Registered: Apr 2002
Location: MO
Posts: 2929

I think this product makes a lot of sense. It includes a progressive scan DVD player, plays just about every disc format I could think of and includes a 40GB hard drive for $200. I have no idea how this can be manufactured to sell at this price.

Amazon Apex DVD/DVR for $200 shipped

If it works, it should be a big seller unless I am missing something.

Chris

Last edited by Chris Gerhard on 04-03-2003 at 05:17 AM

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 343

If it is properly promoted it will do very well...especially if there is no guide cost.

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Registered: Nov 2000
Location: On The Air
Posts: 1768

interesting that TiVo owners recommend a Series2 over this device when they know nothing about it..

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Last edited by genearch on 04-03-2003 at 05:22 AM

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Nashua, NH
Posts: 7476

I can't find ANY details about this device....

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Registered: Mar 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 114

Here's the only thing I could find about it (a press release from the Apex web site) :

http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/images/APEXDVD.PDF

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 2304

quote:

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Originally posted by Chris Gerhard
I have no idea how this can be manufactured to sell at this price.

---

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Registered: Sep 2002
Location: Queens, New York
Posts: 8729

Apex is CRAP. All of the APEX stuff I see at CC is usually broken and/or looks cheap.

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Registered: Apr 2002
Location:
Posts: 163

quote:

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Originally posted by raj2001
Apex is CRAP. All of the APEX stuff I see at CC is usually broken and/or looks cheap.

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Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Northern VA/DC Area
Posts: 2052

quote:

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Originally posted by raj2001
Apex is CRAP. All of the APEX stuff I see at CC is usually broken and/or looks cheap.

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Are you basing that on experience or because it "looks cheap?"

I have two apex players and though people will put down their players I LOVE THEM. I bought an ad-1200 for $50 at circuit city and it has handled more standards than any other player I've owned including a high end Panasonic DVD Burner (hs2)

The apex I bought so far has handled:

DVD-R
DVD-RW
DVD+R
DVD+RW
CD-R
CD
DVD
CD-RW
VCD
SVCD
MP3
CD's with just JPEG's on it

Haven't tried DVD-RAM yet...

Not to mention that out of the box with a 5 digit code I made it region free and macro vision free. On top of all that I can throw formats and resolutions that are not standard with no problem. The thing even has a screen saver...best part is if the drive ever fails, go on ebay and get a cheapo $15 PC dvd drive and swap it out, standard interface.

Next to the panasonic I can't tell the difference in quality on my SDTV using S-Video connections. All that for $50.

*edit* forgot to mention it also converts PAL discs to NTSC for me and vice versa.

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Last edited by edrock200 on 04-03-2003 at 06:08 PM

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Registered: Jan 2003
Location:
Posts: 9

yeah seriously the apex 1600 I think it is, that they are always selling for 49.99 can read anything I throw at it. VERY high bitrate SVCD's and all media types. I've even watched svcd's that had actual parts of the cd flaked off the media was so cheap. When the player got to that part of the disc the picture did get very pixelized and the sound went screwy for a few seconds but then it just kept chugging and went on with the movie. My computer even froze on that movie because of the damaged disc. Maybe the picture quality isn't the best compared to other players but I wouldn't know since I only have a 25" regular style tv. So I think for MANY people apex is a great solution.

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Registered: Apr 2002
Location: MO
Posts: 2929

quote:

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Originally posted by stevel
I can't find ANY details about this device....

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Registered: Apr 2002
Location: NW Arkansas
Posts: 812

Gotta jump in there for Apex. Raj, I wonder if you have ever actually used their stuff. I was hesitant when I bought my AD-500 a couple of years ago, now I wouldn't buy anything else.

I just recently grabbed the new AD-2500 (progressive scan) while it was on sale at Microcenter for $69.

Although I cannot vouch for it's progressive scan quality (no component jacks on my tv) I can definitely confirm that it will play literally anything I throw at it. Hell, I don't even need to burn discs as VCDs any more, just dump an mpeg on a disc and it will play it. I can mix a couple mpegs, a few mp3s (wma as well) and maybe a picture or 20 on the same disc and view em all with the player.

About all I could wish for is it to decode divx but I guess you cannot have everything.

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Portage, Mi
Posts: 562

quote:

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Originally posted by raj2001
Apex is CRAP. All of the APEX stuff I see at CC is usually broken and/or looks cheap.

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Registered: Aug 2002
Location: Chicago
Posts: 522

Sorry, Raj, looks aren't important. I picked up a 3 disc Apex DVD changer at Sam's to watch stuff region-free. It has optical out, no S-Video, but what do you expect for $80.00. Yeah, it looks like a strong wind would shatter it, but it's a tank. I dropped it once by accident, still works like a charm.

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Registered: Jun 2000
Location:
Posts: 1000

i've got to agree...
i've got a few apex 1100w's ($50). those suckers will play anything.

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location: alone in the dark
Posts: 4333

quote:

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Originally posted by mtmra70
did you know that all an Apex DVD player is a PC cdrom and a linux kernel

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Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 7870

quote:

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Originally posted by raj2001
Apex is CRAP. All of the APEX stuff I see at CC is usually broken and/or looks cheap.

---

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Last edited by zaknafein on 04-03-2003 at 03:03 PM

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Registered: Mar 2002
Location:
Posts: 243

Apex players are a mixed bag, IMO. I had a 1100W for a while and it played everything I could throw at it. Here's a link for anyone that is interested in what you can do with an Apex machine:

http://www.nerd-out.com/

There's a link to a discussion forum for Apex and similar players as well as a hackers site with firmware upgrades and such. I bought my Apex because it was one of the few players that didn't barf when I fed it a TyDVD burned from a show extracted from a DTivo ('nuff said on that topic). I got rid of it in favor of a new Sony DVP-S715P (I may be slightly off on the complete model # but the 715 is correct). I just didn't like the fact that the Apexes are cheaply built. They are an oustanding bargain for the price but not something I'd consider for a serious home theater enthusiast. I don't care about hacking the player to make it region-free since I don't have access to any DVDs other than what I buy or rent locally anyway. It is extremely versatile but you do get what you pay for. $50 buys you a cheap DVD player, plain and simple.

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 469

Personally, I've always felt Apex had it's place in the market. It's very much hit and miss, but at the price, you can usually afford the gamble.

I've owned a few Apex products, including DVD players, and for the hidden menus to remove Regions and Macrovision, not to mention other nice toys, they can be handy.

However, as a rule, I think their quality (as in pic and sound) are nowhere near your major brand players. For a kid's room, or basement tv where the whole Home Theater setup is not in play, they're worth the gamble. If you're wanting to hook it up to anything of decent Home Theater quality (like a nice tv, or sound system) buyer beware. About the only time I've done that was to watch a Region 2 dvd as my current Sony player doesn't have the hidden workarounds.

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Registered: Apr 2001
Location: Dallas (or L.A.)
Posts: 15821

I'm gonna agree with Raj. Looks are somewhat important to me. They have a cheap finish to them. And I like good remotes as well. The Apex remotes I have seen *SUCK*. They have ity bity, tiny buttons. That's no good.

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