Operation - MP3 Mode:
The images below show the RedPower 990DVD-4 playing MP3 files from a 512MB SD card. Although it appears that the plan was to show a file structure for easy browsing and file selection, it just doesn't work well. The problem is that the text is far too small, making it not only impossible to read from the driver's seat, but even while zoomed in right on the screen. The text is small, pixelated, and the file names are generally all cut off. I don't understand why this was necessary, as so much of the screen is going to waste. Why not make the currently playing file name larger (and perhaps scroll), while doing something to make the file names on the rest of the list at least remotely legible.
 
The images above are trying to show that file name "01. Cochise.mp3" (Audioslave's Cochise) is being played. There is plenty of room for it to not need to be truncated, and it would have been even better if it was able to display the ID3 tag information from the file.
On the positive side of things with MP3 playback, the unit almost makes up for the limited functionality of the screen. First, the sound quality is excellent. The speakers in this old Jeep were recently upgraded to Pioneers all around, and they have never sounded better! Next, the 990DVD-4 supports variable bit rate files, and you can mix them all in together without problem. The file system-like screen also lets you play files from different folders on the media, even allowing at least a few level of sub-folders. This is nice, as many players force you to have all files in the root directory. You can now sort your music files by artist, and then by album, and not only can you access them all, but you can select to play sequentially or randomly from within one folder or across all of them.
Most of my testing was while using an SD card, but it is all just about the same while using the USB port or a CD.
Operation - DVD:
DVD playback was the next function I tested, and my expectations were low given some of the issues seen with the MP3 and radio operation. I have to say, the DVD function helped the 990DVD-4 rise from the ashes. It works well, sounds great, and offers many features I wouldn't have expected in an in-dash unit like this.
Among other things it can play wide screen or full screen, allows for alternative languages or commentary to be played back, supports subtitles (although generally illegible), menu navigation via the remote, and pretty much anything else you can do on a typical home DVD player... Play, pause, fast forward, chapter advance, and so on. If you shut the unit down in the middle of a movie, it will automatically resume when you return.
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