Archos AV500

[Erwin Landau]

I finally made my mind up to buy the Archos AV 420...

 

Just went to there website: www.archos.com...

 

And they already did the next leap into the 500 series... check it out.

 

What now?

 

Erwin "confiused and again left in the dust" Landau

[Ramon Engle]

Erwin I've been trying to decipher the ins and outs of all the different verison of personal video recorders. I've come to realize that Archos is one of the few that accepts an analog-in video signal. Do you know if there's a cable that allows you to not use the cradle and plug into the analog signal?

 

Ramon

[Edgar Colon]

Try Fred Davis @ Production Cable Services.com

I almost sure that he's working with that type of cables for those recorders already

 

fred@productioncableservices.com

 

Hope it helps

 

Edgar

[David Allen Grove]

I would get Fred to make you a power/video cable.

In the meantime though.. for $19.95 this will work.

 

http://archos.com/products/prw_500671.html

 

[Ramon Engle]

Here's yet another contender to throw into the mix.

 

http://ovideon.com/cgi-bin/merchant2/merch...tegory_Code=PMD

 

While it's memory is limited at 5GB

It uses an advanced type of screen known as OLED(Organic Light-emitting Diode).

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/O/OLED.html

 

In addition it has a built-in TV Tuner so if you ever need an addional monitor, albiet tiny, you'll have a back up to put in the directors hands.

This is nice, is comes with 2 Li-ion batts.

 

 

Ramon

[Jamie Hammond]

Hi Erwin,

Sometimes you just gotta jump in technology moves so bloody fast these days, bought my 420 yesterday, played with it today looks great. My few concerns are 1 finding a decent case that has a viewable window in the front (as that little screen is just crying out to get a whack) and 2 finding a smaller remote control. The one they pack with it is huuuugggeeeee. Oh and a big wedge of velcro as I think thats the only way Im gonna get that strapped to me Master Elite.

 

Good Luck

 

J :P

[David Allen Grove]

I use an old Cd jewel case (cut slightly bigger than the screen itself) and velcrod it to the archos for protection. It's not pretty but it's much safer.

 

This case looks ok.. although, it doesn't look like it has a clear plastic protective window cover.

 

http://archos.com/products/prw_500660.html

[Brad Smith]

Anybody tried one of these?

 

http://www.gdbint.com.au/Product.asp?pID=188

 

 

No screen but looks ideal.

 

Another link for US

 

http://www.broadcaststore.com/store/model_...98399#ModelInfo

[Ramon Engle]

Gee whiz, $5,500.00 for that mini DVR! You'd think they're making it for the film industry. It does record in 720x480. But holy cow that's expensive.

 

R

[Tom Wills]

And to think it doesn't even include the CompactFlash cards it needs to work. :P

[Thomas English]

From simply looking at the spec differences

 

the DVR AV500 stores 100gb whilst the 420 only 20 Gb

 

The Mpeg-4 live video encoding on the 420 seems to be of limited datarate (SVCD) whilst the 500 the mpeg4 can be selected up to ?near DVD quality? No indication of the actuall data rates is included but its implying a maximum estimated 2.6 Mbps on the 420 and 6 Mbps on the 500 . i.e. The image quality on the 500 can be loads better. Although their idea of ?near dvd quality? could be half to a third those datarates.

 

The 420 is 280g whilst the 500 is 315g

 

The ?pod? or docking on the 500 seems to have video pass through. This could be a problem if your wanting to loop your out video back onto your sled. It would have to be disabled to avoid feedback. Whilst I have never used an Archos I would imagine wanting to put the video signal in from the sled and then out back onto the same connector. That way I could turn the camera off and press play and the playback would immediately play on my monitor and transmitter without having to re wire anything. Correct me if I am wrong please.

[Thomas English]

sorry for not thinking, the av loop through would enable you to put the archos at the top of your rig between camera and sled, negating the need for a VDA.

[charlesneufeld]

Hey Guys,

 

I just purchased a 420. Lopped off the connector to the docking station and put a 5-pin lemo for my PRO (vid in-out). It's everything I could want!.....so far. I just need to figure a way for a remote start/stop.

 

~C

[Jamie Hammond]

Hey Charles,

Sounds good, I just bought a car charger and then bought the reverse (car end) part and connected that to a hirose. Although its only power, I use the travel cable for picture/audio. It works great on my elite and can plug straight into a digibeta or HD when shooting on sticks. Also didn't need to savage the cradle either. All I need now is a nice weather resistant cover with a viewable window....any ideas. Oh yeah and in regard to the remote thing, I remember having a learning remote control watch by casio a few years back, maybe that would do for a small on/off remote although probably a little to fiddly.

 

C Ya

 

J

 

:rolleyes:

[Fred Davis]

I would get Fred to make you a power/video cable.

In the meantime though.. for $19.95 this will work.

 

http://archos.com/products/prw_500671.html

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I've been modifying the Travel Cable Kit by butt-splicing a leg to 5-pin LEMO, into a "Y" cable

Power/video breakout.

Klugie, but workable. Playback is comprimised due to seperate connectors used by the Archos for video in/vid out ("W" cables?! Ick!)