Apex GT1417DV 14-Inch Flat-Screen TV/DVD Combo
Cheap - but at what COST?
As you've no doubt noticed, this is by far one of the lowest-cost TV/DVD combo units out there, and with a nice low-glare flat screen, to boot.  <br /> <br />I have had this thing for three days now and have enough hours logged to offer a pre-malfunction (let's hope not) review of the general quality of the unit and it's performance: <br /> <br />Previous reviewers were right about a few things:  <br />- Discs load relatively slowly, on par with a computer drive <br />- There is that background hum when no sound is being played. <br /> <br />Some things need to be qualified though: <br />- The unit has a cheap feel: yes, cheap materials but SOLIDLY put together. The case is tight and well made (albeit with cheap plastic), the buttons feel reasonably hearty, etc. <br /> <br />Now, I saw the \\"3 line notch filter\\" and \\"pure flat screen\\" features and bought this in hopes of getting awesome resolution, etc. out of this unit.  <br /> <br />I am neither disappointed nor delighted. Low-level detail in dark areas is not good at all. Black overpowers any subtle details in the shadows. <br /> <br />That said, color is decent and the unit can reach a reasonable level of picture sharpness (I've seen much better, though). <br /> <br />Color balancing, sharpness adjustments, contrast, etc. seem to have a rather limited range of change. Color will go all the way down to black and white, but between there and full saturation, there isn't much play. It won't go to any sort of super-saturated Technicolor lushness. Maybe this is a good thing. <br /> <br />One thing I really like about this unit is it's back panel: most 13\\" TV/DVD units I was seeing at retail stores only had a single digital coaxial audio out. This has two composite inputs (one has option for S-video) plus an analog output for video and audio (including stereo mixdown for two speakers), plus that digital audio out. Very, very nice.  <br /> <br />The unit has a real basic \\"surround from two speakers\\" mode, where it justputs the signal out of phase to make sounds sound like they are coming from the sides, but there is zero discrimination to it's method, so voices sound disjointed, as well. Nearly worthless, if you ask me. If it could take each channal and put it in (center channel) or out of phase logically, that would be an ideal solution. Oh well...what can you expect for such a low price? <br />Trying to watch a widescreen DVD with this thing is a bit of a joke unless you are sitting close. On par with watching a portable DVD player from across the room, sans the portable's LCD resolution...of course this will be the case with any 14\\" TV screen. <br /> <br />Speakers are nice enough...not tinny or shouty, they are pleasing enough to listen to. Music is pretty good. Not great by any measure, but good. Perfectly acceptable. (I will be using the stereo audio out to stick in my Tivoli Model Two radio, myself) <br /> <br />I am hyper-critical of this stuff and I really appreciate HDTV quality, etc., so maybe take this stuff with a grain of salt. <br /> <br />Other negatives: I notice in certain modes (automatic volume control + surround) when \\"thumps\\" happen in music (bass drums, etc.) it jolts the picture with white-line flashes at the time of the thump...like the speakers are jolting the picture tube or something. <br /> <br />All that being said, this is one heck of a deal.  <br /> <br />At the end of the day, for $150 I really like this thing and I would definitely do it all over again.  <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />