Messages

1

Archos forum / Archos 604 Continued Firmware Problems

« on: October 10, 2006, 12:11:40 am »

If you have read my previous posts you will know that myself and Paris7 are both cameramen and are keen to use the Archos device to record our camera rushes so that we can check shots and keep an archive of important work etc.  

There is huge interest in the TV and Film world as the 604 seems an ideal device, but previous Archos widescreen DVR's have had serious flaws as the widescreen pictures are badly cropped and distorted.

I was assured by Archos UK that the new 604 had cured our aspect ratio problems and so I managed to grab one cheap from ebay about a month ago.

Archos have made a slightly backward step by forcing customers to buy various docks, and this has slowed me down also as I've had to wait for the travel dock to become available.   I've been playing tonight as the dock finally arrived and the new Archos is a fantastic piece of kit.  The screen is larger and perfect for our purposes, and the keys and menus are far better.

Only one snag...

Yup, you guessed it... Archos 16by9  IS STILL cropped and distorted.

Once again the 604 loses about 10% of data from both top and bottom of your carefully framed picture, then for some reason stretches the remaining picture back vertically in order to fit the archos screen.

I tried recording a DVD tonight and their version of 2.35:1 has even worse problems... a huge amount of the image is lost from top and bottom anf the picture is then stretched back to an approximate 2.35:1 giving that now familiar hall of mirrors effect.

Had a go at recording Gladiator in both formats and chubby old Russell Crowe not only looks emaciated but also has no hair or chin in his close ups!

The only way to use this device without affecting the original framing is to record in 4x3.  I had hoped to then display in 16by9 but again the Archos lopps off the top and bottom of frame and displays a distorted image.

I cant tell what happens if the Archos recording is displayed on a TV as Archos have been very cunning, the travel dock is input only... no AV out (which you dont find out till you buy one) and I'll be damned is I'm forking out for the full AV dock until I really need it.

AMENDMENT; Just found out by reading the online manual that the headphone jack is also an AV out!  Pictures on my 32" TV are pretty stunning even on a travel dock encoded Video.

I suspect that the ratio damage is done at the record stage anyway as the AV500 had similar problems and also displayed a cropped distorted picture when plugged into a TV.

This is all Veeeeery frustrating as the 406 is otherwise a beautiful piece of kit.  

They've cured the tiny record window problem and made the graphics optional, you see a full size image of the AV source as soon as it is plugged in.  

Once you tweek the power saving options to keep the backlight on it is far better than the predecessors and as long as you stick to 4x3 it is quite servicable as a mini colour viewfinder.

Trouble is most TV work is 16by9 and the client requires this in their DVR archive.

I will probobly keep this one, and use it as a 4x3 recorder, and put up with the frustration of having a 16by9 picture squished down to 4x3, and then displayed on the Archos widescreen with black bars either side.

Archos iffy 16x9 may only be usable for film as around 20% of headroom is generally outside the ground glass 'safe area' and can be ignored.

I am posting this message on the forum in the hope that the boffins at Archos will see the errors of their ways and maybe produce a firmware update to give full frame and un-distorted aspect ratios.

It is quite ludicrous that Archos continue to advertise 16x9 ratios when the DVR's clearly cannot support the ratio without slicing off chunks of the picture.  

Even if used for more domestic purposes it is unlikely that the 604 will be used to record 'Richard and Judy'  It is more likely to be used by movie buffs who will be similarly disappointed by the distorted images.

Come on Archos, please sort yourselves out and fix the firmware this time around !

2

Archos forum / Archos Av500 Strange 16 By 9 Aspect Ratio

« on: October 09, 2006, 11:49:02 pm »

Hi All

Just to keep you posted I returned my AV500 to dixons even though it was beyond their money back period  I cited the sale of goods act as the product would not support 16by9 and to be honest the sales staff diddnt seem too surprised.

I was assured by Arcos UK that the new 604 had cured our aspect ratio problems and so I managed to grab one cheap from ebay about a month ago.

Archos have made a slightly backward step by forcing customers to buy various docks, and this has slowed me down also as I've had to wait for the travel dock to become available.

I've been playing tonight as the dock finally arrived and the new Archos is a fantastic piece of kit.  The screen is larger and perfect for our purposes, and the keys and menus are far better.

Only one snag...

Yup, you guessed it... Archos 16 by 9  is cropped and distorted.

Once again the 604 loses about 10% of data from both top and bottom of screen, then for some reason stretches the remaining picture back vertically in order to fit the archos screen.

I tried recording a DVD tonight and their version of 2.35:1 has even worse problems... a huge amount of the image is lost from top and bottom anf the picture is then stretched back to an approximate 2.35:1 giving that now familiar hall of mirrors effect.

Had a go at recording Gladiator in both formats and chubby old Russell Crowe not only looks emaciated but also has no hair or chin in his close ups!

The only way to use this device without affecting the original framing is to record in 4x3.  I had hoped to then display in 16 by 9 but again the Archos software lopps off the top and bottom of frame and displays a distorted image.

I cant tell what happens if the Archos recording is displayed on a TV as Archos have been very cunning, the travel dock is input only... no AV out (which you dont find out till you buy one) and I'll be damned is I'm forking out for the full AV dock until I really need it.

This is all Veeeeery frustrating as the 406 is otherwise a beautiful piece of kit.  They've cured the tiny record window problem and made the graphics optional, you see a full size image of the AV source as soon as it is plugged in.  

Once you tweek the power saving options to keep the backlight on it is far better than the predecessorsand as long as you stick to 4x3 it is quite servicable as a mini colour viewfinder.

I will probobly keep this one, and use it as a 4x3 recorder, 16x9 may also be usable for film as around 20% of headroom is generally outside the ground glass and ignored.

I am posting this message on the forum in the hope that the boffins at Archos will see the errors of their ways and maybe produce a firmware update to give full frame and un-distorted aspect ratios.

It is quite ludicrous that Archos continue to advertise 16 by 9 ratios when the DVR's clearly cannot support the ratio without slicing off chunks of the picture.  

Even if used for more domestic purposes it is unlikely that the 604 will be used to record 'Richard and Judy'  It is more likely to be used by movie buffs who will be similarly disappointed by the distorted images.

Come on Archos, please sort yourselves out and fix this software!

3

Archos forum / Archos 604/504

« on: October 09, 2006, 11:42:41 pm »

Hi All

I dont mean to hijack this thread but there are some pressing problems with the 604 that have carried over from the AV500/AV700.

If you have read my previous posts you will know that myself and Paris7 are both cameramen and are keen to use the Archos device to record our camera rushes so that we can check shots etc.  

I was assured by Arcos UK that the new 604 had cured our aspect ratio problems and so I managed to grab one cheap from ebay about a month ago.

Archos have made a slightly backward step by forcing customers to buy various docks, and this has slowed me down also as I've had to wait for the travel dock to become available.

I've been playing tonight as the dock finally arrived and the new Archos is a fantastic piece of kit.  The screen is larger and perfect for our purposes, and the keys and menus are far better.

Only one snag...

Yup, you guessed it... Archos 16 by 9  is cropped and distorted.

Once again the 604 loses about 10% of data from both top and bottom of screen, then for some reason stretches the remaining picture back vertically in order to fit the archos screen.

I tried recording a DVD tonight and their version of 2.35:1 has even worse problems... a huge amount of the image is lost from top and bottom anf the picture is then stretched back to an approximate 2.35:1 giving that now familiar hall of mirrors effect.

Had a go at recording Gladiator in both formats and chubby old Russell Crowe not only looks emaciated but also has no hair or chin in his close ups!

The only way to use this device without affecting the original framing is to record in 4x3.  I had hoped to then display in 16 by 9 but again the Archos software lopps off the top and bottom of frame and displays a distorted image.

I cant tell what happens if the Archos recording is displayed on a TV as Archos have been very cunning, the travel dock is input only... no AV out (which you dont find out till you buy one) and I'll be damned is I'm forking out for the full AV dock until I really need it.

This is all Veeeeery frustrating as the 406 is otherwise a beautiful piece of kit.  They've cured the tiny record window problem and made the graphics optional, you see a full size image of the AV source as soon as it is plugged in.  

Once you tweek the power saving options to keep the backlight on it is far better than the predecessorsand as long as you stick to 4x3 it is quite servicable as a mini colour viewfinder.

I will probobly keep this one, and use it as a 4x3 recorder, 16x9 may also be usable for film as around 20% of headroom is generally outside the ground glass and ignored.

I am posting this message on the forum in the hope that the boffins at Archos will see the errors of their ways and maybe produce a firmware update to give full frame and un-distorted aspect ratios.

It is quite ludicrous that Archos continue to advertise 16 by 9 ratios when the DVR's clearly cannot support the ratio without slicing off chunks of the picture.  

Even if used for more domestic purposes it is unlikely that the 604 will be used to record 'Richard and Judy'  It is more likely to be used by movie buffs who will be similarly disappointed by the distorted images.

Come on Archos, please sort yourselves out and fix this software!

4

Archos forum / Archos Av500 Strange 16 By 9 Aspect Ratio

« on: August 30, 2006, 05:14:56 pm »

Thanks Paris 7

I'm so disappointed in my archos that I stopped reading the forum!  The bloody thing has sat on the kitchen table since its one and only test flight on the world cup.

The only thing i havnt tried is to record in 4x3 and try to make it replay streached to 16 by 9.  On second thoughts that is way too much of a compromise and the screen is narrower than 16 x 9 anyway!

I now think I'll do the same as you and return the product, unfortunately it was bought from Dixons airside at heathrow so this may be a problem.

Many thanks for chasing this and proving my sanity... Archos helpline just diddnt seem to understand aspect ratios and were TOTALLY USELESS.

I do hope someone at Archos reads these forums as the excellent hardware quality of their products is not matched by their crappy software!

Thanks again

Mike

5

Archos forum / Archos Av500 Strange 16 By 9 Aspect Ratio

« on: August 16, 2006, 06:06:44 am »

Yup

Have tried everything... brilliant piece of kit but totally useless to me!

Anyone want to buy an archos with about 3 hours runtime?

Mike


[/quote]

6

Archos forum / Archos Av500 Strange 16 By 9 Aspect Ratio

« on: June 19, 2006, 11:46:54 am »

Got bored today and measured the visible screen on the Arcos.  Its 50x84mm whick works out at a ratio of 15 x9.   You would expect to lose a little data at the sides but the DVR seems to cut off about 10% from the headroom as it records and then stretches the picture slightly the other way to fit their odd screen.

When played out to a 16 x 9 TV the picture displays in 4 x 3 with bars top and bottom.  If the TV zoomed to 16 by 9 even more data becomes lost at the top of frame (archos is sending 15x9)  and a long shot (head to toe) of an actor gets cut off at the eyes!

THis is a complete mess unless of course I am doing something wrong!

Spoke to archos but they were pretty useless and dont seem to understand aspect ratio and cut off anyway.  

Will try firmware download but if that doesnt work there will be another new Archos AV500 going onto Ebay!

7

Archos forum / Tiny Picture In Record Mode

« on: June 19, 2006, 06:33:19 am »

Hi

Similar to my last post I have another problem with the AV500.

I need to use the Archos as a secondary viewfinder/monitor on a camera system but when in record the picture shrinks down to postage stamp size to make way for all of the unnecessary bargraph displays etc.

Does anyone out there have a clever software patch that will give me a full screen picture when in record mode.

I have been using an RCA Lyra for many years and although the picture quality is very iffy it does offer full frame display when recording and a clever designer on the lyra forum worked up a brilliant patch to remove the bargraphs and straps.

Mike

8

Archos forum / Archos Av500 Strange 16 By 9 Aspect Ratio

« on: June 19, 2006, 06:26:44 am »

Hi

I've bought an AV 500 for recording from a 16 by 9 camera system but when played back the pictures have about 10% of the headroon cut off, i.e. are not true 16 by 9

This also happens when you play out to a tv

Am I doing something daft, or is this the way archos have made the device to suit the TFT screen which seems a little wider than it should be.

Mike

9

Archos forum / Testing The Av500 For Helmet Camera Systems

« on: June 19, 2006, 06:18:53 am »

Hi DV Cake

Im working on a similar system for use with a Steadicam and thought we could perhaps share information.

I bought an AV500 about 6 months ago but returned it as I found a couple of snags, one being the daft docking pod.  At the moment I'm stillousing an RCA lyra which is very clunky and crashy.

I've wasted 6 months waiting for Cyberhome to come out with their PMP4000 (12V ideal for my rig) and have now baught the archos again as it seems to be the best available.

Picture quality is great but I cant seem to find a way to record a true 16 by 9 picture, it seems to cut off the headroom to fit the wider tft screen and this seems to happen on output to a tv.

Also have a problem with the record function as I need to use the archos as a monitor and of course the picture reduces to the size of a postage stamp when in record to make room for the unnecessarry bargraphs etc.

I'll post elseware on the site in the hope that someone may have some software cheats.

I also have the problem of having to buy the travel adapter which is annoying as the docking pod connector seems much neater.  I really cant see the advantage of the fancy docking pod when a simple AV in out cable does the same job.

I hope to cut the docking pod cable and then re join it using a couple of hirose or lemo multi connectors.  I can then plug up with whatever feeds I need to/from the camera system and still use the docking pod at home.

Please let me know how you are getting on

Best regards

Mike