Traveling on the open road no longer entails missing out on your favorite television shows or resorting to expensive entertainment sets to watch movies. The Envizen Digital ED8850A combines the necessity of a DVD/TV player into a compact and portable unit. The device comes equipped with a built-in DTV tuner and an included external antenna. Like its counterpart the antenna is compact in size, but unfortunately limited in range reception. I found the ED8850A to have great reception and digital playback in my house but with the woes of transport in the car, a little lacking. I would definitely recommend purchasing a longer range compatible antenna for 30+ dollars if you are not content on using it in your house.

         However, this is based on my personal experience with the unit and doesn’t necessarily mean you would experience the same problems; there are many factors that play into the performance. The purchasing of a higher quality antenna would heighten the ED8850A’s capabilities and the purchase would still be an A+ deal. In addition, the DVD player component is a great feature and performs exceptionally. It’s well built; the lid doesn’t rattle, limited over heating, and did not skip once during use, even in the car. It has great playback with a standard 7-inch size screen and the picture is comparable to higher end compact DVD players. Similarly, CDs and iPods/MP3 players can also be played through the device with great sound play that could even be heard over the noise of a vacationing family.

         Another available feature is hooking up a gaming system to the unit to play some of your favorite games. Personally, a 7-inch screen isn’t enough for game play but does provide a great alternative for those addicted to gaming. Furthermore, the device has a good interface and menu for sifting through standard color and display controls. Much of the features accessed through the screen can also be controlled by the buttons on the panel, making personalizing significantly easier. On the other hand, the over all design of the player looks somewhat generic and simplistic. The ED8850A comes in a basic black which for most may seem boring, but I prefer over the dull silver/gray that you see on similar devices. The design may be minimalist but the capabilities and performance is complex, truly an all-in-one device. The Envizen Digital ED8850A is a great DVD/TV/Media device with an even better price tag, 128.99.