Archos DVR Station Gen 5 for 405, 605, and 705 Players
by Archos
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Our Price: $125.00 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $75.00 (click here) Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Archos DVR Station Gen 5 for 405, 605, and 705 Players
Customer Review: Ok device for helping Archos products to become DVR's
Summary: 3 Stars
Well, I might of rated this product higher had I not had to send it in for repair after owning it for just one month. I have read other reviews that say the DVR Station sucks. I don't think of it that strongly but the fact that it failed so soon is why I rated it lower. It had an issue where when connected to my also new 605 wifi, it stopped showing a recording tab in the recorder. It also wouldn't allow the 605 to show on my TV when pushing the TV button. The red LED would come on but no picture would appear on screen. For some reason, since the repair, the LED isn't showing as brightly and my 605 wifi is now really having some issues with downloading and setting up the channel menu and seems to make the hard drive on the 605 churn forever, which it only used to do that when I would download the two week channel schedule. That I could understand. It also freaked out with the sound and wouldn't play back any sound until I completely reset the power on the 605 and DVR Station. Now, I think, they are working like normal. I have it set to record a program tonight. We'll see what happens. I also gave it lower marks because of the very small output jack that is used for connecting the SPDIF. I don't know why ARCHOS couldn't have installed a normal RCA type jack for that connection, just like all other audio equipment I own that also supports an RCA type connection for the subwoofer as well. I do like that it has component jack inputs and outputs for a better picture quality, as well as s-video. All in all, I think the whole idea of using all these devices interconnected together to make a small yet compact DVR solution is a pretty good idea. I still feel that ARCHOS needs to provide it all as one large package for the consumer at a reasonable price so when he or she buys the product, they don't find theirselves waiting for several different deliveries so that they may enjoy everything ARCHOS specifies in it's owners manuals the product is supposed to be able to do. This is a much better solution than asking people to hunt and peck for the rest of the devices they need and waiting for delivery for a full functioning unit. If the person doesn't want to use some of the package at the time, they don't have to. If you're like me, you'll be thankful you have the other pieces already bought and paid for and safely stowed away for use at a later date, than having to come up with the extra cash and hope they are still available at your favorite shopping place on line when you decide you are now ready for the full enjoyment of the product.Customer Review: THE ARCHOS 605 ROCKS!!! BUT MARKETING PRACTICES ARE QUESTIONABLE!!!
Summary: 3 Stars
I have the archos 605 wi-fi, 160 gb player. AND THE ITEM ITSELF IS AWESOME BUT THE WAY Archos markets this product is highly questionable!!! For example... they have what they call a SADDLE... that is a SKIMPY piece of plastic that helps hold the ARCHOS 605 in the ARCHOS DVR station. THEY send you one saddle with the original 605 archos... THEY DO NOT SEND A SADDLE WHEN YOU BUY THE DVR STATION!!! SO THE PICTURED ITEM IS NOT TRUE... almost false advertising... there IS NO SADDLE INCLUDED WITH THE DVR STATION... you only get one with the original ARCHOS purchase. NOt to mention to get my ARCHOS to record I have to pay $29.99 for this... and to have it record H.264 for Youtube, ETC. I had to pay another $29.99 fee... VERY VERY VERY QUESTIONABLE!!! I bought an ARCHOS 250 GB to product... and I would have to spend ANOTHER HUNDRED DOLLARS... AGAIN, ON UPGRADES THAT I HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR ONCE ON THE ARCHOS 605 160gb wi-fi purchase. So I have spent nearly a thousand DOLLARS... on Archos products... battery charging adapter... portable DVR adapter... mini-dock adapter, etc. AND I don't EVEN HAVE A SADDLE, AS PICTURED IN THIS PICTURE, TO HOLD MY ARCHOS IN PLACE IN THE DVR??? ARE YOU PEOPLE NUTS? OR are your marketing execs... not very smart?? WHAT THEY SHOW IN THIS PICTURE IS NOT CORRECT... THIS DVR DOES NOT COME WITH THE ANY SADDLE AT ALL!!! SO literally... they are falsely advertising. YOU DO NOT RECIEIVE THIS ITEM AS PICTURED... THERE IS NO SADDLE WITH DVR STATION!!! The ORIGINAL ARCHOS 605 you buy comes with one saddle... which is ridiculous... WHY SEND A SADDLE, when I MAY NEVER BUY A DVR??? WHY WOULD THE SADDLE NOT BE WITH THIS DVR STATIION??? IF YOU BUY THIS ITEM... AS SHOWN... YOU DO NOT GET THE SADDLE TO HOLD THE 605 in place... and when I called to ask for a saddle... they said they have no more in stock and I can't even find the item online to buy, at any price!!! SO I have one saddle... on DVR number 1 at home number one... and on DVR number 2 at the guest house... I have no saddle... so I am basically gonna WRECK ALL THE PINS ON MY ARCHOS, WITH NO SADDLE... WHEN THEY SHOULD, OBVIOUSLY INCLUDE A SADDLE WITH THE DVR, NOT THE ORIGINAL ARCHOS PRODUCT, AS SHOWN IN PICTURE. THE PICTURE YOU SEE IS NOT WHAT YOU ARE GETTINg, AT ALL THINK TWICE BEFORE BUYING THESE ITEMS!!! Their marketing tactics are questionable at best!!! OR their marketing team is clueless!!!Customer Review: Convenient remote, yet poor quality and limited connections; cheaper alternatives available
Summary: 2 Stars
I have had three pretty major issues with this product, but it's still worth keeping IMO.
1)The quality is poor. It is acceptable by my standards, but it is not the same as playing the movies on the Archos itself, from your computer, or burning them to a DVD and playing them. This may have something to do with the analog connections. The other quality problem is that I have an HD-TV and the only options for output are NTSC and PAL (although the aspect ratio can be changed). I can't seem to find a way to avoid stretching.
2)My whole entertainment system is HDMI-based. I do have the option of using component, but the system does not have a component-in or a HDMI-in/out. Only s-video. This also poses a problem as my system does not convert s-video to HDMI. Therefore, I have to run an extra set of cables that are poorer quality.
3)Due to my issue above (my dvd and directv only output in component or HDMI), I cannot use this as a DVR. I have also read in other reviews that the DVR side may not be as useful anyway w/o a tuner
Summary:
I would highly recommend the batter charger. This allows for charging from a wall outlet, remotely with the batter, and also offers TV out cabilities which are the primary reason that I'm using this. I guess the only draw back is the lack of a remote.
Also, I believe that there is a travel DVR that may accomplish all of the same stuff but cheaper. Unless you really want the remote (which I do), I would recommend the smaller, cheaper, more portable alternatives. I can accept the poor quality, limited connections, and lack of DVR for the sake of having a Remote to use. I'm keeping mine and can say I'm satisfied for my needs.
Customer Review: DVR problems
Summary: 2 Stars
I purchased this to go with my 605 Archos Wifi. The 605 workes great does what I want it to do see review.
However the DVR has been nothing but trouble. I plugged 605 into the DVR station and it would not record or display on the TV. Called Archos support put on hold for 30 minutes then when I got through was disconnected not sure who was at fault. SO I sent an e-mail to Archos support hoping for a quick reply, several hours later (longer then I would like to wait) they sent me an e-mail with a list of things to check, connections and settings with a statement that if this doesn't solve the problem call for an RMA to have the station repaired. Rather then the RMA I returned the station for exchange at Amazon. Received the Station the next day, great service. Plugged the station and 605 to the TV and cable box it worked great no problems. THe station worked for a few days but then no display again. Called archos and had to go through the whole process again. This time sent the DVR station to Archos. I had to ship the device at my expense and no waiting to get it back. Web page for checking support says 10-15 days and is very minimal on the information it gives and only updates once a day.
The DVR station is a feature I looked foward to using but it has not worked out. Hopefully it will be returned and I will have no more issues. So I recommend being ready to deal with issues on the DVR. How ever the 605 is a great device that gives me the freedom to watch movies, listen to music and surf the web as well as 160 GB portable hard drive. Think about what you want and read the other reviews. I knew the potential for problems.
Customer Review: Great minus the program guide
Summary: 4 Stars
I mainly bought this for the remote control. It makes an expensive remote control but there are no other options out there (that I could find).
So far I've owned it for about 3 weeks and performs as advertised, except for the program guide. Only certain countries can use the program guide. There is a list somewhere on the Archos website. Not a big deal breaker - just means I have to use the program function just like a vcr.
Recordings are good quality and the bitrate can be varied to save space on your archos. I have an 80Gb 605 so there are no worries about space.
The remote works great and the unit charges your Archos while it's docked. You can also use the unit as a usb interface between your computer, or an external hard drive or thumb drive. It has ports for both USB and Mini USB.
One good use for the dvr is to play videos that the Archos can't play. Eg some H264 videos won't play, and HD video has a resolution that is too high for it. The DVR can be used to record these files (in real time) through the video card on a computer (provided it has a TV out). For some reason the quality of HD (high defintion) video suffers when recorded to the Archos, even on the highest bitrate. This may something to do with downsizing the image from 1080 or 1280 to 640 pixels. I'm still experimenting with this.
All up the device does what it's supposed to do, except for the program guide, which can only be used in certain countries.