A Philips portable DVD player

A portable DVD player is a mobile, battery powered DVD player in the format of a mobile device. Many recent players play files from USB flash drives and SD cards.[1]

History

Portable DVD players were created in order to enhance the ability to watch DVDs away from home. They were created in 1998, first introduced by Panasonic.[2] They are supposed to be practical for "on the go" use, and many are able to perform secondary functions such as playing music from audio CDs and displaying images from digital cameras or camcorders.

Impact

The popularity of low-cost battery powered portable DVD players in North Korea allows families to watch Chinese and South Korean programs on SD cards and USB flash drives.[1][3][4] North Korean defectors run activist groups, like Fighters for a Free North Korea[5] that smuggle DVDs and SD cards into the country "to introduce North Koreans to the rest of the world".[4] Activist groups planned to distribute DVD copies of The Interview via balloon drops.[6][7] The balloon drop was postponed after the North Korean government referred to the plan as a de facto "declaration of war."[8][9]

Design

Most PDPs use TFT LCD screens, some using LED backlighting. The most common PDP screen size is 7 inches (18 cm), although some are as large as 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm) - the larger size competing with Tablet computers. Some have articulating screens that rotate 180 degrees & fold flat. Portable DVD players generally have connections for additional screens and a car lighter plug.

Some PDPs now have iPod docks, USB and SD Card slots built in. Some can play videos in other formats such as MP4, DivX, either from CDs, flash memory cards or USB external hard disks. Also some DVD players include a USB video recorder.

Some DVD players have Wifi access, helping to play Internet TV, and some have Bluetooth, allowing users to play content from or to other devices like smartphones.

Previous models of portable DVD players had AV inputs for external game consoles; now some selected models have built-in emulators for playing, usually retro, video games.

Many portable DVD players can display more than just video DVDs. Many can also play other video formats, image formats and music formats, and may even include a built-in digital TV tuner so one can watch digital TV on the go.

Price range

Prices of portable DVD players vary, usually retailing for about US$40–300. When first released, portable DVD players would retail at over $1,000 and were only manufactured in Japan. Price drops in 2015 have led to some devices being retailed for as little as $40.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The $50 device that symbolizes a shift in North Korea". Reuters. 27 Mar 2015.
  2. ↑ "Panasonic Corporate History - 1998 - Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of Our Founding". Panasonic.
  3. ↑ "Seeking to overthrow North Korea, one American sitcom at a time". PRI. 27 March 2015.
  4. 1 2 Halleck, Thomas (16 December 2014). "Activists Plan To Launch 'The Interview' DVDs Into North Korea". International Business Times. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  5. ↑ Segall, Laurie (December 18, 2014). "Activists plan to drop 'Interview' DVDs in North Korea". CNN. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
  6. ↑ Bond, Paul (December 16, 2014). "Sony Hack: Activists to Drop 'Interview' DVDs Over North Korea Via Balloon". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Launching Balloons into North Korea: Propaganda Over Pyongyang". VICE news. 18 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "South Korean activists postpone sending of copies of The Interview to North Korea by balloon". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Gillian Mohney (23 March 2015). "North Korea Calls Planned Balloon Drop of 'The Interview' DVDs a 'De Facto Declaration of War'". VICE News.
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