Archos AV400 20 GB Video Player/Recorder and MP3 Player AV420

The Archos AV420 is very nearly the perfect personal multimedia device. If you want to be able record videos from your cable or from non-copyrighted DVDs and play them back in near DVD quality, this is the device to get.

The fit and finish of this device is very good, an order of magnitude better than its predecessors in the AV100 and AV300 series. The controls are easy to learn and solid. The screen is clear and super bright.

I agree with the reviews that caution that if you're not into video, there are devices that offer better price performance. Even with the 20G model (AV420), I can store hours of recorded TV programs and other video material to keep me happy while my commuter bus lumbers through heavy NYC-bound traffic.

The built-in compact flash slot allows me to show off my digital pics on the bright, clear 3.5" screen. I don't miss having to have a laptop always at the ready to act as an intermediary for file transfers...Read more

I got this as a present from my mom, she was supposed to give me an Ipod, but when I learned that she's going to , I asked her to give me Archos AV420 instead because I'm more into videos than music. And I love this product, this is one of my all time favorite possessions.

The Good:
The style was good enough for me, elegant with its grayish color, probably not as hip as the Ipod, but this is more appropriate for professionals becasue it has a more sophisticated look. And the style is miles better than AV 300 because it's lighter and smaller. The screen was larger compared to others so it's really convenient to watch movies. Easy to follow instructions I practically did everything the first time I tried it. It can store based on my calculation about 160 20 min TV episodes in video in the lowest quality but still very clear. The best thing of all is it can record from practically any source, tv, dvd, vcr etc without a hassle. It has also a scheduler that records your...Read more

This apparatus is nice - great screen, you know the works. To carry it around, though, is a different story. It's just too big, in my opinion. If I attach the enclosed holster to my belt, I'm suddenly retro. I'm not retro-man.

Anyway, this thing will record ALL copy-protected DVDs onto it, but, IF IT RECOGNIZES the signal that designates the DVD as copy-protected, it puts a little 'P' icon which means it's protected. It will play BEAUTIFULLY on the Archos that just made the recording - absolutely beautiful screen. Howevere, it can ONLY be played by the player, so once you copy it to the hard drive of your computer - all 700 or whatever megabytes - it opens up in media player with a big "COPY RIGHTED" label on the screen, but you get full audio for the entire length of the movie.

Now, here's the funny thing. Because there's so many motion picture companies, they don't all have the same code for copy-protecting DVDs. Most VCRs and DVD recorders...Read more