Looking for a few good (or bad) opinions on ApexModChip.com

[andrewb758]

I recently bought an Apex AD-500W region/Macrovision modchip from ApexModChip.com and I would like to hear some success/disaster stories from people who have used that site. I am a little jittery on buying from a small site like this. I bought something totally different from another small site a few years ago and it resulted in absolute disaster . Please let me know if you've had personal experience with the site as well. Thanks in advance.

[The village idiot]

There is (or was) a rom update for the 500wm's that would do that. Check for the hack in the DVD Hacks button. Or do you really have the 500w (not AD-500wm) check the sticker on the back of the machine.

[Thorn]

I've never seen an apex that needed a mod chip... they usually have modified firmware updated via a bootcd... Maybe this one's different, but in the future do your research before buying the stuff, and save yourself some money -- I'd think it would be cheaper not to have to buy a modchip. Find some of the firmware sites and do some research there (shinco is related to a lot of the apex stuff, since they come from the same factory or something).

[andrewb758]

Thanks for the input there, people, but I guess I need to be more clear here. I have what I said (a 500W) and according to the DVD Hacks section of this site, both entries for the AD-500W (why there are two I don't know) say you need new firmware. The chip inside of the AD-500W is an not EEPROM chip (e.g. NOT flash upgradable, therefore ruling out a CD-R upgrade); I can tell you this from both photographs of the inside of the player found on the Internet and looking inside my own personal player. I know, I found it odd too that you could not upgrade this player via CD-R, which seemed to be an Apex thing. I would love to burn an EPROM myself, but considering my lack of equipment and future occasion to use such equipment, I find it cheaper to shell out (about) $20 for a one-time deal. However, getting back to the root of this post, I am looking for people who would like to share their own *personal* experience with ApexModChip.com, positive or negative, so that I can gauge this retailer from a composite of opinions. Thanks again for any input.

P.S. Thanks to The village idiot for the tip on the 500W/WM thing--I checked. It is really an AD-500W.

[bzkod]

andrew,
i've got a 1500 with SV serial and I too would have to put in a new chip to get region/MV free. if you wanted to save $7, you can do this yourself for about $13 (http://www.nerd-out.com/darrenk/500W/500W.htm), or do like you said and spend the $20 at apexmod. but no, i don't any experience with them. just trying to give you another route to follow.

[alacrity]

I have no clue about apexmodchip.com, BUT being in the same boat as you (burned online), I always check references before I buy. I went with dvd-wizards due to recommendation of darrenk. You can find out which upgrade you want here http://www.nerd-out.com/darrenk/500W/500W.htm and then choose from http://www.dvd-wizards.com/dvdw/parts.asp . They cost 25$, but I received the chip in a timely manner and everything was kosher .

[TuxOmatic]

andrewb758

I bought several of these 500W mod chips from these guys, one for myself and a couple for relatives. All worked great. The apexmodchip.com transaction went very smooth and fast. Oh, and my 500W is alive and well with region free, macrovision turned off, and even the digital CGMS/A is turned off (so I can copy directly into my Sony Digital8 camcorder)!

Hope this info calms your nerves!