Apex AD500 DVD Player
Very Good Quality, Excellent Price
Tired of anime DVDs which would not work in my PlayStation2, I finally bought the AD500-W and loved it from the beginning :-)   This model is rather inexpensive, but its quality is very good overall.  <br />My main concern was that I wanted VCD (VideoCD) capability, which is included in this model.  However, in watching the few VCDs I already own, I was a bit disappointed at the occasional skipping, something which did not occcur when viewing VCDs (the MPEG components) on my iMac.  Also, for those VCDs with interactive menus, the layout of the remote control is a bit awkward, but still functional.   <br />What is nice is the ability to handle both PAL and NTSC discs, provided the unit is connected to a television which can handle both formats.  While I have no use for PAL capability, it was surprising to see such an option in a low-priced model.  <br />While I will likely not use it regularly, the AD500-W also plays MP3s.  I burned one of my iTunes playlists as an MP3 disc, and tried it on the AD500-W.  While playback itself was just fine, I found the MP3 menu extremely cumbersome, especially since the disc included nearly 70 items.  This was my first experience using an MP3 disc, so this may be an inherent &quot;flaw&quot; in all MP3 players.  <br />A potential drawback for some users is the &quot;dual&quot; Power buttons.  The Power button on the console must first be turned on for the player to function.  Then the Power button on the remote control handles the actual operation of the player; if the player has been turned off using the remote control's Power button, pressing the buttons on the player itself (NOT the remote control) will not automatically turn on the player and carry out the chosen funcction.  Therefore, it is imperative to NOT lose the remote control!!!!!<br />The remote control (SD-250) has a lot of functions on it.  Unfortunately, the Play/Enter button is rather small for the number of times it is likely to be pressed by the average user.  Two of the more intriguing features (especially when playing CDs or MP3s) is the  ability to change both volume and pitch independent of the television or receiver.  Unfortunately, the Title and Menu buttons are not located in prime areas of the remote control.  <br />Overall, this is a great bargain for those shopping for a first DVD player.  However, I can only give this a &quot;4&quot; rating due to the cumbersome MP3 capabilities and the potential for VCD skipping.