Apex Digital AP-600A

Here is some quick info on the Apex Digital AP-600A I got yesterday (1/14/2000). This a new class of low cost digital CD/DVD multi media player.

It supports the following formats:

I have used several DVD's as well as CDR and CDRW ISO MP3 disks. The MP3 playback just sorts all the files on the disk and plays them back as 'tracks' on a CD. It skips bad files. I have not tried MPEG-1 Video CDs.

The units in the USA/Can. are set for region code 1 and macrovision enabled. You can enter the 'loophole' menu to change or disable both region codes and macrovision...and other things. It support both PAL and NTSC output from DVD's (I have tested both).

To get to the loophole menu: (with the power on and disc stopped) press 'setup', press 'step', press 'back' (chapter), press 'next' (chapter). My player has code rev 1.76.

Inputs/Outputs:

Note only ONE type of video works at a time (S-Video/normal OR Y/Cr/Cb). Same for the audio, Analog OR Digital, but not both at the same time.

This is a cheap unit, but it does work. It supports all the normal DVD features including frame step/slow in reverse (but it's a pain to access reverse slow functions). It does not support fast scan of MP3's like it does in DVD or CD mode. So when you play a MP3, its play, stop, pause, next track, or last track.....The on screen display only lists 8 character file names.

It does play my "The Matrix" and "Contact" DVD which have been know to give players problems. It did have some problems when I would skip to selected tracks. Layer switch was 'normal'. There were some noticed lip sync problems on one disc. Video quality is fine for normal TV's. On my large screen setup the video is a little 'off'. Reds are smeared and images are a bit blocky (not MPEG blocks, but low bandwidth video). My 'TV' is a Barco 1100 (set to 96") and a DVDO line doubler. The Apex will not replace my Sony DVPS7000 any time soon. Sony plays all disks without problems, and has much better video. AC-3 seems to be the same between them.

It does support 4:3 and 16:9 modes, but it does not seem to output the special signal on the video lines to switch TV's into 16:9 mode....so you just have to switch it manually.

Where to buy it: well you'll have to find a place. In Connecticut Circuit City has them in stock in several stores. The are NOT on display. You have to call several locations until you find someone willing to run a search on their computer and let you know which stores have units in stock. My cost $169.99+tax.
Company info:
This seems to have been made be a Chinese company www.vddv.com
You can look directly at the AD-600A on their site. Apex has two (or more) domains registered, but the don't link to anything: Address: 
Apex Digital, Inc.
2919 E. Philadelphia Street
Ontario, CA 91761
(909) 930-1239 tel
(909) 637-0660 fax

Photo of the front: (click for a larger image)

Photo of the rear: (click for a larger image)

Photo of the remote: (click for a larger image)

Some other reviews: