4. Optional Modules And Accessories

The optional modules are some of Jukebox Multimedia's major assets. The version we tested was supplied with Smart Media and Compact Flash photo modules. These are connected via the Jukebox's proprietary port, and make it possible to download photos from a digital camera to the hard disk, for example. However, it cannot be used as a viewer of portable media directly under Windows. In fact, when the Jukebox is connected to a PC, these modules are deactivated. So what you have to do is download the photos to the Jukebox hard drive and then disconnect the module in order to transfer them to a PC. This is a very useful function for photographers who do a lot of digital work, because it offers them a convenient way of storing their photos while on the move.

Archos also offers two optional connecting cables, USB 2.0 and FireWire. You are strongly advised to get one of them in order to be able to benefit from the Jukebox Multimedia's functionalities because the standard USB 1.1 connection is not very effective, especially for transferring entire videos to the hard disk.

Finally, it is possible to convert the Jukebox into a genuine video tool, thanks to two other modules that we will be testing as soon as they become available:

The camera module : This module converts the Jukebox Multimedia into a camera for movies and digital stills. The mode for still shots offers a resolution of 1.3 megapixels, and the camcorder mode records directly into MPEG-4. With this module, the device's LCD screen becomes a monitor.

The video module : This produces video inputs in S-Video and composite formats, and enables the Jukebox Multimedia to record in MPEG-4 from any source, such as a VCR, DVD-player or camcorder.

Conclusion

If only for its video options and color LCD screen, the Jukebox Multimedia is an outstanding success. It is compatible with the best compression format and has its own hard disk on which to store video files. This is doubly useful, because the device can be used as both, a personal portable video viewer as well as a mobile "VCR," thanks to its video output capabilities. Nor does the video aspect lag behind with its MP3 compactness and the possibility of recording and encoding directly. The image and sound quality are very good, and the exceptional modularity merely reinforces the general impression.

Of course, one could always find fault with, for instance, the lack of a search engine for the audio files, the rather mediocre finish, the need to re-encode videos in a specific format or the lack of more extensive remote control facilities, and even with the end of a cable. There is also the fact that the device is supplied with a standard USB 1.1 connection that is not fast enough for downloading to a 10 GB drive. Perhaps Archos should have opted directly for the USB 2.0 because this connection is not only faster, it is also backwards-compatible with the USB 1.1. These faults are, after all, minor, and one can only hail the introduction of a truly portable digital video player. The Jukebox Multimedia will be sold in North America at a price of $399.95 for the basic package, and with the Smart Media and Compact Flash modules as extras for a total of $419. The Camera module costs $99.95, and there's no price set for the Video module yet.