Gadget required

[Speed addicted]

I'm looking for something to watch films on while I'm offshore,
It's got to be portable and reasonably light weight so it won't cause hassle with the chopper (or cheap enough to leave out here and risk it getting stolen!).

I need to be able to load films onto it, and battery powered so I don't have to trail leads about the place (and able to play whole films off one charge).

I've used a PSP for this in the past but it's hassle changing the format of everything and memory was a problem, but that size of screen would do.

We do have TV's in the rooms, but I've also got a room mate who interupts everything with stupid questions or snoring.

[shirt]

http://www.iriver.com/product/p_detail.asp?pidx=62

[Neil_Sc]

Ipod Touch?

I'm pretty much using mine for this purpose, at high quality 30 minutes of TV comes in at around 100 MB, so you can fit quite a bit on it.

Plus, if you have a wireless connection you can use BBC iplayer and stream TV to it directly, as well as use safari to browse the web.

[steve996]

I've got an Archos 704 for precisely this job!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Archos-704-wifi-portable-MP3...

This one is a 40gb unit, my ones a 80gb one. They have a 7" screen touchscreen and built in wireless. Batteries last about - 4 hours between charges.

I think there is a newer version of it now - the 705.

[Mars]

Archos. I've seen a few at airports and I've become rather interested in them. Large memory, wifi and decent screens. Cheaper than iPod too and will handle DiVX. iPod won't.

[Zad]

The Archos are definitely a better bet than the iPod if you are mainly using it for playing videos. Bigger screen, and at least some of them have removable batteries. Although I believe you have to pay extra for more codecs.

[Blue Meanie]

I work offshore, and had an archo 604 wifi. It was great to start with, but does prove to get a bit tiresome due to it's size. I now use an ipod classic, as it does games, music, audiobooks, TV series, films, etc. I thought the screen size would annoy me, but to be honest I find it better than the archos. More portable, easy to use, and fits on a belt, in top pocket. Plus the touchscreen died, and archos just weren't interested.

[onlynik]

I take a laptop offshore, with a external drive, filled with music/films/tv.

Just watch it in my bunk. Only on one rig have I not been able plug the laptop into a power socket, was some sttg drilling rig. GAIV possibly.

However I think a laptop is the way to go, only weigh a few kilos

[moleamol]

onlynik said:

I take a laptop offshore, with a external drive, filled with music/films/tv.

Just watch it in my bunk. Only on one rig have I not been able plug the laptop into a power socket, was some sttg drilling rig. GAIV possibly.

However I think a laptop is the way to go, only weigh a few kilos

This makes the most sense to me if you want to watch a film properly.

[benzo]

I admit this is a daft suggestion. Anyway. The Optoma EP720 DLP Projector weighs 2kg. It would probably fit in a medium sized ruck sack. However it is mains powered. If you hooked that up to a portable DVD player and used a decent set of headphones then all could be good. I guess you could point the image at a ceiling (if in bed). I suspect the 'screen' would need to be flat and ideally white.

http://www.game.co.uk/Xbox360/Hardware/Accessory/~...

[Justayellowbadge]

Archos.

For a mobile solution, nothing comes close.

Will hold a hundred odd movies and play three off a charge.

Good screen, great resolution.

Stupid, stupid cheap in the duty free.

Fantastic gadget.

[shirt]

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/27/review_eye...

[mybrainhurts]

Ask them to extend the pier out to you...

[cottonfoo]

Justayellowbadge said:

Archos.

For a mobile solution, nothing comes close.

Will hold a hundred odd movies and play three off a charge.

Good screen, great resolution.

Stupid, stupid cheap in the duty free.

Fantastic gadget.

Yup, the only real issue is you have to buy some of the codecs (I think they are built in but the purchase unlocks them) for full functionality, same with the web browser (which is Opera). I have the 160GB 605. With the dock it turns into a pretty good PVR, and you can play films (and music if you like) on a TV with full remote control.

Buy online or duty free, retail price is a rip off. I got mine with the dock for under £300.

The Cowon A2 isn't bad either, it doesn't have a touchscreen but doesn't require any codec release.

[Speed addicted]

benzo said:

I admit this is a daft suggestion. Anyway. The Optoma EP720 DLP Projector weighs 2kg. It would probably fit in a medium sized ruck sack. However it is mains powered. If you hooked that up to a portable DVD player and used a decent set of headphones then all could be good. I guess you could point the image at a ceiling (if in bed). I suspect the 'screen' would need to be flat and ideally white.

http://www.game.co.uk/Xbox360/Hardware/Accessory/~...

This may be slightly OTT..... The Archos looks ideal, I'll be going to Canada on holiday in about a month so I'll check the duty free price (if I can distract the wife for long enough).
Cheers.

[mcflurry]

What about an Asus eee?

[Stang]

I also have the Archos. You can buy them from Argos. I use mine linked to my bullit cam for recording.