My Apex AD 3201 DVD Player

Help / descp for Apex AD 3201

Links

• http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/html/AD-3201.html
• http://www.nerd-out.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=2
• http://www.dvd-wizards.com/darrenk/dvdrom_firmware/dvdrom_firmware.htm

Info:

• The security code for the Apex 3201 is 8421. Simply open the cd tray then enter the code to gain access to the programming. You will then have the option to select your region of choice (Region 9 being all regions) and whether you want to turn off Macrovision.
• 3201 V1_43 LT21: 3201 of course is the model, V1_43 is the player motherboard firmware version, and the last one, LT21, is the DVD-rom drive (loader) firmware version
• System firmware and drive firmware are different and can be upgraded independently
• The DVD-ROM drives used in most Apex DVD players are made by a company called DVS in Korea. These units are pretty much a standard computer IDE interface DVD-ROM drive and act as such if you plug the drive into your computer on the IDE interface. Windows 98 and above will automatically recognise the drive.
• To find version: power up the player by using the button on the machine, eject the tray out either using the remote or the machine, hit display in the remote, and you'll see version in the TV screen

Firmware Upgrade Benefits

• ver 1_45 was remote hackable, but it has lots of freezes; the 'play' display problem
• 1_42 is also remote hackable
• the difference bet. 1_41 and 1_42 is screen saver and language support

Firmware upgrade

• The firmware that is located on APEX web site is only for a screensaver if you dont already have one.
• http://www.apexdigitalinc.com/html/firmware.php?t=prod&productid=23
• HITEKER.exe - Version: Version 1 - Dated: 09-13-01
• Warning: If this procedure is not followed precisely or the power to the DVD player is turned off or lost during the procedure, this may severely damage the player. Apex Digital, Inc. is not responsible for any damage caused by using this upgrade.
• Steps to upgrade the firmware of AD-3201:
1. Print this page for your reference!
2. Download HITEKER.EXE from our website.
3. You will then burn the data on to a CD-R using burning software such as Adaptec Easy CD Creator 5.0 or above. Important! Make sure that your software is sent to Burn onto a CD-R and NOT a CD-RXA. Close Session / Disc !!!
4. Once you have burned the file onto a CD-R, turn on your Television on and your DVD player on so that you can see the "Blue" Apex screen. Once you see this screen you are able to begin the upgrade process.
5. Press the OPEN/CLOSE button so that the tray will extract so that you can place the CD-R with the upgrade on the tray. Now press the OPEN/CLOSE button to close the tray.
6. Once you have closed the tray of the player with the upgrade inside the tray, the DVD player will start to read the information on the disk and start the upgrade.
7. A menu will appear that will state "FIRMWARE UPGRADE" and give you 3 options: Cancel, Partial, Total. Choose "TOTAL" by pressing the RIGHT arrow key and then by pressing the ENTER button to choose it.
8. The TV screen will start to phase with static, DO NOTHING, the DVD player is in the progress of upgrading.
9. Half way through the upgrade, the DVD tray will open and eject the disc. At this time you should Take the disc out and **DO NOT TURN THE PLAYER OFF OR PRESS ANY BUTTON ON THE REMOTE CONTROL. PRESS NOTHING.** (Turning off the player at this time will result in total loss of your player.)
10. You will know when the DVD player is done upgrading when the Screen returns to a normal picture and the Tray closes back into the player. At this time the player is done upgrading.
• Sucessful firmware upgrade hints: I burned them in the ISO9660 file system, Mode 1, and closed the disk when I was finished. This seems to be a very important step. Several people have insinuated they left the disk open, and it didn't work. Both the drive and the system instructions mentioned Mode 1. I get the feeling that when the software starts up in the loader mode, they only have minimal drivers running, probably only enough to read a very simple CD.

Issues

• I had positioned my player on a shelf with my VCR in close proximity. I read in the manual that heat can cause problems, so I moved the Apex out onto it's own shelf. I haven't had that proble (freezing) since. I do occasionally get the "Play" icon during a DVD still