Review: Archos TV+

We recently looked at the Linksys DMA2200 a media streamer with excellent usability, but one that also required a Vista PC with Media Center to be running.

The TV+ from Archos is similar as it can act just like a standard media streamer, grabbing content off PCs and UPnP Nas devices on your network. But thanks to the internal hard drive (80GB and 250GB versions are available) you can also load content directly onto the TV+ and use it as a standalone media jukebox.

The advantage of this is there’s no need to have a PC or Nas device on your network switched on and the problems caused by wireless communication are removed. Archos also has its online Content Portal, which lets you stream movies, TV shows and music, but there wasn’t a great selection of movies.

Archos says a new Media Club service will soon be available in the UK, offering a better selection of content and, if you don’t already have one, the TV+ will function as a DVR (digital video recorder), using an online EPG and built-in IR blaster to change channels on your set-top box. Web surfing is also possible (for a fee), but it isn’t a very enjoyable experience.

Pages take a frustratingly long time to load and using the remote to move the mouse pointer can be awkward. However, viewing clips on sites such as Youtube works well. The interface is taken straight from Archos’ 605 Wifi. It’s uncluttered but Archos could have put a bit of effort into redesigning it.

The small remote control squeezes in a Qwerty keyboard along with various navigation buttons, some of which are a little cryptic. The startup time from cold is impressive. There are no fans whirring away so the only noise you’ll hear will be the hard disk. During testing we found the first few seconds of audio and video playback were interrupted by a short pause, but this is only a small niggle.

There’s a big selection of ports to hook the TV+ up to your home entertainment equipment and the only noticeable omission is optical audio, but coaxial digital is provided. Despite its HDMI interface, the TV+ can’t handle high-definition video.

Archos argues that there isn’t enough HD content to warrant it, but with Apple and Microsoft both offering HD movies through iTunes and the Xbox Live Marketplace respectively, it is a strange omission. True to Archos style, if you want to experience the full functionality of the TV+ you’ll have to purchase extra plug-ins.

The web browser plug-in (Opera) is £22, while both the Cinema (Mpeg2, AC3 audio) and Video Podcast (H.264, AAC audio) cost £15. Archos’ stance is that you should only pay for what you want – if you want everything, the price escalates to just over £300 for the 250GB version.

The lack of HD support will disappoint those with high-definition videos, while Archos’ pricing structure means those looking to make full use of the TV+ will have to shell out considerably more than the basic price. But despite these niggles we were impressed with the TV+ and it’s up there with the best media streamers on the market.

Setting it up is a simple task and it doesn’t take too long to get use to the menu system although it's not particularly pretty. If you’re looking for an easy way to watch your digital movies, listen to your MP3s and browse photos, the TV+ could be just what you’re after.