Panasonic DVD-LV55 Portable DVD Player

Surprisingly slim (especially before the rechargeable battery snaps on), the DVD-LV55 easily fits into a briefcase or backpack. As with all electronics, we suggest you treat it gently--even though the build quality is exceptionally solid. Similarly, the unit can take a good amount of jostling without any compromise in picture or sound. (You can also use it as a portable CD player!) The DVD-LV55 appears to share the same chassis as its bigger brother, the 7-inch LV75. The extra margin around the 5-inch LCD screen draws even more attention to the display's slighter stature.

The picture is bright and sharp, even on fine details and when viewed up close, which is really the only way to watch a 5-inch screen. For optimal playback on the built-in 16:9 monitor, we recommend watching anamorphically enhanced 1.85:1 widescreen movies. However, be forewarned that you will lose a bit of quality on nonanamorphic titles, and 2.35:1 CinemaScope movies, which introduce a black bar at top and bottom, will look really small. You can also connect a video camera to view your camcorder work on the 5-inch screen.

The two 1-inch speakers located left and right, just below the screen, are a pleasant alternative to headphone listening, but their size and design make them inherently limited. While voices and most higher frequencies sounded just fine, there was no bass to speak of, and loud noises at high volume constantly taxed their limitations. And even the highest volume is not very loud. The virtual surround sound (VSS) works to expand the sound stage when using outboard speakers or headphones, and creates the illusion of rear-channel effects. VSS is quite convincing, and offers two settings, depending on just how much processing you enjoy.

Through a proper audio-video setup, picture and sound are both outstanding, with a crisp, colorful image through the S-Video connection and rich reproduction of both Dolby Digital and Digital Theater Sound (DTS) soundtracks. Technical performance is as good as most dedicated home theater decks on the market.

The slim-line remote control has 35 soft-touch keys that provide all the functionality you'd expect from any full-size DVD player. Although the 60-degree signal sensor window is a bit narrow, the more than 20-foot range is impressive. All of the basic functions are accessible on the unit itself, with an innovative directional disc in place of arrow keys. The small LCD panel reports system status, including a battery-life indicator. But the single greatest convenience might be the marker system for the start-again, stop-again viewing habits of on- the-go folk, who might need to switch off in the middle of a designated chapter.

Although you can get an additional couple of inches in screen size for a few hundred dollars more, Panasonic's DVD-LV55 is a great portable movie machine that offers excellent picture quality, numerous features, and a lightweight design that we can heartily recommend.

Pros:

• Audio enhancements make the most of movies-to-go
• Excellent forward/reverse scanning, up to 100x normal speed
• Battery now good for one full movie up to about three hours; charges in four

Cons:

• No headphones included
• In general, seems second best to its same-generation partner, the 7-inch DVD-LV75

The zoom screen selector allows you to watch movies in the standard 16:9 widescreen format or conventional formats such as letterbox and pan and scan. Additional features include icon-based onscreen programming, virtual surround sound, a slim remote, frame advance, chapter preview, auto off, five-speed smooth scan, and title/chapter search with marker function.

The player measures 7.25 by 0.9 by 5.5 inches and comes with a remote control, rechargeable battery pack, audio/video cables, and an AC adapter. You can expect up to 3.5 hours of playback time with the battery pack.

Panasonic offers a one-year warranty on parts, 90 days on labor.