Save 85% on The Economist today!Sony DVP-FX930 (black)
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: DVP-FX930
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The combination of a stunning high-resolution 9-inch screen, long battery life, and impressive design makes the Sony DVP-FX930 a winning portable DVD player.
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CNET editors' review
Sony DVP-FX930 (black) price range: $198.00
- Reviewed by: Jeff Bakalar
- Reviewed on: 07/23/2009
- Released on: 02/15/2009
The good: Hi-res 9-inch screen with 800x480 resolution; full 180-degree swivel screen; includes remote control, AV cable, and car charger; reliable 6-hour battery.
The bad: Somewhat hefty 2.7-pound weight; no USB port or flash card reader; no support for DivX or other digital video files.
The bottom line: The combination of a stunning high-resolution 9-inch screen, long battery life, and impressive design makes the Sony DVP-FX930 a winning portable DVD player.
In 2008, Sony released the DVP-FX820, a portable DVD player that drastically increased picture quality over previous models. For 2009, the company has upped the ante once again, this time offering a 9-inch swivel screen and light-touch buttons. The result is still the best viewing experience we've seen on a portable DVD player, but we're not completely sold on the new buttons.
The DVP-FX930 has a smooth plastic housing that Sony sells in a variety of colors--the one we tested was accented in dark blue. The player is one of the heaviest we've seen, weighing a sturdy 2.7 pounds. We liked the placement of the unit's battery that runs along the entire bottom of the player. It may be large, but it's flat enough so that it doesn't protrude at all, unlike the Toshiba SD-P71S, which has a small bump on the rear.
All of the DVD controls are located below the screen, making them easily accessible even if you take advantage of the swivel hinge and watch the unit in tablet mode. The screen can flip a complete 180 degrees and fold back on itself to be held in your hands. We were happy to see that most DVD controls were represented here, including the sometimes forgotten fast-forward and rewind functionality (just move the four-way directional pad left or right during playback). Unfortunately, the new light-touch buttons don't move when pressed. They're sensitive enough--we just enjoyed the feeling of last year's model better. Thankfully the four-way directional button remained unchanged.
The FX930 also ships with a remote control that expands on the playback options. It's among the larger remotes we've seen packed in with a portable DVD player, but there's no reason to leave it at home. The two IR sensors let the player respond regardless of its orientation.
On the right side of the unit, you'll find all the connectivity options available. In addition to dual headphone jacks, there's a switchable video in/out port (for using the player's screen as a monitor or playing DVDs on a larger TV, respectively); Sony includes the necessary composite AV breakout cable as well. In addition to a standard AC adapter, Sony throws in a car charger--but the FX930 does not come with any mounting straps for mounting on a car seat.
The FX930 delivers a much more detailed image--and it's all very noticeable, thanks to your close proximity to the screen. This was most apparent when we watched an action scene from "Aeon Flux" that took place in a garden. The fine detail of the grass and flowers was better than any screen we've recently tested. Battery life, meanwhile, was also impressive: the player hit Sony's rated life of 6 hours right on the nose.
In addition to an impressive high-resolution 9-inch screen, the FX930 plays back MP3 files and JPEG photos burned to discs (in addition to CDs and DVDs, of course), but that's about it. There's no compatibility with DivX or other digital video formats. Also absent is a USB port or flash card reader. Sony boasts compatibility with DVD-R media, but most portable players we've seen can also play the format.
Of course, none of that is going to be a deal-breaker for anyone who's just looking for a standard portable DVD player. The impressive screen, long battery life, and slick design make for an overall winner, with the comparatively hefty 2.7-pound weight being the only notable drawback for most users. Widely available for as low as $160, the Sony DVP-FX930 is well worth the premium over "bare-bones" portable DVD players from no-name competitors.
User reviews
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Nice except terrible shadow detail!
by jhbandy on July 24, 2009
Pros: Great picture in lighter scenes, attractive design.
Cons: Terrible picture in dark scenes, no support for USB/memory cards, no support for other video formats (DivX, avi, mp4, etc)
Summary: This is a nice looking DVD player with great looking picture at first glance, but before buying this unit, I STRONGLY recommend you try watching a dark movie scene. For ...
Summary: This is a nice looking DVD player with great looking picture at first glance, but before buying this unit, I STRONGLY recommend you try watching a dark movie scene. For darker scenes, there is almost no detail visible. In some scenes it is bad enough, you can barely see what is going on. For cartoons and children's films this may not be an issue, but if you want to watch other films, beware.
If you want to check this out for yourself, some stores may have sample units available with demo disks. One common disk has trailer from Night at the Museum on it. Try watching scene where T-rex is drinking from the water fountain on this model and then on any other model. If you really want to see had bad this can get, look for demo disk with trailer for Batman: The Dark Knight.
I could live without USB/memory card support, but this picture quality issue really makes it hard recommend this player.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Intermittent failures...Sony does not stand behind
by sonyhater on October 25, 2010
Pros: When it works, the image is fine.
Cons: It only boots sometimes. Very often, boots to splash screen, then to black, and loops endlessly.
Whe it does boot, and actually starts a movie, very often, will reboot during the movie, forcing a start at the beginning, after waiting for reboot.Summary: I'll never buy anything built by Sony again, and I've been a pretty loyal Sony consumer until now.
And the worst part, Sony wants to charge me $35 ...Summary: I'll never buy anything built by Sony again, and I've been a pretty loyal Sony consumer until now.
And the worst part, Sony wants to charge me $35 in labor to warranty it. Best Buy won't take it back, even for store credit. Sony wants $35 up front to even look at it. And I refuse to throw good money after bad on this. I'm not going to pay $35 for the ~possibility~ that it might get fixed.
They are not standing behind this product at all, and have given me no other option than to tell my story as broadly as I can. Do not buy this product, or if you do, test it thoroughly in the first 29 days of ownership, or you'll be sorry.
The product is bad, but the company, and how they deal with unsatisfied customers, is far worse. I absolutely hate Sony now, and I believed in their reliability before. -
ITS A EXCELLENT PORTABLE MOVIE PLAYER
by oilmanowen on May 17, 2010
Pros: I purchased this sony portable dvd player, for its hi def picture.it has the best picture out there. I have looked at most of the other portable dvd players, their picture quality are terible.this sony unit gives you your best bang for your buck..
Cons: NONE YET..........
Summary: i THINK iF YOURE GOING TO TRAVEL, THIS PORTABLE DVD PLAYER, WILL GIVE YOU LONG BATTERY LIFE, EXCELLENT PICTURE..IN MY OPINION.......ITS THE BEST ONE OUT THERE
Summary: i THINK iF YOURE GOING TO TRAVEL, THIS PORTABLE DVD PLAYER, WILL GIVE YOU LONG BATTERY LIFE, EXCELLENT PICTURE..IN MY OPINION.......ITS THE BEST ONE OUT THERE
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Does the job, if you're into stamp sized screens.
by Mombasa1969 on October 29, 2009
Pros: Does what it's supposed to do.
Cons: Well with a tiny screen it's not going to be great.
Summary: Does what it's supposed to do, but remember if you use recorded dvd's that aren't recorded in HQ mode then your movies will look crap obviously, and ...
Summary: Does what it's supposed to do, but remember if you use recorded dvd's that aren't recorded in HQ mode then your movies will look crap obviously, and again movies recorded from crap quality sources like: (downloaded from pc) or VoD, iPlayer and Sky will also look crap, because of the low quality of the source material. If you really want quality buy a Blu-ray player.
0 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Nice Player, bad picture when you play recordable DVD's
by jjsjms2137 on August 1, 2009
Pros: Nice design. Likeable features. Great remote. Very quiet. Loads fast. Nice battery life. Nice picture when watching store bought DVDs.
Cons: Having to change the screen to full every time you watch a DVD is annoying. HORRIBLE picture when you watch recorded DVDs from VHS or HD media.
Summary: I have no understanding why people are giving this such good reviews other than how this performs when you watch store bought DVDs. Do yourself a favor. Record something from ...
Summary: I have no understanding why people are giving this such good reviews other than how this performs when you watch store bought DVDs. Do yourself a favor. Record something from a VHS or an HD program onto a recordable DVD and see the TRUE picture quality of this player. Its HORRIBLE. Pixelated and grainy. HD is NOT grainy, as it is supposed to be crystal clear. It is too bad, because other than that, this player has a lot of other nice features. But if the majority of the stuff you watch is recordable media, than this player will sell itself short. Its too bad because to get a quality picture, I have to buy an over priced piece of crap insignia just to get a decent quality picture when I watch a non store bought DVD. Such a shame.
0 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: DVP-FX930
- Description: Enjoy your favorite movies on the road with the DVP-FX930 portable DVD player. Boasting a large 9-inch, high-resolution widescreen display and up to six hours of battery life, this portable device is ideal for long flights and car rides. Conveniently located touch keys and a 180-degree swivel and flip screen make it a breeze to operate and watch your favorite flicks. And when you want more than movies, this portable DVD player lets you view your personal photo albums and plays your CDs or MP3. You can even share audio and video with a friend via two built-in headphone jacks.
General
- Product Type DVD player
- Form Factor Portable
- Width 8.9 in
- Depth 6.5 in
- Height 1.4 in
- Weight 2 lbs
- Enclosure Color Black
DVD
- Media Type DVD+R ,
CD-R ,
DVD+R DL ,
DVD ,
CD ,
DVD+RW ,
DVD-R DL ,
DVD-R ,
CD-RW ,
DVD-RW - Recordable Media CD,
CD-R,
CD-RW,
DVD,
DVD+R,
DVD-R,
DVD+R DL,
DVD-R DL,
DVD+RW,
DVD-RW,
JPEG,
MP3 - Video D/A Converter 12bit / 108MHz
- Media Load Type Top-load
- Changer Capacity 1
- Supported Digital Audio Standards MP3
Display
- Display Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 9 in - Color
- Image Aspect Ratio 16:9
DVD Features
- Additional features On-screen display ,
JPEG photo playback Audio System
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Speaker System Details 2 - Built-in
Remote Control
- Type Remote control
- Technology Infrared
Connections
- Connector Type 2 x Headphones,
1 x Audio input / output,
1 x Composite video input/output Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories Car power adapter
- Cables Included A/V cable
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Power AC 120 V
- Battery DVD player battery - Rechargeable
- Capacity 6 hour(s)
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Parts - 1 year,
Limited warranty - Labor - 90 days
Product series
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Manufacturer: Sony
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Manufacturer: Sony
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Manufacturer: Sony
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Manufacturer: Sony
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Manufacturer: Sony
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Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
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- Manufacturer:Sony
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
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