Laptop to watch dvd's?

[breick]

I know this probably has been discussed but the search function is down. I considered buying a dvd player and then though maybe a laptop would be more versatile. Just looking for the basics - watch dvd movies, word processing, email, a few games... Any recomendations? Low cost? Where to purchase?

 

[Muushka]

We bought a portable DVD player almost 2 years ago. It was basically not a very good one, so we got our money back on it. But once the concept was in our heads, we started looking into laptops. Great investment. We have a digital camera, so while on vacation we can download them without spending a fortune in camera memory. It is also nice to have it to check email while on vacation. Also, my old computer (I get the old one, mind you ) was 6 years old, so the new laptop became my new computer.

All in all, I am very glad we bought it, and it does a great job with DVDs. As for model, can't help there. No recommendation. As for where to buy, Sams Club has some pretty reasonable prices.

 

[mudnuri]

Both DH and I have laptops...so when we go on vacation, we always bring one...it was mainly for uploading pictures from the digi cam during our stay. We have also always brought our tv/vcr combo for the truck..it was not until recently that it dauned on us that DUH!!! We have laptops with DVD players, we have the car adapters, and we have HEADPHONES!!!! silly us! so now, the girls either each have their own, and watch what they want, or they watch the same movie on one laptop, secured to our center console.

My girls also enjoy the paint program, and both have pinball so they like that. DD7 recently started perfecting her typing, so she will be ready to send emails to her teachers and family when we are at WDW...

I'd go with a laptop, its MUCH more versatile than a DVD player

Brandy

 

[oogieboogie]

Definitely the laptop. My DH bought one for me a few months back from Best Buy, with all the rebates it ended up being $650 for a 2ghz celeron Compaq with 256m memory and 30gb hard drive with dvd and cdrw included.

I have to say it's so much nicer now when we take trips. The kids can watch on the TV/VCR with headphones, I can watch DVDs with headphones or do some work. Then when we're at the hotel, I can download photos from digital camera and DH can check on his work (he does his work over the internet). As a result I only have a 64m and 32m memory for my digital camera. Never needed a bigger one... just dump to the laptop everyday.

I say go for the laptop. It may be more expensive up front, but the benefits sure pay for itself in the long run.

The only thing I would do if you're going to use it in the car is invest in a power inverter also. Watching dvds on laptop battery power is very draining. I found a 300 watt power inverter at OfficeMax for $15.00 on sale, normally $29.99 which I find is sufficient.

If you're comfortable with technology, I suggest checking newegg.com. They have very reasonable prices. Or BestBuy... especially when they have good rebates or the 18month same as cash deal.

Whew... long one. Sorry.

 

[mum4jenn]

My dh just bought a laptop for this very reason. Why not have a 15 inch screen AND be able to check email as compared to a 5 inch screen and no email??

 

[Lewisc]

The battery in a laptop might not be enough to watch an entire movie.

 

[marypopfan]

I was wondering if they have a bag to hook on to the front seats to hold the laptop up? How do you secure it otherwise?

 

[xlstacey]

I just purchased a laptop for my dh this past August. I went online to Dell & customized it for him. I must say that 1/2 of the stuff they were asking me about I did not have a clue about, so I got my computer wiz cousin (who also happens to be my dh best friend) help me out. Okay so I ended up ordering a laptop for about $2300, but my dh can use it for work, dvd on trips and of course digital downloading our pics on trips. The laptop does play an entire movie and plus on it's battery. Be carfeful to because when playing dvd's you'll need all the right equipment to make it sound good and look good.

Good luck

 

[Lachesis00]

If you do go through Dell build it using the "personal" "work" and "school". I got 3 different prices and saved $600 for the exact same machine. The work option came out the cheapest. School came out the most. Go figure.

I love ours!! I will be taking it to Seattle next week. We got the wireless internet card Very cool let me tell you.

 

[jonglau]

what we do while travelling with a Laptop is plug the cassette tape with a wire that comes with some Walkmans into the car cassette player and plug the jack into headphone of the laptop and play the sound through the car stereo. Best Buy now sells one that is a wireless one, worth looking into. You should also get one of those AC/DC convertors so you can plug it into the cigarette lighter, so you can power not only your laptop but other things to make the drive more comfortable. enjoy!

 

[breick]

I'm leaning toward the laptop. Any more specifics? processor speed? hard drive size? Dvd-rom speed? Also, is there a way to get internet/email through my cell phone?

 

[Lachesis00]

What will you be using it for besides DVD's and email?

 

[breick]

A few games and word processing documents like Microsoft Word or Works.

 

[Lachesis00]

The Dell Inspiron (sp) 1100 is what I just got. I think it runs around $799 but they have deals often. When you do 'build' it. Check the prices for small business and school along with the personal. I saved $400 by pricing the same machine 3 ways. Small business saved me a lot. I saved $60 on shipping alone.

 

[breick]

bump

 

[KathyFP]

DD watched a DVD on the plane on the flight home. The battery lasted.

 

[mudnuri]

Don't worry about battery life...running a laptop, regardless of what is being used, DVD or say...Office, it uses the SAME amount of power...its memory it lacks as you open more and more programs


They make the DC power adapters for laptops, you can get them just about anywhere, though they are expensive to some- $60-80 each. But by having this, you never have to worry about the battery, as it runs right from the outlet in the car/truck.

We luck out as our truck as 4 outlets, so both DD's can plug the laptops in, DH can plug in his cell (my battery last LONGER! ) and then the radar detector is in the last one...we only use that when I drive

The laptop I have right now is a Toshiba... it's a 2.0 Ghz Celeron, 256 ram, has windows XP Professional, DVD/CDR 15" screen, and is one of their lighter models.

DH's laptop is a Compaq - also known as Hewlett packard, I can't remember his specs, however his has a much faster processor than mine, and I think twice the memory. However he uses his with a point of sale system, and runs numerous programs at once.

My laptop was more than his, as he hit rebate time...total price for his after rebates was 1300. The sticker price was just over 2K...mine was bought by my employer, and it was 1599 no rebates offered as it was purchased BY a company..DH purchased his personally for his own business.

Brandy

 

[Lewisc]

Originally posted by mudnuri
Don't worry about battery life...running a laptop, regardless of what is being used, DVD or say...Office, it uses the SAME amount of power...its memory it lacks as you open more and more programs

Brandy

Not true, the motors in the HD and DVD's take more power. Why else would the power savings feature power down the HD when not being used. My concern wasn't really in an auto (you're right about the DC adaptor) but in an airplane.

 

[breick]

I had looked at refurbished IBM Thinkpads for what I wanted the laptop to do...the a friend mentioned deal from Dell. I just ordered it. Inspiron 1100 2.3 gig with CDRW-DVD (no bells and whistles) for $849- $250 rebate =$599 (included free shipping and handling) That was only $100 more than the refurbished I had been looking at and it's a whole lot more of a computer![

 

[Dancind]

When we bought DD's laptop from Dell, we bought an extra battery. Flight time to Orlando is 3 1/2 hours, we don't always need to change batteries. We usually watch a movie and DD might get some homework done. If you buy from Dell, don't buy one with XP home (it's doo doo), upgrade to XP Professional. Ours keeps shutting itself down, and it's not a virus, it's XP. Diana