2nd Toshiba SD-P71S

Toshiba SD-P71S
RRP 144.99
Best of the web 98.74 at amazon.co.uk
Overall

Performance

The seven-inch screen means that this player is best for personal use only, despite the fact that you can connect two sets of headphones. You are rewarded, though, with superb picture and sound quality even when using the standard headphones. It also runs extremely quietly, ensuring there's no background noise. Battery life is up to five hours, but in reality you'll probably get nearer three hours.

Ease of operation

The player could hardly be simpler to use, with all the buttons intuitive and all the sockets easy to locate. Although the small screen means you're unlikely to watch it from any distance, there is a remote control, too. It is easy to switch between mains and car adaptor power cables, but the battery pack is fiddly to fit and adds substantial weight and size to what is an otherwise conveniently compact player.

Buying

Look for discounts of around 15%. While these aren't the biggest on the net, you are getting a quality player from a reputable manufacturer, which we think makes it good value for money.

Quality

The player is compact and well put together. Its controls operate with a reassuring smoothness and quietness. However, if you are using it outside of the car then it is let down by the battery pack, which slots awkwardly onto the back of the player, making it heavy and cumbersome.

Special features

The SD-P71S plays most DVD formats and DivX, along with jpeg and MP3 files. It can be plugged in to a television set and used as a standard player. One set of headphones comes as standard, although two sets can be plugged in. The slimline remote control adds versatility. The AC and car adaptors come as standard, as does the battery pack. There's also a handy carrying case to put everything in.