Audiovox must be kidding with its D1817PKG portable DVD player

Sheesh -- what's it going to take to get a decent portable DVD player? Just after we'd been tricked into believing that it couldn't get any worse, along comes Audiovox to take things to a whole new low. This so-called conglomerate doesn't even bother sharing its screen resolution with us, but does take the time to showcase its rechargeable battery, integrated stereo speakers, pair of folding headphones and credit card sized remote. Additionally, you'll find a car power adapter, carrying case, and a controller to play the 30 surely riveting games that are built in. Here's a tip: take your $123 and do almost anything with it. Chances are you'll be better off than trying your luck with this thing.

Update: Audiovox pinged us to let us know the screen resolution is actually a halfway respectable 720 x 480 pixels, and it also touts composite video in / out along with headphone / RCA audio outputs.

[Via SlashGear]

[John @ Dec 17th 2007 4:21PM]

I'll pay $123 to get that girl's hideous lazy eye fixed.

They don't make models like they used to.

[Joseph @ Dec 17th 2007 8:22PM]

I was hoping someone was going to comment on her hideous Goonie-like face.
Sloth-like-Chunk!!!

[brandon @ Dec 17th 2007 4:27PM]

So... if you don't care, and assume we don't care, and in fact encourage people to not buy it, why write about it to begin with?

[Tim @ Dec 17th 2007 4:31PM]

because it's a slow news day? Otherwise I have no clue either....

[blade417 @ Dec 17th 2007 4:34PM]

So that people like me can make fun of it.


btw... is that soccer ball on the controller supposed to be an analog, or maybe it's the guide button like the 360?

[karts41 @ Dec 17th 2007 4:44PM]

Mega Pad...




And the ball looks pretty solid in place.

[jason51873 @ Dec 17th 2007 6:49PM]

Because it makes me laugh thats why. Really dont need any other reason.

[Hutch81 @ Dec 17th 2007 4:44PM]

It is "multi purpose" items like this that make me go WTF and then I realize that I just got a little dumber and I feel ashamed.

[Doug @ Dec 17th 2007 5:00PM]

So... what *are* the 30 games?

[Max @ Dec 17th 2007 5:58PM]

Pac Mad, Ms. Pac Mad, Dinky Kong, Trog, Astro Blister, Dim Dum, Fragger, Berzert, etc.

[Farris @ Dec 17th 2007 7:41PM]

But Max, the question remains:

Will it play Doon?

[Derbeste @ Dec 18th 2007 10:49AM]

"...will it play Doon?"

Best laugh I've had in weeks.

Thank you.

[Doug @ Dec 17th 2007 5:02PM]

Anyone that complains about this player does not have kids.

Its an ideal player. I had an earlier model with the integrated game controller, but it was unreliable.

And no, OP, the screen resolution is not important. What is important? That Thomas the Tank Engine DVDs work on it. Seriously, this is a good buy.

-d

[mattwier @ Dec 17th 2007 5:13PM]

Dude I love Thomas the Tank Engine. I used to spend all day playing with my train set - man Thomas, Gordon, Percy, Sir Topemhat, and the Troublesome Trucks!

[KAD @ Dec 17th 2007 5:21PM]

They're...two they're four...they're six...they're eight. Shunting trucks and hauling frieght. Red and Green and Blue and....SHUT UP!!!!! That's all I heare all day with my kids at home. I certainly don't need to bring that in the car with me.

[Clinton @ Dec 17th 2007 5:33PM]

Perhaps you should switch your kids to Backyardigans. They are at least mildly entertaining.

[Johnny @ Dec 17th 2007 5:45PM]

oy vey! what about yo gabba gabba!?!

[Ethyriel @ Dec 17th 2007 6:34PM]

Or you could, you know, try actually parenting instead of sticking your kids in front of the TV...

You officially have no right to complain about the world, or how your kids turn out.

[KAD @ Dec 17th 2007 8:18PM]

one..two...wow that was quick. It was only a matter of time before we had these wise words of wisdom from a person such as Ethyriel. The only annoying thing about comments like this is they are often predicated on incomplete facts and are usually spouted out by people that don't have kids but maybe they read a book/magazine about child rearing or saw an episode of Dr. Phil showing "The boob tube kids." TV is not evil and I don't think anyone here is advocating placing a child infront of a TV all day long either. In fact I think that parents that restrict children from varied experiences will end up with one dimensional children that are lacking in certain forms of social interaction. No one here, based on the comments that I have read, advocates using video/TV as a nanny. We are simply saying how annoying children's programming can be due to it's repetitive and predictable nature. Kind of like your comment.

[LC @ Dec 17th 2007 11:39PM]

Well put KAD.

[dan_the_man @ Dec 17th 2007 6:50PM]

@Ethyriel - I would bet you don't have any kids, lol.

We have a built-in player in our car, and it is the single most best accessory we ever installed in any vehicle we ever owned. We often like to go driving around on the weekend, and it's no fun for the kids. Having something to distract them from the fact that they're pretty much restrained in a modern car seat like a psychopath in a straight jacket is worth almost any amount of money. So instead of them dreading a trip, they now look forward to it.

To get back on topic - what exactly is wrong with the player? It seems like any other cheap-ish DVD player out there - and it even includes headphones and a carrying case. What more can you ask for at this price level and target use?

BTW, I like Thomas much more than the Backyardigans :D.

[Austin @ Dec 17th 2007 7:00PM]

cheap-ish? $123? On a related note... what a weird price.

[E.T. @ Dec 17th 2007 7:01PM]

What is wrong with Engadget lately, fill a lots trash talk articles, almost as bad as G****do. Hire someone a bit more intelligence to do the writing please.
Just did a search on Google, the screen resolution is 480 x 234.

[nmason @ Dec 17th 2007 7:19PM]

Just did a search on Google, Atari 2600 compatibility is confirmed.

[TubeTop100.com @ Dec 17th 2007 7:25PM]

I heard this console is totally next-gen, because the controller doesn't have a rumble function, just like the PS3.

[Michael LaFramboise @ Dec 17th 2007 7:43PM]

so umm... whats w/ the nintendo 64 controller?

[remrof @ Dec 18th 2007 1:10AM]

well i guess i'll just spend it on coke then

[TheShadowOfX @ Dec 18th 2007 2:49AM]

I use to work in an electronics store that sold previous versions of that exact same player. The sad part is the the Audiovox units that we displayed lasted longer than the Sony and Toshiba units. The displays were turned on and running a DVD 16 hours a day 7 days a week, I think we had 2 Audiovoxs die in a year long period, and we went thru the other players at about 1 a month.