NEXTBASE CAR9
WHAT IS IT ?
A portable, in-car DVD system from car accessory specialists Nextbase.
Priced at £79, this model sits towards the bottom of Nextbase’s bewildering selection of in-car screens, which range in price from £50 to £800.
It features a standard definition nine-inch screen, DVD drive mounted behind the screen, anti-skip facility, headphone jack and wireless headphone connection as well as remote control and USB and SD card inputs.
WHAT IT’S LIKE?
As one of the lower-end models the Car 9 is a fairly chunky unit but is easy to fit via the headrest mounts and once properly attached sits securely.
The mount adjusts for reach and angle meaning it should fit on pretty much any seat.
Operating it is simple either with the buttons on the unit or via the credit card sized remote control. Be aware though, some functions are only available via the remote and it’s easy to misplace.
It’s a small in-car system so you can’t expect a glimmering 4k image – it’s strictly standard def here but then so are DVDS. Unless your child is a budding cinema critic the image quality is absolutely fine. It’s clear enough to watch comfortably although out of the box it’s not particularly bright. If you’re watching in blazing sunshine then you’ll need to crank the brightness up. Thankfully the anti-skip facility works well, even on twisting, pothole-blighted rural roads.
As well as DVD playback, the unit features USB and SD card slots for watching other digital formats. It’s a nice idea but it is sorely limited in the formats that it can play, meaning that some of the most common file types aren’t compatible. Don’t buy this thinking it’s a one system plays all affair.
Two front-mounted speakers provide sound. They’re a bit tinny but do the job well enough to be heard by viewers. The unit also comes with a set of wired, in-ear earbuds but they’re not much use. They feel cheap, the sound quality is poor and they’re pretty uncomfortable.
Thankfully you can use your own headphones or connect up to two pairs of Nextbase’s wireless headphones. These are far better than the wired ones and have decent sound quality and a far more comfortable fit. They also fold up for easier storage.
You can also pair the unit up with another, allowing rear seat passengers to watch the same film or show on individual screens. And with the addition of a mains adaptor and using the built-in stand it can be used indoors once you reach your destination.
With the summer holidays upon us and the spectre of long and argument filled road trips looming the Car 9 offers a welcome tool in keeping the kids entertained. If you want a simple in-car unit to play only DVDS then it does the job well.
It’s easy to operate and the picture and sound quality are fine for the purpose. However, if you’re thinking of using it to play other digital media then you’d be better looking at a cheap Android tablet that will play more file formats and probably have a higher-resolution, brighter screen.