BUSINESSWEEK ONLINE : SEPTEMBER 4, 2000 ISSUE
TECHNOLOGY & YOU A Theater in Your Hand Like many people who tote a computer nearly everywhere they go, I had assumed that the advent of DVD-ROM drives would finally turn an aircraft cabin into a setting where I could comfortably catch up on movies that I'd missed. Movies that I picked, not that month's eastbound selection. No more cheesy headsets at $5 a pop, no more flight attendants pouring drinks between me and the screen, no more second officers interrupting the movie to point out mountain peaks I'd never heard of. It hasn't worked out that way. Now, if you want to watch a movie and do some productive work later on, you either have to choose a very short movie or pack an extra battery. Many newer DVD movies, those with such extras as computer games and Internet features, cause conflicts with a portable computer's power-management software--blanking the screen every five minutes, say. And there's nothing to be done when the passenger in front of you reclines and you can't open the computer. The best way to catch movies on the fly, I discovered recently, is the new breed of portable DVD players. I've been playing around with three of them: Sony's new DVP-FX1; the DVD-LV75 from Panasonic, which invented the ''palm theater'' category two years ago; and Pioneer's PDV-LC20, a slimmed-down version of its current model that goes on sale in October. They're expensive, ranging from about $1,100 or less for the Panasonic to $1,500 for the Sony, which is so new that it's rarely discounted. And, unlike a DVD-drive-equipped notebook computer, you're unlikely to convince the accounting or IT crowd that it's a must-have for executives on the go. But they're much smaller than even the smallest notebooks--about the size of a stack of three DVD cases--and they're designed for a single purpose. So batteries will easily last through two movies. I consistently got four hours and 45 minutes of playing time from the Sony and Panasonic models. On most computers, you can expect only to get 1 1/2 to 2 hours of movie viewing because of the larger screen and processor-intensive decoding of audio and video signals--although there are some long-life models such as Apple's iBook G3. At your destination, you can hook a portable DVD player up to a TV in your hotel, if the management hasn't monopolized all the jacks for its in-room entertainment system. DISTRACTION FACTOR. These are no-compromise machines that are useful for much more than whiling away time on cross-country jaunts. There's no better way to engage kids on airplanes or in the backseat during long car trips. They're great as a second machine at home, in the bedroom maybe, and they're easily carted along to weekend and vacation spots. With built-in Dolby Digital and DTS audio decoders, the Panasonic model can even drive a full-fledged home theater, making it better than most people's set-top DVD player. Each has a 6-inch-wide (about 7 in. diagonal) screen with the 16:9 aspect ratio that movies are made in, instead of the 4:3 ratio of conventional TV sets and computer screens. Although I didn't test them, you can save money on 5- to 6-inch diagonal screen versions from Panasonic and Aiwa, which sell from $700 to $900. Common controls are on the top and sides of the players, and each has an onscreen menu and cursor control for advanced functions. I thought the Panasonic had the best picture; I had to fiddle quite a bit to get the screen angle exactly right on the Sony. Otherwise, the blacks looked washed out, and it lacked controls to adjust the color and contrast. At under two pounds with its battery attached, the Pioneer was the lightest (and thinnest), but it had the shortest battery life as well. One thoughtful feature: The Pioneer has two headphone jacks so that you can watch with a friend. Best of all, there's now an inexpensive way to give portable DVD players a spin for yourself. InMotion Pictures (www.inmotionpictures.com) has kiosks in seven airports, including San Jose, Denver, and Philadelphia, that will let you rent it here, drop it there for $10. Or $10 a day, with a different movie every day, for round trips. You might just want to leave that bulky computer at home for a change. By LARRY ARMSTRONG, tech&you@businessweek.com Questions? Comments? E-mail tech&you@businessweek.com or fax (202) 383-2125 Want to express your own views on a tech&you column or other technology topic? Join the Technology & You online forum. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ BACK TO TOP					RELATED ITEMS A Theater in Your Hand PHOTO: Sony DVP-FX1 (left) and Panasonic DVD-LV75 TABLE: Movies To Go INTERACT E-Mail to Business Week Online

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