The Philips PMC7230 portable media center is ideal for taking along your audio and video clips and recordings from your PC or DVR. With its big, bright screen, the PMC7230 is considerably larger than a typical MP3 player, but it is still smaller than a portable DVD player.

This clever unit sets itself apart from other players by combining a portable DVR and a high-capacity MP3 player in a palm-size device that is perfect for use on airplane trips or the train to work. The 30GB internal hard drive can store recorded TV shows, movies, music and digital photos, providing capacity for about 15,000 audio tracks, 8,400 photos or 130 hours of video.

The black and silver device measures approximately 4 inches on a side and is not quite an inch thick. It weighs less than a pound, and it comes with a black faux-suede protective pouch that flips back to form an easel for easy tabletop viewing. The PMC7230 also has a foldout kickstand, so it can stand up without the pouch. Hidden behind the kickstand is a reset button. Power on/off and lock buttons are on the left side, as is the connection for the included AC/DC adapter/charger. Jacks for headphones, A/V in/out and USB are on the top of the unit.

The 3-1/2-inch LCD screen has a resolution of 320X240. While it was bright and clear indoors, the screen was hard to see in direct sunlight, but unfortunately this is typical of such devices. Two thumb-operated transport controls are placed below the screen. On the right is a round rocker-type controller that handles volume and forward/back, with a play/pause button in the center. A similar control sits to the left of the screen, with directional and select buttons to handle onscreen menu navigation. Between the two is a green Windows button and a return button. A small speaker is also located on the front panel, but it is useless in all but the quietest environments.

The PMC7230 utilizes the familiar and easy-to-navigate Windows Portable Media Center, and the Windows button always bring you back to the main menu. It was a simple task to work our way through our music, which was viewable by album, artist, playlist, songs and genres. When linked to a Windows XP-equipped PC via the included USB cable, the PMC7230 syncs with Windows Media Player, allowing hassle-free media transfers.

The recording function truly sets the PMC7230 apart. With the included audio/video cable, you can record directly from your set-top box, DVR or DVD recorder. The PMC7230 even has a recording timer, so you can instruct it to start recording at a designated time. Similar to music files, TV shows and video clips can be sorted by date or name. Playback was smooth and video quality was good but not exceptional.

In addition to the USB, A/V and AC/DC cables, the PMC7230 package comes with a set of in-ear headphones and a CD-ROM with software and user manual.

The PMC7230 makes a great alternative to a portable DVD player, and it adds recording functionality and a generous storage capacity. However, while the 30GB memory can hold thousands of songs, the unit itself is not small enough to use while working out, so we don't recommend it if audio is your main concern. On the other hand, if you are looking for multimedia playback, the Philips PCM7230 brings big-component functionality to a relatively compact, portable package.


Pros:  Large screen, 30GB capacity, video recording
Cons:  Requires two hands to operate, too big to use while working out

Warranty
1 year