Archos unveils TV+, Wi-Fi DVR

The Archos TV+ is a set-top box that offers video recording, on-demand Wi-Fi video downloads, and a Web browser.

(Credit: Archos)

Looks like Archos has finally let the cat out of the bag on their first set-top DVR, the Archos TV+. Offered in 80GB ($249) and 250GB ($349) versions, the Archos TV+ looks to do about everything the Apple TV failed to deliver, including: an onscreen recording guide; 640x480 video recording quality; a QWERTY remote control; an infrared emitter for controlling your cable box or TV; a built-in Wi-Fi and Ethernet that can be used for on-demand video downloads from CinemaNow; a fully-functional Opera web browser with Flash video support (YouTube, DailyMotion, CNET TV, etc.); optional Flash video game downloads; and it even includes cables (gasp!).

The Archos TV+ includes a QWERTY remote for browsing the web or searching for video content on Cinema Now.

(Credit: Archos)

Like Apple TV, the Archos TV+ also allows you to stream existing audio, video, and photo content from your home PC. The Archos TV+ might not have the integrated iTunes support of its competition, but it is compatible with the vast swath of competitors that use DRM-protected WMV or WMA audio and video files. A USB 2.0 connection allows the Archos TV+ to be used as a hard drive for a tidy transfer of files on and off your PC. In addition, a USB 2.0 host connection offers the ability to transfer photos from your digital camera or connect any MSC-compatible MP3 or video player.

For those of you who have been procrastinating about building your own PC-based DVR (Mythbox, MediaCenter, BeyondTV), the Archos TV+ seems to offer a one-stop solution for recording, archiving, and transferring your favorite TV shows. Stay tuned for more coverage at CES 2008.

Hands-on with the Archos TV+. Here's the business end. HDMI output and Ethernet ports are on the right.

(Credit: Donald Bell/CNET Networks)

[kevsmail]

I'd buy one

That thing looks great. I'd buy one if the TV guide service was free. For the amount of TV I watch, I can't see paying $11-14/mth for TIVO just to record my shows. But for zero monthly, I'd shell out for this box!

[pchow98]

Very nice, but...

Great box, I think. But if they can put in a DVD player and DViX/XiVD support...

[DarkHawke]

So does it do high-def?

I see the HDMI out, but I also see the 640 x 480 res. It does seem like Archos gets it better than Apple, but if you're gonna stream content, you either leave your main computer on all the time (kind of a waste for most of the day, not to mention a tax on the machine if it's streaming when you're using it for other purposes) or you have a dedicated 'puter just for serving your media. I say cut out the middle-man. I'm sorting out putting an HTPC together that'll handle high-def content, which though it'll be greatly more expensive than this box, it'll be far better in terms of flexibility and quality of output.

[dilchien]

Love the Qwerty remote

What I really want is that qwerty remote! Is there any such thing being sold right now that simply hooks up to a computer so I can do the same thing as this box but from a computer hooked up to the tv? If so, I'd buy that in a second!

[Specboy]

Very worthwhile unit.

I have the Archos 605 WiFi and DVR Station which is essentially the mobile version of the Archos TV+

to answer some of the questions above:
-The Archos records off of TV at 640x480 but can play back up to 720x480. with firmware updates, it should support higher resolutions.
- My 605WiFi (and all archos products) support DivX and XviD natively. It actually records in DivX at bitrate choices from 500Kbps to 2500Kbps in 500Kbps incriments
- This isn't just a media extender. It records and stores video on the unit itself and can transfer to and from other devices. It can be expanded with a USB hard drive for extra storage.
The TV guide service is free for the first year and they haven't decided on a cost after that (at least for the 605WiFi) You can also manually program the DVR to record shows like a VCR. The Unit will automatically turn on your Cable box and tune into the channel to be recorded. You can even edit the video afterwords to remove commercials or credits/intros to save space on the unit.

~SB

[berra77]

The small problems

* Does not function well with downloaded .m2v,mpg or mpg formats. (About 1 in 10 works)
* Avi files with a resolution above 720x480 don?t play.
* Produces very large recoding files 60min=1GB
* Doesn't support vobsub subtitles (.sub,.idx)
* Doesn't support .mkv
* Very stuttering playback on .mov files. (HD resolution QuickTime files is almost not possible to playback)

It has a lot of great features but they have already been listed. Don't get me wrong I really love this product but the cons should be mentioned.
/Bjorn

[JonTitor]

most of those are not cons

"Avi files with a resolution above 720x480 don?t play"
that's standard unless the device is stated to be HD compliant
"Produces very large recoding files 60min=1GB"
that's too keep the quality good
"Doesn't support vobsub subtitles (.sub,.idx)/Doesn't support .mkv"
most devices like this don't, at least not from the bigger companies

yes I would like all those, but you can't really call them cons unless everyone else is doing it

[huiz1990]

Very good product

The Archos TV in entertainment is like http://www.google.com in the internet.

[bigusiak]

good idea but

Personally don't care about HD resolution because 95% of TV channels are in SD so what is the point? Converting regular DVD in to HD is same as watching Archos on HDTV.
But i would like to see in this or next Archos stand alone DVR probably dual receiver so it can operate without cable box and extension to other external HDD/DVD (eSATA or Firewire800).
I do convert all movies with DVDFab and its look great in *avi format with 1:45m movies only on 1Gb size.

[woody015]

Move over Apple....

Good stuff. So looking forward to getting this up and running. I already use the hell out of my DVR station and the wifi. Keep it up Archos, Im a huge fan.

[bidmead]

Very capable product, but...

Can somebody explain to me the logic of taking a perfectly nice MPEG2 stream at 576 lines, (which any GBP25 USB TV tuner can deliver direct to your PC's hard drive), converting it to analogue, feeding it into the TV+, which converts it back into digital, then reducing it (why?) to 640 lines and crunching it on the fly (eg, no chance even to do a decent 2-pass encoding) to DivX? Then on playback upscaling that recording and playing it back through HDMI?

There is lots to like about the TV+, and a great deal to admire about Archos. But it's hard to think of a worse way of recording, eg, Freeview. (Actually, no, it isn't. You could have added SlingMedia-style proprietary encryption!)

--
Chris

[bidmead]

Correction

Can't figure out how to edit that comment.

Of course I meant to say "reduce it to 480 lines"

--
Chris

[kdecpa]

Can Archos TV+ stream from TV to PC like slingbox

Does anyone know if the Archos TV+ can enable you to watch the dvr content
on your pc?? If you can watch this content on your tv or pc that would be a
major plus. THX

[kdecpa]

Is Archos TV+ Mac compatible??? THX

[sdrippe1]

Transfer From DVR to Archos 705?

I just bought the Archos 705 Wi-Fi with the DVR station. I know I can record TV with the DVR station, but I'm wondering if I can also transfer recordings already existing on my current DVR (Dish Network 942) to the Archos for viewing? Any help much appreciated. Thanks.

[bidmead]

Response to some questions

Stream like Slingbox? The Slingbox takes free-to-air TV input (or whatever), encrypts it using a proprietary algorithm, and streams it across your LAN (or WAN) to PCs and Macs running SlingMedia's proprietary software. If this is what you want, get a Slingbox. I'm happy to report that the TV+ doesn't do this. Less happily, the TV+ SHOULD include a UPnP media server, but doesn't. This isn't a big deal, because in Windows Fileserver mode it can offer up content on its internal hard drive to a UPnP server running elsewhere on your network.

Watch DVR content on your PC? Not sure why you'd want to -- isn't the idea to get stuff up onto your livingroom screen? But the answer's yes and sort-of. Content recorded on a proprietary DVR like a Sky+ box (I'm using a VirginMedia V+ box) can be re-recorded onto the TV+. But there are a couple of caveats here. 1) If the DVR is properly designed there should be no quality loss recording digital TV to its own internal hard drive. But moving that recording to the TV+ will involve realtime transfer (a 2 hr movie takes 2 hrs) via the analogue domain with loss of resolution and re-encoding to single pass DiVX. An engineering nightmare, but doable, and I've done it. Still do it, in fact, 'cos it's the only way to get at some content. 2) Content recorded to the proprietary DVR that is protected remains protected when it eventually arrives on your TV+ hard drive. Yes, the protection flag survives the analogue domain. The TV+ will warn you when you begin the (TV+) recording that the resulting file can only be played out through its HDMI output. Unlike regular TV+ recordings, these can't be transferred across the network to your PC. This (and only this) is why there's an HDMI socket in the TV+. Welcome to the wild and whacky world of DRM. :-)

--
Chris

[bidmead]

One more response

I have no personal experience of the DISH network receiver, but I believe there is a special plugin for the Archos that will let you transfer recordings directly to the TV+. Search for DISH at archosfans.com.

--
Chris

[troytempest7]

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