Archos 704 lost my Cowan Q5 Battle

rick151 · Post by **rick151** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 3:16 pm

Yes, I cancelled my order for the Archos 704 to wait on the Cowan Q5. Hope I made the right move. The reason for this is because of the extras the the Q5 have that the Archos 704 don't.
*Right out the box recording without a DVR Station
*Radio Station
*And the portability
There maybe a few more but for now, those are a few reason for my switch. Hope I did the right thing. Being that I loved all the features of the 704, having the q5 that has the same and then some makes believe I made the right choice. I know the HD is smaller, but I thing 60gb,with the addition of those things I mentioned above should compensate rather nicely.

markdk25 · Post by **markdk25** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 10:55 am

I'm going to go for a Q5 I think, it's the radio station that's got me, it's the one this I miss from my old Creative Zen.

Reppu · Post by **Reppu** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 3:03 pm

I'm a happy 604 wifi owner, i love the device as it does everything it promises. However, if the reviews of this thing are good, i'm most likely exchanging the 604 for the Q5. It offers a lot more than the Archos product, or so it seems, so i only need to be sure that it will not be a buggy brick. For the moment, i think that chances are that i'm gonna make the change.

markdk25 · Post by **markdk25** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 4:32 pm

I love my 604wifi, it's just I miss the radio....simple as that, so if there's a device that gives me the same features plus radio then it's a no-brainer.

honeymonkey · Post by **honeymonkey** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 7:37 pm

markdk25 wrote:I love my 604wifi, it's just I miss the radio....simple as that, so if there's a device that gives me the same features plus radio then it's a no-brainer.

Hopefully they will come out with a wired remote with FM on it.

closer · Post by **closer** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 10:49 pm

Maybe I'm crazy (and please don't take this as flaming), but why is an FM radio so important? If I'm carrying around 30 gigs of music/movies, why would I want to listen to lower quality broadcasts of music that someone else is picking for me (with advertisements, no less), when I can pick my favorites right there on the player?

I have a muvo I use for jogging. It has an FM radio on it. I have never once used it. So... am I alone? Why is this everyone's most wanted feature?

honeymonkey · Post by **honeymonkey** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:48 am

closer wrote:Maybe I'm crazy (and please don't take this as flaming), but why is an FM radio so important? If I'm carrying around 30 gigs of music/movies, why would I want to listen to lower quality broadcasts of music that someone else is picking for me (with advertisements, no less), when I can pick my favorites right there on the player?

I have a muvo I use for jogging. It has an FM radio on it. I have never once used it. So... am I alone? Why is this everyone's most wanted feature?

Believe it or not, sometimes I listen to the news and talk radio:)

songmeesay · Post by **songmeesay** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:33 am

Plus the screen is 5", bigger than the 604 and 504, and more portable than the 704.

closer · Post by **closer** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 5:35 am

honey, i do too. maybe it is just personal preference, but the news and talk radio that i listen to are in podcast form, so i can pause or rewind or whatever...

of couse, the fact that i get no radio reception in my jar of an office might contribute to my preferences...

either way, the lack of an fm tuner would not be a deal breaker for me, nor would the presence of one seal the deal. it is about the least important feature on one of these things. i guess im just surprised that it is so important to so many others.

markdk25 · Post by **markdk25** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:02 pm

I like to listen to talk radio on the move and watch vids when on the train...I can download podcasts of most of the stuff I listen to but it's always edited and usually takes the form of "best of the week" which is not what I'm after.

rick151 · Post by **rick151** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 4:20 pm

honeymonkey wrote:
closer wrote:Maybe I'm crazy (and please don't take this as flaming), but why is an FM radio so important? If I'm carrying around 30 gigs of music/movies, why would I want to listen to lower quality broadcasts of music that someone else is picking for me (with advertisements, no less), when I can pick my favorites right there on the player?

I have a muvo I use for jogging. It has an FM radio on it. I have never once used it. So... am I alone? Why is this everyone's most wanted feature?
Believe it or not, sometimes I listen to the news and talk radio:)

I love Russ Pore (however you spell it), Steve Harvey, Doug Banks, and Tom Joyner morning shows. I love hearing the ent. news of the day, and some of the count downs, and call ins. And sometime I like listening to the oldie stations. I have a wide selection of oldies, but some times the station play those joints you never thought about getting, and just have your ass jaming with the mixes.

The 604 wifi would have had me if it had a larger hd

rick151 · Post by **rick151** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 4:32 pm

I have no experience with the technology, but I think I'm going to like the blue tooth function of this product also. Plus it uses microsoft ce

Buckwheat · Post by **Buckwheat** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:07 am

songmeesay wrote:Plus the screen is 5", bigger than the 604 and 504, and more portable than the 704.

The 704 is way too big

yamumma · Post by **yamumma** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:53 pm

rick151 wrote:The 604 wifi would have had me if it had a larger hd

Isn't the 604Wifi available with 160gb? How big do you want?

Buckwheat wrote:The 704 is way too big :(

The Q5 is way too small :P

But seriously, it's horses for courses. If you want to fit a player in your pocket then obviously there are some limits but if you carry as bag then bigger is better....but once again...there are limits.

To weigh in on the FM tuner debate: I honestly couldn't care less. The only talk radio type stuff I listen to are "podcasts" downloaded off the net. A tuner is pointless to me but I have to wonder why manufacturers don't just add one in anyway. Surely it wouldn't add much to the price/size of the unit and that way it won't be a make or break thing like for some of you guys. I know if I was in charge I'd certainly add it in.

As far as 5" vs 4.3"...meh...not much difference. I'd go for a 4.3" player over a 5" one if the only other difference was something like a bigger HDD on the 4.3" player. I do like that the Cowan players are known for their longer battery life. 3-4 Hours is enough for 1 days commuting use for me, but something like 10-12 hours would be AWESOME for longer travels.

rick151 · Post by **rick151** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:45 pm

yamumma wrote:Isn't the 604Wifi available with 160gb? How big do you want?

No...It only has a 30gb. That's not enough for me. I need atleast 60gb. The 704 goes to 80 gb which would have been perfect, but I thougt it was way to big to be portable. And that's what I wanted. Alot of power in a weee bity little space.

yamumma · Post by **yamumma** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:33 pm

30gb...eww...tiny. That's fair enough then. I wouldnt consider anything less than 60-80gb eiher. I really don't understand why all the manufacturers don't release models with a larger range of sizes. They mostly use 2.5" laptop drives right? They are plentiful and cheap enough..../me shrugs.

songmeesay · Post by **songmeesay** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 1:20 am

yamumma wrote:As far as 5" vs 4.3"...meh...not much difference. I'd go for a 4.3" player over a 5" one if the only other difference was something like a bigger HDD on the 4.3" player. I do like that the Cowan players are known for their longer battery life. 3-4 Hours is enough for 1 days commuting use for me, but something like 10-12 hours would be AWESOME for longer travels.

Comparing my av500 to an 604, I think there's a noticeable difference between a 4" and 4.3" screen.. I guess Archos noticed it too otherwise why bother with the upgrade to a 4.3" screen. Now comparing a 5" to a 4.3", I think there would be a significant difference.. kinda like if you saw a 25" tv next to a 27" tv.. difference doesn't sound big, but once you see them side to side, you'd be shocked at the difference... Not to mention the Cowon has a 800x480 screen compared to 480x272.

markdk25 · Post by **markdk25** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 2:11 pm

Hope this isn't too much of a numpty question but if this device really does have HSDPA then will you need to have a mobile contract to use it?

chillycat · Post by **chillycat** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:29 pm

Anytime a US-bound PMP sports wireless connectivity we're bound to sit up and take notice, so the fact that Cowon's upcoming Q5 rocks not only Bluetooth and WiFi but HSDPA as well shoots this 40GB or 60GB model right up to the top of our wish list. Besides all that 'net functionality (thanks to Windows CE Internet Explorer), the 5-inch Q5 sounds like a pretty strong performer as a standalone media device, offering an 800 x 480 resolution, DVR capabilities, hefty codec support (including DivX and XviD), built-in speakers, and an FM radio, along with optional TeleAtlas-based GPS. Definitely one that will give Archos a run for its money, and at $499 or $549 depending on capacity, there seem to be enough advantages over the similar Archos 604 WiFi to warrant the extra $50-$100 when this drops sometime by the end of this quarter.

chillycat · Post by **chillycat** » Tue Apr 10, 2007 4:36 pm

COWON Unveils the COWON Q5: A Next-generation Networked Portable Multimedia Player COWON Q5 Raises the Bar for Full-featured PMPs with Windows CE Operating System, Wireless Network Connectivity, AMD Chipset, Wide-screen LCD, FM Tuner and GPS Navigation IRVINE, Calif. - April 9, 2007 - Focused on giving consumers everything they want in a single portable multimedia player (PMP), COWON America, Inc., today officially unveiled the COWON Q5, the next generation in networked portable multimedia devices. The first networked PMP to blend an ultra-fine-resolution, 5-inch wide-screen color LCD featuring touch-sensitive interface with Microsoft Windows┬« CE 5.0 Professional operating system and AMD AlchemyTM Au1200TM processor, the COWON Q5 offers comprehensive wireless connectivity with a High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) modem, Wi-Fi┬« and Bluetooth┬«. Other product highlights include 40GB or 60GB of storage capacity, built-in stereo speakers, FM tuner and optional GPS navigation package. Developed by COWON Systems, a global leader in digital multimedia solutions, the COWON Q5 brings together the latest portable media and wireless network technologies to provide users with a full-featured networked digital media experience. The COWON Q5 will be available for U.S. consumers by end of Q2 2007

"Industry experts expect the global PMP market to double by 20111 - growth that is
being fueled by increasing adoption of wired and wireless Internet access and
broadband digital video," said Francis Choi, senior marketing manager of COWON
America. "To harness this potential, we've bundled the latest portable media device
technology with those features consumers want most - a large screen for video
playback and Internet browsing; HSDPA modem, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless
networking; FM tuner and even GPS navigation - into the COWON Q5. We expect the
COWON Q5 to meet the high expectations of existing COWON PMP fans and introduce
to a new legion of users the COWON brand."
COWON Q5: Next-generation Networked PMP
The COWON Q5 runs Windows CE 5.0 Professional, Microsoft's componentized,
real-time operating system developed for small footprint consumer electronics devices.
The operating system features Microsoft's Networked Media Device components and
expansion capabilities tailored to the specialized needs of networked media devices like
the COWON Q5.
With its integrated HSDPA modem or Wi-Fi, the COWON Q5 enables users to
wirelessly connect to the Internet using a Windows CE Internet Explorer browser.
Additionally, the COWON Q5's integrated Bluetooth technology allows users to
wirelessly connect and share data with other Bluetooth-enabled devices such as mobile
phones, laptops, PCs, printers, digital cameras, and video game consoles over a secure
connection.
The COWON Q5 also incorporates the AMD Alchemy Au1200 500MHz processor, a
low-power, high-performance, system-on-chip solution designed to bring media
center-quality functionality to portable devices. Optimized for PMPs, the Au1200
processor enhances the COWON Q5's digital media playback capabilities thanks to its
integrated media acceleration hardware and software.

Moreover, the processor provides a more simplified user experience and enhanced
digital media playback than current-generation PMPs with digital-to-digital video
recorder (DVR) functionality and direct video transfer without the need to transcode
video files on a PC. Without the need to transcode video files, the COWON Q5 requires
less time to download and playback video files.
Full-featured PMP and GPS Navigation Device
The COWON Q5 is available with 40GB or 60GB 1.8-inch hard disk drive storage
capacity, 128MB of DDR2 SDRAM and 64 MB of NOR Flash memory. Every COWON
Q5 models are equipped with a 5-inch, wide-screen, 16-million-color TFT LCD with
ultra-fine 800x480 (WVGA) resolution. The display also functions as a touch-sensitive
interface to navigate the Windows CE operating system.
Additionally, the COWON Q5 provides an FM radio and recorder, voice recorder, built-in
stereo speakers, and TV-out supporting component and composite connectors. The
portable multimedia player also functions as a photo and document viewer with support
for photo backup of digital cameras, and as a high-speed USB 2.0 portable storage with
maximum speed of 480 Mbps.
The COWON Q5 also features an optional GPS navigation package loaded with Tele
Atlas premium digital map data of the continental United States featuring text-to-speech
technology and 11 million POIs (point-of-interest). With the addition of GPS navigation,
user can extend the versatility of the COWON Q5 to include in-vehicle use as a digital
mapping device to plan routes and pinpoint destinations.
The built-in Lithium Polymer rechargeable battery provides up to13 hours of audio and 7
hours of video playback in a single charge via USB or standard wall charger. The
COWON Q5 measures 5.46 x 3.48 x 0.79 inches and weighs 13.4 ounces.

The COWON Q5 is also outfitted with the latest portable multimedia technologies, and
supports a wide range of digital media codecs and formats, including:
ÔÇó Enhanced sound quality with BBE, Mach3Bass, MP Enhance, 3D Surround
and 5Band EQ audio technologies
ÔÇó Digital video playback without transcoding of AVI (DivX and XviD), ASF,
WMW, MPEG and MP4 codecs
ÔÇó Digital audio playback support of MP3, WMA, WAV, AC3 and ACC codecs;
and lossless audio codecs including FLAC and OGG Vorbis
ÔÇó DVR functionality with video (MP4) recording from TV, VCR or camcorder.
ÔÇó Music recording from line-in audio
ÔÇó Voice recording with built-in microphone
Pricing for the COWON Q5 40GB and 60GB configurations is estimated at $499.99 and
$549.99 U.S. (MSRP), respectively. Optional GPS navigation

Archos 704 lost my Cowan Q5 Battle

Archos 704 lost my Cowan Q5 Battle

I agree

Oh yeah

160gb? I wish...