Portable DVD Players: Just the Basics About Headphones

By : Christine Pepple

For anyone wanting to enjoy their portable DVD player outside of the privacy and solitude of their own room, headphones are a critical accessory. They allow the viewer to listen to movies and music without disturbing those nearby and often act to reduce environmental noise which can intrude on the audio experience. Both comfort and audio quality are important considerations when selecting earphones.

• For those who will be using their portable DVD player to entertain two viewers at a time it is important to assure that the device has 2 headphone ports on it; otherwise a splitter (Y-plug) will be needed.
• Various styles of headphones offer different advantages.

For anyone wanting small, inconspicuous devices any style of in-the-ear headphones can be a good choice. They are often the headphone of choice during activity, but in the case of use with a portable DVD player this is generally not a concern unless it is used for listening to music. Ear bud style headphones are often less comfortable and offer lower quality sound than in-the-canal type headphones. On the other hand, in-the-canal headphones generally require more frequent cleaning. Both require a good fit to offer the best quality sound.

Around-the-ear headphones with earcups can be quite secure and reduce the intrusion of outside sound without consuming additional battery power although they tend to be a bit more noticeable to the wearer than in-the-ear models.

Over the ear headphones help reduce the risk of hearing loss as the signal from in- the-ear devices is amplified by several dB. For comfort, padding over the earpieces and an adjustable headband is recommended. Some users feel that sound quality with over the ear headphones is superior and helps to reduce noise escaping which can disturb others. Some models even offer behind the neck or headband-less styles for added comfort which allows users to don a hat and avoid disturbing their hair. These types of headphones tend to be lighter but also more fragile.

Wireless headphones free the user from wires but have the drawback of using a great deal of battery power in conjunction with a portable DVD player which already consumes a great deal of energy. With wireless headphones, users are also given freedom to move about when listening to music via their player.

Noise canceling headphones are effective at eliminating environmental noise by creating an out-of-phase signal to cancel unwanted outside noise. As this is not a passive process, additional battery power is consumed to achieve this effect.

A final, but important consideration in selecting headphones for a portable DVD player is to assure that it is compatible with the device. The cord on the earphones must obviously be capable of connecting to the player or an adapter will be needed, adding more weight and bulk where it is not wanted.