APEX AD-1100W

UPDATE: There is now a separate page for the AD-1100WB, sold in the U.K.
Click HERE to access the AD-1100WB page.

The information on this page DOES NOT apply to the 1100WB!

This page explains how to make your AD-1100W region-free, and, depending on what version of the player you have (see the next section), possibly Macrovision-free as well.

You would want to make your player region-free so that you can play DVDs bought from anywhere in the world -- not just those in your "region".

You would want to make your player Macrovision-free if you have to hook it up through a VCR (or a projector) and the picture constantly fades in and out.
This upgrade gets rid of the fading.

IMPORTANT: If you are hoping to make copies of your DVDs from your player to digital recording sources (i.e. a digital camera or a digital video recorder), YOU HAVE COME TO THE WRONG PLACE! The firmware upgrades available on this page DO NOT disable the digital copy protection that prevents this sort of copying. Digital recording is protected by something known as CGMS/A -- this is DIFFERENT from Macrovision!

The Apex AD-1100W, like most Apex DVD players, comes in many different versions. Within the United States and Canada alone, there seem to be at least 3 different variations. In addition, this model is sold in the U.K. as the AD-1100WB, in Mexico as the AD-1100WX, and in Australia (and now also the U.K.) as the DIGITREX GK-1100! This makes a total of at least 6 different variations worldwide - and there are probably more that we don't know about.

At the moment, there are firmware upgrades available for the 3 known U.S./Canada versions.

The first version is known as the "1 MB" version, because its firmware is 1 megabyte in size. The firmware upgrade available for the "1 MB" 1100W will make the player region-free, RCE immune, and Macrovision-free. All "1 MB" players have support for VCD. At the moment, the "1 MB" version is the most desirable of the 3 different versions of the 1100W.

The second version is known as the "old 512K" version, because its firmware is 512 kilobytes in size. The firmware upgrade available for the "old 512K" 1100W will make the player region-free and RCE immune. However, it will NOT disable Macrovision. The reason this version is called the "old 512K" because it has VCD support (and the firmware upgrade will retain the VCD support.) The "new 512K" version, described below,
does NOT have VCD support (except for a few "fluke" units.)

The third version is known as the "new 512K" version, because its firmware is 512 kilobytes in size, and because MOST of these units do NOT have VCD support. The firmware upgrade available for the "new 512K" 1100W will make the player region-free and RCE immune AND it will add VCD support! However, it will NOT disable Macrovision. IN ADDITION, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO SUCCESSFULLY LOAD "OLD 512K" FIRMWARE ON A "NEW 512K" MACHINE, SO DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TRYING IT!

It is vital that you know which version you have before attempting to load firmware.
LOADING FIRMWARE NOT DESIGNED FOR YOUR VERSION OF THE 1100W WILL MORE THAN LIKELY RUIN YOUR PLAYER!

Below is a guide to help you determine which version of the 1100W you have.

If you are still shopping for an 1100W, or if you haven't yet opened the box, start with the section named "BEFORE YOU'VE OPENED THE BOX" below and then move on to
"AFTER YOU'VE OPENED THE BOX".

If your 1100W is already opened and connected to your television,
you can start with "AFTER YOU'VE OPENED THE BOX".

IMPORTANT NOTE...

The information provided below is accurate for most 1100W units. However, on occassion, there is an "oddball" unit which appears to be a certain type of 1100W, based on the information provided below, but ends up being a different type of unit -- usually an unknown variation. Please understand this before continuing.
I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY IF THE FIRMWARE PROVIDED ON THIS PAGE MESSES UP YOUR PLAYER, EVEN IF YOU THOUGHT YOU IDENTIFIED YOUR PLAYER CORRECTLY AND YOU
FOLLOWED THE DIRECTIONS PERFECTLY!

BEFORE YOU'VE OPENED
THE BOX

First, look at the long sides of the box. In the lower left corner, you should see a rectangular sticker with numbers and letters printed on it. This is the player's serial number.

Is the serial number sticker colored white, or yellow?


If the serial number sticker is WHITE:

 

If the serial number sticker is YELLOW:

AFTER YOU'VE OPENED
THE BOX

Eject the disc tray and push SETUP on the remote control:

Go into the GENERAL SETUP menu.

Do you see a menu labeled "TV TYPE" listed, as shown below?
(Note: the font of the menu on your screen will be "thinner" than the one shown below)

(Note: Do NOT mix up "TV TYPE" with "TV DISPLAY" ! Seeing "TV DISPLAY" inside GENERAL SETUP has no significance.)

If you DO see the "TV TYPE" menu inside the GENERAL SETUP menu, then you almost surely have the "1 MB" version of the 1100W. Scroll down to the section titled "FIRMWARE".


If you DO NOT see the "TV TYPE" menu inside the GENERAL SETUP menu, then return to the main menu. Now enter the PREFERENCES menu.

You should see the "TV TYPE" menu inside the PREFERENCES menu, as shown below:

The presence of the "TV TYPE" menu inside the "PREFERENCES" menu means that you have a "512K" version of the 1100W. However, whether you have an "old" 512K or a "new" 512K is still not verified, and it is VERY IMPORTANT that you figure this out. Here's how you do it:

On the front of the player, under the disc tray and the 5 control buttons, there is a list of disc formats that are supported by your player.

If "VCD" is listed - i.e. it says "DVD/VCD/CD/MP3 PLAYER" - then you have the"old" 512K version of the 1100WB. Scroll down to the section titled "THE FIRMWARE".

If "VCD" is *NOT* listed - i.e. it says "DVD/MP3/CD PLAYER" or "DVD/CD/MP3 PLAYER" - then you have the "new" 512K version of the 1100WB. Scroll down to the section titled "THE FIRMWARE".

THE FIRMWARE

Download the firmware appropriate for your version of the player, based on the information provided above. Then scroll down to the section titled "PERFORMING THE FIRMWARE UPGRADE".

 

"1 MB" VERSION (includes VCD support)


"OLD 512K" VERSION (includes VCD support)


"NEW 512K" VERSION (patched version adds VCD support)

PERFORMING THE FIRMWARE UPGRADE

1. Unzip the contents of the zip file you downloaded (in the section above).

If you downloaded the file for the "1 MB" version,
you would unzip U1100AM.ROM and TEST20MB.TXT.
It is not necessary to unzip README.TXT

If you downloaded the file for either the "old 512K" or "new 512K" version,
you would unzip U1100A6X.ROM and TEST20MB.TXT
It is not necessary to unzip README.TXT

2 Open your CD burning program. Perform the steps necessary to set up
the process of creating a new data CD.

3. Burn the .ROM file and TEST20MB.TXT to a blank CD-R/CD-RW.
Be sure to apply these specifications before burning the disc:
Data CD, ISO9660, Mode 1, "Close"/"Finalize" disc session.

Note: you may wish to place the ROM file inside of a subfolder on the disc. This prevents the upgrade from starting automatically.

(If you need help with burning the disc, you might want to check out this excellent article put together by the guys at Area 450. The article references Sampo firmware, but the burning specifications are basically the same. Note that the article does NOT make any mention about creating a subfolder, or closing/finalizing the disc, so you will need to figure
out those steps on your own.)

4. After the disc is burned, view the contents of the disc in Windows Explorer/My Computer/whatever. Right-click on the .ROM file that is burned on the disc and select "Properties" (or do whatever is necessary to view the Properties.)

If you burned the disc with the "1 MB" firmware, make sure that the file size is
EXACTLY 1,048,576 bytes.
If the file size is NOT 1,048,576 bytes, DO NOT CONTINUE!

If you burned the disc with either the "old 512K" or the "new 512K" firmware,
make sure that the file size is
EXACTLY 524,288 bytes.
If the file size is NOT 524,288 bytes, DO NOT CONTINUE!

5. Read the disclaimer:

DISCLAIMER: USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. I DO NOT OWN THIS PLAYER SO I CANNOT TRY THIS CDR UPGRADE MYSELF. I WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE THAT MAY RESULT TO YOUR PLAYER. PERFORMING
THE PROCEDURE DESCRIBED HERE WILL SURELY
VOID THE WARRANTY OF YOUR PLAYER!

6. Eject the disc tray on the DVD player.

7. Push SETUP. Enter the PREFERENCES menu. Scroll down to the DEFAULTS option. Select the RESET option and push PLAY (ENTER). Then push SETUP to exit the menu.

8. Put the CD-R/CD-RW, data side down, on the tray.

9. Close the disc tray.

10. The upgrade process will now begin.

(Note: If you placed the .ROM file inside a subfolder, the file browser menu will appear -
use the arrow keys on the remote to select the folder and then push ENTER or PLAY.)

DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DISC TRAY HAS AUTOMATICALLY EJECTED.

You should see the following screens, in this order:



DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DISC TRAY HAS AUTOMATICALLY EJECTED.

DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DISC TRAY HAS AUTOMATICALLY EJECTED.

DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DISC TRAY HAS AUTOMATICALLY EJECTED.

DO NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DISC TRAY HAS AUTOMATICALLY EJECTED.

11. Once the upgrade is complete, the screen will go blank and the disc tray will automatically eject. Remove the disc.

12. Turn OFF the POWER on the front of the player (NOT the remote control). Wait 10 seconds, and then turn ON the power on the front of the player (NOT the remote control).

13. The disc tray should automatically close, and the upgrade should be complete.

14. Push SETUP. Enter the PREFERENCES menu. Scroll down to the DEFAULTS option. Select the RESET option and push PLAY (ENTER). Then push SETUP to exit the menu.

 

!!!! IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE THEY HAVE
"OLD 512K" PLAYERS !!!!

If you have upgraded what you believe to be an "old 512K" player, and, despite following the directions perfectly, you end up with what is best described as a "scrambled cable channel"-type picture, you have what is known as a "fluke" or "freak" unit. Externally, your unit appears to be an "old 512K" player (which means that "VCD" is printed on the front of the player), but the internal hardware indicates that you really have a "new 512K" player.

To fix the picture, perform the upgrade again, but use the "new 512K" firmware. You won't be able to see the upgrade as it is occurring, but if you follow the stated directions, you shouldn't have any problems. Do NOT burn the firmware file to a subfolder (as suggested in Step #3 above). Once this upgrade is complete, your picture should be back to normal.

RETURNING TO THE ORIGINAL (FACTORY) FIRMWARE

Download the original firmware appropriate for your player,
in the section labeled "THE FIRMWARE".

Repeat steps 1 through 14 above.

WHERE TO GET HELP

AD-1100W forum

Please Note! I do not own an Apex AD-1100W player. All care taken in accurately providing this information which is kindly provided by others who do own these models. Please visit the sites linked above if you require any assistance.

ALSO NOTE I AM NOT A FIRMWARE PROGRAMMER!!!
So please don't ask me when other features will be available...