There are several ways to watch movies in your car or truck, but car DVD players strike a good balance between affordability and picture quality. While you won’t get an HD viewing experience in a car DVD player, this isn’t always a big deal when you’re working with car multimedia .
Many Automotive LCD Displays are not even capable of displaying HD resolutions, but those that can be connected to a car DVD player with overdrive to provide a great viewing experience.
Checking the settings of the DVD in the car
The five main types of car DVD players are:
- Portable DVD devices A: They are very portable and easy to set up, but they are the least integrated.
- Headrests DVD players : They can be tricky to install, but they make very good use of the available space.
- Roof / Ceiling Mounted DVD Players : They are tilted down from the ceiling, so they are good if you want multiple passengers to be able to watch one big screen.
- DVD Head Units / Multimedia Receivers : this is very convenient, but the screens are small and it will be difficult for passengers to see them.
- Car DVD players with remote control : This option provides more flexibility, but installation can be tricky.
Some of these car DVD players come with built-in LCDs, while others need to be paired with some type of screen or monitor.
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Portable car DVD players
Daniel Oins, via Flickr (Creative Commons 2.0)
Any portable DVD player can be used in a car, but there are some devices that are specifically designed for this purpose. If you’re looking for a portable DVD player that you can take on the go, you should look for one that either has a large battery or has a 12V plug.
Regular portables with 12V outlets are nice because each passenger can have their own DVD player and you can always use an extra 12V splitter if you don’t have enough outlets.
Portable DVD players, specially designed for use in cars, SUVs and minivans, are a little different from conventional portable devices. These specially designed car DVD players are generally designed to slide on the back of a headrest. This makes them look like DVD players With head restraints but they are much easier to install and can be moved from one car to another without much hassle.
You can also use your laptop as a portable car DVD player, although DVD players are not as common in laptops as they used to be.
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Headrest DVD Players
Yutaka Tsutano, via Flickr (Creative Commons 2.0)
Some headrests have built-in DVD players, while others only have LCD screens. Some of these units also come in pairs with a single DVD player. Because these DVD players are actually mounted inside the headrest, they cannot be removed without replacing the headrest.
Headrests with their own DVD players allow each passenger to watch his or her own movie, but paired devices and screens linked to the head unit provide no such benefit.
This option is good because the finished product doesn’t take up any more space than the original headrest and the headrest displays look very good if the installation is clean.
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DVD players
Thomas Chris, via Flickr (Creative Commons 2.0)
Since these units are mounted on the roof, they are best suited for use in minivans and SUVs. In applications that already have a rooftop console, a DVD player can replace it.
Some manufacturers also offer an overhead DVD player built directly into the overhead console from the factory. In all of these cases, the ceiling/ceiling mounted DVD player’s screen is hinged so it can be flipped over when not in use.
The advantage of an overhead car DVD player is that it can usually be viewed by all rear passengers in an SUV or minivan. The main downside to this is that everyone has to watch the same DVD.
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DVD Head Units and Multimedia Receivers
JVCAmerica, via Flickr (Creative Commons 2.0)
Some DVD head units have a screen, while others need to be paired with external screens. These devices are also available in single and double DIN form factors.
Single DIN DVD head units can have very small screens, but many have decent sized screens that slide out and fold in for viewing. Double DIN DVD head units typically use most of the available viewing area.
Regardless of form factor and screen type, most DVD head units have video outputs that can be connected to external displays.
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Car DVD players with remote control
Chris Baranski, via Flickr (Creative Commons 2.0)
The last option for car DVD players is to mount a standalone unit somewhere off the side. This is the best way to get a DVD in your car without changing your head unit, although you’ll still need a head unit with an auxiliary input if you want to hook into your existing sound system. If you want to use headphones or the built-in speakers in the LCD monitor, then this is not a problem.
While there are 12-volt remote controlled DVD players specifically designed for use in cars and trucks, a regular home DVD player can also be used. This can be achieved by pairing the device with car inverter which also allows you to use any TV or monitor you like.
If you use this method, keep in mind that you still have to come up with some type of display to use with your DVD player.