Archos 5/7 Internet Tablet

upspace · 09-19-2009, 03:51 PM

Anybody already tried it? Sounds promising. Except price. But considering the cost for hardware and the time to put all the wires, setup mobo and case, configuring software etc. still cheap to me.

http://www.archos.com/products/imt/a.../features.html

- high quality touch screen
- brilliant sound quality
- fm receiver (for all that want to get rid of head unit) and transmitter (for those who keep head unit and dont like wires)
- plays all audio and video media formats
- gps (with 3d building maps) (edit: which is nice but does not really help but confuses more. i switched to copilot 8 which is great)
- wifi and bluetooth (edit: wifi is draft n but i dont get more than g currently although my router does)
- small and light
- up to 250 or 500 gb 1.8 harddisk (edit: i think it is 2.5)
- battery if not on current
- not only attached to car but can be used anywhere
- docking station for easy car mount and charging (has to be bought separately for usb host function and fast charging. charging via mini usb and pc is very slow. also you need some custom mount. just get any universal gps holder which will work - pictures to follow)
- remote control while driving
- DVB-T with snap on (edit: not tried yet)
- etc. check out the link. it seems endlesse to me

or waiting for zune (here in Europe)?

jcam · 09-23-2009, 02:43 PM

I was thinking the same thing when I saw them. Unfortunately I don't think you can get them right now. I'm with you though, it sure seems like an easy solution.

It would be nice if they made a dock specifically for the car.

Like a headunit that was a dock.

upspace · 09-24-2009, 01:15 AM

I bought the Archos5 Internet Table with 500 gig (!!!), Full HD-replay (on TV), 5 Inch 800x480 16 Million colour touch, GPS Sirf III, WIFI (b/g/n), Bluetooth 2.0 A2DP, EDR, ARCP, HID, Dial Networking (!!!) AND FM Receiver and Transmitter.

Runs 7 hours for video and 20+ on audio on battery. Charged via cigarette lighter adaptor.

http://www.archos.com/products/imt/a...5it/index.html

http://www.archos.com/products/imt/a....html?p=image3

http://www.archos.com/products/imt/a...ng=de&p=image3

It should arrive end of September. I will update the Car PC community about my experience with it.

Can't wait that beast and all those Android apps in the future

jcam · 10-08-2009, 11:03 AM

any luck yet?

upspace · 10-13-2009, 04:35 AM

it was shipped today and expect it by end of the week. let you know after the weekend testing

upspace · 10-20-2009, 08:09 AM

I am posting my experience with the Archos 5 Android Internet Tablet after having it now for 4 days used in my car. I bought the 500 GB hard disk model for approx 450$

Pros:
1. Easy installation.

No breaking, wiring of audio cables, GSP mouse, electricity cabling, USB powering, interference or whining noise. Only a device holder had to be mounted, powered via cigarette lighter and audio jack to head unit

2. Cold boots in 30-45 seconds, in suspend mode resumes in 1 second with full functionality.

Of course cold boot could be faster. But you only need it after new firmware has been installed or if device crahsed. Suspend mode runs on internal battery and lasts for 6+ days.

I now enter my car and have instant music playback and navigation. Going out of the car for fuel or shopping, I just leave it on. If I stay longer than expected it goes into suspend automatically. No draining of internal battery nor car battery!

3. 500 Gigabyte in the size of an Iphone

The size and the power of storage, graphics and functionality of this devie is just amazing. A littler bit wider than an Iphone because of 5 inch display and little fatter due to hard disk!

4. Very very performantt CPU/GPU

High Def videos play without any stutters. Of course HD does not make sense on 5 inch screen but to show performance it is always a good test

5. Good quality display and responive touchscreen

6. FM receiver for radio

FM transmitter not yet used because directly plugged into head unit via jack

7. A lot of Android apps

Archos Media Center is good for video, music, internet tv and radio, FM radio, pictures, Youtube, etc. The browser is fast, email, RSS, twitter, all there (I am not so much of a social network guy)

8. Copilot 8 Live is a fantastic GPS app for only around 35$

Haven't seen a better one - nor on PC nor on native GPS devices so far

9. Bluetooth and WiFi

N-draft WiFi to synchronize when parked in front of house, quickly check emails when travelling. Just unplug from holder and there you go. Stops me from using my laptop in hotels and conferences for quick information lookups.

Bluetooth does teether with your phone for 3G internet acces, headset or using your mobile as remote

Cons:

1. Latest firmware runs very stable, although had some crashes (2-3) in four days. I am sure this will improve
2. Some MKV format cannot be played but this is a question of time with the next firmware update
3. Have to pay extra $15 for DVD (MPEG2) and WMV-HD etc. codec
4. Some background applications prevent suspend mode. Need to find out why... Have to get used with Android first
5. No real integrated car solution for media playback, navigation etc.

You have to switch between Media Center app and Copilot navigation to see current track, to change to next track or to receive next turn instructions. If Copilot is not frontmost application, it does not announce next turns or speedcams:-)

I am still looking for something like RoadRunners capability to embed third paryt apps (such as Copilot) and have the media controls surrounding the GPS area. But I am sure this could be developed with the rich Android SDK. Anybody interested from the old Road Runner community???

6 No hard buttons

Changing tracks, going to home, switching between apps (see above) would be easier with hard buttons than sliding and tapping the touch. But it should be possible to attach any bluetooth mouse, keyboard, joystick or remote to it. Currently checking out a suitable one for Car.

7 Mini USB

Only Mini USB (Archos proprietary one) to connect as mass storage device to PC. The device has no USB Host function. I therefore bought a Mini Dock ($20) to quickly charge via cigarette lighter or wall plug and to attach external USB disk. Without dock, slow charging is only possible when connected to PC and device is on. But PC USB port does not provide enough power to run and charge the device, therefore slow charging times.

Dock provides USB hosting but also S-Video, composite out when connected to large TV screen). There is also an option for HDMI. Apparantly you still cannot a USB keyboard to the dock - only wireless via bluetooth.

All in all a GOOOOOO! I don't miss my little valley, Lilliput, Carnetix and tons of USB sticks for WiFI, bluetooth, DVB-T, Radio anymore. It just works, is light, powerful, greate mobility and feature rich. I am glad I did not go for the ION boards. For the same cost I have a better solution for car usage.

My recommendation to mp3car store. Go and talk to Archos to put this device on your shop.

This probably also shows Archos a niche for their product and they build a nice front end for car usage to it. No, i dont work for Archos.

nubz69 · 10-20-2009, 09:57 PM

What are the possibilities of this being able to use an external sound card at some point?

luna123black · 10-25-2009, 03:18 PM

i hate to say this but do your research on this product. i had a 5 and it was junk. i may try the android 5 but i wont be expection much. constant crashes bad qc and terriable support. as far as the andoid sdk half of the android apps wont work on the archos. thiers no way to access the android market place and archos appslip is full of useless stuff and dosent work very well.

upspace · 10-26-2009, 10:42 AM

android 1.6 and 2.0 will change this and allow apps to run on different resolutions (archos has higher resolutions due to its 5 inch screen than normal mobile phones).

with the latest firmware it is very stable and damn fast. used it on the weekend heavily - hours of driving, navigation, music playing, video - no crash, instand resume and stand-bye, 10-20 secs. gps lock. good readable screen, good touch interface when driving. of course this could be improved

running for hours on its own battery, charged via cigarette lighter, having 500 gb in the car and everywhere i go i just unplug from custome built device holder.

wifi is great and locks in any hotspot, bluetooth teethering with phone, fm radio...

what you want more? have not yet tried the additional dvb-t dock to get terrestrial digital tv since in switzerland not many stations are broadcasting.

luna123black · 10-26-2009, 09:27 PM

i hope your right because i rally hope archos gets thier act together. however archos has made alot of promises before that never happend. so ill be suprised if any of that goes through. id be suprised if it ecen gets 1.6 to be honest or if they continue to support it and offer updates in a year.

dont get me wrong the 5a could be a great gadget. and even with the bug if thier support wasnt so bad i would probally have one. but they gotta convinve me thier serious about making it work before ill buy another archos product no matter how tempting they are.

upspace · 10-27-2009, 08:24 AM

it is working for me now over a week - even with android 1.5. and works better than any car pc install before. especially the quick and instant suspend and resume are sooo good compared to 40 secs boot time / hibernation in windows and don't have to worry about battery life now in those cold winter times.

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