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Overview
The `generation 4' or `x04' range of products is the first major product
offering from Archos since the PMA430.
There are three basic products in the range, each of which has
variations. All the products do the same fundamental things: play and
record audio and video; to that extent they are superficially similar
to other Archos offerings, such as the AV500. However, the new products
are both technologically different, and sold in a rather different way.
Unlike previous products, the x04 range is sold in a `modular' fashion. For example, while all the products are capable of recording video, none is supplied with all the cabling and hardware needed to do so. But if you do purchase the necessary bits (either a full AV docking station or a truncated `travel' version) and if you're fortunate enough to own multiple x04 products, you'll find that the same bits will fit all products. In addition, support for video formats other than MPEG4 has to be purchased in the form of codec plug-ins.
The rationale for marketing the products in this way is to keep costs down: users need only pay for the functionality they will actually use. The basic products certainly are competitively priced, but whether the modularity will attract or irritate purchasers remains to be seen.
The range
There are three basic products in the range: the 404, 504, and 604, as summarised below.| Product | Characteristics | Variations |
|---|---|---|
| 404 | A very compact media player with 30Gb capacity and 4:3 screen | 404 Camcorder: integrates a small camera which can capture still images and movies |
| 504 | A high capacity media player with 16:9 screen. Physically larger than the other products in the range | Available in 80Gb and 160Gb capacities |
| 604 | A compact media player with 30Gb capacity and 16:9 screen. Essentially a wide-screen version of the 404 | 604 Wifi: adds wireless networking, web browser, and touchscreen |
Basic capabilities
All the x04 products offer the same basic set of features without any additional hardware.- Play audio in MP3 and WMA format, with support for playlists and indexing by ID3 tag (artist, title, etc) to headphones or built-in speaker
- Play video in AVI/MPEG4/MP3 or AVI/MPEG4/ADPCM format on the built-in screen
- Display JPEG images
- View PDF files (e.g., eBooks)
- Record audio from built-in microphone
- Manage files, both on the internal disk, and on connected USB disks
- Operate as a USB2.0 disk drive (proprietary cable supplied)
- Charge over USB
- Limited multi-tasking (e.g., listening to music while viewing photos)
- Operate as a host for external USB1.1 or USB2.0 disks (requires full docking station or USB docking adapter)
- Record audio in WAV format from an external source (requires full docking station or AV docking adapter)
- Record video in AVI/MPEG4/MP3 format from an external source (requires full docking station or AV docking adapter)
- Display video on an external monitor (to be fair, the cable needed to do this, although not supplied with the unit, is not proprietary to Archos, and not at all expensive)
- Charge from mains adapter (this needs two optional bits: the mains transformer itself, and any docking adapter. The x04 products don't have a DC input themselves, but the docking adapters do)
- Charge from car cigar lighter socket (again, two accessories required)
- Output digital audio, including multi-channel surround, to S/PDIF socket (requires full docking station)
- Output video in RGB component format (requires full docking station)
- MP3 audio files, variable and constant bitrate up to 320 kbits/sec
- WMA audio files, including DRM-protected versions
- WAV audio files, uncompressed (PCM) and compressed (ADPCM) versions
- M4A audio files containing AAC audio streams
- AVI video files, containing video in MPEG4 and H.264 formats, and audio in MP3, ADPCM, AAC, and AC3 formats
- MPG video files, containing video in MPEG1 amd MPEG2 formats, and audio in MP2 and MP3 formats
- MOV video files, containing video in H.264 and audio in AAC and MP3 formats
- AVI and MOV video files containing MJPEG video, and WAV and MP3 audio
What's new?
Of this list of features (basic and optional), which are new in the x04 range?- All models in the range can record audio and video from external sources, with the appropriate adapter. Previously, some models could record and some couldn't, and it wasn't always clear which was which
- Previous models supported only MP3 and WAV audio, and MPEG4 video. The x04 range supports MP3, WAV, AAC, and AC3 audio, and MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, and H.264 video, In practice, a fully-fitted x04 will play just about any kind of video file you are likely to encounter
- Multi-channel audio support, with suitable audio (e.g., AC3) formats
- Support for MJPEG is a welcome addition for digital camera owners, as most cameras record video in this format
- PDF document support
- USB host support, so external disks (and digital cameras, and card readers) can be connected. The x04 units also support the PTP protocol for cameras
- All the x04 units have bigger screens than earlier models of the same physical size. In fact, these units are almost all screen: apart from a narrow row of buttons down one side, the screen occupies most of the case. The 504 and 604 have a 4" screen, of astoundingly good quality
- All the x04 units are a triffle smaller and lighter than earlier units of the same capacity
- The user interface is radically different. The x04 models have fewer buttons, and a more consistent menu structure
- All units run Linux internally. Unlike the PMA430, the operating system is not exposed in the x04s and, so far as I know, there are no plans to offer support to 3rd-party developers. The use of Linux allows multi-tasking capabilities that are hard to implement in a proprietary platform
404
The 404 is physically the smallest model in the range, but it still has a 30Gb capacity and a decently-sized screen. Despite its diminutive size, it feels chunky and solid, and is a noticeable weight in your pocket.The 404 comes in a `camera' variant, which has a small CCD camera sensor mounted on the back of the case. This unit can record still and moving images, with sound. The quality of image capture is about what you'd expect from such a tiny sensor -- it won't replace a proper camcoder. Audio capture is also problematic, because the microphone is much closer to the whirring hard disk than it is likely to be to the subject. Despite these limitations, the camcorder feature is quite interesting, because it records in MPEG4 format. This means that you can record a whole lot of video on the 30Gb disk. There is a rudimentary video editing facility built in to the unit so you can, for example, record much more video than you need, and then snip out the bits you want to keep.
The camera variant of the 404 costs about 60 Euros more than the ordinary 404 which, to my mind, means that buying the camera version isn't a no-brainer. 60 Euros is a saving worth having if you don't expect to use the camera much. It's worth pointing out that Archos sells a camera attachment that will fit all models in the x04 range, and offers superior picture quality to that of the 404's built-in sensor. It's not cheap at 100 Euros or so, but this price does include a docking adapter, so it adds the facility to record external video sources as well.
504
The 504 is physically the largest model in the range, with a corresponding large capacity -- up to 160 Gb. Not only is this the highest capacity in the range, I believe that (at the time of this writing) it's the highest capacity of any portable media player on the market.Other than in size and capacity, the 504 is identical in function and capability to the 604.
604
The 604 is essentially a widescreen version of the 404. So it's physically a bit bigger, to accomodate the larger screen, but has the same 30Gb capacity. This 30Gb figure is a kind of threshold for media players of this type -- it isn't easy to get a larger capacity than this in a slim device, because the hard drives simply aren't available. If you step up to a 2.5" laptop-style drive, this opens up a whole world of new possibilities; but these drives are simply too fat for a really portable player.The 604 is available in network-aware version called the 604 Wifi. This is a very interesting machine. It has a built-in IEE802.11G wireless network adapter, and a web browser. It also has a touch-sensitive screen, which is essential for the web browser. But the touch-sensitive screen works with all the other applications, too. To the best of my knowledge (which is not privileged in any way), Archos is not planning to offer a touch-screen version of the 404 or 504, or even of the 604 without wifi. But it could do so quite easily, I think, since the user interface is already capable of using one. The 604 Wifi is supplied with a stylus for operating the screen, but there's nowhere to store it, so most likely you'll end up using a fingernail, as I do.
The 604 Wifi can copy files wirelessly from and to PCs running Windows, or a Unix/Linux workstation running Samba. It uses Microsoft's CIFS protocol (also known as SMB) for file sharing, but with `share-level security'. This means that it is incapable of distinguishing between different users, and a single password is used for each network share. Integrating with modern Windows systems which, like Unix, default to using user-level security, can be a bit fiddly. As well as a CIFS client, the 604 can also operate as a CIFS server, so you can mount it as a network drive from a Windows or Linux PC. This works fine but, in my view, it's both faster and less fiddly to use USB for copying files between the 604 and a computer.
The Web browser is Opera, and it is well-suited to a device of this sort. The screen is big enough to handle many Web sites that are sized for desktop computers but, where this isn't the case, the browser can be configured to re-flow the page to fit the screen better. There is reasonable support for JavaScript and DHTML, but I guess we shouldn't expect to see support for Flash, or Java, or other embedded programming technologies any time soon. To be honest, it's difficult to know what to make of the 604 Wifi. Technologically it's an incredible gadget, as the PMA430 was (and is). There's really nothing on the market to match its features, either at its very reasonable price of 500 Euros, or at any price. You'd need a notebook PC at least. Some reviewers have claimed that the 604 Wifi is too slow for Web browsing, and it certainly is slower than using a desktop PC. But my point is that it isn't a desktop PC -- it's a handheld gadget. Expecting PC performance from a device this size is simply unreasonable.
Having said that, if the Web browser performance isn't sufficient for your needs -- reasonable or otherwise -- it isn't clear that the other features of the Wifi justify the 80 quid price difference over the basic 604. The touchscreeen is useful, but the screen quality isn't quite as impressive as the basic 604, because the touch-sensitive layer decreases the contrast somewhat. It's useful to be able to play media files directly over a network connection, but you could get a similar effect (i.e., very large effective capacity) by hooking up a USB hard disk. In short, while the 604 Wifi is amazing, I'm not sure that everybody will feel that it is worth the extra money.
Ergonomics and styling
If I had only one word to describe the look of the x04 models, it would be `masculine'. They are all solid and chunky with square edges and either black or brushed metal finish. The buttons are masculine too: big and square with a solid `clunk' action. I happen to like this look, although I am aware that it won't suit everybody. In particular, I find it hard to imagine teenaged girls wearing 404s on strings round their necks. But I guess that Apple has this section of the market stitched up already, and Archos has never really sought customers among people who see a media player as a fashion accessory.In reality, none of the x04 units is really wearable -- even the 404 is just a bit too heavy. The 404 is certainly pocketable, but the 604 and (in particular) the 504 are really better suited to carrying in a bag of some sort. Both these units have a fold-out leg for propping up on a desk or table, which is where they work best.
One of the consequences of having such a large screen in such a small box is that there is little room for controls. The x04 buttons are, in general, more positive and aesthetically pleasing than those in earlier models, but they are not layed out in such an intutive way. Because the buttons are all in a row, rather than in a pad, it can be hard to find the right button in low light. What's more, above the button panel is a thing that looks and feels like a button, but is not, which makes it harder to find the real buttons in low light. Archos can't really win here: to get a more intuitive button layout requires either a bigger case or smaller buttons, neither of which is likely to find favour.
User interface
Over the years the user interface of the Archos media players has improved to the point where it can now be described as `OK'. It's still a bit quirky, but it's mostly consistent and there is little of the duplication of functions that affected earlier models.The x04 units pack an awful lot of functionality into a small box including, for example, basic video editing. All this functionality is exposed by way of menus and dialogs, and a button panel about 10mm wide by 40mm high. Into this panel are packed 10 buttons, loosely described as up, down, left, right, page up, page down, OK, cancel, mode, and menu. All these buttons are primarily used for navigating the menu structure, although all have specific, different, functions when playback or recording are in progress. For example, the up and down buttons control playback volume; left, right, page up, and page down, seek through tracks; OK pauses; and cancel stops playback. This is all fairly intuitive -- it is the distribution of operations between the various menus and pages that isn't quite as logical. For example, you have to use the select button to get to the system configuration screen, where usually this button is used to switch between applications that are running concurrently. There is no way to get to the configuration functionality through the menu. On the 604 Wifi, the file server application is not available on the same page as all the other applications, but only through the system configuration screen. Although there is a PDF viewer, and it works fine, you can't involve it from any menu -- you have to navigate to a PDF file in the file browser application first. And so on.
Nevertheless, the user interface is a big improvement over previous product versions, and it is trivially easy to get access to all the primary functions of the unit. It is notable that, until recently, I regarded the Sony PSP as a benchmark for a simple user interface; but after using the x04s for a few months, the PSP menu structure seems unwieldy and cryptic in comparison.
Docking station and options
Archos offers four different docking adapters for the x04 range. Each x04 model is supplied with a docking plate which fits on top of the big docking station and holds the unit snuggly in place (because all the models are differently sized). But no docking adapters are supplied as standard.The big docking station is designed for long-term integration of the x04 into a hi-fi or AV system. It offers line-level audio and video inputs and outputs, composite video outputs, and S/PDIF digital output. There are two USB connections -- one for connecting to a host computer, and one for connecting external hard disks. There is a DC socket for connecting a mains adapter, which is essential, because the docking station is a powered device, not just a switching box. The docking station is supplied with a an IR remote control and an IR transmitter connection for changing channels on a connected TV receiver (for scheduled TV recordings).
The big docking station is an improvement over the TV cradles offered with earlier models, in that it has sockets on the back rather than an arm-thick bunch of captive cables. This means that you can, with a bit of effect, disconnect the docking station from your AV system and take it away with your x04 when you travel. But you may find one of the smaller docking adapters more convenient.
The USB docking adapter provides the x04 with a connection to an external USB hard disk, or memory card reader, or camera. It also provides a DC input for charging the unit from a mains adapter.
The AV docking adapter provides the x04 with audio and video inputs, for recording from external sources (e.g., a video camera) in circumstances when it would be inconvenient to use a full docking station. Like the USB adapter, the AV adapter includes a DC input for charging. The AV docking adapter is supplied with the Archos x04 camera attachment and, so far as I know, you can't buy the camera without the docking adapter.
Finally, there is a specialized speaker dock, which provides better-sized speakers for using the x04s without headphones. Again, it has a DC input.
Pricing and options
The `modular' marketing scheme is interesting, and has the potential to work to the advantage of consumers. The basic 404 unit, with a list price of 300 Euros (about £180), compares favourably on price with the 30Gb iPod Video, which it outperforms in every conceivable respect. In particular, the 404 screen has nearly twice the area of that of the iPod. The new Microsoft Zune puts up a slightly better show but, again, the 404 trounces it in all important respects, including screen size. Neither of these competitors offers video recording, or USB host support, or PDF viewing, or anything like as comprehensive support for different audio and video formats. In fact, the x04s simply have little realistic competition, if features and cost are your purchasing considerations. No doubt the Apple products will continue to appeal to the fashion-conscious, and the Microsoft product to people who don't understand what a file is, but on all sensible considerations, the x04s are currently almost without peer among the big-name products. The Cowon A2 probably comes closest, both in features and price, to the 604; but the Cowon is a far less polished product, and has no docking station or remote control (even as an optional extra), and mediocre recording capabilities.That's not to say they the x04s are perfect, of course; simply that the competition is much less perfect, and more expensive.
In fact, the x04s are so competitively priced that, at the time of writing, second-hand ones are changing hands on eBay for a higher price than Archos is selling them direct to the public. Given that this is the case, it seems rather churlish to complain that certain things are optional extras -- but I'm going to anyway, because I like to complain.
In particular, the lack of a mains charger with the basic units seems to be a bit, well, cheap. If you want to charge from the mains you'll have to pay an extra 60 Euros -- 30 for the mains transformer and 30 for a docking adapter to connect it to. Of course, you may want the docking adapter anyway, but 30 Euros for a transformer? In reality, I expect that people will buy the requisite transformer on eBay (£5-£10), or find one laying around the house.
Conclusion
The Archos x04 units are well-priced for their features, and comfortably outperform what little competition there is. In fact, the 604 Wifi and 504-160Gb units simply don't have any competition -- they are unique in the marketplace, as nobody else offers a unit with such a high capacity (504) or such an extensive feature set (604 Wifi).That's not to say that these units are perfect: the user interface remains a bit quirky (although hugely improved), and the modular marketing strategy might confuse some people. But for people who want a good set of features at a reasonable price (and that, surely, is most of us) the x04 units are simply a better buy than anything else at present.
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