Travel Technology - portable DVD players (for kids)

I have been looking at buying a cheapie potrable DVD player for our 2yr old travelling daughter. I want to spend under $100 and have seen the following:

Mintek/Mustek (??)
Coby
Polaroid
Zenith

Does anyone have any comments on the above or other recommendations for a cheap portable DVD player - not necessarily outstanding feature but just to keep a kid happy/occupied.

I bought an Insignia 8" (http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7656636&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat13900050018&id=1134702472136) portable DVD player from Best Buy. Got it for $70 on Black Friday, but I think you can get it for around $100 most of the time. One perk is that I was able to find a region hack for it so that Baby Swede can watch Swedish DVDs. One downside is that it only comes with a 90-day warranty.

It does have some issues playing burned foreign DVDs. It also doesn't like being moved around when playing (usually "reboots" if not handled like it's the Hope Diamond when moved from one place to another). The lid is also somewhat difficult to open.

The DVD player just left yesterday on its first trip, so I will report back when it returns.

I have used a Poloroid for numerous car trips for a few years and it has been fine. I make the kids use headphones. I think anything under/around $100 are similar and will be fine.

If you need cheap, kid's-sized headphones, this was a pretty good deal.

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Catalog_Id=1&Product_Id=92546&RememberCatalogId=1&Status_Code=ACTV&uniq=2007yr%3A3mth%3A27day%3A12hr%3A42min%3A15s%3A 797ms%3A+

Fortunately, there is a store not too far away from my home, so I was able to walk in a pick one up. Not too sure how much shipping would cost.

They are a little big on my 2yr old, but she'll grow into 'em soon enough.

I have been looking at buying a cheapie potrable DVD player for our 2yr old travelling daughter. I want to spend under $100

I got a Coby one from amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Coby-TF-DVD7107-TFT-Portable-Player/dp/B000EN8A7S/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4/002-6532671-1791230?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1175027529&sr=8-4 which seems to work OK.

If you need cheap, kid's-sized headphones, this was a pretty good deal.

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Catalog_Id=1&Product_Id=92546&RememberCatalogId=1&Status_Code=ACTV&uniq=2007yr%3A3mth%3A27day%3A12hr%3A42min%3A15s%3A 797ms%3A+

Fortunately, there is a store not too far away from my home, so I was able to walk in a pick one up. Not too sure how much shipping would cost.

They are a little big on my 2yr old, but she'll grow into 'em soon enough.

Well mini-alect is used to getting N/C headphones in J - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sesameellis/346280042/in/set-72157594415765529/.

When not travelling in J she now uses my Sennheiser headphones I got on Concorde :D - little does she know.

Well mini-alect is used to getting N/C headphones in J - http://www.flickr.com/photos/sesameellis/346280042/in/set-72157594415765529/.

What a cutie. :)

What a cutie. :)

Thanks. We think so too - though ofcourse we're biased :D let me just say she has a far greater resemblance to her mother than her father :p

Well I bought a Polaroid on ebay tonight for $82 incl shipping. Will report how it goes. Fingers crossed.

Will you be traveling internationally? If so, will you bring all DVDs with you? Or would you like to rent some at the destination?

I ask because I bought a nice expensive DVD player to take on an extended overseas trip, and only then did I learn about the Region Code nightmare.

If yours is for domestic travel only, never mind. Otherwise you need to consider how to deal with region codes.

I ask because I bought a nice expensive DVD player to take on an extended overseas trip, and only then did I learn about the Region Code nightmare.

This more hindsight now, but search for your DVD player on www.videohelp.com. There might be a region code hack for your player that will allow you to play any kind of DVD.

That was one of the reasons I went with the one I purchased.

Update for my DVD player: it has some issues playing burned DVDs, but it doesn't have any issues playing actual movie DVDs (regardless of region). The region hack also has to be inputted every time you turn on the DVD player (an annoyance, but tolerable).