Product Review: The Bentley Model 100 (or 100C) Portable TV

The Bentley model 100 (or 100C) portable TV is fairly common and can frequently be purchased on eBay or Yahoo! Auctions. It offers a 5" screen, full VHF/UHF channel coverage, and the ability to connect various accessories.

Despite its small size, I found that the Bentley portable TV has very good reception even when only the built-in telescoping antenna is used. When I compared the reception quality to my old Realistic Portavision 5" television (in the same position, both using their built-in antennas), the Bentley received more channels with better picture quality. When connected to a larger indoor antenna (using a 75ohm adapter), the Bentley had slightly better reception than a 27" Sharp color TV. It can tune in all American broadcast TV channels, including the VHF (split into two sections, ch. 2-6 and ch. 7-13) and UHF bands. However, it doesn't have an AM/FM radio like some of the other portable TV models do.

As with most portable TVs of this size, it has a black & white display. 5" color TVs are usually much more expensive. It has brightness and contrast controls on the front, while the vertical hold control is on the side. The tuning control is a fairly large knob on the side, near the front. It has rather good-quality audio, provided by the built-in speaker. Sound is better than that of some other portable TVs and radios I have used. The volume control is located on the front of the TV, and there is a headphone jack on the top.

There is a carrying handle on top of the TV. On the bottom, there is a fold-out tilt stand. This allows the TV to be pointed up at an angle if this is helpful for viewing. Unlike some portable TVs, the Bentley 100 doesn't have a clear plastic layer in front of the picture tube (most larger TVs don't have this layer either). This makes the picture tube more vulnerable to damage. On the other hand, the tube is less likely to scratch than a clear plastic layer - which can interfere with seeing the picture if it eventually has many scratches on it. The Bentley's built-in sunshade provides some protection as well.