Performance
In a word: spectacular. The picture is almost indescribable -- but I'll try. The film-like image on the SD-P1000's LCD is thick, almost 3D, and as crisp and crystalline as a professional glamour photograph. The picture also is unusually bright; it shines even in sunlight. There is no flicker and hardly any motion artifacts.
"Toy Story" looked like a grainy, faded cartoon on another portable DVD player with a 7inch screen. On the Toshiba, though, you are in Andy's bedroom, flying to infinity and beyond with Buzz and Woody. You're standing alongside hack actor Jason Nesmith as he gapes with wonder at the solar system from the deck of the NSEA Protector in "Galaxy Quest." You don't have to use the line doubler of your mind in a vain attempt to reconstruct the life-like image that you remember from the theater. You are further absorbed into the film by the synthetic Spatializer surround sound produced for headphones, a standard feature on current DVD portables.
For some reason, the SD-P1000 had some trouble with black-and-white films, especially noir. While the images from both the rescued "Touch of Evil" and the restored "The Third Man" shone like true silver-screen classics, there was a bit more motion artifacting (a digital flicker visible on solid surfaces, such as walls or car hoods, particularly when the camera moved) than I expected. Still, this slight flaw is certainly preferable to the images from the portable DVD alternatives.
Other than the adjustable black level, there are no picture controls of any kind. To me, that's a good thing, because I wasn't even tempted to tinker with the picture.
Arguably the best thing about the progressive-scan picture is the lack of that subliminal interlace flickering that, after watching a two-hour film on a screen that's barely an arm's length from your face, can tire your eyes and can lead to a headache. This advantage is not something you'd notice until someone asks if sitting so close to the SD-P1000's screen makes your eyes ache -- and you realise it doesn't.
The lithium-ion battery is rated at 140 minutes, or just enough to squeeze in your average two-hour movie. That's not nearly as much punch as the three-plus-hour batteries on most 7inch, non-progressive models. Like many portable DVD players, the SD-P1000's bottom gets too warm to rest on your lap for more than an hour or so. Be sure to take a magazine for insulation if you plan on lap watching.
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