Polaroid PDV-0700, it will up to 4 hours starting new, enough to watch one long or two short movies with the build-in speakers at normal volume. It will be frustrating if you have a bigger screen but the battery pack only last less than 2 hours. The PDV-0700 comes with almost everying you need. The AC adapter works for 110 to 240 volts. A car adapter is included, along with AV cable for both output and input. You have to buy you own earjacks. It also plays VCD's. So far, I have not tried any othe format except DVD and VCD. You have to set the unit to Region 0 to play VCD. At one time, I connected the machine to a 47" big screen TV to play a region 2 dvd in Pal format. It worked great and the video output is excellent. Of course, it does not have progressive screen and sometimes you may be able to tell the difference. In addition, The electronic shock protection (ESP) is a very important feature. Don't buy any portable player without one. At one time, I ran the unit for more than 6 hours and the unit did NOT overheat. It has other build-in features such as zoom, normal/wide view, multiple angle view, screen saver, password, parental control and other ordinary DVD features.
Now, for the bad sides, like all brands made in China, quality control is always a concern. When I got my first unit, the door lid did not close properly and the player would stop almost everytime I touched the lid. I had to exchange for another one the next day and the second one has been working well so far. Polaroid is still a bigger name than other brands from China. Sound is adequate but I have not tried the earjack. The case is not very robust so you have to handle it with care. I also don't like the manual color and brightness controls. They do not give you any indication what levels the machine is set but there is better than nothing in other dvd playes. With the battery pack, the unit will become quite thick, but all parts fit well together. The battery can be OVERCHARGED so you have to watch out. The remote unit works fine but there is no volume control.
In summary, in terms of the overall quality, it is only slightly below other big Japanese players but the price is very attractive. Besides, if you really need it as a portable unit, why pay big bucks for a better one? You are alreay paying a premium for the smaller size. If you insist in having better quality, then settle with an ordinary size DVD player, why a portable? This machine, PDV-0700, is adequate to meet all your need. In addition, this is actually a "toy", not an investment. With time, the price will drop and there will always a better machine out on the market. So, you should consider only buying those that fill your need. Finally, due to the lack of consistent quality control, you should test the brand new unit extensively for the first two weeks to ensure that there is no manufacturer defect. For example, if the lid does not seem to close properly, change it or ask for a refund. Second, NEVER buy a used or refurished product. The factory is in China, not in North America. The defective machine can never be repaired up to the factory standard. Edited on June 30th 2004.

UPDATE (November 26th 2004): If you own this unit, eventually you will encounter this problem with "lid open". This is actually a mechanical failure due to poor design. I consider it as a manufacture defect since it will not last through normal wear and tear. If you open the lid and look at the inside edge, you will find a very tiny button at 11' o'clock. When you close the lid, the button should be and has to be pushed down for the unit to function. When the dvd player is brand new, the closed lid just barely pushed the button down enough to allow the unit to function. The hinge is made of the soft plastic of the case. The left side is further stressed with the spring. So, with routine use, no matter how careful you are, the left side hinge will become loose. All it takes is 0.5 to 1 mm movement and your unit will remain permanently in the "open" position. If your brand new unit occasionally stops playing because the lid suddenly goes "open", the problem will get worse. There is nothing you can do. There is no access to the hinge and therefore you cannot fix it. One SOLUTION is to glue a small piece of thick tape or thin rubber underneath the lid and directly above the small button. So, when the lid is close, the button will be pushed down. Despite my previous biased view favoring this unit, I can no longer able to recommend it to anyone. I brought it in the first place because it allows me to play DVD's from other regions. Polaroid should have cancelled this particular model and redesign a new now. For those who want to buy this model, DON'T. For those who just bought it, RETURN it if possible. For those who can't, use it extensively within the warranty period. If it breaks down, at least, you can get a replacement. For those who get struck with the unit, PRAY that it will last for as long as possible.