Apex ADV-3800 Progressive-Scan DVD-VCR Combo
Sometimes Inexpensive Is Just Cheap
Ignore the low marks from stupid reviewers who complain about shipping time or the fact that the Apex doesn't include a universal remote -- shipping time isn't the fault of Apex, and no DVD player includes a universal remote. There are plenty of other reasons to dislike this DVD/VCR combo, and let's focus on those.<br />I too had the same problems as another reviewer from NY -- the LCD tape counter didn't work properly, the tape player would make noises sometimes, and there was a loud crackle from the speaker once while playing back a DVD. Most distubing was the apparent overload of the DSP (digital signal processor) on a DVD that had a lot of &quot;action&quot; -- the DVD player wasn't able to handle all the data and the display showed color bands and distorted images for a millisecond. Overall the quality of the unit just does not seem to be that high. If you get one and it doesn't have these problems out of the box, you might be okay, but then again you might not. And with only a 90 day warranty, you may be out $100+ in just a couple of months. Even though there's just a chance that I got a bad unit, I decided that it wasn't worth the risk of it blowing out, nor the hassle of returning another one again. I decided to return this one, spend a little more and get a brand name I can trust.