http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/ Engadget Comments for Archos releases 404 Camcorder, 504 and 604 WiFi http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Ready to take the PMP plunge with these devices.
The true video ipod will never catch up.
]]>Aug 29th 2006 2:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/]]>Aug 29th 2006 2:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Aug 29th 2006 2:43PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Aug 29th 2006 2:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
A) A voice /speech interface for me to make selections doesnt have to be that great .. I am welling to spell things out loud.

B) Touch screen or a touchpad under the device.

C) Less buttons, and which are only on the side of the device.
]]>Aug 29th 2006 2:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Aug 29th 2006 5:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
1- "packs a bigger punch too" - what does that mean? That doesn't give us any information. Why does the 504 "pack a bigger punch" than the 604? Because the capacities are bigger? But you said that just before this, so is this just being redundant?

2- I'm skeptical about something. You mention the 504 is "thinner (22mm)." Now, AFAICT, you could mean it is 22mm shorter, left to right, than the 604 (though I don't know why that would be worth mentioning). However, I assume you mean it is 22mm thick, and that the 604 is thicker than that. While that would be worth writing about, I'm left confused. I assume the 604 is using a 1.8" hard disk. Now, whatever work Toshiba is doing, they haven't created a 160GB 1.8" hard disk yet. So how will the 160GB 504 (which I had assumed would be using a 2.5" drive) be thinner than the 30GB 604? I know I'm using the word "assume" a lot in this comment, but there isn't a whole lot of info to work on...]]>Aug 29th 2006 4:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
Um, scratch #2 of my previous comment. I think you may have your specs wrong, Mr Farivar. The standard 604 is 17mm thick, so the 504 can't be thinner at 22mm. This would also account for the bigger hard disk (although that's still very thin for a device that has a 4.3" screen AND uses a 2.5" drive.

"Am I missing something or are these devices far, far better than the iPod is or the Zune could be? Is there some hidden drawback? It looks incredible!"

Hehe, that's what the Archos faithful have been saying all along. So far I don't think the build quality has been up to par with Apple and the other top companies, but the AV500 was extremely close. They also finally got products into US retail stores (Sharper Image sells the 30GB AV500 and the AV700). I strayed from Archos, but I plan to return with this new line of players. Now I just want some more info on this second group, like a launch date. Their website has already been revamped and the standard 404 and 604 are on there, so I can't wait until the others pop up and I can give them a good looking over. A 160GB portable player would be amazing...]]>Aug 29th 2006 4:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Oct 25th 2006 12:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
"So far I don't think the build quality has been up to par with Apple and the other top companies, but the AV500 was extremely close."

Yeah right Dignan, the AV500 blew past the Ipod with alot of features, and quality. Sure you can't really find them in stores, but that's other people's problems if they don't want to come up with the times and order products online.

As for the new products by Archos, I will wait for alot of the bugs to be found and fixed before I consider buying one, right now I am happy with my AV 500, and the price should go down considerably in a year or to also. Just start researching products before you buy anything. Other than that good release Engadget.]]>Aug 29th 2006 4:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
Ok, I just read that back and should probably point out I don't work for them, though maybe I should and also, did I set a record for hyphen usage in one short paragraph?]]>Aug 29th 2006 8:09PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
I have good experience with their service but like the man said, it's my experience. I've had FOUR units from them and I will continue with the 604. I just sold my 500 to a friend when I heard about the 604 (to be prepared money wise) and I'm now just waiting to see if they will release the 604 wifi with the bigger drive.
That's going to be a clincher for me.

As for quality and build, they seem superior to me than most products and don't even mention ipod in this conversation, they never even came close to Archos for features. They built their reputation on being simple to use in a time when things weren't so simple to use and of course, being apple...

I've heard so much bad stuff about them, the same thing you've heard about Archos applies to them.

I don't work for Archos either and needless to say, if their products didn't work, I wouldn't have bought 4 units from them.

To the guy that wondered if you can hook it up to a DVR, you should be able to as long as the DVR has OUTPUTS and if not, maybe you can hook it up through the TV while playing whatever's on the DVR.

Later boys

George]]>Sep 26th 2006 6:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
That being said, this player still looks incredible!]]>Aug 29th 2006 11:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
There's always someone like JS who says "I won't buy one until...[add anything unlikely to be added and not necessary at that.]" But there are some Archos models out now with a touch screen if you have to have that. I have a Archos 680 running Qtopia Linux with a touchscreen.

They have always been better than the video iPod because you can use them to encode TV and your other videos as well as playback. ]]>Aug 29th 2006 10:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
Pros:
Huge screen
External speaker
Built-in voice recording
CF card slot
Displays photos from original file
Media bookmark ability
Acts as a HDD; drag and drop your media

Cons:
Very thick (only for large capacity versions)
No lossless codec support
Unable to play music and view photos simultaneously
Takes a couple seconds to boot

After 2 years of hard use my player is still in great shape, but the battery doesn't old a good charge anymore. I'll probably buy another Archos seeing as they're just about the only company selling high-capacity player (over 60GB) with a good set of features.]]>Aug 30th 2006 12:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
Not that it matters anymore as this post has gotten old, but I was mostly talking about build quality. No need to get defensive there. The AV500 was really solid, but those buttons wobbled like crazy.

You seem to make me out to be hating on Archos. Not so! I really like the company and I want them to succeed. They pioneered in the portable video field. At times they were years ahead of every competitor. That doesn't mean they don't have things to fix.

I'm going to be selling the iubi Blue I bought a couple months ago and picking one of these up.]]>Aug 31st 2006 11:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Sep 27th 2006 9:16PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Sep 4th 2006 1:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Sep 27th 2006 3:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/The unit is great.As I'm a movie buff just the ability to carry my video library where ever I go & able to wath it on big screen where ever I am is great.No DVD to take along.Also the build in screen definition is fantastic.

In fact I like Archos products so much I just purchased the new 504 160gb model.

Remember you get what you pay for $$$$$$

Pro / everything

Con / nothing]]>Oct 13th 2006 2:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
Consumers are attracted to iPod primarily it is a culture of performance you join. There is a presumption of actually caring for and listening to music. The machine itself needs to be as invisible as possible.....

I don't have an iPod... and I am not part of th Apple culture....or Microsoft....or Archos]]>Oct 19th 2006 6:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/
I have bought three Archos PMP's and LOVE them! The wife, daughter and I each have our own when we go on trips. I also own two Video Ipods and the wife and I mainly use them for music since the screen is comical to try and watch a movie on. The dughter didn;t even bother with a video Ipod and got a Nano. I bought a Zune, but returned it and bought the third Archos.

After several years of use, the LCD on my Ipod 60G is going out (a few bad lines in the screen) but the Archos I got at the same time is still going strong.]]>May 20th 2007 4:20AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/29/archos-releases-404-camcorder-504-and-604-wifi/Feb 23rd 2007 8:34AM