Yeah, I bought an APEX model 1010 for under $50 last christmas. It didn't say it played CDG, but when I put a CDG in, (i wanted to listen to a CDG at home) it played it with the lyrics on the TV screen. The left and right edges were cut off a little bit, but for home use the kids have fun with it. I have the audio going to my stereo system, got a "Morph" from Priddis so I could add a microphone, and have the video going to my T.V. Great for at home use, plus watch movies. It's also great to be able to practice at home.
Also had a family party with my extended family and did Karaoke for about 3 hours. What a blast!!!!
Even though my model plays CDG, I have heard that not all models or even players with the same model number will play CDG. The higher end APEX (those that have a mic input) says they play CDG. Maybe they are using the same laser and technology on the low end models, just not adding a mic input.