Archos 504 40GB Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (500869) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am now the proud owner of an Archos 404, after spending one traumatic month having owned, in my opinion, the far inferior Archos 504.

Inferior, you say? But the 504 has a larger 4.3" screen, better battery life, a removable battery, and much larger Hard drive capacities (even for the 40 GB). How then, can I say that it is a far inferior product? Well, primarily because the Archos 404 actually works, while the 504 (much to my dismay) does not.

You see, beneath that beautiful metallic exterior and beautiful screen of the Archos 504 lies a niggling problem that Archos doesnt want you to know about, especially if you live in a hot and dry location. This product is extremely, and I mean EXTREMELY, sensitive to Electro Static Discharge (ESD), and hangs almost instantaneously if you expose it to even the slightest amount of static. Using this player had become an absolute nightmare for me. Whenever I was listening to music, and would for example want to see which track is playing or skip to the next track etc., I would simply touch the player (whether in its case or outside), and not even press a button, and it would hang instantly. Soon after, I actually used to become nervous every time I needed to touch the player, and soon developed a habit of beforehand touching a metallic object (eg. doorknob) every time I needed to use the player. Needless to say, when one has to do such things just to touch a device, it kind of ruins the experience of owning that device. The 404 suffers from none of these problems, I have been using it for over a month now, and it has not even frozen once.

Having said that however, I still give this product two stars instead of just one, because a) the video playback is very good (much better than the 404, and not only because of the larger screen), b) the battery life is decent, and the battery is removable and c) it offers capacities larger than most other video players available today.

As for the sound, anyone interested in an Archos 04 series product should know that the volume on these players is significantly lower than the others, even with the latest firmware 1.6.20. I have made a direct comparison using the same pair of headphones with the 5G iPod, iPod Nano, Cowon A2, Cowon X5, and Creative Zen Vision M, either owned by me or by friends, and they are all louder than the Archos. Better, I cannot say, as that is subjective, but certainly and verifiably much louder.

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Product Description:
With the Archos 500869 504 40GB Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder you have all the entertainment you need at your fingertips, in a package that stays ultra portable. The perfect companion for everything from long trips to short bus rides, from going to parties to just hanging out around the house, the Archos 504 lets you not only take your favorite music, movies, and moments with you, but helps you create and have new favorite moments wherever you happen to be.
With a screen size surface three times that of similar size PMPs (portable media players), the Archos 504 ensures you can thoroughly enjoy movies and videos. This unit uses a bright, 4.3-inch TFT LCD display with over 16 million colors to provide you a crystal-clear, sharp picture with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixels of resolution, as well as an intuitive GUI (graphic user interface) for easy-to-use navigation. The Archos 504 not only plays your videos and movies, but lets you store over a whopping 113 regular movies or 29 DVD-quality movies on its hard drive in either MPEG-4 or WMV formats, at up to DVD resolution. You can also purchase and download optional plug-ins from Archos' website that will allow you to play H.264 and MPEG-2 formats up to DVD resolutions as well.
Not only is the Archos 504 a portable video and movie player, but a high-resolution photo viewer as well, complete with features such as zoom, music, and transition effects. You can easily download photos from your PC, or transfer them directly to the 504 from your digital camera via the optional docking adapter. This unit is compatible with JPEG, BMP, and PNG file formats, and can hold up to 400,000 photos at a time, depending upon file size and what else you are storing at the same time. The Archos 504 can even read and display PDF documents for on-the-fly work situations, although it may not implement all PDF features.
For those times when you can't afford the distraction of watching high-quality videos, the Archos 504 can be your music player, storing and playing up to 20,000 songs so you can keep working, walking, or doing whatever you need with your own private soundtrack. This unit displays the track, artist, album, and album cover of whatever you are playing, and supports stereo MP3 decoding from 30 to 320 kbps CBR and VBR, as well as WMA, protected WMA, and WAV (PCM/ADPCM) formats. Furthermore, the Archos 504 can play AAC music files, and AC3 stereo sound files with the additional of optional software plug-ins that can be purchased and downloaded from Archos' web site. And just in case inspiration strikes or you want to make sure you don't forget something important, this handy media player lets you make voice recordings through its built-in microphone, or via the optional DVR travel adapter or DVR station through a stereo line-in jack in WAV format.
The Archos 504 is fully compatible with DVD-quality VOD (video on demand) and online music stores, allowing you to purchase and download new music and movies directly online rather than having to transfer everything from more traditional media sources. This media player can also record directly from TV in high-quality MPEG-4 with stereo sound via the optional DVR station, so you can take your favorite television shows with you wherever you go. And if you are at home, the Archos 504 can play back any of your movies or recorded TV programs on your television itself, also through the optional DVR station.
The Archos 504 has a built-in 40 gigabyte hard disk so you have plenty of space for anything you need, and includes a high-speed USB 2.0 connection for transferring files. This unit features a 3.5-millimeter stereo headphone jack mini-jack and TV output, and dedicated connectors for hooking up optional adapters or the DVR station. The 504 also features a music playback time of up to 17 hours, and a video playback time of up to 5.5 hours on its built-in LCD display, all with its internal, removable lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery that charges via computer through its USB port, or more quickly with the optional docking adapter or DVR station, or a separate optional power charger. The Archos 504 is compatible with both PCs and Macs with a USB port and Linux, Windows ME or higher, or OS X or higher, and requires Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher and Windows Media Player 10 or higher for use with PlayForSure video and subscription services. This media player allows firmware updates to be downloaded via www.archos.com, weighs approximately 11.15 ounces, and measures approximately 5.1 x 3 x 0.9 inches (W x H x D).
What's in the Box
Archos 504 portable media player, headphones, dedicated USB 2.0 cable, DVR station adapter, protective case, quick-start guide, and legal and safety notices.

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Archos 604 30 GB Ultraslim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (500860) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)The Archos 604 Video player is wonderful piece of electronics.It is a great update of the venerable AV500 and takes care of all of the problems of its predecessors.

Package Contained
Archos 604, 1 battery, nice ear bud headphones, 1 proprietary USB 2.0 cable used to charge the device and transfer content from your computer, setup guide and legal stuff, DVR station adapter and a storage sack.

The Great
The screen is totally amazing: Big, Bright and Beautiful in a 16:9 layout. It has a 30 Gig HD which many people will think is probably on the small size, but I find it more that enough to store 8-10 movies and 8-10 TV shows leaving more than 20 gigs for music. And how much do you really need for movies and TV.These are not like music files: once you view a TV or movie a few times you will want to delete it and put newer movies and TV shows on the unit. More space would be nice, but the 30 here is more than enough for what this unit will be used for, ie watching on the go.

Viewing angle is very wide. The unit itself is well constructed and is made up of a high density plastic and metal - a nice surprise when most people are using only plastic to save money and lessen weight. Here too the 604 has really improved the surface of the metal with a very nice brushed surface that always looks clean: no fingerprints show.

Included are a few sample files to show off the 604 abilities in the video and music areas. The manual is right in the unit in a pdf file which is a very nice feature. The 604 can view most pdf files and the screen is so nice reading and viewing them is a pleasure. I bought my 604 to watch stuff on the go, and this unit is PERFECT for that.

Archos technical support is easy to call and they pickup and give advice without putting you through the ringer or automated FAQ system - another nice surprise.

The 604 has a Replaceable battery!Don't by any product where you can't replace the battery.

Battery life is wonderful for music at over 14 hours when listening to music only. When using it to play videos, I am getting 4+ hours of use before the battery is exhausted. Looking at pictures and listening to music falls somewhere between 7 and 10+ hours.

The interface looks really cool with lots of interactive items. When connected to your computer it asks you what you want to do: charge only, sync (via Windows Media 10) or mount as a hard drive. No installation discs come with the unit as they are not needed. Only thing you need to do is make sure Windows Media 10 (a free download from Microsoft) is installed if you want to use the it for syncing files, but it is not required as you can drag and drop files on the the 604 in HD mode just like any regular hard drive.

The speaker is small but actually sounds good considering its size - perfect for office or desk listening or to share video clips with friends gathered around. The built in Kickstand is extremely cool here and makes playing videos and watching them at your desk very slick.

The built in microphone works exceptionally well and picks up even the softest sounds clearly.

The photo viewer is great and and is fun to use (slide show, rotate, etc.). You can even listen to music while you view pictures which is a wonderful feature: just start listening to music before you switch over to viewing photos.

The Not So Great
Many might be disappointed that it comes with no cables to play back video on television, but again what this unit is really useful for is watching video ON THE GO. If you want a DVR for your house, get a Tivo or something similar or get the additional add-on that make the 604 a full featured DVR, but if you go this route, I would suggest getting the 504 with the bigger HD. Although there to you will pay more for the additional storage size, and you will also have to buy the cables to enable it to record live shows.

The navigation buttons take a bit of getting used to of course, but the design is really quite simple and straight forward.

Things to do when you get your unit.
Be sure to go to the archos website and get the firmware update from the download section for the Archos 604 and update it right away. It adds functionality.

The very bad
The storage bag is useless: provides no more protection than a zip-lock bag. Don't worry, there will be many people selling skins for this unit soon.

Update on 9-20-06:
I wanted to pass along a few more things since my review. I have used the Archos 604 for the past 3 weeks now and I am even more impressed then when I first wrote my review. The unit is just so light and compact for what it offers. This is not like an iPod of course, but with that you gain such a beautiful screen for doing all the things an iPod or similar just can't do. I use the Archos to workout (cardio), currently watching LOST, and the time just flies by.

I have not had any problem connecting or transferring files to the Archos 604: it just works well.

Update on October 4th, 2006:
I have played around with the display setting for brightness and have discovered that if you reduce the brightness to the minimum level (still super acceptable for viewing IMO) you can get about an extra 1 hour of viewing of videos.

Update on October 27th 2006:
The H.264 - AAC sound plug-in was released a few days ago. I downloaded it and installed it easily. The plug-in is tied to your unit so no sharing the codex. Now there is no reason to convert iPod videos for the Archos, they play perfectly with this new plug-in. The plug in was $19.99. The DVD video plug-in also works perfectly and I installed it also without problems and have watched some wonderful DVD movies without having to convert them to a different format. This plug-in was also 19.99. I wish Archos had included these in the original price.

Update on December 5th, 2006:
The Archos 604 as of this date supports the following files types (some may require a plugin: see the Archos website for details).
.divx
.xvid
.wmv
.wma
.m4v
mpeg-4
mpeg-2
.vob
.mpg
.ps
.mp4
.ac3
.acc
.mov (H264)

Summary
This is a very cool device and is certainly easy on the eyes. This blows away any other portable video player (PMP) on the market and the price is incredibly low for what it offers. The very low price will make this a must have item for watching video on the go if you can find it for sale. My 604 is just such a joy to use. I am never without high quality TV shows or DVD movies now no matter where I find myself. The size is just perfect, any larger and it would be cumbersome, and smaller and it would produce eye strain like I had with the video iPod.

Overall, I continue to be very, very happy that I bought the Archos 604.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Archos 604 30 GB Ultraslim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (500860)

Product Description:
With the Archos 500860 604 30GB Ultra-Slim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder you have all the entertainment you need at your fingertips, in a package that approaches iPod size. The perfect companion for everything from long trips to short bus rides, from going to parties to just hanging out around the house, the Archos 604 lets you not only take your favorite music, movies, and moments with you, but helps you make new favorite moments wherever you happen to be.
With a screen size surface three times that of similar size PMPs (portable media players), the Archos 604 ensures you can thoroughly enjoy movies and videos. This unit uses a bright, 4.3-inch TFT LCD display with over 16 million colors to provide you a crystal-clear, sharp picture with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixels of resolution, as well as an intuitive GUI (graphic user interface) for easy-to-use navigation. The Archos 604 not only plays your videos and movies, but lets you store up to a whopping 85 movies on its hard drive in either MPEG-4 or WMV formats at up to DVD resolution. You can also purchase and download optional plug-ins from Archos' website that will allow you to play H.264 and MPEG-2 formats up to DVD resolutions as well.
Not only is the Archos 604 a portable video and movie player, but a high-resolution photo viewer as well, complete with features such as zoom, music, and transition effects. You can easily download photos from your PC, or transfer them directly to the 604 from your digital camera via the optional docking adapter. This unit is compatible with JPEG, BMP, and PNG file formats, and can hold up to 300,000 photos at a time, depending upon file size and what else you are storing at the same time. The Archos 604 can even read and display PDF documents for on-the-fly work situations, although it may not implement all PDF features.
For those times when you can't afford the distraction of watching high-quality videos, the Archos 604 can be your music player, storing and playing up to 15,000 songs so you can keep working, walking, or doing whatever you need with your own private soundtrack. This unit displays the track, artist, album, and album cover of whatever you are playing, and supports stereo MP3 decoding from 30 to 320 kbps CBR and VBR, as well as WMA, protected WMA, and WAV (PCM/ADPCM) formats. Furthermore, the Archos 604 can play AAC music files, and AC3 stereo sound files with the additional of optional software plug-ins that can be purchased and downloaded from Archos' web site. And just in case inspiration strikes or you want to make sure you don't forget something important, this handy media player lets you make voice recordings through its built-in microphone, or via the optional DVR travel adapter or DVR station through a stereo line-in jack in WAV format.
The Archos 604 is fully compatible with DVD-quality VOD (video on demand) and online music stores, allowing you to purchase and download new music and movies directly online rather than having to transfer everything from more traditional media sources. This media player can also record directly from TV in high-quality MPEG-4 with stereo sound via the optional DVR station, so you can take your favorite television shows with you wherever you go. And if you are at home, the Archos 604 can play back any of your movies or recorded TV programs on your television itself, also through the optional DVR station.
The Archos 604 has a built-in 30 gigabyte hard disk so you have plenty of space for anything you need, and includes a high-speed USB 2.0 connection for transferring files. This unit features a 3.5-millimeter stereo headphone jack mini-jack and TV output, dedicated connectors for hooking up optional adapters or the DVR station, and a built-in kick stand for convenient table-top viewing. The 604 also features a music playback time of up to 16 hours, and a video playback time of up to five hours on its built-in LCD display, all with its internal, removable lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery that charges via computer through its USB port, or more quickly with the optional docking adapter or DVR station. The Archos 604 is compatible with both PCs and Macs with a USB port and Linux, Windows ME or higher, or OS X or higher, and requires Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher and Windows Media Player 10 or higher for use with PlayForSure video and subscription services. This media player allows firmware updates to be downloaded via www.archos.com, weighs approximately 9.05 ounces, and measures approximately 5.1 x 3 x 0.65 inches (W x H x D).
What's in the Box
Archos 604 portable media player and recorder, headphones, dedicated USB 2.0 cable, DVR station adapter, pouch, quick-start guide, and legal and safety notices.

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

Average Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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


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

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