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data/customer-review-data/Apex-AD2600-Progressive-scan-DVD-player.txt

Summary

Maintainability
Test Coverage
*****************************************************************************
* Annotated by: Minqing Hu and Bing Liu, 2004.
*        Department of Computer Sicence
*               University of Illinois at Chicago              
*
* Product name: Apex AD2600 Progressive-scan DVD player
* Review Source: amazon.com
*
* See Readme.txt to find the meaning of each symbol. 
*****************************************************************************

[t] troubleshooting ad-2500 and ad-2600 no picture scrolling b/w . 
##repost from january 13 , 2004 with a better fit title . 
##does your apex dvd player only play dvd audio without video ? 
##or does it play audio and video but scrolling in black and white ? 
##before you try to return the player or waste hours calling apex tech support , or run the player over with your car , try these simple troubleshooting ideas first . 
##no picture : 
##hopefully you still have the remote control . 
##if you tossed it out the window , you need to fetch it . 
##using the remote control , press the i/p button located on the bottom right corner of the remote . 
##the i/p button switches the tv display between interlace and progressive . 
##if this doesnt bring back the picture , try pressing this button without playing a dvd . 
##if you dont get video back , now you can run the player over with your car ! 
##picture scrolling in b/w : 
##you need the remote control for this so you better get it from your dog before he burries it in the backyard . 
##press the p/n button located on the bottom right corner of the remote . 
##the p/n button switches your dvd players video output signal between pal and ntsc . 
##by pressing p/n , you should be able to get a good picture on the screen . 
##for other problems go to http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/support.asp 
##i hope i have helped you continue to enjoy the apex dvd player with these troubleshooting tips . 
##i have done some research and experimenting with the remote when my apex ad-2500 seemed to have lost its video signal . 
i/p button[+2]##im a more happier person after discovering the i/p button ! 
##the button was probably accidentally pushed to cause the black screen in the first place . 
dvd player[+2]##but , if you 're looking for my opinion of the apex dvd player , i love it ! 
dvd player[+1][p]##it practically plays almost everything you give it . 
player[+2],sound[-1]##i 've had the player for about 2 years now and it still performs nicely with the exception of an occasional wwhhhrrr sound from the motor . 
price[+2]##for the price it is a well spent investment ! 
##i would recommend buying one . 
[t] incredibe price / performance . 
##i 've owned 6 or 7 dvd players since 1998 . 
dvd player[+3][p]##this is by far the nicest one , in so many ways . 
look[+3],panel button layout[+3],feature[+2]##it 's very sleek looking with a very good front panel button layout , and it has a great feature set . 
forward[+2], rewind[+2]##its fast-forward and rewind work much more smoothly and consistently than those of other models i 've had . 
video format[+3]##it plays alternate video formats ( vcds , svcds , cvds ) very well . 
price[+3]##and amazon.com has it for such a great price -- how can you go wrong ? 
##i 've bought one for the den and will buy a 2nd one for the bedroom . 
##strengths are well listed by other reviewers . 
play[+2], dvd-r[+1]##what got me to buy was the reviewer that said it would play dvd-rs fill of files ( e. , mp3s ) . 
dvd-r[+1][p]##it sure does ! 
dvd-r[+2][p]##that 's a rare and valuable feature . 
##i have a dvd burner on my computer and a zillion mp3s , and it 's a lot nicer to access them 4.5 gb at a time ( dvd-r ) than 0.7 gb at a time ( cd-r ) ! 
audio output[+2]##another nice thing is that the unit has both optical and coax digital audio outputs , though the latter was not mentioned in the literature i 'd scanned before buying . 
##saved me from having to buy an expensive optical cable , as i already had a coax cable . 
forward[+2]##at double-speed ( 2x forward speed ) , it still plays mp3s with sound -- they are pitch-corrected and smooth , but twice as fast ! 
##i wish it would do the same for movies , but that 's one rare / cool feature you will have to forgo . 
remote control[-1], mp3 filename[-1]##weaknesses are minor : the feel and layout of the remote control are only so-so ; it does n't show the complete filenames of mp3s with really long names ; you must cycle through every zoom setting ( 2x , 3x , 4x , 1/2x , etc. ) before getting back to normal size [ sorry if i 'm just ignorant of a way to get back to 1x quickly ] . 
##if you 're a bargain hunter and you want a great feature set for a rock-bottom price , i highly recommend this model . 
finish[+2]##update : the finish is more " mirror " than silver -- and i like it ! 
[t] doesnt play new disney movies . 
play[-2], disney movie[-2]##many of our disney movies do n't play on this dvd player . 
##i spoke to a rep. at apex and was told that a new format is being used and we wont be able to view any disney movies made in the last couple months . 
[t] poor quality - problem with dual-layer dvd 's . 
dual-layer dvd[-2]##player has a problem with dual-layer dvd 's such as alias season 1 and season 2 . 
##for the money , get a better quality player . 
player[+1], look[+3]##player works and looks great - if you can get the dvd 's to play . 
player[-3]##i know the saying is " you get what you pay for " but at this stage of game dvd players must have better quality than this - there is no excuse . 
apex[-3]##will never purchase apex again . 
customer service[-3], technical support[-3]##customer service and technical support are overloaded and nonresponsive - tells you about the quality of their products and their willingness to stand behind them . 
##pass this player up , and never believe the reviews on a product right before christmas ! 
[t] has destroyed several of my dvds and cds . 
case[+2]##for the first few weeks , this player was everything i expected it to be , an affordable multi-format dvd player with a stylish slim case as advertised . 
dvd[-2], read[-2], play[-2]##then my dvds would stop playing in the middle , or not even be read at all . 
cd[-2]##new cds almost always began skipping after a few plays . 
player[-3]##i thought it was just the player , but then i started checking the discs to find that the apex 2600 is actually ruining my media . 
##there are funny little ridges on the dvd that look like the slice of a tree trunk ! 
player[-3]##this player is not worth any price and i recommend that you do n't purchase it . 
##i intend to contact the company , but from what i 've read . 
##i just got screwed out of fifty bucks . 
support[-3][u]##apex does n't answer the phone . 
##* sigh . 
[t] their customer service sucks . 
customer service[-2]##no way to contact their customer service . 
quality[-3]##very bad quality . 
[t] great value . 
player[+2]##i bought this apex 2600 dvd player for myself at christmas because it got good reviews as a good value for the money on a variety of different sites . 
player[+1]##i took it to my father 's house to play a tom jones concert dvd and he loved the player so much i gave it to him . 
##now i need to buy myself another one ! 
player[+2][p]##have used it frequently and have had no problems . 
##i always research electronics online before i buy because even within the same company , some models are better than others . 
player[+2][p]##i liked this one enough to buy another . 
apex[+2]##my dad also has an apex tv and it was another great value for the money . 
picture quality[+2],feature[+2]##great quality picture and features . 
[t] 2 out of three ai n't good . 
##thought i 'd weigh in here with my stats . 
##i 've bought 3 apex dvd players now . 
player[-2][p]##they play just about everything , but # 2 and # 3 died very shortly after getting them . 
##i am back to using # 1 . 
player[-1]##nice machines , but i consider their quality pretty low now . 
[t] buy a better known brand name . 
player[-2][u]##this item broke just two weeks after i gave it to my kids for christmas . 
door[-2]##the door would not close . 
customer service[-3]##i tried to contact apex to return it ( i missed the amazon return period ) and it took 3 months to get through to their customer service dept . 
##i am still trying to resolve it four months later . 
[t] piece of crap .. . 
look[+2], feature[+2]##it looks great - and is loaded with features . 
player[-2][p]##unfortunately it turns out to be the " disposable " type . 
player[-2][u]##have had problems since the first day 
play[-2], dvd[-2]##- not playing some dvds and then finally after less than 60 days , it just would not recognize anything i pop in it . 
##save money on the long run - buy something decent once instead of buying cheap every month . 
[t] i 've had no problems . 
apex[+2]##the apex 2600 has been a steady performer for me . 
player[+1][p]##i bought mine in december of 2003 , and have had no real problems with it . 
heat[-1][u]##it does tend to run quite hot and should be given lots of room for air circulation . 
smell[-2]##it did also seem to have a strong " new electronics " smell for some time . 
freezing[-1]##the only thing i did experience was a problem of the player freezing while playing , which i was able to clear by opening it up and blowing it out with " canned air . " 
##this problem vanished after the first month , so i assume it was a temporary dust issue . 
##the two main reasons i had for getting this model were the range of disks types played and the recommendation of a friend . 
player[+2]##( he had owned two apex dvd players , and was pleased with both of them . ) 
jpeg slideshow[+2],mpeg1[+1]##the fact that this model would play jpeg slideshows was a big plus for me as a visual artist , and i discovered by accident ( it is not mentioned anywhere in the literature ) that it will play mpeg1 files on a regular cd-r data disk without vcd formatting . 
remote[-1]##the remote is okay , but i am not a fan of remotes with tiny buttons . 
button[-2]##i especially like the more commonly used buttons , such as play , pause , and stop , to be larger and conveniently placed . 
##while it is true that it will stand on end , it is also easy to knock over that way . 
zoom mode[-2]##i also did n't like the way it displayed information way down into the screen when you are in zoom mode . 
zoom[-2]##the zoom goes up and down in magnification , which is nice , but there is always a display of the zoom size about one-quarter of the way down from the top of the screen that interferes with viewing at most settings . 
onscreen display[-2]##having spent considerable time with professional video gear , i find onscreen displays annoying . 
##i have not used the progressive scan feature . 
##this model has come down in price since i purchased mine . 
##while it seems like some people have had trouble with theirs , mine has run well , and i would recommend it if you are considering a dvd player purchase . 
##any possible problems should be weighed against the bang-for-the-buck factor , along with the fact that companies like apex seldom have good after-sale support . 
player[+2][p]##while i would like to give it 3.5 stars instead of 4 , i gave it a 4 because it has run well for me during the time i have owned it . 
[t] do not buy this piece of junk . 
##i purchased this unit 3 months back and i think the unit knew when my warrenty expires . 
picture[-2], player[-3][p]##it is more than 90 days and it does not show the picture no matter what i do . 
##i can only hear the sound . 
##i changed video cables , tried connecting to tv on input1 and input2 but no help . 
##i think you get what you pay for stands true . 
[t] nice paperweight . 
player[-2]##i have had this player for 3 months and have been able to see a total of 6 dvd 's , after the frustration and aggrivation of getting the player to do it 's job . 
customer service[-3]##i have tried many times to get a hold of apex who does n't seem to answer their emails and telephone number is constantly busy as ( i believe ) the one lonely customer service rep is probably extremely overworked . 
##as i emailed to the the customer service department , the only thing this player has done consistantly is use enought electricity to keep the red led burning . 
##do yourself a favor and save your money to get something of better quality , or at least works . 
[t] worst piece of electronics i ever bought . 
##if i could give this a negative rating , i would . 
##i am surprised amazon still carries this after all of the continued problems . 
play[-2], disc[-2]##wo n't play a lot of discs . 
##i can only confirm what other customers have said - crap ! 
play[-2]##some movies it played yesterday , it wo n't play today . 
play[-2]##it wo n't play 80 % of my movies , which are all store boughten . 
tech support[-3]##tech support from apex is literally - nonexistent . 
##amazon , do your customers a big favor , do n't carry this item , and give them refunds ! 
##there should have been a recall on this product . 
##fair warning - do not buy . 
##i repeat - do n't wast your money . 
[t] do n't buy ! 
player[-3][u]##i bought 2 of this model for christmas presents and neither one of them work ! 
dvd player[-3]##it is embarassing getting phone calls from family members telling you that the dvd player you gave them less that 3 months ago is no longer working . 
##one stopped working in february and the other in march . 
##amazon has been working with me to refund my money , but they reminded me that i have past the 30 day return policy and this was a courtesy return . 
##i have had great experience with amazon , but i will probably not buy electronics any more from them to avoid any future return problems . 
[t] we had problems . 
dvd player[-2]##the dvd player does not work properly . 
player[-3]##the player usually plays dvd 's , but has occasional problems such as : 1 ) not recognizing a dvd 2 ) stopping a particular point in a movie every time we played it 3 ) not being able to access certain special features on a rental dvd . 
player[-2][p]##this has happened with several different dvd 's and occasionally if we keep trying something , it will work when it did not work one time before . 
customer support[-3]##after we discovered the problems , we tried to contact apex ( fkor 3 months ) , but we never got in touch with them.the customer support telephone number is always busy , and they do not answer their web customer support . 
[t] ok if you have a 2nd dvd player . 
##i have had this dvd player for about 3 months now . 
player[+2][p]##nothing has broken on it , and it plays all the dvds i have . 
play[-2], dvd[-2]##unfortunately it can 't play all of the dvd . 
##i have several tv shows on dvd so they are divided by episode . 
dvd[-2]##on 2 dvds so far it refuses to play certain episodes with no problems on the others on the dvd . 
##luckily i also have a ps2 which can play those episodes the player can 't . 
player[-2]##unfortunately i bought a player because the ps2 could n't play all my dvds , and now the player can 't play everything . 
[t] another person who had problem with picture after one use . 
##i purchased this as a christmas gift for my husband . 
work[+2]##we tried it out christmas night and it worked great . 
jpeg[+2]##even viewed cds full of jpgs . 
##we did n't get to use it again for over a month ( sad , i know ) . 
picture[-2], player[-2][p]##but when we went to use it again , there was sound but no picture . 
##we saw reviews that said the same thing , and also saw here that their customer service stinks . 
##though we were past the deadline for returns ( by a few days ) , i contacted amazon right away and pleaded for help . 
##they authorized my late return , and hopefully they are giving apex heck . 
apex[-3]##i hate apex but love amazon , and i tell everyone . 
##do not buy this player . 
player[-3][p]##who knows how many uses you 'll get out of it before it craps out , but it probably will . 
[t] frustrating just hope you never lose / break the remote for this player ! 
remote[-2]##we 've purchased 3 universal remotes so far-all claiming to work " apex " dvd players and none worked . 
##called customer service and basically was told to either keep buying univ. remotes to try or buy the replacement remote for $ 23 ( which is almost half of what i paid for the whole player ) . 
##if anybody knows of a remote to work this-i 'd love to hear from you ! 
dvd[-2], play[-2]##( on here of course ) also , a couple dvd 's would n't play and they were new ones ! 
[t] poor customer service . 
remote[-2]##i had to return the remote on this product because it appeared to be defective . 
##it took over 2 months and repeated follow-up to get it replaced . 
customer service[-3]##the customer service dept did not list a toll free number and it was a real hassle to get through on their regular line . 
apex[-3]##i would not be inclined to purchase an apex product again . 
[t] a piece of junk . 
door[-2]##door broke after a month . 
unit[-3]##unit took forever since the begiining to recognize and play discs . 
player[-2][p]##3 months of use and it no longer recognizes anything . 
##forget about it . 
##it 's money down the drain . 
##get cheaper panasonics or toshibas or even sonys . 
[t] to quote bart : " craptacular " . 
player[+1]##well , it was nice while it lasted . 
player[-2]##after @ 3 months , it stoppped playing higher number scenes on dvds . 
player[-3][u]##as an engineer , i am embarrassed for the engineering profession when such crap is released for sale . 
[t] poor quality . 
player[-3][p]##only used for 3 month before it 's down ! 
##i had hoped this was bought from walmart so that i could return it ! 
picture[-2]##it sends discoutinous signals to tv , so the tv has the pictures for one moment and has only the white noise for the other moment . 
color[-2]##the other thing i do n't like about this 2600 is that it makes the color look over saturated . 
##maybe it 's good for tvs with not so good color settings , but not good for my tv that already has very vibrant pictures . 
[t] returned after failing to play dvds . 
##i purchased the ad2600 after feeling comfortable with the reviews i read here on amazon . 
##as soon as i lifted the unit out of the box , i questioned my judgement . 
unit[-2][u]##the entire unit was poorly crafted . 
screw tip[-2]##there were sharp screw tips on the underside of the unit coming from inside that were obviously used to anchor the internal control board . 
dvd[-2], play[-2]##after hooking the thing up , i found that it would only played less than 50 % of the dvds i put in it . 
##most of the dvds i was trying were fairly new and were in great condition . 
player[-2]##the dvd player just would't recognize them . 
no disc[-2]##it would spin , read , spin some more and then show on the display that there was no disc . 
##i ended up sending the unit back to amazon . 
[t] apex ad2600 . 
format[+2][u],progressive scan[+2]##this dvd player plays raw mpeg2 and mpeg1 videos , jpeg , wma , cdr / cdrw / dvdr / dvdrw , and of course plays dvd movies from uk. i love the aiff , progressive scan feature . 
##now it would have gotten 5 stars had this baby come with features to upgrade the firmware and was able to play divx or avi videos . 
##but for $ 49.99 go get one ! 
##features and looks this dvd player is overpriced had it come with sony or one of the other top brand names . 
[t] customer service nonexistant . 
player[-3]##i have not even used my new dvd player and already i am disapointed ! 
##i have been trying for over a week to contact apex . 
customer service[-3]##they will not respond to my emails ( promised turnaround time is 24 hours ) and the phone line is constantly busy . 
##all i am looking for is a rebate form ! 
[t] what a buy .. . 
##i accually did n't buy the apex ad-2600 from amazon but , the reviews i found here helped me purchase it . 
##i have owned an apex ad-3201 for close to 3 years now and i love that deck . 
feature[+2]##because of it 's hidden features ( no macrovision , non-regional ) i keep this baby around to watch non-american region dvd 's . 
##however , the ad-2600 does n't have this feature ( for now ) . 
play[+2], different file[+2]##the cool thing about the ad-2600 it plays alot of different file like mp3 , wma cds , jpeg and kodak picture cds , dvd 's , dvd - / + r 's . 
play[+2], mpeg[+2]##it 's not a listed feature but , the one thing that sold the unit is that it plays mpeg video . 
mpeg[+2][p]##i find this to be a great feature . 
play[+2][p]##i 've tried playing all of these discs and they all play great . 
feature[+2]##for the money apex machines have good features . 
##you can 't find the mpeg playback on high priced units . 
design[+2]##it 's low profile , space saving design looks nice . 
player[+2][u]##i find the apex ad-2600 to be a great buy . 
[t] avoid apex dvd players - even if they 're free ! 
##i received this dvd player free with the purchase of a palm tungsten e from officemax . 
player[-3][p]##now i know why - they are pieces of junk . 
no disc[-2], screen[-3][u]##less than a month later the screen freezes and eventually shows " no disc . " 
##this is the second apex dvd player i 've had - and the last . 
##my first player ( model ad-500a ) went into the trash about 6 months after i bought it . 
service[-3]##same story as everybody else when trying to get service from apex - nothing . 
##pay a few more bucks and get something else - it 'll be worth it in the long run . 
[t] best player for the buck . 
format[+2]##i was surprised to find that not only could this dvd player play mpeg2 format which allowed me to stack 2 movies on a dvd , but it also was able to play vob files which i created with smart ripper . 
aff[+2]##the aff feature did a great job converting the letterbox to fill 3/4 of the screen and the image still looked normal . 
design[+2]##loved the slim design . 
[t] black and white only after 1 month of use . 
color signal[-2]##this unit was working fine for the 1st month and a half and then the color signal disappeared . 
customer service[-2]##apex has still not responded to my email describing the problem after almost a week and their customer service line is always busy . 
[t] most bang for the buck. i recieved my 2600 4 days ago and feel that this may be the best $ 50 i have ever spent . 
##it plays all my back-ups , + or - , and everything else i have put in it without a hick up . 
audio[+2]##audio is excellent . 
##well worth the money . 
[t] for the price , an excellent buy . 
##after having bought and been disappointed in another brand of dvd player , i purchased the apex ad2600 from amazon and first of all i should say it was delivered much more quickly than i had expected . 
##( good going , amazon ). 
player[+3], format[+2]##i am very pleased with the apex ad2600.it plays just about anything you put in the drawer . 
##so far i 've played regular dvd 's , backup dvd-r 's , mp3 cd 's , and regular cd 's . 
##i have not yet tried the photo show capability , but i 'm thinking that will probably work well too , based on the success with the above mentioned disks . 
##i do want to mention too that it is certainly worthwhile to read the instruction manual that comes with the unit . 
##the comments i 've read about having problems with this dvd player all seem to stem from pushing the incorrect buttons on the dvd remote.for instance , pushing the button to play pal ( european type ) movies , when an ntsc ( usa type ) movie disk is in the disk tray . 
##so , if you read the instructions well , you should n't have any problems with this dvd unit . 
##i can 't speak to its long-term reliability , as i 've only had the apex ad2600 for a little over a week at this point . 
player[+2][p]##but , it seems to work so well now , that i do n't anticipate any problems with it . 
##bottom line for me is that for the price i do n't think you can go wrong at all by purchasing this dvd player . 
[t] excellent second dvd , or first dvd for hdtv ready tv. 
##wow ! 
player[+2][u]##simple to use and hook up . 
##comes with standard rca jacks for output , along with s-video output ( s-video cable not included , must be purchased seperately ) and also component video outputs . 
progressive scan[+2],remote[+3]##the progressive scan option can be turned off easily by a button on the remote control which is one of the simplest and easiest remote controls i have ever seen or used . 
##i also own an " apex ad 1201 " dvd player and have had no problems with it since i purchased it almost 1 1/2 years ago . 
##one big difference between the 1201 and the 2600 models is that the 2600 model is virtually silent . 
##and does n't need to be placed in a cabinet like the 1201 does . 
##friends of mine who own apex tv sets are also all very pleased . 
##i would not hesitate to purchase this if you are uncertain of the brand name . 
##consider it for a future gift too ! 
[t] save your money . 
player[-3]##this dvd play is basicly junk . 
play[-3][p]##it wo n't play all of my movies . 
##keeps coming up with no disk errors . 
customer service[-2]##i tried called apex cust service , no help . 
##do n't waste your money . 
player[-3][p]##mine was 2 weeks old and i chucked it in the trash , where it belongs . 
##this is the 4 apex player that i have bought . 
##you might think you are saving money by buying an apex but in the long run you will spend more . 
player[-2][p]##each of the 4 lasted less than six months . 
##you can get a pretty good progressive scan sony or toshiba now for 68 bucks just about anywhere . 
##spend the money its well worth it . 
[t] what a dvd player ! 
player[+3]##this is the best dvd player i 've purchased . 
##i 've owned a panasonic and sony dvd and this one outperforms in function and image quality and most of all , access speed . 
##for those of you who has problems with this player , i 'd suggest checking the owners manual to get the right setting so that you are not displaying the wrong mode and have no picture , etc. 
player[+3]##this player has worked flawlessly for me and at this price , you can 't go wrong . 
##80 % of the features on here you will not get by spending $ 100 on a sony or panasonic . 
##having said that , this is what you do . " add to cart " ! 
##" check out " ! 
##" enjoy " ! 
[t] apex ad2600 known capadabilty problem . 
play[-2], dvd[-2], no disc[-2]##i have sent my ad2600 back to apex because it wo n't play certain disney and other dvd movies ( no disc message ) . 
##they sent me a new ad2600 with the same problem . 
##i call apex customer service and they told me that there is a known problem with the model playing disney and other movies and that it is not there problem so i 'm stuck with a new dvd player that wo n't play my kids disney movies . 
[t] value for money ! 
##i bought this dvd player mainly because my old sharp dvd player could not play most of the dvds from the store that i rent from and i had to watch them using my pc 's dvd-rom player . 
dvd player[+2]##well , this apex dvd player turned out great ! 
media[+2][u]##it plays basically every media i 've tested so far , even an old vcd that i ripped years ago and the rental dvd that could n't be played on my old $ 200 sharp player ! 
user interface[+2]##i have to say i 'm also pretty impressed by the user interface for playing jpeg , mp3 and mpeg files stored on cd-rs / dvds . 
##it 's almost like having a media player / file manager built into the dvd player . 
player[+2]##i did not want to have high expectations for this apex player because of the price but it is definitely working out much better than what i would expect from an expensive high-end player . 
##what more can you ask for from a $ 40 dvd player ? 
##i guess i 'm just lucky to get a good working unit ! 
##hope the unit lasts as i 've only had it for 3 days . 
look[+2][u],panel[+2]##and the slim form-factor together with the mirror-like front panel sure makes the player look cool and pricey ! 
remote control[-2]##one bad thing though , i find the remote-control a bit flimsy and i predict it will most probably ' die ' before the player does . 
shipping[+2]##finally , amazon 's free shipping is really getting good , it took only 3 working days for the player to reach me ! 
[t] poor quality dvd player . 
player[-3]##i purchased two of these players for christmas gifts , and both were bad . 
player[-3]##the first one would n't work from the start . 
player[-2]##the second lasted about two weeks before the video went out ! 
##amazon.com promptly refunded my money for the first one , because a replacement was not available ( thanks amazon.com ! 
##i am still trying to resolve the problem with the second one . 
on-line support[-3][u]##i have tried several times to contact apex digital through their on-line support site and their telephone line , but they wo n't answer my emails and their telephone line is always busy . 
##i will never buy another apex digital product ! 
[t] you get what you paid for . 
player[+1]##for the most part this is a good dvd player . 
dvd[-2], picture[-2], play[-2]##but about 25 % of dvd 's i 've played on ithave a problem , when watching a movie the picture will freeze , but the dvd still plays , and eventualy the picture kicks back in after skipping a few moments . 
##usually i just skip to the next chapter to avoid it . 
##annoying . 
[t] no picture and / or no sound , try i/p button on the remote . 
product[-3][u]##we have had this product for over a month and yesterday it stopped working . 
##it is connected to an old television set via composite video and analog audio outputs . 
picture[-2], sound[-2]##there was neither picture nor sound . 
##connecting the same outputs to a video card in my computer , there was sound but still no picture . 
##the trouble shooting section in the user 's manual , suggesting correct and secure connections , does n't help . 
##i searched on the internet and found one tip which solved our problem : press i/p button on the remote control . 
##it makes the dvd player to switch between interlace mode and progressive scan mode . 
##obviously there is no composite video output and different analog audio signals at progressive scan mode . 
product[+2]##we are overall pleased with product . 
manual[-1]##i would have rated it five stars but for the poor manual . 
[t] people with video issue 's . 
##i think most of you people complaining about no video is due to you hitting the wrong button either the p/n = pal / ntsc or the i/p is set to progressive scan . 
##another stupid move . 
[t] buyer beware . 
##i purchased this as a christmas gift on 12-4 - 03 . 
picture[-3]##it worked from 12-26 to 1-9 at which time the picture failed completely ( see other negative reviews-my unit was n't the only one this happened to . ) 
support[-3]##i tried calling the support number for a week , several times a day , and always got a busy signal . 
##i also registered the unit online and posted two messages to the apex support person ( there can 't possibly be more than one ! 
support[-3]##neither message was answered ( they ask for 24 hours before replying - i 've been waiting 27 days . ) 
##i finally returned the unit to the company along with copies of my messages and return info . 
##let me quote a customer service rep from one of the authorized apex service locations in my state ( they only service apex tv 's , not dvd players ) : 
##" you can send it in , but i would n't count on ever seeing it or a replacement again . 
[t] barely worked . 
dvd[-2], read[-2], no disc[-2]##it only read the dvds 10 % of the time , otherwise i would get a no disc screen . 
##i got this dvd player as a gift and had to send it back . 
##amazon was supposed to send me another one , but did n't and sent me a gift certificate instead ( i 'm guessing because the price has gone up on this unit since december ). 
[t] has problems reading some dvds. 
##good : 
progressive scan player[+2],price[+2]##progressive scan player for a relatively low price ( although the better known manufacturers like toshiba , pioneer , and panasonic are now offering lower-priced progressive scan players as well ) . 
dvd[+2],sound[+2]##seems to read most dvds fine , and reads quietly ( i had a pioneer player that had fairly loud disc spin noise ) . 
read[+2], svcd[+2], vbr mp3 cd[+2]##also , i have not had trouble reading svcds that i created and vbr mp3 cds ( my old apex ad-1200 had trouble with these ) . 
output[+3]##output through component connections looks very good , on my non-hd tv . 
##bad : 
disc[-1], recognize[-2]##i 've had this player for several months and it reads most discs , but it would not recognize several discs that were clean and read on other players ( from friends season 2 ) . 
no disc[-2]##it would just spin up and stop , and display " no disc " . 
remote[-3]##my other gripe is the incredibly crappy remote , which is worse than other , cheaper apex units . 
##for some reason they made the navigation buttons all one button , a ring around the enter / play button . 
button[-3]##you have to press the buttons hard and frequently i end up pressing enter when i meant to scroll . 
s-video[-2]##also , for some reason the picture looks washed out on s-video , with lots of color bleeding , compared to a component connection ( should not be much of a perceptible difference on a 27 " tv ). 
[t] pretty good . 
##ok this is our first dvd player so what do i know . 
player[+2][p]##i checked out the amazon reviews and i 'm pleased to say mine worked , works , fine right out of the box . 
auto fit[+2]##i like the auto fit feature = you can stretch widescreen dvd 's to normal . 
##lot 's of other features that i need to find out about . 
look[+2][u]##looks ok - very shiny chrome and mirrors . 
##things that i 'd prefer different - there 's a red light that shines when it 's turned off ! 
remote[-3]##and the remote is cheap and cheasy - not sure how long it 'll last , but for 50 bucks what the heck ! 
[t] plays pancakes . 
play[+2][p]##this thing plays everything i feed it . 
##compusa , memorex , fuji . 
##plays them all . 
##i ordered 2 . 
[t] great dvd player . 
##i wanted a dvd player that had basic features and would be able to play dvd - r format disc 's that i had made myself . 
format[+2][u]##when i 1st tried it i found that it had no problem playing the more expensive dvd - r media disc 's that other players would play but to my surprise was able to play cheep media that i had burned that i could n't get to work before in anything but the dvd burner itself that i had made the disc with . 
use[+2], size[+2],look[+2]##easy to use , small form factor , and looks good to boot . 
##very happy ! 
[t] customer service is non-existent ! ! 
##i wish i could give negative stars ! 
##i bought this dvd player in november . 
##i have an apex ad600 for a few years now which still works great today . 
##i figured with a great first product and with this one having more features than the 600 i would buy one . 
##what a mistake ! 
player[-3][p]##after about an hour it starts skipping like the dvd 's are dirty . 
##i 've tried several dvd 's and even new ones do the same thing . 
no disc[-2]##i have ice age and it keeps telling me no disc . 
##i 've tried someone elses and the same thing happens . 
customer service[-3][u]##i tried e-mailing apex and they come back saying undeliverable . 
customer service[-3][u]##i 've tried leaving questions on their site never to have them answered . 
##i just want to at least try an exchange but you can 't get through to their number , it 's always busy . 
##that makes sense though , with all the substandard products they make . 
##do not buy this product or any apex product unless you are looking to be frustrated and lose money ! 
[t] keep shopping , do n't stop here . 
##i bought this as a gift for my sister . 
player[-3][p]##it has never worked . 
player[-3]##i 've attempted to connect this unit to several different tvs , using a multitude of connection methods , and i still can 't get a video signal from the machine . 
##i highly regret trying to save a few $ with this purchase . 
[t] worst customer service on record . 
player[-3][u]##purchased the ad-2600 about a month ago and have had numerous problems with it . 
on/off button[-2]##the most recent is that it will stop responding to the on/off button . 
##the light goes from red to green but no display or any operation whatsoever . 
##i end up unplugging it from the wall for a few hours and when i try again it will work fine.at least until this problem arises again . 
##i 've registered this unit at www.apexdigialinc.com and listed the problem . 
customer service[-3][u]##they claim to respond in a 24 hour period yet it 's been 2 weeks without a reply . 
customer service[-3]##i 've sent 10 e-mails to their customer service department requesting an ra with no response . 
##i 've called the service number and if it 's not busy , it rings forever then eventually dumps you . 
##once i actually got to an answering machine and left a message . 
##still no response . 
##i will never purchase anything from this company ever again and have logged my complaint with the bbb . 
[t] good price , bad product . 
##i bought this player as a christmas present for my wife . 
player[-3]##3/4 way through the first disk we played on it ( naturally on 31 days after purchase ) the dvd player froze . 
player[-2]##now it will not load any disk or just says that there is no disk . 
customer service[-3][u]##have tried to contact apex via e-mail ( customerservice@apexdigital.com ) , but the e-mail address is not valid . 
customer service[-3][u]##have tried calling ( 866-4apexgo ) , but can 't get through . 
player[-3][u],customer service[-3]##this product sucks , the customer service from apex sucks . 
##i should n't have been cheap , should have bought a toshiba . 
[t] stay away from it . 
##i bought this product from amazon . 
play[-3]##after using it for just a month , i could not play any dvd . 
picture[-2]##i can only hear the sound but no picture ! 
customer service[-3]##their customer ( www.apexdigitalinc.com ) service is very poor . 
##no contact phone number , only eamil contact which did not respond me . 
[t] problems . 
##i bought this player during a christmas sale at an excellent price . 
##however , i should have followed my instincts : 
##you get what you pay for . 
dvd[-3]##one of the dvd 's i received as a christmas present kept freezing . 
dvd[-3]##some dvd 's i rented would not play . 
##now , i suddenly have no picture . 
##i will say this . 
player[-2]##when the player was working it was great ,but . 
[t] the second apex - at least it 's prettier than the last . 
##the physical appearance of this apex compared to one previous ( ad1100w ) is most appreciated . 
##the prior one looked and felt lightweight , cheesy , and assembled by the oppressed : 
##i purchased it for it 's easy ability to accept cd-r hacks . 
##i used it lightly , and it lasted just over one year ( forgot to kill the power one day , and now it only plays dvds ). 
##back to the 2600 : 
##1 . 
smell[+1]##it does n't smell like burning plastic when you open the drive . 
##2 . 
look[+2]##without a doubt the finest looking apex dvd player that i 've seen . 
##3 . 
picture quality[+3]##excellent picture quality - on par with my pioneer , panasonic , and jvc players . 
##4 . 
remote[+2]##remote : you can stand it on end ( harder to lose ) , and it 's far better designed than the 1100s . 
##anyway , the initial impression is much better than when i opened the box on the 1100 over a year ago - you can telll that apex is trying harder to improve their product . 
##i 'd have given it 5 stars , but i 'm waiting to see if this one holds up to more frequent use than the last one : 
##with progressive scan , i expect it to play play play - and give my old pioneer a rest . 
[t] does not play dvds with extra features .. . 
dvd[-2]##first of all , i bought this dvd as a christmas present for my girlfriend and i am somewhat disappointed . 
player[+2]##unlike some of the other people who received a " lemon " , my dvd player came in perfect working condition . 
design[+2],player[+2]##as a whole , the dvd player has a sleek design and works fine . 
dvd[-2]##what disappointed me is the fact that it does not seem to read certain dvds . 
read[-2]##for example , i tried playing my new " pirates of the carribean " extra features dvd , but this dvd player can not read it . 
read[-2], dvd[-2]##at first i thought it is only a isolated incident , but i was proven wrong when the player would not read my " alias " dvds as well . 
player[+1]##this player seems to work fine with everything else . 
##so i do n't understand why it would not work with dvds that seem to have more features in them . 
player[-2][u]##because of this , i am disappointed and would not recommend this product . 
[t] apex you can trust . 
##i had apex regular ( non-progressive ) dvd-player for two years . 
##had no problem with it . 
##now , i thought it 's time to upgrade . 
##so , i bought apex ad-2600 in november ' 03 from amazon . 
run[+2], dvd[+2]##it 's running great for all the dvds i have and rented . 
##i have a dvd burner . 
run[+3], dvd media[+2]#apex ad-2600 runs all the dvd media including dvd + r/rw and dvd-r / rw ( unlike sony or panasonic - one supports only + r/rw and another supports - r/rw ) . 
dvd player[+3]##i think , apex is the best dvd player you can get for the price . 
##some of my friends had well branded dvd-players but they keep complaining that sometime it stucks and sucks ! 
apex[+2]##most of them are already switched to apex and they are happy . 
##if you are skeptical about trying apex . 
##take my words and give it a try . 
##hopefully you wo n't regret . 
##goodluck ! 
[t] a great discovery ! 
##i bought this to replace an expensive ( $ 300 + ) onkyo dvd player that quit after only 3 years ! 
player[+2][p]##this has so many capabilities that you 'll always have room for new technologies as they evolve . 
sound[+3],picture clarity[+3]##i use this with a home theater system and it 's amazing how it sounds , the picture clarity is unmatched ! 
case[+2],price[+2][u]##so much packed in a small case and very affordable ! 
[t] sucks . 
##worked for two weeks . 
picture[-3][u]##after two weeks the picture kept freezing . 
##spend the extra 20 $ and buy a name brand dvd player . 
apex[-3]##apex sucks ! 
##only the cheap and poor would buy one . 
[t] video failed after 3 weeks . 
player[-3][u]##unit worked great for 3 weeks then video output failed . 
[t] quirky ? 
##i got one of these to serve as a second dvd player in my house . 
size[+1],machine[+2]##it 's a compact , attractive machine and was easy to set up . 
usage[+1]##basic usage is easy , but the remote has a lot of buttons that i have n't used . 
player[+2][p]##so far , we 've only used this player a few times to watch movies and it has worked fine . 
picture[+2],sound[+2]##the picture is clear , bright and sharp and the sound is good . 
##again , though , it has only been used sparingly . 
read[-2], disc[-2]##the catch is that , while it plays movies just fine , it has refused to read second discs with the movie " extras " on them on the two occaisions when i tried to do that . 
##it 's not a big deal for me . 
##i simply watched the extra features on another player . 
##had this been my only dvd player , though , it would have been a real problem . 
##as it is , i 'm keeping the machine . 
player[+1][p]##it works well enough ( so far ) for me to be satisfied with it , and it 's possible that i 'm missing something . 
##but i would expect that , since my movie discs have all played with no problem , the extras discs would , too , without any additional tweaking . 
player[+1]##i 'm giving this player cautious recommendation . 
player[+2][p]##there are a lot of things i like about it . 
##be advised , however , that you may encounter problems . 
[t] apex ad-2600 working so far . 
picture[+2]##received apex dvd and the picture was great when set up with s connector . 
remote[-1]##the remote is a little hard to understand . 
jpeg picture[-1]##my jpeg pictures are viewable ( not so sharp and vivid ) on my 27 " screen but seem not as clear as when i view them on my 17 " monitor . 
dvd[+1]##so far the dvd works so i hope it does n't break down like the reviews i 've read . 
##prior to christmas , it seems the reviews were very good but after that it seems the reviews went bad ! 
##i would n't gotten this dvd based on the reviews i read after christmas . 
[t] great player ... when it worked ! 
video output[-3]##video output stopped workin . 
video output[-3]##this was an awesome player , before the video output no longer worked ( after about 3 weeks ) . 
##i might have gotten a lemon , but this is not the first report of video output failure on this machine . 
##i am returning it , and again in the market for a multiformat dvd , svcd , vcd , mp3 , etc. player . 
player[-3][u]##what a disappointment ! 
[t] quit in 10 days . 
##i bought the apex ad-2600 dvd player for the family for christmas . 
set up[+1],player[-2]##set up was easy and we enjoyed it for just over a week . 
lip-sync[-1]##there was occasionally a lip-sync issue ( the lips were n't moving in time to the dialogue ) . 
video[-2]##but after 10 days , the sound worked , but the video quit working . 
amazon[+3]##amazon was wonderful about picking it up the next day and paying for the return shipping . 
##perhaps this experience will teach me not to buy " off " brands . 
[t] read the manual ! ! 
##i 'm editing my review , because now i wish i read the manual before returning the player i bought for my girlfriend . 
##the button on the remote to switch from pal to ntsc was undoubtedly my problem . 
##now i may buy two ! 
##( my orignal review is below : ) 
feature[+2],reliability[-2]##great feature list , poor reliability . 
output[-2]##output went black and white only via both s-video and composite connections , and with no v-hold . 
##thankfully amazon has free return shipping ! 
[t] retraction : said mine had silver plate : it does have display . 
display[+1]##retraction : said mine had silver plate : it does have display . 
player[+2][p]##it works great . 
##i should have looked at it harder . 
[t] great by for the price . 
##i purchased two apex 2600 for christmas presents . 
##so far we have only hooked up one of them . 
unit[+3], format[+2]##the unit seems to play all formats that i have put in it ( jpeg , kodak pic 's and dvd-r ) i have read other reviews and some good and soom not so good , but my feeling at this time is " two thumbs up " ! 
##( i guess only time will tell ? ) 
remote[-1]##p.s the remote control does seem to get confused at times and doesnt respond but it may be just operator error ? 
[t] does n't play my alias season 1 dvds . 
player[-3][u]##what the hell is wrong with this thing . 
##i bought this thing because it plays everything . 
##this is the third apex dvd i bought . 
##the first one was the 705 which i hacked successfully to play all region dvds and disable macrovision . 
##the second one was the 2500 which i think is better than the 2600 because it has more features such as karoake which i do use sometimes for parties . 
##but heck it plays my alias dvds . 
##what the heck is up with the 2600 . 
##it suppose to play everything . 
##wrong ! 
##by the way my alias dvds are legit too not no bootleg from the internet . 
##i 'm sending this pup back to amazon and looking for the 2500 on ebay . 
##you should too . 
play[-2], dvd[-2]##forget about the sleek looks if it can 't play some of your real dvds. 
[t] only lasted a month ! 
##i bought the 2600 because it plays everything ! 
video output[-3]##well , within 45 days the video output quit working ( both rca & optic ) . 
video output[-3[p][u]##so now it still plays everything , you just can 't see it ! 
[t] a frustrating christmas . 
##we ordered two apex ad-2600 's for our family for christmas - finally decided to join the rest of the world and watch dvd 's - well . 
player[-3][p]##the first one we installed did n't work , and our kids were devastated to say the least . 
##the second one is up and running . 
player[+1][p]##it seems to be working fine , but we 've not used it all that much . 
##i am returning the broken one today . 
##i will not be ordering another one to replace it . 
player[-3]##update : january 27th 2004 - the second one crapped out only after a week - dont buy this product ! 
[t] disappointing - get what you pay for . 
look[+2],feature[+2]##the player looked good right out of the box , offering lots of features and good styling . 
dvd[-3]##i immediately had problems getting the player to recognize two of my favorite dvds . 
##after " loading " for what seemed like a very long time , the display indicated " no disk " . 
video[-2]##after multilple tries , one of the disks was finally recognized but video was poor and features not available . 
disk[-2]##only one disk played through to completion successfully . 
##at $ 49 . 
##i guess you get what you pay for . 
##i 'd recommend against this unit . 
[t] this dvd player ruined christmas - twice ! 
##i ordered two of these puppies for christmas gifts . 
player[-3][p], motor[-2], disc[-2]##when we tried to hook up the first one , it was broken - the motor would not eject discs or close the door . 
##strike 1 .
player[-3]##when i tried to install the second dvd player in my brothers house , that one didn " t work either ! 
apex[-3]##imagine my shock - and absolute instant disdain for any products made by apex . 
power supply[-2]##the 2nd dvd player had a faulty power supply which caused to occasionally not turn on . 
##do not recommend . 
[t] let the countdown begin apex . 
##what can i say , i bought the ad600 2 years ago and it was probly the best dvd player ever , quality design , stable , plus it uses a standard ide interface so you can use an old dvd drive from your computer if the player dies . 
##in the last month i bought the apex ad-1600 and the ad-1220 . 
##and have returned both . 
ad-1600[-3], ad-1220[-2]##the ad-1600 did n't work corectly from the start and the ad-1220 lasted about a week and a half before it started to act up . 
##my recommendation is to wait on buying one from this company as they will surely get sent a message of many returned dvd players after christmas 2003 . 
##i hoping they will then begin building quality dvd players again , as i do like them . 
##it really does n't make any cents $ $ to build a great reputation then destroy it from lack a research and testing in one season . 
amazon[+3]##amazon is awaesome ! 
##they refunded my $ $ $ so fast and paid for the shipping back . 
##what more could you ask for . 
[t] price vs performance . 
dvd player[+2]##for the price , it 's a very nice dvd player . 
door[-1]##the front door is miss aligned on my unit and you have to manually life it up just so slightly for the door to close , a very annoying thing after ahwile . 
format[+3]##it does play a wide range of formats as advertised which is very nice . 
dvd[+1]##and so far have not had any problems with dvds not being able to play . 
##recommended to anyone looking to purchase a low priced dvd player and not expecting any bells or whistles from a brand name one like sony . 
[t] my first dvd player and i 'm well satisfied ! 
##i finally joined the 21st century and bought this dvd player . 
##i knew nothing about dvds before this but with this machine i figured it all out very quickly . 
feature[+1]##i only wanted something to play dvds on but this machine has all these other features that i probably will never use but it 's nice to know that there 're there . 
size[+2],weight[+2]##the machine is very light and slim and fits nicely into my tv stand . 
player[+3][u]##i 've had no problems at all so far and i 'm very happy . 
##i applied a $ 25 amazon gift voucher i got for christmas so i only ended up paying $ 29 for this machine . 
##even if i had paid full price i would have considered this a good deal . 
[t] when it works , it 's great , when it does n't it 's frustrating . 
##bought the apex ad-2600 from amazon in 12/03 mainly on price , $ 49.99 - $ 10 rebate = $ 39.99 . 
##that was a mistake . 
dvd[-2]##we tried the " finding nemo " dvd and when we got to ~ chapter 28 , the frames started to freeze for no reason . 
##cleaned the dvd , tried again , no luck . 
##i pulled out our old non-progressive scan toshiba , hooked it back-up and the " finding nemo " dvd works fine . 
##i agree with previous posts that you get what you pay for . 
player[-2]##i can 't rate it one star only because when it does work it 's pretty good . 
player[-2]##only owned it about two weeks so i expect we 're looking at getting another progressive scan dvd player of higher quality very soon . 
[t] i will give it one more try ! 
##i purchased the ad 2600 from another company last month and was very satisfied with my purchase , until last night . 
##i was watching pirates of the caribbean and decided to watch the extras disc . 
player[-2], no disc[-2]##the player kept displaying " no disc " , so i tried the disc in another machine and sure as @ # * ! 
##it worked . 
##i even went as far as calling the technical support number on the disc . 
##the person i talked to suggested i take the dvd player back and swap it out with another . 
##the other company is currently " out of stock " so i ordered another from amazon and will be taking the original back to the competitor today . 
##hopefully the replacement from amazon will work just fine . 
##if not i will avoid apex products in the future . 
player[+2]##besides the one problem , this machine is amazing ! 
play[+3][u]##it plays everything , even vcd 's . 
##if only it played stand alone avi files . 
##if no problems occur with replacement unit i will keep the 4 star rating . 
##if problem occurs again i will repost my new rating . 
[t] well worth the money . 
player[+3][p]##i will never use all the " whistles and bells " this machine is capable of . 
player[+3][p]##but for what i do use it is perfect . 
##i was , however . 
##somewhat disappointed that i could not " hook up " to my sony multi brand remote commander . 
##small problem . 
[t] apex and remote control . 
##hi , many people are saying , " you get what you pay for , i guess . " 
##well that is not true . 
##you could have paid more and got a lot less . 
##i paid $ 49 and now it 's $ 125 ! 
##you have to ask yourself , " how much money is dissapointment worth ? " 
##because , you will be dissapointed . 
##then you can say , " my dissapointment only cost $ 39 . " 
##i think a $ 39 dissapointment is better then a $ 125 dissapointment ! 
##so , without further adoo . 
freeze[-2], player[-2]##1 ) frame freezes and the family yells , " dad ! somethings wrong with the dvd player ! come quick ! " 
remote[-2]##2 ) the remote works , but then it does not work , and you are left standing there thinking you are doing something wrong . 
##3 ) you must press the play button and hold it for a couple of seconds otherwise it will not work and you will think the whole unit is broken . 
##4 ) it did play my jpeg photos but wow , trying to figure it out was really something ! 
universal remote control[-2]##5 ) this apex model 2600 will not work with my universal remote control . 
##i dare you to surf the net and find the code . 
##you will be told goldstar codes work , and you will be told zenith codes will work , and radio shack will give you apex codes but they will not work . 
code[-2]##finally you will read a post somewhere that all codes are useless for the apex 2600 . 
##and then you will start to belive them . 
##if this is your fist dvd player . 
##save yourself some aggrivation . 
[t] keep your receipt . 
##bought two ad2600 's for christmas . 
player[-2]##one still works fine , the other quit after one day . 
manual[+1]##owner 's manual has substandard troubleshooting guide . 
customer service[-2][u]##apex 's website is down and they wo n't answer their phone . 
[t] isacc l. fisher was wrong . 
player[+2]##the dvd player is fine . 
##to get back to the menu of the dvd you have to press " menu " on the remote while the dvd is playing . 
##if the dvd is stopped , it will display " playback only " . 
##little inconveinent , but unlike other players i only paid 40 $ . 
[t] fantastic dvd player for the price . 
##i purchased one of these to replace an ailing dvd player that 's a few years old . 
player[+3][p]##of course , i was hesitant given the price , but i 've been extremely impressed since receiving it , and bought a second one as a christmas present for my parents . 
picture[+3]##the picture is perfect , although i 'm not watching on an hdtv . 
loading[-2][u]##it seems to be a little slow when identifying a new disc that 's inserted - maybe 10 seconds of wait . 
##also , if you 're an audiophile , you 'll want to get your own cables because the supplied ones are thin and short . 
player[+3]##but , dollar for dollar , this dvd player is probably the best out there . 
[t] lots of sound but no picture ! 
##i bought this for my dad for christmas . 
picture[-3]##when i hooked it up it only produced sound - a cd played fine , but with a dvd i only got the audio - no picture ! 
##let 's face it - when you want to watch a movie you want to see a picture . 
##as i travelled internationally and did n't want to haul it back on a plane with me it was an expensive addition to the recycling bin . 
##had to buy my dad a different dvd player locally ( panasonic ) which worked just fine . 
##save your cash - go for a brand that actually cares about their reputation . 
[t] looks great , works like crap . 
##bought one for $ 49.99 . 
dvd[-3],cd[-3], no disc[-2]##seemed like a good deal , but this pos frequently cannot recognize dvds and music cds -- takes a long time loading and then concludes , " no disc " . 
##sent mine back . 
##i 'd look elsewhere . 
[t] awkward remote ; flimsy build quality . 
dvd player[-3]##granted , i have only used this dvd player for about 2 hours setting it up for my mom for christmas , but that was long enough for me to find problems with this dvd player . 
menu[-2]##first , the player did not allow me to access the menus of dvds . 
##when i hit " menu " it told me , " playback only . " 
##i actually had to re-open the drawer and close it to get back to the dvd menu . 
menu[-3][p]##this is extemely lame . 
remote[-3]##the remote is flimsy-feeling and awkward to use . 
remote[-1]##in addition , it only seems to work if you 're about five feet away from the player , although that may have been just the batteries that came with it . 
dvd[+2]##the player does seem to play dvds adequately enough . 
##it also has an optical out , which it should . 
##i think for about $ 40 more , you can probably find a much better dvd player than this though . 
[t] a very embarassing gift . 
##i purchased the apex 2600 after reading good reviews of it , both here and in other places . 
player[-3][u]##after less than 24 hours it turned out to be a huge disappointment , for myself and for my parents , for whom it was a gift . 
dvd[-2]##it played only one out of three dvd 's without problems , the other two being afflicted by a number of glitches . 
dvd[-2]##both of the problem dvd 's would repeatedly freeze during playback , while the counter on the player kept going . 
speed[-3]##one also exhibited extremely slow speed when going to the menu . 
##these problems were consistent , and also not present on another dvd player . 
door[-2]##the dvd door would scratch the top of the disc every time it closed . 
size[+1],remote layout[+1]##there were a few attractive features , such as the small size and the layout of the remote . 
player[-2]##all in all , trying to save some money on this player resulted in me shelling a great deal more when i purchased a much nicer dvd vcr combo player to make up for blazing crappiness of this very embarassing gift . 
[t] great - for the first three hours . 
player[-3]##i was impressed by this very inexpensive player.for the first three hours , and then it died . 
##i was told that it is no longer available , so there must be something really wrong with it . 
[t] you get what you pay for . 
player[+1]##i looked into buying an inexpensive dvd player that had more than the standard set of features and this item seemed to be the best in that category . 
player[+1][p]##i just hooked it up and everything seemed to be going fine . 
noise[-1], external display[-2]##there are a couple of quirks that were a bit annoying like having to actually press the power button before the tray will open ( my prev. machine did it automatically ) , and the fact that the external display is too small and too faded to read from any significant distance . 
look[+2],feature[+2]##still , i was willing to overlook those things as this unit looks sleek and has a myriad of features ! 
##so i pop-in my first dvd and start to watch . 
freeze[-2]##i get to chapter 34 and everything freezes ! 
##ok , that happens , so i try to skip the chapter . 
##nothing ! 
player[-3][p]##i try navigating to a chapter past 34 via the menu and it would n't do it ! 
player[-3][p]##i try navigating using the player 's built in menu , and it still would n't work ! 
##my next thought was that the dvd must be damaged . 
##upon inspection i did find a small scratch on the surface and figured that to be the cause . 
##i decided to check one more thing though and plugged in my 3-year - old unit again just to see . 
##the dvd played without flaw through the chapter in question . 
##i then played it through my ps2 and there was no problem there either . 
##guess where this unit is headed ? 
##yup , right back for a refund ! 
[t] more trouble than it 's worth times 10 . 
##i was so excited about the price and reviews of this dvd player . 
##i am even a bit technology oriented , so i thought it would be a breeze to set this up . 
dvd[-3], read[-2]##unfortunately , the player would not read any of my region one dvds. even though they were not damaged in any way . 
support[-3]##i called apex 's support number numerous times but it just kept ringing . 
##i hope that amazon will let me trade it for a different , more trusted brand of dvd player . 
[t] value for money . 
dvd player[+3]##this is probably one of the few dvd players at $ 40 that can play almost everything you throw at it . 
##the plus points are - 
##1 . 
##price 
##2 . 
format[+2]##ability to play most discs - i tried dvd , vcd , dvd-r , audio cd and it played all 
##3 . 
look[+2]##good looks 
##the downside - 
##1 . 
quality[-3]##the build quality shows why its so cheap - small scratches on the base plate , something that you would n't see on a sony and an overall plasticky feel 
##2 . 
remote button[-2]##remote buttons are small and closely spaced , especially with the menu buttons . 
##if these otherwise minor issues can be fixed , i would rate this a 5 star machine . 
[t] great cheap buy ! 
player[+2]##this is wonderful to have for your first dvd player . 
player[+2]##i brought it for my sister in college and she loves it ! 
apex[+3]##apex is the best cheap quality brand for dvd players . 
weight[+2]##also , very light and portable . 
[t] apex 2600 . 
dvd disc[-3], read[-3]##the one i purchased for a frend as a gift will not read any dvd disc . 
read[+2], cd audio disc[+2]##it will read and play all cd audio disc . 
##guess i will return it for an exchange and hope for the best with the new one . 
##so far not going to get a good review . 
##a disipointed customer . 
[t] hit and miss . 
amazon[+3]##i have shopped with amazon before and have been very happy with their performance thus far . 
##i received the apex ad-2600 before i expected . 
##that is where my satisfaction ends . 
##i bought the apex ad-2600 because of the ability to play jpegs and it seemed like it was the most bang for the buck . 
quality[-2]##however , it has failed to deliver on quality . 
jpeg[-2],dvd[-2]##it does not only have difficulty playing jpegs , it even has trouble properly playing dvd movies . 
no disc[-2]##on several different occasions it has displayed " no disc " with a disc inside . 
##after reading several other reviews this appears to be relatively common . 
apex[-1]##i read in consumer reports that apex is a reliable brand , but with my experience and reading the other reviews , i think i will be doing a little more homework before considering another apex product . 
##i am returning mine for a replacement , but if i receive another ad-2600 with the same or similar problems i will not only return it for a refund , but never buy another apex product in the future . 
##i guess you get what you pay for . 
[t] the ad2600 had false silver plate instead of play display . 
silver plate[-2]##the 2600 had false silver plate instead of play display . 
##the case had ad2600 . 
##bait and switch . 
##picture on web site clearly has the play display pictured , yet false silver plate . 
##what is up . 
##clearly a large lawsuit if i were so inclined . 
##i feel that once i contact amazon that they will get to the bottom of this . 
[t] moderately impressed . 
##i just got it today and have tried to verify the claims of other reviewers . 
##no go on most formats . 
play[+2], cd[+2], mp3[+2], jpeg[+2]##it plays original dvds and cds and plays mp3s and jpegs . 
play[-2], windows media[-2], divx rip[-2]##however , it does not play windows media and i can not get it to play any of my divx rips . 
##i guess that i can not complain since it does not actually claim to play vcd / svcd formats , but others say they can . 
player[+2]##also , it was only $ 39.99 ( after rebate ) with free shipping and no tax so overall it is a decent player . 
video quality[+2]##good quality video . 
[t] apex ad-2600 compatability . 
##bought this player after reading the reviews here which identify it as reading most formats including dvd + rw 's and vcd 's . 
read[-2], dvd[-2], vcd[-2]##can 't say whether i rec 'd an " updated " model but it will not read dvd + rw 's or vcd 's for me . 
play[+2], dvd-r[+2]##it did play a dvd-r which was unplayable in my older philips machine . 
##i do n't have a dvd + r to try 
##so . 
price[+2]##mixed bag i guess but the price was right . 
[t] great budget player . 
price[+3]##this is the third apex product i 've bought and they continue to impress for the price . 
##it goes nicely with my apex 27 " in my bedroom . 
build quality[+2],picture[+2],sound[+2]##the build quality feels solid , it does n't shake or whine while playing discs , and the picture and sound is top notch ( both dts and dd5.1 sound good ) . 
##i paid twenty dollars more than the current price , and even then it was a steal . 
[t] fantastic bargain ! 
##hooray ! 
##think you need to pay a fortune for a good qulaity dvd player ? 
##well , not with this one . 
look[+3][u], player[+1][p]##it looks really sleek and stylish , and does everything it claims . 
format[+1]##i tried as bunch of different formats to see if it would play and it did . 
product[+3]##i am very pleased with this product and the price to match and have n't had any problems . 
direction[+3]##there are really easy directions for setup and fiddling around with the picture , zoom etc . 
dvd player[+2]##so sit back , relax and brag to all your friends who paid a mountain of money for a dvd player that can 't do half the things this one can , and for a fraction of the price ! 
##only problem , if you think it 's going to be delivered in the 24hrs amazon claims , do n't hold your breath . 
##otherwise it 'll get there the day you get back from the hospital ! 
[t] value value value . 
sound[+1],weight[+1]##noiseless , lightweight and oh yeah . 
work[+3], player[+2][u]##works great ! 
color[+2]##silverish color really adds a special touch . 
##who cares if it does n't have multiple slots ? 
format[+2]##it plays just about any format ( check before you buy if it plays yours . ) 
##if you watch dvds once in a while like i do , get this ! 
##apex is made in usa and is one of the underrated brands out there . 
##if you watch one dvd per weekm its yours . 
##however , i do n't know the dvd 's performance on a heavy load of every-day viewing . 
price[+2]##either way , can 't go wrong with this price . 
[t] plays anything . 
dvd player[+3]##i am really impressed by this dvd player . 
##if it can fit in the drive bay , this dvd player will play it . 
play[+2], dvd[+2]##for instance , i made several back-ups of my dvd movies using dvd-r ( w ) and + r ( w ) and it plays the dvds . 
format[+3]##no matter the format . 
##awesome !