A Quality Piece of Machinery

Author's Rating:

Pros: Price, Dependability, Basics

Cons: Sound quality leaves a lot to be desired

The Bottom Line: 
A surprisingly tough piece of machinery that has held up nicely and proves a little versatile for the everyday DVD consumer.

Author's Review
I'm actually surprised at how well my IDM-1731 has held up in over a year. It was a steal at $84.00 and I won't make much for complaints, especially for a product I found on clearance and sold by Macy's nonetheless as the fallout from the holidays. The thing about electronics products on sale from Macy's, or any of those major department stores, is that the products are no name electronics companies that are made with cheaper parts than stuff like Polaroid or Sony uses. The ironic thing here, is that a top company like Macy's is hawking these products, instead of the name brand products carried by department stores like Target and Walmart. You'd think that electronics products carried by Macy's, would reflect their other products like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren. But surprisingly, they don't.

I'll tell you one thing. The Initial IDM-1731 has actually exceeded my expectations. I was expecting this product to go out in mere months, but I've had it since summer of last year, and it's still working for me. I've carried it with me on road trips, plane rides and extended stays. It's been with me at work and it's been frequently used to play music or video CD's. I've been impressed that $84.00 has gotten me this far, and I can proudly say that it was a good purchase. Initially (not to use a pun on the company), I had my reservations and questioned if I should've purchased it or not. But I'm glad I did, because it's been a constant winner.

Like all DVD players would, the Initial model offers all the basic amenities that today's DVD players have. Aside from the basics like a remote control, is the convenience of an AV connection that you can connect to your TV, which Initial issued with their products. The remote control itself is like any standard DVD player remote control with your natural controls like Play and Stop in addition to the A-B option, the search option, the skip chapters option and a myriad of other features that we've seen on many other DVD players. There's nothing particularly outstanding about it. The DVD player itself either relies on your A/C cord (also issued with it) or the unusually shaped 3 hour battery attached to the back. When you use the DVD player as much as I do, you may be charging it more often than you think. The rechargable battery back is 6 inches long and connects easily into the back with interlocking mechanisms for use.

Now I've never had the urge to dissect my DVD player like many would be prompted to do. If you have to dissect your machinery, then naturally you're not happy with the product. But I will say a couple of my gripes about the machinery is that the sound quality sucks. I experienced this firsthand on an airplane when I realized the issued headphones weren't going to cut the mustard. It's a cheap product so naturally cheap headphones come with the territory. In between people chattering the constant, rhythmic hum that accompanies all plane rides, is the hard to hear sound quality. So if you're watching Star Wars or Indiana Jones, you're going to have a really hard time listening to the movie, even it's blared all the way, courtesy of the volume dial on the machine's right side. I'd personally recommend splurging on a good pair of noise cancellation phones if you travel often. Oh, and there's a sound delay at the beginning of each new DVD you play, that can be mildly alarming.

Among the other issues I have with this player, is that (and that I would do this on a regular basis) but if you pop in a DVD and try playing it at an angle, it will be a little difficult to play. Save for the loud and abrasive noise that signals the machine is trying to play the DVD. It sounds like someone tossed a pebble into a fan. This can be kind of embarrassing if you're near a crowd of people. This particularly happens when the DVD is getting to the menu or skipping chapters. It sounds like the DVD is brushing up against the door of the player.

The player is about two pounds in a silver finish that can be easily stowed away in your backpack. Fortunately with the model is a DVD player case that allows you the ability to tie it to a seat and be able to watch it comfortably. However, given the cheap quality of the product, I wouldn't trust the case enough to hold the entire player. Also with the player in addition to a shoulder strap is a little section in which you can put in 6 DVDs for safe keeping. But as a cineaste, I take more often that 6 movies because I always want to watch something. Upon use and charging of the player, this is done with ease by just plugging your player into a nearby outlet and letting the orange light turn color.

The screen of the player is relatively small, which is to be expected. But I was surprised at the conformity in which widescreen DVDs play out on the player. I'd imagine an inferior model would probably cut out the image almost whole. But thankfully, this Initial model doesn't do that. For those who complain the screen is too small, uh, it is a portable DVD player. Portable doesn't mean gigantic. The player itself folds up nicely and squarely, allowing you to preserve your moviegoing experience without the inconvenience of breaking down a home entertainment system. The Initial model can work comfortably for the everyday consumer whose not an electronics whiz.

So I recommend the Initial portable DVD player as an appropriate gift for someone who might travel a lot, someone whose a movie junkie (much like myself) or one who wants to be able to enjoy the same level of comfort, without having to spend hundreds more on a portable DVD player. This IDM-1731 isn't going to give you tons of great features, but just the basics, which is the best part because that's what's so extraordinary about it.