Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (160 GB)
by Archos
(Click here)
Customers in the UK,
buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: ArchosBrand: Archos
Edition: Personal Computers
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD
Release Date: 2007-11-20
Platform: Windows
Model: 501016
Color: Grey
Publisher: Archos
Studio: Archos
Music Label: Archos
Product features:
- Robust and portable 160 GB multimedia device with Wi-Fi
- Download movies, TV shows, and songs via the integrated Archos content portal
- Surf the Web; share content; and view and post videos to Web video sites, such as YouTube
- Stream and watch videos from your PC
- Record your favorite TV shows
- Altec Lansing Music Speaker
- Archos Mini Dock for 405, 605, and 705 Players
- Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 Compact Docking Speakers for iPod and iPhone (Black)
- Logitech Pure-Fi Express Plus Omnidirectional Speaker Dock for iPod and iPhone
- Timex T435B MP3/CD Line-In 8-Color Clock Radio
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (160 GB)
Customer Review: Incredible device
Summary: 5 Stars
I had an Archos 604 30GB wifi for about a year, and then decided to move over to the 705 160 GB wifi for more memory and for the larger screen size. I was very pleased with the 604, and I am even more pleased with the 705. It comes with a wall charger, which the 604 did not; it could only be charged via a USB hook-up, which took forever. They both have their own case included, but the one for the 604 was made from leather and was very high quality. The one for the 705 is fabric and has a cheap feel to it, but does the job.
Yes, you will have to purchase plug-ins for full functionality, and yes, you will need the docking station to make full use of television recording. The Archos site does offer a free plug-in to download to enable the unit to work with the Dish network, specifically the 622 and the 722 models of DVRs from Dish. I have the 622 model and it works with it flawlessly. You simply plug in the 705 via the USB computer cable (supplied) to the front of the DVR and the gateway menu for transferring recorded shows magically appears. Everything on your Dish DVR is listed and you select the ones you want to transfer, highlight the start transfer, and you are on your way.
Two hours of recordings takes about 15 to 20 minutes to transfer, and you can watch other live programs or your other Dish recorded programs as this is taking place. How neat is that?
However, as a side note, I'm switching over to DirectTV in a few days (wife's insistence, long story) so I will be using the docking station for recording television from that point forward. I mainly got the unit to watch DVD movies when I travel anyway, so no big deal. I expect the docking station to arrive in a few days, and I also had one with my 604, so I don't foresee any major issues in going that route for any shows I want to record onto the 705.
This may be obvious to most, but I will mention that you cannot transfer anything recorded in high definition as the 705 will not accept it. You get a message to this effect on your television screen if you try to do this. As you can imagine, such a file would also take up a LOT of memory, so it's probably just as well. I believe this feature will eventually be available on the recently released 5 and 7 series (the internet media tablets), which offer as much as 360 GB of space, which you'll need every bit of if you load HD programs.
I should also mention that every program I have transferred from the Dish DVR is not so great regarding picture quality. The quality is fair, but not great. On the other hand, the picture quality of the DVDs I have transferred (once converted to .avi format via my PC) is, in my opinion, outstanding. The .avi files I transfer over also have subtitle capability, which I consider to be a great feature. A lot of software is out there to convert DVDs to this format, and after you practice with it a while it is really a fairly simple process.
Several reviewers have given the 705 a low rating because of low sound output. I believe recent firmware updates from Archos has corrected this, because I have not had the same experience. However, audio boosters are available to plug your headphones through if this is an issue for you, but admittedly this would be yet something else to lug around.
Lastly, to carry this thing and all of the odds and ends (charging cable, USB cables, headphones, etc) I have an REI Boarding Bag that works great. I use the Sennheiser PXC 250 Active Noise Canceling Headphones for trips via plane and they also work great, and have the added the benefit of being highly portable.
I am very pleased with the 705 and highly recommend it; I hope this review helps.
Description of Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (160 GB)
MP3 Archos 705 160GB hard driveWith 160 GB of built-in memory, the Archos 705 Wi-Fi portable media player lets you surf, stream, download, and record movies for easy playback on its crystal clear 800 x 480 7-inch full-color touchscreen. With its Wi-Fi capabilities, the 705 Wi-Fi connects to the Internet for surfing the Web, accessing e-mail, and watching Web-based videos wherever you go. Its Opera Browser plug-in puts Adobe Flash support on your Archos, which enables access to and use of Dailymotion and other Web video sites on your Archos device. You can even view and post YouTube videos wherever you have a wireless connection and your Archos.
 The Archos 705 delivers sharp visuals, Wi-Fi capabilities, and advanced audio/video playback. View larger. |
 Download your favorite podcasts with the ArchosLink Software.View larger. |
Bridging the gap between the PC and the TV, the 705 Wi-Fi allows you to stream content from a PC or the Internet directly to a TV or the 705--all through a wireless home network and an optional DVR station. It also features a sophisticated touchscreen, no-button design to ensure simple navigation with your fingertips or stylus. In the absence of a Wi-Fi network, content can be transferred to the device via USB 2.0. The player supports Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. The 705 Wi-Fi measures 7.05 x 4.96 x 7.75 inches, weighs only 22 ounces, and features a music playback battery life of up to 25 hours and a video playback life of up to 5.5 hours.
 New widgets for the Archos 705 include a calculator, currency converter, unit converter, news, and weather (above) as well as a note writer and data vault (below). |
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New Free Widget Pack
Archos has launched a new widget pack that is free for the 705. A widget is a piece of software that adds new features to your player. It gives you fun, quick, and easy access to hundreds of tools, right on the device. The package contains seven widgets, including a calculator, a currency converter, a unit converter, news, weather, a note writer, and a data vault.
To be able to use the widgets, you need to purchase the Web Browser plug-in (about $30). Then, you can download the free widget pack via Archos.com.
 New Dish Network plug-in for the Archos 705. |
New Dish Network Plug-in
With a new plug-in, you can transfer recorded movies and TV shows from your Dish Network set-top box directly to your Archos 705. Play back Dish Network-recorded movies and TV shows on the go or on TV--in DVD quality.
Multi-language is supported. The plug-in is compatible only with Dish Network STB models 622 and 722.
What's in the Box
Archos 705 Wi-Fi, headphones, USB 2.0 cable, USB 2.0 host adapter, DVR station saddle, two styli, remote control with built-in keyboard, power adapter and charger, protective pouch, quick start guide, and legal and safety notice. NOTE: The Archos 705 manual states that a UK/European adapter is included; however, this adapter is not included in the box. To obtain the adapter mentioned in the manual, contact Archos Customer Service at 866-489-4718--available seven days a week, 7AM to 11PM CST.
 The Archos Content Portal provides easy access to the latest movies, TV shows, and music directly to your Archos device. |  The device comes with photo-viewing capabilities, supporting JPEG, BMP, and PNG files. |
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