# in car dvd player or other options?



## june (27 Apr 2012)

Over the years, I have bought two dual screen in car dvd players for my children's use on long journeys. Both from argos, both the dearer end of their selection. They didn't last long.

Do I have to just buy another one which probably wont last or are there other options. I thought maybe I would just buy cheap single portable ones.
Is there any other way of watching movies  that isnt too expensive?

Any advice appreciated please in advance of the long ( and hopefully peaceful ) drive through France


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## Leo (30 Apr 2012)

If you can wait 4+ weeks for delivery, you could pick up a cheap one from .
Leo


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## bigjoe_dub (30 Apr 2012)

i always buy the cheap and cheerful ones from aldi / lidl.  from the battering my kids give them they last as long as the branded ones.  always try and put the films on usb stick or memory card instead of using the dvd.  get a cigarette adapter as well so you can use up to 4 devices off the one  cigarette charger.


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## TarfHead (30 Apr 2012)

june said:


> Any advice appreciated please in advance of the long ( and hopefully peaceful ) drive through France


 
Would you consider investing in a 7" Android tablet, one per child ? Load up the movies to the hard drive, plus they have the option of playing games and/or watching what they want rather than both watching the same thing ?

You should be able to get such devicew for €150 to €200 each.


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## june (1 May 2012)

Great suggestions folks thank you. I have an i omega with lots of movies on it allright so I could make use of it . Love the idea of a cigarette adapter. The gps is fairly essential.


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## DrMoriarty (1 May 2012)

Again, if you can wait for the slow boat from Hong Kong, you can pick up a basic 7" tablet from DealExtreme for about €55 each (slow processor, resistive screen, Android 2.2, but hey, these are kids we're talking about... they'll probably leave it behind at the first filling station stop.)

Same kind of thing will cost about €75-€90 from Amazon, and you won't be liable for duty.

They might even let you have the odd go on it!


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## june (7 May 2012)

Does anyone know how much would the duty be if I buy from deal extreme and how is it paid? How much memory for movies would the tablet have? Can I attach a dongle to it?
Many thanks


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## DrMoriarty (7 May 2012)

If the parcel is stopped and checked, you'll get a notice from customs advising you that  €XX is due. Exactly how they calculate the amount due is a bit of a mystery, I'd be guessing maybe €25/€30 or so? Effectively enough to cancel most of any saving.

Whereas if you order from inside the EU, the tax and duty is already paid and there's no further liability. Also, for a product like this which _might _give trouble, I'd say that Amazon's excellent customer support and returns policy make it worthwhile to pay a little more than the likes of Dealextreme or Chinese eBay sellers.

There's a big thread over on Boards.ie at the moment about an [broken link removed], if you have the patience/interest for it? But a lot of the posters seem to be experiencing long delays/poor communications from sellers.

The tablets usually have 2GB, 4GB or 8GB internal memory, but they also take microSD memory cards up to 32GB capacity (20/30/40 movies, depending). Most of them have a mini USB rather than a normal USB slot. You'd just need a cheap adapter. For the kind of use you envisage, I wouldn't worry overly about getting the highest spec/best features available for the price. Your kids won't notice the difference, or complain that the touchscreen is resisitive rather than multi-touch capacitative.


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## june (8 May 2012)

Thank you so much for the advice. I've learned a lot. I'll be on the lookout for a good deal on amazon. If you see one feel free to post here!!


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