Eating-up cheap dvd players

If you're only playing commercial DVDs (not burning your own), then look for an old first or second generation Toshiba player on eBay. Like most things, the early models were built like tanks back when they cost $500+ for a basic model.

Early players cannot read DVD-R in most cases. You can probably get them for $5 to $10 since they're technically obsolete for most folks. See Link

http://cgi.ebay.com/TOSHIBA-SD-2109-DVD-CD-PLAYER-WITH-COMPONENT-VIDEO-OUT_W0QQitemZ5854058229QQcategoryZ61250QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
.

My advice: Keep buying crap.

I have gone through two really high end dvd players (One, an $800 mitsubishi and the other a $1,500 Sony) and both started out fine, but after a year or two, each one started having problems. And yes, I too have a little one that loves to watch movies. (After she goes to bed for the night, then we watch our dvds too!)

I learned my lesson and started buying cheap dvd players. They seem to last just about as long and the picture quality is decent, but maybe not quite as good.

(But for me, that is fine, as I am ambivelent about video.
Music and my 2 channel is my passion.)

My two cents worth.

It's not the worst strategy in the world to buy a new $60 dvd player every year. As your kids get older, maybe they will be 'gentler' on the player and you can think of higher quality.

Can you replace the kids?

If not, the only thing I can suggest is that Consumer Reports lists Panasonic as the most reliable maker of DVD players. That doesn't mean they can withstand the rigors of your little darlings, but it's worth a shot.

Other than that, buy the cheapest you can find, because you'll be replacing them frequently.

Just keep buying cheap and used....thats what I would do.