Archos AV400 20 GB Video Player/Recorder and MP3 Player AV420
By: Archos Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 43
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 On: 2007-06-27
This is a great all around device to have. It is a great MP3 player, but does a whole lot more. I think for the most part people like to compare any portable music player to the iPod and so this device is also compared.
The two things that set this device apart from the iPod video are the ability to record live TV and the screen size. Of course with a larger screen comes a larger device and there seems to be no work around for that at this time.
Here are the things this device does great:
MP3 Player
Portable Video Player
Heres what it does well:
Record live TV broadcasts (see below for caveats)
Organize your library of songs/videos
Heres whats lacking:
Speaker sound
Controls not so intuitive
Recorded video resolution (SD quality)
The way it switches the TV with an external IR transmitter is clunky at best
In addition, speaking directly to the auto recording scheduler, I couldnt get the IR connector to switch my TV to the channel to record (my TV wasnt supported).
I think this is a great device if you are looking for a general purpose portable DVR. Also consider that this functions as a portable hard disk drive.
Four stars; for the time this was released it was without a doubt the most innovative portable on the market!
 On: 2006-03-14
I really love this player. I have downloaded books from net library, loaded photos and added music from my cd collection (isnt as advanced as my ipod in features for music) and recorded tv shows with the greatest of ease. It does every thing it claims to do. Now if it lasts over the long haul, (I have only had it for about 1 month) then its the best device overall that I have purchaed because of its versatility. Only time will tell, but right now I love it and think it was well worth the money. Hope this helps others when thinking of purchasing one, no other device I could find seemed to do all these things with the same ease for this price. Good luck if you purchase one because like I already said if it lasts (reasonable length of time, say 3-4 four years even, I will be happy.
 On: 2006-02-07
Okay, this thjing was great. It recorded awesome, so u could have a scheduler on it and have it record while you sleep. It has a built in mcrophone and you can record sound..(not best quality)
great playback, but speakers left something to be desired. however, mine broke after 4 months. The hard drive failed. the customer support was okay,but asll in All my archos experience was NOT that great. Now that Ive returned it, I say to go buy Ipod video instead. but for me, im stuck with useless credit at sharper image, which no longer sells ipod. Al in all, just go buy an Ipod
On: 2005-11-26
I purchased this device about 10 months ago on Amazon.com. Previously, I did a lot of research on many similar devices and found that the AV420 had all the qualities I was looking for in an all-in-one portable multimedia device. Ive been using it in the following ways:
1. Digital video recorder: Ive recorded hundreds of hours of TV broadcasts. Whenever the AV420 neared its storage capacity, I would just connect a USB cable from my XP PC to the AV420 and upload the DivX files to my hard drive. Id then archive the broadcasts for later viewing, which I would just download the files back to the AV420 before taking it on the road.
After setting up the AV420 cables and AV420 system settings with your VCR, programming the AV420 to record TV shows will become easier than programming your VCR. Just connect the USB cable from your PC to the AV420, on your PC open a file on the AV420 named \\\\Jukebox\\System\\DVR Timer.txt, and type in the TV show settings from your PC. Be sure to follow the same format as a TV show setting typed in previously through the AV420 itself.
The AV420 video screen quality is excellent. Its bright, sharp, well saturated, and has no screen delay or ghosting.
However, when playing back certain TV shows created on the AV420 on a TV, there is some barely noticeable pixelization, but not much. The cradle is a hassle to move around so I got the Archos Audio/Video Travel Cable, which is much more convenient to carry and connect to other video equipment. Space-wise, for videos and DVDs, 20GB can be insufficient at times. If you are a heavy video user, Id recommend getting the AV480, just because it has a larger hard drive.
2. DVD/video player: Ive recorded many prerecorded DVDs, VHS tapes, and DivX video files to the AV420, and played them out to other video equipment without any problems. It is possible to playback prerecorded DVDs to a TV from the AV420 as long as the prerecorded DVD disc does not contain any copy protection. For example, your vacation trip or wedding DVDs that were custom created can be recorded to the AV420 then played back on a TV or VCR from the AV420.
3. MP3 player: Using the USB cable with your PC, you could download hours of MP3s onto the AV420. The sound quality is excellent when using headphones or separate speakers, though you have the option to use the built-in speaker, which isnt very good for music playback. However, having a built-in speaker is very convenient especially when you need to playback media for other people.
4. USB hard drive: Using the USB cable with your PC, youre able to transfer fairly large files between PCs. Its like having a 20GB portable hard drive.
One minor limitation is that the AV420 hard drive is FAT32, which limits file sizes to 4GB.
5. Photo storage device: Instead of purchasing more Memory Sticks for my Sony digital camera, I decided to use the 4-in-1 CF Media card adapter with the AV420. That way, the AV420 became my 20GB Memory Stick indirectly.
Viewing pictures on the AV420 is excellent, which is also significantly larger than the screen on my digital camera.
6. Digiscoping video recorder: Using a scope with my Sony digital camera, Ive been able to photograph birds from fairly far distances. Since getting the AV420, Ive been able to use it as a somewhat direct hard drive for my digital camera by connecting the video-in port of the AV420 to my cameras media out-port (which is a bit cumbersome), then running the AV420 in Videocorder mode, which turned my digital camera into a DivX camcorder. So now Im also able to video record birds through my scope.
At one point, I did experience a hard drive problem though it was software related, not hardware. I ended up running chkdsk i: /f (assuming i: is the AV420) on the AV420 through my PC, which resolved the problem. This troubleshooting procedure is found in the manual under "File issues, corrupted data, formatting, and partitioning." I havent had any other problems since.
Overall, the AV420 is a well-built, well-integrated, high-quality multimedia device that I would highly recommend.
On: 2005-11-17
I think that this is a very good device. It preforms great at all of its advertized functions. Its screen is amazing. at 3.5 inches you and up to two other people can watch at the same time. At the moment i have 20 hours of video on it and 4 gigabytes of music and it still has about 2 more gigabytes of memory left. The battery life is prett good. I get about 10 hours with music and about 4 hours with video. I get about 6-8 hours wiht mixed use
There are only a few things that i can find thats wrong wiht it, One that you cannot transfer dvds over to the archos wiht your computer. Also it is sometimes slow to open files. This is normal though for a device with this many features.
All in all i think this is a very good device. It has all the features a person into media and photography would want, including a compact flash slot which comes in handy alot, but this device does have its short commings. If you want the newest stuff i would opt for the new Av500 series.
On: 2005-11-13
This unit is simply amazing. For commuters like myself, its a dream. I like to keep up on the primetime TV shows but I hate to work my evenings around TV shows. The archos AV 420 allows me to use timed recordings. The unit turns on and off all night long, recording different shows on different channels. When I get up in the morning, I get on the train and (its an hour long commute) I have at least 3 shows from the night before ready to go. If Im not in the mood to watch something, I have about a thousand songs on the unit. I also purchased the remote/FM radio accessory. That gives me the ability to just listen to FM radio if Im in the mood. I really dont think any other product out there can touch it right now. Certainly not the new IPOD.
On: 2005-10-26
As soon as the Apple iPod Video hit the market, reviews about it came flooding in. I dont own an MP3 player, and I have never used one. When I found that there was a device that could play video and was ultra portable, I knew I had to find out more. I read a NY Times review about the Apple ipod Video in comparison to its competitors. Brands mentioned were iRiver and Archos. I looked into both, but discovered that the Archos had better features and were better priced. Then, I landed with the Archos av420.
Basically, this is a complex handheld device (approximately the size of a palm pilot) that has the ability to play movies (avi, divx, xvid, and others) record video files off the TV, VCR or DVD player, SCHEDULE recording sessions, (just like a portable Tivo!) store photos and data, PLAY MP3s. You can read all the perks above and take the product tour, which says all this, so I am going to discuss my reaction to the product.
PROS: I could use this thing as soon as it came out of the box. Essentially, after charging the battery, you can plug it into your computer (PC or MAC through USB 2) and drag and drop files onto the device. It is THAT easy. Files copied very quickly, it took less than a minute to copy the movie "The Notebook" from my computers hard drive onto the Archos av420. How do you get these files? You have two options: you can record movies from your TV, VCR or DVDs, or you can download files from the internet that you can play on the Archos, just like downloading MP3 files. The device has a crisp and clean screen, it is light and very sturdy feeling, and it COMES WITH headphones and all the various cables youll need. I found it EASY to use and navigate, but be warned that recording takes time, as does copying DVDs.
CONS: Too many cables. There are tons of different cables, the most annoying come from the dish that connects to the TV. Keep your cables organized, and you shouldnt have a problem.
Besides that, this is an excellent product with a wide range of files available, unlike its competition, the Apple iPod Video. If you want something that can be used for portable video and music and photos, this is the gadget to get. I adored mine as soon as I got it plugged into my computer. I couldnt get over how nice the images were, and how EASY to use it really was. Literally, DRAG AND DROP. If you are confused by file formats or dont know how to download files, this is NOT the device for you. I was downloading movies and video files before I got this device, and now I can bring those files with me when I travel or go to work. It is much more convinient to use this than my personal DVD player, and takes up a 10th of the space in my backpack. Thank you technology!
 On: 2005-10-07
I had problems as soon as I opened the box. The player keeps freezing during play, data becomes corrupt, the sound is of poor quality, and advertising up to 20 movies storage space is not possible. The most I could ever get on my player was 5, and that was when the playback quality was set on low. I tried to have it serviced just 2 months into a 1 year "warranty" and they said it was going to cost me $150.00 to repair. If you purchase this product, you will be sorry!
On: 2005-09-30
I ordered the Archos AV420 a few months back and I love it. I downloaded music, videos and pictures onto the player with a decent amount of ease. It took some time to figure out downloading the movies but I found a site on the internet that has the movies already in the format for the player. It is very convenient for long bus rides to work. I am very happy with my purchase.
On: 2005-09-10
I am very pleased with my new archos mp3 AV 420 is simply fantastic
On: 2005-09-04
This has been the best purchase I have made in a long time. With the extra purchase of a Sony tape and power adapter (can get it at Target or Amazon), I can hook up my player to my car and play all my MP3 through the car speakers. I can even have the audio of the movies play through the car speakers and watch the video w/ the travel cables hooked up to a portable TFT screen (you can get both through the Archos web site or Amazon). You can do the updates from the Archos web site. With the updates, the device allows you to switch back in forth from a Windows Device to a Hard Drive (it tells you how where you download the updates). You want to install the updates before you put anything on the device, because it formats the drive. When it is set on Windows device, you can synchronize songs (MP3 and WMA) with no problem. When it is set on Hard Drive, you can send your .AVI files back and forth. I copy Movies off the TV (or On Demand for Cable users) and then save them on my PC and it frees up room on the device. My computer has an 80g drive so I can put just the ones I want w/ out having to rerecord them. You do not even have to sit and watch the device record. You can set the timer on the device to record and even when to cut off. There are also sites that you can download AVI movies for a small fee. I copy my DVDs and VHS also. Whatever is showing on my TV shows up on my device. You can see what is being recorded on the device. I have also been able to play my music back through my TV when I do not want to put the headphones on. Now if they could just combine this w/ a PDA it would be even better.
On: 2005-09-01
Nice display. Long battery life. Removable battery. However, only plays Divx .avi video files. A real shame it cant play mpeg1 & 2 also. You have to use included programs, and find-download divx codes yourself, to be able to convert mpeg to divx. Not a deal breaker, but certainly a hassel.
My biggest gripe, the unit has no stand. You either have to pay more to order a case/stand, or hold it in you hand to view. Why Archos couldnt add a 50 cent plastic fold-out stand to the back is a mystery. I made due by taking some carboard, bending it into a "V" shape, and taping it to the back as a stand.
With that said, its a nice gadget. Battery life gives at least 4 hours of video playback. Not bad!
On: 2005-08-22
format of the file that this machine can take is a bit too complicated. I have tried a lot of ways to get or translate some video file to the files that could be read. Basically, this work takes time. Although, other facts are cool. Price is great, much cheaper than my friends who bought in China and Europe.
On: 2005-08-19
After viewing Olympus version of this product I wanted to see how it stacked up to its competitors. I was greatly surprised to see how much this tiny little package could do. After thinking on it for 2 weeks I purchased it in time for a week-long trip I was taking. I loaded it up from my computer (thats how I keep movies and whatnot) and was set. The battery life on this is amazing! and the screen is super clear. I also really like the connection atapter for the tv so I can watch movies on there as well. All over it is a great machine!
However there are somethings I dont like. I cant put pictures to music. Also if youre thinking this is an ipod type with shuffle and repeat easily accessed and both available look else where. Although it does have repeat and shuffle you have to manually select it throught the menu then through the sound options. Another thing is the playlists. Although you can put together a rocking soundtrack of your favorite hits you cannot save where you are in the playlist and come back to it another time. You have to restart the playlist (or select where you are in it) and play from there.
These are minor details of a finicky techy. This is an awesome product for those on the travel, those who love movies, music, and photos, and those techies out there!
On: 2005-08-10
I used the Archos to save images from my CF camera cards, as I take a lot of photos on trips. The device is rather intuitive for this purpose, and did a fantastic job. Simply hooked it to my computer after the trip and transferred the images. Two caveats: 1)the first device didnt work out of the box, the tines for the CF card were bent; Amazon replaced it, the second was fine; 2) I have not tried to record from TV, Ive heard its rather complicated. However, it will be worth it to have video available on the plane in such a compact gadget.
On: 2005-08-02
I bought the Archos primarily to carry on business trips, but also for my kids to use on road trips. It came down to this or a portable DVD player, which is bigger and requires you to lug the discs with it. Just returned home from a 10 hour car ride and my kids both give the Archos a big thumbs up. Recorded a number of DVDs and TV shows on it before leaving. The kids took turns watching movies - the screen isnt really big enough for them to both watch at the same time. With the extra battery I also bought it lasted almost the whole way before pooping out. Recordings look great, plenty of room for my music and some photos too, and the cool factor is very high. About twice as big as my IPod, which will be handed down to the kids. The Archos is my new traveling companion!
On: 2005-05-29
I just purchased this device a few days ago and I have to say I am very impressed. I had been thinking about this purchase for about 6 months, doing research weighing the pros and cons, etc. I finally deceided to take the plunge and I am glad I did. It does have a few drawback but the good far out weighs the bad. I wont bore you with the obvious stuff if you are looking at this device you already have a pretty good idea what it is all about. So I will just stick with the highligts and my thoughts.
The Good Stuff
Recording VHS tapes are a snap no problems really at all quick and easy set up and you walk away and a few hours later, you have it.
Playback is incredible, it is so clear it is almost easy to forget how small it is.
The size, fits right in your shirt pocket. Can your portable DVD player do that?
Music, just send it over create playlists and you are set. Protected music too. Just add the plug in.
Pictures, again just send them over and start the slide show.
The Not So Good Stuff.
The Manual, I am pretty intuitive but even this manual left me stumped at times. But if you are patient and go over it a few times most things can be figured out pretty easily.
The TV cradle and remote, I am still trying to figure out how to get the IR transmitter to work with my VCR after about 2 hours I deceided to try again later. You can still set up scheduled recordings you just have to leave your VCR on and on the channel you want to record, not the most ideal situation but workable.
The WMP plug in, it doesnt say so but you have to download some stuff from the site and copy it to your ARCHOs then run the set up, after I figured that out it took no time at all.
Overall this is a great device, the biggest knock most people have is the encoding and transcoding of movies (getting around the whole copyright thing). I am no fan of the number of restrictions that Hollywood and the music indrusty wants to force upon us. But that is not why I bought it. I want to record tv and vhs and dvds and watch them on the Archos and for that it works just fine.
One last thing on this whole coping DVD thing, one other nock I have heard is that to record a DVD you have to do it in real time. I hate to tell people this but to rip a DVD, it can take a few hours just to do that so the whole time issue is a moot point. DVDs take time.
On: 2005-05-26
It is a great product as mentioned already by other reviews. But with all these great features, the 20GB is not enough... maybe for an iPod.
Considering how bigger and heavier it is compared to most MP3 players, plus the fact that it records and stores video, sound, music, etc.. you would want to store more videos and music so you always have a wide variety of choices and minimize the need to keep on re-recording or re-connecting to your PC. Better go for the 80GB or better yet the 100GB models.
On: 2005-05-03
I gave this three stars because it is a great device, but cross your fingers if something goes wrong. Hopefully you will not have to deal with their customer service. They give customer service a whole new meaning.
On: 2005-04-15
This is a great little device. Very easy to figure out and the OS is intuitive and easy. I bought it a couple weeks ago after 2 months of researching and reviewing. So far, I am impressed. I wanted to take video with me when I travel and wanted a convenient way to store photos when I take a camera and leave the laptop home.
Took a look at the MSI Mega View 566, but it does not support Memory Stick Pro or provide such an adapter. They will have one this summer for that but I didnt want to wait.
The build quality seems excellent. I have mostly copied DVDs from my collection off my DVD player with absolutely no problems with either the video or audio part; no problems with dialogue matching the video. I can only assume that the "learning curve" and problems others here refer to with video is for downloaded movies from the internet which may need converting. I have put the entire series "Band of Brothers" and a couple surfing movies on this with still about 9-10 Gig left. Have not loaded any music yet.
The only reason I did not give 5 stars was due to the fact I use a Memory Stick Pro for my camera and the firmware (I have the latest as of today) apparently does not support that yet. I purchased a 4-in-1 compact flash adapter (not thiers) and with MS Pro I get an "Invalid Card" message. The technical help at Archos told me that they were having issues with Memory Stick even with their own CF adapter that they sell, and that the firmware would be updated (didnt know when, hopefully soon). He said regular Memory Stick should work, but I got the "Invalid Card" message with that too. Alas! Im leaving for Europe next week and was hoping to use this to store photos; guess Ill have to find a place to burn CDs. But Ill still be able to watch movies on the plane!
Ill give it 5 stars when they update the firmware. Otherwise, I highly recommend this device. You wont regret it!
On: 2005-04-04
I also did a lot of online research, and found that the Archos was the best choice for me. Samsung, MSI, RCA & Creative all make similar products, but the Archos unit makes it easy to record TV shows in from TiVo or other sources. To my knowledge, this is the only unit of this kind that has an IR Blaster to hook up to a video source. You set the timer (like a VCR) on the AV420, and at the right time, it will switch your video source to the correct channel, and record for the specified time! It was also very simple to set up a Yahoo calendar, add shows I want to record into the calendar, and drop a copy on the system folder in the AV420 unit - that creates a recording schedule, and is even easier to use than a VCR. I am convinced that for anyone that wants to take TV shows on the train, bus or to the gym, this unit is by far the best choice!!
On: 2005-03-30
After using it for one month very heavly this device has proved to me everything it stands for. Great video display, music plays well, and battery is changeable giving me over 8 hours of video (with second battery).
Importing movies does require a bit of knowledge about rendering, but nothing too complex with tools like Dr Divx.
As mentioned in some reviews, the case is close to worthless and the screen does need taking care off.
The device feels sturdy and feels like it can handle a fall. Originaly I was worried, but after using it for a month my concerns have been taken away. It also is very intuitive, it took me three weeks before I opened the manual and figured out I learned everything on my own in a few hours.
Highly recomended for the gadget oriented person who wants a device to back up pictures on a trip or watch movies.
On: 2005-03-23
Id like to first state that I have not seen the Archos player up close, so I cannot attest to the quality of the product. However, I have done extensive research on which player would be perfect for me. The one I decided to purchase is the MSI Mega View 566. I will do a side-by-side comparison based on the specs:
Company
- MSI is a taiwanese-based company best known for their quality motherboards.
- Archos is a relatively new consumers electronics company
LCD Screen
- Both sport a screen size of 3.5" 320 x 240 resolution, 262,000 colors
Capacity
- Both players sport a 20GB hard-drive based storage that can act as a portable personal storage device, taking your files on the go. Both utilize a USB cable to transfer files.
File types played
- MSI:
Video: DiVX, AVI, WMV, MPEG-4
Audio: FM Radio, MP3, WMA, WMA (with DRM), WAV, LPCM & ADPCM audio files
Photo: JPG, TIFF, BMP, GIF
- Archos:
Video: DiVX, XviD, MPEG-4
Audio: MP3, WMA, WMA (with DRM), WAV
Photo: JPG
- Analysis: As you can see, the Mega View 566 has more compatibility with various file types, and is actually divx-certified. Plus, the Mega View 566 has a built-in FM tuner, as opposed to only an option on the Archos AV420. The MSI player has support for the popular Windows Media format while the Archos does not. Going by the specs listed on their websites, MSI is the winner in this category.
Recording capabilities
- Voice recorder: Both have a built-in microphone to act as a voice-recorder. Perfect for meetings, or class.
- FM Recording: The MSI player is capable of recording directly from the FM Tuner. The AV420 has this feature as an option.
- Both devices can record from various sources including: TV, VCR, Cable/Satellite, and Camcorder.
- Analysis: The Archos AV420 requires the device be docked to the TV cradle before you can record from video sources. The MSI Mega View 566 only requires you plug in the A/V connectors directly to the device and the source. MSI seems to be more convenient. No need to lug around the dock! However, the Archos has an optional A/V kit if you wish to record on the go.
Also, the MSI player allows you to record in DiVX format and MPEG-4 format, as opposed to the Archos, which only allows MPEG-4.
Playback:
- Both players can be played standalone on the portable screen.
- Both players can be plugged into the TV to display audio, video, and pictures.
- Analysis: Again, the Archos player requires the TV cradle to be plugged into the TV. The MSI can be taken anywhere, and so long as you have the composite video cables, youre set!
Accessories included:
- MSI: remote control, mini tripod, headphones, carrying case, USB 2.0 cables, two Li-Ion rechargable batteries
- Archos: remote control, headphones, carrying case, USB 2.0 cable
- Analysis: Both players includes many of the same accessories. I dont like my MegaView carrying case too much as it does not have space to fit my headphones. However, the tripod and extra battery more than make up for it and makes MSI the winner.
Flash Media Support:
- MSI: Built-in SD/MMC reader
- Archos: Built-in CF card reader
- Analysis: I like the Archos for this feature, because I use CF for my digital camera. However, the SD card is the most popular nowadays.
Battery Life:
- MSI:
Audio: upto 16 hrs
Video: upto 6 hrs
- Archos:
Audio: upto 12 hrs
Video: upto 4 hrs
Weight & Dimensions:
- MSI:
Weight: 8.5 ounces
Dimensions: 4.7"(W) x 2.9"(D) x 0.8"(H)
- Archos:
Weight: 10 ounces
Dimensions: 4.9"(W) x 3.1"(D) x 1"(H)
My overall impressions are obvious. I purchased the MSI Mega View 566, and have been very happy with it. I based my decision on the number of extra features, price, awards (G4TechTV finalist at CES2005), and online reviews it got. It seems the Mega View 566 edges out the AV420 in almost every category.
Hope my review helps you in making your decision.
On: 2005-02-19
I just bought an AV420 and am very happy with it. I had been searching for months for a WMA player but everything I looked at lacked one feature or another. This has it all: WMA/MP3 format, playlists, big color screen, Compact Flash slot, recording capability, and the clincher, wireless remote. I use the AV420 as a CD "jukebox" and its connected to my stereo and TV. I usually set it to shuffle mode and listen to songs randomly selected from the 150 CDs I have loaded onto it. Volume, track, FF, and REW are all controllable from the remote. It uses ID3 tags and can sort by artist, album, genre, etc. Theres still plenty of room left for DVD movies and photos. It also can be used as a standalone 20 GB hard disk through its USB port and works seamlessly with Windows Media Player and Windows Explorer. Just connect it to your computer and drag and drop WMA or MP3 files to the AV420 and the built-in software will index all your songs using the ID3 tags. A couple of minor complaints: the unit has a resume feature (it can start playing music or video from where you last stopped) but it will not resume if you were playing from a playlist. Unfortunately, the playlist is kept in RAM, not on the disk, and its not saved when you turn off the player. The other complaint is that the carrying case has no built-in "kickstand" to prop it up for watching video; you have to buy a optional carrying case that does this for $30. But all in all, I am very happy with it and recommend it highly.
On: 2005-02-18
Bought 3 AV480 - none worked, all with different problems veering from never switching on, to data dumps, to needing constant reformatting, not recognising files like MP3s etc etc. sent back to Archos (costing $100), who sent them back impressively quickly - until I realised they hadnt even opened the package, never mind fix any problem. Sent 3 pages of detailed soft- & hard-ware problems to Archos; asked customer services repeatedly by email what the problems were, & how they could be tackled; got a response (never tackling the issues) maybe one time out of 3. Am about to recieve them back from Archos again (another $100 on postage, 5 months after purchase); they claim to have fixed all 3. Never tried the movie feature as nothing else on any of the 3 worked long enough to even bother trying. I dont hold out much hope; do not touch these pretty little pieces of junk, theyre best suited to being paperweights. It looks like $1800 down the drain.
On: 2005-01-30
This is a must have device for anyone who enjoys having a device that can do just about anything you can imagine. I have had it for almost a month now and nothing has gone wrong of note. Recording from TV is very easy to set up. The picture quality of Archoss beautful screen is amazing and the archos is very small for what it does. Playing Mp3 is flawless while you can upload pictures you have taken to it and show them to family or friends as you travel and see them. The only trouble i have had with it so far is setting up the timer record function, you need to physically connect this infared cable to your vcr,tv or satilite box and then scroll through about 10 different signals and find the one yours uses this is very tedious and i have yet to utilize the timer record function due to this, i hope to figure this out veyr soon. Contrary to some reviews the battery life is very strong on this for what it does i have watched mmany movies and listend to hours of music before needing to charge it. Overall this is an amazing deivce and i give it a full 5 stars.
On: 2005-01-21
This is a really great device. I just received it yesterday. So far everything that I have tried to use has worked perfectly. I
spent some time reading everything I could find in user groups and bulletin boards on line prior to purchasing. This was very helpful and I think helped me avoid some pitfalls. The manual explains some things well--and does not touch on others. The quick start guide is not that well prepared either. Some things I just figured out by trial and error.
The recorded video is crisp and clear everything worked perfectly. Music downloaded quickly from my computer. I love the memory card slot for viewing digital photos.
The real selling point for me was a removable battery. I invested in an extra battery so that I will always have plenty of power on trips--- this (and price) is why I did not buy the 480 model which does not have a removable battery.
The only suggestion for improvement with this model would be to include a stand that could be used to place the device upright for viewing.
I would highly recommend!!!
On: 2005-01-15
4 hours of video on 1 battery, $50 for a spare battery makes long trips bearable. The IR transmitter on the cradle controls my JVC Dish Network receiver, changes to the channel Ive programmed in my Archos AV420 and records automatically. I could spend all day talking about how great this little device is. The only drawback Ive found is HD space, the manual says "record up to 80 hrs of video" you can get that but its at 500KBS and pretty poor quality. Ive found 1000KBS on LCD gives you about 35 hours of video that is good quality. 2500KBS is the highest setting and that brings you down to about 8 hours but is DVD quality.
On: 2005-01-09
I bought an Archos FM Recorder years ago and I still use it. It was one of the best electronic investments I have made. I have never had a problem with it and it has made recording voice in MP3 format so easy. Then the Archos AV420 came out. I thought that this was another great product that will get my video into digital form in realtime. I bought the product a few months ago. I connected it to a digital camera and attempted to record onto the camera and simultaneously record the output from the camera (via AV and S-Video cables) to the AV420. The result was the signal kept getting dropped and the "detecting video" message comes up blinking. Then, all of a sudden, the signal comes back, then gone again. I figure there was something wrong with the camera so I called Archos Technical Support. He advised me to try the AV420 on a different source. I tried it on my VCR, it went into "detecting video" once and the quality was not that good. I figure VCR quality is not that good anyway so I tried a DVD player as a source. Same thing. Signal kept going out and in, erratically. I called Technical Support back and they were closed 15 minutes before they were suppose to and I left a message detailing the problem. I did not get a call back. I wrote several emails to them detailing the problem and someone finally replied. But all that person did was apologize and no help. I finally wrote another email telling them I was returning their product and that they should have worked out the bugs as opposed to trying to beat everyone else to the DVR market (Of course you have to pay a 15% restocking fee for the priviledge of returning it). It could be that I bought a defective prooduct, maybe so, but I am not going to buy it again until it has proven itself a little longer, MAYBE. I hear that IPOD has one out to. I will most likely buy that one to see if it is better. If so I will keep it. Id rather buy an Archos product but since Archos does not seem to care if I am satisfied then I guess I will have to move on. My ticket number was 1016916.
On: 2005-01-04
I used to have one of the original Archos 20GB recorder models from 3 years back (the LCD screen exploded when left in freezing temperatures in a car over Christmas - so be careful!). I decided my replacement should be an upgrade. I always liked Archos - their customer support was fine and I never had a problem with the player.
The AV420 is very good - it is much easier to navigate compared to the old Jukebox player I had, I like the way you can sort music by genre, by album, artist etc. Photos upload very quickly and easily. Putting videos on it is also very interesting. There are a number of ways you can do this:
a) Using your DVR (eg Tivo) - this is very useful, just hook up the cables and play the Tivo recorded program and press record on the Archos.
b) Via video recorder - same way as Tivo
c) Via DVD player - same way as above
d) Ripping DVDs via the computer. I tried one of the recommendations by a previous reviewer using the DVD to AVI - I never had any success - the program saw the DVD in the drive but always crashed after 40 seconds or so, or it said it couldnt read the file. I deduced that you probably have to get a program to rip the DVD onto your hardrive first and then use this software. I downloaded Magic DVD Ripper from [...] , you can have 5 trials before you pay and burned the DVD onto my hardrive whilst converting it to .avi format. Its compression meant that I could have about 7MB per 1 minute of video and the file, when copied to the Archos played perfectly and was crystal clear. Its a good bit of software and so easy to use, you can set it to burn the DVD and then turn the computer off afterwards, eg if you run it overnight (takes 1.5-2 hrs for a typical movie)
You can also edit your recordings on the Archos by cropping or cutting out unwanted scenes - eg adverts, very useful.
I think this device is a great tool to store / back up some of your favourite videos, whether home made or bought.
Mine came with a FM receiver which you can record songs from, there is a feature which records 30 secs of every song in its buffer memory, so if you are half way through the song and decide to record it it will record it from the beginning - very nifty. You can also record music from your Satelite radio receiver - if you have the new XM MiFi (which can record 5 hours of music) you can thus copy those songs off of that onto the Archos...
The 20GB model also has a replacable battery which is useful.
All in all I am very pleased with it.
On: 2005-01-04
Here it is the Archos AV420. An excellent piece of electronic media entertainment. Clear video. Crisp audio. The internal speaker that comes with unit experiences distortion when using too much bass. If one isnt keen on the use of computer software and is also not willing to work with unit the learning curve for use will be a painful one. Capacity is fine for its purposes for me at least. One major reason for getting the AV420 was the removable battery. I work in computer hardware repairs. Laptop batteries go bad all the time except in practically all cases they can be replaced hence the decision to go with the one model with a removable battery. The screen scratches easily, you gotta be careful and treat it like a real life baby. One of the sticking points on usage for me was the individual carrying protective case. I was never able to access unit from inside case. I always had to take unit out fumble around with the buttons before doing what I had intended to do. No problem if your intended use has no intentions of pressing buttons all the time, but Im a bit picky on my music and I am always pressing the buttons or tinkering with the setup. When I first got the unit I looked at reviews and the one sticking point was poor customer service. I have yet to actually experience it, but when I looked up accessories such as protective screens, other carrying cases, and such items I was shocked with the choice of no options. A company that puts a product out like this is going to irk customers. Still I have been made a believer. I stick by four. A solid product with awesome capabilities.
On: 2004-12-31
Records straight from any composite video (red-white-yellow) source like your DVD player for example. This device transforms your videos to MPEG-4, and the quality is great for this size screen. Battery life is nearly true to its word -- aprroximately 4.5 - 5.5 hours of play. I love it, and now that my wife has seen mine, she now wants one! Perfect for those long airplane or train rides. Note: Only downside in my opinion is that it records in real time, meaning a 2 hour movie takes 2 hours to record onto the Archos. Who cares, plan ahead, enjoy watching your favorite movies any time on a device that will fit in your shirt pocket.
On: 2004-12-29
I got the AV420 for Christmas and it was the best gift I have ever got. The first day I got it I downloaded my whole music library from my computer and it was very quick downloading all the music, and it barely took away any of my memory. Also on
X-mas day I went crazy recording the football games that were on and then the Heat vs. Laker game. We went out for dinner during the Heat game and I was amazed on how the AV420 could switch channels and stop and start recording all on its own. I am only 14 years old and I use this thing like Ive had it for my whole life, and Ive only had it for about one week now. It is very easy to use and very easy to download music and record video.
I was very worried about the battery life because I have read in many reviews on the internet that it isnt that great, but I contacted Archos and they said that I could buy an extra battery, and I was very relieved to hear that. The sound quality of the music and the videos is amazing, and the video quality is just as good. I feel like I am at home sitting in front of my TV when Im actually taking a hour drive up to ice hockey practice.
I looked long and hard, and found that there were so many choices, but I narrowed it down to this one and put it on my X-mas list and I am very happy that I did. I just cant wait to go on a plane or take a long drive, because I just know that I will not be even half as bored as I usually am. Video recording is so easy and I think its amazing that you can record live TV. Thats one of the main reasons that I got this one, because not many can record right off live TV.
Overall, I am amazed, and I would highly reccommend this product to anybody. As I said I looked at everything and this IS "THE" best one you can find. I hope that you can take my word for it and dont waste your time looking at anything else.
On: 2004-12-29
Anyone considering purchasing this or any Archos product should be aware that based on my experience (4 Archos jukeboxes) their quality control is spotty at best. This used to be bearable because they used to have a fairly liberal warranty policy and would repair or exchange defective products no questions asked. That has changed. Now you have to go through an elaborate process of providing documentation of purchase, mailing the unit back at your own expense, insured, and waiting in silence while they decide what to do. In my case the little joystick that is the key control of the AV320 fell off. When I returned the unit to them for repair (they would not simply send me the part) they decided to keep the 80 gb hard drive I had installed in my AV320. Because they claim installing the drive voided the warranty they now say that they will not return MY drive to me unless I pay them $125 for the repair. Wont take back the replacement they sent me, wont send me a replacement part, wont give me my property back. Worst customer service Ive ever seen. I think it would be a serious mistake to buy anything from them.
On: 2004-12-20
The Archos AV420 lives up to the reputation its gaining. Its an easy to use little device that is good at what it does.
Music: I keep my entire music library on this device and it barely makes a dent in the ~20GB of space. The sound is great through the headphones, although through the built-in speaker you get limited volume and some distortion. I use an FM transmitter to play music through my car stereo and I love it. If you use Media Player 10 to store your CDs on your PC, its a no-brainer to get them onto the Archos.
Video: Once the cradle is set up, recording TV is a breeze. There is a utility provided for converting files from your PC into a format the Archos will play, and there are supposedly codecs that will allow XP to recognize and play videos off of the Archos. Its not quite time to throw the TiVo out, but this is certainly an intriguing alternative.
Pictures: I tried moving some 5-megapixel pictures onto the Archos to see how good it could look. They come through fairly grainy, although not unrecognizable. However, the samples provided with the device show off what it is capable of. It may take some tweaking of file types and compression to get the best picture. The ability to move pictures directly from your digital camera media onto the device is a blessing for those of us who have ever filled up their camera media and been nowhere near a PC.
PC Installation: Piece of cake. Turn it on and plug it in. Its a fully functional external hard drive, and XP makes it simple to use it as such.
Ive been extremely happy with this device in all its respects. By all means, check out the other options (Creative Zen, iRiver), but dont count the Archos out because the brand isnt as well known. This little gadget does things that the Zen and the iRiver dont, and it does all its jobs well.
On: 2004-12-11
I absolutely love this unit. I did a lot of research before I made my final decision, looking at everything from I Pod to iRiver to Creative Zen, etc. You name it, I checked it out. I have a hard time understanding any portable video player that does not have a removable battery. When watching video the battery can drain quickly (Archos claims 4 hours - have not tried it out yet.) I always want to keep a back up charged. To me its a must to be able to swap out a dead battery.
I have read the comments by a lot of people to "just use your laptop" to watch movies on the plane. Well, I for one dont always want to lug my laptop. I have a relatively small and light laptop compared to many, but this little unit will fit in a pocket coat pocket! Its the perfect size without getting so small as to not be able to view the video clearly. Image quality is incredible. Playback of content recorded from TV is great. I have yet to try transferring DVDs, but the TIVO-type feature buit into the AV420 works flawlessly and is easy to set up, although I will admit that I did have a few issues with recording initially. I kept getting great video but no audio. It was my mistake, thinking that I was plugging into audio out on my television. Since my TV only has audio out on the back, I bought a cable from Radio Shack that expends those outputs around to the front of the TV. Now that I know what I am doing it works flawlessly. And audio quality is great for both music and videos.
My next favorite feature is the CF slot. I have not seen another unit that offer this, and it is huge for me. I take a tons of pictures when I travel, but my personal preference is for smaller CF cards (512mb or less). Problem solved. Simply plug in your card, select "Copy All", and they seamlessly transfer over to your portable unit to view as a slideshow or print at a later date. Again, no need to lug the laptop, CF reader, etc. When you get home you can plug the AV420 into your home computer via USB2. It will be recognized as a portable device, and you are able to simply drag and drop files to your hard drive. Could not be easier.
One note: Archos claims to have a firmware update that will allow you to view WMP files on the unit, but I still have not be able to do so to date. Probably me doing something wrong again, so I will keep trying. This brings me to the issue of Archos customer support. I have read many reviews of their products by people saying that have horrible support. I have NOT found this to be true. Yes, I did sit on hold for 30 minutes the first time I called, but the tech gave me his e-mail address and promptly responded to each of my subsequent queries with thorough, concise and very helpful solutions to my problems.
If I would have one complaint about the AV420, it would be that it really is not intuitive to navigate all of its features. I have found myself referring to the manual a lot more than I would prefer (for things such as how to install a firware update), but once you get the feel for it theres no turning back!
This is an amazing, multi-purpose unit. In my humble opinion there is nothing out there that can touch it.
On: 2004-12-09
I just got this yesterday so I havent had a whole lot of time with it, but so far have not had any technical problems with the device, everything seems to record, play, and sound like advertised and consistent with the positive reviews here.
The only issue I have, and its a big one, is that it doesnt support the Windows Media format. All of my home movies (Moviemaker, photostory, etc.) and CD-ripped songs are in wmv or wma format. Thats what came with my computer, so thats what I use. In order to get them to work on the Archos I will have to encode them to avi or mp3, which is an extra step Id rather not take.
In fairness, as of this writing, there is no other portable video *recorder* out there that supports the WM codec (Ive searched everywhere), so this is as good as it gets until the flagship WMA video players (Creative, Yepp, RCA, iRiver, etc.) have video recording capability.
On: 2004-11-26
This is amazing it has so many features all packed into that little device. record speaches record video watch your videos on your tv record dvds from your dvd player store data files videos and tons of music. The batteries last about how long they said they do instead of 12 hours of music its more like 9-10 and for video its like 4 -5 hours. recharge time is about 2 and a half to 3 hours so not too bad. The tv recording is very sophisticated changing the hue contrast brightness to get it how u like it. the aspects are 4:3 5:3 16:9 in tv or lcd mode. The music player is very nice looking and it tells you what the next song is.The player can take a lot of drops and keep on ticking.Frequent firmware updates with bug fixes that once in a while people were getting and also adding more options and wallpapers.In short I will sell this sometime after the av500 comes out in janurary to help buy it. Also if your wondering if the av420 is worth the money the answer is a resounding hell yes.Youll be the envy of all your friends who just got a 20 gig ipod that cant do nothing but play mp3s and yours will look cooler with a bigger and color screen.Its the number one rated portable audio video recorder right now on some sites pick it up.
On: 2004-11-26
I saw 13 hours listed in the description at the companys web site. Dont believe it. Mine works really well as long as its plugged up. It will run for about one hour on batteries, less if Im doing any video. Needless to say, it was next to useless when I went traveling.
On: 2004-11-25
I saw 13 hours listed in the description at the companys web site. Dont believe it. Mine works really well as long as its plugged up. It will run for about one hour on batteries, less if Im doing any video. Needless to say, it was next to useless when I went traveling.
On: 2004-11-23
This is my favorite possession! I love it! I dont go anywhere without it! It fits in my poscket very easily and it holds so dam much! You can record from anything, tv, dvd, vcr and ur own voice. Archos 420 is worth every penny! If your thinking of getting this, dont even think, this one is the best out there, and if you get it youll love it! Its also a perfect gift for the holidays!!!
On: 2004-11-22
This is my favorite possession! I love it! I dont go anywhere without it! It fits in my poscket very easily and it holds so dam much! You can record from anything, tv, dvd, vcr and ur own voice. Archos 420 is worth every penny! If your thinking of getting this, dont even think, this one is the best out there, and if you get it youll love it! Its also a perfect gift for the holidays!!!
On: 2004-11-21
This apparatus is nice - great screen, you know the works. To carry it around, though, is a different story. Its just too big, in my opinion. If I attach the enclosed holster to my belt, Im suddenly retro. Im not retro-man.
Anyway, this thing will record ALL copy-protected DVDs onto it, but, IF IT RECOGNIZES the signal that designates the DVD as copy-protected, it puts a little P icon which means its protected. It will play BEAUTIFULLY on the Archos that just made the recording - absolutely beautiful screen. Howevere, it can ONLY be played by the player, so once you copy it to the hard drive of your computer - all 700 or whatever megabytes - it opens up in media player with a big "COPY RIGHTED" label on the screen, but you get full audio for the entire length of the movie.
Now, heres the funny thing. Because theres so many motion picture companies, they dont all have the same code for copy-protecting DVDs. Most VCRs and DVD recorders recognize ALL signals that designate a DVD as copy-protected by the individual motion picture companies. The Archos AV420 only recognizes some studios like Paramount and Dreamworks. It does not recognize the signal from MGM, Warner Brothers, Columbia Tri-Star, and others. So what this means is that you can copy a DVD from these studios it does not recognize right into this device and then download it to your local hard drive on your computer and play it there, too - in perfect MPEG-4 format. You could also download it from there onto another player, like the Archos Gmini, and it will also play. So, the point is, the copy-protection on the Archos AV420 is not all there, in case you were wondering.
On: 2004-10-26
I got this as a present from my mom, she was supposed to give me an Ipod, but when I learned that shes going to , I asked her to give me Archos AV420 instead because Im more into videos than music. And I love this product, this is one of my all time favorite possessions.
The Good:
The style was good enough for me, elegant with its grayish color, probably not as hip as the Ipod, but this is more appropriate for professionals becasue it has a more sophisticated look. And the style is miles better than AV 300 because its lighter and smaller. The screen was larger compared to others so its really convenient to watch movies. Easy to follow instructions I practically did everything the first time I tried it. It can store based on my calculation about 160 20 min TV episodes in video in the lowest quality but still very clear. The best thing of all is it can record from practically any source, tv, dvd, vcr etc without a hassle. It has also a scheduler that records your favorite show when youre not home (like a vcr). It can also record music/sound with its built in mic or analog source which means you can record speeches, commentaries in dvd, concerts etc. and you can also edit them when youre done recording. It can store practically all your photos because of its 20 GB capacity.
The Bad
Sometimes when Im recording for a long time, moist builds up in the center, its minor but noticeable flaw. But dont worry after a while its gone. Sometimes also when the source is not very clear in recording, the result is a little jerky in the sides, minor flaw but noticeable. But I guess it depends on the source because the movies I copied from DVDs are clear even in the lowest quality bitrate. Another bad thing is that you cant play the movies you copied from DVD or VHS in your TV or computer, in short those that you copied that are copyright protected can only be played in the Archos device. Its not really a big deal since you have the DVd so just use it when you want to watch it in your tv. But of course TV shows and your own personal videos can be played anywhere TV or computer.
Bottomline: If you want to carry your videos with you and have an mp3 player, buy this thing. It will change your life.
Grade: A
On: 2004-09-12
The Archos AV420 is very nearly the perfect personal multimedia device. If you want to be able record videos from your cable or from non-copyrighted DVDs and play them back in near DVD quality, this is the device to get.
The fit and finish of this device is very good, an order of magnitude better than its predecessors in the AV100 and AV300 series. The controls are easy to learn and solid. The screen is clear and super bright.
I agree with the reviews that caution that if youre not into video, there are devices that offer better price performance. Even with the 20G model (AV420), I can store hours of recorded TV programs and other video material to keep me happy while my commuter bus lumbers through heavy NYC-bound traffic.
The built-in compact flash slot allows me to show off my digital pics on the bright, clear 3.5" screen. I dont miss having to have a laptop always at the ready to act as an intermediary for file transfers.
Adding to the versatility is the built-in mike for recording meetings and conferences, and the USB-2 connecion that allows me to use the hard drive to bring home files from my work computer. And of course, the MP3 capability is a given with excellent organization software for playlists, viewing album covers, etc.
Whats missing? Nothing I care about --The predecessors offer camera attachments; I guess Archos figured most people wouldnt want to add that functionality option so theyve dropped it. No biggie.
The reason I bought the 420 vs the bigger models is two-fold: cost and the fact that you can get a spare battery for the AV420 for those long flights.
Check it out!
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