With great disc compatibility, an attractive slim design and PAL and NTSC playback, the Philips DVP5140 DVD player is a functional and attractive addition to any home theater setup. With an MSRP of $50, this single-disc DVD player is also inexpensive enough to serve as a second DVD player in a bedroom, dorm room or kitchen.

Whatever format disc you decide to load into the DVP5140, chances are the player can handle it. The unit is compatible with home-recorded DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW and VCD, as well audio formats such as CD-R/RW, including those loaded with MP3 or WMA digital audio files or encoded with JPEG picture files. The DVP5140 also enables you to view DivX content downloaded from the internet.

What really makes the DVP5140 stand out is its ability to handle scratched or otherwise damaged discs. We found this unit capable of reading imperfect discs that many other players failed to accept. On the negative side, though, the DVP5140 lacks DTS audio support, and it is missing an S-video output. There are component and progressive scan composite video outputs, however, so you will be able to connect the DVP5140 to just about any television.

Even though it is compatible with the PAL (simply put, European) and NTSC (American) broadcast conventions, the DVP5140 should not be considered a multiregion code-free DVD player. Instead, it enables the player to play PAL discs on a PAL TV and NTSC discs on a NTSC TV. Regardless of the type of TV to which the DVP5140 is connected, it offers the usual selection of playback features including resume play, slow motion, picture zoom and parental controls. The included remote control is well designed with easy-to-master controls.

The Philips DVP5140 is a versatile, stylish DVD player, and the price makes it a good choice as a second player or even the primary unit in a budget home theater.

Pros:  Compact and stylish design, good disc compatibility, can handle damaged discs, PAL and NTSC compatibility
Cons:  Lacks DTS support, no S-video output

Warranty
1 year parts and labor