Archos TV Plus details, hands-on

Ok, ok, we admit, the Archos TV Plus we got to manhandle was only a prototype -- at best. (It was really more of a mockup.) But we did bring home a lot of interesting info for those curious to know more details about Archos's first DVR / media streamer.

• The Archos TV Plus will feature typical DVR functionality, including an IR blaster for cable boxes; it takes input via component, composite, or S-Video
• It can only output up to 720p via HDMI; it only records up to VGA resolution MPEG-4 files, so HD programs will be downscaled
• The media files it records are un-DRMed, and can be synced to your Archos portable -- but only via direct USB connection, not over Ethernet or WiFi
• It can also stream WMV, FLV, and MPEG-4 content via your home UPnP server
• It also has a remote with jog-wheel and QWERTY keyboard
• It will start out with two drive sizes: 80 and 250GB, and should run between $200 and $350 when it launches this fall

Ok, we're done with that biz -- ready for some pics?

Gallery: Archos TV Plus details, hands-on

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[paloooz @ Jun 15th 2007 11:10AM]

How disappointing...

[Simon P @ Jun 15th 2007 11:14AM]

I disagree that it's disappointing. Looking forward to this immensely. Specs are not bad at all for a relatively small company. I'm a long-time Archos user and have never been diappointed by their offerings. It should also help prod others in the field to improve their boxes accordingly. All that competition will be great for us.

[paloooz @ Jun 15th 2007 11:19AM]

No DivX, XviD, MPEG-2, mkv, you've gotta be joking.

Outputs 720p, but can it play 720p? Why can't it record 720p?

How can you NOT be disappointed?

[Simon P @ Jun 15th 2007 11:28AM]

No box anyone puts out is going to be perfect....ever. Someone will always want more than it offers. This is a great start from Archos and given their history with DivX and them being about the best DivX supporting PMP company out there I can think of, it wouldn't surprise me to see this added. I agree it's far from perfect but I'm certainly not disappointed for a first offering.

[Charbax @ Jun 15th 2007 2:36PM]

It does play DivX, XviD, MPEG-2 and does play at up to 720p HD.

What sets this especially appart from other Sigma Designs based HD set-top-boxes is that this one will be ready to playback Flash Video from sites like Youtube, Dailymotion, Google Video, in full screen and upscaled to 720p. Also this box is totally ready for video-on-demand, IPTV streaming, and more.

And this article is saying content can only be synched over USB2 to an Archos 605 WiFi product, I'm sure it will also be possible to stream content from the TV+ to the 605 WiFi over the local network and over the Internet. As well as remote control EPG recordings from the 605 WiFi or remotely manage RSS downloads and VOD downloads. I just hope it manages RSS and BitTorrent well also to function as a Democracy Player podcast aggregator box.

[Simon P @ Jun 15th 2007 3:26PM]

thanks for the extra info. given their DivX-friendly history I was fairly sure it would work but didn't want to say anything without checking the evidence myself. update appreciated.

[G Raph @ Jun 15th 2007 11:20AM]

Man oh man, why can't somebody please make a wi-fi media streamer that will stream divx and xvid? I love my 360 to death as a media extender, but it pisses me off to no end that it doesn't stream divx and xvid well.

[Charbax @ Jun 15th 2007 2:39PM]

This box supports DivX and Xvid up to 720p HD. With B-frames, AC3 audio, subtitles, vbr-mp3.

Mpeg4 = DivX and XviD.

DivX is a trademark, so Archos doesn't want to pay DivX Networks to use the name DivX on marketing, but it definitely supports DivX. As well as it does support H264 with AAC audio, Mpeg2 and AC3 audio. Real Video, WMV, Quicktime .mp4 .m4v all those codecs are supported.

[ScOObyDoo @ Jun 15th 2007 11:22AM]

The remote looks like everything else Archos makes: confusing with way too many buttons. I'm sure it'll be a great product though. But I wish them lots of luck competing in this market.

[Farplaner @ Jun 15th 2007 11:35AM]

Archos never advertises their products supporting xvid/divx, but xvid/divx works anyway. For example, the words xvid/divx never shows up in the 704 wifi spec:

http://www.archos.com/products/video/archos_704wifi/tech_specs.html?country=global&lang=en

[ciscoguerrero @ Jun 15th 2007 12:01PM]

The remote gots to be the ugliest thing I've seen from Archos in a long time. Sorry, but it must be said, it looks like a first generation text pager from the year 1999.

Then again guys, I doubt you can record HD in 720p without a large capacity (at least 500GB) hard drive. Right now a Tivo 'High Quality' recording when converted uses 2GB per hour. So I can live without the HD recording for a while.

On the other hand, I probably think they do dtream Xvid, Dvix, they just don't advertise it. Right now my current media server involves a Buffalo NAS 1TB, 2 Gen Tivo with the wonderful TivoDotNet application where I can stream tons of formats (including Dvix) from Computer to TV (No HD content, though) and a 100GB Archos AV700, to take the content to go. Right now it does take a bit of a painful long conversion to get the Tivo content into the Archos. So an Archos DVR might be better since the connection is via USB.

Obviously what I want is a combination DVR, media streamer, (Like a Tivo meets a MVIX box) and Archos is at least moving into that direction.

[gibber9583 @ Jun 15th 2007 11:57AM]

Hmmm...great point.

This item will only be a purchase for me if it can play xvid,divx, and mkv. I dont really care that much about its recording features.

[Andrew @ Jun 15th 2007 11:38AM]

I'd love to get a remote like that for my HTPC.

[CK @ Jun 15th 2007 11:48AM]

Can someone recommend me a good media extender that supports Divx?

[Mephistophelian @ Jun 15th 2007 1:14PM]

How about the Mediagate MG-350HD?

[kosso @ Jun 15th 2007 11:47AM]

how about podcast downloading?

[Charbax @ Jun 15th 2007 2:43PM]

Podcast downloading is not menchionned by marketing yet, but it's an obvious thing that this product will support. Archos already is making a POdcast aggregator software for Windows called ArchosLink, so logically Podcast downloading will be part of features of the Archos Content Portal both directly on the 605 WiFi and on the TV+.

[patsy @ Jun 15th 2007 11:47AM]

That's not a bad attempt at all at a modern remote. Let's face it, with todays multimedia devices and huge program guides on cable/satellite boxes and DVRs, the old style numeric keypad+transport buttons remotes are falling a bit short. Searching for titles on a TiVo box is a PITA, an alpha-numeric keypad would be awesome.

[TDG01 @ Jun 15th 2007 11:50AM]

that remote looks like a label maker.........

[darkstar @ Jun 15th 2007 11:53AM]

yes it does!

i didnt know what it was until i started reading.
they coulda make the remote sexier with "suretype" from blackberry. this remote looks too clunky

[Charbax @ Jun 15th 2007 2:45PM]

I think one thing they should support is the option to use a full sized normal usb keyboard if one wants to, for that to be possible they simply need a usb to infrared adaptor on the table, so you would still use this special remote as the mouse and some shortcuts and you could be having a norm,al full sized keyboard on the living room table also.

[NHAnimator @ Jun 15th 2007 11:50AM]

Just wondering: When you peel off the lid, will the salisbury steak be cooked all the way through?

[William @ Jun 15th 2007 12:19PM]

Thats exactly what i thought too it looks like an oven tray. why is it that Apple is the only company around that can make something that looks good.
PS i was going to make the exact same comment but you got to it first.

[Me @ Jun 15th 2007 12:12PM]

Well, it does say it supports Mpeg4, and as far as I know Divx/Xvid and H.264 are all part of the Mpeg4 standard. The problem is that it doesn't explicitly state which part of the standard it supports, but still.

[Charbax @ Jun 15th 2007 2:48PM]

It supports Mpeg-4 Advanced Simple Profile with B-frames, vbr-mp3, subtitles and AC3 audio.

That means about 99% of all DivX files will work. Also DivX 3.11;-) works. Up to DivX 6.6 even the .divx container might be supported, but if it is they might consider having a DivX Ultra 720p plug-in.

[Shibathedog @ Jun 15th 2007 12:21PM]

I dont think a single person read the post! It's barely worthy of even being called a prototype, nowhere near finished. Looking at this for any kind of information other than a confirmation that archos is indeed making a product like this is just plain stupid.

If you seriously thing thats what the finished product will look like...nevermind, im just going to get flamed, i dont know why im bothering.

[scott harris @ Jun 15th 2007 12:47PM]

personally archos needs to advertise, its products could have a good market

also definatly remove buttons and make some slimmer high capacity models, with a simpler interface

personally i can see my ipod going for an archos lifestyle

but ill get an iphone to compensate lol

[murray @ Jun 15th 2007 12:53PM]

I kind of like the look of that remote. You'd probably hardly use it anyway; you'd use your universal most of the time. But for programming the unit, that thing looks good.

As Ryan said, it's just a mock-up anyway.

[M Burke @ Jun 15th 2007 1:12PM]

Still waiting for the Holy Grail of media devices, one that will record, encode (Divx?) and replay full 1080p AND stream it to any other MCP or PC in a home.

[JohnTitor @ Jun 15th 2007 1:49PM]

DivX is a type of MPEG 4
Archos didn't support .mp4 in their players, maybe the MPEG 4 means DivX or XviD

kinda disappointed about the downscaled recording but at least this outputs HDMI unlike some popular media streamers in the market

also anything think the Harddrive will me standard enough to mod out manually

[andy @ Jun 15th 2007 2:30PM]

Isn't that Dlink device more loaded up than this? Well, without the DVR at least?

[Charbax @ Jun 15th 2007 2:53PM]

As far as I know, not Dlink and not any other product on the market currently support video-on-demand, IPTV, podcast downloading, smooth flash video playback from Youtube/Dailymotion/Google Video, buy/rent and subscription models support for content.

[Travis @ Jun 15th 2007 3:01PM]

Why doesn't this have an RF stub? I was hoping this would be an affordable Freeview DVR to use with analog cable (I live in the sticks and HD is outragous!).

By the way that remote is awful - have a full size keyboard or a real remote not a mash up of the two.

[frederic.schmitt @ Jun 15th 2007 4:24PM]

Why don't use VLC for streaming files to TV like Aston Bee Player does?

[bigg @ Jun 15th 2007 5:34PM]

How about this for $250. I've got one and it plays almost everything right from my Maxtor NAS box.

http://us.taxan.com/products/products.php?cat=HNP&sc=AVEL&pId=AVLP2%2FDVDLAV&ts=2&tsc=&pId=AVLP2%2FDVDLAV

Supported Media Format (*1) DVD-Video/DivX®HDDVD/VideoCD/CD-ROM/CD-DA/DVD-ROM
Media Type: DVD -R / -RW / +R / +RW / CD-R / -RW
Supported Video MPEG1/MPEG2/MPEG2-TS/MPEG4/DivX®/XviD/WMV9
Supported Photo JPEG/BMP/GIF/PNG
Max Resolution Up to 2048 x 1532 pix (JPEG Photo)
Supported Audio MP3/MP2/AAC/WMA1/WMA2/WMAPro/PCM/Ogg Vorbis/WAV
Bitrate/Sampling 64K to 192Kbps / 32K, 44.1K, 48KHz
Audio Playing Stereo PCM / Dolby Digital AC-3
Wired LAN 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX(RJ-45) x1
USB Host I/F USB 2.0 port (front-side) x1 Mass storage class support
USB Support Devices USB Memory Stick, USB Hard Drive, FAT16/32 storage devices / card readers (No USB hub type product supported)
Video Out D-Connector (1080i/720p/480p/480i) *Converted to Component
Composite Out x1, S-Video Out (S1/S2) x1
Audio Out Analog Audio Out (L/R) x2
Digital Surround Out (Coaxial) x1, Optical Digital Out x1
DVD Region "1" North America

[frederic.schmitt @ Jun 16th 2007 2:25AM]

Looks nice, but is Hardware Codec dependant while the Bee player is dependant of what your PC or Mac can play with VLC...
http://www.aston-france.com/uk-bee-player.html
I got one and I'm pretty happy with it.