Customer Reviews
So so 
2008-05-02
Bulky, no back light on controls makes it very difficult to navigate in a dark room. Screen resolution is standard fare so it does not look very sharp due to the large size.
Sound is ok. Various inputs ok as well. Memory card reader a plus.
Not as portable as it looks in the picture.
excellent quality for good price 
2008-05-02
I bought this DVD player recently for my doughter. I find it really cool - large LCD with excellent brightness and contrast, a lot of supported formats - DVD, DivX, MP3. In case of DivX it also supports subtitles (however, it cannot display nation specific characters).
I was also surprised by variety of inputs - you can either play from dvd, SD card, or external USB storage (I haven't tried this one though).
One more nice feature - it is very easy to get rid of DVD region block - I brought some DVD's from Europe and I'm able to play them.
Love It 2008-05-02
I have used other dvd players and they were 'ok'. So far I love this one and no problems. The picture is the best I have seen/used, yet. I hate seeing movies on a 21 inch old tv 10 feet away and we can not afford a new large flat screen. I put this on my lap and it is 'almost' as good as at the movies. It is the best picture I have seen yet and the sound is great!
I am very happy with it. I also bought the Targus DVD001 13 Portable DVD Player Case. (the case holds it well, pockets for all your things and it holds 20 dvd's also.) I use ear buds sometimes and between the very good ear buds and the sound, Anything higher the 1 is to loud. I hope to have this, and be happy with it, for a very long time.
Perfect 2008-04-12
I read lots of the reviews already posted for the player. After thinking really hard and pressed for time I deceided to go ahead and by this player. I can say that I am not disappointed. I used the player several times on the way to and from PA to GA (as anyone may know that this is over a 11 hour trip, with three boys ranging from 10 to 15). My kids all loved the dvd player, and it still works just great. I made sure I downloaded and installed the update for the product before using it and it worked without any problems. I would recommend this product for any one who has kids for long trips.
Great Picture, but terrible ergonomics 
2008-04-10
I recently purchased the PET 1030 after my previous Phillips player, the PET1002, died on me. The 1002 was a great player, but with one critical design flaw - the battery is not designed and/or attached in a manner that can withstand a lot of abuse. As I carry the player with me on my daily commute, the battery eventually broke off. Needless to say, I loved the picture on that one, so I decided to stay with Phillips.
First, the positives:
1. The picture is terrific. I thought the clarity on my old PET1002 was good, this is even better. Not sure anything matches it out on the market, at least from what I looked at in person.
2. Swivel screen - not that I use this all that often, but a nice feature nonetheless.
3. Internal battery - yes, you cannot replace this yourself, and it does not have the charge capacity of external batteries, but I also don't have to worry about it breaking off like I did on my previous model. In addition, the unit is significantly lighter than my previous one. As this comes with me on my daily commute on the train, this was one of the biggest selling points for me.
4. The look - Not sure how much this matters, but it looks pretty cool. Looks like a smaller version of the last generation MacBook.
Now the negatives:
1. Battery life is nowhere near 4 hours. I don't know if I just have a bad unit, but I have yet to get more than 2.5 hours on this thing with the default brightness setting. I used to get 5 hours on my previous model without blinking - very disappointing
2. The controls are the worst I have ever seen. First off, they are mounted on the screen itself. The only way this would be useful is if you are swiveling the screen around, but I never do, so it is a real pain, especially when you have to navigate the menu. Secondly, there are no separate buttons for fast forward/rewind and skip/go back to next/previous chapter - there are only 2 buttons total. You have to hold down the button to get it into fast forward mode then keep hitting it to go from 2X to 4X to 8X, etc... Hit it once without holding it down, and you automatically skip to the next chapter. Again, another major annoyance. Lastly, the Power button horrendous. I never know when it will actually work. I can't believe this design got through quality control. My 1002 had a switch that worked great. Why the moved to an ineffective push button is beyond me.
3. Opening and closing. As another reviewer commented, the magnets that are used to keep the player closed are way too strong. On top of that, the case design barely gives you any leverage or grips to get your fingers in there to open it. I have to be so careful so as not to send the unit flying when the magnets actually do release. Again, how this got past quality control is a mystery.
4. 1 port for headphones. My previous unit had 2, this one has one, with the other replaced with an "AV out" port. This port can accept headphones, but you can't control the volume that goes to them. What good is that?
Overall, I really love the picture clarity, and the fact that the battery is internal, but there are enough significant flaws in the design, that you have to determine whether you can live with them. Other than the external battery, my previous unit, the PET1002, was designed much better. Phillips has seemed to move back in this area..
Great Picture, but terrible ergonomics 2008-04-10
There's nothing easier than sitting back and watching a movie to pass the time away. Whether you're sitting in a park, camping, or trying to appease the passengers in your car, Philips PET1030 portable DVD player does the job beautifully. It has a 10.2" 16:9 Widescreen that's easy to view. The screen swivels to optimize viewing even further. But it doesn't just play DVDs. It can also play CD audio. There's a memory card slot for playing music or photo content. Be it from built-in speakers or listening through headphones, you'll appreciate great stereo sound. It's definitely a PET you want to have around. Zero Bright Dot screen for optimal screen quality - Enjoy highest-quality images that are free from annoying blank spots on the LCD screen High-resolution 10.2? TFT LCD display for great viewing in 16 - 9 widescreen format with 250 - 1 contrast ratio and 200 cdm2 brightness with 840x480 RGB resolution Built-in quality stereo speakers Sleek design is ergonomic and may be controlled easily at the chassis or by remote Efficient rechargeable battery power - Enjoy up to 4 hours continuous non-stop playback Big screen viewing with S-Video and Component Video output - Play discs directly to your TV at home Car power cord lets you play unit in your car - Great for satisfying passengers of all ages on long car trips 1 Earphone jack LCD panel type - Anti-glare polarizer AC/DC Adaptor - DC-in 9~12V; 110-240v, 50/60Hz Battery Charge indicator light Slim Remote Control Smart Car Mount for convenient use in car
Great product! 2008-04-09
I love this DVD player. I returned a different brand because it made to much noise while playing the DVD. This brand runs very quietly. I use it in the car, and have also used it for a slide show for my family using my camera's memory card. I don't mind the notice for a chapter change, as it pops up and goes away very quickly. I like knowing what chapter I'm in if I have to stop the DVD. Great product!
review 
2008-03-27
brilliant screen and crisp sound. fun part is the 180degree screen, perfect to see a movie on the couch, player on your lap. did not use it in the car yet because with 2 kids you need 2 screens in the back or some kit with which you can hang the player between the two front chairs.
Beware region codes 2008-03-25
The look and feel of the product are good but beware region codes - it will not play disc from other countires (US and region free only). Having just moved to the US my kids were very disappointed when we could not watch any of their favourite movies.
Hope you don't need service! 
2008-03-02
Very good picture but hope you don't need service after the warranty because there is non.
If you need service during the warranty they give you a new one, once the warranty is over buy a new one. They have NO parts for their portable DVD players, not even the drive.
