View Full Version : what about those archos?
xenochimera
2007-12-11, 22:28
they have wifi series as well, pretty good storage capacity (30 gigs). not bad for the casual user.
Karel Jansens
2007-12-11, 22:53
they have wifi series as well, pretty good storage capacity (30 gigs). not bad for the casual user.
These days, Archos charges you extra for the on/off switch...
I have Archos 604 WiFi, its great for watching movies, browsing pictures, listening music, but thats all
It was a toss-up between Archos and Nokia for me. But their browser and interface seems really cumbersome, and all the buttons seem dorky. The wifi antenna is also so tiny the range is limited - there are hacks on the web to open them up and route a long antenna wire throughout the innards. The build and HD are said to seem fragile as well.
But, I agree, the screen size, capacity and media playing ability is impressive.
The cowon A2 is a better PMP than the Archos 604. True, it doesn't have wifi, but it wins in PMP ability and can do a lot more. Also, you need to pay a lot extra with the 604 to get the basic features that come with the Cowon A2.
barry99705
2007-12-12, 00:18
It was a toss-up between Archos and Nokia for me. But their browser and interface seems really cumbersome, and all the buttons seem dorky. The wifi antenna is also so tiny the range is limited - there are hacks on the web to open them up and route a long antenna wire throughout the innards. The build and HD are said to seem fragile as well.
But, I agree, the screen size, capacity and media playing ability is impressive.
That would make it worse. Wifi isn't like am, you can't just stick a coat hanger on it and expect it to work better.
That would make it worse. Wifi isn't like am, you can't just stick a coat hanger on it and expect it to work better.
Really? Why not? It's a 2.4GHz radio band, nothing more.
Not trolling, just ignorant and would really like to know why a bigger antenna wouldn't help.
R.
==
Karel Jansens
2007-12-12, 12:19
That would make it worse. Wifi isn't like am, you can't just stick a coat hanger on it and expect it to work better.
It's not exactly a coathanger, but on the Pointlisse Archos PMA forum there's a DIY hack to vastly improve the PMA430's WiFi range, by switching the builtin 3.6 cm antenna (big word for a piece of wire) for one that's 28.8 cm long (yes, that's another piece of wire).
I have the 605 wifi. The browser is an ok add-on feature, but it's not good enough to make me carry it instead of my 810.
barry99705
2007-12-12, 18:05
I'm actually really surprised that works. Though I'm also really surprised they use a wire for the original antenna.
Karel Jansens
2007-12-12, 18:27
I'm actually really surprised that works. Though I'm also really surprised they use a wire for the original antenna.
I wasn't. The PMA430 has a WiFi "range" that's actually shorter than Bluetooth; I have to be in visual range of my router to even get a signal.
I was surprized there turned out to be an antenna in there at all...
barry99705
2007-12-12, 18:33
I wasn't. The PMA430 has a WiFi "range" that's actually shorter than Bluetooth; I have to be in visual range of my router to even get a signal.
I was surprized there turned out to be an antenna in there at all...
Actually thinking about it, I'm not too surprised after all. I had the 604 wifi and returned it after a week.
I think the hacked increased wire length has to be an exact multiple of the wifi wavelength to work. I figured it was more work/risk than desired. Recieving strong quality wifi signals was more important to me than carrying around a slightly more bulky media player. But I still would like to just move all my mounds of CDs and DVDs into a single, handy unit someday (...soon!),
Karel Jansens
2007-12-12, 19:12
I think the hacked increased wire length has to be an exact multiple of the wifi wavelength to work. I figured it was more work/risk than desired. Recieving strong quality wifi signals was more important to me than carrying around a slightly more bulky media player. But I still would like to just move all my mounds of CDs and DVDs into a single, handy unit someday (...soon!),
Do they make 1 TB PMPs already?
(Actually, I'll probably need closer to 3 TB, but I'm willing to compromise)
Wait about another 12-18 months when we'll all be carrying our whole lives around in our shirt pockets using something that is..
"cheaper and more energy efficient than flash memory. The new technology has been branded programmable metallization cell, and differs from present storage technologies in that it "creates nanowires from copper atoms the size of a virus to record binary ones and zeros."
http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/27/terabyte-nanotech-thumb-drives-around-the-corner/
barry99705
2007-12-13, 03:07
Do they make 1 TB PMPs already?
(Actually, I'll probably need closer to 3 TB, but I'm willing to compromise)
That's a lot of Pr0n! :D
My local Circuit City FINALLY got a working demo Archos 605 running. It is shorter than the N800, tho thicker and taller. It didn't seem too fragile (no shake from the HD). But, I must concur w/ some other reviews I've seen about the low contrast screen. It's like it glazed over or something (anti-reflect coating?) But as nice and smooth as the videos were, the images didn't have the pop and snap like the N800 or the iPod.
plympton
2007-12-13, 22:17
I've been agonizing over what gizmo to get before the end of the year, and I think I finally settled on a Zune (for now).
The Archos interface is AS BAD as you think it is - as a former interface designer, it is APPALLINGLY bad. It is SO bad, in fact, that I picked up a Zune in disgust, and it left a good taste in my mouth. I really wanted to like the Archos - it has a nice screen, much MUCH smaller than the Zen Vision W, has Wi-Fi, relatively light... ah well.
I realized all I want is something for Podcasts, FM radio, and big enough to hold all my music & play some ripped DVD's, so the Zune fits the bill (... "for now"! :-))
If the iPod Touch had a HD, I'd probably have foregone the FM and got one instead..... I'm banking on next year being the year of the PMP/IT fusion for <$400 with a decent CPU and video capability...
-Dan
The new, 100x-1000x efficient Flash process available after next year may revolutionize everything and add terrabytes to little ITs, iPods, etc.
I could see people going to video/electronic stores and buying inexpensive, small tablet players in dedicated Special Editions that have, say, the whole run of Seinfield on them.
BTW, I re-visited Circuit City's display Archos 605 and their bigger 30 gb Zune (which NEVER had samples of ANTHING on it before 2nite - whatta way to sell 'em!).
I was looking forward to viewing the image quality of the new sample videos on each...
....And both sucked :rolleyes:
Archos 605 WiFi Hacked (http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/01/01/0131228&from=itt)
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