Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD-Video Player
No other portable DVD player produces as awesome a picture as this entry from Toshiba. In our tests, we found that comparing the difference between the progressive-scan picture on its 5-inch-wide (5.8-inch diagonal) LCD screen and that of any other portable DVD player is like comparing a color photocopy of Van Gogh's Starry Night and the real thing.
Plus, thanks to Toshiba's progressive-scan technology--the same technology that creates the seamless picture on your personal computer monitor--scan lines are eliminated. Disappearing along with the scan lines are the eyestrain and headache that usually results after staring at an LCD image at point-blank range for two hours.
The SD-P1000 is designed to be used as a portable movie player and as a home progressive-scan DVD player. (The player delivers a 480p picture when connected to a Toshiba ColorStream-equipped HDTV set or to any component-video-equipped HDTV.) It can also be used as an external DVD-ROM drive. Additionally, unlike most DVD players, home or portable, the SD-P1000 can play back homebrewed CD-R discs.
The Toshiba is currently the only progressive-scan portable DVD player available. However, with the exception of progressive-scan technology and the smaller screen size, the SD-P1000's features are similar to most of the other state-of-the-art 7-inch-screen portable players such as the Panasonic DVD-LV75 and the Pioneer PDV-LC20.
At just over two hours, the SD-P1000 lithium-ion battery supplies nearly an hour less battery power than the units mentioned above, but there's plenty of juice for a complete viewing of your average flick. However, there's no button to display the time elapsed/remaining, critical for monitoring battery use. We also noted that like many portable DVD players, the bottom of the player gets too warm to rest the player on your lap after about an hour. Use a magazine for insulation if you plan on lap watching.
With two exceptions, this machine comes with every analog and digital audio-video connectivity option possible. Instead of a USB or serial link for using the SD-P1000 as an external DVD/CD-ROM deck, Toshiba includes a ATAPI cable that requires an optional ATAPI adapter card. Also, while the player will output Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround signals to your surround-decoding receiver, it will not decode these multichannel signals to accommodate receivers with 5.1-channel analog inputs.
But let's get back to that spectacular, almost filmlike, picture. Images are thick, almost 3-D, yet as crisp and crystalline as a professional photograph. The picture also is unusually bright, with no flicker and hardly any motion artifacts. Like HDTV, it's like seeing an image for the first time.
We tested the machine against another player with a 7-inch screen by viewing the DVD of Toy Story. On the larger screen, it looked like a grainy, faded cartoon in comparison to the Toshiba. With the SDP 1000B, we were in Andy's bedroom, flying to infinity and beyond with Buzz and Woody rather than vainly trying to mentally reconstruct the lifelike image we remembered from the theater.
But for some reason, the SD-P1000 had some trouble with black-and-white films, especially noir. While the images from both Touch of Evil and The Third Man shone like true "silver" screen classics, we noticed a bit more motion artifacts than we expected. Still, with this slight flaw the Toshiba still triumphs among other portable DVD alternatives.
While the SD-P1000's picture is nearly perfect, its portable ergonomics are less so. The lithium-ion battery pack is similar to the tube-type that you hook on to the rear of a player, an arrangement found (and since abandoned) on early-generation Panasonic units. Unfortunately, the battery on the test unit didn't sit as securely as it should. In addition, the battery has to be attached to the player to be recharged, also awkward logistically.
The most annoying ergonomic lapse is the inclusion of an electronic rather than a mechanical disc-open mechanism. You must turn on the power to open the lid to insert or remove a disc. Powering up to simply remove a disc is annoying, especially if you're on the road and you want to conserve power. Most state-of-the-art portable DVD players offer mechanical disc flaps.
There is no doubt that the Toshiba SD-P1000 offers a portable DVD picture unlike you'll see on any other unit. The question is whether you want a larger picture and if you can live with this model's less than state-of-the-art ergonomics.
Add Review »
More Reviews »
Question or Comment?..about the Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD Post a Message on the message board
Buy/Sell Used Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD
Listprice
The listprice/Manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of the Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD:
$ 799.99 (~ € )
SD-P1000 Portable DVD Features
Features of the Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD
• 10-bit, 27 MHz digital-to-analog video converter
• ColorStream component-video and S-video outputs
• Coaxial or optical digital audio output (single minijack output, coaxial adapter provided)
SD-P1000 Portable DVD Specifications
Specifications of the Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD
• Digital-to-analog audio converter: 24-bit/96 kHz
• Digital-to-analog video converter: 10-bit/27 MHz
• Aspect ratios: 16:9 widescreen, 4:3 with inverted letterbox
Related products/software
Products & Software related to the Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD
Toshiba
| Toshiba SD-P1000 Portable DVD
• ListPrice:$ 799.99
|
| Tab & Sheet Music |
Search Tab & Sheet Music for
Find Sheet Music, Scores, Guitar Tab, Lyrics, Bass Tab, Drum Tablature in seconds and buy safe and secure online
|
|
