Portable Video Players

Here's the big picture on small video players.

James A. Martin

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Feature: The Big Picture on Small Video Players

You're just dying to catch the new Heather Locklear nighttime soap, LAX. (Aren't you?) But you don't have time to see it at home, so you watch it on your shiny new portable video player on the train to work.

That's the type of scenario PVP makers are hoping will unfold this fall as new models arrive en masse. But before plunking down your credit card for one of these expensive gadgets, I'd suggest you stop and get the big picture first.

Here's the lowdown on PVPs: Why they're hot; why they're not; and why you should (or shouldn't) buy one now.

Why They're Hot

With models recently arrived or debuting this fall from Archos, Creative Labs, IRiver, Samsung, ViewSonic and others, PVPs are being hyped as "video IPods"--gotta-have gadgets that let you enjoy your favorite TV shows, movies, music, and photos on the go.

PVPs are bigger and heavier than most MP3 players, but much smaller than most portable DVD players, so you can take them just about anywhere. Movies and TV shows are stored on a hard drive (20GB or more), eliminating the hassle of packing DVDs. And because PVPs store a variety of media, you can travel with one entertainment device instead of several.

Recently, I tested the Archos AV420 for Digital World, PC World's newest sibling. (The Archos AV400 series includes the 20GB AV420 for $550 and the 80GB AV480 for $800.) I found much to admire: The AV420 was easy to use, with a crisp color screen and good audio and video playback quality. It also plays digital music and can store your image and data files. Read "Take-Out TV" for the full review.

Another plus: The AV400 series is Archos' third-generation PVP. Most of its competitors, such as Creative Labs' Zen Portable Media Center, are first-generation devices based on Microsoft's new Portable Media Center operating system. (Devices based on PMC are dubbed, not surprisingly, PMCs rather than the more generic PVP.) Given a choice, I always wait for a technology to move into its third generation before I buy. I figure by then, most hardware design and software interface quirks will have been resolved.

Unlike its PMC-based competitors, the AV420 has its own input connections. This lets you record programs directly from a TV, TiVo, VCR, cable or satellite converter box--even a DVD player. You can set up unattended recording, too, from an external video source, as with a VCR. The AV420 lets you play back a recording on a TV set, except for those made from encrypted DVDs, a bone Archos threw to appease the copyright concerns of content owners, according to an Archos spokesperson.

In short: If I had an extra $550 lying around, I would be extremely tempted to buy an AV420. But as Mae West probably said, temptation isn't the same thing as submission. Keep reading and you'll see why I haven't bought an AV420--or any other PVP.

For more details on the AV400 series, go to the Archos site. You can check PC World's Product Finder for the AV420's latest prices.

Why They're Not

To cram so many features into a portable device, something's got to give. For me, the PVP's typically small screen size (3.5 to 3.8 inches) is a big drawback--at least when viewed for more than, say, an hour.

For example, on a plane ride from San Francisco to Charlotte, North Carolina, I watched episodes of Six Feet Under and The Graham Norton Effect as well as a documentary about the Berlin Wall. I also developed temporary vision blurriness and a headache from watching video on a screen not much bigger than a Pocket PC display.

But those concerns are minor compared to the hassles imposed by the digital rights management technology--and the resulting user limitations--built into most PVPs.

The Archos AV400 series is probably the most liberal PVP in terms of digital rights management and therefore the only model I'd even consider buying at this stage of the game. I haven't tested any of its competitors, however.

The majority of PVPs are based on Microsoft's PMC operating system. And, unlike the Archos players, PMCs have no video input jacks. It's not physically possible to, say, record a show from your cable converter box directly onto a PMC. Instead, all video content must be downloaded to your Windows XP or Windows Media Center PC and then converted into the Windows Media Video format and transferred to the PMC.

To accomplish all that, your Windows XP PC must have a TV tuner card and the appropriate software, or it must be a Windows Media Center PC, which has a built-in TV tuner. One example of a notebook with a TV tuner is Sony's VAIO VGN-A190 ($2800). See "Notebooks & Accessories."

Your only other option for getting content onto a PMC is to purchase video files especially formatted for PMCs from Microsoft partners, such as CinemaNow.

Though I haven't experienced it myself, the PC-to-PMC download and transfer process can be frustrating. PC World's Richard Baguley reports it took about 20 minutes to convert and copy a 30-minute episode of The Simpsons onto the Creative Zen Portable Media Center.

Finally, there's the price tag. Costing between $400 and $800, PVPs are simply too expensive for most of us.

Why You Should (or Shouldn't) Buy Now

The digital rights management technology built into PVPs in general, and PMCs in particular, is obviously an effort to prevent the unauthorized file copying and sharing that plagues the music industry. And I don't argue with the need to protect copyrights. Still, I'm guessing many consumers will be frustrated by the recording and playback restrictions built into most of the current PVPs.

Maybe, as the PVP product category becomes more mature, the balance between copyright protection and usability will shift in the consumer's favor. That's my hope, at least. And perhaps the next crop of PVPs will offer larger screens--even though they'd be less convenient to carry, they'd certainly be easier to watch.

When someone comes out with a PVP that has a 6-inch screen or larger, records directly from TV, and costs less than $450, I'll be all over it. Until then, if you absolutely must have a PVP, I'd recommend the Archos AV400 series.

For more about Portable Media Centers, read "Microsoft Lets the Digital Media Play."

How About You?

Have you bought a PVP? If so, I'd like to know which model you bought, and what you think of it. Please send me e-mail.

Notebooks & Accessories

News: Consumer Reports Rates Notebook Repair, Tech Support

Which notebook makers give users the fewest repair headaches and the best tech support? According to a recent survey of Consumer Reports subscribers, Apple is tops in both categories, with the fewest repairs and top-rated tech support.

In terms of repairs, Toshiba was ranked second after Apple with the fewest repairs, followed in ascending order by Sony (with slightly more repairs reported than Apple and Toshiba), IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Compaq. At the bottom, with the most repairs reported: Gateway. As for highest-rated tech support, after Apple came IBM, Gateway, Dell, Toshiba, HP, Sony, and Compaq.

What do the results tell us? Three things: One, buy your next notebook from Apple. Two, IBM is a fairly safe choice, with second-best tech support and fourth-best repair history. Three, you're likely to have problems with a Gateway notebook--but you'll get above-average tech support when you do.

The survey results are available for Consumer Reports subscribers only. For a look at PC World's reliability and service articles, go to our Web site.

Review: Sony's TV Notebook Not Ready for Prime Time

File Sony's VAIO VGN-A190 ($2800) in the "cool concept, lukewarm execution" folder, says PC World reviewer Carla Thornton.

The Windows XP-based entertainment notebook aims to be the video hub for a home network, capturing programs via a TV tuner and then streaming them to other computers. You can also watch live TV on the notebook, as long as it's in its docking station (that's where the TV tuner is located). Or you can view prerecorded shows when the notebook is undocked. But the notebook is a bulky 10.5 pounds with power adapter, making on-the-go viewing impractical. And in PC World tests, streaming video to other computers was a hassle.

Carla's advice: If you're a TV addict jonesin' for an entertainment notebook, consider one of Toshiba's Windows Media Center-equipped Satellite portables, which have internal TV tuners and TV recording/playback software that's much easier to use than Sony's.

Review: A Lively LifeBook

Fujitsu's new LifeBook S7010 ($1919) weighs just 4.2 pounds but includes a 14.1-inch screen, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, convenient shortcut buttons, and a handy battery status LCD, among other cool touches. Speaking of batteries, the S7010's juice lasted a respectable 3.8 hours in PC World tests. You can turn wireless networking on or off with a switch on the front--a nice touch for travelers boarding planes. The notebook's audio quality is nothing to sing about, however, and you can't upgrade the hard drive yourself; you've got to send the entire notebook to the factory.

Gadgets & Services

Wired Hotel Alert: Broadband Meets the B-52s

Hoping to find a love shack with kitschy decor and a high-speed Internet connection in New York's Catskill Mountains? Your peculiar wish has been granted, thanks to Kate Pierson, a singer with the loopy, lovable rock band, the B-52s ("Love Shack," "Rock Lobster"), and owner of Kate's Lazy Meadow Motel. Located near Woodstock, New York, the rustic motel's cabins feature "mind-blowing mid-century modern/space age/rocket-your-socks-off decor," 50s-style kitchens, and broadband Internet access, the singer writes on the motel's Web site. But be sure to bring your own ethernet cable, Pierson adds. Rates are $150 to $275, and there's a two-night minimum.

Have other nominees for cool hotspots? Send them to me.

News: Napster To Go Beta Available

Napster continues to make nice with its onetime foe, the music industry. Now the company has released a beta service, Napster To Go, that lets subscribers listen to tunes on the Samsung Portable Media Center or Creative Zen Portable Media Center. You must pay a monthly fee (currently $15) for the privilege, however; stop paying and the music stops. The final version of Napster To Go is expected to be available this fall.

First Look: Rio's Sleek New MP3 Player

PC World's Tom Mainelli spent some quality time with Rio's new Carbon and deemed it "the sleekest MP3 player I've laid eyes on." Tom was enamored of the Carbon's easy-to-use interface, long battery life, and slim and trim design. The Carbon is an obvious competitor to Apple's IPod Mini. While both cost $249, Rio's player offers 5GB of storage--1GB more than the Apple model.