Mustek,? on quality.

I bought the Mustek mp80B 3 months ago for $79 after $50 mail in rebate. I have had 5 portable dvd players with a lcd screen, so I do have previous experience with portable dvd players.

Player features:

The Mustek mp80B is a portable 8 inch lcd dvd player. The player is a little large for your typical 8 inch portable dvd. The mp80B comes with a SD/MMC slot, so you can put your movies, pictures or mp3s on a SD or MM card. Using this feature works well and the dvd player starts the media on the card as soon as it is inserted. There is also a USB plug in the side of the mp80B and it also works well. I put some movies and a few mp3s on a compact flash card and used my card reader to plug into the Mustek and worked great. The build quality of the mp80B is ok, but the manufacturer uses a softer plastic that to me doesn't give the protection you really need with a portable. On the backside of the lcd screen you can push the plastic and it has a lot of flex. Sound quality is ok for a starter portable and is loud enough for most people. There is a anti shock feature and I have never skipped on a disc when moving the dvd player, so it works like stated. The number one reason I bought this dvd player is the media it is able to play. I have played, DVD-R, CD-R, vcd, svcd, xvid, divx, mp3, jpeg, divx on cf/usb, xvid on SD card and mp3. Also, multiple xvid on DVD-R and on CD-R works fine too. I had to put this in, because I have other dvd players at home that do not play multiple xvid on DVD-R. Since I have owned 5 portable dvd player, I am fairly picky about picture quality. The Mustek has a slighty washed out picture and even after adjusting, never quite gets perfect, and comparing to other dvd players I have owned, I give the picture quality a 7/10. There are adjustments for color and brightness, plus standard setups for audio, subtitles, zoom, slow motion, fast forward/reverse and parental settings.

What makes me think the quality is a concern?

At times the Mustek really struggles to start a DVD-R and you can hear the motor for the laser make a grinding sound. The washed out picture is ok for the time being, but with past portable LCD players I have owned, the screens tends to lose some sharpness over time and this would really ruin the already not so great picture. Those are my only real concerns, but to me they make a difference over time. The thin plastic on the backside of the lcd screen also worries me since portables get bumped around.

Whats in the box:

The Mustek mp80B comes with all the standard plugs for the home televisions and has a single headphone jack, audio out, coaxil, video out, and a p scan jack(plus the SD/MMC and USB slot). There is a rechargeable battery that comes with the mp80B and lasts about 3 hours on a full charge. Included with the Mustek is a power plug for the car and home and a remote control. Some of the newer released models also include a bag to use the dvd player in the car and attaches to the headrest. The one I have, did not come with this, so I have no comments on this.

My opinion:

The Mustek mp80B, is a cheap, ok quality portable dvd player that plays everything I have thrown at it. The screen size is great at 8 inches and the options of using memory cards and usb is great. I am not sure of long time reliability, but over the past 3 months the mp80B has been a reliable dvd player. The warranty on the mp80B is only 3 months, which is not long for a electronic item that can go bad easily. Picture quality could be better if there were more adjustments within the settings of the dvd player. If you want a portable dvd player that every once in awhile you can use and quality picture is not a major concern then go with the Mustek. I would never buy a expensive portable dvd player for my kids, so this type of player is perfect. If you want a high definition like picture and great quality portable, then Phillips is the way to go. I will be doing a review of the Phillips portable dvd player soon.