Posted on Dec 15, 2006 - 11:12 AM

The Griswolds Never Had It This Good

Anticipating our last family road trip was the ultimate double-edged sword, balancing the euphoria of escaping the daily grind with the dread of keeping three young kids sufficiently entertained for the 12-hour drive. I didn't know where I'd made my bigger mistake - choosing to drive over flying, or not buying a minivan with a pre-installed DVD system.

My wife saved us all on the latter dilemma - big time - by not only buying a portable DVD system, but getting one that gave us the best value for the buck. The Venturer Twin 9" DVD Backseat Theater, available at Sam's Club, offers four distinct features that can make a world of difference on your family's next long road trip to and from the Grand Strand:

Each of the two screen units is a self-contained DVD player; there's no extra console for playing the disk. As such, you can either play the same DVD on both screens, or use them as two separate DVD players (each with its own remote control).
Larger screens - the 9" LCD screens are two inches larger than other units with similar features and prices.
Hook ups that make it compatible with video game systems. I can't speak for Nintendo, PlayStation or Xbox owners, but can tell you that the simple "plug & play" games that my boys use at home worked like a champ on this system.
With home power adapters, they can also be used either in your hotel room/resort suite, or at home.

Been there, done that, you say? Looking for the next great travel entertainment innovation? How does accessing 185 channels of DirecTV on the interstate sound? Then try the new TracVision A7, which gives you access to the only satellite television package on the market today that's designed for automobiles.

It comes with a weighty price tag ($2,995 - plus monthly DirecTV fees), and a roof antenna that resembles an oversized toilet lid. But if the "SpongeBob SquarePants" marathon on Nickelodeon can keep the kids content on the open road, what's that worth to you?