Archos 501129 Review, Compare, Prices, Discounts
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Archos 501129 Review, Compare, Prices, Discounts.
Product: Archos 501129 Amazon Price: Too low to display Availability: In Stock |
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I purchased this as an upgrade to my beloved Archos 605 160GB. I actually purchased this directly from archos because I had pains getting it through Amazon.
First impressions: glowing sleek develop, appreciate the rubbery backside and the enlarged veil! I get that the touch conceal UI interface is quite improved over the 605, the buttons all flash when you press them so that is a nice confirmation that you hit it. Also, play buttons and such seem to be bigger than before, easier to hit. Although the glossy, gleaming glimpse is dazzling to gaze at, it also shows fingerprints (noteworthy like the Touch) . Not a vast deal to me, I'm veteran to wiping off my glossy surfaces regularly.
So lets procure into the nitty gritty, starting with the things I worship about the original Archos 5. Fair one caveat, I am using this primarily as a replacement media player for the Archos 605 so I won't insist considerable to internet browsing issues. I will employ as a basis of comparison my collection of MP3 players (ok I'm an addict so sue me!) which includes iPod Touch 2nd Gen 32GB, Creative Zen WiFi 16GB, iPod Classic 160GB, Archos 605 160GB, Archos 604 30GB, iRiver Clix2 8GB.
*) 250GB: gotta fancy all that storage set, especially since the unique Apple Classic tops out at 120GB now it seems Archos is in a class all to itself.
*) Colossal comely glossy color hide, definitely an improvement over 605.
*) Easily connected to my Wifi, browser is now free instead of costing extra like before. Upgrade to firmware was accomplished easily.
*) Easy synchronization of my entire music library and playlists using Media Monkey in Windows Media Mode (605 had problems here, so satisfied Archos fixed this!)
*) Radiant burly featured DVR dock available (apple doesn't even compose one as far as I can articulate!)
*) Esthetically the most gripping player I've seen yet from Archos.
*) Nice context menus on most pages (tap upper legal corner) that build it easy to gather around.
*) Care For the ability to switch between hard drive mode and Windows Media Mode (something I do quite frequently) . Also nice to be able to keep a password on folders with sensitive or Adult vow.
*) Ability to play all kinds of audio/video files, although you do have to pay up to $40 for additional plugin firmware in order to play apple and cinema formats.
*) On cover touch qwerty keyboard is really nice, easy to expend -- I found it considerable easier to type accurately than the Touch/iPhone onscreen keyboard.
*) Browser supports flash controls, woohoo, welcome to the 21st century fercrissakes!
*) That 250GB of data is readily available to the PC as a hard drive so I can exhaust it for backups or whatever else I want to do with it. (unlike the Creative Zen for example) .
*) Convenient built-in speaker can be veteran in a pinch: everybody seems to have one of these now but as far as I can express Archos did it first on the 605!
*) Now Playing music cover is easier to expend, volume, and play buttons are easier to exhaust now and it displays the name of the next and previous songs: a feature that I don't gawk on any of my other MP3 players.
*) Nice dedicated volume and power buttons, the volume buttons are definitely easier to gather and consume than the 605.
And now, my suggestions to Archos for how they could improve on what I consider is a cutting edge pleasing product. Please understand, I'm a nitpicking software engineer so I give 5 stars even though I can salvage room for improvement!
*) I miss the dedicated hold/tv-out button which has been removed. Not a tall deal since can detached be done through the context menu.
*) Some of the text menus impartial gape a runt odd and seem to steal a too mighty situation on the hide. For example, I have to scroll down to derive to the "Playlists"... at the very least "Playlists" should be on the first page as its the one I spend the most. Really it seems like too many button presses are required to dig down and play a playlist, I wish "playlists" was available from a top level menu because I exhaust it more than anything else...
When all is said and done, I honestly gain that there is no comparable product with a tremendous attractive high resolution veil like this and a tremendous hard drive. This is it!
Now if you are tickled with a smaller cloak and less storage, the iPod Touch is arguably a better product: my solution? Grasp one of each!
Update 12-31-2008: As of Recent Years Eve I am tranquil quite happily using my Archos 5 as an entertainment center. It seems Archos heard me and they have made the album art a itsy-bitsy bigger in firmware release 1.2.05!
Update 1-24-2009: Firmware update 1.3.05 works ample! Had to utilize my Touch for a few days and very ecstatic to have my Archos wait on on the speakers, I do own the sound is better through the same speakers.
Update 3-14-2009: Updated to firmware 1.5.08. Due to previous upgrade, the upgrade process is Remarkable easier now because it doesn't try to rebuild its library from scratch (this takes hours when you have a lot of files like I do) . I'm also enjoying the "parental control" password which allows me to protect my data from unauthorized access. Unexcited a jubilant customer 
Update 5-22-2009: Collected very elated with my 5. Firmware version 1.6.53 now offers wait on for their GPS package and High Def. I tried the GPS package before and it was ok, my current thing about it was the windshield mount which really comes in handy on a long drive. The GPS itself is decent considering it doesn't cost worthy, but can't compare to Garmin. Composed, how many MP3 players even offer a GPS option?
First of all, I'd honest like to provide some context. I first discovered Archos support in summer '08 when my Elgato EyeHome died. For those of you who aren't aware of this product, it was basically a draw that could be extinct to contemplate computer files (avi, mp4, etc.) on an weak school, standard-definition television. When my EyeHome went kaput I was very disappointed to glance that the product had been discontinued. The search for a similar product finally led me to the Archos TV. At this point I've had the Archos TV for more than a year now. It's a fabulous product and, at least so far, has worked flawlessly - I couldn't be happier with it. In fact, it was because of this superior experience that I decided to invest in the Archos 5 Internet Media Tablet. I contemplate it's critical to give this backstory because some of the more interested Archos fans on here and on definite internet forums seem to reflect that any criticism of their common company means that you're nothing less than a drooling Apple fanboy - blinded to reality and incapable of giving a competing product a ravishing chance or factual assessment.
So, to continue, behind last year I was in a state that will probably be familiar to all of you. I was eager in buying a portable media player. Would it be an iPod Touch or... something else? Ultimately, I opted for the Archos 5 based on two main factors:
1) Greater storage capacity - 250 GB as compared to the maximum 32 GB on an iPod Touch
2) File flexibility - the Archos 5 can play honest about anything, whereas the iPod Touch is restricted to the mp4 file format. This was an indispensable consideration for me, since I already had a tiny library of avi files that I wanted to relish without having to convert to a different format.
I read some poor reviews proper here on Amazon and elsewhere, but, because of my wonderful experience with the Archos TV, I calm decided to invest in the Archos 5. Ample mistake.
To be graceful, the Archos 5 worked objective comely for the first few months. The problems seemed to launch after I installed the latest version of the firmware - 1.6.53. Basically, the unit seized up and became nothing more than an expensive paperweight. Pressing the power button would begin the startup process, but, rather than going to the main menu, the introductory "Archos - Entertainment Your Procedure" conceal would simply flash on an endless loop until all the battery power was drained.
Now, I'm extremely qualified when it comes to tech. I'm the guy that friends and family call to assist with stuff like installing an additional internal hard drive, deciding between plasma or LCD, setting up their Blackberry to pick up email from home... you gather the opinion. The Archos 5 is equipped with some rudimentary built-in quandary solving tricks. I tried these as the instruction manual advised - but nothing worked.
At that point I went to Archos Customer Service - this, folks, is where things go really haywire. In a word, Archos' customer service is appalling. If you don't want to acquire my word for it, unprejudiced read some of the other comments on here and select a gape elsewhere on the gather. Their sheer incompetence is legendary.
My experience with them is hardly typical, but I'll summarize here -
Step One - Contact customer service. Define dilemma. Gather an RMA (Return to Manufacturer Authorization.)
Step Two - Send unit in for repairs.
Step Three - Wait expectantly.
Step Four - Receive unit encourage from the RMA warehouse.
Step Five - Unpack unit and test. Seek that nothing has been fixed. Advise process beginning with Step One...
My last round with Archos Customer Service ended when I received my unit benefit from the warehouse and found that they had simply given me another unit altogether. I knew this was the case because the unique unit was mysteriously missing the sticker on the bottom that included the serial number. I'd also fitted the unique unit with a Lexerd Camouflage Protector - something that was conspicuously absent from the modern model.
Mind you, replacing my unit with another model of the sincere same type isn't necessarily a unpleasant thing - it might have worked out honest fair. The only plight was, this replacement model has a damaged power button, and, on the rare occasions that I can turn the thing on, it has the actual same jam as my outmoded unit - stuck in the "Entertainment Your Draw" startup loop. When I called customer service to discuss these issues, they claimed that the unit was gorgeous when it left the warehouse (immense consolation, huh? ) and that the broken power button was probably caused by someone at UPS unpacking the intention and "messing around with it." Say what?
Now, to be shapely, we all know that our electronic gizmos aren't perfect. The Archos 5 certainly isn't the first procedure I've had problems with and it won't be the last. The broad pickle is that Archos simply doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with issues like this when they occur. Honest for comparison, I had some problems with my Mac G5 when I first got it - but a fleet sprint to the Apple Store for a tune-up solved everything. Archos isn't like that. The company is based in France and, by virtue of necessity, their North American customer service is outsourced to a shoddy firm here in the U.S. staffed with reps who can do slight more than assert you to try pressing the reset button again and/or develop pathetic excuses.
To all of those people who have a functional Archos 5 and indulge in it - terrific. I'm overjoyed for you and I know from experience that when an Archos product does actually work, it's radiant. BUT - God aid you if you hurry into peril, because you're basically screwed.
I'm writing this in the hope of convincing some of you collected on the fence that you really ought to go with another product altogether. Buy whatever you like - Cowon, iPod Touch, whatever. Impartial don't find an Archos. Trust me on this, it's basically a crap shoot. And, at the ruin of the day, do you want to gamble, or do you want a product that actually works?
The first thing anyone should know about the Archos is that as of 10/5/08, the Archos 5 Firmware is quiet in beta. Beta means very different things for different products, but for the Archos 5 it means that some of the features are crippled, and that the firmware is serene buggy. I have been using the 5 for about 2 weeks now, and during that time the plot has crashed 6 times. Hold in mind this is only relevant if you want to steal it accurate now. If you settle to wait, I assume Archos will have the firmware finalized in a few months.
I migrated to the Archos 5 from an iPod Touch, my main reasons for doing so being the significantly larger capacity and the larger veil. I exhaust a mac, so it was quite jarring migrating out of the Apple universe. Some things you should know if you are coming to this plot from an Apple product:
1. The Archos will not sync with iTunes. This means that music you downloaded from the iTunes music store will be incompatible with the Archos. This also means that the playlists from your iTunes library will not natively work with the Archos. For many people this will not be an train, but I have a rather substantial library (7000 songs), and depend on playlists to separate my music. The Archos uses the universal .m3u playlist format, so if you want to have your iTunes playlists on the Archos, you will need to glean an iTunes playlist exporter.
2. Even if your songs are not copy-protected, the Archos will not play AAC files without a $20 plugin. For some, this is a moot point, for others, it could be a deal-breaker.
For the PC users: The Archos can either function as an external hard drive (very useful), or as a Windows Media Player Drive.
Now, the arrangement itself:
HARDWARE:
THe specs of the Archos are impressive, and best most other "IMT"s of its class. I have the 60GB version, however all models boast a 4.8" (Resistive, not capacitive) touch shroud, Wi-Fi, a speaker, and a pull-out stand. But maintain in mind that the Archos uses a proprietary USB connector, and that all previous Archos accessories (for the 605, 604, etc.) will not work with the 5. The attend of the unit is mirrored, and scratches incredibly easily. The front veil is susceptible to glare, but this is not very noticeable unless viewed in grunt sunlight. Sustain in mind that all the models consume hard drive based storage. This enables a broad capacity for a cheap designate, however, the unit will be slower because of this. The iPod Touch uses flash memory, which is very expensive and has a crude capacity, but is less likely to demolish. The Touch is also thinner. (You wouldn't reflect so, but the Archos is surprisingly pocketable) The speaker on the unit is little and tinny, but I am amazed on how many occasions I have found to exhaust it. The 2nd gen. Touch also has a speaker, and I highly doubt it is distinguished better than the one on the Archos. Something no one else has mentioned: The Wi-Fi antenna in the Archos is located on the good side, a situation where you normally might occupy the unit. It is very easy to accidentally block the Wi-Fi signal, and I have noticed that the connection can be tenuous (this might unprejudiced be my network) . The external volume control is very useful, but I wish the 5 also had a have switch, as it can be annoying to have to bag the "lock way" deny throughout the menus. Also: on the recent settings, the intention will automatically power off after 5 minutes when locked (and when not in music mode) . This can be very annoying if it is not changed.
I know that in the above paragraph I have criticized the Archos, but I cannot stress that the arrangement itself is a comely, well made, share of technology. Everything works very well, and most Enormous problems with the draw lie in the...
SOFTWARE:
The software is currently the Archos' mature point. As I said before, the firmware is level-headed in beta, and this means that a few of the features unbiased don't work. (A excellent example of this is the file sharing feature. When I assume "file sharing", a spy pops up telling that the feature will be enabled in a "future release") . The parts of the software that do work function adequately, but could be better. The Music menu is a edifying example. Scrolling through expansive lists is jerky, and I come by the organization of the metadata perplexing. However, the Music portion works.
The Video piece, on the other hand, is advance perfect. Videos can be organized any device you want, and watching movies on the 4.8" cover is luscious. I contemplate that the software can be summarized by working, but having quirks. You might want to wait for the firmware to become more stable.
A few more notes about the software:
1. The Add-Ons allotment is fair ADS for the optional add-ons. Yes, ADS. This is objective a minor annoyance, but please, a major company should not assign ads for other products in their flagship product.
2. There is no diagram to directly skip tracks from other areas of the method (unlike, for example, the Touch, where you can tap the home button twice and control the music) .
3. The Archos takes about 20 secs. to boot, and, when the blueprint is "locked", the camouflage does not shut off for about 30 secs. (this can be changed)
4. The Opera web browser is speedy and, renders pages as well as the Touch. The Mail app is not as advantageous as Apple's, but if functions.
5. Games cost $20 for 4, but you can load your fill flash apps onto the contrivance.
6. One tremendous addition to the Archos was internet radio and video. This is a feature I have seen in very few other devices, and the Archos implements it very well.
Lastly: Should you catch the Archos?
If you can speed the Apple universe, and don't mind the beta firmware for a few months, then rob the Archos. If is truly a tall share of hardware. if you can't stand betas, then wait a few months (the tag will probably descend too) .
The Archos 5 blows the Touch apt out of the water, but the software could consume some work. By now the iPod had become so ubiquitous that it doesn't really fit into Apple's "Mediate Different" philosophy, as many of its features have been matched and transcended by other devices. I don't mean to sound cliche, but if you truly want to mediate different, seize the Archos 5.
UPDATE: As of firmware update 1.0.87 the "file sharing" feature mentioned above has been completely removed from the settings menu. I don't know if this is because Archos has killed the feature or because they want to release it in a future release.
Also, as of 1.0.87, the Archos no longer lists its firmware as beta. However, the firmware is detached buggy. The Archos firmware is definitely a work in progress, but Archos seems to be updating the procedure frequently, so most of the bugs will eventually be ironed out.
UPDATE 2: Windows users can sync their Archos with iTunes via "iTunes Agent". Available here: [...]. Obviously you can't sync DRM tracks, but everything else works shapely well for me.
UPDATE 3: I have had the Archos for about 1 year now, and I have to day that the actual old point of the diagram is the resistive touch hide. This is where Apple (also Samsung and Cowon) really got it upright, and Archos has continued to collect it imperfect. The firmware updates have made scrolling more kinetic and less jerky, but the updates cannot fix the fact that the veil feels mushy and misses a *lot* of presses. I was actually considering getting the novel "5 Internet Tablet", but after finding out Archos was again using a resistive touch camouflage, I will gawk somewhere else. If I could change the star rating, I would downgrade this to a 3 or 2.5 star product. So powerful works really well on the 5, but until Archos puts a capacitive touch cloak on their players, I will not win another one of their products.
