[azwillnj]

Someone out there please help me I am so lost my friend recently knocked my Karma out of many hand and broke the scroll whell and the hdd is now f'ed up. So I am decideing to get an Archos but I dont know which one to get, the AV420 or the Gmini 400. There are various benifits and downfalls to each one and as soon as i make a decision on one, I think of a pro of the other one and consider that one instead. So, I am looking for anyone that has both or knows alot about both or even has one. I want your opinion, a couple of questions too...

1) can you replace the battery on the Gmini 400, I know the case would have to be opened but do they sell replacements?

2) is the AV420 too big for everyday use?, too heavy?

3) Is the gmini screen really that small?

and lastly...

4) Is the AV420 really worth the extra $100?

If anyone can answer one or all of these questions it would really help me out, thanks.

Alex.

 

[Cirrus]

1) I've never seen a replacement battery for sale, presumably you could find one with the correct dimensions. You would have to solder it to the board though, I had to do that while opening my gmini because I accidently pulled one of the battery wires off.
2) I don't know, but it looks like it to me
3) No, i'm perfectly happy to sit watching a full feature film on it, in fact i've had several people watching it while its sat on a table. The screen is suprisingly detailed as well, eg subtitles on a film are readable
4) Not to me it wasn't, but that all depends on whether you would use the tivo-type video recording functions.

Any more questions?

 

[wolfen68]

Go to www.newmp3technology.com to see what parts are available (including batteries) for which models.

 

[jerb]

Im particularly interested in #2. how durable/heavy/big is this thing?! ive read the reviews but i cant see something like this slipping into a pants pocket. also i have an old archos mediaplayer and it was built like a brick, is this the same for newer models?

 

[memorex]

I've got an archos 220 and I won't be buying any more archos products.

The battery life is ~4 hours and it, far too frequently (once per hour or so) skips and decides to shut down.

That'd be tolerable, except that if you make a playlist, like calls it "AllRock", and it's got a couple thousand songs on it- it takes 2-3 minutes to load that playlist and every time you shut it down (or IT shuts ITSELF down), you've got to load the playlist again.

Every other mp3 player I've had/seen automatically starts where it left off last tmie, after you power it up...

So the search is on...

 

[terrymx]

i had the gmini400 and for me it was the best hd player. the screen is 2.5". it has the best navigation and organizing system aswell. the battery life was alright, 6hours for mp3, that is accounted for switching song and fast forwarding every three minutes. the screen turn off when the music is playing. just full of features. its not too little for a day of use. but ofcourse i would build an external battery pack for it if i go on a trip. being able to watch avi on it at 30fps is awesome as well.

i sold it to afford speakers, should had kept it.

sorry i dont know anything about the other video player.