I was hunting for a good portable DVD player with built-in screen for my personal use. The normal DVD player which I had at home was too bulky to be carried around and frankly it was not meant to be portable. The models I came across with built-in screens were mostly Panasonic and Sony and were understandably quite expensive. I didn’t want to spend a huge amount for a portable player and so kept postponing my decision for months until…one day I came across a brand I hadn’t heard of – “Initial.” It is a USA based company product (Initial Technologies Inc., USA) sourced through their production facility in China.
It was priced at almost half of its better known rivals. I immediately demanded a demo and compared the other products from Panasonic and Sony. I felt there was hardly any difference between the three in terms of quality or features, except for brand name. Well, I could live with that if I had a ‘money for value’ product like this IDM-1731 from Initial and not bother my self too much about the brands.
And so, I concluded the deal…
BUILD QUALITY:
The build quality and feel is of a very high order. It comes in a clam shell design and looks almost like a mini notebook computer. The DVD drive and controls are in the base half of the unit with the brilliant HDTV compatible TFT screen and the built-in stereo speakers on the flap side of the unit. The ‘Initial’ logo is displayed prominently on the flap side between the two speakers.
The drive is fixed type unlike the normal tray types which tends to get stuck and are not suitable for mobile units. It is housed under a thin lid which snaps open at the press of a button.
Overall the player is smooth and sleek and looks on par with more expensive ones.
PLAYBACK FORMATS:
DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, JPEG, PHOTO CD.
This player is versatile and can play almost any disk. I have tried my pc recorded MP3 CDs and other personally recorded CDs and found the player recognizing them without a hitch. The quality of reproduction was also impressive.
DISPLAY:
7” Wide Angle Active Matrix TFT-LCD Screen, 16:9 aspect ratio.
The display is crisp and can be viewed from a very wide angle. There is hardly any difference in display when compared to the more expensive Panasonic Portable DVD player. The 7” screen is huge for a portable player and you can watch your favourite DVDs and CD movies in the comfort of your room or car. The display is clear even from a distance of 8ft. which makes it convenient for a small group to watch their favourite movies in a car, or when on long boring journeys in trains though this player is actually meant for personal viewing.
The screen comes in the widescreen format which one normally sees associated with the flat plasma screen panel TV.
AUDIO: DTS Sound, Dolby Digital.
In the case of a larger group of 3 to 4 persons, it would be better to connect it to good external speakers. If the external speakers are dolby digital compatible, then you can actually experience something close to Home Theatre acoustics. You can enjoy immersive DTS or 5.1 channel Dolby digital surround sound if connected to compatible external speaker system.
PHONES: Hi-Fi Sterio Headphones (need to buy separately)
SPEAKERS: Stereo, built-in.
The built in speakers are quite okay for short distance viewing especially in the case of individuals. They are as good or as bad as any built-in speakers available in portable DVD models.
CONNECTORS: S-Video, Composite Video, Digital Co-axial Audio,
Optical Digital Audio.
You can connect it to your larger Home TV and use it as a DVD, VCD player to enjoy a larger picture.
Alternatively, it can be hooked to your swanky audio system to enjoy DVD music (in case, your audio system doesn’t support DVDs).
You can also use it as a cable TV for HDTV picture quality
BATTERY:
The DVD player comes with a Li-ion rechargeable battery. This battery comes in a peculiar format. It has to be slide-fixed from the outside at the back end of the player. The battery is sturdy and has a dual function, it also supports the screen when open.
The battery lasts for about 3 hours when watching in the DVD TFT on mode, and for about 5 hours in the DVD TFT off mode – good enough for watching 2 English movies at a stretch.
The player also comes with a Car Cigarette Adapter for recharging on the move as well as playing without the use of battery.
The player also runs on AC power for which a separate adapter and cable is provided
REMOTE:
The remote is a letdown; it comes in an elongated credit card type format with a button cell supplying the necessary power. The remote looks a little flimsy as compared to the rest of the unit, but does its job. I think the manufacturers had portability at the top of their mind, so, decided to opt for a credit card type remote.
OTHER FEATURES:
Multilanguage and multi-angle support brings unique trick functions.
Parental lock to control content of discs.
Up to 4X Zoom (great for close-up shots).
Up to 32X fast forward (that’s very fast)
Time Search: Nice feature for watching a specific part on a disc, especially in the case of action movies.
On board anti skip mechanism to prevent accidental skipping of tracks.
FINALLY:
One other thing, there are 2 types of products that come out of China. The first type is products made by Chinese companies in China. The other type is products made by Multinational Companies from their manufacturing facilities in China – there is a difference.
Before I sign off I just wanted to mention that my Initial Portable DVD is just great. The quality of display can rival any of the other better known players available in the market. I love watching movies on my player.
The downside is, now, I am getting more and more addicted to movies.
© MB Farookh. Jan, 2005.
p.s. I have been waiting for MS to include this product in their database, but nowadays getting the product included in the database is getting to be a real test in patience.