Hitachi PDV-313

Warning. The Hitachi PDV-313 model is incapable of playing properly a film DVD in the old, full matte aspect ratio of 1:1.33. Instead of producing a squarish image with black bars to right and left, it stretches the image sideways, with horrible distortion, to full the 1:1.85 (or thereabouts) screen. There are three set-ups offered but none of them corrects this.

he Hitachi PDV-313 is a portable DVD player, and as a product it does what it says on the box. But, like anything else, it is the "How" that has to be considered, along with the workmanship, if you can call it that nowadays, and feel, look, function etc., of the product. It's made in China by the way, which may or may not be something to consider.

Functioning wise it does well in playing DVD's. though I have found it a little noisy when spinning DVD's. It is able to fast forward up to 16x through a DVD, and it has a cute little remote control with rubbery buttons which I liked. The sound from the built-in speakers is diabolical, but it's not so bad when you plug in your own headphones. The screen is nice and bright, but it's been made with one of those screens where the best image is viewed when directly you're in front of it. If it is slightly at a slight angle the picture changes. I'm sure you know what I mean. It's the same problem that early flat screen monitors had.

The construction quality unfortunately, I feel lets it down. It has a cheap plastic touch to it, and the rechargeable battery attachment that hangs on the base back of it has been designed as an afterthought. It makes it cumbersome and gives it a heaviness. The buttons on the DVD to control it, if you don't use the remote, are cheap and tacky as well. It's like all the knowledge of making Christmas cracker toys has been used on these buttons. The electrical adaptor works. What more can be said? Except, again if you have to plug it into the mains then it takes something away from the concept of a portable DVD. Cables everywhere.

Given a choice, it's not something I'd choose unless I'd viewed the other players available out there, and then decided this was best, unfortunately it certainly does not fit in that category.