archos av400 series question

M

miltie

Guest
can the av400 series load a previously recorded tv program that was recorded on a digital cable box? i am here is the states and i have the time warner digital cable box(somewhat like a tivo. it is a scientific atlanta unit with s-video out and rca out that we can can copy onto a vcr).

also,,,,does the series400 record from the cable box and how does it do so(ie,,,,does it record ANY channel or only the channel that is tuned into)

thanks
 
Basically yes it can.
I have a Sky+ (similar to a TiVo). There is an S-VHS output from Sky that plugs into the AV480's docking station. You can then 'press record' on the AV480 and it will record whatever is coming out of the Sky+ box ('live' program or one playing back from the saved programmes list)
You can also use the inbuilt 'video recorder', where you tell it to start recording at a certain time. It can even change channels on your satellite receiver (the docking station has an I.R output). Unfortunately it can't control my Sky+ box! but Archos say that it will in a future software upgrade.
Hope that helps

Dave
 
saw a demo liked it. i'm trying to find out if there are any nuisances that outweigh the coolness. :):)

have you ripped dvd's onto the archos? are they satisfactory?

i take it that the archos is not watch and record? i couldn't tell by your response. does it, say, watch and record on a regular tv but not a cable box?,,,or does it simply NOT?

thanks for the reply, dave
 
I had a video which the Archos couldn't read - usually I can use Dr Divx to convert anything to AVI, but not this file. The only way I could do it is to burn it to DVD, then ripped back to AVI - it looks absolutely perfect on the Archos.
I think what you're asking is whether you can record one thing and watch another? no you can't.
OK there are a few nuisances, for instance you can use the Yahoo TV calender, but I hear people have had problems with it, it doesn't seem to detect 16:9 pictures, so I have to adjust my Sky+ to output in 4:3, and as I said, the I.R won't control Sky+. Hopefully these (and other minor problems) will get fixed in future software updates, but picture & sound quality is excellent - It's fantastic - go and buy one, but get the 80GB - I ripped all my CDs and that filled up 12GB!

edit: I converted the video yesterday and completely forgot how I did it but I remember now. Once I got it burned to DVD, to convert to AVI, I used DVD Decrypter & Auto Gordian Knot (both free) and I think it automatically used VirtualDub (VDub comes with the Archos).
If you do get an Archos, you'll know more about DVD/AVI/MPEG conversion than ever before!!
There may be easier ways to do this, but as I haven't had the Archos too long, I'm still learing!
 
I use Pocket DVD Studio, http://www.pqdvd.com/ , and have had no problems.

It converts direct from the DVD, Highest resolution is 640 x 480.

It is the lazy mans solution, but that suits me !
 
I'm considering an Archos AV440 and had a couple of questions:

ebony - how long does it take to rip a DVD using Pocket DVD Studio? (I have a 1.7GHz Athlon PC with 1GB RAM) What version did you buy - Pocket PC or Palm? How big is a typical 2hr film at full resolution?

Dave95 - I have both SKy+ and a regular Sky box and was planning on using the Archos to record from the regular Sky box using timer record. Do you know if an Archos AV400 can control a regular Sky box? Or can you get the Sky box itself to start stop recording on the Archos using the planner?
 
I only have Sky+.
The Archos can't control it as it doesn't have the relevant I.R codes in it - Archos say it should work on a future software uodate.

In the I.R list it does have codes for Grundig, so in theory if your Digibox is a Grundig it may work.
If the I.R doesn't work, you can set the Digibox to automatically switch channels, and you just need to mirror the time settings in the Archos to record the programmes - but this involves setting 2 timers.
As far as I know, you cant get the Digibox to switch on/off the Archos.
 
I've had the original Archos Video Jukebox (MMJB) for 3 years - since they first came out....
I've been desperate to upgrade to a 400 series and now have the green light :thumbsup: :clap: :thumbsup: :eek: :eek:
Can anyone recommend where to get the cheapest... on-line or in the high stret, Tottenham Court Road, etc.
Or should I try e-bay....???
I'm gonna have to go for the AV4100.... :lesson:
 
Mine (An AV480) was £480 at Dabs.com. I think they're £470 now.
I have seen them cheaper on ebay.
 
Alternatively, you can get the AV440 (40 Gb) for less than £350 from blokesstuff.com.
To me the extra 40Gb of the AV480 is not worth another £120.
 
Just had a look on the Archos website, seems they do a 100GB & a 20GB now.
I think 20GB is a bit too small, although it depends on what you put on there of course. The price for the 440 seems good value though.
Found the AV4100 at blokestuff for £564. That's £80 for an extra 20GB!
I've ripped all my (favourite) CDs, put a load of important data from my PC and stored all my digital photos, and I still have over 40GB left on it.
 
Duncan Harvey said:
i bought an AV4100 from Dixons in Edingburgh airport this week for £510
Sounds good - I'm off to Geneva on Tuesday from Gatwick.... think I'll get on there... I like the idea of buying from a "high-street-name" - but not always their prices... of course the airport will be tax free... :clap:
 
Got one from the Airport... £510 - same as Duncan's.
Already used 47GB - for 300 CD's, 34 Movies, and 32 episodes of Thunderbirds!
It means that I can get all my DVD's and music on there with room to spare to store the pictures I take when I'm on holiday and record the TV.
Get one! :lesson:
 
Hey Dave95, you seem to know loads about the 400...have you heard about this problem that I'm having which is REALLY irritating?
Ok, so I bought my unit in the US, but have made sure it's formatted to Europe & PAL. But every time I try & record from my sky digi-box/from my DVD player, my machine records for about 2 mins, before it loses it's signal, lines come across its screen, it goes black & white & then the screen goes blank, finally an error message come up!
i've just tried again though & WITHOUT the power adaptor, & it seems to be ok!
has anyone had similar problems?

:lease:
 
Hi have the The jbm20 and am after the DVR020 module for it , anybody know where i can still get one from , cheers.
 
I've got one at home - hardly used - if your interested in it, I'll list it on the classified section here and let you know when I have.

Otherwise you can get it new here (if/when they have stock).

And this link is great for ALL accessories.
 
Sorry jfulto, never had that problem recording, mines been as good as gold.
I did get a PM from someone who bought his Archos in the US - he could record from DVD ok, but not from his Digibox.
 
Has anyone else had the same problem with a US Archos ?

I only ask because I can get an AV4100 about £100 cheaper from the US, but won't bother if I can't record properly from Sky on it.
 
well thanks anyway...
I'll keep trying various ways. Has anyone recorded from a PS2 or Xbox yet. & has anyone seen or played the playstation Portable yet?
 
i just bought tha av400 like a week ago, im really happy with it though tha av500 wouldve been better, but i got it as a gift so what tha heck.... anyways the audio quality is amazing... equaliser is average....and video quality is excellent with amazing viewing angles.. the only thing is that i DO NOT know how to transfer videos onto the device.....

like im extremely noob to this converting mpeg to avi and all tha ripping stuff... soo ye your gonna have to be real patient with me.... and also am i doing the right thing to just drag and drop the video files into the archos av400 in the the folder "videos" on the device.

please anyhelp would be sooo great... um ye and one more thing... i ha velike 3894712398047 thousand mpg videos which i dont wanna sit and convert 1 by one.... so if there is ... could you tell me a program or patch that can be installled on the av400 to allow it to play mpg files ??!?!??!!?!?!!?!!??

thankz
 
umm i recently bought an a rchos av400... im facing problems in tha recording part of it all...while im recording off tha cable box... the image appearing on tha tv .. is blaack and white.. why ?... when i play back the file its color... and on tha archos screen its color..but while recording the tv is showing in black and white ... anyone know why.. or how io can fix this
 

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