Archos gets set to unveil Gen 5 products
By Donald Melanson 
posted Jun 14th 2007 11:46AM
posted Jun 14th 2007 11:46AM
We knew they were coming, and now Archos really wants you to know that they're coming, with the company's website now replaced with a teaser page counting down to the imminent launch of its new fifth generation PMPs. Don't get too entranced by those decreasing digits though, we'll have complete coverage of whatever it is the company has in store before you know it.
[Thanks, Mike]
[Thanks, Mike]
I really hope these can play 720p mkv videos.
I Have been waiting for this for a long time.. COWON could learn something or two about marketing their Q5 and A3 from Archos!
@paloooz: MKV is a *container* format, not a *codec*, your question is like asking whether it can play 720p AVI.
Yes, I know all about it. The filetype is "mkv" ... what kind of file is it? It's a video. So, I think it's fair to call them "720p mkv videos" for the sake of not having pluralize "mkv."
But let's take it even further. My Cowon A2 can play MP3 audio, and MPEG-4 video. But that doesn't mean that if I throw those two in a matroska container, that the Cowon A2 will be able to play it. It needs to know how to read the matroska container format.
it wont play 720p, nor will it play .mkv although i wish it did.
the 605 is going to be 800 x 480 resolution, but unlike the 3rd generation you cannot downsize anything higher so it cant play 1280 x 720.
also the H.264 optional codec only supports .mov, .m4v, and something else but not .mkv, because thats a matroska which it just doesnt play.
as for the 720p, there is going to be a 705 wifi, but its probably not coming out this fall with the rest, and i assume that since the 605 has a 4.3" screen and can handle 480p, then the 705 with its 7-8" screen may be able to handle 720p
i pray to god that it can, and even if it can it'll only play stuff like hd xvid and wmvhd which isn't the best.
omg i would go nuts if they add support for .mkv
this is all quite possible since i read that there is a rumor about archos putting HD possibilities for the 5th gen products.
we will have to wait until 2PM eastern however to find out anything
You're confusing screen resolution and playback resolution.
^ Exactly. I don't care if it actually DISPLAYS 1280x720. I just want to be able to throw my pirated movies and TV shows on it without having to transcode. Haha...
@paloooz: OK, but what is the video codec used when people create MKVs? .AVIs are MPEG4 most of the time, but some are MJPG, .MP4 can be MPEG4, H264 or SVQ3 and so on, so for each container you need to state the codec as well when asking whether it is supported.
Just support most major codecs (xvid, divx, mpeg4, mpeg2, mpeg1, x264, h.264, ac3, mp3, ogg, etc...) the mkv container, and 1280x720. That's what I'm wanting. If they don't make it, then I just won't buy one... simple as that.
Follow in some live blow-by-blow transcript (in French) of the press event at http://www.archoslounge.net/
Google translation:
Click Here
@charbax
I had the av700, and it had a pretty low resolution, but if you threw something a bit higher at it, it could downsize and still play.
the fourth generation can only play UP TO their resolution, so if something is a tiny bit higher itll say image size too big and it wont play
also, on the av700 if i played those 350MB hdtv shows (approx. 620 x 350) from bittorrent the video res was just under the res of the screen and it looked great
on the 704 wifi however, the hdtv is grainy because the screen res is much higher, and it cant play those HR.HDTV shows that are just higher (960 x 540)
so i dont understand what u are saying
None of Archos 704 nor AV700 can play larger resolution than 720x576, but with this new series the resolution supported is to be confirmed within the next few seconds at http://www.archoslounge.net/conference.html
yes, but with the av700, thats more then the res of the screen meaning that it can downsize....but the 704 has a 800x480, and it cant even fill it
If you are watching 16/9 content then it does fill the whole screen I think, even though it's 800x480 resolution..
Can someone please help me with a question that I have been trying to answer...I am looking for the best device that will allow me to take movie files from my computer and watch them on a TV.
I currently have a divx compatible dvd player with a usb port and that works really well when I am at home, but I am looking for something that I can bring with me on road trips. I don't necessarily need a viewing screen even.
Thanks!!!