Apex AD-5131 3-Disc DVD Player
Fixing the Remote Control Problem...
Best investment I ever made.  Now for fixing the remote... It's easy.  The problem is that APEX mispositioned the phototransitor that senses the remote signal.  The transistor is partially obscurred by the square opening in the chassis.  Here's how to fix:    (1) Pop off the plastic window (it's just adhesived on). You can just leave it off (not recommended) or proceed to step two...  (2) If you want to replace it, look for the sensor in the lower right side of the unit. Now, CAREFULLY using a pair of needle nose pliers or tweezers, bend the transistor leads to shift the face of the transistor more towards the opening.  This is not a delicate operation, but should be done by degrees - if you've never worked with electronics before, get someone who has a feel for such components.  (3) Stick the facplate back onto the doublesided adhesive that should have remained attached to your unit.  If it needs more adhesive, you can use common rubber cemeent.    Your operating range should be about 3 to 5x what it was before!    That's it.  APEX makes a fine unit (mine has been working for almost 3 years with daily use, and has performed flawlessly.  Too bad QC didn't catch this sensor mis-alignment problem!