Apex AD-600A DVD Player

The simple lines of this black box allow it to disappear into your home theater system. Its front panel is dominated by the blue LED readout above the disc drawer, with a power button, two microphone jacks, and twin-level controls to the left and six slanted oval function buttons to the right for open/close, play, stop, pause, skip reverse, and skip forward.

Connect with either composite-, high-performance S-Video, or state- of-the-art component-video cables for the ultimate picture. For the sound, simply run the left/right stereo cable to your receiver, amplifier, or stereo television's inputs, or connect a coaxial digital audio cable to your Dolby Digital/DTS decoder or audio-video receiver.

Once wired and powered up, the Apex AD-600A provides clear, basic graphics and icons to guide you through setup and operation. The owner's manual is comprehensive and easy to understand. Disc playback commences quickly and efficiently.

Image quality is excellent in all formats, and outstanding through component video, with a broad palette of vibrant colors. At times, the look is more like film than video. Textures and flesh tones are rendered in all their subtlety, and edges are clean and sharp. The only playback difficulty we encountered was on the seamless branching portions of discs with multiple versions of the same film on a single side, like The Abyss, where the movie would either stop or repeat a scene before proceeding.

The audio performance is equally impressive. Stereo music is crisp and powerful, and 5.1-channel movie soundtracks are amazing, with effortless reproduction even at high volume. This inexpensive player also offers the option of Digital Theater Systems (DTS) playback from appropriate discs, and the increase in detail, dynamic range, and overall punch make the investment in the necessary hardware and software worth your consideration.

This DVD player fully supports the CD-R (recordable) and CD-RW (rewritable) formats, as well as CDs containing compressed MP3 files, which allow 10 hours of tunes on a single disc.

The AD-600A is also a karaoke machine, so if you've never tried the popular sing-along, here's your chance. You'll need a microphone (two for duets, each with its own sound-level control knob) and a karaoke disc. Trust us; unleashing your inner lounge lizard is a blast, and a real icebreaker at parties.

In addition to the mike level controls on the front panel, there are also keys on the remote control to introduce vocal effects such as echo. The remote is the Apex owner's best friend, as its many well-organized keys put all of the AD-600A's advanced features at your fingertips with intuitive navigation.

The AD-600A provides picture and sound far better than any VHS VCR, and does so at a comparable price. It also provides access to all of the current wonders and extras of the DVD format, throwing in high-end features like 5.1-channel digital audio and component video, tech-friendly capabilities like MP3 decoding, and fun stuff like karaoke, too. All told, this DVD player doesn't seem like much of a risk.

Pros:

• Wide assortment of features at a bargain price
• Exceptionally user-friendly remote control
• Component-video output provides state-of-the-art video performance
• Includes everything you need to get started--even batteries

• Onscreen user interfaces not as fancy as some other players
• Demonstrated difficulty reading sophisticated discs with features like seamless branching

Audio capabilities include two-channel simulated surround sound and an MTS decoder, which filters out unwanted noises and enables the player to perform in stereo sound. Outputs for Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS decoders are included. When connected to a capable stereo receiver, the Apex AD-600A will play any source in Dolby Digital 5-channel and DTS digital surround sound.

As a DVD/CD player, the Apex AD-600A features zoom control and up to 8x rewind/fast-forward. V-chip technology lets concerned parents monitor what their children watch. When it comes to MP3s, however, the Apex AD-600A lacks fast-forward or rewind options, and only supports eight-character file names. Shuffle play is supported in any mode.

Component output jacks maximize digital video source signals for full-color, high-resolution images. Standard audio-video and composite jacks are included. The Karaoke feature and two external microphone inputs let you belt out your favorite songs in front of an audience or in the privacy of your home. The remote control operates all of the Apex AD-600A's major functions. A one-year warranty covers parts and labor.