The Devices: Archos AV500 and Neuros OSD

The Archos AV500 is an excellent example of a well-made portable media player. It is by no means the latest and greatest in the Archos line the AV500 nevertheless comes with an impressive array of functions. The 4-inch LCD widescreen display is excellent for watching videos on the move, and there are two models, a 30GB and a 100GB hard-drive respectively. The usual features expected of any portable media player are all present and accounted for: a music and video player, image viewer and sound recorder. An excellent battery life means the Archos AV500 stays mobile. Support for a huge array of music and image formats is present, as well as the ability to act as a USB host to other devices, but it is the AV500’s ability to handle video that concerns us.

The Archos AV500 can play a wide range of popular video formats, including the content it records itself. What it can’t play can be converted easily with the wide range of software that exists to aid portable media player owners. Video is crisply displayed and fits well on the 480x272 resolution screen. The picture is kept clear with an adjustable brightness. The already mentioned 4-inch LCD widescreen display handles all of this, except when users choose to employ the handy TV output, which is where television integration, including digital video recording, begins.

The AV500 comes complete with a DVR pod it connects to in order to make use of the included remote control. The idea, presumably, is to have the dock always connected to the TV with both AV in and out (provided by RCA jacks), and to connect the AV500 to it when the user wishes to access its DVR functions. Unfortunately the lead connecting the Archos to the pod is of a problematic length, making storage awkward. When connected to the pod, or simply connected directly to a television, the AV500 can record directly, or schedule the recording of, up to a month in advance of desired programs. The Neuros OSD is an entirely different approach to the world of digital video recording. It is specifically tailored to be yet another necessary element in the ever-growing “perfect” home entertainment system. As a digital video recorder with Linux-based open-source firmware the Neuros’ feature set is constantly expanding, with recent features including the ability to watch YouTube videos if an Internet connection is present. This ever-updating quality is immediately apparent upon opening the box; a large red leaflet exclaiming ‘Update your firmware’ greets the owner before they even see the Neuros’ sleek black finish. It gives the impression that the updates are so frequent as to make the only-just-delivered DVR immediately out-dated.

This firmware flux soon becomes clear as the blessing it is. The OSD, as well as Neuros as a company, is all about empowering the user with control over the device’s content. This means every new feature added is created primarily with the user in mind, without getting bogged down in digital rights management. Updates also add convenient new elements. The Neuros includes an Ethernet connection, which opens up a range of options for the home-entertainment centre owner, including the afore-mentioned YouTube browsing, and an ever growing range of codec support for playback. While it has no internal storage, the Neuros makes available as many storage options as could be deemed reasonable. It supports recording files to USB hard drives, flash drives, memory cards and even network locations. It supports input and output from RCA jacks (like the AV500) and input from S-Video.

It is simple to set up, as soon as it receives power it is ready to record, or play back its files, fully controllable by the distinctive black and orange remote. It is with its power connection that the Neuros betrays its entrenched, never-to-be moved purpose. The power connector is the one connection that comes loose easily if the device is moved or knocked, meaning users have to make sure it is out of harms way.