Coby DVD-209 Ultra Compact DVD Player

This pint-sized portable DVD player from Coby belies its compact form with a sleek, attractive design, a sharp, crisp image accessible through composite outputs, a full-functioned miniature remote and the ability to read and smoothly play virtually any disc format, including + and - RW DVDs,

So why, you may well wonder, have I given this ostensibly marvelous little device a rating of only one star? The answer is that sadly, it suffers from what is, for anyone with normal hearing, a fatal flaw: It is loud. I mean truly unbearably, irredeemably LOUD.

On playback, the motor revs up to whir at such blaring decibels that it actually drowns out any quiet scenes that you may be watching, and yields an interminable din that competes even with normal levels of volume. In other words, its sound is omnipresent and endlessly, hopelessly distracting, rendering the machine, for this user at least, completely useless.

If larger DVD players, as well as compact CD... Read more

This little "el cheapo" cannot go head-to-head with the better, more expensive units out there. For what it is, though, it suits its role quite nicely. For starters, there's the price: I've seen these things for as little as $20. I actually paid nothing for mine as it was a "freeby" door prize. With that in mind, I suspect this would make an ideal "stocking stuffer" or office party gift (Secret Santa and all the usual holiday festivities).

Its portability is its most poignant virtue. Seriously, this thing will fit nicely in a briefcase, backpack, school bag, or even a large purse. Since I already own a $400+ NAD player as my main unit, I've taken this one to my classroom at school to show DVDs. Teachers, this little DVD is ideal for your classroom!

As far as its performance, it surprisingly holds its own with other slightly more expensive competitors in the $50 range. Today, that includes a whole slew of them. It displays a nice, crisp picture and delivers above... Read more

Very fragile. It dropped to pieces the first day I got it. When you play a DVD for a hour or so, the machine "over-heats" and the disk stops. Lasted me for 5 or 6 days.