Dissapointing Device A5IT

[Gwagain]

BACKGROUND

I have an iTouch 16GB (second generation) and works fine. The "problem", you have to convert video files in order to be played on the device. If video file is AVI, MPEG-4, DIVx no problem. You can use either Handbreak or Xilisoft Video converter for this purpose without any kind of problem.

If is a MKV file the software converters recognize video and audio "containers" not so with subtitle container. The result, you obtain a video file in MPEG-4 without subtitles

Past few weeks, I read about Archos 5 Internet Tablet. A very reliable brand in its previous models. I visited the Archos Web and wow!!!!! The device plays any kind of video file (MPEG-4, AVI, MXV, etc) and the subtitles are supported!!!! If you compare with iTouch you save the process of previous conversion to MPEG-4, and you can play MKV with subtitles!!!!!!! Until here everything sounds wonderful.

I bought my A5IT and I received it 5 days ago.........

First of all, a defective pixel, always in yellow Then, connection problems, Windows not always recognize the device in MTP and MSC mode. The recognition of the device is random

I updated the device to the last firmware version released......

Once the connection is good, the process of transferring video files begins: DIVx, AVI, MPEG-4, MKV (I'm an Anime fan) and I have a lot of videos in a lot of different formats.........

VIDEO

DIVx: all the tested videos works properly.

AVI: only 1 out of 3 works properly
Bakumatsu OK
GunXSword --> A5IT error: black screen when is played
Aria KO --> audio and video ok but no subtitles


MPEG: 0 out of 5
Blade of the Immortal, Chrome Shelled Regios, etc KO
A5IT error: black screen when is played for all of them

MKV: 0 out of 5

Aquarion:
Video: AVC, 23.976 FPS (Container profile= Unknown 5.1)
Audio: English 6 Channels, AAC, Japanese 2 channels, AAC.
Subtitles: English ASS and UTF-8
A5IT error: displays an error message "Profile Unknown"

Canaan:
Video: AVC, 23.976 FPS (Container profile= Unknown 4.0)
Audio: Japanese 2 channels, AAC
Subtitles: English ASS
A5IT error: video and audio out of sync. No subtitles. If you pause the video, suddenly a subtitle is displayed.

Bakemonogatari:
Video: AVC, 23.976 FPS (Container profile= Unknown 4.0)
Audio: Japanese 2 channels, AAC
Subtitles: English ASS
A5IT error: video and audio out of sync. No subtitles. If you pause the video, suddenly a subtitle is displayed.

Fate Stay/Night:
Video: AVC, 23.976 FPS (Container profile= Unknown 4.1)
Audio: Japanese 2 channels, AC-3
Subtitles: English ASS
A5IT error: black screen when is played

Kuroshitsuji:
Video: AVC, 23.976 FPS (Container profile= Unknown 5.0)
Audio: Japanese 2 channels, 192Kbps VORBIS
Subtitles: English ASS
A5IT error: nothing happens when you try to play it.

I bought too the HD Cinema Plug-in but doesn't solve anything.

AUDIO

When a video is displayed properly, if there's neither sound nor music from the video you can hear a strange sound in background........

BATTERY

By the other hand, I connect the A5IT with the USB cable and it seems the battery doen's charge. Besides, you can hear strange sounds as if a short circuit was taking place inside.

OUTCOME

A very dissapointing feeling. I feel cheated.

In other posts of this forum you can read guides to convert video files in order to be played properly by the A5IT. You need to use 4 different softwares sequencially to get the final video!!!!!!

The real value of this device, at least for me, talking about video files, is saving all the previous conversions. If you have to convert again what is the advantage?

All the problems would dissapear if Archos could develop a similar VLC video player for its product.....

I'll write to Archos telling about all of these issues and I'll send them the device in order to get my money back.

Thanks everybody for reading this "brick".

Sayonara & Carpe diem

[gurry]

I feel your pain bro!

Welcome to the board and I guess goodbye too!

I had a bit of an A5A episode today to wit I though there are two outcomes, I calmly repackage the machine and send it back to archos or two I smash the awful piece of electric trickery to pieces and feel vindicated (but £300 less well off)

I couldnt get mkvs to work - I repackaged recoded redid to the best of my ability and the mf'ing thing will not play - or copy the files. The copy process froze at 0 seconds remaining and hung for 10 minutes. unmount and unplug causes the media center to crash and a reboot needed. Then I reboot to disc check.....for 10 minutes nothing works so i reformat loose everything I managed to get on there.
At this point I felt like archos-cide was the only solution.

I didnt I had on last go. reinstalled the mkvs still dont work BUT found that files I ran through GOTSent to avi work AND I can re-encode to apple tv h264 720p and these play so I have an answer, its not preety and it does require a few hours recoding but at least I now have aunit that does hi def does play xvids and does actually seem like a better unit that my 'old' 605 which is smashed and battle scarred but still running like a beaut!

Perhaps you (if you read this) can not give up hope grab xilisoft hd encoder or imtoo mkv converter throw the mkvs through it as an apple tv hd 720 and live with the results until archos fix the problem.....if they ever actually do!!

[Gwagain]

Hi Gurry!!!

Thanks for answering.

The main reason for what I bought this device was the wonderful supported video files. With a 5" screen it's not needed to resize de video and if all the usual video formats are supported you save:

a) Time from converting
b) Money: software to convert video files
c) PC Maintenance (My iMAC working a lot of hours converting files)

It sounds great, but the reality is another very different. If, finally, I have to convert video files, I prefer my iTouch connected with my iMAC without problems. It works quickly and smoothly.

The problem here is Archos raise wonderful expectations that they can't keep. And the worst of all, I think they know it and still keep selling defective devices. Their Quality Control Department is deplorable.

S&CD

[Chengbin]

Buy it in a month, by then most of the problems will be fixed.

[Gwagain]

Hi Chengbin.

I've contacted few moments ago with technical support of Archos via email. I'll wait for their answer. If they can guarantee a new firmware version that solves all of this problems I can wait until then (if not takes too long).

S&CD

[ALooneyGuy]

Good luck getting any specific answers, if you get an answer at all.

Hi Chengbin.

I've contacted few moments ago with technical support of Archos via email. I'll wait for their answer. If they can guarantee a new firmware version that solves all of this problems I can wait until then (if not takes too long).

S&CD

[kendrid]

Be sure to return the device within your allowed time frame if the issues are not fixed. Do NOT believe a new firmware will fix everything, no matter who says it (forum or Archos). It's easier to return it and get your money back, then rebuy the device in a couple of months instead of (possibly) never get it working the way you want and being stuck with it.

[nouze]

That sucks, doesn't it. I was in the same position as you, bought A5 (previous gen) because it looked so good on paper and then, once it arrived, felt like someone smacked me with a shovel. I had two units, I didn't ask for a refund first time hoping the other will be flawless, but it wasn't. I also thought that the current generation will be better - after all they had time to learn on their mistakes - but I'm glad I haven't rushed to buy it.

I'm sure Archos fanboys will mention that even big brands come across some quality issues and they will be right. SOME quality issues are acceptable but what Archos does is way below any standards.

[gurry]

it is annoying as hell to have to convert and reconvert just play the freakin files!!

I finally found some mkvs that the a5a likes - house MD web dl mkv. Not sure what the difference is in these encodes than the others but these play smooth and sweet.

Ill persevere - call me a fan boy. Ive had a av400 av500 405 605 archos tv erm....and the a5a so quite the fan boy.

The archos experience when is works is great just getting there is such a ball ache.

[CruNcher]

perfect now the board gets spamed with converter tools that violate GPL :P

[Chengbin]

The forum constantly get spammed by stupid mfs.

[perrin21]

And if you ask me, reconverting everything goes completely against the point of a play it all device.

[Charbax]

Archos plays all Mpeg4 Simple Profile, which means 98% of AVI, DivX, XviD files being traded on BitTorrents and elsewhere. For MKV, it's for now limited around 3500kbit/s for high profile, maybe they can improve it. That means any MKV 720p TV episodes with 20-30 minutes length and 400-800MB filesize should work. MKV 720p Movies of more than 2h30 for 4.4GB should work also, but obviously such long 720p movies in 4.4GB are rare, most Mkv 720p movies are closer to 1h30 per 4.4GB.

If you don't know what Mpeg4 Simple Profile means, if you don't know how popular scene releases are made, then don't expect to find a $200 or cheaper PMP that will play all your files.

There are thousands of different ways to encode video files, no device can playback all of the non-standard ways to encode files using basic hardware acceleration thus working on a battery.

[perrin21]

Archos plays all Mpeg4 Simple Profile, which means 98% of AVI, DivX, XviD files being traded on BitTorrents and elsewhere. For MKV, it's for now limited around 3500kbit/s for high profile, maybe they can improve it. That means any MKV 720p TV episodes with 20-30 minutes length and 400-800MB filesize should work. MKV 720p Movies of more than 2h30 for 4.4GB should work also, but obviously such long 720p movies in 4.4GB are rare, most Mkv 720p movies are closer to 1h30 per 4.4GB.

If you don't know what Mpeg4 Simple Profile means, if you don't know how popular scene releases are made, then don't expect to find a $200 or cheaper PMP that will play all your files.

There are thousands of different ways to encode video files, no device can playback all of the non-standard ways to encode files using basic hardware acceleration thus working on a battery.

How can you make out like there's a standard to the dross traded on illegal bit torrent sites. Does nobody believe in legal distribution of video anymore. You know I'm sick of hearing that apple are the anti christ when it comes to formats. They chose the legal route that's all. Archos decided to enter these murky waters in the underworld of illegal file sharing. Now when they can't make it work you defend them like there are set standards and etiquette to piracy. At least ALL of my movies are dvd rips of films I own legally.

[Gwagain]

Hi again!

I don't think A5IT are able to play the 98% of these kind of files. In any case, Archos ought to specify how the device need these video files coded in order to reproduce them properly.

What is popular or not is completely subjective depending on your movie tastes. There are other posts in the forum where different user tests all kind of video formats (not only Anime) and he obtains the same awful outcome.

Currently, there are a few possible combinations when you code a video file. We are not talking about thousands of ways of coding video files. I can see all of the in my PC without any kind of problem. I really think it is not so difficult.

I understand this is an Archos "Fan" forum. But if the performance of the device is not the expected it must be said. If the forum of A5IT is reviewed, the great majority of users complain about the device, is not only me.

This dissapointing feeling is on the air.

Thanks a lot

S&CD

[Charbax]

I don't think A5IT are able to play the 98% of these kind of files. In any case, Archos ought to specify how the device need these video files coded in order to reproduce them properly.

What do you know about these kinds of files?

Mpeg4 Simple Profile + AC3 up to 720p. It's basically like the DivX HD 720p Home Theatre Certification but Archos chose not to pay for the DivX certification, but basically supports exactly the same formats as for the DivX certification.

98% or more of the DivX or XviD files being traded on BitTorrents follow that standard.

MKV High Profile 720p is still under development. So far 720p at around 3500kbit/s seems like it will mostly pass smoothly and eventually in synch. We don't know if Archos and Texas Instruments can achieve more bitrate support at this point, they are working on it.

If you want to play 7000kbit/s MKV 720p, and that is crucial for you, then simply don't buy it at this point. Wait and see if firmware updates increases the bitrate support for that.

Same thing for DTS audio, if that support is crucial for you, then wait to see if Archos can add it.

I can see all of the in my PC without any kind of problem. I really think it is not so difficult.

Well if you find it not so difficult, stick to watching your poorly encoded videos on your PC.

[perrin21]

I can see all of the in my PC without any kind of problem. I really think it is not so difficult.

Well if you find it not so difficult, stick to watching your poorly encoded videos on your PC.

Charx that's an unfair thing to say. He isn't the only person having problems. U said my videos were poorly encoded and you haven't seen any of them. Yet funny enough the guy from Archos said there was a mistake on their part where they didn't enable correct playback and that my videos will all play after the next update. May fix his problems too.

[Gwagain]

Hi again!

First of all, I think objectivity must never been lost. You can be Admin of this forum and being pro Archos but is needed to have feet on the ground.

I'm not an ignorant. I'm Telecommunication Engineer in Electronics Systems and my final project was image codification to save flow stream information. So I know the topics I'm mentioning.

But I think, everybody reading the specs of this device thinks exactly the same. WoW a lot of supported video formats. Think about the rough process of converting videos. Now that can dissapear. You obtain a video file, and the only thing you have to do is download to the A5IT and play it. That's the idea that Archos sells. But the reality is not that one.

And not only the video playing is troblesome. If you read posts, people complains about wifi connection, battery, tweeter client, sounds background when you're listening to music o playing videos, defective pixels, PC connection, etc....

A lot of people that bought the 160GB version send back the device to Amazon because the device didn't work properly and Amazon didn't sell the device temporaly. But the problem is that my thousands of video files are poorly coded.

Be objective my friend.

Thanks a lot
S&CD

[Charbax]

I'm not an ignorant. I'm Telecommunication Engineer in Electronics Systems and my final project was image codification to save flow stream information. So I know the topics I'm mentioning.

Wow, then I find it extraordinary that you would imply that a PMP shall play any encoded files that are not part of the standards used by 98% of videos on BitTorrents.

Then you speak about VLC to be installed on an embedded Linux device with hardware acceleration which is also a completely misguided view on the way consumer electronics works.

You claim to be an image codification expert, yet you do not recognize that there is an ISO/IEC MPEG-4 international standard, MPEG-4 Part 2 (MPEG-4 ASP) standard, and a DivX Home Theater certification: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DivX#Profiles

Archos supports all of these standards for Mpeg4 in AVI container contents up to 1280x720. So in fact Archos supports even more than these standards.

So your claim that Archos supports only 33% of AVI files is pure nonsense.

[Charbax]

U said my videos were poorly encoded

THEY ARE.

Your videos are lousily encoded.

You posted the resolutions of your Home-made Handbrake Macintosh videos and they are far from optimal.

Yet you have complained in about 50 posts now in this forum when it is clearly yourself who doesn't want to know how to encode movies.