Portable mp3 players rating

The first Archos device we laid eyes on, a 10GB jukebox, impressed us with its capacity at the time. We expected the inevitable increase in storage space, but we didn't expect the Archos Jukebox Multimedia 20 ($399.95 list) to come fully loaded with a video player and a 20GB hard drive. Now you can carry up to 5,000 MP3s, 60,000 photos, or 100 hours of video playback.

The Jukebox Multimedia is basically a portable hard drive that connects to your PC or laptop through a USB port (an optional USB 2.0 module increases transfer speeds tenfold). Included Compact Flash and Smart Media modules let you use whichever media you prefer. There's also an optional 1.3-megapixel digital camera attachment, but its pictures are nothing to brag about.

At 237-by-234 pixels, the Jukebox Multimedia's display is small but not too shabby at retaining the integrity of videos. It's less than ideal for watching a long movie, though. Archos plans to increase the size of the LCD, which will be a welcome improvement.

Unfortunately, the video player supports only MPEG-4 files, which is disappointing, since many people still work with AVI and earlier MPEG formats. Bundled software lets you convert AVI files into MPEG-4. A lithium ion battery rated for 8 hours of playback powers the device.

You can listen to MP3s in your car by hooking the Jukebox up using the same kind of adapters you would to plug in a portable CD player. For home use, a composite-video–out jack and included cable let you play videos on your television.

The Jukebox Multimedia's sound quality was very good and its storage capacity impressive; 20GB is rare among MP3 players. Video capabilities make the player even more attractive. By comparison, the 20GB Apple iPod currently goes for $500—with no video capabilities. Although the player is not a steal at $399.95, the price is certainly fair. The fact that it supports only MPEG-4 kept the Jukebox Multimedia from earning our highest rating, but otherwise this is an impressive device.

Copyright ?? 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in PC Magazine.