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Thursday, April 7, 2011
Archos AV 700 100 GB Mobile Digital Video Recorder (Electronics)
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This review is from: Archos AV 700 100 GB Mobile Digital Video Recorder (Electronics)
The Archos AV 700 100GB Mobile Digital Video Recorder is THE sleeper gadget of the last two years! After two months of use after buying this item I have come to the conclusion that 95% of the so called "Cons" relating to this device are due to people NOT reading the instruction manual, or watching the instructional videos on the Archos AV 700 itself. The other 5% is from people who complain about everything that is not 100% perfect.
As far as putting your music on your Archos goes...nothing is easier. Syncing music is a snap with the Archos AV 700. Windows will know everything to do about a second after you plug the Archos AV 700 into the USB port on your computer. Contrary to popular belief the Archos AV 700 IS compatible with iTunes. You have to plug the Archos AV 700 into an Apple computer however. If you have iTunes on a windows machine I don't think it will work, but I am working on finding a way to do it. It sorts all your music just like it was on Windows media player and displays Album art work too, if available for your song. The best part of the Archos AV 700 is the music quality..... awesome!!! I used the same earbuds on my lap top to listen to music as I did with my Archos and I am hearing sounds and instruments I've never heard in some of my songs before. Archos's music quality has always been the best out there. Storing your pictures is just as easy as moving music over. I have always wanted an Archos device ever since a co-worker showed me one of there older Mp3 players that had a 60GB Hard drive in it when Apple was still at 5GB and 10GB.The sound quality and ease of use was there then and it is here now in their products.
The problems for most people come with copying DVDs and other movie formats to your AV 700. I transfered my first movie right after I gave the unit it's first battery charge. (which you must do, it is good for the life of your battery) It took me about a half hour to hook up the TV Pod, but most of that time was spent pulling my 350lb. T.V. out from the wall to hook up the cords. The best part about the T.V. pod is after you hook it up you can leave it there for as long as you want without a problem.
The video quality problem is solved by recording with an S-video cable, (I know there isn't one included in the box, but at the price you're paying for the AV 700 a 30.00 S-video cable shouldn't break you. If it does then you shouldn't be buying this item), setting the bitrate at a high level between 1500 kp/s to 2500kp/s (I recomend 2500)helps a lot, and looking on the back of your DVD you are transfering and looking to see what format the movie is displayed in (4:3 16:9 etc...) and setting the Archos to match. Those settings are found on the programing screen which comes up after you click on the Videocorder icon. It also displays when the AV 700 is connected to the TV pod with the TV on. You just scroll down using the directional pad on the right side of the device, and use the L R on the directional pad to change the values on the settings.
I don't recommend movies that take place mostly in the dark like Underworld, episodes of the X Files, Batman, etc... because the dark parts don't do well on a small LCD screen even if it is 7" big. That is the only downside I have found. You won't get as many movies stored by increasing the bitrate, but I have 6GB of music stored plus 10 full DVD movies stored at full bitrate, and I still have 80+ GB of memory left. The battery life is great even with movies playing. The complaints I have seen about it running hot are as far as I have seen unfounded. Any device from laptops to portable CD players will run a little warm or hot if it's AC adapter is plugged in while it is being used. I have found that my Archos gets a little warm but not hot. The key is to set the LCD screen to shut off after a few seconds when transfering movies, or when the screen isn't being used like when playing music. The Archos will shut the screen off during music play to save energy and screen life, but it depends on what your screen shut off setting is at. That will keep it running mildly warm. You must have the device plugged in however, when transfering movies, or syncing music.
I have had no problems with the issues I have heard about dealing with things like: LCD screen freezing up, The "poor" video quality, which can be adjusted, The so-called un-user friendly buttons and interface are complaints from people who can't hook up their own entertainment systems, or have to have Best Buy install their spyware or anti-virus software because they can't do it themselves. This is a device for early adopters of new technology, People who mess with the settings on their computers/cell phones/DVD players to better fit their likes and dislikes, can hook up their own DVD/DVR/VCR/change their own oil/swap out an old hard drive or memory for new ones. If you want your choices made for you.....buy something else cheaper and more boring. If you want something that does what it says and will casue everyone to say "what's that"? "Where did you get that?!" then get the Archos AV 700 100GB! It is the Ferrari/Aston Martin/Lambo/Audi of the digital world. Creative/Rio/SanDisk/ are the Chevy/Ford/Dodge/Kia of the digital world.
The big question everyone asks themselves these days seems to be "Is it better than the iPod"? Yes and No
Why? Well it is better due to the fact that instead of downloading Battlestar Gallactica through iTunes I can transfer my first season set on DVD to a device that has a seven inch screen on it to view the hot number 10 and Starbuck!, It has a 100GB hard drive!!!, the music quality is better than iPod!
It isn't better due to the fact iPod has a lot of TV shows and videos you can download from iTunes, the amount of accessories doesn't compare at all, the iPod does fit in your pocket.
I am planning on getting a 60GB iPod video later this year for the TV downloads and use with working out. My Archos is great but with a seven inch screen it makes it hard to run/jog with :)
It comes down to what you need. The Archos AV 700 ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you have a working brain you will love it!
Archos AV 700 100 GB Mobile Digital Video Recorder (Electronics) at amazon.com
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