Archos AV480

[chim_girl]

I'm considering one of these as the next essential gadget purchase. Does anyone have one or do you have something similar you would recommend instead?

[GregE240]

I just don't get PVR's Jo, sorry.

Not when you've got a xx" whatsit in your lounge.

When would you watch it?

[bilko2]

cool looks good
why?

[telecat]

I'd hang fire. Its a gadget with no use. Audio players can be listened to with attention on something else. Vdieo requires that attention be focused, It's why they have not taken off. You cannot use them in the car unless you are a passenger, only one film can be loaded up to it or a couple of episodes of tv series. If you are at home why watch on a piddley screen?

[thebluemonkey]

Currently got a Sony Clie which does all of this sort of thing but with alot less space, did all the video stuff on it and used it for about a week, then it became a calendar and address book. Have to agree though as a dedicated video machine it would reinvent invent itself as a doorstop pretty quickly.

[chim_girl]

GregE240 said:

When would you watch it?

Im my current circumstances I have to do lots of things that involve 'waiting' or 'sitting around' doing feck all. I always have a book or two with me, I thought this would be a suitable altenative. I like the idea that I could watch, listen and download pics, all in one place.

So far, the popular view suggests I have taken leave of my senses. (again!)

Where is that paperbag when I need it most!

[mybrainhurts]

Read a review somewhere.

Said there's bugger all available to download for viewing.

[t1grm]

Why is this woman trying to simulate oral sex with an electrical appliance

[IvIark]

I've got an Archos and they're superb. I wanted it primarily as an MP3 player with the video just really as a bonus (I already had a portable tablet DVD player) so I went for the AV140 with the smaller screen as the battery life was quite a bit better. My mate bought an AV480 when it came out though and it is really good.

The best thing about the video is that you can go on holiday with a box the size of a cig packet and take as many DivX films as you can fit on there (which would be a lot based on 700MB CD size each). This is really invaluable if you've got kids as I put about 20 of their favourite films on there, plugged it into the TV in the hotel room and you're away.

If you get one I would strongly recommend a freeware software package called Auto Gordian Knot which does all the hard work for you in converting the DVD to DivX format. Really easy to use and excellent results.

NOTE: All copies of DVDs that I have made have been done of discs that I own, under the UKs Fair Dealing policy. I'm not a pirate and I take exception to the Motion Picture Association of America telling me the way I'm allowed to watch a film I paid for.

[Chim_Girl]

So..at least I'm not alone in thinking this would be a useful gadget. Phew.

Anyone else have a view...?

[catretriever]

I came across this the other day...

www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=8456&GroupID=899

please buy it, and then tell me if it's any good...

Personally, I like the idea of being able to plug in a bullet cam for use on trackdays etc.

[off_again]

Chim_Girl said:

So..at least I'm not alone in thinking this would be a useful gadget. Phew. Anyone else have a view...?

Its a funny one, if you have the "stuff" for one then its great, but if not then its an expensive paperweight.

If for example you have a decent DVD collection which you watch over and over then great, or if you record programmes from TV to watch later; the gadget is great. But if you dont then its pretty pointless.

I recently bought one of those Sony Viao things (PC with nice screen and TV card) which is excellent. Not the same league obviously, but puts me firmly in the electronic age. Can watch TV, schedule recording and listen to music - doesnt sound much, but since its in electronic form portability gets Soooooo much easier. I can burn a DVD of my favourite TV programmes to watch on my laptop, or download a few albums on to my MP3 player.... did it last night in fact - recorded the Best of Top Gear episode and can burn it to a DVD to watch later in the week when I am working away....doesnt sound like much, but to me its actually allowing me to watch these things rather than just recording them and forgetting.

Is a PVR worth the cash? If you must have one then get one now, but expect the prices to crash for the next 6 months. If you can wait, I would. It wasnt long ago that the Arcos ones were £700-£800 a piece so there is more to drop down yet.....

[MilnerR]

£600! Buy yourself a good quality PDA (ipaq etc)and get a high capacity compact flash card (or a CF microdrive). You can watch films, listen to MP3s, edit word documents, look at pictures, organise your diary, play games, surf PH (with a mobile phone), send/recieve email, chat on MSN, link to a bluetooth GPS package, log onto to wirless networks and even take digital pictures with an addon camera. These PVRs look like a waste of money IMO

[moreymach]

Go for it !!

Ive got one of the Thompson Lyra thingys ( sort of ugly cheaper version of the Archos )and use it all the time. Its only a 20gb version but has huge numbers of photos, all my (limited ) cd collection, a 1/2 gb back-up file from my work pc and umpteen films and episodes of the Simpsons recorded straight from the tv.

If you have the spare cash then do it .. you WILL enjoy it.

[parrot of doom]

They're very cool little devices. I've played with a friend's AV420, I would say that the picture quality on high needs a bit of improvement, but its still a pretty fab device.

Best use is for regular travellers, especially people who fly regularly. A useful addition would be an RF modulator, then you could plug it into your hotel telly and watch some decent films.

[off_again]

MilnerR said:

£600! Buy yourself a good quality PDA (ipaq etc)and get a high capacity compact flash card (or a CF microdrive). You can watch films, listen to MP3s, edit word documents, look at pictures, organise your diary, play games, surf PH (with a mobile phone), send/recieve email, chat on MSN, link to a bluetooth GPS package, log onto to wirless networks and even take digital pictures with an addon camera. These PVRs look like a waste of money IMO

Know what you are saying, but having seen a couple in real life, they completely blow away a PDA for playback and screen quality. Where a PDA has to rely on severly reduced quality, a PVR doesnt (and has lots of spare space for decent encoded files in the first place). Some like the Archos even have the screen specifically setup for this which makes them easier on the eye anyway.

P.s. Why doesnt a PDA manufacturer do a decent sized screen in a cost effective package? Could sell loads of these but they seem to focus on the hand-held format exclusively...

[minimax]

Chim_Girl said:

So..at least I'm not alone in thinking this would be a useful gadget. Phew. Anyone else have a view...?

I think my mate chris (wildfireS3) has one, might be worth emailing him for his comments?

[IvIark]

parrot of doom said:

A useful addition would be an RF modulator, then you could plug it into your hotel telly and watch some decent films.

The AV140 came with an digital video recorder module that plugs into the bottom port. You can link this straight into your tv (via audio/video cable or scart) and it will play your films through the tv. As another added bonus it can also record off the tv straight to its hard drive.

[Chim_Girl]

catretriever said:

I came across this the other day... Mustek PVR H140 .

I'm just reading some reviews, but for less than the price of an Ipod, you could be onto something.

I will report back.....

[v8thunder]

Nope, wouldn't bother - just another example of making things smaller and shinier for the hell of it, I'm afraid.