APEX info direct from APEX!

[skipc10]

The listings here say the 1200 and the 5131 (and others) support SVCD, but the company says they DO NOT, and will not support it. I have been having seemingly random SVCD playback problems.

Support also suggested that the lasers needed to be aligned on both units, even though they were doing the exact same thing at the same places, on different units. Either not good manufacturing, or lack of understanding of the problem. The VCDs generally play well, although the 1200 may have a problem. Both units are less than 8 weeks old and bought from 2 different stores in different states (US).

There is a specific chapter on a specific commercial DVD that has a problem on both as well (but not on other players). Beware...

I have asked for a senior tech/designer to contact me to discuss any technical limitations, etc., but after several days, no contact yet.

I will be trying a 3rd model shortly to verify further.

[Barnabas]

I would try to upgrade the loader software in the DVD drive and see if that will fix your playback problems. I own 2 Apex players and updating the loader software really helped both of them to play more media.

http://www.nerd-out.com/darrenk/dvdrom_firmware/dvdrom_firmware.htm

Apex is not going to call you back. I am STILL waiting for a call, nearly 2 years after my last call to them.

[bigbadbear]

I have a 5131 too, and I have problems playing SVCD that I download from the interent. I have to make the SVCD non-compliant for it to work, and sometimes that doesn't work either. Are they firmware upgrades for the 5131 too.

Thanks,

[skipc10]

Cool. Who makes these loader upgrades? Are they reliable?

The 5131 is a 3 disk changer. Is it an IDE drive type too?

Thanks.

[Barnabas]

Apex uses the same 2 basic DVD drives for most of the players they make. They are made by DVS, and are CDR upgradable. You must open your player up and find which version of the loader you have. You MUST stay with the same letter code or you might mess up your drive. I assume that DVS makes the newer loaders. As to being reliable, while sometimes I find a newer version of the loader won't complete the upgrade, I have never had one mess up anything at all. It seems that until the update completes, nothing is fully changed, so when the upgrade didn't work (couldn't finish), the old version of the loader software is still there working as usual. You COULD run in to problems, but I have never messed up my DVD Player by trying to upgrade via a CDR.

Do this at your own risk however.

Check out http://www.nerd-out.com/forum/ for lots of info.