Philips DCP851 portable DVD player w/ iPod dock

Manufacturer: Philips Consumer Electronics Part number: DCP851/37

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Video Compare with most popular

$169.99 - $179.99 at 2 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
3.0 stars Good
Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: The long list of features on the Philips DCP851--including the ability to play DVDs, digital media files, and iPod videos--is overshadowed by its mediocre picture quality and short battery life.

Where to buy

Show only authorized dealers (1)
Show all online stores (2)

store customer rating inventory tax & shipping price

store	customer rating	inventory	tax & shipping	price
Authorized store	Rate this store See store profile	In stock	Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price	$179.99 Shop now as of 10/15/2008

Authorized store

Rate this store
See store profile

In stock

Enter zip code to get total price:

Price

+Tax

+Shipping

=Total price

$179.99

Shop now

as of 10/15/2008

*Total price for the Philips DCP851 portable DVD player w/ iPod dock are estimated and may vary slightly based on exact tax, shipping, manufacturer rebate or any sale/promotion on the merchant site.

show

CNET editors' review

Philips DCP851 portable DVD player w/ iPod dock

price range: $169.99 - $179.99

Reviewed by: Jeff Bakalar
Edited by: John P. Falcone
Reviewed on: 05/09/2008
Released on: 02/13/2008

The good: Portable DVD player includes built-in iPod dock with video playback; 8.5-inch screen; DivX, MPEG4, JPEG, MP3 playback compatibility; SD flash card reader; good remote control; easy-to-use interface for digital media.

The bad: Short 2.5-hour battery life; tablet-style design leaves screen unprotected; washed-out screen; buttons aren't very responsive; battery is not user replaceable; iPod video playback is very dark.

The bottom line: The long list of features on the Philips DCP851--including the ability to play DVDs, digital media files, and iPod videos--is overshadowed by its mediocre picture quality and short battery life.

Read full review

While the DCP750 and DCP850 weren't the first portable DVD players to include built-in iPod docks, the Philips brand ensured that they made a bigger splash than earlier models from the likes of iLuv. For 2008, Philips has overhauled the design, opting for a tablet configuration instead of the standard clamshell found on those earlier models. The new models are available in 8.5-inch--the black DCP851, reviewed here, and the white DCP852--and 9-inch (black, DCP951) configurations. The players do an impressive job of offering a wide variety of video playback options on the road, but a few design flaws and--most notably--short battery life hinder the overall experience.

Because the DCP851 eschews the clamshell design of most portable DVD players, it has no hinges and is completely self-contained. You can prop the player up, however, as Philips has installed a retractable stand directly adjacent to the rear disc slot. In addition to playing the usual DVDs and CDs, the DCP851 has an SD/MMC flash card reader and a fold-out iPod dock that tucks away on the right side of the device. Weighing about 2 pounds, the DCP851 is covered in a glossy, black finish that wraps around its curved housing. Its 8.5-inch screen rests above the various controls, including the directional buttons, which are encircled by a blue light. We found the buttons on the player to be very unresponsive, especially when in iPod mode or when reading the contents of a memory card. After having to push buttons repeatedly for them to work, we'd recommend using the included remote for all navigation and playback controls. Thankfully, we like the included remote--it's the slimmest of the remotes of all the portable DVD players we've recently tested.

On the left side of the player you'll find all of the connectivity options the DCP851 has to offer. You've got two headphone jacks, separate AV in (for using it as a monitor) and out (for video playback on a larger TV) ports, the volume wheel, and an SD card slot. The DCP851 comes with an AV breakout cable to enable the above-mentioned external connections. And while Philips also throws in a car charger, there are no mounting straps for use with a car seat.

The DCP851 can playback various file formats. We loaded a handful of files on our 1GB SD card and were able to play DivX-encoded files along with MPEG-4 video files with ease. The player can also play MP3 audio and JPEG photo files. We really enjoyed the player's easy-to-use navigational interface, which allowed us to easily browse the contents of our SD card. The software even displays ID3 tag information for MP3s and resolution details for images. The DCP851 can also play any of the above mentioned formats from a home-burned DVD or CD as well.

In addition to playback from a number of file formats, the DCP851 includes an iPod dock that is compatible with the iPod Touch, the iPod Classic, the third-generation iPod Nano (with video), and the fifth-generation iPod Video. Philips includes a set of iPod adapters that allow the various iPods to fit snugly in the dock. Also, the DCP851 will charge your iPod while docked, so you may want to remove it once you are done playing it so that you don't drain any more power from the video player. While navigating through and playing music from the iPod was a breeze, we were less than impressed with the performance of iPod video. Every sample video we played was much darker than any DVD or video file, regardless of the type of iPod. Also, we should mention that the sliding iPod dock felt a bit flimsy as we were opening and closing it. We did appreciate, however, the fact that the remote control can hide securely inside the dock when there is no iPod present.

On the performance end of things, the DCP851 is a mixed bag. Overall video quality is just about average compared with that of the other players we've recently tested--we found that the screen had a washed-out look. For example, during space scenes in The Fifth Element, sections of the screen were noticeably uneven and brighter. Also, its battery life is very disappointing. While Philips does accurately claim the built-in battery will last as long as 2.5 hours, that's barely half the life we've seen in most competing DVD players. Also, because the battery is internal, there is no way to replace it should it ever, over time, lose its ability to hold a complete charge.

If you like the look and feel of the DCP851 but need only a DVD player, note that Philips offers the PET723, which is very similar, except for the lack of an iPod dock. Those looking for a backseat viewing solution for their car may wish to check out the PET726, which is a version of the 723 with a second outboard screen.

Summing up, we like the Philips DCP851 because of its support for multiple file types and iPod playback. However, its so-so picture quality and subpar battery life are dealbreakers for us. The 2.5-hour life span is simply not enough time to make use of a portable player, especially on, say, a long flight--particularly considering that comparably priced sub-$200 portable DVD players can last two and three times as long.

See pricing

show

User reviews

Write Review

Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!
My rating: 0 stars

show

Specifications

Manufacturer: Philips Consumer Electronics
Part number: DCP851/37
Description: Enjoy DVDs and iPod videos on an 8.5" color widescreen with the compact Philips DCP851. Featuring a retractable adaptor for iPod and built-in SD/MMC card slots, you can view DivX movies or digital photos from multiple sources.

General
Product Type DVD player with iPod dock
Form Factor Portable
Width 9.3 in
Depth 1.6 in
Height 7 in
Weight 2.9 lbs
DVD
Media Type DVD+R, CD, Video CD, CD-RW, DVD-RW, SVCD, CD-R, DVD+RW, DVD, DVD-R
Media Format NTSC
Search Speed 32x, 8x, 4x, 2x, 16x
Supported Digital Video Standards MPEG-4, DivX
Supported Digital Audio Standards MP3
Display
Display Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 8.5 in - Color
Image Aspect Ratio 16:9
DVD Features
Picture Zoom Yes
Picture Zoom Power 4x, 2x
MP3 Compatible Yes
Additional Features Digital audio playback from flash memory card, Digital photo playback from flash memory card, MPEG4 video playback from flash memory card, JPEG photo playback
Audio System
Sound Output Mode Stereo
Response Bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
Dynamic Range 80 dB
Signal-To-Noise Ratio 80 dB
Speaker System Details 2 x Right/left channel speaker - Built-in - 300 mW
Remote Control
Type Remote control
Technology Infrared

Connections
Connector Type 2 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm ), 1 x Composite video/audio input, 1 x Composite video/audio output
Slot(s)
Type 1 x SD Memory Card
Miscellaneous
Included Accessories Car power adapter
Cables Included A/V cable
Power
Power Device Power adapter - External
Battery 1 x DVD player battery - Rechargeable - Lithium polymer
Included Qty 1
Capacity 2.5 hour(s)
Dimensions & Weight (Shipping)
Width (Shipping) 10.6 in
Depth (Shipping) 3.3 in
Height (Shipping) 11.4 in

See pricing

show

Manufacturer info

Share
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- Reddit
- Facebook
Print

Similar products

Panasonic DVD-LS86 $167.39 - $222.45
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 1 review
Sony DVP-FX820 (black) $156.75 - $179.99
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good
- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 2 reviews
Toshiba SD-P71S $113.00 - $149.99
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good
- Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!
Insignia NS-PDVD10 $129.95 - $201.99
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good
- Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!
Sony DVP-FX820 (blue) $158.44 - $179.99
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good
- Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 1 review

Shopper.com strives to provide the best price, review, user opinion, and product information on the Philips DCP851 portable DVD player w/ iPod dock. Shopper.com updates pricing for all products multiple times each day. If you find a price, link, product specification, review, user opinion, or any other error for the Philips DCP851 portable DVD player w/ iPod dock, please notify us through our support form.