DVR Station Gen 5 Record from TV and most video sources in MPEG-4 format Play back on TV in DVD quality High quality in/out AV connections Charge your ARCHOS device Stream Media from your PC to your TV using your WiFi home network (for WiFi devices)

  Turn your Archos 5 multimedia tablet into a complete multimedia centre with the DVR Station! This docking station is equipped with excellent connectivity, including an HDMI socket, allowing you to navigate between your Archos 5, TV, computer, DSL box, satellite receiver, digital TV (DVB-T), or VCR! You'll be able surf the web without ever turning on your comput display photos or watch high-definition videos with 5.1 Surround Sound! The DVR Station also comes with a wireless remote control, perfect for use with the digital Media Club portal. When it's combined with the DVR Station, you're Archos 5 also becomes a Freeview tuner equipped with a TV guide! Plus, this DVR Station boasts an ultra-fast charge time! Connectivity: Audio L&R, S-Video, composite, RGB, YPbPr, SPDIF, HDMI, AV  

Archos 5 is different than an iPod - much better for my needs, 18 Oct 2008
Bought this a few weeks ago - the 120GB version. It's great. It does everything it says it does and more. I've not got a Tuff-Luv case for it as there isn't one that comes with it (poor show). I still thnk the price is too high as much cheaper abroad. However I bought mine (sorry Amazon) from Heathrow Terminal 1 Dixons for £195. However Dixons now raised their price to almost that of Amazon so I'd recomend getting from Amazon now.
I've filled 3/4 of the hard drive now with muisic/films and many TV programmes. Not a problem though as easy to connect to laptop or external drives or flash memory and you can file manage from the Archos.
I think the adverts and reviews for the system really undersell it.
Youtube is great. I've not found anything remotely interesting on web-tv but web-radio has some good music channels and comedy chanells. You can use BBC iplayer.
The internet opera software is better than the one I've got in my Nintendo wii - it plays nearly all videos and is very quick. I've got the dvr station and the mini keyboard doobry is actually quite quick to use. I paid for the upgrade to get the different formats of video/music. Most reviews complain about this but it's not a huge amount of money and I'm guessing it's a way for Archos to ensure they get some money directly.
I've downloaded hundred of flash games from the internet - all free - loads of sites. Just take care they don't need left/right/up/down but have mouse control and they should work. Sme are actually really good - burst the pimple on the spotty teenager is my favourite of the day. The widgets are actually not that bad - the currency converter autoupdates if you're connected to the internet - the calculator is easy to use - the weather is good (sunny today) - I won't use the others though. It wold be good if Archos do some more if if I find out that others can work too from other systems.
I've not paid to get any moviews from the Archos movie club or games form the Archos site as I think they're a bit poor and a bit of a ripoff and there is no need.
The TV scheduler is good - I have sky and it has listings (via internet) that are very good to use but wuite a few channels missing on their listing. It is great that the Archos has an infra red beamer and auto channel changes for you if it's pointing at your sky box (we have sky+ downstairs and it doesn't work on that but it's fine on normal sky box upstairs which is where we use it).Very easy to use and the channels they don't have on their listings are not ones I watch so no issue. I'm worried I've seen websites saying there will be a subscription after one year - I've not seen anything in my documentation about this so it could be a rumour...
The speakers are not so loud - but I use headphones when I'm out and about and mini speaker dock (or connected to a TV) when I'm at home.
I bought the DVR station and that does look a bit cluncky with lots of wires but it does the job well. When they do improve it they should think about how it looks with all those wires and the transformer plug is large and heavy.
I recommend upgrading the firmware just as soon as you can - it makes a lot of difference on speed - especially with USB connection. I've upgraded mine twice in the last 2 weeks and wil check now every few weeks - it's very easy to do this.
The wifi link works well - it doesn't pick up wifi signals as well as my laptop does though - I was in a hotel last week and the laptop picked up the free hotel wifi but you had to move the Archos close to the door to pick it up. At home though it works well even at the back of the garden so I can use it anywhere I am - it doesn't quite pick it up down the road in the pub though.
Transferring DVDs is easy.

Get your hands on the simple-to-use, powerful Archos 5 multimedia player! The Archos 5 is a 250 GB touch screen tablet that gives you wireless access to Internet anywhere and anytime. It includes a 4.8" screen, the Internet browser Opera, as well as an email server, while letting you read Flash and PDF files at top speed thanks to its built-in ARM Cortex processor. Its Media Club web portal lets you watch on-demand videos, as well as play and record endless files! You can even watch and share high definition files thanks to the Archos 5's cutting-edge technology! Plus, this multimedia player comes equipped with an FM tuner, so you can listen to all your favourite radio stations. The Archos 5 even gives you a number of extension possibilities when you choose its optional accessories!

Archos 5 is different than an iPod - much better for my needs, 18 Oct 2008
Bought this a few weeks ago - the 120GB version. It's great. It does everything it says it does and more. I've not got a Tuff-Luv case for it as there isn't one that comes with it (poor show). I still thnk the price is too high as much cheaper abroad. However I bought mine (sorry Amazon) from Heathrow Terminal 1 Dixons for £195. However Dixons now raised their price to almost that of Amazon so I'd recomend getting from Amazon now.
I've filled 3/4 of the hard drive now with muisic/films and many TV programmes. Not a problem though as easy to connect to laptop or external drives or flash memory and you can file manage from the Archos.
I think the adverts and reviews for the system really undersell it.
Youtube is great. I've not found anything remotely interesting on web-tv but web-radio has some good music channels and comedy chanells. You can use BBC iplayer.
The internet opera software is better than the one I've got in my Nintendo wii - it plays nearly all videos and is very quick. I've got the dvr station and the mini keyboard doobry is actually quite quick to use. I paid for the upgrade to get the different formats of video/music. Most reviews complain about this but it's not a huge amount of money and I'm guessing it's a way for Archos to ensure they get some money directly.
I've downloaded hundred of flash games from the internet - all free - loads of sites. Just take care they don't need left/right/up/down but have mouse control and they should work. Sme are actually really good - burst the pimple on the spotty teenager is my favourite of the day. The widgets are actually not that bad - the currency converter autoupdates if you're connected to the internet - the calculator is easy to use - the weather is good (sunny today) - I won't use the others though. It wold be good if Archos do some more if if I find out that others can work too from other systems.
I've not paid to get any moviews from the Archos movie club or games form the Archos site as I think they're a bit poor and a bit of a ripoff and there is no need.
The TV scheduler is good - I have sky and it has listings (via internet) that are very good to use but wuite a few channels missing on their listing. It is great that the Archos has an infra red beamer and auto channel changes for you if it's pointing at your sky box (we have sky+ downstairs and it doesn't work on that but it's fine on normal sky box upstairs which is where we use it).Very easy to use and the channels they don't have on their listings are not ones I watch so no issue. I'm worried I've seen websites saying there will be a subscription after one year - I've not seen anything in my documentation about this so it could be a rumour...
The speakers are not so loud - but I use headphones when I'm out and about and mini speaker dock (or connected to a TV) when I'm at home.
I bought the DVR station and that does look a bit cluncky with lots of wires but it does the job well. When they do improve it they should think about how it looks with all those wires and the transformer plug is large and heavy.
I recommend upgrading the firmware just as soon as you can - it makes a lot of difference on speed - especially with USB connection. I've upgraded mine twice in the last 2 weeks and wil check now every few weeks - it's very easy to do this.
The wifi link works well - it doesn't pick up wifi signals as well as my laptop does though - I was in a hotel last week and the laptop picked up the free hotel wifi but you had to move the Archos close to the door to pick it up. At home though it works well even at the back of the garden so I can use it anywhere I am - it doesn't quite pick it up down the road in the pub though.
Transferring DVDs is easy.

They just keep getting better!!, 07 Nov 2008
The Archos 5 is just so much improved it's hard to fine any fault at all. All Archos products are wonderful but this time they have outdone themselves. A Superb entertainment machine and the screen is so good I watch full movies rather than sit in fron of the TV, As Archos always have said "think snmaller". Just wonderful.

Get your hands on the easy-to-use, powerful Archos 5 multimedia player! The Archos 5 is a 120 GB touch screen tablet that gives you wireless access to Internet anywhere and any time. It includes a 4.8" screen, the Internet browser Opera, as well as an e-mail server, while letting you read Flash and PDF files at top speed thanks to its built-in ARM Cortex processor. Its Media Club web portal lets you watch on-demand videos, as well as play and record endless files! You can even watch and share high definition files thanks to the Archos 5's cutting-edge technology! Plus, this multimedia player comes equipped with an FM tuner, so you can listen to all your favourite radio stations. The Archos 5 even gives you a number of extension possibilities when you choose its optional accessories!

The makers at ARCHOS introduce their 5th Generation of multimedia players, equipped with a WiFi connection for easy downloads and online streaming. The ARCHOS 705 WiFi player is no exception, loaded with advanced technologies and revolutionary functions to keep you entertained wherever you are.  The 705 WiFi can store up to 200 films, 1 million photos and 95,000 songs in its 160 GB memory, and it delivers top-quality images in 800 x 480 pixel resolution on its 7? screen. The 705 WiFi is compatible with MPEG4 video formats and DVD resolution, and it can even read your PDF files!This portable ARCHOS device can also record video and sound thanks to its DVR docking stations (optional).  You can even surf the Web and stream videos for additional entertainment options.The built-in WiFi connection makes it easy to transfer files from your computer to the ARCHOS 705 WiFi without even having to use cables!Plus, its battery lasts for 25 hours in MP3 mode and 5 ½ hours in video mode so you can enjoy hours of uninterrupted media play!  The 705 WiFi is a versatile multimedia player that puts all the fun of digital entertainment right in your pocket!

Archos 5 is different than an iPod - much better for my needs, 18 Oct 2008
Bought this a few weeks ago - the 120GB version. It's great. It does everything it says it does and more. I've not got a Tuff-Luv case for it as there isn't one that comes with it (poor show). I still thnk the price is too high as much cheaper abroad. However I bought mine (sorry Amazon) from Heathrow Terminal 1 Dixons for £195. However Dixons now raised their price to almost that of Amazon so I'd recomend getting from Amazon now.
I've filled 3/4 of the hard drive now with muisic/films and many TV programmes. Not a problem though as easy to connect to laptop or external drives or flash memory and you can file manage from the Archos.
I think the adverts and reviews for the system really undersell it.
Youtube is great. I've not found anything remotely interesting on web-tv but web-radio has some good music channels and comedy chanells. You can use BBC iplayer.
The internet opera software is better than the one I've got in my Nintendo wii - it plays nearly all videos and is very quick. I've got the dvr station and the mini keyboard doobry is actually quite quick to use. I paid for the upgrade to get the different formats of video/music. Most reviews complain about this but it's not a huge amount of money and I'm guessing it's a way for Archos to ensure they get some money directly.
I've downloaded hundred of flash games from the internet - all free - loads of sites. Just take care they don't need left/right/up/down but have mouse control and they should work. Sme are actually really good - burst the pimple on the spotty teenager is my favourite of the day. The widgets are actually not that bad - the currency converter autoupdates if you're connected to the internet - the calculator is easy to use - the weather is good (sunny today) - I won't use the others though. It wold be good if Archos do some more if if I find out that others can work too from other systems.
I've not paid to get any moviews from the Archos movie club or games form the Archos site as I think they're a bit poor and a bit of a ripoff and there is no need.
The TV scheduler is good - I have sky and it has listings (via internet) that are very good to use but wuite a few channels missing on their listing. It is great that the Archos has an infra red beamer and auto channel changes for you if it's pointing at your sky box (we have sky+ downstairs and it doesn't work on that but it's fine on normal sky box upstairs which is where we use it).Very easy to use and the channels they don't have on their listings are not ones I watch so no issue. I'm worried I've seen websites saying there will be a subscription after one year - I've not seen anything in my documentation about this so it could be a rumour...
The speakers are not so loud - but I use headphones when I'm out and about and mini speaker dock (or connected to a TV) when I'm at home.
I bought the DVR station and that does look a bit cluncky with lots of wires but it does the job well. When they do improve it they should think about how it looks with all those wires and the transformer plug is large and heavy.
I recommend upgrading the firmware just as soon as you can - it makes a lot of difference on speed - especially with USB connection. I've upgraded mine twice in the last 2 weeks and wil check now every few weeks - it's very easy to do this.
The wifi link works well - it doesn't pick up wifi signals as well as my laptop does though - I was in a hotel last week and the laptop picked up the free hotel wifi but you had to move the Archos close to the door to pick it up. At home though it works well even at the back of the garden so I can use it anywhere I am - it doesn't quite pick it up down the road in the pub though.
Transferring DVDs is easy.

They just keep getting better!!, 07 Nov 2008
The Archos 5 is just so much improved it's hard to fine any fault at all. All Archos products are wonderful but this time they have outdone themselves. A Superb entertainment machine and the screen is so good I watch full movies rather than sit in fron of the TV, As Archos always have said "think snmaller". Just wonderful.

Wicked player! not so good browser :(, 29 Oct 2008
Purchased only few days ago (27/10/08). Charged battery for 8 hours, got a bit worried as lost 1 bar in 5 mins, soon went down to 1 bars. Suggest buying additional battery dock as it eats up power. Web-brower plug-in is £20 additional feature, but find it glitchy. YouTube streaming is fantastic tho, goes full screen and excellent quality. Waiting for my DVR 5 to come! suggest buying add-on features it is worth it!

Archos 705 160gb is worth the money...

Archos 705 a real let down, 01 Oct 2008
Purchased this item and delivery was quick. Dissapointed with the picture quality. For an item of this value I would have expected better. Then I had to download and pay for 2 X plugins before it would work a real rippoff from archos! I did not need to call them but I understand they use a premium rate number and keep you holding for a while.
Lastly now I have had the unit for 1 month, it is dead!!! I have examined the unit and had to open it up to see a reset switch next to the battery connections. I pressed it in for a couple of seconds and it came back to life asking me to set up the screen by touching some x's. It is ok for now but would never touch a product made from Archos again.

not half bad, 16 Sep 2008
well what can i say its good in so many and bad in others ill start with a list

good+
its got a nice strong build on it a bit big but hey its worth it for the screen size even fits nicely into my cargo pocket in my combats its simple to put movies and songs onto just plug it in and slap em into the correct folders you can view pdf files slowly but surly that is speakers could be worse to bad but ear buds work so much better and can adjust the sound settings while your listening good screen on it 7 inch touchscreen its good color and sharpness id rate it 4/5 because iv seen better but not by much

bad -
the speakers are a bit poor and tinny the touchscreen is not very receptive so you might end up damaging and scratching your screen trying to get something done also i really don't like the fact you have to pay 50 for the dock for the very function it advertising its self as a DVR and 20 for most basic programs ever like the web browser on there if they made it so you could activate executable files i could put Mozilla on there hmm what other things can i rant about? .... oh yea hate that you have to play so much extra for simple codecs oh my frikin god how i loath that i mean there sooooo simple why charge 20 squids for like 4 extra codecs when if you Google cccp you can download a whooping library of em to play even the moste obscure well rant over all in all im fumed and finished lol

Poorly supported and glitchy, 08 Jun 2008
Incredibly poor customer support.
Archos will only deal with its customers problems if you have a WMA number which you can only get after queueing on their premium rate "support" lines. Support lines are off hand to rude. Goods returned not fixed.

This is a real draw back as Archos' appear inheritantly glitchy.



Ok but for the fatal flaw, 07 May 2008
I bought the 160gb version that was supposed to have manual and reg instructions on the drive. not there no help on archos site. after a week of trying eventually found how to purchase plug in for web browser and set up archos account. gradually learnt how to use it. the touch screen is NOT finger friendly, it's slow but audio sound is great through h/p and even a £3 lead into my amp. Began to fall in love with the ability to watch video streamed from youtube n google video as I walked around the house etc and went to bed each night streaming films. however they always cut out after ten minutes thought i was being dumb. again no help on site then found out by trial and error it needed to be plugged in to ac adaptor not only when synching with wmp11 but to watch streamed vids longer than approx 10min. If you like your audio don't rip WMplayer in lossless or anything else as archos forces a downgrade to standard wma which takes forever. corrupt files are common too.

Here's the crunch, never got as far as setting up my bundled dvr station or other extras as on day 12 FATAL ERROR recovery error 102 none of the restore options worked archos site never heard of that error n couldn't help. the device felt weighty and of good build quality so i thought i must have been unlucky and got a duff hard drive. Not so!! the flash drives suffer the same problem and there are thousands of people on the forums with the same problem with no resolution but to RMA. I've decided grudgingly to wait for a larger capacity iTouch. The bricked archos remains by the door a month later waiting to be collected, and needless to say i ain't got my money back yet. It was great while it lasted but i'd never by another.

Record from TV and most video sources in MPEG-4 format2. Make scheduled recordings with the included infrared emitter that controls the external video sources. Play back on TV in DVD quality (in video formats supported by your ARCHOS) through the composite, S-video, RGB or YPbPr video outputs. Listen to music on your stereo system. Listen to 5.1 sound included in videos (with optional MPEG-22 plug-in) on your home cinema system through the SPDIF output. Connect your PC, hard disk or most mass storage devices to play or to transfer content (video, photos,music...). Record from TV and most video sources in MPEG-4 format Play back on TV in DVD quality High quality in/out AV connections Charge your ARCHOS device

Archos 5 is different than an iPod - much better for my needs, 18 Oct 2008
Bought this a few weeks ago - the 120GB version. It's great. It does everything it says it does and more. I've not got a Tuff-Luv case for it as there isn't one that comes with it (poor show). I still thnk the price is too high as much cheaper abroad. However I bought mine (sorry Amazon) from Heathrow Terminal 1 Dixons for £195. However Dixons now raised their price to almost that of Amazon so I'd recomend getting from Amazon now.
I've filled 3/4 of the hard drive now with muisic/films and many TV programmes. Not a problem though as easy to connect to laptop or external drives or flash memory and you can file manage from the Archos.
I think the adverts and reviews for the system really undersell it.
Youtube is great. I've not found anything remotely interesting on web-tv but web-radio has some good music channels and comedy chanells. You can use BBC iplayer.
The internet opera software is better than the one I've got in my Nintendo wii - it plays nearly all videos and is very quick. I've got the dvr station and the mini keyboard doobry is actually quite quick to use. I paid for the upgrade to get the different formats of video/music. Most reviews complain about this but it's not a huge amount of money and I'm guessing it's a way for Archos to ensure they get some money directly.
I've downloaded hundred of flash games from the internet - all free - loads of sites. Just take care they don't need left/right/up/down but have mouse control and they should work. Sme are actually really good - burst the pimple on the spotty teenager is my favourite of the day. The widgets are actually not that bad - the currency converter autoupdates if you're connected to the internet - the calculator is easy to use - the weather is good (sunny today) - I won't use the others though. It wold be good if Archos do some more if if I find out that others can work too from other systems.
I've not paid to get any moviews from the Archos movie club or games form the Archos site as I think they're a bit poor and a bit of a ripoff and there is no need.
The TV scheduler is good - I have sky and it has listings (via internet) that are very good to use but wuite a few channels missing on their listing. It is great that the Archos has an infra red beamer and auto channel changes for you if it's pointing at your sky box (we have sky+ downstairs and it doesn't work on that but it's fine on normal sky box upstairs which is where we use it).Very easy to use and the channels they don't have on their listings are not ones I watch so no issue. I'm worried I've seen websites saying there will be a subscription after one year - I've not seen anything in my documentation about this so it could be a rumour...
The speakers are not so loud - but I use headphones when I'm out and about and mini speaker dock (or connected to a TV) when I'm at home.
I bought the DVR station and that does look a bit cluncky with lots of wires but it does the job well. When they do improve it they should think about how it looks with all those wires and the transformer plug is large and heavy.
I recommend upgrading the firmware just as soon as you can - it makes a lot of difference on speed - especially with USB connection. I've upgraded mine twice in the last 2 weeks and wil check now every few weeks - it's very easy to do this.
The wifi link works well - it doesn't pick up wifi signals as well as my laptop does though - I was in a hotel last week and the laptop picked up the free hotel wifi but you had to move the Archos close to the door to pick it up. At home though it works well even at the back of the garden so I can use it anywhere I am - it doesn't quite pick it up down the road in the pub though.
Transferring DVDs is easy.

They just keep getting better!!, 07 Nov 2008
The Archos 5 is just so much improved it's hard to fine any fault at all. All Archos products are wonderful but this time they have outdone themselves. A Superb entertainment machine and the screen is so good I watch full movies rather than sit in fron of the TV, As Archos always have said "think snmaller". Just wonderful.

Wicked player! not so good browser :(, 29 Oct 2008
Purchased only few days ago (27/10/08). Charged battery for 8 hours, got a bit worried as lost 1 bar in 5 mins, soon went down to 1 bars. Suggest buying additional battery dock as it eats up power. Web-brower plug-in is £20 additional feature, but find it glitchy. YouTube streaming is fantastic tho, goes full screen and excellent quality. Waiting for my DVR 5 to come! suggest buying add-on features it is worth it!

Archos 705 160gb is worth the money...

Archos 705 a real let down, 01 Oct 2008
Purchased this item and delivery was quick. Dissapointed with the picture quality. For an item of this value I would have expected better. Then I had to download and pay for 2 X plugins before it would work a real rippoff from archos! I did not need to call them but I understand they use a premium rate number and keep you holding for a while.
Lastly now I have had the unit for 1 month, it is dead!!! I have examined the unit and had to open it up to see a reset switch next to the battery connections. I pressed it in for a couple of seconds and it came back to life asking me to set up the screen by touching some x's. It is ok for now but would never touch a product made from Archos again.

not half bad, 16 Sep 2008
well what can i say its good in so many and bad in others ill start with a list

good+
its got a nice strong build on it a bit big but hey its worth it for the screen size even fits nicely into my cargo pocket in my combats its simple to put movies and songs onto just plug it in and slap em into the correct folders you can view pdf files slowly but surly that is speakers could be worse to bad but ear buds work so much better and can adjust the sound settings while your listening good screen on it 7 inch touchscreen its good color and sharpness id rate it 4/5 because iv seen better but not by much

bad -
the speakers are a bit poor and tinny the touchscreen is not very receptive so you might end up damaging and scratching your screen trying to get something done also i really don't like the fact you have to pay 50 for the dock for the very function it advertising its self as a DVR and 20 for most basic programs ever like the web browser on there if they made it so you could activate executable files i could put Mozilla on there hmm what other things can i rant about? .... oh yea hate that you have to play so much extra for simple codecs oh my frikin god how i loath that i mean there sooooo simple why charge 20 squids for like 4 extra codecs when if you Google cccp you can download a whooping library of em to play even the moste obscure well rant over all in all im fumed and finished lol

Poorly supported and glitchy, 08 Jun 2008
Incredibly poor customer support.
Archos will only deal with its customers problems if you have a WMA number which you can only get after queueing on their premium rate "support" lines. Support lines are off hand to rude. Goods returned not fixed.

This is a real draw back as Archos' appear inheritantly glitchy.



Ok but for the fatal flaw, 07 May 2008
I bought the 160gb version that was supposed to have manual and reg instructions on the drive. not there no help on archos site. after a week of trying eventually found how to purchase plug in for web browser and set up archos account. gradually learnt how to use it. the touch screen is NOT finger friendly, it's slow but audio sound is great through h/p and even a £3 lead into my amp. Began to fall in love with the ability to watch video streamed from youtube n google video as I walked around the house etc and went to bed each night streaming films. however they always cut out after ten minutes thought i was being dumb. again no help on site then found out by trial and error it needed to be plugged in to ac adaptor not only when synching with wmp11 but to watch streamed vids longer than approx 10min. If you like your audio don't rip WMplayer in lossless or anything else as archos forces a downgrade to standard wma which takes forever. corrupt files are common too.

Here's the crunch, never got as far as setting up my bundled dvr station or other extras as on day 12 FATAL ERROR recovery error 102 none of the restore options worked archos site never heard of that error n couldn't help. the device felt weighty and of good build quality so i thought i must have been unlucky and got a duff hard drive. Not so!! the flash drives suffer the same problem and there are thousands of people on the forums with the same problem with no resolution but to RMA. I've decided grudgingly to wait for a larger capacity iTouch. The bricked archos remains by the door a month later waiting to be collected, and needless to say i ain't got my money back yet. It was great while it lasted but i'd never by another.

Disappointing quality, 18 Dec 2007
Having read the above reviews from the DVR I do wonder if perhaps I have a faulty unit. The unit acts as a 'pass-through' when my Archos 704 wifi isn't docked, i.e. phono connection from recording source (there is a supplied Scart adaptor to convert from phono) and phono to Scart out (I can't understand why the phono connectors are all gold plated, but the scart connectors are not). Sat next to my Panasonic 32" LCD the picture quality is notably degraded on the TV, partuculary when seeing any text on the screen). Play back of recorded stuff on the Archos is reasonable enough, but I can't put up with the degraded picture quality on my TV for the bulk of the time when my Archos is not in use (The docking station does have S-video in/out which I have not yet tried, but may improve the picture quality. S-video cable not provided).

The only accessory you will need, 10 Dec 2007
If you are going to buy anything for your Archos this is the thing to buy. Sites by the side of my TV ready to record the next 007 film or X-Factor episode or just about anything you want. Use the remote to schedule recordings, watch recordings or edit them, yes you can get rid of those annoying adverts. Plug your Archos in & it charges up a lot faster than via the USB.

Very Good Product, 28 Sep 2007
It is a shame this product is not included with the Archos, however you cannot knock it these DVR stations are very good

Excellent for....., 02 Sep 2007
....recording from external sources. I use mine for transferring movies and tv shows to my Archos 404. The instructions are a little poor, but set up and use is mostly common sense.
The product claims to charge your device faster than USB, but it doesn't.

Does the 704 WiFi/Tv Archos unit too..., 25 Aug 2007
Just thought that I would chip in here and state that apart from all the other reviews I haven't noticed anything stated about the 704 Archos units. Well to ensure that you are aware, this Archos DVR docking station will also do the 704 units, both WiFi & the Tv versions. Obviously you require the relevant 'saddle' to fit into the station ('saddle' being the bracket that allows your Archos Model to fit neatly into the docking station ie: different units having differing saddles) Our DVR station came complete with station, saddle, remote with battery, leads, mains adaptor etc. In short all that you require. Picked our's up here from Pixmania @£ 46.50 plus P+P. The unit allows recording from external source, playback to external source and battery recharging. Super unit at a super price. Your Archos unit will come alive with this docking station and only then will you fully relise it's potential. All IMHO of coarse.

Get your hands on the simple-to-use, powerful Archos 5 multimedia player! The Archos 5 is a 60 GB touch screen tablet that gives you wireless access to Internet anywhere and anytime. It includes a 4.8" screen, the Internet browser Opera, as well as an email server, while letting you read Flash and PDF files at top speed thanks to its built-in ARM Cortex processor. Its Media Club web portal lets you watch on-demand videos, as well as play and record endless files! You can even watch and share high definition files thanks to the Archos 5's cutting-edge technology! Plus, this multimedia player comes equipped with an FM tuner, so you can listen to all your favourite radio stations. The Archos 5 even gives you a number of extension possibilities when you choose its optional accessories!

Most Advanced PMP Featuring the highest quality screen resolution, highest quality video, touch screen, WiFi capabilities for streaming content to the device or a TV, the ARCHOS 605 WiFi is the top product in the line-up for flexibility, portability, features and price. Touch screen The ARCHOS 605 WiFi features the highest resolution screen (800 X 480) and highest quality screen in a PMP. Use the touch screen to easily operate the device with your finger or stylus. Personalize your ARCHOS Make it yours: personalize your ARCHOS 605 WiFi to fit your unique lifestyle. Abundant plug-ins and accessories are available to customize your device to work the way you do: Go online for full Web surfing, video your friends and family in action, record your favorite TV shows and movies, and share your photos. WiFi Download content wirelessly and directly to your ARCHOS 605 WiFi via the ARCHOS Content Portal and our partners' online stores. You can also stream movies, TV shows and music that are stored on your computer. Your device is Internet ready! With the optional Web browser plug-in, you can surf the Web and enjoy videos from online videos sites like DailyMotion and YouTube. Your movies, your videos - Store and play up to 40 movies - Play the most popular video format: MPEG-4, WMV, protected WMV, MPEG-2*, VOB*, H.264* (*with optional plug-ins) - Play the movies you shot on your camcorder Your photos - Transfer your photos from a PC or most mass storage devices via the USB 2.0 high speed interface - Store and view up to 300,000 photos1 (JPEG, PNG and BMP formats) - Display slideshows with music and transition effect - Manage your files and folders directly on the device for better mobility Your TV - Record your favorite TV shows or series directly on your ARCHOS 605 WiFi with the optional DVR Station Gen 5 - Easy programming with the TV Program Guide - Record the most video sources such as satellite/cable box, VCR, DVD player in MPEG-4 for

Archos 5 is different than an iPod - much better for my needs, 18 Oct 2008
Bought this a few weeks ago - the 120GB version. It's great. It does everything it says it does and more. I've not got a Tuff-Luv case for it as there isn't one that comes with it (poor show). I still thnk the price is too high as much cheaper abroad. However I bought mine (sorry Amazon) from Heathrow Terminal 1 Dixons for £195. However Dixons now raised their price to almost that of Amazon so I'd recomend getting from Amazon now.
I've filled 3/4 of the hard drive now with muisic/films and many TV programmes. Not a problem though as easy to connect to laptop or external drives or flash memory and you can file manage from the Archos.
I think the adverts and reviews for the system really undersell it.
Youtube is great. I've not found anything remotely interesting on web-tv but web-radio has some good music channels and comedy chanells. You can use BBC iplayer.
The internet opera software is better than the one I've got in my Nintendo wii - it plays nearly all videos and is very quick. I've got the dvr station and the mini keyboard doobry is actually quite quick to use. I paid for the upgrade to get the different formats of video/music. Most reviews complain about this but it's not a huge amount of money and I'm guessing it's a way for Archos to ensure they get some money directly.
I've downloaded hundred of flash games from the internet - all free - loads of sites. Just take care they don't need left/right/up/down but have mouse control and they should work. Sme are actually really good - burst the pimple on the spotty teenager is my favourite of the day. The widgets are actually not that bad - the currency converter autoupdates if you're connected to the internet - the calculator is easy to use - the weather is good (sunny today) - I won't use the others though. It wold be good if Archos do some more if if I find out that others can work too from other systems.
I've not paid to get any moviews from the Archos movie club or games form the Archos site as I think they're a bit poor and a bit of a ripoff and there is no need.
The TV scheduler is good - I have sky and it has listings (via internet) that are very good to use but wuite a few channels missing on their listing. It is great that the Archos has an infra red beamer and auto channel changes for you if it's pointing at your sky box (we have sky+ downstairs and it doesn't work on that but it's fine on normal sky box upstairs which is where we use it).Very easy to use and the channels they don't have on their listings are not ones I watch so no issue. I'm worried I've seen websites saying there will be a subscription after one year - I've not seen anything in my documentation about this so it could be a rumour...
The speakers are not so loud - but I use headphones when I'm out and about and mini speaker dock (or connected to a TV) when I'm at home.
I bought the DVR station and that does look a bit cluncky with lots of wires but it does the job well. When they do improve it they should think about how it looks with all those wires and the transformer plug is large and heavy.
I recommend upgrading the firmware just as soon as you can - it makes a lot of difference on speed - especially with USB connection. I've upgraded mine twice in the last 2 weeks and wil check now every few weeks - it's very easy to do this.
The wifi link works well - it doesn't pick up wifi signals as well as my laptop does though - I was in a hotel last week and the laptop picked up the free hotel wifi but you had to move the Archos close to the door to pick it up. At home though it works well even at the back of the garden so I can use it anywhere I am - it doesn't quite pick it up down the road in the pub though.
Transferring DVDs is easy.

They just keep getting better!!, 07 Nov 2008
The Archos 5 is just so much improved it's hard to fine any fault at all. All Archos products are wonderful but this time they have outdone themselves. A Superb entertainment machine and the screen is so good I watch full movies rather than sit in fron of the TV, As Archos always have said "think snmaller". Just wonderful.

Wicked player! not so good browser :(, 29 Oct 2008
Purchased only few days ago (27/10/08). Charged battery for 8 hours, got a bit worried as lost 1 bar in 5 mins, soon went down to 1 bars. Suggest buying additional battery dock as it eats up power. Web-brower plug-in is £20 additional feature, but find it glitchy. YouTube streaming is fantastic tho, goes full screen and excellent quality. Waiting for my DVR 5 to come! suggest buying add-on features it is worth it!

Archos 705 160gb is worth the money...

Archos 705 a real let down, 01 Oct 2008
Purchased this item and delivery was quick. Dissapointed with the picture quality. For an item of this value I would have expected better. Then I had to download and pay for 2 X plugins before it would work a real rippoff from archos! I did not need to call them but I understand they use a premium rate number and keep you holding for a while.
Lastly now I have had the unit for 1 month, it is dead!!! I have examined the unit and had to open it up to see a reset switch next to the battery connections. I pressed it in for a couple of seconds and it came back to life asking me to set up the screen by touching some x's. It is ok for now but would never touch a product made from Archos again.

not half bad, 16 Sep 2008
well what can i say its good in so many and bad in others ill start with a list

good+
its got a nice strong build on it a bit big but hey its worth it for the screen size even fits nicely into my cargo pocket in my combats its simple to put movies and songs onto just plug it in and slap em into the correct folders you can view pdf files slowly but surly that is speakers could be worse to bad but ear buds work so much better and can adjust the sound settings while your listening good screen on it 7 inch touchscreen its good color and sharpness id rate it 4/5 because iv seen better but not by much

bad -
the speakers are a bit poor and tinny the touchscreen is not very receptive so you might end up damaging and scratching your screen trying to get something done also i really don't like the fact you have to pay 50 for the dock for the very function it advertising its self as a DVR and 20 for most basic programs ever like the web browser on there if they made it so you could activate executable files i could put Mozilla on there hmm what other things can i rant about? .... oh yea hate that you have to play so much extra for simple codecs oh my frikin god how i loath that i mean there sooooo simple why charge 20 squids for like 4 extra codecs when if you Google cccp you can download a whooping library of em to play even the moste obscure well rant over all in all im fumed and finished lol

Poorly supported and glitchy, 08 Jun 2008
Incredibly poor customer support.
Archos will only deal with its customers problems if you have a WMA number which you can only get after queueing on their premium rate "support" lines. Support lines are off hand to rude. Goods returned not fixed.

This is a real draw back as Archos' appear inheritantly glitchy.



Ok but for the fatal flaw, 07 May 2008
I bought the 160gb version that was supposed to have manual and reg instructions on the drive. not there no help on archos site. after a week of trying eventually found how to purchase plug in for web browser and set up archos account. gradually learnt how to use it. the touch screen is NOT finger friendly, it's slow but audio sound is great through h/p and even a £3 lead into my amp. Began to fall in love with the ability to watch video streamed from youtube n google video as I walked around the house etc and went to bed each night streaming films. however they always cut out after ten minutes thought i was being dumb. again no help on site then found out by trial and error it needed to be plugged in to ac adaptor not only when synching with wmp11 but to watch streamed vids longer than approx 10min. If you like your audio don't rip WMplayer in lossless or anything else as archos forces a downgrade to standard wma which takes forever. corrupt files are common too.

Here's the crunch, never got as far as setting up my bundled dvr station or other extras as on day 12 FATAL ERROR recovery error 102 none of the restore options worked archos site never heard of that error n couldn't help. the device felt weighty and of good build quality so i thought i must have been unlucky and got a duff hard drive. Not so!! the flash drives suffer the same problem and there are thousands of people on the forums with the same problem with no resolution but to RMA. I've decided grudgingly to wait for a larger capacity iTouch. The bricked archos remains by the door a month later waiting to be collected, and needless to say i ain't got my money back yet. It was great while it lasted but i'd never by another.

Disappointing quality, 18 Dec 2007
Having read the above reviews from the DVR I do wonder if perhaps I have a faulty unit. The unit acts as a 'pass-through' when my Archos 704 wifi isn't docked, i.e. phono connection from recording source (there is a supplied Scart adaptor to convert from phono) and phono to Scart out (I can't understand why the phono connectors are all gold plated, but the scart connectors are not). Sat next to my Panasonic 32" LCD the picture quality is notably degraded on the TV, partuculary when seeing any text on the screen). Play back of recorded stuff on the Archos is reasonable enough, but I can't put up with the degraded picture quality on my TV for the bulk of the time when my Archos is not in use (The docking station does have S-video in/out which I have not yet tried, but may improve the picture quality. S-video cable not provided).

The only accessory you will need, 10 Dec 2007
If you are going to buy anything for your Archos this is the thing to buy. Sites by the side of my TV ready to record the next 007 film or X-Factor episode or just about anything you want. Use the remote to schedule recordings, watch recordings or edit them, yes you can get rid of those annoying adverts. Plug your Archos in & it charges up a lot faster than via the USB.

Very Good Product, 28 Sep 2007
It is a shame this product is not included with the Archos, however you cannot knock it these DVR stations are very good

Excellent for....., 02 Sep 2007
....recording from external sources. I use mine for transferring movies and tv shows to my Archos 404. The instructions are a little poor, but set up and use is mostly common sense.
The product claims to charge your device faster than USB, but it doesn't.

Does the 704 WiFi/Tv Archos unit too..., 25 Aug 2007
Just thought that I would chip in here and state that apart from all the other reviews I haven't noticed anything stated about the 704 Archos units. Well to ensure that you are aware, this Archos DVR docking station will also do the 704 units, both WiFi & the Tv versions. Obviously you require the relevant 'saddle' to fit into the station ('saddle' being the bracket that allows your Archos Model to fit neatly into the docking station ie: different units having differing saddles) Our DVR station came complete with station, saddle, remote with battery, leads, mains adaptor etc. In short all that you require. Picked our's up here from Pixmania @£ 46.50 plus P+P. The unit allows recording from external source, playback to external source and battery recharging. Super unit at a super price. Your Archos unit will come alive with this docking station and only then will you fully relise it's potential. All IMHO of coarse.

everything i expected, 03 Nov 2008
I have to say it was everything i expected.

good quality, large storage, easy(ish) to use controls, great picture and sound and i have had no problems with it.

my only nag is it is quite large but i knew that before i got it. touch screen can be better at times

but do not be put off this is a really good product.

Support, 10 Oct 2008
Good product but rubbish company.
Ever since recieving the product I have been unable to get it working.
Archos technical have been no help what so ever and after hours on technical forums that I didn't really understand I have deduced that the problem is a faulty USB lead. Again Archos were no help at all.
Time will tell is Amazon can help me out with this fault.

Too much effort required, 27 Aug 2008
I have had my archos for some time now and find that it is not really delivering what I expected.

The picture and sound quality is good and I have used it to watch films on flights with no problems.

The web TV plug in is of very little value as the channels in the UK are a waste of time. The web radio is quite good though.

I have looked at the vizumi web site for films to download but the selction is very limited. You can buy some films that come with a portable version for the archos but I generally rent films.

It is not compatable with the tiscali TV set top box, so recording from TV is not an option.

I can also confirm the support is useless and I don't think they have ever answered a question I have sent them.

Don't buy this... ever, 13 Jul 2008
I bought this about 4 months ago. I have had nothing but trouble since I bought it. It wont sync properly, it only lasts about 2 hours while playing music, half the time it wouldn't turn on, files are "corrupt" and won't play. I bought the Cinema, podcast and web browser plug ins for around 55 quid or something rediculous like that and one of them didnt work! This product seems cheap but will end up costing over £100 extra for all the features (which don't work). My 2 friends that have the player have also had the same issues. My advice: steer clear of this. Buy an Ipod Touch

Disappointing Response from Technical Support, 16 Jun 2008
Having established myself that the Archos 605 does not support Audible Audio files (.AA format), I asked a simple question of their technical support team. My question was "are there any plans to support the Audible format?" I just got a blunt response which did not answer my question and just said that this is not supported by the unit. At the very least, they could have said "we do not have any plans at this time".

Apart from that, the product is great, and I've already got the DVR unit on order, and very tempted by the TV+ station.

It's such a shame that Archos are firstly being let down by their tech support, and secondly that they don't support the Audible format. I can live with the latter, but not being patronised by rude techies who can't be bothered to read/understand the question being asked of them.

Archos 5 is different than an iPod - much better for my needs, 18 Oct 2008
Bought this a few weeks ago - the 120GB version. It's great. It does everything it says it does and more. I've not got a Tuff-Luv case for it as there isn't one that comes with it (poor show). I still thnk the price is too high as much cheaper abroad. However I bought mine (sorry Amazon) from Heathrow Terminal 1 Dixons for £195. However Dixons now raised their price to almost that of Amazon so I'd recomend getting from Amazon now.
I've filled 3/4 of the hard drive now with muisic/films and many TV programmes. Not a problem though as easy to connect to laptop or external drives or flash memory and you can file manage from the Archos.
I think the adverts and reviews for the system really undersell it.
Youtube is great. I've not found anything remotely interesting on web-tv but web-radio has some good music channels and comedy chanells. You can use BBC iplayer.
The internet opera software is better than the one I've got in my Nintendo wii - it plays nearly all videos and is very quick. I've got the dvr station and the mini keyboard doobry is actually quite quick to use. I paid for the upgrade to get the different formats of video/music. Most reviews complain about this but it's not a huge amount of money and I'm guessing it's a way for Archos to ensure they get some money directly.
I've downloaded hundred of flash games from the internet - all free - loads of sites. Just take care they don't need left/right/up/down but have mouse control and they should work. Sme are actually really good - burst the pimple on the spotty teenager is my favourite of the day. The widgets are actually not that bad - the currency converter autoupdates if you're connected to the internet - the calculator is easy to use - the weather is good (sunny today) - I won't use the others though. It wold be good if Archos do some more if if I find out that others can work too from other systems.
I've not paid to get any moviews from the Archos movie club or games form the Archos site as I think they're a bit poor and a bit of a ripoff and there is no need.
The TV scheduler is good - I have sky and it has listings (via internet) that are very good to use but wuite a few channels missing on their listing. It is great that the Archos has an infra red beamer and auto channel changes for you if it's pointing at your sky box (we have sky+ downstairs and it doesn't work on that but it's fine on normal sky box upstairs which is where we use it).Very easy to use and the channels they don't have on their listings are not ones I watch so no issue. I'm worried I've seen websites saying there will be a subscription after one year - I've not seen anything in my documentation about this so it could be a rumour...
The speakers are not so loud - but I use headphones when I'm out and about and mini speaker dock (or connected to a TV) when I'm at home.
I bought the DVR station and that does look a bit cluncky with lots of wires but it does the job well. When they do improve it they should think about how it looks with all those wires and the transformer plug is large and heavy.
I recommend upgrading the firmware just as soon as you can - it makes a lot of difference on speed - especially with USB connection. I've upgraded mine twice in the last 2 weeks and wil check now every few weeks - it's very easy to do this.
The wifi link works well - it doesn't pick up wifi signals as well as my laptop does though - I was in a hotel last week and the laptop picked up the free hotel wifi but you had to move the Archos close to the door to pick it up. At home though it works well even at the back of the garden so I can use it anywhere I am - it doesn't quite pick it up down the road in the pub though.
Transferring DVDs is easy.

They just keep getting better!!, 07 Nov 2008
The Archos 5 is just so much improved it's hard to fine any fault at all. All Archos products are wonderful but this time they have outdone themselves. A Superb entertainment machine and the screen is so good I watch full movies rather than sit in fron of the TV, As Archos always have said "think snmaller". Just wonderful.

Wicked player! not so good browser :(, 29 Oct 2008
Purchased only few days ago (27/10/08). Charged battery for 8 hours, got a bit worried as lost 1 bar in 5 mins, soon went down to 1 bars. Suggest buying additional battery dock as it eats up power. Web-brower plug-in is £20 additional feature, but find it glitchy. YouTube streaming is fantastic tho, goes full screen and excellent quality. Waiting for my DVR 5 to come! suggest buying add-on features it is worth it!

Archos 705 160gb is worth the money...

Archos 705 a real let down, 01 Oct 2008
Purchased this item and delivery was quick. Dissapointed with the picture quality. For an item of this value I would have expected better. Then I had to download and pay for 2 X plugins before it would work a real rippoff from archos! I did not need to call them but I understand they use a premium rate number and keep you holding for a while.
Lastly now I have had the unit for 1 month, it is dead!!! I have examined the unit and had to open it up to see a reset switch next to the battery connections. I pressed it in for a couple of seconds and it came back to life asking me to set up the screen by touching some x's. It is ok for now but would never touch a product made from Archos again.

not half bad, 16 Sep 2008
well what can i say its good in so many and bad in others ill start with a list

good+
its got a nice strong build on it a bit big but hey its worth it for the screen size even fits nicely into my cargo pocket in my combats its simple to put movies and songs onto just plug it in and slap em into the correct folders you can view pdf files slowly but surly that is speakers could be worse to bad but ear buds work so much better and can adjust the sound settings while your listening good screen on it 7 inch touchscreen its good color and sharpness id rate it 4/5 because iv seen better but not by much

bad -
the speakers are a bit poor and tinny the touchscreen is not very receptive so you might end up damaging and scratching your screen trying to get something done also i really don't like the fact you have to pay 50 for the dock for the very function it advertising its self as a DVR and 20 for most basic programs ever like the web browser on there if they made it so you could activate executable files i could put Mozilla on there hmm what other things can i rant about? .... oh yea hate that you have to play so much extra for simple codecs oh my frikin god how i loath that i mean there sooooo simple why charge 20 squids for like 4 extra codecs when if you Google cccp you can download a whooping library of em to play even the moste obscure well rant over all in all im fumed and finished lol

Poorly supported and glitchy, 08 Jun 2008
Incredibly poor customer support.
Archos will only deal with its customers problems if you have a WMA number which you can only get after queueing on their premium rate "support" lines. Support lines are off hand to rude. Goods returned not fixed.

This is a real draw back as Archos' appear inheritantly glitchy.



Ok but for the fatal flaw, 07 May 2008
I bought the 160gb version that was supposed to have manual and reg instructions on the drive. not there no help on archos site. after a week of trying eventually found how to purchase plug in for web browser and set up archos account. gradually learnt how to use it. the touch screen is NOT finger friendly, it's slow but audio sound is great through h/p and even a £3 lead into my amp. Began to fall in love with the ability to watch video streamed from youtube n google video as I walked around the house etc and went to bed each night streaming films. however they always cut out after ten minutes thought i was being dumb. again no help on site then found out by trial and error it needed to be plugged in to ac adaptor not only when synching with wmp11 but to watch streamed vids longer than approx 10min. If you like your audio don't rip WMplayer in lossless or anything else as archos forces a downgrade to standard wma which takes forever. corrupt files are common too.

Here's the crunch, never got as far as setting up my bundled dvr station or other extras as on day 12 FATAL ERROR recovery error 102 none of the restore options worked archos site never heard of that error n couldn't help. the device felt weighty and of good build quality so i thought i must have been unlucky and got a duff hard drive. Not so!! the flash drives suffer the same problem and there are thousands of people on the forums with the same problem with no resolution but to RMA. I've decided grudgingly to wait for a larger capacity iTouch. The bricked archos remains by the door a month later waiting to be collected, and needless to say i ain't got my money back yet. It was great while it lasted but i'd never by another.

Disappointing quality, 18 Dec 2007
Having read the above reviews from the DVR I do wonder if perhaps I have a faulty unit. The unit acts as a 'pass-through' when my Archos 704 wifi isn't docked, i.e. phono connection from recording source (there is a supplied Scart adaptor to convert from phono) and phono to Scart out (I can't understand why the phono connectors are all gold plated, but the scart connectors are not). Sat next to my Panasonic 32" LCD the picture quality is notably degraded on the TV, partuculary when seeing any text on the screen). Play back of recorded stuff on the Archos is reasonable enough, but I can't put up with the degraded picture quality on my TV for the bulk of the time when my Archos is not in use (The docking station does have S-video in/out which I have not yet tried, but may improve the picture quality. S-video cable not provided).

The only accessory you will need, 10 Dec 2007
If you are going to buy anything for your Archos this is the thing to buy. Sites by the side of my TV ready to record the next 007 film or X-Factor episode or just about anything you want. Use the remote to schedule recordings, watch recordings or edit them, yes you can get rid of those annoying adverts. Plug your Archos in & it charges up a lot faster than via the USB.

Very Good Product, 28 Sep 2007
It is a shame this product is not included with the Archos, however you cannot knock it these DVR stations are very good

Excellent for....., 02 Sep 2007
....recording from external sources. I use mine for transferring movies and tv shows to my Archos 404. The instructions are a little poor, but set up and use is mostly common sense.
The product claims to charge your device faster than USB, but it doesn't.

Does the 704 WiFi/Tv Archos unit too..., 25 Aug 2007
Just thought that I would chip in here and state that apart from all the other reviews I haven't noticed anything stated about the 704 Archos units. Well to ensure that you are aware, this Archos DVR docking station will also do the 704 units, both WiFi & the Tv versions. Obviously you require the relevant 'saddle' to fit into the station ('saddle' being the bracket that allows your Archos Model to fit neatly into the docking station ie: different units having differing saddles) Our DVR station came complete with station, saddle, remote with battery, leads, mains adaptor etc. In short all that you require. Picked our's up here from Pixmania @£ 46.50 plus P+P. The unit allows recording from external source, playback to external source and battery recharging. Super unit at a super price. Your Archos unit will come alive with this docking station and only then will you fully relise it's potential. All IMHO of coarse.

everything i expected, 03 Nov 2008
I have to say it was everything i expected.

good quality, large storage, easy(ish) to use controls, great picture and sound and i have had no problems with it.

my only nag is it is quite large but i knew that before i got it. touch screen can be better at times

but do not be put off this is a really good product.

Support, 10 Oct 2008
Good product but rubbish company.
Ever since recieving the product I have been unable to get it working.
Archos technical have been no help what so ever and after hours on technical forums that I didn't really understand I have deduced that the problem is a faulty USB lead. Again Archos were no help at all.
Time will tell is Amazon can help me out with this fault.

Too much effort required, 27 Aug 2008
I have had my archos for some time now and find that it is not really delivering what I expected.

The picture and sound quality is good and I have used it to watch films on flights with no problems.

The web TV plug in is of very little value as the channels in the UK are a waste of time. The web radio is quite good though.

I have looked at the vizumi web site for films to download but the selction is very limited. You can buy some films that come with a portable version for the archos but I generally rent films.

It is not compatable with the tiscali TV set top box, so recording from TV is not an option.

I can also confirm the support is useless and I don't think they have ever answered a question I have sent them.

Don't buy this... ever, 13 Jul 2008
I bought this about 4 months ago. I have had nothing but trouble since I bought it. It wont sync properly, it only lasts about 2 hours while playing music, half the time it wouldn't turn on, files are "corrupt" and won't play. I bought the Cinema, podcast and web browser plug ins for around 55 quid or something rediculous like that and one of them didnt work! This product seems cheap but will end up costing over £100 extra for all the features (which don't work). My 2 friends that have the player have also had the same issues. My advice: steer clear of this. Buy an Ipod Touch

Disappointing Response from Technical Support, 16 Jun 2008
Having established myself that the Archos 605 does not support Audible Audio files (.AA format), I asked a simple question of their technical support team. My question was "are there any plans to support the Audible format?" I just got a blunt response which did not answer my question and just said that this is not supported by the unit. At the very least, they could have said "we do not have any plans at this time".

Apart from that, the product is great, and I've already got the DVR unit on order, and very tempted by the TV+ station.

It's such a shame that Archos are firstly being let down by their tech support, and secondly that they don't support the Audible format. I can live with the latter, but not being patronised by rude techies who can't be bothered to read/understand the question being asked of them.


Does exactly what I wanted it to do., 21 Oct 2008
Archos 605 WiFi 160GB Portable Media Player 4.3" Touch Screen
It was with some trepidation that I ordered this item having read some of the really terrible reviews, but having owned it now for just a week, I can say it does exactly what I wanted. Of course with an item of this spec it does depend on what you want it to do. I wanted a portable device to view photos, play my music and most importantly to record TV and take it with me from my home to play on a TV at a holiday home, and also have TV with me when I need to pass a few moments of peace.
I bought the device bundled with the DVR docking station (which you need to record TV) and the travel battery dock with not only allows you to play the recorded programmes on another TV but also charges the device and has additional battery power.
It was a dissapointment to find that there was no guide with the Archos and a PDF document had to be downloaded. The DVR came with a complete easy to follow guide. I managed to connect it to my Sky box straight out of the box with only one or two minor problems, then the fun began.
Like any new gadget there were mistakes but of my own making. The device synced with my laptop easily and my photos and music were downloaded in an instant.
It is not necessary to download the electronic programme guide as you can manually set up recordings using the remote control. A bit fiddly but easy enough if you had to set up videos before EPG's were invented.
Having internet access was not a priority for me, which is good as I had problems registering the device. I got in touch with the help desk and despite what I read found them helpful, although I am still trying to register it...you need additional keys before you can get full internet access. Which is a pain, especially if you do have trouble registering the device (and you will)#
Negative points...poor carrying case, and the device seems to come on on its own....thus you can find what you thought was a fully charged device is now low on power...
But get one with the DVR dock to get full advantage of charging, watching recording TV and viewing photos...remote contol easy to use.
I love it and will report later any hicups.
Edit
A further week has passed and I have now managed to register the product and buy the wifi plug in. No problems downloading (Vista) and the browser works reasonably well and fast enough for me. So I still think its a great device. Customer service I had had was good. (Thanks Mr. Pohl)
So for me it was well worth the money. Will continue to report any problems.

Archos rubbish Customer Service, 15 Sep 2008
I bought a Archos 605 Wifi 160Gb. For the first week it worked fine, I was impressed with the Video Playback, Web browsing, TV recording etc.
In the 2nd week of ownership on a daily basis the Archos would pause when starting to play a track then go to its "Archos Music Your Way" start-up screen and restart. After the restart you would discover that all the directories would be wiped, you would then have to update the Archos libary again which take an 1hr if you have 15,000 songs.
This would happen sometimes upto 3 times in a day.
I e-mailed Archos customer support which after two days i received an automated e-mail telling me to reformat my drive, recalibrate the touchscreen, reset to factory settings etc. I did query why i should have to carry out these stages when the product should work anyway, his reply was "Its a computer init, they go wrong"
An e-mail takes 48hrs to reply to, 8 e-mails later or 3 weeks i got it replaced.
I then contacted Archos to arrange for the plugins that was purchased for the faulty Archos to be reinstalled on the new one. I am currently on my 5 e-mail to them regarding the plug ins, today they sent me the same automated e-mail that they sent me 2 weeks ago.
I have never known a "Customer Service" like it. I have sent 15 e-mails regarding two issues and not at anytime did they send a personel reply only automated solutions to "fix it" yourself or another form to fill in
The product is very good when it works but would advise that you do not purchase because of the complete lack of Customer Service, when you have an issue.

Had big hopes for the Archos 605 but was extremely let down, 07 Aug 2008
I was undecided when it came to the Archos 605 wifi or the Apple Ipod Touch. After reading many reviews, I decided to go for the Archos as it had bigger storage capacity, seemed easier to load music/videos etc on, and seemed like fantastic value for money. I got my first Archos 605 about 7 months ago, and almost immediately i found it to be a very problematic device. The battery performance was poor, and it kept on freezing! Some times it wouldnt even turn on! After having it for a couple of weeks and for most of that time, not being able to use it, i took it back to the retailer i got it from, and had it replaced! Problem solved.......well no, not exactly! The second one also had the exact same problems, except this one would also switch itself on by itself, completely rendering it useless as when i'd go to use it, no power!! When it did have power....it would freeze-AGAIN!! Both times i contacted Archos and found them to be quite unhelpful saying that it would have to be returned and repaired! I've now had TWO archos' with similar problems and would not buy them again. I've since had the Archos refunded and got myself an Ipod Touch.......and am so happy with the Touch!

A Mixed Bag, 07 Aug 2008
The player itself is fantastic, but Archos should be prosecuted under the Trade Descriptions Act for marketing it as WiFi, when it isn't: it's WiFi compatible until you pay the price to download the web browser plug-in. It's also a scam that they advertise it as a multi-media player when, as with all previous Archos models (I had a 704 WiFi with which I've had endless problems), you again have to pay to download plug-ins to play most of your music and video files. At least this new model has widgets (provided you've paid for the internet plug-in). It's also pretty shabby that a device which is touted as being highly portable requires to be plugged in to a computer to recharge, It should come with a mains charger as standard. Don't bother with the earphones either - they're absolute rubbish! When it's working, it's a great piece of kit and excellent for whiling away a few hours at an airport lounge, with the ability to check your e-mails on the move as well.

As has been said by many, Archos customer support is probably the worst I've ever encountered from any company anywhere - period. They obviously never read any customer reviews or they'd have done something about it by now. Arrogant, rude and unfriendly are the key words here; to which you can also add, complete waste of time. If another company produced a similar product I'd buy it before ever buying another Archos again. Apple, are you reading this?

No support for this product, 29 Jul 2008
I recently bought this product after reading reviews and knowing full well that you need to purchase the web browser to utilise the product properly. Unfortuantly you can only purchase this once your product is registered. I have tried this many times over the last couple of weeks with no luck.Contacted Archos and had no response from hem after serveral tries.

trying to get a support from Archos is like getting blood from a stone. on the basis alone i would opt for an Ipod. The Archos is a great product but without any support it is nothing more than a simple MP3 player.

i am hoping this review may get their attention as it has really angered me how rubbish they really are.

Get your hands on the simple-to-use, powerful Archos 7 multimedia player! The Archos 7 is a 160 GB touch screen tablet that gives you wireless access to Internet anywhere and anytime. It includes a 7" screen, the Internet browser Opera, as well as an email server, while letting you read Flash and PDF files at top speed thanks to its built-in ARM Cortex processor. Its Media Club web portal lets you watch on-demand videos, as well as play and record endless files! You can even watch and share high definition files thanks to the Archos 7's cutting-edge technology! Plus, this multimedia player comes equipped with an FM tuner, so you can listen to all your favourite radio stations. The Archos 7 even gives you a number of extension possibilities when you choose its optional accessories!

The ARCHOS 504 is the PMP with the biggest storage capacities ofthe Gen 4 range. Available in 80 and 160GB* versions The ARCHOS504 can store up to 4505 movies and its bright and luminous 16/9screen brings you the best portable video experience. Watc

Archos 5 is different than an iPod - much better for my needs, 18 Oct 2008
Bought this a few weeks ago - the 120GB version. It's great. It does everything it says it does and more. I've not got a Tuff-Luv case for it as there isn't one that comes with it (poor show). I still thnk the price is too high as much cheaper abroad. However I bought mine (sorry Amazon) from Heathrow Terminal 1 Dixons for £195. However Dixons now raised their price to almost that of Amazon so I'd recomend getting from Amazon now.
I've filled 3/4 of the hard drive now with muisic/films and many TV programmes. Not a problem though as easy to connect to laptop or external drives or flash memory and you can file manage from the Archos.
I think the adverts and reviews for the system really undersell it.
Youtube is great. I've not found anything remotely interesting on web-tv but web-radio has some good music channels and comedy chanells. You can use BBC iplayer.
The internet opera software is better than the one I've got in my Nintendo wii - it plays nearly all videos and is very quick. I've got the dvr station and the mini keyboard doobry is actually quite quick to use. I paid for the upgrade to get the different formats of video/music. Most reviews complain about this but it's not a huge amount of money and I'm guessing it's a way for Archos to ensure they get some money directly.
I've downloaded hundred of flash games from the internet - all free - loads of sites. Just take care they don't need left/right/up/down but have mouse control and they should work. Sme are actually really good - burst the pimple on the spotty teenager is my favourite of the day. The widgets are actually not that bad - the currency converter autoupdates if you're connected to the internet - the calculator is easy to use - the weather is good (sunny today) - I won't use the others though. It wold be good if Archos do some more if if I find out that others can work too from other systems.
I've not paid to get any moviews from the Archos movie club or games form the Archos site as I think they're a bit poor and a bit of a ripoff and there is no need.
The TV scheduler is good - I have sky and it has listings (via internet) that are very good to use but wuite a few channels missing on their listing. It is great that the Archos has an infra red beamer and auto channel changes for you if it's pointing at your sky box (we have sky+ downstairs and it doesn't work on that but it's fine on normal sky box upstairs which is where we use it).Very easy to use and the channels they don't have on their listings are not ones I watch so no issue. I'm worried I've seen websites saying there will be a subscription after one year - I've not seen anything in my documentation about this so it could be a rumour...
The speakers are not so loud - but I use headphones when I'm out and about and mini speaker dock (or connected to a TV) when I'm at home.
I bought the DVR station and that does look a bit cluncky with lots of wires but it does the job well. When they do improve it they should think about how it looks with all those wires and the transformer plug is large and heavy.
I recommend upgrading the firmware just as soon as you can - it makes a lot of difference on speed - especially with USB connection. I've upgraded mine twice in the last 2 weeks and wil check now every few weeks - it's very easy to do this.
The wifi link works well - it doesn't pick up wifi signals as well as my laptop does though - I was in a hotel last week and the laptop picked up the free hotel wifi but you had to move the Archos close to the door to pick it up. At home though it works well even at the back of the garden so I can use it anywhere I am - it doesn't quite pick it up down the road in the pub though.
Transferring DVDs is easy.

They just keep getting better!!, 07 Nov 2008
The Archos 5 is just so much improved it's hard to fine any fault at all. All Archos products are wonderful but this time they have outdone themselves. A Superb entertainment machine and the screen is so good I watch full movies rather than sit in fron of the TV, As Archos always have said "think snmaller". Just wonderful.

Wicked player! not so good browser :(, 29 Oct 2008
Purchased only few days ago (27/10/08). Charged battery for 8 hours, got a bit worried as lost 1 bar in 5 mins, soon went down to 1 bars. Suggest buying additional battery dock as it eats up power. Web-brower plug-in is £20 additional feature, but find it glitchy. YouTube streaming is fantastic tho, goes full screen and excellent quality. Waiting for my DVR 5 to come! suggest buying add-on features it is worth it!

Archos 705 160gb is worth the money...

Archos 705 a real let down, 01 Oct 2008
Purchased this item and delivery was quick. Dissapointed with the picture quality. For an item of this value I would have expected better. Then I had to download and pay for 2 X plugins before it would work a real rippoff from archos! I did not need to call them but I understand they use a premium rate number and keep you holding for a while.
Lastly now I have had the unit for 1 month, it is dead!!! I have examined the unit and had to open it up to see a reset switch next to the battery connections. I pressed it in for a couple of seconds and it came back to life asking me to set up the screen by touching some x's. It is ok for now but would never touch a product made from Archos again.

not half bad, 16 Sep 2008
well what can i say its good in so many and bad in others ill start with a list

good+
its got a nice strong build on it a bit big but hey its worth it for the screen size even fits nicely into my cargo pocket in my combats its simple to put movies and songs onto just plug it in and slap em into the correct folders you can view pdf files slowly but surly that is speakers could be worse to bad but ear buds work so much better and can adjust the sound settings while your listening good screen on it 7 inch touchscreen its good color and sharpness id rate it 4/5 because iv seen better but not by much

bad -
the speakers are a bit poor and tinny the touchscreen is not very receptive so you might end up damaging and scratching your screen trying to get something done also i really don't like the fact you have to pay 50 for the dock for the very function it advertising its self as a DVR and 20 for most basic programs ever like the web browser on there if they made it so you could activate executable files i could put Mozilla on there hmm what other things can i rant about? .... oh yea hate that you have to play so much extra for simple codecs oh my frikin god how i loath that i mean there sooooo simple why charge 20 squids for like 4 extra codecs when if you Google cccp you can download a whooping library of em to play even the moste obscure well rant over all in all im fumed and finished lol

Poorly supported and glitchy, 08 Jun 2008
Incredibly poor customer support.
Archos will only deal with its customers problems if you have a WMA number which you can only get after queueing on their premium rate "support" lines. Support lines are off hand to rude. Goods returned not fixed.

This is a real draw back as Archos' appear inheritantly glitchy.



Ok but for the fatal flaw, 07 May 2008
I bought the 160gb version that was supposed to have manual and reg instructions on the drive. not there no help on archos site. after a week of trying eventually found how to purchase plug in for web browser and set up archos account. gradually learnt how to use it. the touch screen is NOT finger friendly, it's slow but audio sound is great through h/p and even a £3 lead into my amp. Began to fall in love with the ability to watch video streamed from youtube n google video as I walked around the house etc and went to bed each night streaming films. however they always cut out after ten minutes thought i was being dumb. again no help on site then found out by trial and error it needed to be plugged in to ac adaptor not only when synching with wmp11 but to watch streamed vids longer than approx 10min. If you like your audio don't rip WMplayer in lossless or anything else as archos forces a downgrade to standard wma which takes forever. corrupt files are common too.

Here's the crunch, never got as far as setting up my bundled dvr station or other extras as on day 12 FATAL ERROR recovery error 102 none of the restore options worked archos site never heard of that error n couldn't help. the device felt weighty and of good build quality so i thought i must have been unlucky and got a duff hard drive. Not so!! the flash drives suffer the same problem and there are thousands of people on the forums with the same problem with no resolution but to RMA. I've decided grudgingly to wait for a larger capacity iTouch. The bricked archos remains by the door a month later waiting to be collected, and needless to say i ain't got my money back yet. It was great while it lasted but i'd never by another.

Disappointing quality, 18 Dec 2007
Having read the above reviews from the DVR I do wonder if perhaps I have a faulty unit. The unit acts as a 'pass-through' when my Archos 704 wifi isn't docked, i.e. phono connection from recording source (there is a supplied Scart adaptor to convert from phono) and phono to Scart out (I can't understand why the phono connectors are all gold plated, but the scart connectors are not). Sat next to my Panasonic 32" LCD the picture quality is notably degraded on the TV, partuculary when seeing any text on the screen). Play back of recorded stuff on the Archos is reasonable enough, but I can't put up with the degraded picture qu