At first I was struck by a few negatives about the DVD-LV50. Contrary to what some stores say, it only has a single monaural speaker, which seems cheap and ill-advised in a unit retailing for six big ones and packing state-of-the-art audio processing.
I also think Panasonic should have included the larger rechargeable battery pack that runs for 3˝ hours rather than the pack included that runs for two hours. Most folks will probably want to pop for a spare battery, and at only twenty dollars more than the two-hour pack, the bigger battery is probably the better choice.
But it's easy to overlook these quibbles when you see the picture on the DVD-LV50.
This is flat out the best image I think I've ever seen on a screen of ANY size. (In fairness, I don't believe I've seen HDTV, or if I have I didn't notice it.) Sharp, bright, with pure vivid colors and deep blacks, the picture quality is so good it's right off the chart. The picture really is almost three-dimensional, and the fact that it is appearing on a pint-sized player like this is rather astonishing.
Other owners who said you won't notice the diminutive size aren't kidding. The picture is that enticing. Plug in a pair of earbud headphones, and the DVD-LV50 makes a great companion when you're dining alone. Though I haven't yet traveled with the player, I'm sure it would save the day on a train or airplane as well, if you have enough battery power or access to an AC outlet.
One of the other significant pluses of the DVD-LV50 is its "free-floating" screen. Rather than being hinged to the back of the player as on most portables, the screen here rides on an articulated arm that hinges to the player. This gives you more flexibility adjusting the height and angle of the screen to optimize the picture.
Otherwise the player seems to work like gangbusters, tracking every problem disc I can throw at it with nary a glitch or hiccup. One little detail that's very slick is the way the screen fades to black when you turn the power off - nice! Slow motion is also very smooth - guys know how important this feature is!
In conclusion, the DVD-LV50 is quite a technological achievement, if a mite pricey. The day the price comes down ..., however, these players will simply fly off the shelves.
