Either you guys are being too picky or something is wrong.

Anyrate, yes, it will help you with focusing... I'm not defending this item "guns a blazing" but perhaps being a little too picky?

Well, extremely preliminary testing (mediocre indoor lighting with various still objects in the room) with my camera leaves me feeling somewhat better about the picture -- particularly if you view it from a couple feet away, rather than close-up, where noise becomes more apparent.

I can't say for sure that this helps me focus any more accurately than using my viewfinder or flip-out LCD, but the size of the image does make it more comfortable.

But now my biggest issue is the 4:3 composite signal put out by my JVC HD200 -- so I'm not even using all of the Sony's screen real estate. And choosing the "Full" option on the Sony is no good, since that mode really looks pretty poor (not to mention that circles become ovals, etc.). It would be better if this thing weren't widescreen.

So going component out to a high quality ~7-8 inch LCD sounds better and better....except for the price.

But now my biggest issue is the 4:3 composite signal put out by my JVC HD200 -- so I'm not even using all of the Sony's screen real estate. And choosing the "Full" option on the Sony is no good, since that mode really looks pretty poor (not to mention that circles become ovals, etc.). It would be better if this thing weren't widescreen.

So going component out to a high quality ~7-8 inch LCD sounds better and better....except for the price.
So you are shooting 4:3 square on a nice HD camera?

If not, then have a look in your camera's menu and see what you can change about it. Aspect ratio or whatever. If circles become ovals, then it leaves me to think you are shooting 4:3 square.

So you are shooting 4:3 square on a nice HD camera?

If not, then have a look in your camera's menu and see what you can change about it. Aspect ratio or whatever. If circles become ovals, then it leaves me to think you are shooting 4:3 square.

I'm shooting in HDV, definitely. However, while the JVC's component outputs give 16:9 HD, the composite output is giving 4:3 SD. I'm going to post on the ProHD forum to confirm this, but I recently went through all the menus in the camera, and I don't remember seeing any setting having to do with the composite output.

This may or may not have anything to do with the fact that on the JVC, both the viewfinder and flip-out LCD panels are in fact 4:3 panels, with the image area letterboxed within it. But that fact may be unrelated...

In the end, if the JVC's composite out is fixed at 4:3, then this Sony solution becomes much less worthwhile, since you can't even use the full screen, as you end up with an image that's both letterboxed and pillarboxed.

Either you guys are being too picky or something is wrong.


I really like this monitor suggestion. Yes, I'm a little picky because I think the monitor should be as good as that on a $100 digital picture frame. Don't you think that this is the fuzziest LCD in the entire Sony store? Surely, this device will improve as Sony adds BluRay capability and a better LCD.

I bought one, but I haven't used it yet. I hope it will help my current problem which is critical focusing with a shallow DOF 35mm converter. (Sony EX1 + RedRock M2 + Nikon 50 or 85mm f/1.4 @ f2) My current best method is to use the EX1 "peaking" features that highlights the sharpest image features in blue. I'm using a small deodorant stick as it is has flat sides and it is compact. Then, I just take the stick out of the frame.

Someone on the ProHD forum just confirmed for me the JVC will only output 4:3 SD from the composite output.

So that makes the decision easy for me, and unfortunately this Sony will be taking a return trip to B&H. At least I don't have to forever wring my hands about its image quality...

Thanks though for the tip, Jerome -- the idea was definitely worth checking out...

Someone on the ProHD forum just confirmed for me the JVC will only output 4:3 SD from the composite output.

So that makes the decision easy for me, and unfortunately this Sony will be taking a return trip to B&H. At least I don't have to forever wring my hands about its image quality...

Thanks though for the tip, Jerome -- the idea was definitely worth checking out...

That sucks that camera only outputs 4:3 through composite. And did you mention earlier that the LCD and VF was also 4:3? That is really hard for me to grasp why they did that to a HD camera.

Oh well... atleast you gave it a shot.

I really like this monitor suggestion. Yes, I'm a little picky because I think the monitor should be as good as that on a $100 digital picture frame. Don't you think that this is the fuzziest LCD in the entire Sony store? Surely, this device will improve as Sony adds BluRay capability and a better LCD.

I bought one, but I haven't used it yet. I hope it will help my current problem which is ciritical focusing on a shallow DOF 35mm converter.

I don't see any fuzziness. Really. I mean, its not as crisp as my 1080 Aquos for my computer monitor, but its better than anything in that price range and even some more expensive smaller LCDs I've seen in use for live switchers.

With the 35mm converter, it should help you out alot. Please post your findings..

That sucks that camera only outputs 4:3 through composite. And did you mention earlier that the LCD and VF was also 4:3? That is really hard for me to grasp why they did that to a HD camera.

Oh well... atleast you gave it a shot.

Jerome -- turns out my info was wrong, and the JVC can be set to output composite at 16:9, so now I just have to decide if the Sony's image is acceptable enough to me.

As far as the JVC's LCD and VF being 4:3, I can only guess they wanted to use existing parts and be cheap? It's readily acknowledged that these are great cameras, but their LCD and VF are extremely subpar in quality. The fact that they're 4:3 actually has the plus that a lot of the info display text remains in the "letterbox bars" and out of the image area. The main reason they suck is that they just don't look so great...

So since sony bends you over if you want pal, i was looking around at other 800x480 dvd players that are more region/format friendly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882136168

I'm not endorsing newegg or anything, just using it as a reference. Has anybody seen one of these in person? If you are at a store that has one, would you mind giving it a quick glance to see if the screen is substantially worse than the sony?

also, it looks like it should be able to fold flat on itself... but i could be mistaken.

If you come across this or a different brand of 800x480 dvd, please give it a glance and see if it looks any good/is pal happy.

thanks a ton from down under!

Great! My Canon can send anamorphic 16x9 composite out so it's off to Best Buy. Thanks.


Just want to clarify...
so if I"m shooting 1080 60i with my XH-A1, I can take the composite out of the camera into the composite in of this DVD player - and when I switch the DVD player to 16x9 mode I will be able to clearly view the entire frame, right?

THe composite output of the camera outputs anamorphic (when shooting in 1080 60) and the 16x9 mode on the DvD player "squishes" it to the correct aspect?

DO I have this correct??
Just want to confim, then I'm off to best buy!!!! - I got one of those gift cards too!!!

thanks

Just want to clarify...
so if I"m shooting 1080 60i with my XH-A1, I can take the composite out of the camera into the composite in of this DVD player - and when I switch the DVD player to 16x9 mode I will be able to clearly view the entire frame, right?

THe composite output of the camera outputs anamorphic (when shooting in 1080 60) and the 16x9 mode on the DvD player "squishes" it to the correct aspect?

DO I have this correct??
Just want to confim, then I'm off to best buy!!!! - I got one of those gift cards too!!!

thanks
Yes. If you hooked the composite up to a 4:3 TV, it will be squished. If you hook it up to a 16:9 TV, it will be 16:9 (as long as you are shooting in widescreen...)

So since sony bends you over if you want pal, i was looking around at other 800x480 dvd players that are more region/format friendly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882136168

I'm not endorsing newegg or anything, just using it as a reference. Has anybody seen one of these in person? If you are at a store that has one, would you mind giving it a quick glance to see if the screen is substantially worse than the sony?

also, it looks like it should be able to fold flat on itself... but i could be mistaken.

If you come across this or a different brand of 800x480 dvd, please give it a glance and see if it looks any good/is pal happy.

thanks a ton from down under!

Looks like that may be a good candidate... would love to see these 2 side by side.

Jerome, I believe you mentioned in another post in this thread how you use a mini plug to BNC cable. I've searched high & low for one online & can't find a thing. Do you have any suggestions where I could check?

Right now I'm using a RCA to BNC adapter.

Aside from having one custom made (of course I could do it myself, but seems the older I get, the less solder savvy I've become... no patience), finding a source I could purchase from would be great.

Jerome, I believe you mentioned in another post in this thread how you use a mini plug to BNC cable. I've searched high & low for one online & can't find a thing. Do you have any suggestions where I could check?

Right now I'm using a RCA to BNC adapter.

Aside from having one custom made (of course I could do it myself, but seems the older I get, the less solder savvy I've become... no patience), finding a source I could purchase from would be great.
Bill, I finally found the source! I used these guys a long time ago for something else...

http://www.pacificcable.com/Picture_Page.asp?DataName=BNC35C

They're relatively cheap and you can choose your length. I just ordered 2 and requested for right angle plugs. Hope they come through with it.

Thanks for that.

So since sony bends you over if you want pal, i was looking around at other 800x480 dvd players that are more region/format friendly.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882136168


There are many choices, including the Coby, at BestBuy.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=abcat0102008&type=category

The AudioVox costs twice as much but has an interesting zoom feature. I would really have liked to see Sony adopt a focus zoom feature that would toggle on/off with a switch instead of a timer. Also, I wish Sony would allow a smaller auto focus zone or at the very least, a smaller focus rectangle that could be positioned by joystick control. It would be so much nicer to have that joystick button that's in the EX1 remote control on the the EX1 itself.

Unfortunately, both the Coby mentioned above and the AudioVox are available on-line only at BestBuy.com . There is also a Toshiba for $300 with a 10" display. Careful. A number of these models do not have the composite video input.

Q: Would this work/be adequate for pulling focus with a 35mm adapter on the hv20?
A: Yes.

EDIT. Missed answer in middle of thread. Thanks so much for pointing this out. I'm going to best buy tomorrow. Once again, DVI saves me money. Almost too good to be true.

Thanks to Jerome for starting this thread. The Sony portable DVD player with the 8" 800x480 LCD he suggested works marvelously for focusing. Even though we are quick to laugh at composite SD out, the 8" 800x480 screen easily matches the resolution on my Sony EX1. A +1 tweak of the Sony Hue was all that was needed to match the DVD LCD to my EX1. I turned the color all the way down on the LCD for Black&White monitoring while retaining color on the EX1 LCD. It is much easier to focus this way, and this blows away the internal B&W viewfinder feature. Fantastic.

A few notes on my EX1 with this DVD player. The menu display can be turned off on the video out (p. 103 of manual, Display Out=Off). A minor downside is that peaking stripes (and zebra stripes) aren't passed to the composite out regardless of the Display Out setting. A major downside is that the Expanded Focus function which doubles the size of the image is not passed to the composite out. Darn it.

I'll do some more searching for portable DVD players with larger LCDs. The largest I've seen is a 10.2" .

Thanks to Jerome for starting this thread. The Sony portable DVD player with the 8" 800x480 LCD he suggested works marvelously for focusing. Even though we are quick to laugh at composite SD out...
Gints, no problem! I just wanted to pass on the info to a solution to an "everlasting hunt". I'm glad you tried it and glad it works for you. Check out that link for the cables a couple posts up... I should be getting mine in first of the week.... no adapters needed!

Check out that link for the cables a couple posts up... I should be getting mine in first of the week.... no adapters needed!

Thanks for the cable link. My Sony's don't use a BNC connector, so I just use the provided A/V breakout cables and connect the female connectors on the camcorder and DVD player cables with an RCA gender changer plug.

Here is another candidate for about $280 : Toshiba SD-P2900, although its specs read the same as Toshiba SD-P101S Portable DVD Player . The former is 4 lbs while the latter is 2.8 lbs.

http://www.beachaudio.com/Toshiba/Sdp2900-p-100176.html

Not to rain on any parade, but I got a good look at this unit at best buy and thought the screen looked terrible. There was 5-6 different brands on display and they had the same DVD sampler playing in all of them and when it would go to the menu the text was barely legible the res was so low. I couldn't fathom trying to focus with this.

I trust all of your opinions and figure that maybe there are different batches of this thing floating around or something as there is no way you could mistake this for a "good" focusing unit?

I ended up buying an LG model that was on clearance. It stood out from all the rest and had the clearest picture. The text was clearly legible and it just seemed "hi-res" in comparison. It turns out (from online research) that this one model of LG is listed on their site as being a VGA screen. Every other model is not listed this way and it is obvious as they look very low quality.

In the store, the Sony that you are all raving about, is not even remotely high -res, especially in relation to the LG with a true VGA screen that looks amazing.

What gives? As I said earlier, this cannot be simply difference of opinion but maybe a different lot?

Thanks.

I never did buy one of these things, so I can't speak with authority, but the research I did revealed that the earlier model, the DVP-FX810, had a much lower resolution screen, as well as a nasty glare problem (the screen "looks like a mirror when the unit is turned off" according to one person). Both problems were addressed with the 820, supposedly, but the two models are cosmetically identical, could you guys be looking at the wrong one? I know a few places, Wal-Mart for one, are just getting these in stock now, and only had the 810 before.

Not to rain on any parade, but I got a good look at this unit at best buy and thought the screen looked terrible. There was 5-6 different brands on display and they had the same DVD sampler playing in all of them and when it would go to the menu the text was barely legible the res was so low. I couldn't fathom trying to focus with this.

In the store, the Sony that you are all raving about, is not even remotely high -res, especially in relation to the LG with a true VGA screen that looks amazing.


I'm glad Jerome started this thread. My initial reaction to the FX820 Sony unit (note: there are two that are out there: FX810 and FX820), but after using it for a night, it does aid in focusing. I haven't walked into any stores other than Sony, so more research is in order. Thanks for the tip on the LG display. I mentioned a 10.2" Toshiba in an earlier thread that received excellent picture quality reviews.

I never did buy one of these things, so I can't speak with authority, but the research I did revealed that the earlier model, the DVP-FX810, had a much lower resolution screen, as well as a nasty glare problem (the screen "looks like a mirror when the unit is turned off" according to one person). Both problems were addressed with the 820, supposedly, but the two models are cosmetically identical, could you guys be looking at the wrong one? I know a few places, Wal-Mart for one, are just getting these in stock now, and only had the 810 before.
I bet they are looking at the 810 and not the 820. The 810 IS much worse than the 820. The 810 was on display and I made the kid take the 820 out of the box so I could check it out... he did and even he saw the difference.

When all the people mention how bad the screen is, I thought they were just being too picky. But as it turns out, I just assumed that they checked the 820 because that is what I posted originally.

It would be great to see if the naysayers could in deed confirm if they saw the 810 or 820.

best buy is closed but I will try to get in and verify this week.
Thanks.

It would be great to see if the naysayers could in deed confirm if they saw the 810 or 820.

Jerome, I'm thankful that you started this thread. I think there is a better portable DVD player out there. I'll agree that the Sony FX820 player you suggested immensely improves focusing when comparing the excellent VGA 3.5" LCD on my Sony EX1 in normal (not "Expanded Focus") mode. The Sony EX1 doesn't send Expanded Focus mode to the Composite Video out, so both monitors are about the same in expanded mode. Yes, there is more flickering in the Sony FX820, and I suspect that it's circuitry adds this "noise" more than the composite output. It appears that the FX820 doesn't do deinterlacing, and its update rate is quite slow. This is what I see when I move my finger across the lens and watch the artifacts in the FX820.

Do you have a freaky-good FX820 that shows sharp text in DVD mode? The FX820 is quite fuzzy in DVD mode, but the Line In text appears sharp in LineIn mode. Isn't your much fuzzier than the text you see in Line In mode?

So, we're left looking for a better DVD player. I see some that are listed with Progressive modes, so perhaps this is the main improvement. The Memorex 10" device gets rave reviews, but it's listed as a film-like device which compresses highlights to deal with game console input. Do we want that? I think not. Some of the higher end portable DVD players have component inputs for XBox input.

I absolutely definitely have the 820 (it's sitting here in front of me)...and I remain unimpressed with the screen.

Not saying it might not be a help in focusing, but it's certainly not fun to look at...

Maybe I'm just too picky, or maybe they use different panels in different samples (just like Dell does with their monitors) -- though I can't imagine they'd have some units that look "great" and others that look poor.

Hi all:

I have been shooting my HV20 Letus Combo with a Polaroid DVD player I bought at Walmart about a year ago (PDM 0742). Has 4:3 and 16:9 modes, flips, and I was pretty satisfied with it, and could pull focus okay, I thought. You always have a "gap" range where you are guessing if you hit focus right on.

But then I shot a Panny HVX with a Netek 7 inch monitor on an 8 day shoot, and man, was that nice. I now am having issues in with my rig. I am wondering if this Sony is any better. They are both SD....

Just bought an 8 inch sony Fx811 at Sam's for 159. Screen looks great.

Maybe I'm just too picky, or maybe they use different panels in different samples (just like Dell does with their monitors) -- though I can't imagine they'd have some units that look "great" and others that look poor.

Could be different panels. I see interlace artifacts on a flickering screen. All of the FX820's at the Sony Store looked this way. I'll check some more players out at Target tonight. (Added) The Target in my area doesn't provide power supplies for any of the DVD players. They have a dozen portable DVD players, including a couple of 10" LCD models, in one aisle with a fake plastic scene in the LCD. The salesperson refused to deal with their lack of power. What a taunting crock. Well, I'll take my purchase

I'm guessing that the players labeled Progressive Scan are what we want. An LCD isn't interlaced by nature. Why would it flicker even if only alternate lines are updated every 1/30 second. Also, I'm not sure how my Sony EX1 will work with those larger DVD players with a 10" screen and component inputs.

Does anybody have an easy mounting solution yet? I'd like to put it on my rig with something like this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/272986-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_482_482_Micro_Ball_Head.html

I coincidentally stumbled upon this monitor at Circuit City and bought it the same day this thread started up. I'd been looking at LGs but got this because of the brightness and controls all on the front below the LCD panel.

Does anybody have an easy mounting solution yet? I'd like to mount it to my rig with something like this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/272986-REG/Bogen_Manfrotto_482_482_Micro_Ball_Head.html

I just don't know how to mount the monitor to that, other than just JB welding a bolt to it. Any suggestions?

Sorry for the double post. Anybody know how to delete that last one?

Sorry for the double post. Anybody know how to delete that last one?

For at least an hour or two, something posted by an individual will be able to edit a original post. Just click the "edit" button instead of adding another post.

For at least an hour or two, something posted by an individual will be able to edit a original post. Just click the "edit" button instead of adding another post.

Yeah, I didn't realize it had posted. I hit enter to skip a line and my page did something weird like it reloaded (and obviously posted), but left me on the same message screen I was working on. Anyway, know of a way to delete it? The edit button says edit/delete on mouseover, but I don't see the option anywhere.

I see some that are listed with Progressive modes, so perhaps this is the main improvement.

Speaking of specs/info, I'd only try to check manufacturers sites. These stores, CCity, BestBuy, etc etc., hardly ever have correct specs or info. Ex: On Circuit City's site, it lists specs for the other colors available (other than black) for the FX820 don't have speakers & to hear audio you have to use headphones or hook up to an audio system. Also, I noticed at least one listed as having component out & no composite out and also at least one as being progressive.

Dweebs :)

I ended up buying an LG model that was on clearance. It stood out from all the rest and had the clearest picture. The text was clearly legible and it just seemed "hi-res" in comparison. It turns out (from online research) that this one model of LG is listed on their site as being a VGA screen. Every other model is not listed this way and it is obvious as they look very low quality.


Marty, which model are you talking about? On the BestBuy site, I see two LG models:

The LG DP889 8" is listed with a WVGA (800x480) screen but no video inputs. Its Zoom selector feature looks interesting. What do you think?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8716133&productCategoryId=abcat0102008&type=product&tab=1&id=1200702389841#productdetail

The LG DP885 is listed with a WQVGA (480x234) screen and includes a video input. You probably don't have this one judging by the resolution.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8716115&type=product&id=1200702389704

Other low cost options are smaller LCD TVs, although they aren't as portable and have no battery power. Has anyone seen a smaller unit? The Sony store has a thin but very expensive OLED TV.

Insignia® - 15" 720p Widescreen Flat-Panel LCD

Here is another avenue to explore: battery powered LCd TVs, although this particular unit has neither the resolution not the component video inputs we're looking for:

http://www.lcddigital.tv/6-tv.html

I've shot with this unit before:

http://www.lcd4video.com/lcd4video_store/lcd_monitor.html

The director for my last shoot had one of the $200.00 combo pack. I does have a 12 volt battery brick in a bag you can shoulder carry during hand held, and I would have used it, except that we had someone let us use his Nebtek monitor at last moment.

I checked out the Best Buy selection of DVD player models, looking for these:
The LG DP889 8" (WVGA , 800x480 but no video inputs?)
The LG DP885 (WQVGA 480x234 + a video input

The Best Buy setup was great in that they had demo disks, although you have to open all of the units to find the same ones. Although the prices didn't vary that much, there was a huge difference in quality. The Sony FX820 wasn't there, but the FX810 looked about the same. The Toshiba 9" looked fuzzy, pretty much every unit looked fuzzy with obvious jaggies and "interlace" line artifacts. The only decent one in clarity and contrast was the Insignia 10.2" although its color depth was low in that banding was easily seen in browns. It is obviously better than the Sony FX820 in hand. Of the bunch, I'd go for that one. Next test is to bring in my Sony EX1 for a test drive in the store.

The major trouble with buying a 10.2" portable DVD is that the 15" 720p and 1600x1050 LCD TVs with component inputs were in the next aisle selling for the same price. I know, I know, they're not portable as they require AC power. Hmmm. Perhaps one of the smaller Uninterruptible Power Supplies for $75 would do.

Bill, I finally found the source! I used these guys a long time ago for something else...

http://www.pacificcable.com/Picture_Page.asp?DataName=BNC35C

They're relatively cheap and you can choose your length. I just ordered 2 and requested for right angle plugs. Hope they come through with it.

I got the 2 cables in today. They put a stereo 3.5mm plug on the ends vs the mono as stated on site, BUT it works. I plugged into LCD and works fine. They also didn't do the right angle plugs, but for ~$8 what can I expect?

FYI. The LG unit that I bought was a discontinued model. It was the DP781. It was the display model. It is going back. Why? Not because it is bad. But because I verified that I viewed the Sony 810 in Best Buy which looked bad and swayed me away from Sony. They have the 820 in stock, and although I cannot see the screen in the box, I trust that it is every bit as good as the LG.

To add to this, the LG being a sample model didn't have the remote, battery unit or car charger either. It was discounted, but by the time I rig up stuff for all those extras I can just buy the Sony straight up.

Thanks all.

Jerome, funny you mentioned this. I got mine today as well... opened it up, saw the stereo plug... and went "Dayumm idgits"! But... as you said, it still works :D

FYI. The LG unit that I bought was a discontinued model. It was the DP781. It was the display model. It is going back. Why? Not because it is bad. But because I verified that I viewed the Sony 810 in Best Buy which looked bad and swayed me away from Sony. They have the 820 in stock, and although I cannot see the screen in the box, I trust that it is every bit as good as the LG.


The Sony 820 looks about the same as the 810. I wish I could have compared the LG, but it appeared to be broken and wouldn't read any of the DVDs. However, the default screen just didn't look that much better than the 810 on display. The Insignia 10.2" looks better than 80 or 820. For testing, I would bring along a few copies of the same DVD with a decent menu so you can compare same image.

While I like the convenience of a small portable DVD player, the image quality just isn't there. Yes, it is easier to focus in full view mode with these 8" displays than using the camcorder LCD. However, the Expanded view mode on the camcorder LCD beats the display on the DVD player. my particular camcorder (Sony EX1) doesn't output the Expanded view over composite, so I'm left longing for a monitor that accepts component inputs. The next investigation IS the smaller 15-20" LCD TVs in the $300-500 price range.

I don´t understand why anyone would chose this one over the lilliput lcd? It´s the same price but you can use both component and shoe adapter and it has a better screen as far as I know.

http://www.lilliputweb.net/ts619.html

Or am I missing something here? :)

I don´t understand why anyone would chose this one over the lilliput lcd? It´s the same price but you can use both component and shoe adapter and it has a better screen as far as I know.

http://www.lilliputweb.net/ts619.html

Or am I missing something here? :)

This looks good. I only see RCA input in the specs, and the pictures of the cables are for composite video. The primary advantage of the portable DVD players is that they are battery operated and can run several hours. If you're running on A/C, you might as well get a 15" LCD TV with component input and as close to 1080p as as you can get.

I did a side-by-side comparison of various portable DVD players at Fry's Electronics with three copies of the same DVD, leaving the disk in a motion menu. I wish the Memorex 10" and LG 8" were there. The battery life for the 10" units is often listed at 2 hours some of the 8" (Sony FX820) run for six hours, probably with DVD.

Best looking:
Philips PET1030 10" $279 sharpest of them all. Metal edge was hot.

Runner ups:
Sony DVP-FX820 8.5" $179 sharpest of 8" group, but not as good as Philips
Coby 10" DVD1020 $199 soft (may not allow 4:3 mode?)
AudioVox 10" D201 $399, very soft, most shadow noise

Resolution appears to be much less than 800x480. Are these 800x234 ? The vertical resolution was the limiting factor.
Sony DVP-FX810 $149 horrible
Panasonic DVD-LS82 $179 horrible
Panasonic DVD-LS86 $199 Horrible
Toshiba 9" (missed model#) horrible

I don´t understand why anyone would chose this one over the lilliput lcd? It´s the same price but you can use both component and shoe adapter and it has a better screen as far as I know.

http://www.lilliputweb.net/ts619.html

Or am I missing something here? :)

A component to VGA converter is needed such as the Mayflash unit, but you would have to rig up some kind of battery supply for it to be portable instead of using the AC adapter. Since 6V is all it needs, 4 AA's could be wired in series. Just need a battery holder for the AA's.

This combo would probably look really noticeably nicer though considering the Mayflash upscales through the VGA out. Lilliput should make a black unit (Silver does noting for me :) ... with a red stripe around the sides... match a Canon lens :D

I got the Sony 820 and returned the LG 781 which was a floor model anyway. I haven't had a serious chance to test it with camera but I did watch a DVD on it and I can say without a doubt that it is far superior to the Sony 810. However, it may not be quite as good as the LG was. It seems a tiny bit more washed out and oddly the viewing angles are weird.

I find the image to look its best when you tilt the screen slightly forward. In other words, when looking at it straight on with the screen at a 90 degree angle to your eyes it looks a tad dark. Tipping it forward ever so slightly brightens the image and it really pops! I can continue to tip it and the image does not get worse like you typically see with an LCD viewed off angle. However if I tip it backward from the 90 degree angle it quickly disintegrates into a reverse image and it is hard to make out anything. I do not remember the LG having this issue at all.

Regardless, the Sony is my choice as I got it at Circuit City in a package with a case, headphones and a 15% OFF COUPON that brought it to around $160 with tax. I had paid $129 for the LG with nothing but the unit and a power cord. With the Sony I get the 5-6 hour battery, a remote, cables including a card adapter and the other bonuses. Heck, the carrying case from CC even includes a car mounting kit. When not in use for video production I may occassionally use this for my daughter to watch movies on long trips in the car!

Peace all!

A component to VGA converter is needed such as the Mayflash unit, but you would have to rig up some kind of battery supply for it to be portable instead of using the AC adapter. Since 6V is all it needs, 4 AA's could be wired in series. Just need a battery holder for the AA's.

This combo would probably look really noticeably nicer though considering the Mayflash upscales through the VGA out. Lilliput should make a black unit (Silver does noting for me :) ... with a red stripe around the sides... match a Canon lens :D

Yes you need the MayFlash but that´s just an extra 50$. Then get one Tekkeon battery and you are good to go. :) I know a lot of people using this setup. Belive me this a way better solution.

The monitor is actually black but comes in silver also.

You can buy it here : http://cgi.ebay.com/LILLIPUT-7-619GL-70NP-C-CAR-PC-VGA-XGA-LCD-MONITOR_W0QQitemZ370029667584QQihZ024QQcategoryZ67771QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l12 47QQcmdZViewItem

"Color of housing: BLACK COLOR ONLY."

Yes you need the MayFlash but that´s just an extra 50$. Then get one Tekkeon battery and you are good to go. :) I know a lot of people using this setup. Belive me this a way better solution.


I'd believe it. The video sharpness of the portable DVD players seems limited mostly by video processing. The single color video overlays on the Sony FX820 are crisp, but the video (LineIn or DVD) is not.

I like the Mayflash box. Is there an affordable component->DVI box?

Also, is it possible to adjust this monitor to greyscale? I like that option on the portable DVD players, which is possible by reducing the color parameter.