2. A Handheld Screen Almost 4 Inches Wide

The greatest development in the AV320 series compared to Jukebox Multimedia 20 or 120 remains the significant increase in screen size, which more than doubled from 1 1/2 inches to 3.8 inches. The initial resolution of 237 x 234 pixels has been upgraded to 320 x 240 pixels, a resolution that is much closer to video standards. This makes it possible to display an image with barely any distortion at all.

The screen has a complete color palette based on RGB coding, so the movies displayed are unaltered. The adjustable brightness is good, as is the contrast. However, the horizontal angle of vision is relatively weak, meaning that two people cannot watch a video simultaneously.

Archos has also worked hard on the product's ergonomics. Since the screen covers almost the whole surface of the device, there was no room for the buttons normally found on Archos products. That is why a mini-joystick and five buttons were placed on the left-hand edge of the front surface. This makes it very easy to manipulate because the mini-stick and buttons fall naturally under the user's fingers.

To validate a selection, you just have to press the joystick, but since it is rather small, selecting options may cause it to move the wrong way.

Aware that this might be a problem, Archos offers the option of deactivating the joystick. If this is done, confirmation occurs by pressing the first button at the top.

As for the other buttons, their functions change depending on the screen. You know what screen you are on by an icon displayed at the bottom.