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I got a new dvd player the other day and I was wondering if someone could help me fix a little problem with it. It seems to be working fine in all respects except for a slight visual distortion consisting of fine diagonal lines running across the screen. The manual suggested turning down the TV sharpness, which had no effect. The dvd player is connected directly to the TV, not through a VCR, so I don't think it's a Macrovision problem. The problem persists with different discs, so it's not a defective disc. Finally, the TV picture is perfectly clear when the player is off, so it's not that, either.

I tried searching for solutions on the net, but all of the responses contained lots of scary technobabble about EM fields and proper grounds and shielded cables; I got the impression that I couldn't hope to understand them without at least two advanced degrees in electrical engineering and/or rocket science.

Anyway, it's not that big of a deal, but I'm hoping that there's some idiotically simple, "smack myself in the head" solution that I've overlooked. Any ideas?

It could be a bad cable, maybe try a different one.

But it could also be a technical problem with your dvd player - I heard some owners of cheap DVD players (like my Cyberhome) complain about visible lines across the screen when playing NTSC discs. I haven't had this problem yet, so I don't know if there's a fix for it. Try a search at groups.google.com - maybe it's a known problem with your player.

sab wrote:I heard some owners of cheap DVD players (like my Cyberhome)

You hurt my DVD player's feelings when you said that!

sab wrote:It could be a bad cable, maybe try a different one.

Yeah, I'll give that a try soon.

But it could also be a technical problem with your dvd player - I heard some owners of cheap DVD players (like my Cyberhome) complain about visible lines across the screen when playing NTSC discs. I haven't had this problem yet, so I don't know if there's a fix for it.

I don't think that's it -- the lines are even visible on the menu screen when there is no disc in the tray.

Try a search at groups.google.com - maybe it's a known problem with your player.

Thanks for the tip, I am researching there now. Initial indications are that some of the players (Apex AD 1200) may simply be defective out of the box, otherwise no video problems. Fortunately I still have a month or so on the store return policy, if it is a lemon.

Interestingly, the early units of the AD 1200 had easy region-free and Macrovision-free hacks, but it looks like I bought one of the later "fixed" units.

Nostradamus wrote:Thanks for the tip, I am researching there now. Initial indications are that some of the players (Apex AD 1200) may simply be defective out of the box, otherwise no video problems. Fortunately I still have a month or so on the store return policy, if it is a lemon.

Interestingly, the early units of the AD 1200 had easy region-free and Macrovision-free hacks, but it looks like I bought one of the later "fixed" units.

Yeah Apexs are famous for the region-free hack. There was a time when they were selling them on ebay for tons of money because of the region free hack. It was near impossible to find one in-store once word got out of the hack.

Apexs are also fairly famous for not being of the best quality. I would say return it and see if the new one does the same thing, then you will know if it is in your connections. If it isn't the player it seems that it would be the cables. I don't know if it would be worthwhile for you to shell out the dough for good quality cables or not, as they can get a bit pricey.

Huh, one of the AD 1200 owners claimed to have eliminated a similar problem by running the dvd player through the vcr. How is that possible? Everything I've read on the subject says that hooking a dvd player up through a vcr makes the video quality worse, not better.

Nostradamus wrote:Huh, one of the AD 1200 owners claimed to have eliminated a similar problem by running the dvd player through the vcr. How is that possible? Everything I've read on the subject says that hooking a dvd player up through a vcr makes the video quality worse, not better.

Well, I don't see how that would help, but what you are referring to (video quality getting worse, etc.) is Macrovision. That Apex model may have Macrovision disabled, which I would find odd if the region hack doesn't work on it.

Quick explanation of macrovision: basically if you connect your dvd player into a vcr or the like it will scramble the signal of the video so that you can't record the DVD onto VHS.

I don't see how running the RCA cables into the VCR and to the TV would help because technically you would be further degrading your line to the TV by adding another "hop".

Just out of curiosity does the player have an S-Video output and does your TV have an S-Video input? If so have you hooked that up?

fnordboy wrote:Well, I don't see how that would help, but what you are referring to (video quality getting worse, etc.) is Macrovision. That Apex model may have Macrovision disabled, which I would find odd if the region hack doesn't work on it.

As I understand it, Apex manufactured more than one varient of the AD 1200, so it's possible that this person got one that still had a viable hack.

Just out of curiosity does the player have an S-Video output and does your TV have an S-Video input? If so have you hooked that up?

The player is S-Video capable; the TV sadly is not. I am using the basic composite A/V cables. Later I might dig out my old Playstation, which used the same type of connection, and see if it has the same interference...

fnordboy wrote:

Nostradamus wrote:Thanks for the tip, I am researching there now. Initial indications are that some of the players (Apex AD 1200) may simply be defective out of the box, otherwise no video problems. Fortunately I still have a month or so on the store return policy, if it is a lemon.

Interestingly, the early units of the AD 1200 had easy region-free and Macrovision-free hacks, but it looks like I bought one of the later "fixed" units.

Yeah Apexs are famous for the region-free hack. There was a time when they were selling them on ebay for tons of money because of the region free hack. It was near impossible to find one in-store once word got out of the hack.

Apexs are also fairly famous for not being of the best quality. I would say return it and see if the new one does the same thing, then you will know if it is in your connections. If it isn't the player it seems that it would be the cables. I don't know if it would be worthwhile for you to shell out the dough for good quality cables or not, as they can get a bit pricey.

Yup,

I heard that the Apex 1500 has the same hardware as a German DVD player model and that with the right Disc, an Apex 1500 can be reprogrammed to be region free.

Best,

Lance Man

So I did some more tinkering and I think I've got it figured out: My tv just isn't fully compatable with my dvd player. Eventually I'll upgrade to a better tv, but for now I can live with the interference, and play dvds on my computer when I need a clear picture.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for the advice; I learned a lot.

Nostradamus wrote:So I did some more tinkering and I think I've got it figured out: My tv just isn't fully compatable with my dvd player. Eventually I'll upgrade to a better tv, but for now I can live with the interference, and play dvds on my computer when I need a clear picture.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for the advice; I learned a lot.

Cool,

Glad things worked out for you.

Lance Man