New APEX HT-100W home theater - $196 at Walmart !

[DVantrease]

Yesterday I saw at Walmart a new Apex HT-100W home theater system. It includes the dvd player, AM/FM tuner/amp with 5.1 Dolby, and 6 speakers, 250 watts total power, all for $196. They just got them in and don't have a demo unit setup. Has anyone else seen this? I LOVE my current Apex player and want to upgrade, since I don't have any good sound system (just tv speakers). The price is hard to resist! But I need to make sure it plays everything like my other Apex players. I'd also like to know if anyone knows how well the speakers are, and what exactly is meant by 250 watts 'total', is that good or bad? Sorry I'm not much into audio.

I have done searches and I cannot find ANY info on the web on this new system. Not even on the Apex website, all they have is the HT-100 (no 'W') at http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/html/HT-100.html . The HT-100W looks basically the same except it has 5.1 Dolby too. All opinions are very much appreciated!

[DaMovieMastarz]

For the $200 your cutting it cheap...VERY cheap. Your better off getting a "nice" name brand reciver $100-150 and a set of 2 speakers. Wait till Circuit City has some sale on speakers or is giving away "free" speakers with the purchase of a receiver, check the Sunday articals in the mail.

What does 250Watts sound like, well 250Watts can sound very nice and dandy on a JUST home theater sysem but if you like your music and all you will not get the good sound on the small 5inch speakers that claim to prouduce 100Watts (other systems) apex (the one you getting) if it prouduces the 250 watts then it is probally 40Watts each speaker with 50watts to the sub.

If you really want to know what 250Watts go to Best Buy, Circuit City and even walmart and check out the other brands that offer the same wattage. Venture has about the same Watts i think?

Choices:

For the occasional DVD/Theater listiner and the music fanatic go with the seperate components (me)

For the DVD/Theater all the time listner go with the "theaters in a box" as they like to call them or as DVantrease is bringing to our attention the Apex home theater system.

Check out my system at:
http://www.audioreview.com/GALPhoto_57085crx.aspx

And ignore the scarsim, its a common thing at the site. People making fun of you system when you 16 and there 50

[DVantrease]

Thanks DMM, yeah I know $200 is cheap. I'm not kidding myself, I know this is far from a high-end system, it just sounded like a decent system for the price for someone on a budget like myself (I'm married...LOL). I'm not big into audio systems at all, but I would like surround-sound, that's why I'm not going with the 2-speaker system. I'm not looking to 'rock the house' with music either, just enough to fill the room and experience spaceships and monsters coming from behind me haha. I got a feeling you're right about the 40watts-per-speaker, I'll just have to find out what Walmarts return policy is.

[DaMovieMastarz]

Walmart is a great place to Buy, Use, and Return. I think they have a 90 return policy also, you'll have to check. So I suggest if anything buy it there and not a big HI FI store. Because if it doesnt interest you, you can take it back.
Later

[DaMovieMastarz]

Check these Theater Systems: Around the $200 range

1. Amazon.com (list of cheapest)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/172593/1/ref=br_lfsrt_/104-6814016-63191...Bprice&x=2&y=1

2. Walmart (list)
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product_listing.gsp?cat=4477&dept=3944&path=0%3A3944%3A...77&bti=0&sb=61

Later

[bugande]

I picked one of these units up for my Dad and it works great. Plays everything like all Apex's. The one thing that it will not do is play DVD's in DTS sound. It only has DTS output so another receiver with DTS decoder wmust be used. If you want DTS you ware better off with a separate receiver. The picture and sound is great. For the money and the total effect of 5.1 digital surround this is really a great buy. The am/fm receiver built in is also nice. If you are looking for a digital surround system this unit is excellent for the $196. Go get it and give it a try.

[DVantrease]

Thanks guy. Bugande, I'm glad I found someone who bought one! Now I have a REALLY dumb question... Like I said I am ignorant when it comes to audio. What exactly is DTS? How is this different then Dolby? I really just want a basic surroundsound, including the sounds coming from the right 'positions' when an object approaches on the rear-left, etc. Does the HT-100W do this as is? Also, would you say that the sound is powerfull enough (40watt each?) for filling an average family room?

[bugande]

DTS is really the same as Dolby Digital. The only difference is the compression used for the audio file. DTS uses less compression and therefore is supposed to have better deeper sound. Don't think it will matter to you. Both are digital surround sound with the same speaker channeling. Very few DVD's offer DTS sound so if you are looking for an all in one this could be it. As far as filling your family room with sound I don't think that will be a problem. This unit even has a separate subwoofer output for you if you want to someday add a powered subwoofer. Just get one from the MART and give it a try, if not satisfied return it. I think you and your family will be very happy as soon as you pop in your first DVD and experience the Digital Surround Sound with subwoofer. Trust me and pick one up at this price which includes everything for a home theater. You will have it up and running in as little as 10 minutes.

[DVantrease]

Awesome! And once again, THANKS! Guess what I'm getting myself for Fathers Day haha

[DVantrease]

Ok, picked up the HT-100W last night, and to my disappointment, it does not play VCD! I tried both 100% VCD and XVCD, and all said 'NO DISC'. To be fair, the box didn't actually say it plays VCD, I was just hoping (it is Apex after all). Then I thought, what the heck, lets try an SVCD. I made a small clip, burned it, and yes, it does play SVCD! I tried again changing the bitrate, works fine. I tried again changing the resolution, that would NOT play.

So, bottom line, the Apex HT-100W will not play VCD/XVCD. But it will play SVCD, any bitrate as long as the resolution remains 480x480. This is a shame for me, as I have 40+ XVCD's I made I cannot play (my old Apex had a problem with SVCD). Will lay out and try the speakers tonight, and most likely keep it, I'll just have to re-encode all my old movies.

[The village idiot]

I've read that sometimes the Apex machines just don't work. You might want to take it back and grab another to try the VCD's. If it really wont play VCD's I'm going to skip this one.

[DVantrease]

bugande, since you have one of these players, can you say one way or the other whether you can play VCD/XVCD on yours? The store does not have a demo setup, and its a hassle repacking/returning it for another only to have the same problem. I will of course if it should play VCD.