Archos AV380 80GB MP4/MP3 player recorder with Video recorder module.

The screen clarity is perfect, but I do worry about the screen getting scratched so I would advise spending a little more to get a screen protector for it.

Hooking the player into my PC was also hassle free, just plug in the USB and it appears as an extra drive on your computer, no need to set up or anything. Then it was a matter of using windows explorer to transfer my MP3 over.

The variety of cables that come in the box allows you to hook to player upto most anything that has audio and/or visual standard jacks as connectors. My stereo, TV, DVD anything and it's really easy to use.

The photo viewer is really clear and if you are used to a windows explorer then you will find all of the archos functions easy to master.

It is worth spending the time reading the manual and loading numerous films onto the hard-drive. At present I have 2,200 songs and 10 films, with tons and tons of space left over. I estimate that it takes 1GB for every hour of film/video when it is set for high quality. So I can cram even more films onto the player before it fills up.

On the road the video playback is superb, crystal clear and no shaky images. I use mine to commute across London, 1 train, 2 tubes and two 10 minute walks either end and no jumping tracks or stop/starting video either. Although holding the unit you can feel slight vibrations as the hard drive spins, but it is really nothing. The unit does warm up slightly, but as I have an i-pod style player I am used to this happening. Not to mention you look a bit weird staring at your walkman when watching a film, but never mind.

Battery power has so far been about 4 hours, with still a bar left on the meter, using a combination of video playback for nearly two hours, with MP3 playback for the rest of the time. It suffices for me to travel to work and back.

Now onto the niggles, not many, but worth pointing out. I would have expected a carry case or some sort of protection.

The video playback, whilst great doesn't allow you to restart at the point you left the film. So at the next restart I had to scroll through to the place where I stopped previously.

Get yourself a decent pair of headphones as the supplied ones are a bit cheap, and let the side down a little bit.

One final factor is that the OS is upgradeable and hopefully Archos, or other enterprising souls, will put out new updates to include text readers (to download books and newspapers off the internet, etc) and other utilities. Essentially this has great potential as it is an 80GB computer in your pocket, and that may just be more powerful than your home PC. This upgradeable feature alone means it is not going to be out of date for some time to come.

Overall I really rate this product, get one if for no other reason than you can show up all the snobby i-pod users as you watch a film on the train.

On a negitave side Archos are a terrible company for after care. I had a fault with mine which ment it had to go back to the manufactures, it was gone for 15 WEEKS. They dont reply to emails and try to worm there way out of repairing a faulty unit. Overall this didnt put me off, i love my av and would recomend anyone into getting one, i have been told that archos have now started to sort there after care out, hopefully i wont have to find out.
This gizmo will give you endless entertainment. Go and get one now, best invention since sliced bread!

For what it's worth, I concur: the AV-380 is indeed function-rich, eminently useable and a top buy. I'd also add that its upgradeable firmware renders it reasonably future-proof. Archos have already demonstrated their willingness to improve the player through this means.

If rating the product alone, 4.5 stars.

That said, woe to those of you unfortunate enough to have to turn to Archos for post-sale service.

My unit developed a minor power problem four months after purchase, in Feb 2004. It is now June and I still have not received my repaired unit.

I have contacted Archos on several occasions, to no effect.
The fact that their customer service centre is completely separated from their RMA processing centre does not aid matters.

Quite frankly though, I don't care about the cause of their non-reponsiveness. Any such debate only distracts from the fundamental point that no modern retail company should be operating a warranty repair service with a 14 week (and counting...) turnaround.

All of this makes for a bitter aftertase that threatens to ruin an otherwise very tasty piece of kit.