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How To

How to Find a Portable Car Video System

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)

Today’s road warriors and back seat drivers have more entertainment options than ever. One of the best ways to get a bang for your electronics buck is to have portable entertainment equipment that can be used in all of the family’s vehicles as well as on planes, trains and hovercrafts (okay, maybe in the future). Use this information to find a portable car video system.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Decide what you’re interested in purchasing. Do you want a self-contained unit that can be used in multiple vehicles, or do you want a video system that’s integrated into your car’s sound system? Integrated systems cannot be transferred between vehicles easily, so if your family has more than one vehicle, you’ll need more than one system. Self-contained portable systems make the switch easily.

  2. Step 2

    Compare prices and features. Self-contained portable DVD players with single screens are available at an increasing number of retailers. You can find them at your local Best Buy and even Wal-Mart. The screen options include LCD and tablet style and range in size from 3.5 to 8 inches. Decide how much you’re willing to spend on your purchase and see what you can get for your money.

  3. Step 3

    Determine what power source your new unit requires. Most portable players have an adapter that allows them to run off a 12-volt outlet such as a car cigarette lighter. Battery-powered units are increasingly rare, but still available.

  4. Step 4

    Take a test drive. Make sure the portable car video system is working properly and remains immobile. If the video system moves around you may need to invest in a Velcro device or straps.

Tips & Warnings
  • The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, as well as the period immediately following, is a good time to find the best deals on electronics.
  • Invest in good quality headphones with your portable car video system. Nothing is more frustrating than losing one speaker halfway through a movie!
  • If you or your children will use headphones with the car video system, look for systems with volume control to avoid hearing damage.
  • Avoid battery powered units. Any savings in the purchase price will quickly be negated by the ongoing cost of purchasing additional batteries.
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