video capture and editing devices

The archos AV300 series is a portable computer in addition to an awesome personal video player. All you need to do is install windows to a partition you make on the hard drive and you can run your computer from anywhere where there is a USB connection and a monitor. The simplicity and speed of the file transfer method is un-matched unless you need to install an upgraded USB hub. All you do is drag and drop. Immediately upon plugging in the Archos to a computer it recognises it as a USB mass storage device and you are ready to do your bidding. And get these while you can. The main problem is that battery life is less than 4 hours when watching videos. And since the battery is a proprietary non-removable Li-Ion battery, you can't just pop out the old battery and put in a new one. The unit does have a ability to turn off the LCD backlight while operating each time you skip a song or mistakenly press a button in your pocket. It has an excellent record timer, A nice surprise,so you can record a weeks worth of your favorite reruns. It is easy enough to get video recorded into it with the provided cables and DVR attachment, and easy to connect to your TV for playback. If you read the specs and don't have a problem with the size and other features, you will be very satified. Don't expect DVD quality playback on your TV. It has the wonderful AV recorder which comes inside the pack, makes video recording very easy. you wont need a video anymore. connects easily to the TV or VCR, but you should be careful of the cables connecting the AV380 because they turn out to be too plenty. The remote control (wireless) is excellent and makes life easier when placing the AV380 away from you. Finally, Archos gets it!! With this model, Archos has addressed most of the drawbacks of previous models. This product is actually in a class of its own! It does everything it claims to do, and does it well! The interface has also been drastically improved, though it is not obvious how to use the 3 "soft" buttons at first since the buttons are aligned vertcally at the right while the functions are listed horizontally at the bottom of the screen. However, a quick glance at the button descriptions in the quick-start guide is all you need to understand how everything works. Yes there is actually a quick start guide in addition to the well-written manual. The interface is much improved by the addition of a joystick. Also, the Operating System now allows file-handling functions such as rename, delete, etc to be done right on the jukebox, whereas a PC was required before. Also as with previous models, the jukebox looks like a hard-disk when connected to the PC which means transferring files back and forth is as easy as drag-and-drop (as opposed to using proprietary programs). The USB 2.0 connection is extremely fast and definitely a plus. The audio input jack doubles as line-in and mic-in. Live recording is now very clean with no hard-disk noise, even when using the internal mic. This model adds official support for playing WMA files. The latest OS update (free on their website) adds support for playing AND recording in WAV format (in addition to the MP3 format. You now have a full blown DAT recorder in your pocket! This update also allows you to do some basic audio and video editing on the unit itself. Video looks very good indeed on the large 3.8" LCD screen. May not exactly be DVD-quality as they claim, but its close! The included DVR module allows you to record MP4 video on the fly or you can convert videos to MP4 on your PC and transfer them to the unit. Pictures look great! The unit supports both JPEG (non-progrssive) and BMP. You can use the optional memory card readers to upload directly into the jukebox bypassing your PC, or you can download pictures from your PC. Also for the hefty price tag, Archos should have included the optional wired remote that adds FM Radio support. The lack of an included carrying case is puzzling especially since the cheaper Archos models all came with cases. Go out and buy a case right away to protect that huge LCD screen.
The Arcos is quality is miles ahead of any other competetors products.
Recommendation:If you like having alot of movies on hand, alot of photos on hand and the ability to play hundreds of song, then this is for you. I am a chauffeur for a living and this definately kills the sit and wait time assosciated with my job. Excellent for long trip, plug into the vehicle dvd player or music into the tape deck. Makes for a shorter trip.

This thing is exactly what I was looking for to take on long trips. First, it replaced a portable DVD player and the need to take all my movies on DVD disks with me. Next, it replaced an electronic film vault as I can load JPEGs in from my CF cards, and the screen is much better to share photos with friends. And the size and weight of the AV380 compared to lugging around a laptop is pure joy!

I was concerned that movies would be "jerky" or "pixilated", but nothing could be further from the truth. Maybe it's not DVD quality, but it's so close I can't tell the difference.

This product is going to turn heads wherever you go. I see that Archos is releasing the AV400, which has CF built in, but it's not hard to do with this unit. Synchs right up to Win XP, and the USB 2.0 is great for moving files around.

Anything I don't like? I believe we'll see these PVPs really take off in the next year. On my wish list would be removable battery packs, a speaker, and a built in CF reader (all now available on the new AV400 which should be shipping soon, and more file acceptance TIFF, PDF, etc. A flip cover for the screen would also be nice, as the unit doesn't come with a case. Recording movies into the unit is a snap, but the process of doing file conversions on movies I've made with Pinnacle was more daunting than I was prepared for (no, I didn't major in computer science). Much easier to just output to disk or camcorder and then re-record into the AV380.

All in all, the coolest product I've bought since the first portable DVD players came out a few years back.

At first I was impressed with my AV380, but then I realized my battery life was defective - approximately 90 minutes on a full charge. My AV380 is still under warranty, and Archos doesn't return my emails, and doesn't even have a telephone support line, so I'm at a loss how to get help!! I can not reach anyone at Archos, and my warranty is running out.
Before buying mine, my friend had warned me, and I had read reviews before that Archos customer support is known for being the worst in the business. But I figured I would take my chances - I did - and now I'm paying for it!
Incredible that this company is still doing business here in America... I understand they are based out of France.... Maybe that explains the lack of customer service... Buy at your own risk - Peeved in Hawaii!