One of the hottest consumer commodities at the moment is the DVD. And now the DVD player is set to makes inroads into the automobile accessory market as more and more manufacturers release their new models. It might appear like an unnecessary luxury to many, but for those of us who have children and have experienced a long road trip with them, a DVD player in the car is almost a necessity. There is nothing like a good movie to distract the kids from the boredom of a long journey.

There are quite a few choices in the car DVD category. They range from the budget portable players to high end in-dash models complete with Satellite radio. Your choices will be likely dictated not only by cost, the type of vehicle you own but also how much control you want over the viewing.

The choices for in-car DVD players include:

• Portable. These are stand alone systems, much like a notebook and rely on their own speakers. They are fairly affordable and offer the advantage of complete portability and can be used outside of the car.
• In-dash models that offer radio, DVD, CD, MP3 all in a single integrated unit. Because they are mounted on the dash, the screen might be a little difficult for those in the back to see with ease, especially in bright sunlight. But all the controls are in the front allowing you as the parent to control volume and what is viewed.
• Roof mounted. These offer great visibility for the back seat, but not tend to cause the front passenger to get a crick in their neck trying to view the overhead screen. Generally meant for larger vehicles such as SUV's and minivans.

In-car DVD players can be lifesavers on long trips. As we've all experienced before, on such trips games such as "I spy" can only go for so long before your kids become bored. By adding a DVD player into mix, you give yourself an option to distract the kids on those long journeys and perhaps give you time to relax a little during the journey.