I noticed the Koss Compact DVD Player on Sale at Target today for $99.00. EDIT: It's now on sale for $79. Thanks iahk! It plays DVD/CD/VCD/MP3/JPG Files. Outputs include Composite Video/Audio (RCA Type Plugs), Optical Digital Output (!), Component Video Output, S-Video Output. It comes with a Wireless Remote. On a player of this price I would have expected a coaxial digital output, so being a MiniDisc user, I was quite pleased.
I decided to buy it and have been playing with it for the past few hours. On the positive side, everything seems to work ok. It appears to be the same DVD Decoder that the latest Apex DVD Players use. The chapter skip function is very fast, and the picture quality is as good as any Apex I've ever seen.
Note that the jpg picture function is an unadvertised feature. Neither the box or "the front page of" the manual even mention it. Being the inquisitive individual that I am, I tried out a disc full of jpg files and it played them just fine. *EDIT* Discovered later by "Hawk" that the manual does mention this feature.
The wireless remote is very responsive. I was surprised, as the similar (but larger) Apex models have remotes that you really have to point directly at it with the right angle to get it to work.
The negative aspects include no SVCD support EDIT: It *does* play SVCD. sacredlettuce from another forum pointed out that his worked. So I tried burning a full SVCD (I'm new to this) and it worked! My test SVCD disc must be bad. So the only negative aspect is the color of the actual unit is pretty ugly. This is from Target's "Hip Hues" line, so it comes in Purple, Neon Blue, and some even worse ones (like poka-dots I believe).
The most disappointing part for me is that it doesn't run on any type of batteries. It must be used connected to a wall outlet. I suppose a car adapter would work for it (and then you could buy a portable LCD Screen, which would also need a power supply), but this unit is compact and portable, but not meant to be used "portably" (or something like that). So it's good for taking with you on vacation only if the TV in your hotel room has input jacks.
I'm still trying to decide if I should keep it. I really like the fact that I can move it around my room to hook up to my minidisc recorder, and it does seem to work very well overall. But then again, other than the optical output and component video output jacks, it has the same features as the Mintek DVD Player on sale at Best Buy or Circuit City for around $60. So if optical output and component output are not needed, there's no real reason for anyone to get this player.
But if you like small and the above mentioned extra features, it's worth a shot.
Also, I've been looking around the net trying to find a picture of it. This seems to be a Target Only device. It even says "Distributed by Target Corporation" on the bottom.
According to the manual, it is 8.26in(W) x 6.30in(L) x 1.33in(H). 1.3lbs.
The Model Numbers are DVP2161 through DVP2165. I assume every color has a different model number. Mine (the Neon Blue) is DVP2163.
I decided to buy it and have been playing with it for the past few hours. On the positive side, everything seems to work ok. It appears to be the same DVD Decoder that the latest Apex DVD Players use. The chapter skip function is very fast, and the picture quality is as good as any Apex I've ever seen.
Note that the jpg picture function is an unadvertised feature. Neither the box or "the front page of" the manual even mention it. Being the inquisitive individual that I am, I tried out a disc full of jpg files and it played them just fine. *EDIT* Discovered later by "Hawk" that the manual does mention this feature.
The wireless remote is very responsive. I was surprised, as the similar (but larger) Apex models have remotes that you really have to point directly at it with the right angle to get it to work.
The negative aspects include no SVCD support EDIT: It *does* play SVCD. sacredlettuce from another forum pointed out that his worked. So I tried burning a full SVCD (I'm new to this) and it worked! My test SVCD disc must be bad. So the only negative aspect is the color of the actual unit is pretty ugly. This is from Target's "Hip Hues" line, so it comes in Purple, Neon Blue, and some even worse ones (like poka-dots I believe).
The most disappointing part for me is that it doesn't run on any type of batteries. It must be used connected to a wall outlet. I suppose a car adapter would work for it (and then you could buy a portable LCD Screen, which would also need a power supply), but this unit is compact and portable, but not meant to be used "portably" (or something like that). So it's good for taking with you on vacation only if the TV in your hotel room has input jacks.
I'm still trying to decide if I should keep it. I really like the fact that I can move it around my room to hook up to my minidisc recorder, and it does seem to work very well overall. But then again, other than the optical output and component video output jacks, it has the same features as the Mintek DVD Player on sale at Best Buy or Circuit City for around $60. So if optical output and component output are not needed, there's no real reason for anyone to get this player.
But if you like small and the above mentioned extra features, it's worth a shot.
Also, I've been looking around the net trying to find a picture of it. This seems to be a Target Only device. It even says "Distributed by Target Corporation" on the bottom.
According to the manual, it is 8.26in(W) x 6.30in(L) x 1.33in(H). 1.3lbs.
The Model Numbers are DVP2161 through DVP2165. I assume every color has a different model number. Mine (the Neon Blue) is DVP2163.
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