A portable DVD player is a smaller, more compact version of a regular DVD player. Its dimensions allow it to be carried with its user, so it can be played at places like parks, hotel rooms, in doctors' offices and even in the car. In fact, portable DVD players have become friends of many parents, as they can keep children entertained on long car trips. However, many adults enjoy them as well, and they can even be helpful for fighting boredom as an adult waits to have his car repaired or to have his name called in the dentist's office.
Portable DVD players come in a variety of sizes, but many are smaller than most textbooks. Often, they are made of lightweight materials, which make it easy for even the smallest child to tote them around. Many even come with their own handy carrying cases. However, it is worth noting that not all portable DVD players are lightweight. Some of them can feel as heavy as a thick college textbook; this is especially true of a portable DVD player that is attached to a large, rechargeable battery pack.
When you buy a portable DVD player, you can expect it to play the standard DVDs. However, your portable DVD player may also play CDs. This means you can take just one device with you when you travel and listen to your favorite music in addition to catching up on movies. Portable DVD players often come with headphones as well, so that no one else has to listen to your movie or music if he doesn't want to. Most portable DVD players support CD-R, CD-RW or DVD-R disc formats, which allows you to play the media you burn at home.
Many portable DVD players also allow you to plug them into a home entertainment system. This means you can have entertainment if you're visiting family and friends who do not have a CD player or only have one that is broken. You'll probably get a handy cable with your portable DVD player, allowing you to plug it into television and home entertainment system ports.
Most portable DVD players are sold with adapters that allow them to be plugged into the wall and charged. When fully charged, they can be played unattached to electricity for a specific amount of time. The amount of time a portable DVD player will last without access to electricity depends on the particulars of the model. Some last for several hours while others may only last for a couple of hours at a time. Additionally, some DVD players come with adapters that allow a person to plug them into a car's cigarette lighter for playing or recharging the batteries.