In the box - next to the player only the bare essentials: headphones, adapter for an addition to buying DVR Station and a cleaning cloth. For a player in this price range should be expected to at least one protective bag. You would not leather ....
After I had unpacked and set up the Archos, this has initially been installed the latest firmware update. Without any problems.
Operation via the touch screen is easy to learn. Absolutely intuitively allows the player control over unique icons. All menus are opened without delay after contact. The screen is excellent, it's very fun to enjoy the crystal clear display.
The play on my music collection of about 4,000 MP3 files was very smooth across the stage. The music list is displayed according to different criteria, such as by artist, by album, by title, by genre, etc. The entire music collection can be once again in random mode, play several times or several times in random mode.
But now, unfortunately, a great disappointment, which is why I returned to the player at Amazon (Amazon has the purchase price refunded immediately by the way): mainly I bought the Archos to play my music collection. After a small "hiccup" heard every second, third piece within the first 10 seconds in the play (the music started audibly for the fraction of a second, "choked" quasi), I searched the internet for a good Archos -Forum. I found what I was there in an English-speaking forum. The error thus seemed not conceited or to occur only when my player. Instead thereof many Archos owners are concerned. If the appropriate Archos forum Unterforum Archos 5, is sought under the heading of "hiccups", you will find the corresponding contributions.
Of course, some recommendations circled by this issue: one can try to format tiern or to reorganize the hard disk. One could try to remove the images of album covers from the tags. There are suspicions that the algorithm is poorly written and so the jump from another on the title does not work correctly. OK, that may be all. But ... am I supposed to understand for? Sorry, this is a media player, and I expect just that for which it was produced, also works. After all, this is not a 12,95-Euro-Player from Baumarkt-Grabbeltisch !!
Well, this error has thus led me to return this equipment. Even with the latest firmware does not seem resolved the Macke. And so I've been watching for a while in the I mentioned Forum. Once there is clearly posted that the problem is solved, I'll order my Archos 5 again. If only for the many accessories (DVR station, expensive Noreve leather case), which I also grew me, I do not want to change to another manufacturer currently.
By the way, the problem of miserable Archos support described here I can only confirm. Even my three support requests I received only the automatic reply that my request will be answered within two days. But that was the only answer to my questions. Say my mails were ignored.
Update as of 16:02:10
Meanwhile, I have my Archos 5 a second time, also on Amazon procured. As usual, was delivered to the order within the shortest time.
The scope of equipment has not changed - still no protective bag, here is an additional purchase strongly recommended to protect the valuable part accordingly.
Now, at the present "state of play"
Once in November 2009 a current Firmwar update was available on the official Archos page, I found the courage to order the media player again. Refueled the battery, I turned on the player, connected it (very straightforward, only the WLAN key must be known) via Wi-Fi to the Internet, and you could download the latest firmware and install.
Then the player is equipped with plenty of music (in MP3 format 320kb). The dubbing of test, approximately 100 albums went smoothly and quickly across the stage. And so I was able to, full of curiosity and nervous expectations, go into the hearing test. So what can I say ???
* The sound is excellent
* Almost no pauses between songs, they go almost seamlessly into one another
* NO Verschlucker the song change !!! This was the reason why I returned my first player.
* All versions play function properly: All tracks / artists or albums in alphabetical order, with or without repeat function, all title / artist or album in "regular" order, etc.
* The overview can also be provided that the MP3 files are tagged accordingly, show all Albums Cover. A nice feature.
* Surfing the Internet is absolutely no problem. Connect to the Internet, using virtual keyboard, and you can surf wherever you want.
* Internet Radio: Super. A list can be found radio stations either direction (blues, rock, stroke, charts, 60s music, 70s music ..., news channels, etc etc etc ....
If the player is on the (optional accessory) connected docking station, can be connected directly via this RCA cable to the HiFi system. If the player is placed in the docking station, the contact with the hi-fi system will be established immediately, as well as the battery is automatically recharged.
Ingenious: connects to the line in the docking station with tape-out of the amplifier, so can an LP immediately Date Added Archos, are therefore digitized. Thus, for LPs, which are not no more, as CD available, very easy "rip".
My Conclusion:
The Archos I would now buy again and again and also recommend it. The flaw, which is why I returned him almost a year ago at amazon has been fixed with the latest update Firmwar.
Only the obviously still existing Archos miserable service and the meager accessory equipment prevented a perfect score. Alone on the hydric and technical features of the Archos I had all five stars distributed.
