Archos 500856 DVR Docking Station for Archos 404/504/604 Media Players
by Archos
List Price:
Our Price: $80.00
You Save: $19.99 (20%)
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Category: Network Media Player
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Digital product summary information
Manufacturer: ArchosBrand: Archos
Edition: Electronics
Release Date: 2006-09-01
Model: 500856
Color: Grey
Publisher: Archos
Studio: Archos
Music Label: Archos
Product features:
- Designed to be used with your Archos 404, 504, or 604 series portable digital media players
- Allows your media player to connect to your computer
- Lets your media player record television and most video sources
- Includes multiple audio and video input and output connections
- Runs on 5.2 volts and 2 amps via the included Archos power supply
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Summary of Archos 500856 DVR Docking Station for Archos 404/504/604 Media Players
Turn your ARCHOS (404, 504 or 604) into a full DVR. Record from TV and most video sources (satellite/cable box, VCR, DVD player, camcorder¿) in MPEG-4 format. Make scheduled recordings with the included infrared emitter that controls the external video source. Play back on TV in DVD quality (in video formats supported by your ARCHOS) through the composite, S-video, RGB or YPbPr video outputs.Amazon.com Review The Archos DVR Docking Station comes ready to work with an Archos Portable Media Player 404, 504, or 604 right out of the box. Together, the two products along with your television can turn your living room into a complete leisure library of media, or it can integrate seamlessly with your home set-up--not to mention travel with you.
A Total "Hub" Solution for Your Digital Media
One of the truly useful aspects of this docking station is the way it works with all your media technology. Sure, it?s loaded with the cables, inputs, and outputs to work with the Archos player and your TV, but it?s also got a pair of USB ports: one Mass Storage Class (MSC) and one Picture Transport Protocol (PTP). Using these ports, you can hook up a separate camera or USB drive to share pictures, video clips, or audio files between your Archos player, your computer, and your television. That's right: it's not just a hub for your Archos player, but for nearly any USB-compatible portable electronics device. You will, however, always need to have the Archos player docked in order to use a separate camera or portable hard drive, as the player's navigation screen is what's used to access the other devices.
The DVR dock connects directly to your TV or other tuning device so you can record your favorite programs, movies, game shows and sporting events and then take them on the road. Or, if you prefer, you can do the reverse: download and import media from your PC to your player and watch it on your television. The DVR dock records and transmits near-DVD-quality content in 720x480 resolution, so although the picture looks good, be aware that it arrives in 4:3 format and not widescreen 16:9.
 The dock supports component connections, S-Video, RGB or YPbPr, and AV switches for real versatility. See connection details |
Within five minutes of having the Archos DVR Docking Station completely unpacked I had it connected to my home theater setup and playing video files on my television. With inputs/outputs for component video or S-Video cables, it's just a matter of inserting the station "between" your DVD player or VCR and your television in your cable connection setup. Despite the fact that no two components in my home theater are the same brand, I was genuinely surprised at how easy it was to get the Archos docking station fully integrated and functional with my home theater setup.
Just take the "saddle" that's included with whichever compatible Archos portable media player you have and lock it onto the dock, plug the player into the station, and prepare to get up close and personal with the back end of your television. For input connections, this docking station features an analog stereo audio input, both a composite and an S-video input, inputs for both A and miniB USB connectors, an IR remote control, a serial port, and a DC power input. For outputs, this docking station has both an analog stereo and a SPDIF audio output for 5.1 channel surround sound (you must download an MPEG-2 software plugin to your Archos player to use this feature), a component video output, an S-Video output, an RGB (S), and a YPrPb video output, and an AV switch output. There's a ton of versatility here for a product with such a small "footprint" of just over 6 inches across.
Intuitive Interface With Included Remote Control
You navigate the docking station by means of the Archos player's regular menu: a Windows-style desktop of icons for the player's various functions with the option of browsing the hard drive's directory structure directly. This can be done using either the player's own buttons situated vertically down the right side of the player, or you can use the remote control included with the docking station. You can also either navigate on the player's own screen or, by hitting the "LCD/TV" button on the side of the Archos player, navigate the same menus on your television.
If you have any previous experience with your Archos player and how its buttons work, you'll find the remote control to be surprisingly intuitive. Whereas I occasionally found the player's native buttons to be confusing, I never had a moment's trouble using the remote to navigate for files, play video, change playback formats, or anything else. The remote is a cinch to use, and is definitely a point in the docking station's favor.
Records Video With Ease
To record live television, your TV has to have native video outputs--something that is mostly found only on recent flat-screen HDTVs such as Plasma or DLP. I'm still behind the times with my CRT TV so although I was easily able to schedule the device to turn on and record a program using the "TV Scheduler" function, I couldn't actually capture it without the outputs on my particular TV. However, connected as the station was between my DVD player and my TV, I had no trouble at all playing a DVD of home movies and capturing it to the Archos player. So even if you don't have the latest and greatest in HDTV technology, you can still find the Archos docking station to be quite useful if you want to create digital copies of your VHS tapes, say, or take your conventional media library on the road.
The Bottom Line
As an accessory to your Archos media player, the Archos DVR Docking Station adds an incredible amount of functionality to an already-compelling piece of convergence hardware. The Station is incredibly easy to use, takes up very little space, and is easy to integrate into simple or complicated home theater setups. Adding digital video recording as well as home theater playback of digital music and video files to a device that's already a camera, camcorder, voice recorder, and portable media player, and you've truly got a complete digital media solution for both at home and on the road.
What?s in the Box
The Archos DVR docking station, remote control, AC/DC power adapter, 2 x cables for RCA to RCA connection approximately 5 feet long, and a user's manual.
The Archos 500856 DVR Docking Station helps turn your Archos 404, 504, or 604 series portable digital media players into the media library of a complete home entertainment system.
The Archos DVR docking station not only charges your Archos media player more quickly than when it is simply connected to your computer via a USB cable, but it allows your media player to connect to your computer, hard disk, most mass storage devices, and other systems for the purpose of playing or transferring content such as videos, photos, or music. This docking station provides you with the ability to record television and most video sources in MPEG-4 format, and make scheduled recordings with the included infrared emitter that controls the external video sources. This unit also allows you to play back video or movies on most any TV in DVD quality through one of multiple possible outputs, as well as listen to music on your home stereo system, or listen to 5.1 surround sound included in your videos or movies (with an optional MPEG-2 plug-in) on your home theater through its SPDIF output.
For input connections, the Archos DVR docking station includes; an analog stereo audio input, both a composite and an S-video video input, and a USB device (miniB connector), a USB host (A connector), an IR remote control, a serial port, and a DC power input. For outputs, this docking station has; both an analog stereo and a SPDIF audio output, a composite, an S-Video, an RGB (S), and a Y Pr Pb video output, and an IR blaster and TV switches output. This unit runs on 5.2 volts and 2 amps via an Archos power supply, weighs 7.8 ounces, and measures 6.25 x 3 x 3.25 inches (W x H x D). The Archos DVR docking station comes with a remote control, an AC/DC power adapter, 2 x cables for RCA to RCA connection approximately 5 feet long, and a user's manual.
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