Our Community is 940,000 Strong. Join Us.


Archos AV400


my3rdskyline
12-10-2004, 11:13 PM
Does anyone have an Archos AV400? I read in Maximum PC a few months ago that this portable video player with a 20GB hard drive was great for photographers. It's got a built in CF slot and lets you transfer from the card to the 20GB hard drive. Just wondering if anyone has used it to do this... I'm thinking about getting one. also... if you do use it. I know yo can move jpgs from the card to the hard drive but what about raw files? Does the thing just give you a file navigation system that shows you all the files on the card? or does it only see jpgs and bmps? that would suck. Just want to make sure I can move Raw files .cr2? to the hard drive with it....
http://www.archos.com/products/overview/av400_interface.html

Moppie
12-11-2004, 05:48 AM
According to the spec sheet: http://www.archos.com/download/spec_sheets.html?sid=j22kyjyybyjk32fbj3kjfy

its JPEG only.

What you need is just a portable HDD with a built in multi CF card reader, heaps of 40gig ones around.

To view a RAW file you need to proccess it first anyway, something you can't to on a portable storage device. It requires a fair degree of processor power as well.

my3rdskyline
12-11-2004, 07:59 AM
well i don't so much give a shit about viewing them, just looking for something to be able to "clean" my CF card with. A File bucket that's easier to use than my laptop.

Moppie
12-11-2004, 05:25 PM
Then get a portable HDD.

Something like this: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Photography/Digital-Cameras/Accessories/auction-19542270.htm

(Thats all in NZ$ by the way).

You just have to look for something thats fast, and friendly on batteries.
Most of the portable drives, from what Iv heard, can take 10-15mins to clear a 1gb card, and will often use a whole set of batteries doing.
If you have that sort of time to spare, and the money for several sets of batteries then they can be useful, but I think your still better off either buying a microdrive for your upcoming D20, or lots of CF cards (type II for the upcoming D20)
They are coming down in cost so much now that its not much more expensive that getting a portable HDD, and you don't lose time waiting for a data transfer. You just put a new card in, then worry about getting it all onto your comp when you get home.

my3rdskyline
12-11-2004, 09:24 PM
Then get a portable HDD.

Something like this: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Photography/Digital-Cameras/Accessories/auction-19542270.htm

(Thats all in NZ$ by the way).

You just have to look for something thats fast, and friendly on batteries.
Most of the portable drives, from what Iv heard, can take 10-15mins to clear a 1gb card, and will often use a whole set of batteries doing.
If you have that sort of time to spare, and the money for several sets of batteries then they can be useful, but I think your still better off either buying a microdrive for your upcoming D20, or lots of CF cards (type II for the upcoming D20)
They are coming down in cost so much now that its not much more expensive that getting a portable HDD, and you don't lose time waiting for a data transfer. You just put a new card in, then worry about getting it all onto your comp when you get home.


Eh... I already got the archos on ebay for 400 bucks.... It's alright though cause it plays movies too so that's cool. Hopefully this thing works out for me. I'll let you know how it works when It gets here.

my3rdskyline
12-23-2004, 09:44 PM
Eh... I already got the archos on ebay for 400 bucks.... It's alright though cause it plays movies too so that's cool. Hopefully this thing works out for me. I'll let you know how it works when It gets here.
WOW I love myself! This thing kicks ass. For a digital photographer... this thing is GREAT! I'd HIGHLY recommend getting one. especially if you don't have an MP3 player. Fuck an iPOD. This thing has a great battery life too. It played a dixv movie looped for 6 hours with the LCD on medium brightness.

If you're looking for one of these little gadgets, get this one. Not the RCA Lyra.

http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/reviews/archosav420/gallery/

http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/reviews/archosav420/gallery/thumbnails/thumb_IMG_0044.JPG

http://blacklinux.com/pages/public/reviews/archosav420/gallery/thumbnails/thumb_IMG_0102.JPG

The concern I had was with the CF slot. I was worried it would only read jpgs off of the card, but it will copy any files. movies, raw picture files... whatevers on the card. obviously you can't view the raw files but you can look at your pictures. and it's VERY fast. I copy 250MB of pictures in under a minute from the CF card to the hard drive. Then format my card and keep shooting. I can't express how much this thing kicks ASS!!!

MP3's sound GREAT too and the player is loud. lot's of players i've used just don't get loud enough but this one... i have never even approached full volume. and i listen to my music loud. Divx movies look great too! obviously the built in speaker sucks but with nice head phones this thing just can't be beat.

Add your comment to this topic!