Archos 604 30GB Wi-Fi, Ultra-Slim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (50872) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have had this product for several weeks now.I thought long and hard about which type to buy (I finally settled on Archos as the manufacturer) and went with the 604 WiFi due to the size (704 is too large for what I wanted) and cost (the 604 without WiFi was about the same price).

I also prefer the removeable battery, which the 605 does not have. The 605 does allow you to stream video whereby the 604 doesn't, so if this is an important feature for you keep that in mind.Also, oddly enough, the 604 WiFi comes with the Archos browser already loaded, and it appears you have to pay extra for this with the 605.

Learning how to convert files took me a while, but I found a good software to use (there are several freebies out there) and through a bit of trial and error, I have it down to a pretty good routine now.I've put about four movies on it and they work fine, although one I may have to reload because the movement on the screen is a little choppy for some reason.Converting DVDs to .avi takes a while, so I usually do this in the background while doing something else.Transfering the file to the Archos only takes a few minutes.

I see many complaints about the fact that you have to buy extra accessories, which is apparently true for most any Archos PMP. You should, of course, do your research ahead of time and figure those costs in the final price before you make the decision to buy it in the first place.If you want any cables, the docking station, etc. add those into the total cost when you compare, presuming that whatever you are comparing it to has these already included.I have ordered the docking station but it has not yet arrived, so I can't comment on its usefulness (or lack thereof).I also bought the two plug-ins online at the Archos web site.I knew in advance that I would incur these costs in addition to the cost of the 604 if I wanted them.Considering the price I got if for on Amazon, though, I still considered it to be a good buy.

Several comments have also been made regarding the sound quality of the speaker.Well, of course it's bad! It is a tiny little thing on a faily small device, so don't expect thundering surround sound.All I use it for is to make sure that the movies I have transferred to it did transfer successfully with the sound. In that respect, it's pretty handy to have.

I plan to use this to watch movies while traveling by plane, and I think it is perfect for that purpose.It is heavier than I thought it would be and IMO it is not a good choice if you mainly want MP3.There are many lighter options for this with probably better sound quality.In no way would you want to go jogging with this thing; it's simply not made for that.

If you do decide to buy this device or another model, check out www.archosfans.com to get some useful tips on using it.For newbies like me in regard to file conversion, a great resource on this site is http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=8348, which guides you step-by-step.

All in all I have been pleased with my purchase and will probably buy a second one to give as a gift.I do recommend it.

EDIT 05/30/08:I have had this unit for about seven months now and continue to be pleased with it.I have it continually sitting in the docking station to charge and have learned how to set the timer. So, while in the docking cradle, it will turn on my Dish receiver, turn it to the correct channel, record the program and then turn the receiver off.You cannot transfer Dish recorded material to the unit, although you can do this with a free plug-in from Archos with the 605 or the 705 units.I am a bit irritated that Archos updated this feature for the 605/705 devices but not for the 604/704 devices, but such is life, I guess.

If I have any regret in buying it, it is that I didn't get the 80 GB or larger option instead of the 30 GB, but on the other hand this does make me delete those files I don't really need.It serves the exact purpose I wanted it for, though.When I travel, I now have a variety of programs to watch at my finger tips instead of being at the mercy of "AA Eye On American" every flight.It is one of the better buying decisions I've made.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Archos 604 30GB Wi-Fi, Ultra-Slim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (50872)

Product Description:
With the Archos 604 30 GB portable digital media player and recorder, you have all the entertainment you need at your fingertips in a package that approaches iPod size. The perfect companion for everything from long trips to short bus rides, and from going to parties to just hanging out around the house, the Archos 604 lets you not only take your favorite music, movies, and moments with you, but helps you make new favorite moments wherever you happen to be.


The unit's 4.3-inch TFT LCD display delivers a crystal-clear picture. With a screen size surface three times that of similar size PMPs (portable media players), the Archos 604 lets you thoroughly enjoy movies and videos. This unit employs a bright 4.3-inch TFT LCD display with over 16 million colors to deliver a crystal-clear, sharp picture, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixels of resolution, as well as an intuitive GUI (graphic user interface) for easy-to-use navigation. The Archos 604 not only plays your videos and movies, but also lets you store up to a whopping 85 movies on its hard drive in either MPEG-4 or WMV formats at up to DVD resolution. You can also purchase and download optional plug-ins from Archos' website that will allow you to play H.264 and MPEG-2 formats up to DVD resolutions as well.


Connections include a USB 2.0 interface, a dedicated DVR connector, a 3.5 mm stereo headphone jack, and a TV output. Not only is the Archos 604 a portable video and movie player, but a high-resolution photo viewer as well, complete with features such as zoom, music, and transition effects. You can easily download photos from your PC or transfer them directly to the 604 from your digital camera via the optional docking adapter. This unit is compatible with JPEG, BMP, and PNG file formats, and can hold up to 300,000 photos at a time, depending upon file size and what else you are storing at the same time. The Archos 604 can even read and display PDF documents for on-the-fly work situations, although it may not implement all PDF features.
For those times when you can't afford the distraction of watching high-quality videos, the Archos 604 can be your music player, storing and playing up to 15,000 songs so you can keep working, walking, or doing whatever you need with your own private soundtrack. The unit displays the track, artist, album, and album cover of whatever you are playing, and supports stereo MP3 decoding from 30 to 320 kbps CBR and VBR, as well as WMA, protected WMA, and WAV (PCM/ADPCM) formats. Furthermore, the Archos 604 can play AAC music files and AC3 stereo sound files with the additional of optional software plug-ins that can be purchased and downloaded from Archos' web site. And just in case inspiration strikes or you want to make sure you don't forget something important, this handy media player lets you make voice recordings through its built-in microphone, or via the optional DVR travel adapter or DVR station through a stereo line-in jack in WAV format.


Touch screen LCD lets you navigate through menus with a fingertip or stylus. The Archos 604 is fully compatible with DVD-quality VOD (video on demand) and online music stores, allowing you to purchase and download new music and movies directly online rather than having to transfer everything from more traditional media sources. This media player can also record directly from TV in high-quality MPEG-4 with stereo sound via the optional DVR station, so you can take your favorite television shows with you wherever you go. And if you are at home, the Archos 604 can play back any of your movies or recorded TV programs on your television itself, also through the optional DVR station.
The Archos 604 has a built-in 30 GB hard disk, so you have plenty of space for anything you need, and includes a high-speed USB 2.0 connection for transferring files. The 604 also offers Wi-Fi capability that lets you more easily transfer files to and from your Archos media player and other Wi-Fi enabled devices or computers. This unit features a 3.5-millimeter stereo headphone jack mini-jack and TV output, dedicated connectors for hooking up optional adapters or the DVR station, and a built-in kick stand for convenient table-top viewing. The 604 also features a music playback time of up to 16 hours, and a video playback time of up to five hours on its built-in LCD display, all with its internal, removable lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery that charges via computer through its USB port, or more quickly with the optional docking adapter or DVR station.
The Archos 604 is compatible with both PCs and Macs with a USB port and Linux, Windows ME or higher, or OS X or higher, and requires Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher and Windows Media Player 10 or higher for use with PlayForSure video and subscription services. This media player allows firmware updates to be downloaded via www.archos.com, weighs approximately 9.05 ounces, and measures approximately 5.1 by 3 by 0.65 inches (W x H x D).
What's in the Box
Archos 604 portable media player and recorder, headphones, dedicated USB 2.0 cable, DVR station adapter, pouch, quick-start guide, legal and safety notices.

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Sony VGF-AP1L 40 GB VAIO Pocket Digital Music Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought the Sony Vaio Pocket about a month ago.The first thing that I noticed out of the box is that it looks really cool.It's stylish, a little bigger than an ipod, and pretty light.The G-sense touchpad is also really cool.The navigation is a lot easier than the ipod, it takes a while getting used to, but you can do a lot more with it, like make playlists, change the equalizer, and add album covers, without having to switch between menus.The best feature, though, is the fact that it is in color.Listening to music while looking at pictures is fun.You can plug a digital camera right into the music player and transfer photos.And you can use any picture as the cover for any album, which you will see in the "Now Playing" screen.There are some glitches in the player, for example: In the main menu, if you go to "Artists", then choose an artist that has some songs in an album, but isn't the only artist for the album, it will give you all the songs in that album, instead of just the songs with that artist.Another glitch is that the main control panel, wich pops up if you put your finger on one of the g-sense buttons in the right column, sometimes doesn't refresh, so if you press the play button, sometimes it won't change to a stop button, it will just stay a play button.This is no big deal, just take your finger off the button, the control panel will go away, then put your finger back on the button and the play button will have turned into a stop button.
I had no problems with the software that it came with, it is easy to use, Sony Connect is a good music download service, though I don't know how it compares with Itunes.I have read reviews of other sony portable music players that said that transfering to Atrac3 was slow, but it wasn't slow on my computer, so that wasn't a problem.Transfering music to the player is really fast.I like Atrac3, it takes up less space than mp3 and it has the same sound quality.
One more thing that made this player a four star instead of a five is the headphones that it comes with.it is a remote control that plugs into the player, then earbud headphones that plug into the remote control.The place where the two earbuds come together is way off center, so when you are wearing them, the two cords come together at the side of your head.This is a problem with the remote control, because it pulls on one of the earbuds, and it can fall out easily.You have to use the remote control with the earbuds, because without it the earbud headphones are way way way too short.I just got different headphones and use those without the remote control.
Well, there is my review.I suggest that you buy it and just use different headphones, because otherwise it is a really cool digital music player.Go Sony!!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Sony VGF-AP1L 40 GB VAIO Pocket Digital Music Player

Product Description:
2/8/200615-19-32...

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MusicGremlin MG-1000 Wi-Fi MP3 Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The concept is great - being able to hop onto unsecured WiFi networks and grab music when and where you feel like it.I never had an issue getting on WiFi networks and the d/l speeds were fine.I have a number of gripes - many of which can be fixed with a s/w upgrade, so I bet this will only get better.
1) you can't download an entire album using your subscription pass - you have to d/l each track individually.Kooky
2) There is no auto-shutoff - at least not that I could find
3) you cant charge via USB if the battery is low - in other words, if your battery is low enough to shut the unit down, you must use AC to charge it.this is super annoying.
4) the unit could be a little slimmer - it's nice and light, but it's a little big.
5) there are some playback issues - if you hit the play button while a track is selected in the music catalog, it goes back to playing the already playing track.it should just play the track you've selected.

overall, I really like the unit and love the ability to 'send' music to the device using the [...].i'm definitely an early adopter, tho, who puts up with software glitches - not everyone might be so forgiving.I look forward to the new software updates.

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Samsung YP-P2JCR 8 GB Slim Portable Media Player (Burgundy) Review

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(More customer reviews)The P2 is a great Mp3 player that does everything.Music, videos, pictures, texts, voice recording, games, bluetooth, and more all work beautifully.With Samsung's updates to the firmware every month or so, this product just gets better and better.Five stars for sure- go Samsung for creating a stylish player that feels great in the hand and does more than it says in the description!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung YP-P2JCR 8 GB Slim Portable Media Player (Burgundy)

Product Description:
3" 16x9 widescreen LCD with stylish formfactorVideo, music, and photo playbackCompatible formats: MP3, WMA, OGG,MPEG4, WMV, JPEG, TXT Built-in internal Bluetooth 2.0Bluetooth 2.0 speakers/headphonescompatibleAvailable in 4GB and 8GB flash memoryFM Radio with auto preset capabilityDatacasts, rext files, alarm Clock, worldclockMobile playlist, file browser, calendar30 hours audio and 5 hours video playbackInternal lithium polymer rechargeableBatteryAlso available in black, burgundy, white

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SanDisk Sansa Connect 4 GB MP3 Player (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had the Connect for about a week now, and have now acquired a library of about 600 songs, about half of which I had never heard of before. I'm totally blown away by its paradigm-shifting technology.

With a WI-FI connection the Sansa Connect plays Internet radio, and if you like a song that is playing, you can download that track or album, as well as make a playlist from other songs that are similar in style. This is my favorite feature--it has introduced me to music that I would never have heard of otherwise, in genres ranging from Ambient House to Uber Indie.Before I go to sleep, I initiate the download process from the genres I like, and in the morning, I have a bunch of new tracks to listen to, which I can then play without having a WI-FI connection.

The sound quality is very good. I believe it encodes the tracks at 192K. Not as hi-fidelity as a vinyl encoded at 320K, but almost as good as a CD.

You can also recommend songs, and that will affect which songs get downloaded, as well as which songs it plays on the Internet Radio.

The user-interface is very intuitive. I can now almost operate the unit with my eyes closed.

My only complaint is that the headphone jack is right next to the USB port, at the bottom of the unit, instead of on the side.

Much of the pleasure from the unit comes the discovery of new music. If you are a "Life is the Journey, not the Destination" kind of person, then this player is definitely for you.

Here are a two features that would be nice to have:
1. download a specific song
2. playlist management: move and copy tracks to other playlists

The firmware will be automatically updated through the WI-FI connection, so hopefully they'll add these features shortly.

Click Here to see more reviews about: SanDisk Sansa Connect 4 GB MP3 Player (Black)

Product Description:
Stay connected no matter where you are. The Sansa Connect MP3 player allows you leave the computer behind, and connect to any open wireless "hot spot." Play music, view photos, stream internet radio, or chat with friends using one device. In addition to 802.11g Wi-Fi connectivity, the Connect features 4 GB memory, a MicroSD slot for capacity expansion, a 2.2-inch TFT color screen for viewing your music library and photos, and an internal speaker. Measuring 2.05 x 3.58 x 0.63 inches (WxLxH) and weighing in at 2.7 ounces, the Connect won't weigh you down. The Sansa Connect MP3 player is the first Wi-Fi based MP3 player from Sandisk's audio line.

View Interactive Demo Download music from online subscription services and listen to Internet radio stations when connected to open Wi-Fi network. View stored photos or Flickr albums on the go. Chat and share recommendations with friends.



Connect With Your Friends
Chat and share song recommendations with your Yahoo! Messenger friends. Talk to your friends or stumble upon other Sansa Connect users near you. See what your friends are listening to and search through recommendations that have been sent to you. Recommend your favorite music to your friends.


Share Your Photos Anywhere
Explore interesting photos on the go. Access Flickr albums and photos wirelessly, or view your stored photos on an inserted microSD card.


Choose Your Format
The Sansa Connect works with MP3 and WMA (both secure and unprotected) files. It also supports Microsoft PlaysForSure subscription music.
Easy to Use
Add additional capacity to your player or move files to other devices using the microSD card slot. Quickly navigate your music or photos using the intuitive, easy-to-use interface. Recharge the internal, lithium-ion battery via your computer's USB 2.0 port or using the included AC adapter. The device is compatible with PCs running Windows XP (Service Pack 2) or Vista, and requires Windows Media Player 10 or later.


What's in the Box
Sansa Connect digital audio player, AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, earphones, protective case, lanyard, Quick Start guide

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Creative ZEN X-Fi - Digital player / radio - flash 8 GB - WMA, AAC, MP3 - video playback - display: 2.5" Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)It comes packaged inside a thick-plastic sealed blister package.Once that is removed, the primary packaging is revealed - a HARD plastic (about 1mm thick) sealed, clear clam-shell with the X-Fi suspended inside on a transparent plastic platform.It looks really cool... until you try to open the thing.Seriously, people - be careful.You can injure yourself very seriously using the amount of force necessary to penetrate this anti-theft packaging on steroids.

Enough about the packaging.

The player itself is an attractive, slim, glossy black device with a large screen that can do all sorts of things.You can read the specs above I'm sure so I won't get into all the details, but let's just say that it does about 75% of its functions very well.The other functions you'll probably never want to use.

The things it does well: Music, movies, pictures, storage, microphone.
The things it does terribly: Everything else (instant messaging, etc).I have not tried the wi-fi capabilities.

One thing Creative has continued to do well is their support for audible books and other audible media.If you subscribe to Audible, this is a fantastic player for those types of media.

The user interface appears nice, but the awful multi-button interface is the worst-implemented button interface I have ever witnessed.I'm used to it now, but all 12-or-so buttons are identical, feel identical - you can't just grab it and begin pressing buttons - you gotta pay attention to which ones you intend to press - otherwise you risk losing your place in what you're listening to.

Battery life is quite good - I used it on a cross-country plane trip to listen to audio books for a few hours and then played 2 or 3 45-minute videos while on the plane before the battery meter red-lined.

The unit does lock up - I keep a small paperclip in my car for that very purpose.It happens maybe once a week or less and always occurs during start up or shut down.Again, I've just gotten used to it and adpated.It's not too terrible - electronic devices aren't perfect - when was the last time your PC crashed, eh?

Click Here to see more reviews about: Creative ZEN X-Fi - Digital player / radio - flash 8 GB - WMA, AAC, MP3 - video playback - display: 2.5

Product Description:
ZEN X-FI 8GB MP3 WMA

Get 15% OFF

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Pyrus Electronics 4gb Mp3/mp4/mp5 Player with 2.8 Inch Touch Screen and All Stainless Steel Casing Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This item only had one review so i thought i would share info on this great player. I only paid [...]for this,so how much can you really expect,right? First of all i got free shipping(which i wouldn't do again)and they held the product for five days before shipping.Once they shipped it,it came by usps so it was not bad.Anyhow,this ipod copy(as they call them)does everything it's supposed to and more.I am not by any means a computer geek or software specialist but i had a full length movie loaded in it the first night. Shocked Me!!But i did do one important thing,i read the instructions on the website and followed them. first try,loaded a current movie(1.35 gb).played perfectly. this was so easy because you just open the player up on usb and find the file (movie,song,pics)and just drag it over to the player.It took about 4 minutes do download the whole 1.35 gb movie.Remember you have to follow instructions including downloading the converting software but that was very easy too.The fm radio works well with no problems.I was very surprised at how good the touchscreen works. Very easy to move around with soft touches. You do have to click twice but that soon becomes second nature.Easy to get through the video for fast forward. If you leave the movie and come back you can return to the same spot.Tried the micro mini sd slot (2gb is the only one i have) and the player reads it well.It charges very easily. Only concern i have is battery life,seems to go quickly,but is getting better the more i use it. But i did play music for about 5 hours and the battery was a little less than half,so it might be fine.Touchscreen is not chintzy like a lot of people say about some of these players.Comes with a built in stylus for pointing,but i haven't even got it out of the player yet because my fingernail works fine. The voice recorder works good. The speakers work but are very low decibel.You won't use them much,but you can hook up a pair of off market speakers with no problem.i bought a square trade warranty for 5 bucks which will cover this for three years.So to wrap it up i have to say(you probably think i work for pyrus or something)but i am just an average jerk like anyone else and wanted to let people in on what a great player this is!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Pyrus Electronics 4gb Mp3/mp4/mp5 Player with 2.8 Inch Touch Screen and All Stainless Steel Casing

Product Description:
This beauty comes with a crystal clear 2.8 inch LCD Touch Screen and All stainless steel casing. It is sleek and beautiful with less than half inches in thickness. Durable and light weight. You can play AVI, RM, RMVB, most Mpeg4, WMV, Xvid and FLV stream (YouTube) files directly on this device without the need for conversion. Most MP4 or MP5 players out there do not play MPEG4, WMV or Xvid files. This is a huge improvement over the older models. Please note: license protected files (like iTune video or movies purchased from some websites) will NOT play. Some video files with high resolution might need to be compressed to 320 * 240 to play. It automatically organizes your MP3 files into different artists, styles, genre and album based on ID 3 tag information. You can even add songs into My Favorite to create your own play list right on the device. The video quality is crispy clear. It can play videos in full screen mode. with the 2.8 inch high resolution screen, watching movie and video clip on the go becomes so much more fun. Photos can be rotated 360 degrees. you can either flip through the photos right on the screen or turn on the photo slide show. The text reader, radio and recording functions just added many other value added features to this device. All in all, this is a very affordable high quality multi media player out there with decent touch screen and user friendly interface. Package includes PE Stainless Steel Touch Screen Player, Earphone, Wall Charger, Built in Stylus, USB cable, Pouch, and User Manual. *###* IMPORTANT TIP *###* You can go into Settings>>System Settings and set the screen to lock after certain amount of time. Once the screen is not used for the set amount of time, it will lock up to prevent accidental touch. There will be a lock sign at the top of the screen. TO UNLOCK the screen, simply push the "Power Button" once quickly. *###* IF IT GOES INTO THE CALIBRATION MODE, please use the stylus to touch the Red Dot to calibrate it.

Get 39% OFF

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