Archos 604 30GB Wi-Fi, Ultra-Slim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (50872)

• Lightweight, portable digital video, music, and photo player with 4.3-inch TFT LCD screen
• 30 GB hard disk stores up to 15,000 songs, 300,000 pictures, or 40 movies
• Supports MP3, WAV, WMA, protected WMA, JPEG, BMP, PNG, MEGP-4, and WMV formats
• High-speed USB 2.0 interface for transfers; rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery
• Measures 5.1 x 3 x 0.65 inches (W x H x D) and weighs 9.05 ounces; 1-year warranty

I have had this product for several weeks now. I thought long and hard about which type to buy (I finally settled on Archos as the manufacturer) and went with the 604 WiFi due to the size (704 is too large for what I wanted) and cost (the 604 without WiFi was about the same price).

I also prefer the removeable battery, which the 605 does not have. The 605 does allow you to stream video whereby the 604 doesn't, so if this is an important feature for you keep that in mind. Also, oddly enough, the 604 WiFi comes with the Archos browser already loaded, and it appears you have to pay extra for this with the 605.

Learning how to convert files took me a while, but I found a good software to use (there are several freebies out there) and through a bit of trial and error, I have it down to a pretty good routine now. I've put about four movies on it and they work fine, although one I may have to reload because the movement on the screen is a little choppy for some reason. Converting DVDs to .avi takes a while, so I usually do this in the background while doing something else. Transfering the file to the Archos only takes a few minutes.

I see many complaints about the fact that you have to buy extra accessories, which is apparently true for most any Archos PMP. You should, of course, do your research ahead of time and figure those costs in the final price before you make the decision to buy it in the first place. If you want any cables, the docking station, etc. add those into the total cost when you compare, presuming that whatever you are comparing it to has these already included. I have ordered the docking station but it has not yet arrived, so I can't comment on its usefulness (or lack thereof). I also bought the two plug-ins online at the Archos web site. I knew in advance that I would incur these costs in addition to the cost of the 604 if I wanted them. Considering the price I got if for on Amazon, though, I still considered it to be a good buy.

Several comments have also been made regarding the sound quality of the speaker. Well, of course it's bad! It is a tiny little thing on a faily small device, so don't expect thundering surround sound. All I use it for is to make sure that the movies I have transferred to it did transfer successfully with the sound. In that respect, it's pretty handy to have.

I plan to use this to watch movies while traveling by plane, and I think it is perfect for that purpose. It is heavier than I thought it would be and IMO it is not a good choice if you mainly want MP3. There are many lighter options for this with probably better sound quality. In no way would you want to go jogging with this thing; it's simply not made for that.

If you do decide to buy this device or another model, check out www.archosfans.com to get some useful tips on using it. For newbies like me in regard to file conversion, a great resource on this site is http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=8348, which guides you step-by-step.

All in all I have been pleased with my purchase and will probably buy a second one to give as a gift. I do recommend it.

EDIT 05/30/08: I have had this unit for about seven months now and continue to be pleased with it. I have it continually sitting in the docking station to charge and have learned how to set the timer. So, while in the docking cradle, it will turn on my Dish receiver, turn it to the correct channel, record the program and then turn the receiver off. You cannot transfer Dish recorded material to the unit, although you can do this with a free plug-in from Archos with the 605 or the 705 units. I am a bit irritated that Archos updated this feature for the 605/705 devices but not for the 604/704 devices, but such is life, I guess.

If I have any regret in buying it, it is that I didn't get the 80 GB or larger option instead of the 30 GB, but on the other hand this does make me delete those files I don't really need. It serves the exact purpose I wanted it for, though. When I travel, I now have a variety of programs to watch at my finger tips instead of being at the mercy of "AA Eye On American" every flight. It is one of the better buying decisions I've made.

Buy Archos 604 30GB Wi-Fi, Ultra-Slim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (50872) Now

The only other Personal Media Player (PMP) that can compare to this one is the COWON A2. The Archos 604 WIFI is better then the A2 for 2 main reason. First, WIFI and an OPERA browser. Second, Removable battery. The A2's only real advantage over the Archos 604 WIFI is the battery life, but again it's not removable and will most likely fade over time. I have also heard people say that the 604's audio is inferior to an Ipod. Archos did have a few audio quirks in the past, but some firmware updates in October fixed theses problems. Also, Ipod does not exactly have "great" sound.

PROS:

1. Touch screen is a must have now. I have used other PMP devices without a touchscreen and faired okay, because I had no choice. Now that I have a touch screen there is no going back. This makes things so much easier to navigate it's not even comparable.

2. WIFI with OPERA browser. This has improved greatly with firmware updates. I find it very acceptable for a small WIFI device.

3. Video is incredible. Quality and performance is 5 star.

4. Audio is as good as any other MP3 player I have seen. I really believe that the quality of audio has much more to do with how your MP3 was encoded, rather than the player itself. Also, this unit can play the proprietary Apple stuff like H264 video and AAC audio with a $20 Apple plugin.

5. Photo viewer is beautiful and quick.

6. You can opt to buy all the extras if you wish. This helps keep the cost down.

7. Constant Firmware updates. Check the website regularly!

CONS:

1. Battery life could be better. You can buy an additional battery for $30.

2. Video screen has a very slight film over it to allow for a fingerprint proof touch screen. Not really an issue, but some have mentioned it in other posts.

3. No JAVA or FLASH support for the OPERA browser.

4. Video and Audio folders limit how you can organize your files.

I also have the DVR docking station. This is $80 to $100 extra, but well worth it. It works as a pass through device and is extremely easy to use and setup. You can use it to charge the device (AC adapter included) and record TV in MPEG4 format. Nice!

Overall, as you can probably tell, I'm a big fan of this new device. There are areas for improvement, but it is the best PMP on the market today!

I'm looking forward to a device that will do all of this and be half the size with 3 times as much HD memory, and incorporate a phone and a Windows environment to allow for Outlook email and MS office products, but this will come someday.

I found this at Sam's Club in December 2006 for $367.00.

Remember to go to the Archos website to get he latest firmware. They ship this with an old version of the 604 firmware

Read Best Reviews of Archos 604 30GB Wi-Fi, Ultra-Slim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (50872) Here

After owning this product for 1 month I can say I'm very happy with the purchase I made. The webbrowser works really well, if your into weather like I am there are sites that do not use java for moving radar. Its great for watching video too, the viewing angle is excellent. Battery life is also great becasue you can watch a movie, and even another hour long TV show and still have hours of music listining time.The case that it comes with isn't the greatest but it keeps the player safe. I higly reccommend this product.

Want Archos 604 30GB Wi-Fi, Ultra-Slim Portable Digital Media Player and Recorder (50872) Discount?

I purchased my Archos 604 wifi aroun x-mas time/'06, and have been very happy with it. I mainly use it for recording tv shows using my computer's tv tuner,(a great way to use that function without buying the dvr, which runs for around $100.) The only flaw in its design is it's soft metel body, which means that unless you buy a leather case for it, (some are very convenient anyway, -MP3extras.co.uk) you may scratch or dent it slightly every now and then. Overall, I LOVE THE ARCHOS 604 WIFI!!!, and would definitely buy it again and again!!!

I have had my archos for about two months and I love it! It has great audio and video quality, an amazingly fast photo viewer, and a gorgeous design. The wifi is suprisingly fast for a little device, at least two times as fast as the PSP. However, Archos screwed up in a couple of places, mainly the prices. Pros and cons below.

Pros:

-Supports almost any file format out there.

-Can stream from shared folder on wireless network.

-The best portable video out there.

-Great sound quality.

-Optional videocorder dock works great.

-Very colorful screen

-Touch screen functionality blows ipod's clickwheel away

-Wifi is cool, can download movies to device pretty quick

-Sturdy metal body

Cons:

-When you add up all of the accessories, you are paying about 600 bucks if you want to record movies.

-Have to buy plugins to play H.264 and MPEG-2. What a ripoff.

-Moving through menus is VERY slow-processor is weak.

-Equalizers don't change the sound that much.

-Touch layer on screen brings down contrast, sharpness slightly.

-No online podcast organizer like on the PSP.

But these are small flaws that you barely notice when you are using the device. If you cannot decide between the iPod, Creative, or other competitors out there, go to cnet.com or dapreview.net. Have fun!