12am.com.au : Mixing Music Media - Review : Conia Portable DVD


	.: Conia Portable DVD Player Review

The Conia portable DVD player is a little piece of consumer technology heavenâ€¦ During the last week I have used it on public transport, in the car, on the beach and even in bed. After spending the last 3 days with one in my back pocket, I honestly donâ€™t want to live without it!

Ok, so I guess a portable DVD player is pretty self-explanatory, however the Conia CPD71 is packed full of connections and features that make this unit very accessible and desirable to us, as consumers. Due to the standard technology available to manufacturers, the features we are seeing as the norm in consumer electronics are really starting to look exciting.

The world of DVD and digital imaging in general has opened the door for many new products to be reborn. The old cassette walkman is now a minute mp3 player complete with digital matrix screens, SLR cameras are now digital, with memory cards replacing 35mm film and a tiny TV styled monitor to view before-hand, what we are shooting. But what I love is the fact that I can use my new technology toys for more than one purpose such as a mobile phone that becomes our PDA or camera.

The Conia CPD71 follows this example, and has a host of uses, features and functions. As a DVD player, the Conia portable will play your local and overseas region DVDs and DVD-R discs with all the normal functionality of a home DVD system and with the leads provided, it will even connect directly into your TV and audio setup. MP3 CDs, Audio CDs, JPG picture CDs and Kodak picture CDs can all be viewed through the unit. This means that while on the go, or at the office you can run your Conia portable DVD player as a photo frame, letting it automatically rotate through the library of special or not so special images that you store on a CD! You can even set up the picture mode so it will change pictures with different swiping effects. It also means that you can use your player as a CD walkmanâ€¦ if desired.

The side of this Conia unit has connections for S-Video, video/coaxial and audio, meaning that you can use it as an external viewing screen. Plug in your digital camera to get a bigger picture of what you are trying to film; plug in your TV so you can use the portable unit as your home DVD/CD/MP3 theatre unit, or even connect the S-Video from your Laptop to the Conia CPD71 for extra desktop space! Inside the box you will find another box full of attachments and even an infra-red remote control. There are attachments for S-Video to RCA, stereo 1/8 inch jack to RCA audio out and composite out to output or input, to or from other systems. And there are two types of recharge options thanks to the power pack unit and in-car cigarette lighter attachment.

In all honesty, the Conia portable DVD player has truly surprised me. At a RRP of $399 I honestly expected to see quite a shoddy picture, cheap build and no accessories, as these are the areas we normally lose out on, with cheaper consumer AV products. This was not the case at all. Packed inside the box, you will find a slim-line (approx 3cm deep with the extra battery pack added) DVD unit with a 7" Inch TFT Active Matrix LCD Wide Screen with two in-built stereo speakers. There is a battery pack that slots into the bottom of the unit, that gives you hours and hours of DVD viewing time (in fact I watched 2 DVDs without charging the battery which is fantastic for people on the go! If you want to use the Conia portable as your home DVD player, you also have the option to plug power directly into the DVD player as opposed to the battery pack to give it an even more slim-line look.

The DVD player inside the unit clips the DVD into place, much like a portable CD unit, meaning that if you go over speed bumps or fall over whilst walking down the street and watching the Matrix, your DVD wonâ€™t skip or jump around.

I had a ball with it! Its not the most rugged of items but in all seriousness for under $400, Iâ€™ll have two thanks.

RRP : $399

Written by: Andre Cato for 12am.com.au