Are there any fixes to make the new line of Apex's play VCD'

[BigRas]

bought to of the same model 1100 on was older than the other the old plays and the new one doesnt . any upgrades or fixes ? If not what is cheap readily found substitute for apex? thanks in advance

[thxkid]

Daewoo 5800 $89, tons better than any APEX machine and it will play anything

[banjazzer]

So what exactly is happening that newer versions of a model don't play as much as the old. The same thing happened with the Pacific 750 here in UK. A few months ago the Pacific played VCD. Now this feature is disabled. Are manufacturers being leaned on?

[BigRas]

where do you buy a daewoo 5800 especially for 89.00 ..do the chain stores carry them

[Agent 0008]

Last I heard Apex came under fire for having region and macro hacks in there software, They agreed to remove them on there own to avoid any legal hassles.

[banjazzer]

I can understand that, but why remove the ability to play VCD?

[drak23]

I checked this out on some other forums - several owners of the new Apex machines have reported that they do in fact play VCD. Apparently there was a marketing decision not to include it in the ads (though this makes no sense to me).

If you interested in buying one I would recommend calling the manufacturer just to get "official" confirmation.

http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/html/support.html

Cheers,

Drak

[banjazzer]

The ones I was talking about are sold by ASDA-Wallmart in the UK. it's the Apex AD 1100 WB (note the suffix B). I read reports of people buying them because it was meant to play everything, but apparenty they don't play VCD. Which is a shame, because the price is right (£75).

I've just posted a request for clarification via their website (I note the WB is not specifically mentioned). I don't fancy ringing Canada to find out. 8)

Maybe the B stands for buggered?

[elkfir]

I bought an Apex 1200 several months ago and it plays VCD's fine.

(However, it's also supposed to play back JPEG's, but it doesn't do it very well.)

[banjazzer]

I know it's supposed to play VCDs, because I read all the reports on this site. However, some now apparently don't. 8)

[banjazzer]

Well, I just got my reply from Apex. Verbatim:

Your Issue Was:

The AD-1100WB is currently on sale in the UK. Does it have the capability to play VCD and SVCD?

Apex Digital's Response Is:

no player manufactured after 4/15/02 will not play vcd\'s

Thank you for using our website!

I presume the double negative was unintentional.

[boldego]

I guess Apex can kiss their sales goodbye.

[sullen]

In the US player are now arriving that don't play VCD and don't advertise them on the box. We have the 1100W versions and those that don't play VCDs have the last two digits of the serioal as 08. They also don't have VCD listed on the boxes either. The rumor is that they won't play VCD, but will still play SVCD. Another rumor is that whoever developed VCD was supposed to get money from every company that included that function on their player and that Apex hadn't been paying, so they dropped the function. If you can find one in the US, the older 1100W can be hacked for macro, region, and the background image changed. These are the 1mb versions and generally easily identified by the Kodak symbol having a white background instead of a yellow one. Go to
http://www.nerd-out.com to learn lots more.

[sullen]

PS Some people are also having problems with SVCDs playing in the older players where Nero created the SVCD. I personally have run into this problem.

[drak23]

Well this sucks. I guess I won't be recommending Apex as the best bang for buck to all my friends anymore.

Drak

[nocam1334]

Listen to sullen, he knows what he's talking about. The 512K models are replacing the 1MBs. I got one at Wal-Mart about 2 weeks ago (the 1MB version) for $68. I've disabled macrovision and made it region free. I can play DVD, VCD, SVCD, XVCD, XSVCD, MP3, Kodak Picture CDs, Picture CDs. Here's a link so you can identify the right one:

http://www.nerd-out.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17523

I really like this player. Sadly, they are not in production anymore , so get them while you can. I think about half the ones I saw at the Super Wal-Mart here in Macon, GA were 1MB, but that seems to be the exception. Most people say they are hard to find elsewhere.

[mdm]

Wait a minute, if this quote is correct:

"no player manufactured after 4/15/02 will not play vcd\'s "

then ALL of their players WILL play VCDs! Note the word "not" near the end.

Now, if this is a misquote or poor english, then I may be wrong. But then again, I just bought an AD2100 (which is a brand new product) and it plays (S)VCDs just fine (and is labeled VCD compatible on the box/manual).

[sullen]

The "not" is just bad english. As for your 2100, it was probably made before 4-15-02 and had just been sitting in a warehouse. Some players sit around for months, sometimes a year before they make it to retail because most new products sell slowly until word of mouth about something good increases sales and the 1100W is a prime example. It might be possible for a VCD hack to be created down the line for players, I don't know anything about how that works, but if you are in the market and have the money, try to get one now before it's too late. The 1100W 1mb units will probably become infamous like the 600a units with the menu loophole.

[banjazzer]

They actually sent 2 emails in quick succession, so there is no doubt in my mind what they meant.
#1

...no player manufactured after 4/15/02 will not play vcd\'s...

#2

Your Issue Was:

The AD-1100WB is currently on sale in the UK. Does it have the capability to play VCD and SVCD?

Apex Digital's Response Is:

No it does not.

Thank you for using our website!

[mdm]

Why would anyone *remove* this feature?

I just noticed in the downloadable manual for the AD-2100, it no longer shows VCD or HDCD in the "Playable Discs" chart (my manual shows both of these in the chart).

Wouldn't this just eliminate every reason to buy an APEX, other than price?

[banjazzer]

I have no idea why they would, but it has happened. It has also happened to another player available here in UK - the Pacific 750. I have one I bought 6 months ago that plays VCD and SVCD. Now the store where I bought it has a large notice saying it does not play VCD, and I hear from people who bought recently that the handbook now has a sticker on the front saying it does not play VCD.

I'm not making this up, and I can only surmise some agency is putting pressure on the manufacturers to suppress the VCD capability. Obviously, there is no other reason for a manufacturer to make their goods less salesworthy, apart from insanity. 8)

[PimpInDaHouse]

Apexs no longer play VCDs I just checked there web page and all the new players say they play everything else but VCDs. I think it is because that all the screeners that come out are all in VCD formate so if they take off VCD then no one can watch the movies unless they use SVCD. Thats what I think. Screeners for those who don't know what they are are movies that are still in theaters.

[banjazzer]

So, the big question is, is this likely to become widespread across all the manufacturers? It doesn't make much sense that certain manufacturers cripple their players, whilst others don't.

[vitualis]

This is unlikely to become widespread. There must be some reason why Apex is removing VCD support -- someone mentioned licensing (you are required to pay Philips a royalty for every VCD player you sell). Could this be it?

Regards.

[weeyoo]

apex 3201 works fine, had it replaced a month ago, still ok. bought from sears in u.s.a

[banjazzer]

I have just contacted Apex again to ask why they removed this capability. It will be interesting to see whether they reply this time. 8)

[banjazzer]

someone mentioned licensing (you are required to pay Philips a royalty for every VCD player you sell). Could this be it?

I would like to know the real reason. I thought that royalties had to be paid for DVD capability (which was partly the reason SVCD was introduced by the Chinese), and maybe even SVCD (to the chinese Govt?), but I thought VCD was not a copyrighted/patented format.

I still suspect that someone somewhere is trying to exert pressure on manufacturers. Just doing a search on *VCD standard* turns up

VideoCDs are pretty rare in western countries -- basically only VCDs you see in the Europe or in the U.S. (except in NYC's Chinatown, which is a true VCD paradise in middle of the western city are illegal copies or porn movies.

Then again, I never thought Oswald killed Kennedy. 8)

[banjazzer]

Just received:

Your Issue Was:

Can you tell me why VCD capability has now been removed? Many people like to create VCDs from their home movie material, so this does seem like a very strange limitation.

Apex Digital's Response Is:

Please give us a call to our customer service dept for further assistance at 909-930-1239.

Thank you,
Apex Digital Inc.Customer Service dept.

Thank you for using our website!

Perhaps someone to whom 909-930-1239 is a local call would care to follow this up? 8)

I have just replied to them:

Hi, you told me to ring 909-930-1239 to enquire further why your DVD players no longer play VCD. I am from the UK so I am unlikely to make an international call to find this out. It would be cheaper to buy another brand of player.

If you do not intend to give me this information, why not just come right out and say so?

[banjazzer]

vitualis, you are absolutely right. I just found out this site:

http://www.licensing.philips.com/licensees/database/licensees.html and Philips do issue licenses for VCD players. From what I can tell (the search apparatus doesn't work too well) Apex don't hold a license. What's more, on 1st April 2002 Philips issued a new certificate system to assist buyers to distinguish licensed manufacturers from the unlicensed ones. This ties in pretty much with the date Apex gave for their players no longer playing VCDs. 8)

[banjazzer]

And I got my reply from Apex:

Your Issue Was:

Hi, you told me to ring 909-930-1239 to enquire further why your DVD players no longer play VCD. I am from the UK so I am unlikely to make an international call to find this out. It would be cheaper to buy another brand of player.

If you do not intend to give me this information, why not just come right out and say so?

Apex Digital's Response Is:

Im sorry but our players will no longer have this feture.

Thank you for using our website!

So, I think I know which make of DVD player not to buy.