Rating: 
Summary: The Essence of Being Portable
Review: I spent hours and hours searching for a portable DVD player and got caught up with everything from price and size to functionality. Let's face it, every feature comes with a trade off and, for me at least, the primary function of a portable DVD player is to BE PORTABLE. The Panasonic DVD-LS5 really delivers.I looked at all the high end models including the Panasonic DVD-LA95 and the Samsung 10 inch model. All were great but none of them had much in the way of battery life. Usually 2 hours or a bit more. Extra batteries were either very expensive and/or hard to find. The DVD-LS5 is also just over two hours but the batteries are way cheaper. I was happy to see that the replacement/extra batteries for this unit are easy to find and don't make a major dent on the wallet. The 5 inch screen looked small from the spec sheet but when you see it next to other models at 7 and even 9 inches you can see how rich and clear the picture is. I was amazed to see the clarity with no noticable ghosting or jaggies even when watching high action films. Bigger isn't always better. I found eystrain looking at some of the larger ones for the same money that were not as crisp. I'll post again later once I have had more time to use the player but the features on the machine are great. It even played DVD+RW! Output to a TV is good but I will have to get the S Video cable to see how nice it really looks. It also has a dual analog/optical out port for sound so you can get surround sound if you have the system to support it. I think it is stereo only via headphones or analog output. I think Panasonic really has the best line of players out there and with the prices coming down they are fantastic tag along entertainment for the weary train, bus or air traveller. One suggestion is to get a good set of headphones. Preferably one with an isolater to keep out ambient noise. The built in speakers are very good compared with other models but you'll want the quality and privacy of a good headset. I am sure folks around you will agree. I am going to buy a bunch of batteries cause I am road warrior and can't handle a player that has no battery backup. It is small, easy to cary, anything but flimsy and won't run out of juice with the extra batteries <-- that you can actually find and don't weigh like bricks. Kudos to Panasonic!
Rating:
Summary: Works with DVD+R Discs Also!
Review: I was a little hesitant to buy this unit when I read that it only supports DVD-R and DVD-RAM discs. I got this baby home and was pleasantly surprised to find that it works well with DVD+R discs also. This is a quality unit that is well worth the somewhat higher price.
Rating: 
Summary: DVD Formats
Review: I was on vacation last summer and looking for a portable DVD player. The moment I laid my eyes on the LS5 I fell in love with it. I'm a distance learning graduate student and get my lectures on video tape. Well I already had a combo VHS/DVD recorder and the DCMA nothwithstanding (it was for my personal use), I wanted to transfer those tapes to DVD so I could watch them on my Tokyo (where I live) train commute. Well I transferred the tapes to DVD and presto, my two hour train commute was transformed into two hours of productive lecture viewing and note taking. That's how small it is. I am able to watch and take notes at the same time even though I'm on a crowded train every morning. But don't let the size scare you into thinking it's too small for viewing. It's great for traveling and commuting and the picture is beautiful. I do have a "BUT" that lowered my rating to a 4 out of 5 star review and that was the fact that Panasonic chose to limit the playback of burned DVDs to -R and -RAM. Panasonic is probably the biggest supporter of -RAM, so that would explain that. The other reason for my 4 out of 5 rating and that would apply to ALL of the U.S. DVD player manufacturers and retailers, is that they continue their collusion with Hollywood and play their game of making players coded by world regions. I live in Tokyo and though there are a great many Hollywood DVDs available, the prices are double that of North America and the extras on most DVD movies in Japan are pitiful. DVDs that are released in Japan are also 4 - 6 months later than in North America, so I just purchase my DVDs through Amazon.com and I get them sent to me in Tokyo. I did my search on the Net looking for companies that could help me make my player region free. Well I found one (...) and I had to buy what they called a "chipped remote." This Star Trek looking thing that would allow me to make my player region free once I followed the three step instructions. Well not only did it make my LS5 region free, but I can now play any type of DVD that is burned. That means I can now watch DVD-R/+R, -RAM, -RW/+RW and I can watch NTSC AND PAL DVDs, which means I can watch DVDs that come from Europe. Be warned that the manufacturers warranty is voided should you choose the route I took in making the player region free, but by reading all of these reviews you will see that everyone is extremely happy (as I am) with the quality of their LS5 and I did not read one review that mentioned a breakdown. It's a great buy (...) Now for another portable DVD player to consider (and a little cheaper) that we bought and we love equally as well, there is the NextBase SDV17-A Table DVD Player. We just got this, but it's so cool. It's region free, PAL and NTSC compatible out of the box and plays DVD/VCD/SVCD/MP3/CDDA/JPEG CD-R/CD-RW/DVD-R/DVD-RW formats. The screen on this one is 7" (2 more than the LS5), it's the length of a novel and only an inch thick. What worries me about this one is that there is nothing to protect the screen other than a soft, felt carrying case when it isn't in use. The LS5 has a folding screen which gives me a little more security. Both are great though. (...) And just for your information most European retailers offer region-free DVD players, including Amazon.co.uk, but they will not deliver to customers outside of the EU. Does anyone know of way we can lean on U.S. retailers to stop colluding with Hollywood so that start truly giving the customer what she/he wants??? It's ridiculous that the government continues to protect Hollywood as they do. Once we buy a car we're not told what we can and can't do with it outside of traffic laws.
Rating:
Summary: Recommended
Review: I'm not much of an electronics wiz/enthusiast but I really love this machine. I do lots of travel by train and air and this device has been my constant companion for the past three months. I find I don't have much of a chance to watch the movies I want to watch at home (4 kids ages 2-15 tend to keep you busy) so investing in a portable DVD player was a must if I was ever going to see a real movie again. The picture quality is quite good, I'd recommend buying a good pair of headphones (good sound quality and comfortable!) since you'll need it if you're out in public.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT DVD PLAYER AT A SMALL PRICE
Review: I've been wanting to get a portable dvd player for a long time and with an upcoming 13+ hour flight from Boston to Alaska, I decided to take the plunge.
(...)
To my surprise, the little Panasonic LS5 player with 5" widescreen display was a standout!
The Panasonic LS5 has a bright, clear picture which even I, who need glasses for close work, could see just fine. The coolest part about the monitor is that you can adjust the angle of viewing just by popping the LCD forward (as shown in the picture of this player on Amazon). The screen can fold down almost flat on top of the player so it takes up even less space. The whole player, even with the battery attached, is really small - perfect for travel.
This does not come with a car adaptor, but I found an extra battery, CGR-H601, with about a 4 hour playtime (I actually watched two dvds on a recent flight and did not run out of power), online for $49.00. That's a lot cheaper than the car power adaptor. You'll also need an earphone splitter (they are very inexpensive) if you want to watch using earphones with a friend as there is only on earphone plug.
(...)
This really is a great little portable dvd player.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT PICTURE - TINY SIZE - BARGAIN PRICE
Review: I've been wanting to get a portable dvd player for a long time and with an upcoming 13+ hour flight from Boston to Alaska, I decided to take the plunge. Based on ratings on Amazon, I purchased the Audiovox D1500A 5" Portable DVD Player with Car Kit for a total cost with shipping of $177.78. What a let down! This is a big bulky player with terrible picture quality. I boxed the whole thing up and sent it right back to Amazon. I was convinced that I wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than a 7" screen, based on my experience with the Audiovox player. This time, I went to Best Buy and Circuit City to test out portable dvd players in person. I found a huge difference in picture quality among the various models on display. To my surprise, the little Panasonic LS5 player with 5" widescreen display was a standout! The Panasonic LS5 has a bright, clear picture which even I, who need glasses for close work, could see just fine. The coolest part about the monitor is that you can adjust the angle of viewing just by popping the LCD forward (as shown in the picture of this player on Amazon). The screen can fold down almost flat on top of the player so it takes up even less space. The whole player, even with the battery attached, is really small - perfect for travel. This does not come with a car adaptor, but I found an extra battery, CGR-H601, with about a 4 hour playtime, online for $49.00. That's a lot cheaper than the car power adaptor. You'll also need an earphone splitter (they are very inexpensive) if you want to watch using earphones with a friend as there is only on earphone plug. The best thing is I got this player on sale last weekend from Circuit City with a $50 rebate, bringing my total cost down to about $230.00. This really is a great little portable dvd player.
Rating: 
Summary: Panasonic DVD-LS5 Portable DVD Player @ Bytesector.com
Review: Panasonic has given us their DVD-LS5 portable DVD player to experiment with. This little device allows DVD-RAM, DVD-R, and MP3 playback. It is a great replacement for a portable CD player since it can act as a portable CD player itself; usable with a car kit or a home TV, the LS5 is extremely portable and compact. Today we will explore the features and design aesthetics of this device and show you the ups and downs....more @ Bytesector.com
Rating:
Summary: awsome
Review: small but incredible.i love everything .my best stuff now.salute !
Rating:
Summary: Recommended
Review: The LS5 is a very small and very portable unit. Battery runs about 2hr 15 minutes for me, 5" screen is very watchable and sharp with a nice resolution (although not as sharp as the higher end units, it's very watchable). The tilt option is a great idea and very convenient for portable dvd players. Generally I didn't have to change around the settings very much, I was content with its' brightness and the colors. I ended up returning it because ultimately I need a player with a progressive output, and this player has none, so DVDs just won't look as good when hooked up to an HDTV. I recommend waiting a bit until the price drops below $300 then go for it. You can pick up an extra battery and an auto/air plane adapter seperately, but they don't come with the unit. That's just how the cookie crumbles, they want you to spend hundreds and buy extra accessories. What they need to do with future units is include everything you'll ever need with a portable player. I'd pay a bit extra and I'd enjoy the extra luxeries. So what you're getting here is the player, the AC adapter, 2 hr battery, manual, remote control and a TV hook-up. Isn't as packed as the other players on the market (ie - same generation Panasonic LX-9, SD-P2500). For what it is though, this is a very cool unit and should prevent your kids from screaming in the backseat on a roadtrip.. doesn't that make it all worth it in the end?
Rating:
Summary: Who says size matters?
Review: The Small, but perfectly formed Panasonic DVD-LS5 Portable was purchased about 4 months ago for a ridiculously small price - it was an opportunist buy, completely unplanned. So when the post-purchase guilt kicked in, I was ready to send it back, but i've been won over!!
This machine has everything, all the features you'd expect from a much larger quality DVD Player and more! its even got a couple of sockets for the sound jacks - so two can listen! the picture quality is superb on the 5 inch screen, not brilliant from a distance, but lay it in front of you on a plane and you'll hardly notice the size. My only problem - is the accessories - I purchased an extra battery, but not a panasonic! mainly because the extended life batteries are no longer made by Panasonic (Shucks) - also the carry case for this player is the size of a laptop case! what gives? anyway if you want a super douper player - this is the one for you. Oh and Caselogic do a nice sized bag, and there are plenty of Generic extended life batteries out there. Enjoy!
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