Focus on TV
Want to take video with you? Portable media players let you enjoy both video and audio.
Video-centric devices that sport large color screens and big hard drives have arrived; some of the very latest are based on Microsoft's new Windows Portable Media Center operating system. The PMC OS interface is the same one that a Windows XP Media Center Edition PC uses. This simplifies matters--particularly if you already own such a computer--since they're designed to work in tandem. The players rely on Microsoft's Windows Media Player 10 software to sync the devices with digital media stored on the Media Center PCs. Here, in descending order of how much we liked them, is PC World's take on six video players--two PMC-based and four that use a variety of non-Windows operating systems.
Photograph: Rick Rizner
IRiver PMC-120
Price: $500
Preproduction unit, not rated
The IRiver PMC-120 has the best design of the models we tested. Its side grips fit naturally in the hands, and skipping over recorded TV ads is easy. The 3.5-inch screen is bright and the unit's battery is removable. On the downside, we heard a slight but annoying noise during hard-drive accesses, noticed jerkiness in some videos, and could barely hear the built-in speaker over ambient noise while in a car on the freeway. Nevertheless, the PMC-120, which runs the Windows PMC OS, was our favorite of these six video players.
Photograph: Rick Rizner
Creative Zen Portable Media Center
Price: $499
This Windows PMC player has the largest screen of the devices we looked at, but it's also the biggest (at about 6 by 3.2 by 1.1 inches) and the heaviest (at 12 ounces). The Zen's 3.8-inch screen looks great, and I could see it in all lighting but the brightest direct sunlight. My test videos played back with only very occasional jerkiness. But this device is a little bit awkward to hold, and could cause discomfort in your hands when you're watching longer shows.
Photograph: Rick Rizner
Apex MP-2000
Price: $399
The Apex MP-2000 is, at 0.8 inches thick and 8.5 ounces, among the thinnest and lightest players I tested, and it fits well in the hand. However, it lacks video-conversion software, so you'll need to use a program like Dr. Divx. The MP-2000's 3.5-inch screen displays strong, deep colors, but an obvious grid pattern overlying the image makes it look grainy. On-screen menus are adequate, but there's no help menu and the manual is rather poor. The MP-2000 does not use Microsoft's operating system.
Photograph: Rick Rizner
Archos Gmini 400n
Price: $399
The Gmini 400n, another non-PMC OS device, is small enough to fit into a shirt pocket, yet it has a 20GB hard drive, the ability to record MP3 audio, and a CompactFlash slot. It can copy memory card files to its hard drive, so you can back up your digital camera. A remote control with an FM radio is available, as is an adapter that adds Memory Stick and SD Card slots. But I found that extended television viewing on its 2.2-inch LCD screen became wearisome.
Photograph: Rick Rizner
Archos Pocket Video Recorder AV420
Price: $550
The 20GB AV420 is more than just a media player--it records video, too. It also lets you control another device, such as a cable box, while it serves as a VCR. This means you can record TV without having to use a PC, but you can't use the device while recording. The screen is large enough for comfortable viewing, though it isn't particularly bright. Video played back smoothly, but the colors looked flat. The AV420 doesn't use the Windows PMC OS.
Photograph: Rick Rizner
Zvue Player
Price: $220 ($150 for the player, $70 for a 512MB SD Card)
3 stars
The Zvue uses SD Cards; one 512MB card holds up to 8 hours of content (versus 80 hours for a hard-drive device). Not a PMC, the Zvue has no video inputs; its maker offers free downloadable software that converts video from a variety of formats. The Zvue's screen is small, and the video produced by the software looks blocky. Its display is bright, however, and the color is decent.
Sam Jemielity is a music editor for AOL City Guide. He is based in Chicago. Richard Baguley is a senior associate editor for PC World.
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