Apex AD-800 Progressive-Scan DVD Player
By: Apex Average Rating: 3.0 Total Reviews: 57
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 On: 2003-11-26
First off, the picture quality is great. I have a 53 inch Sony HDTV and the picture is great. There are so many features in this baby youd get sick trying to tweak it all. The only issue I have is the navagation features are horrible. Trying to fast forward or rewind 3 seconds if you missed something someone said takes 3 minutes to get where you need to go. The remote sucks big time.
 On: 2003-09-27
If you need a DVD player, buy another one but this. Only lasted aprox 16 months and then just quit working without warning
On: 2003-09-25
my husband received this as a gift about 4 months ago and it died this evening. No power, nothing working. Strange how they manage to make it work within their 90 day parts and labor window. Now? It would cost as much in shipping and labor as it will to buy the new Sony my husband is out buying as I type.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-09-05
Bought this as a gift for my husband, but we have been too busy to use it. We just started using it to play DVDs for our daughter & crackle pop - out went the power (one year & one month after we got it). It was cheap, but probably cost us $1.50 a viewing if we calculate it out by how many times we used it. Doesnt seem like a great value. On a brighter note - it worked fine when it worked!
by: Anonymous On: 2003-06-28
I gave it 2 since it did work for a few months under EXTREMELY LIGHT USE! I even turned off the hardware power button after each use, but it was pointless since the player still died with only about 50 hours of runtime.It turns out this player has a very poorly designed power supply unit, that uses underrated capacitators. Apparently this might not be the only Apex unit affected by this, but I think it might be a combination problem with the underrating and the fact that there has recently been a bad strain of capacitators in Asia. Whatever the cause, use underrated capacitators sure doesnt help! Very annoyed, although hopefully I will be able to get my unit working again after replacing the capacitators. If you notice red lines showing up on your LCD display on the front of your unit and the display is dim, PLEASE STOP USING THE UNIT! Further use will eventually cause the capacitators to explode. If you catch it in time theoretically the capacitators could be replaced, although I dont know if anybodys actually gotten this to work. =(
On: 2003-06-10
I used my dvd player about once a month. Ive had it since april 2002, and last month, May 2003, it wont turn on anymore. But while it was working, it was a good machine. The picture was clear, but it seemed a little faded, and it wasnt my TV, cuz I have a brand new Mitsubishi HDTV. I was happy with the player until it broke. So not sure what to rate this thing. I still have a GE DVD player I bought from Amazon about 3 years ago, and that one still works fine. So I guess I wouldnt really recommend Apex to anyone anymore...
On: 2003-05-18
This was a great player. It would do just about anything I threw at it; DVDs, VCDs, SVCDs, MP3, JPEG, and so on and so on...Then after about 8 months of owning this device, I was watching my brand new Band of Brothers DVD set, when on Disc 2, it warned me that the disc needed cleaning "Error: Disc minor - Clean me!". It then started to skip every 5 seconds or so. I took the disc out, and it was fine. I thought the unit may have overheated (I had watched Disc one just before and was on Episode 4 on disc 2), so I let the unit sit a bit. I then tried it again. This time, it wouldnt even play the disc. "Error: Disc major - Replace me!" I tried another disc, same thing. I tried the discs in [another] player and they worked fine. I let the unit sit overnight, same results the next day. I ran a cleaning disc in the player, then tried it again. Same results. I contacted Apex tech support. I was told that I would be charged $...minimum (not including S&H) to have the device even looked at back at the factory. The player is now collecting dust in my closet, and has been replaced with an Philips DVD player.
On: 2003-05-05
I bought this DVD player because I wanted one with component video and 5.1 audio outputs. The price cant be beat, Ive been happy with my other Apex 660 DVD player, and you can upgrade the AD-800s firmware (except for some early models) to be "region free" - so you can play foreign DVDs (see nerd-out.com). It even automatically converts PAL DVDs to NTSC. The firmware upgrade also allows you to defeat macrovision copy protection.
If these things are important to you, I think youll be happy. I am. I can only give it 3 stars, though, because of some irritating, though not deal-breaking, flaws. They shipped the unit preset with a color setting inappropriate for the US - at least I *think* thats what was wrong. The result of this was that I got a black and white display when I first connected the unit to my TV. Fortunately, I had read (I think here) that you just have to change the color setting in the setup menu. It took me maybe an hour (I dont even remember which settings I selected), but I finally got it to work. It was frustrating as [...], especially when the display went wacky and I had to get back to the original settings without being able to see the on-screen menu, but I managed to get it done, and wow does the picture look good using component video (get the special component video cables - ordinary video cables dont work).
Another thing that is poorly thought-out is the location of the "Setup" button. On the right side of the DVD drawer is the "Open/Close" button. On the left is the "Setup" button. Do you think you might get mixed up now and then, and hit the wrong button? How on Earth they could have decided to put a button you will probably want use only on the first day you buy the machine in a location where you will routinely mistake it for the button you want to use every time you insert a DVD is a great mystery. Its one of the bone-headedest things Ive ever encountered on a piece of electronic equipment.
Im happy with the unit, though, because the picture looks great, the sound is great, and its [inexpensive].
On: 2003-04-24
Funny, my experience is comparable to the first review. It had red lines at first, then the digital readout stopped working altogether. Two weeks out of warranty (one year old), I tried cleaning it, but that didnt help at all. Two months out of warranty, it stopped working altogether. I probably played 30 or so DVDs on it altogether, if that.Just a suggestion: If you do decide to get one of these, buy an extended warranty so you can at least get it repaired.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-04-16
I bought an Apex AD-800 DVD player in June 2002. I have played less than 20 DVDs. It now has red lines in the display and will not play DVDs. Apex says it will repair it, if I ship it to them. The repair will cost $...Apex should be recalling these and replacing them. I am going to save my money and search for a company and sells products that are fit for comsumer use. By the way, Im unplugging mine. It might not be a safe product, either.
by: Anonymous On: 2003-03-27
THIS UNIT HAS BEEN A WINNER FOR ME. I NOW HAVE 5 DVD PLAYERS IN MY HOUSE (YES...A UNIT FOR EVERY TELEVISION. WHILE I DO KNOW THIS UNIT IS NO TOSHIBA OR PANASONIC BUT, FOR THE PRICE THIS UNIT IS A GREAT VALUE. BUY IT AND YOU WILL BE PLEASED.
On: 2003-03-27
I was skeptical at first but then I hooked this up to my HD Big screen and the picture was unreal! I was going to spend more but I thought Id first give this a try, smart move!
On: 2003-01-28
Worked great until red lines apearred on led screen. Now it wont play DVDs or CDs. It just gives an error message that says "disc damage please replace." Plus, nothing shows up on the led screen anymore. DONT BUY THIS PLAYER!!
On: 2002-12-28
Had this DVD and worked until red lines appeared on led screen. Took unit apart and noticed exploded power supply component. The unti still plays CDs but cannot get a DVD to play. Apex tech support is horrible, they want be to ship the unit back in the original box.
 On: 2002-12-28
I have had my AD-800 for over a year, and it works well. There are 2 versions out there that I am aware of. The newer version works better than the older one. The beauty of this is that it does a great job converting PAL<->NTSC. While not "Region Free", it has the complete look, feel,` and quality of the Malata. In fact, if it wasnt for the Apex label, it seems like its EXACTLY like the [expensive] Malata. It does the 16:9 correctly in PAL<-> NTSC, and you can adjust the aspect if needed! Great features for the price!There are some issues with the Progressive scan, but overall it does a relatively good job. Heck, I would say that for the price, it does a FANTASTIC job. Also, with some of the newer high-end TVs, some of the deinterlacers on the TVs are better than the DVD players anyway, so you may not need it in the future! I tried SVCD and VCD, and both worked well for me. Note, I dont use MP3 or photo.
On: 2002-12-23
If youre thinking of buy this DVD player for the progressive scan, DONT! I have a 57" Toshiba HDTV and when you turn on the progressive mode on this dvd player, the picture gets worse, its grainy, blurry, and dull. Interlaced mode looks better. Plus this player will sometimes burp, meaning sound/picture pauses or seems to skip a second or two, like it cant keep up.
I thought I was planning for the future when I bought this player but I wished I saved my money for a better player later.
On: 2002-12-19
I bought this player due to reviews in last years consumer reports. It worked ok for about 9 months and quit working after that. I took it to the electronics place and they said "time to buy new,too expensive to fix." I guess you get what you pay for. Definitely think twice on this one.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-12-07
We were generally happy with this DVD player until suddenly it would not power up - took it to a repair shop and they said (paraphrasing) "Oh my! Ive never seen a power supply explode like this before - This should be part of a recall." Totally unfixable.The DVD was attached to a surge protector - cant explain what happened, I just know wed never buy this product again.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-10-19
Read most of the reviews and decided to take a chance with a low priced item. The progressive scan option simply didnt work. When turned on, the picture was split in 1/2 in separate parts of my HDTV, and in black and white only. The menu navigation was cumbersome and really hard to get used to. My suggestion is to go to APEXs home page, and download the manual before you buy this item. If you can easily understand the manual, (and you dont receive a defective unit) then youll have no problems with this unit. The remote control was strange to say the least. The usual enter button was not near the directional buttons, so when you scroll through the DVD menu or the DVD player menu you have to constantly look for the enter button located among 10 other similar sized buttons. Its a small thing, but it drove me insane.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-10-01
learned my lesson...never buy a... product...got the apex ad 800 last december, it broke down for no apparent reason two weeks ago under normal use...first started noticing red led lines across the screen, but the player was still working manually...next thing i know, it went completely out, like somebody literally pulled the plug...emailed apex about the problem, wants me to ship it for repairs......
On: 2002-10-01
Based on a positive review by the Dec. 2001 issue of "Consumer Reports" magazine, I purchased the Apex AD-800 from Circuit City, as it was the only recommenned progressive-scan DVD player that I could afford. I do not have a HDTV, however, I plan to buy one in the near future. DVD disc sound and picture, when hooked up to a typical television set, are excellent. I put a music CD disc in, and it also sounded great. It is a very good value for the money. The only problem I have had with it occured when I tried to play a DVD disc that I rented from a supermarket. It was just too scratched up for it to be played. According to "Consumer Reports", some DVD players can play damaged DVDs and damaged CDs. I suppose that also depends on how badly they are damaged. I would reommend the Apex AD-800 for those people who want a very good progressive-scan DVD player, and who dont have a lot of money to spend on it.
On: 2002-09-11
Works great, only thing that was a small hassle, videos show in black and white until you change a setting. Tech support responded right away with the correct setting. Good thing, because I would have never guessed how to set it up. Great picture and sound, easy to hook up to the TV.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-09-11
Yes. Its an incredible price for a progressive scan DVD player,but NOT if you want also to play SVCD on it.
I have the AD660 and AD800. Any SVCDs played on the former smoothly just dont work on this AS800,even though Apex claimed that function.
I am not the only one having that problem....
On: 2002-09-03
The ease of operation and the crisp picture and sound playback are the qualities which cause me to be very happy with this DVD Player. And.............I couldnt beat your price anywhere!!
On: 2002-08-24
Any single women out there like myself will find this APEX AD-800 a breeze to install and operate. It should take no more than 15 minutes at the most for you to have it up and running. I have never heard of APEX, but thought I would give it a try. This is my first DVD player. I am absolutely pleased, the picture quality is very good and stable. If your a novice like myself, this is an excellent starter DVD player. I dont see how anyone could go wrong purchasing this product and for the price the performance is excellent.
On: 2002-07-31
As a "dyed in the wool" audiophile, I take my home electronics rather seriously. The Apex AD-800 is a serious component, which can be purchased for a song. In every respect, the AD-800 does what it is supposed to do, and even manages a few tricks that make it quite unique."Who is Apex?", you might ask. I am new to the brand myself, but judging from the product design, features and even styling, this is a company to be taken seriously in home entertainment. The controls are well thought out, and the pleasingly sculpted front end give the device a professional appearance and feel. DVD and conventional CDs play flawlessly-- as do a wealth of other disc-based media which I have yet to explore. Much to my delight, the unit decodes High Definition Compact Discs (HDCD)-- making the AD-800 one of the few devices available that can realize the audio superiority of this medium. The unit offers true progressive scan, making it ready to interface with High Definition monitors. It features built-in surround decoders, allowing conventional audio amplifiers to access DVDs individual descrete audio channels. If youve never played a Surround DVD in your home, you will be thrilled, not only by the superior picture quality, but by the audio quality as well. Clearly, these players are being priced with the intent of phasing out VHS analog tape. Once youve seen and handled a DVD, your VHS library will most likely go the way of the LP record. The AD-800 is clearly intended for the hobbiest/enthusiast market. It has enough "whistles and bells" to delight the most demanding user, and yet is quite simple to set up and use. One note of caution to the casual user-- the AD-800 will work with any modern television receiver that has either S-VHS or separate video inputs, but does not have a built-in RF adaptor. This means that you cannot connect it to your "antenna terminals" as you would a consumer VCR. If you have an older TV set that lacks video inputs, the AD-800 may not be for you. Be aware that you CANNOT route this unit through your VCR to get around this problem. Most (and I do mean MOST) DVDs are copy protection encoded. Routing through a VCR makes the resulting output unviewable. This fact is clearly documented by Apex. This caveat aside, the AD-800 is a well designed digital component that will reward its owner with many hours of satisfying performance-- all at a price that makes it hard to resist or ignore. If you happen to be in the market for a new CD player as well, the purchase of an AD-800 becomes a no-brainer. It will play all of your digital media for the price of what you might have paid for a "Walkman"-- 20 year ago. Go ahead and order it!
On: 2002-07-27
Just like others, worked great for about 4 months then red lines appeared on display- now it does not read at all.
What a joke. Same results on trying customer service. Who keeps original boxes anyway. Also, the shipping cost would be very high to send back.
Will never buy APEX again
On: 2002-07-18
I bought one from Sams Club last Christmas. I loved it, but it had some quirks. Took the first one back, and got another one with identical quirks. After many frustrating moments with it i finally found a site that had an unauthorized update for the firmware that worked WONDERS for this machine. Although not perfect, it fixed most of the quirks (upside of a Flash Upgrade):
1. SVCDs didnt always work right now work almost perfectly (a few skips, and stalls, but will work most of the time - I believe this is due to the media, and not the machine, or possibly the burning software).
2. DTS audio CDs didnt play in DTS, now work correctly.
3. No more high-pitched squeaks when drop-outs occur.
4. ALL functions still work correctly with Apex AD-600A remote.
Current Problems (on the downside):
1. Someone mentioned that they had red lines on the front display: So do I! Not sure what it is caused by.
2. Some disks will say Error! Replace me. But will eventually work. I believe this is a problem of the dye, as it appears to be caused by certain Brand CD-Rs and DVD-Rs (DVD-RW, and CD-RW work too!! I have a DVD-R/RW - CD-R/RW burner in one - Pioneer A03 so I could test these formats).
3. Had to wipe out the original firmware for a Hiteker software package that disabled the remote. But my Apex AD-600A remote works beautifully now with my AD-800! All functions are capable from remote, (albeit not exactly as originally designed for the AD-800). By the way. Someone said it didnt have a fast-forward/backward mode. IT DOES! press the forward button ( the big button on the right (or the left for reverse), and hold for a second or so. FAST Forward or Fast Reverse! Voila!! Zoom in and out is AWESOME! This player has MANY great options for the money!!
4. Apex support is totally non-responsive to inquiries, so dont count on any help there. On-line (internet) help is abundant though...The player is still a great buy if it is still available! Remember this: Progressive Scan...
by: Anonymous On: 2002-07-11
I bought this DVD player for my family last Christmas after looking at several different models and am very pleased with my choice. You cant beat the price (which keeps dropping) for a progressive scan DVD player. I have only used this as a DVD player, so cant comment on the other capabilities, but the DVD picture quality is excellent. And despite what other reviews here have said, you CAN scan forwards or backwards. Press the Nav/Speed button on the remote one time, then press either the forward key or backward key to scan. Press Play when you reach your target spot.
On: 2002-07-11
Absolutely no problems for the first 6 months. It worked beautifully. One day, for no apparent reason, red lines appeared in the display window, and now the DVD player cannot read the disc. I contacted APEX, to no solution. They told me I had to ship it back in its original box (which I dont have), at my cost, and probably the problem wouldnt be under warranty. All this after being on hold for 20 minutes during a long distance phone call (No 1-800 #). It really discourages me from buying APEX and especially buying on-line.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-07-09
The DTS decoder malfunctions once you have played a VCD; the unit must be powered off using the front panel for the DTS decoder to start working again.The unit needs a firmware upgrade to fix this problem. The Picture Quality is amazingly clear. Beats my Panasonic unit hands down. Great set of features. I highly recommend this unit. I would have given them 5 stars if they did not have the software bug. The Remote could use improvements, but is acceptable for the price.
On: 2002-06-19
I purchased this DVD because of the NTSC/PAL feature. I thought that I would be able to play Europeans DVD. I was wrong. This player will play Europeans DVD with Region 1 encoding which is US and Canada. In brief, you will not be able to play foreign DVDs with this player. I quickly offered it as a gift to my sister and purchased one of those DVDs [....]
Now, I can watch DVDs from all over the world. With my new DVD, I noticed that the APex wasnt all that good. Whenever you want to change an audio, language, subtitle option, the movie will stop. It is not instantaneous. Also, it has no rewind or forward. You can only jump from chapters to chapters. And finally, it is almost impossible to decipher whats written on the panel. The inscriptions are too small.
Be careful! Know what you want.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-06-18
The MP3 support was very disappointing. It displays a list of all the mp3 files on your disc and you can navigate the list with the arrow buttons (very slowly) and start playing at a particular song. As far as I can tell, theres no way to tell it to play the songs randomly. Even worse, the song list stays on the screen the whole time its playing. This makes it pretty much worthless for projection TVs which are prone to burn-in.Theres also a strange problem with the video that I believe is the fault of the player and not my TV (a new Mitsubishi 55 inch wide-screen HDTV (#55809)). When displaying a movie, it appears the picture is zoomed in a little too much, resulting in 5-10% of the picture being cut off on all 4 edges. The only way to tell is to use the panning-and-scaling menus on the DVD player. Now, whenever I start watching a movie, I first have to pan and scale it until the whole picture is displayed. The unit is also quite large. I dont understand why they can make portable DVD players not much bigger than a walkman but most of the DVD players are still the size of VCRs from 15 years ago. CON :
Poor MP3 support
Possible screen burn-in while listening to MP3s
Picture zoomed in too much
Large PRO :
Cheap
Has Progressive output
On: 2002-06-14
I bought it assuming that it would play SVCD but it does not! It will not play any SVCDs that are burned by NERO or Direct CD software...it keeps getting me a "Not Valid Disk" error message. Somehow it cant read the SVCD, dont know why. Other people who bought this said that its the same error message that they get. APEXs description of this DVD player is misleading though. The manual doesnt say that it supports SVCD.Which is true? It will play burned VCDs but sometimes it will make a loud squeal noise and no sound will come out. Tested the progressive scan on my 65" HDTV and the picture quality was good but there weret any significant changes from my regular RCA DVD player. Yes, I used the component video output and you still cant see the difference. The menu selections are kind of hard to read & get used to...just poor outdated menu setups. Dont know how long this DVD player will last cuz this is my first APEX. This is going back to Amazon. instead. Its a good bargain for the price but if youre looking for a DVD player that will play anything you put in then look some where else. Maybe looking to buy JVC or Pioneer brands.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-06-05
This DVD player plays smoothly, but there is no way to search forward and backward, only skip entire scenes. You may not realize how much you search around (e.g. rewinding to catch a few lines you miss, or speeding through the nasty violent parts) until the scan feature is missing.
On: 2002-05-30
Overall this is a great DVD player. The picture quality is quite good on S-video and even the composite output. Sound quality is very good. I have not been able to test the component video, progressive scan or dolby 5.1 sound due to a lack of a real television and audio equipment. MP3 playback works well but selecting the songs can be a bit cumbersome although worth the effort. For those having trouble with the S-video output showiing in black and white only, it is a simple matter to fix and is not a defect as some have claimed. It is a factory configuration issue and is simple to fix using the setup menus as follows: Press setup on the remote. Select option 1 (video). Select option 1 (video signal). Select option 2 (DAC Interlaced). Select option 1 (CVBS,Y,C,CVBS). The S-video output will then show in full color. I have to say that Im very glad I decided to buy the AD-800 despite the negative reviews. It really is a bargain for the price!
On: 2002-05-27
DVD player? This thing should be called a "multimedia"
player. It will play almost anything flawlessly..even
vcd karokes I got from the Philippines. Like having
a blast at the famous "Karoke bars in southeast asia."
And it has plenty of outputs in the back..so this thing
is ready to take on the hdtvs too. Progressive scan,
another bonus. Mine has performed flawlessly. A really
good DVD player..at less than half the price of the
"Big Brand" models.
On: 2002-05-19
This apex is the most advanced DVD player around. If you want the most out of your money this is it.
Be warned though it will take you more than a few days to set this player up becouse it is detailed down to the last sound decimal. I havent figured it out totally yet, but the sound and picture just get better and better each time I figure something new out.
This player can be completely reprogramed if your an expert at that.
If you want to have total control of your sound and picture this one is the one to get, but if you just want to pop your dvd or cd in and play it this is not for you.
On: 2002-05-10
I got this as my first DVD player not knowing what the differences between the various products are. I figured that the cheapest would be just fine. That was one of the most naive things Ive ever done! The sound is delayed from the movement so it looks as if the movies were dubbed! Also- it has a major overexposure. There are also many times when it skips on brand-new movies!! All in all, I would not reccomend this, even to non-enthusiasts.
On: 2002-05-08
I bought this unit to play my PAL DVD disks along with NTSC disks. This unit is advertised as being able to play PAL-formatted disks. However, this is not true. It will only play NTSC region 1 disks. This was verified to me by APEX tech support.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-04-20
Nothing in the price range comes close. Never had a problem, first time I took the dive away from the regular SOny, Panasonic etc. group because I saw it play at my friends house and he loved it. Great Progressive Scan Technology, great picture, great sound. Plays anything. Great Great Great.
On: 2002-04-12
This is my first DVD player purchase and I am glad I bought the Apex AD-800! I have an older home theater system so I needed the DTS decoder in the DVD player. I havent seen another DVD player at this low price, with all the features and DTS decoding. I have been using it for three months now and would buy another one if I needed it. Ive recommended this one to my friends. My only complaint is that I dont like the layout of the buttons on the remote but, on the other hand, I have seen very few remotes that have a good layout.
On: 2002-03-16
I had my eyes on brand name DVD players but after read reviews on amazon.com I decided to get this one. Nothing disappointed me yet. I have lots of my home-made VCDs in PAL signal and it plays them all without any difficulties. Amazing how it plays a normal MP3 disk with a list of songs from different folders on the TV screen and you can turn it into a Karaoke session. Easy plug, load, and play, many kinds of connections to choose from with all the cables, although the manual is quite bad with very few details, this might be that you neednt to do much to operate the machine. I tested it with NTSC, PAL DVDs and VCDs, no problems at all, nice for money.
On: 2002-03-09
Got it for a couple of weeks. It has been great. Took me a while to figure out how to connect to my reciever for the 5.1 feature. Picture quality has been excellent. Tried it with a VCD and it works fine (but I think my VCD was a poor quality VCD). Karaoke works too. So far, no complaint from me.
On: 2002-03-05
No, I dont work at Apex, but I have to say this is the BEST player I have EVER used, considering the price. I got it for christmas and must have watched atleast 50 DVDs on it by now. Its no different now that it was when i got it. Very easy to setup and great picture/sound quality. Also, this player just feels solid, and the door gives a nice solid sound when you close it. Lots of people complain about skipping and "Clean Me" messages. Well I got "clean me" ONCE when viewing a USED DVD i bought off of eBay. I cleaned the disc with some alcohol and never had that probelm again! I tried a lot of the movies that "test" the performance of a DVD player and I couldnt notice a frame-skip or other errors once. Also, the SVCD play back is great! Lots of my friends have very expensive Sony and Pioneer DVD players that look flashy and cost ... but they cant even play SVCDS or MP3 Cds. This might not be a great player if you dont like to take care of your electronics and beat the hell out of them, or if you have kids that use DVDs as frisbees. But for me, just keeping it clean and not abusing it has worked perfectly.
On: 2002-02-26
Last week saw the ad, tried to order and cant sucess, so tried again a moment ago, but the price was already jumped up 10.00, that means if I do not order to-day, and to-morrow will jump up again, so may be I have to wait another month, wait for it for sale, then I am going to order
Thanks
by: Anonymous On: 2002-02-21
We couldnt get through one movie without seeing, "Clean Me" REPEATEDLY on the screen. Prior to getting this message, you could see digits on the screen start to blur. We played all brand new, clean disks and had the same result. All three movies we watched did the same thing. Bummer, this ones going back.
On: 2002-02-18
This is a good unit but beware it has trouble playing variable bitrate SVCDs. If your SVCD bitrate drops below a certain level, the picture will freeze and the audio will emit a high pitched squeal. If SVCD playback is important to you get a different player, otherwise, you will be OK with the AD-800
by: Anonymous On: 2002-02-09
I have tried two of these units from SAMs club. Both had the same strange quirk. Their S-VHS cable output only displays in perfect black and white crispness. I have tried everything to diagnose the problem (multiple known good SVHS cables, multiple TVS) but it always comes back to a player defect. If I used the regular RCA video cable, the video displays OK in proper color, but its frusterating that two new out of the box devices had the same problem. I never got the opportunity to check the three cable composite video outputs. I wont try another one.
On: 2002-01-16
This is a great DVD player. It has everything you want (even comes with MP3) at a price you cant beat. It has a karaoke mode which is a lot of fun. Its such a good buy. Its easy to set up and easy to use. A great first DVD player for anyone who is thinking of getting a DVD player. I wouldnt use it on my HDTV home theater, but if you just want something simple that looks great, this is the one. It has good sound and picture for the price. Havent had any problems with it, what can I say I love it. It was cool.Big Truck
by: Anonymous On: 2002-01-16
I was apprehensive about purchasing this player after reading some bad reviews, but bought it anyway and am extremely happy with it. If you want a DVD player that plays any kind of CD-R, DVD-R, etc., this is the model for you. It plays ANYTHING you throw at it, it could probably even play a old record (kidding). The quality is much better than the older Apex products, but there are some sharp screws on the bottom of the unit. Stay away from Sony if you want it to play CD-Rs or homemade Video CDs. They dont like these discs!
On: 2002-01-10
I bought this unit the day after Christmas. I have since spent many hours in front of it. Besides playing almost every format of disc known, it is firmware upgradable, so it will likely keep pace with new formats as they become available. One reviewer said that it was not user-friendly. Do not confuse a great degree of user-selectable preferences as being complicated. Novice users can play it right out of the box, but power users will find it ultimately enjoyable. Plus, with Progressive Scan, I will be able to use this player even after I upgrade to a digital TV! And the price speaks for itself. APEX is breaking new ground by offering high end products at K-Mart prices. Keep up the good work!
On: 2001-12-28
... It is probably the best around for the price. Though it can be sluggish and tempermental, it gives you an unbelievable amount of control. From zooming and panning to speaker tweaking, you can do anything you would ever need to with the touch of a button. The mp3 control is very strange and almost old fashioned, but it puts out great sound. The remote is interesting and takes some time to adjust to, but gets the job done. And the unit itself is freakishly huge (Its almost twice as big as my vcr) but not that intrusive. So If you like having complete control over your dvd viewing and love features galore, this is definitely the dvd player for you.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-12-27
This unit provides excellent A/V output when you have HDTV and Digital Receiver. To achieve best out, you do need to read the menu including the fine prints. I did encountered problem using S-Video and Karaoke function at first try, but resolved by going back to the menu a couple of time.My unit was able to read scratched disks.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-12-18
This is the most bang for the buck on the market now, it plays
every disc format, something many more expensive machines dont
offer and the software is firmware upgradable and it has all the bells and whistles of the expensive players. The only down side is the remote is a little clumsy to use and the warranty is only 90 days on the labor. ...
by: Anonymous On: 2001-12-02
Absolutely fabulous player at a great price! Bought a second player for the guest room and will buy one for my brother this christmas! You cant find a dvd player that supports MP3, dolby decoding, and also progressive scan at this price. Many thanks!!
On: 2001-11-29
My new APEX AD-800 provided good picture and sound on DVDs, but could not read half of my VCDs (commercially produced VCDs). I think the laser is out of alignment.I found the unit to be very user-unfriendly. The remote control is poorly laid out, and performing a simple fast forward/reverse task is painful. The unit does not automatically switch between 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratio (wheras my Panasonic does), so I have to manually set the aspect ratio each time I switch from a widescreen DVD to a VCD or a 4:3 DVD. I have read reviews that tout the AD-800 as a great toy for a technical person due to its many user-adjustable parameter settings. But I think the unit had so many user-adjustable parameters because it lacks the intelligence to set them automatically. The Karaoke function is very limited, as it has no ability to adjust the key and no vocal assist function. I had high hopes for the AD-800 due to its many advertised features, but I am quite disappointed by the poor quality control and user-unfriendliness.
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