Portable in-car DVD for kids

[Londonscottish]

Hi All,

Has anyone gone down this route?

The wife wants one of those portable ones where you strap screen to the headrests and have a player...err...somewhere

Thoughts?

 

[fabes]

Got two (kids)

Got two (Players)

I would recommend NOT getting one player and two screens as you know they will want to watch different films

Get a double adapter for the 12V power supply
Get headphones (will drive you mad otherwise)

Mine (9 & 5) have them on their laps as the find the sun hits the screen when on the headrest - and they can be really fidly!

We have failrly cheap sets that play most DVD's, but are a god send

 

[jeremytaylor]

Yes we got one, some obscure Chinese make - Venturer something with IR headphones. One screen has the DVD player, the second screen is a slave. Works OK, but we avoid using it on all but the longest journeys because of the cables running around - gets a bit congested even in an E-class.

Neighbours got a roof mounted fold-down screen in their VW Touran - probably a better solution, but then it is fixed rather than portable.

 

[219]

Some of the Recaro child seats ( Young Sport IIRC ) have speakers built in to the sides of the shell for devices like these or MP3 players .

Other makes may also have this feature ?

 

[d w124]

bought mines from ebay.the whole headrests with dvd and games.easy to fit and paid 200 for the pair

 

[Mr Jadefox]

We've got a pair of screens attached to a single player - just one of these cheap Argos ones that we've had for a couple of years. Works perfectly well and as the kids are both the same age (6 now) they generally like and watch the same thing.

Agree with jeremy though, that it is really only worthwhile getting out for long journeys because of all the wiring etc which you wouldn't want to leave out all of the time.

It is a godsend though on those long journeys, as they have their headphones on and you don't really hear a peep out of them!

 

[Londonscottish]

Got two (kids)

Got two (Players)

I would recommend NOT getting one player and two screens as you know they will want to watch different films

Good point...

Get a double adapter for the 12V power supply

OK

Get headphones (will drive you mad otherwise)

Of course!

Mine (9 & 5) have them on their laps )

No motion sickness?

as the find the sun hits the screen when on the headrest

Hadn't thought of that...that would be a bummer if I'd shelled out a grand on that sort of setup....

We have failrly cheap sets that play most DVD's, but are a god send

can you remember make/price (approx)?

 

[Londonscottish]

bought mines from ebay.the whole headrests with dvd and games.easy to fit and paid 200 for the pair

So you had screens fitten in the headrests?

Where's the player? In dash? In boot?

 

[Londonscottish]

We've got a pair of screens attached to a single player - just one of these cheap Argos ones that we've had for a couple of years. Works perfectly well and as the kids are both the same age (6 now) they generally like and watch the same thing.

Agree with jeremy though, that it is really only worthwhile getting out for long journeys because of all the wiring etc which you wouldn't want to leave out all of the time.

It is a godsend though on those long journeys, as they have their headphones on and you don't really hear a peep out of them!

So you hang the screens off the back of the front seats?

Where do you put the player?

Do you have wired or remote headphones?

 

[Londonscottish]

This looks like a possible option for less that £100

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...108868|In+car+DVD+players|12108875.htm#tabrev

 

[Londonscottish]

Aha - a dual option for £174

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...|cat_12108868|In+car+DVD+players|12108875.htm

 

[Chattonmill]

I have a set up in the E class which means that all passengers can watch something different, a mixture of PS2, MP4, TV and DVD which works well. The sound for each can be played through headsets or if all are watching the same through the car speakers. I have even got a screen in the boot for the rear facing passengers!
The hang on the head rest soloution was good, but drove the missus mad as the wires were everywhere!

 

[Mr Jadefox]

So you hang the screens off the back of the front seats?

Where do you put the player?

Do you have wired or remote headphones?

Yeah they have velcro straps and a further 'pull-string' to stop them falling.

The player just sits in the middle of the two seats (remember its not fitted in - we just take it out when we get out the car) - its about 10" x 6" x 1".

We just use wired headphones. Trick is to set the screens up, get the kids in the car then plug them in and put their headphones on . The headphone sockets are in the screens, so are quite close to them. We found the neckband style headphones work best for the little ones.

I think the wireless ones are a bit unnecesary. They would need batteries, be that much bulky and heavier and its not like they are going anywhere to need them to be wireless!

 

[Mr Jadefox]

Aha - a dual option for £174

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5337493/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome+entertainment+and+sat+nav%7C12108813/c_2/2%7Ccat_12108813%7CIn+car+entertainment%7C12108868/c_3/3%7Ccat_12108868%7CIn+car+DVD+players%7C12108875.htm

These probably a better idea to at least save on the wires to and from the DVD player. The sort we had we only paid about £75 for though and that was 2 years ago!

Looked at their other ones and it seems most work in this way now (i.e. no seperate DVD player).

 

[Londonscottish]

I have a set up in the E class which means that all passengers can watch something different, a mixture of PS2, MP4, TV and DVD which works well. The sound for each can be played through headsets or if all are watching the same through the car speakers. I have even got a screen in the boot for the rear facing passengers!
The hang on the head rest soloution was good, but drove the missus mad as the wires were everywhere!

Thanks for that - I'd rather go down this route in the longer term but as the Mrs is badgering me and I get something from Argos for £170-ish or less now I might just go down the cheapo route for now

 

[Londonscottish]

These probably a better idea to at least save on the wires to and from the DVD player. The sort we had we only paid about £75 for though and that was 2 years ago!

Looked at their other ones and it seems most work in this way now (i.e. no seperate DVD player).

Yes - I liked the (relative) lack of wires and the lack of a player to acommodate.

This way there would be a power supply (which I can run from boot as I already have an 12x aux there), a lead between the units and two headphone leads.

We'd only use the screen on longer trips so a good compromise.

 

[Chattonmill]

The head rests came from the US, half the price of any in the UK, the PS2 was £25 from Ebay with 7 games(Also plays DVD's) DigiTV from Richard. MP4 is an Archos £85 from Ebay reconditioned, if you have a mobile phone that plays movies that would do just as well as the MP4!

 

[Londonscottish]

The head rests came from the US, half the price of any in the UK,

When you say "headrests" do you mean "headrests with built in screens" or "headrest screens"

the PS2 was £25 from Ebay with 7 games(Also plays DVD's)

Cool

DigiTV from Richard.

Richard? Who he?

I assume you mean you have a digital TV receiver hidden away? Where? And how do you control it?

MP4 is an Archos £85 from Ebay reconditioned, if you have a mobile phone that plays movies that would do just as well as the MP4!

Are you playining via your head unit?

And it that the PS2 below? (I don't have games consoles so am asking dumb questions....

[/QUOTE]

 

[d w124]

So you had screens fitten in the headrests?

Where's the player? In dash? In boot?

no mate.i bought the whole headrest with the dvd players on them.they had black grey or cream.the player is on them.i`ll try to find and send you a link

 

[Londonscottish]

no mate.i bought the whole headrest with the dvd players on them.they had black grey or cream.the player is on them.i`ll try to find and send you a link

Yeah - please do. Or just the manufacturer name.

I guess I could get black ones and then use leather paint to replicate the AMG look (I've got duo tone interior)