MaximumPC 2004 12

Apex MP-200

Portable Video Player

A dim view of video-to-go

N

ow that we’ve taken

Creative’s Zen Portable

Media Center for a walk

around the block (it received a 6 in

November 2004), a little light’s been

shed on Microsoft’s new Portable

Media Center platform. In a nutshell,

it’s cool if you can stay within the

confines of what’s permitted by the

built-in digital rights management.

But there are non-PMC alterna-

tives, such as Archos’ AV420 (which

received a 9 in October 2004), iRiv-

er’s PMP-120, and now the MP-2000

from Apex Digital.

Don’t think the MP-2000 is an

anarchic DRM-free zone, however,

just because it doesn’t use the

Portable Media Center OS. In fact,

it’s even more restrictive than the

AV420, which allowed us to record

copy-protected video in real time

through the line-in jack, but only for

playback on the device itself. The

MP-2000 doesn’t even permit this

much freedom, returning a “Video

Copy Protected” message and

turning the record function off.

(We think it uses Macrovision’s

copyrighted material flag as

a guide.)

Even if you’re content with

playing back your own DivX

content, the MP-2000 will

likely still disappoint. Although

it performed on par with the

AV420 when reading a sampling

of DivX files encoded at various

bitrates, it can only decode MP3

audio, and cannot play back multi-

channel AC3 (Dolby Digital) sound.

So if you hoped to downmix the sur-

round-sound DivX files you enjoy at

home to two-channel AC3 audio on

the MP-2000, forget it—you’ll get no

audio whatsoever. This is a serious

omission, although one that could be

corrected with a firmware upgrade.

But then again, the MP-2000 is

definitely not the portable video

player for those with high expecta-

tions. The 3.5-inch TFT screen has a

very coarse dot pitch. The resulting

image—appearing as if overlaid

with a fine grille—is tolerable most

of the time, but completely obscures

fine details (for example, the white-

board communication between sur-

vivors in the 2004 remake of Dawn of

the Dead is extremely

difficult to make out).

This problem is com-

pounded by the signal

loss inherent to video

compression—bad

news for a 20GB play-

er that requires heavy

compression in order

to save space.

Furthermore, you

can’t charge the unit

through a USB port,

and absolutely no

tools are included for

converting VOB or MPG video files

to the DivX format. And while it’s

an MP3 player and picture viewer,

there’s no memory card slot, so it

won’t help photographers on the go,

and given the device’s other short-

comings, MP3 playback doesn’t add

much value.

On the positive side, we like the

carrying case that doubles as a

hands-free viewing stand, and the

battery life clocked in at an accept-

able 4:41 (hours:minutes) at 75 per-

cent volume and brightness before

pooping out. But these pleasantries

aren’t enough to warrant a recom-

mendation for a portable

video player.

—LOGAN DECKER

Good battery life and clever protective carrying

case/stand.

IMAX

VIDEO BOOTHS

Poor screen, and doesn’t decode AC3 audio.

$400, http://www.apexdigital.com

MA XIMUMPC VERDICT 5

The Itty Bitty Vidi Committee

says pass on the MP-2000.

It’srelatively inexpensive, but

you’ll be glad you spent the

extra bucks on a better player.

5 ”

3 ”