Product Requirements:
Device:
A television with audio and video input jacks

How many of you have basically traded in your VHS collection for the DVD equivalent? If you were one of the early adopters, then you can remember when an inexpensive DVD player was upwards of $300, and the word "portable" only applied to the small units that featured a flat screen and cost over $1000.

Well, assuming you already have a TV and assuming that you might like to be able to move your DVD player around with a minimum of trouble, Sony has an affordable portable DVD player that you might want to check out.

The PSYC, as Sony calls it, is a DVD player that can also play audio CDs as well as CD-R/CD-RW discs that are loaded with MP3s. The PSYC weighs less than three pounds and is quite compact when compared to the traditional rectangular stereo component shape of most DVD players. The PSYC is even able to be color matched to your room: the player comes with a silver background from the factory, but there are three color panels that you can insert to change its looks. Included were red, blue, and tan; I liked the red best.

All of the technical specifications are spelled out pretty clearly on the Sony site, so this review will focus mainly on the device itself and how my experience with it went...

Hooking the PSYC to a TV could not have been easier! I simply matched the colored ends of the included cable to the matching ends on my TV, plugged it in, and was then ready to sit back and watch a DVD or listen to music.

Operation was a breeze. To open the DVD compartment, I simply pushed the bottom edge of the round front. It then released the lock and I simply raised the lid and inserted my disc.

Once the disc is in, I pushed the lid down and listened for the click. All of the operation buttons line the top of the unit, and they are marked in universal symbols that will be completely familiar to anyone that has ever owned a player of any kind. Playing an audio or MP3 disc is just as easy: simply pop it in and hit play. A menu screen will appear on your television, from which you can select albums and tracks to play. The PSYC will display up to 100 album names or 200 song names on your TV screen.

The overall setup is perfect for someone that doesn't have a lot of space, and that wants to be able to take the player with them when they go. We used the PSYC this weekend when we stayed at our ranch's lodge. Other than the pain of having to pull a 29" screen TV out of the cabinet to connect the cable, installation was incredibly simple. The remote control is just as easy to figure out, everything is clearly labeled and self-explanatory. The quality of your picture and the quality of your sound will (of course) depend on the quality of your TV and any attached audio system.

There is one thing that would have made this portable DVD player perfect for me: AC/DC capability. I drive a Ford Expedition which has a built in entertainment system. Unfortunately, it is VHS. The proper input plugs are present however, so that this player could have worked in my SUV - if I had been able to power the player. Even though I wouldn't be able to use the PSYC in my vehicle, if we were to take an extended trip it would be incredibly easy to use the player in any hotel rooms we might stay in. So if you are someone that likes to travel with your movies, you can still do that.

Obviously, this type of product is not going to be the "answer" for everyone, but then how often can any product honesty do that? I definitely want to offer kudos to Sony for making a trouble-free and easy to use piece of electronics. For those of you that are not gadget-inclined, you will have nothing to fear from this DVD player.

If you are someone that wants a cool looking DVD player that doesn't take up too much space, is easy to use, and that won't be much of a hassle to move from TV to TV, then the PSYC may be exactly what you have been looking for.

Price: $149.99

Pros:
Simple to set up
Easy to operate
Easy to bring along when you travel

Cons:
Would be perfect if it had come with an AC/DC adapter