Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (80 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: Electronics
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: CD
Release Date: 2007-11-06
Platform: Windows
Model: 501013
Color: Grey
Publisher: Archos
Studio: Archos
Music Label: Archos
Product features:
- Robust and portable 80 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
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (80 GB)
Customer Review: Versatile device, but has a learning curve
Summary: 5 Stars
This device is extremely flexible and can do many things well. The reason I bought it, however, was to avoid having to carry around DVDs for the kids in the car, on vacations, and so on. Of course, transferring commercial (that is, encrypted) DVDs to any device requires a bit of trickery. Many use programs such as DVD Decrypter and DVD Shrink to rip video files off their DVDs to make backups (any one with kids knows that making backups of fragile, easily scratched DVDs is less a question of intellectual property rights than one of economic common sense). The Archos 705 will play these ripped files using the Cinema plugin (which you have to purchase from the Archos site). I am okay paying extra for the plugin (see the caveat below); however, the problem I encountered (and many others also, judging from other postings around the Internet) is that the volume level for ripped DVDs was too low to be useful, even with better headphones (not recommended for those with three young kids) and an auxiliary headphone amplifier (recommended since it gives you multiple headphone jacks for multiple kids).
Based on my experience to this point, it seems the best answer is to transcode the ripped VOB files (from the DVD) using software that allows you to increase the volume in the process. I know this sounds like a lot of effort: Not only is the whole world of codecs and framerates complex, but it the transcoding process itself is very time consuming--creating a high-quality copy can take several hours depending on your computing horse power). However, until we can transfer videos directly to the device (I am not holding my breath), some level of effort is going to be involved. Plus, the transcoded files can be (if you want) much smaller than the VOBs on the DVD.
I have had good success using Jesterware's DVD Ripper Professional to rip, decrypt, and transcode commercial DVDs on Windows. Note, however, that the software is not free (roughly $30). Think of it this way: You can buy transcoding software instead of the Archos' Cinema plugin because the transcoded AVI files play without a plugin.
For those who care, I have had even more success with DVD::Rip on Linux (which is, of course, free). Indeed, DVD:Rip plus MediaTomb (an open source streaming program for Linux) makes the Archos 705 a truly incredible little device. For example, I can store hundreds of gigabytes of music and video on a Linux server (visible to iTunes through Samba, by the way) and stream it all wirelessly via MediaTomb and the Archos "Universal Plug and Play" feature to any TV or stereo in my house (you can also do this using Windows Media Player 11 on a Windows server, of course). Then, if we are going on a trip, I can copy a subset of my digital content to the Archos' hard drive.
Description of Archos 705 Wi-Fi Portable Media Player (80 GB)
The Archos 705 Wi-Fi portable media player lets you surf, stream, download and record movies easily for playback on the industry's highest quality 7 touch screen. The 705 Wi-Fi is the only wide-screen portable media player that connects to the Internet for surfing the Web, accessing email and watching YouTube videos wherever you go. The integrated Archos Content Portal features thousands of movies, TV shows and songs for downloading wirelessly to the player, and an integrated TV Program Guide lets you record your favorite TV shows for playback wherever you go. The 705 Wi-Fi bridges the gap between the PC and the TV. For the first time, you can stream content from the PC or the Internet directly to the TV or the 705--all through a wireless home network. The touch screen features the highest resolution (800x480), and capacities of 80 GB and 160 GB that provide hundreds of hours of entertainment enjoyment.With 80 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). |
 |
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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