Emerson GM527 DVD/CDG Karaoke Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)First, yes, I have read and followed all the manual instructions.
What works well:
1. The screen is bright and shows a decent image of dvd's.
2. The machine is lightweight and the buttons are sturdy, not sensitive. These controls are easy to use and understand. This is a plus for us as this is going to be a family unit.
3. Description says it has two mic inputs-- and the picture shows two microphones-- but the descpription only says only microphone (singular). Yes, it does come with two mic's. But it only comes with one headphone jack, so only one listener at a time.
4. Comes with a remote for controlling dvd etc.
5. Also has a "rating" setting that allows you to set what the machine to play (ie: you can set it to "Family" if you want it to play only G and PG movies).
6. Has an analog video input, so I am going to experiment with a camera and see if I can get an image of the kids performing on the screen.
What doesn't work so well:
1. The unit chirps when the cdg's play. It happens during and between songs when the disc's rotate. It does not matter which types of discs are in-- dvd's, cdg's, cd's. (I have this same problem with a different Audiovox portable dvd player-- but not Sony portable dvd player). Really annoying!
2. It's true--the mic's pick up very little sound-- no matter how close you are, how you project in them, or do a "tap" test--unless the main volume is cranked. When others wrote about the bad mic's I thought, "That might not be so bad, then it won't be too loud when my daughter is singing." But these pick up next to nada unless the sound is cranked. So although there are individual mic volume controls, these are next-to-useless dials.
3. Echo feature is about the same in it's usefulness: only when cranked.
4. The 2 cdg discs that come with it are really cheap-- graphics hard to read and music accompaniament are poor renditions. Don't count on these for your party fun.
5. The discs enter vertically and need to "snap" in place in order to rotate. Some users may damage the discs when you have to "unsnap" them to change the disc.
6. Emerson is still packaging in styrofoam. When will these people learn? Air packs or biodegradable recycled paper fibre, people!
What is funny:
1. This is a perfect travel companion to take to Granma's for the holidays. Plays dvds, cds, and karaoke. You can put the kids in the closet with a few packs of batteries and a pair of headphones and not see them until it's time to go.
2. This is a Christmas present so I had to make a test run in the downstairs bathroom at 5 a.m. My kid later reported he was dreaming about drunk singing reindeer. Coincidence?
In Short:
If it weren't for the chirping, I would be happy with this product. If it weren't for the chirping and the poor sound pick-up, I would be thrilled with this product.


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