General What is the storage capacity of the ARCHOS 5?   The storage capacity depends on which model you purchased. If you were to store ONLY movies, or ONLY photos, or ONLY songs, these are the approximate capacities: With a 60 Gb hard drive: 80 movies, 600,000 photos or 30,000 songs. With a 120 Gb hard drive: 160 movies, 1.2 million photos or 60,000 songs. With a 250 Gb hard drive: 300 movies, 2.5 million photos or 145,000 songs. Note: The amount of images, videos, and songs you can store on your device will vary depending on the size, bitrate, resolution and the encoding quality of your files. Why do I need to periodically update the firmware on my ARCHOS?   The firmware is the operating system of your ARCHOS. Each new firmware release brings new features, improvements and bug fixes. There may be a newer version of the firmware since the time that you originally purchased your product. That’s why if you are having problems with your device, make sure to update it with the latest firmware before contacting our support team. Updating the device could easily be the solution to your problem. To update your ARCHOS to the latest version, go to www.archos.com/firmware. My ARCHOS displays “Error Code 207.” What should I do?   This error occurs when one attempts to install an incompatible firmware. For example, a firmware for the ARCHOS 605 was being installed on an ARCHOS 5. Go to your customer account (or create one if you don’t have one yet) where you can find the latest update software (firmware) for your particular ARCHOS product (Manage Products > Support > Firmware). I forgot what the 'Parental Code' is. Where can I get it?   The factory default code is "0000". If you have changed it and forgotten it, then you'll have to contact our Technical Support and give your 'Product key' (number of the device). The 'Product key' is found under Tools > Settings > Software and Plug-ins. Can I play (stream) my PC's media files directly on my ARCHOS without having to copy them over to it?   Yes, this is the beauty of WiFi and UPnP (Universal Plug and Play). You can watch videos, music or photos that are stored on your computer directly on your device through a WiFi connection. You just need your computer to have a WiFi connection and have Windows Media Player 11 or higher installed on your PC. Then, configure Windows Media Player (see Windows Media Player's sharing options in our full manual). To share your media files, proceed as follows: 1. Connect your ARCHOS to your home's WiFi network (see Connection to the WiFi in the full manual). 2. Open Windows Media Player 11 or higher and select Library > Media Sharing. Your ARCHOS device will appear in the Window of devices to share to. Be patient, it may take up to 10 minutes the very first time to recognize your ARCHOS. Make sure your ARCHOS is on and connected to the same WiFi network as your computer. 3. Check the box 'Share my media to', select the ARCHOS, then click on 'Allow', then 'OK.' 4. On your ARCHOS, enter the Video, Music or Photo menus. Then tap on the first item in the list "Network 'UPnP' to access your media files. Can I change the hard drive capacity of the ARCHOS?   No, the capacity of the hard drive cannot be changed. There is not an HD upgrade service through the ARCHOS repair center. ATTENTION: Opening your ARCHOS voids the guaranty and changing the hard drive will render your device unusable as the original hard drive is coded to a particular device. When I turn my device on, I am asked to type my parental code. What is the code?   The default parental code is “0000”. Try this and if it is not accepted, that means you have changed the code by creating a personalized passcode. If you do not rembember it, contact our Technical Support and give your 'Product Key' (number of the device). The 'Product key' is found under Tools > Settings > Software and Plug-ins. After connecting my ARCHOS to my computer, I can see files such as “desktop.ini”, “._image.jpeg”, “finder.def”,”._file”, “System Volume Information”, “DevLogo.fil”, etc.   These files have been created by the ARCHOS device itself. Windows and Macintosh Operating Systems often write extra files to your device’s hard disk such as these types of files. This is normal and these files will not damage the device. Advice: If you have a Macintosh computer, you can delete the "._file" if you prefer. How can I lock/unlock the touch screen on the ARCHOS?   From the home screen, tap on the menu icon in the top-right corner and then select "Lock device". The appearing padlock icon shows that your device's touchscreen is locked. To unlock the touchscreen, press the ON/OFF button (do not hold the button). A message will appear asking for a confirmation. I cannot see files that I copied to my ARCHOS from my computer.   You may have copied files whose format is not supported by the ARCHOS such as Office documents (ex: ".doc", ".xls", ".ppt"), or audio (Real Audio, Ogg Vorbis, etc.). The "Play" function will not show Video, Music, or Photo files that it cannot play. You will be able to see all your files if you use the File browsing tool under Tools > Files. Can I drag and drop files from my PC directly to my ARCHOS?   Yes. Simply open 'My Computer' and double click on the ARCHOS icon and then open the folder inside that you'd like to copy your file(s) to. Then just drag the file(s) from another window into this folder. If your computer does not allow you to do this, you can set your ARCHOS to be seen by your computer as just another Hard Drive, thus making any drag and drop possible. Tap on Tools > Settings > Storage and next to "USB preference", switch from "Windows Media Device" (default USB connection) to "PC Hard Drive". In this mode however, purchased music and video (copy-protected files) on your computer will not be transferable to your ARCHOS. ATTENTION: When your ARCHOS is in 'PC Hard Drive' mode, safely remove the device before disconnecting it from your computer. On your computer, click on the "safely remove" green arrow icon in the Windows system tray (see the illustration in the full manual). Can the ARCHOS view text or PDF files?   The ARCHOS can read PDF files. Advanced features in PDF files such as password protection and links to external web pages may not be recognized though. Store your PDF files in the "PDF" folder and view them by tapping on Tools > PDF. Tapping on a ".txt" file will launch the Opera Web Browser and then display the file. Why is it impossible to copy files larger than 2 GB to my ARCHOS?   You cannot copy files larger than 2 GB in the default USB mode (Windows Media Device) to your ARCHOS due to the FAT 32 and Media Transfer Protocol (MTP) constraints. However, changing the USB connection type setting on your ARCHOS will enable you to transfer files up to 4 GB (except for “.avi” files). For this, tap on Tools > Settings > Storage. Next to "USB Preference", switch from "Windows Media Device" (default USB connection) to "PC Hard Drive". ATTENTION: When your ARCHOS is in 'PC Hard Drive' mode, safely remove the device before disconnecting it from your computer. On your computer, click on the "safely remove" green arrow icon in the Windows system tray (see the illustration in the full manual). I have formatted my ARCHOS and no longer have the original demo files and wallpapers. How can I get them back?   You can find all of the original factory demo files at ftp://support.archos.com/. I can’t type any numbers on the virtual keyboard. Where are they?   You have to first press the green “Alt” button to access the numbers. I have a GPS for my ARCHOS 605. Will I be able to install it on my ARCHOS 5 as well?   The license that came with your GPS for the ARCHOS 605 is only valid for that device. Once installed on the ARCHOS 605, it cannot be used on your ARCHOS 5. Check our website periodically to see if there will be a software-only offer for the ARCHOS 5 which will allow you to use the GPS in-car Holder you already own. I could not find any supplied software or manual with the ARCHOS. Where can I find them?   Windows Media Player 11 is the recommended software used to synchronize your video, music, and photo collection to your ARCHOS. If you are a Macintosh or Linux user, you cannot synchronize your music, videos, and photos with Windows Media Player. Just copy and paste the media files into the corresponding folder on the ARCHOS once it is connected. You can access the complete PDF manual in 2 different ways: • Directly from your ARCHOS: tap on Tools > Help and then tap on the PDF file to open it. • From our Website to find the latest version of the full user manual. I have purchased an ARCHOS GPS in-car Holder for my ARCHOS 5. However, the installation DVD asks for an ARCHOS 605 to be connected. How can I install it?   The ARCHOS 5 requires a special version of the operating system (firmware) to take advantage of the GPS functionalities. Please check the ARCHOS website www.archos.com/firmware to update your ARCHOS 5 to a version that supports the GPS. Installation I have installed a firmware/plug-in/game file on my ARCHOS but it is not recognized by the device.   You may have copied the firmware/plug-in/game file (type ".aos") into a folder on the device and not to the root level. If it has been copied in any of the folders of the ARCHOS, it won’t be recognized automatically and will not ask you to complete the installation process. To locate the ".aos" firmware/plug-in/game file, you can use the ARCHOS file browser (Tools > Files), and then tap on the file. ATTENTION: If you have not seen a progression bar showing the installation, then the firmware/plug-in/game file has not been installed. It is possible that during the install process, you accidentally tapped on the screen and exited the install process. Tap on the ".aos" file again (using the ARCHOS file browser) and make sure that you see the progression bar indicating that the file is being installed. Note: If you have a WiFi connection, you can also update your firmware online (Tools > Settings > Firmware and Plug-ins > Online Firmware Update). I have downloaded a plug-in/game file but I cannot install it. The file size is 0 Kb or a message says that it is corrupted or that the update has failed.   Try the following: - Download your file a second time as your download may have not been successful. - Check that you have entered the correct 'Product Key' (Tools > Settings > Firmware and Plug-ins). If there is a "0", make sure you entered the figure "0" and not the letter "O". If you still cannot install your file, you should contact our Technical Support. My ARCHOS cannot play a Flash game that I put on my ARCHOS.   Some ".swf" (Flash games) files may not play on your ARCHOS device as they have been designed to be played on a full computer system. Try the following to play your game: • Some Flash games attempt to reach other servers during game play. This will not work if running the game locally from the ARCHOS hard drive. Open the Opera browser, select the game and play this version. • You do not have to connect to the Internet to play Flash games. Save ".swf" files onto your ARCHOS in the "Flash" folder then access these by tapping on Play > Flash Apps. From your PC, copy the ".swf" file (the Flash game) into the folder named “Flash” on the ARCHOS. How do I update the ARCHOS software (firmware)?   There are two main ways to update your ARCHOS software (see Updating the firmware in the full manual): • Directly on your ARCHOS if you can connect to a WiFi network. Tap on Tools > Settings > Firmware and Plug-ins, and select "Online Firmware Update". Your ARCHOS will connect to the Internet and start downloading the latest firmware to the device. This may take some time as the update file can be rather large. Once downloaded to your ARCHOS, it will ask you to install it. If you do not see the progression bar on the screen saying “Installing”, then the update hasn't been installed yet. • With a computer from our Website Before you download the firmware file, check to make sure you aren't already running the latest version of the ARCHOS software. Compare the latest on-line version (example version 1.0.8) with the one installed on your ARCHOS (Tools > Settings > Firmware and Plug-ins), example 1.0.51. In this case, since the version on the ARCHOS Web site is higher, you should download and install it. Download the latest firmware by going to your customer account . Click on "Manage Products", and then click on "Support". Go at the bottom of the page to find the latest firmware. Connect your ARCHOS to your computer and copy the software (file type ".aos") to your ARCHOS. Disconnect the ARCHOS and then, if it doesn't automatically ask you to install the new software you just copied to it, use the file browser (Tools > Files) to locate the update file and tap on it. Do I need any drivers to connect my ARCHOS to my computer with the USB cable?   You do not need any drivers to plug your ARCHOS to your computer. ARCHOS products have been designed to be automatically recognized by recent operating systems. Your operating system must be able to support Mass Storage devices. ATTENTION: ARCHOS devices are NOT supported by old operating systems such as Win95, Win98, Win98se, WinNT, as well as older Mac versions. When connecting your ARCHOS to your computer, your device will be recognized and connected depending on which version of Windows Media Player you have. - If you connect your ARCHOS to your PC and it has Windows Media Player 10 or higher installed, it will connect (default connection mode) as a ‘Media Device’ and allow purchased music and videos to be synchronized to your ARCHOS. - If you connect your device to your PC and you have an older Windows Media Player version on your computer (Media Player 9 or lower), the unit will automatically switch to Hard Drive Mode. Only protected music and videos from your PC cannot be synchronized to your ARCHOS in this mode. Note 1: Macintosh and Linux computers will always connect in ‘Hard Drive’ mode. Note 2: If you receive a message saying that your unit is not compatible, you can proceed and click on "Continue". ARCHOS products are fully compatible with the recent Windows and Macintosh operating systems. Can I connect my ARCHOS to my computer using a USB hub?   Yes, you can connect your device using a USB hub. However we do not recommend it since not all USB hubs (powered or unpowered) do not deliver enough power to enable a good and reliable USB connection. If connecting your cable through a USB hub does not work, plug it into a USB port directly on the computer. On older computers, the front USB ports may not be sufficient, try the back of the computer. Music When I synchronize music files from Windows Media Player, error messages are displayed.   There can be different reasons: • Some file types (example ".ogg") will not be converted for playback with Windows Media Player. You will need to find a third party software to convert them to a suitable format such as ".avi" or ".wmv" for videos or ".wav" or ".MP3" for audio. • If the license date of a protected file is expired, you could also get an error message. Once a license expires, you cannot do anything with it. • You can also get an error if the file you are trying to synchronize was on a network that is no longer connected or on an external hard drive that is no longer connected to the computer. How can I create a playlist directly on my ARCHOS?   To create a playlist (see also Playlists in the full manual), proceed as follows: 1. Go into the Music browser (Play > Music). 2. Do not choose "Playlist" (this is the list of all the playlists you have already made) but just tap on the Menu icon in the top-right corner and select "Show Playlist" in the menu items. A playlist panel will automatically open on the right where you can start adding songs to create your new playlist. 3. In the left panel, locate the songs you want to add to your playlist by selecting one of the Music Library items. Select the desired track twice. It will be inserted in the right panel and added to your new playlist. 4. Repeat this operation for each track you want to add to your playlist. 5. When you have finished creating your new playlist, switch to the right panel (tap on that side of the screen). Tap the menu icon (in the top-right corner) and choose Save Playlist > Save as, to give a name to your playlist. Which music file formats are supported?   - MP3, - WAV, - WMA and protected WMA. If you buy the optional software plug-ins, more formats can be read by the ARCHOS such as: - AAC, - AC3. These plug-ins are downloadable from your tablet or on our Website. When I synchronize music files through Windows Media Player, the tracks are not displayed into the Music Library categories (artists, titles…) but only in the internal memory.   Your music files may not be tagged, which means they do not contain any data about artists, titles or song names. As a result, the files cannot be classified in the Music library categories. To force the ARCHOS to refresh the Music Library: 1. Go to Tools > Settings > Storage and change the USB mode by switching from 'Windows Media Device' to 'PC Hard Drive'. 2. Select “Update the ARCLibrary” (the button is now enabled). This will recreate your Music (and Photo) library. Can I create a playlist and transfer it from Windows Media player to my ARCHOS?   Yes, you can create a playlist and transfer it directly to your ARCHOS if you use Windows Media Player 10 or higher. Refer to Windows Media Player Help on how to create a playlist. Once your playlist has been created on Windows Media Player, proceed as follows: 1. Make sure you have the most recent firmware running on your device (see Updating the firmware in our full manual). 2. Make sure your ARCHOS is in "Windows Media Device" mode (default mode). To check this, go to Tools > Settings > Storage. Next to "USB preference", make sure "Windows Media Device" is selected. 3. Connect your ARCHOS to your computer and select "Enable USB". You should see "Windows Media Device" displayed in the Windows Explorer screen. Note: If your device automatically switches to Hard Drive, this means that your Windows Media Player doesn’t recognize your ARCHOS as a Windows Media Device as you don’t have the required version (Windows Media Player 10 or higher). 4. Select the "Sync" tab, choose your Playlist to synchronize and click on "Start Sync". When your synchronization is over, disconnect your ARCHOS device. 5. To view and play your playlist, open the Music browser (Play > Music) from the home screen of your ARCHOS. Browse the Music Librairy items using the scroll-down bar, and then tap on Playlist. Video How can I make my ARCHOS become compatible with MPEG-2/VOB, H.264 and AAC formats?   You need to purchase optional software plug-ins and install them on your device. These plug-ins are available here on our Website. You will find the 2 following plug-ins : - Cinema plug-in to play MPEG-2 and VOB video files, as well as AC3 audio files (5.1 sound), - Video podcast plug-in to play H.264 video files, as well as non protected ACC audio files. I cannot play files (WMV, WMA and MPEG-4) even though these formats are supposed to be supported by the ARCHOS.   There could be different reasons for this: • The file you are trying to play may be corrupted. Try playing it on another ARCHOS device or a computer to see if it plays. If you have changed the extension of a file, for example by renaming it from basketball.vob to basketball.avi, this does not change its format and it still will not play. • Some WMV or WMA files are purposely copy-protected so that you cannot play them. • If video resolution is too high, it may not be able to play. The ARCHOS plays video files up to 720x586 in dimension. • If the video file is WMV, it may not necessarily be WMV9. The ARCHOS does not play the following files: - those encoded in WMV7 and WMV8 which are common WMV types, - WMA audio files that are of type ‘Pro’ or ‘Lossless’. • It may be that the file uses a codec that is not recognized by the ARCHOS, even though the container type, ".wmv", ".avi", is used. Can I transfer my DVD’s on my ARCHOS through Windows Media Player?   Windows Media Player will not convert a DVD for you. Some DVD’s are copy-protected and you cannot make copies or transfer them onto your ARCHOS, either through Windows Media Player or by cutting and pasting in Windows Explorer. If the DVD is not copy-protected, you can try one of the two following options: - Purchase the Cinema plug-in which will read MPEG2 file types, the same file type that is inside of the ".vob" files on the DVD. With this plug-in, it is just a matter of copying the VOB files found on your DVD and pasting them into the Video folder of your ARCHOS. Convert the DVD to a format readable by the ARCHOS (WMV9 or MPEG-4) with a third party software which can rip DVDs. Check out the website www.mpegmobile.com which lists a few of the available third party that can do video conversions and/or DVD ripping. WARNING: The converting of a commercial DVD’s to an electronic, transportable format such as MPEG or AVI is known as DVD Ripping. You must ensure that you are authorized to copy before doing such or before copying the VOB files to your ARCHOS. Check your local legislation. ARCHOS does not condone nor support the copying of copyrighted materials, or of the defeating of any copy protection schemes, such as used in some commercial DVD's. Which video formats are supported by the ARCHOS?   - MPEG-4, - WMV9 and WMV protected files, - M-JPEG. If you buy the additional software plug-ins (downloadable from your tablet or here on our Website, more video formats can be read by the ARCHOS such as: - MPEG-4 and WMV HD (with HiDef plug-in), - H.264 and AAC stereo sound (with Video podcast plug-in), - MPEG-2/VOB and AC3 stereo sound (with Cinema plug-in). Can the ARCHOS read subtitles and which ones are compatible?   Yes, the ARCHOS can read subtitled files but only those having the following extensions: “.srt”, “.ssa”, “.sub” and “.smi”. Make sure your subtitled files are in the same folder as your video files and have exactly the same name (ex: “video_1.avi” and “video_1.srt”). When I play a video, it does not play correctly. Either it stops in midplay, skips or the sound and image of the video are not synchronized.   Restart (reboot) your device: 1. Go into Tools > Settings > Power and select "Device Complete Power off". The ARCHOS will automatically shut down. Turn on your device as usual and play it again. 2. If the condition continues, play it on your computer and compare the results. If it plays fine on a PC, but not on your ARCHOS, contact our Technical Support with the exact information about the file (size, bitrate, resolution, format, etc.) I have downloaded the Cinema plug-in but when I try and drag and drop a VOB file to my video folder on the device it still gives the error message that this type of file is not supported.   Check the following: - When copying a VOB file to your ARCHOS, and your device is in ‘Windows Media Device’ mode (check in Tools > Settings > Storage > USB Preference), make sure that you paste the copied file into the folder ‘Video’. Do not try to synchronize a VOB file with Windows Media Player. - Try changing the USB Preference and switch from "Windows Media Device" to "PC Hard Drive" and copy it over using Windows Explorer. - If this does not work, it could be that the DVD has a copy protection system that will not allow VOB files to be copied correctly. Try copying files one at a time, sometimes this can make a difference. - Verify as well that the Cinema plug-in really did get installed. It will show up in Tools > Settings > Software and Plug-ins > Plug-ins. Photo Why can’t I view some of my pictures?   The format of the photos that you save or synchronize to the ARCHOS must be JPEG, BMP, PNG, or GIF. Other file formats such as RAW are not supported. Photos that are larger than 10MB may not display. Which image formats are supported by the ARCHOS?   JPEG, BMP, PNG and GIF. Note: Photos larger than 10Mb may not be able to display. Can I view my photos while listening to music?   Yes. You just have to select your music first. You can then display a slideshow or browse through your photos (zoom, selection...) without any impact on the music playback. WiFi Connection I have the "Web browser" plug-in but some sites don’t display properly.   Certain Web sites require that you have the Java language installed. Pages that use Java technology will not be able to display Java elements contained in interactive pages. Javascript, a different technology, is however supported. I can’t connect to my WiFi network through my Orange Livebox.   Press the “pairing” button on the back of the Orange box before you try to connect with your ARCHOS. This will allow the WiFi device to establish a connection. Once your device has made an Internet connection with the Orange Livebox, you will not have to do this again for later connections. I have the cinema and video podcast plug-ins but I cannot play (stream) some of my VOB and H.264 files on my unit through media sharing (UPnP) with Windows Media Player 11.   Windows Media Player 11 used for UPnP does not support VOB files. With H.264, resolutions of 720x576 or higher are not supported. I can’t connect to my home WiFi network although I have entered the right password.   First, make sure you have the most recent version of the firmware running on your ARCHOS device as this may solve your problem. See Updating the firmware in the full manual. If you do have the latest firmware installed on your device but you still can’t establish a connection, try the following: • Make sure you can connect to your home wireless network with a laptop or some other WiFi device. This will confirm that the problem is not with your home’s WiFi connection. • If your WiFi connection has the WEP security system, you may have not entered the correct WEP key. A "zero" 0 and the letter "O" can be easily confused. Check the documentation that came with your WiFi router or modem to find the correct password. • If your WiFi router or modem is using the WEP security system, make sure you have chosen the correct key format for the security password. - If the password only has the numbers 0-9 and letters A-F, it is considered as Hexidecimal. So you must specify that key format. - If the password includes the letters g-z, then the key format will be either the ‘password’ or ‘windows WEP key’. Try them both to make sure. • You could try clearing the cache files. This may help. Tap on Tools > Settings > Customer Assistance, select Repair and Formatting, and then choose Clear temporary files and cache. • Some WiFi routers or modems have a ‘connect’ button on them. This is a security button. It requires someone physically present at the router or modem to press a button which confirms that the request for a WiFi connection is coming from you and not some hacker. Check your WiFi’s documentation to see if there is a ‘connect’ or ‘pairing’ button that needs to be pressed on your WiFi router or modem before your ARCHOS can make a connection. • Change the settings on your WiFi router or modem to the WPA security system. It is more advanced and less problematic than the WEP standard. Also, in urban environments where there could be hundreds of people within range of your WiFi modem or router, the WPA standard is much more difficult (if not impossible) to penetrate than the WEP standard. When I try to connect my ARCHOS and my computer on the same network, my connection is cut due to an IP address conflict.   Your PC and your ARCHOS are most likely configured exactly the same way. They are trying to use the same Internet Protocol address. Thus there is a conflict. When you configure the network connection on your ARCHOS, select “Automatic (DHCP)" and simply tap on "Connect". Make sure your router is DHCP enabled as well. If you want to keep fixed IP numbers, then use another IP number for your ARCHOS. Example: If both your computer and your ARCHOS use 192.168.1.1, then set your ARCHOS device to use 192.168.1.2. Your WiFi router and/or modem must allow such addresses to be used. That is why it is best to check the box in your router’s configuration to enable DHCP on the router and/or modem. I cannot connect to my WiFi network.   1. Try the following: • If you got one of these 2 messages ("No configured network found" or "Could not connect to any WiFi network!"), select "View available networks". • If you manually configured your WiFi network, double check that you have carefully entered the correct information to set up your access to a WiFi network (0/O confusion, mixed order 4BD2 vs. 4DB2 for example.) Typically home networks are encrypted. Check your WiFi access point documentation to find out what type of encryption it has by default (WEP, WPA, etc.) and what the encryption key/password is that you must enter. 2. If you still cannot connect to a WiFi network, there might be two explanations: • Your network is protected: a closed padlock icon next to it when the ARCHOS shows the available WiFi points. The network require passwords or passphrases. • The modem/router allows only specific WiFi devices to connect to the network (known as MAC address* filtering). You should ask the person that has configured the WiFi access point if such filtering has been put in place. If it is the case, you need to give the MAC address of your ARCHOS. To find it, tap on Tools > Settings > System Info. *A MAC (Media Access Control) address is a unique, hardware-based identifier that specifies your particular WiFi device. I can’t see the shared media files on my PC after having enabled sharing with Windows Media Player 11.   Check the following: • Make sure you have a good WiFi connection and that your ARCHOS and your PC are connected to the same WiFi network. See Connecting to the WiFi in the full manual. • Check that you have properly set up the sharing options in Windows Media Player. See Setting Windows Media Player's Sharing Options in the full manual. You should see an icon of your ARCHOS in the 'Sharing parameters' window. Note: the first time you set your sharing options, it might take a few minutes for your PC to display the ARCHOS icon. • Check that any Firewall software you have installed is not blocking your PC from sharing multimedia content from Windows Media Player. Battery / Power When the battery is completely discharged, how long do I need to charge it?   It can take up to 8 hours using the supplied USB cable to fully charge your device. Note: Charging time will increase if you use the product during the recharge. If it takes significantly more than 8 hours to charge your battery, there may be a battery defect. Please contact our Technical Support. Can I replace the battery on my ARCHOS?   No, the ARCHOS 5 does not have a removable battery. Any battery replacement must only be done by an authorized ARCHOS service center. The battery of my ARCHOS will not hold a charge for very long.   When fully charged, your battery should last up to 4 hours (for videos) and 12 hours (for audio). If you are getting significantly less play time, try the following: 1. Make sure you have the latest firmware on your device (see updating the firmware in the full manual). 2. Charge your battery fully. You must wait until the green “CHG” light starts blinking to be sure it is fully charged. This can take up to 8 hours using the USB cable or more if you use the product during the recharge. Note : Video files in high quality (for example MPEG 2 files) will access the hard drive more often and deplete the battery faster than videos of lower quality. The 4 hours and 12 hours are figured on the basis of music WMA at 64Kb/second and video at 500kb/second. If your battery still seems to have a short playback capacity, then you can make a test as follows: 1. Fully charge your ARCHOS. 2. Change the power settings (Tools > Settings > Power) and next to Backlight off, select 30s. 3. Let it play music without interruption (choose a folder or album of songs and set it to continuously repeat). Without the screen backlight being on, the screen should automatically shut off after 30 seconds. If it plays for significantly less than 12 hours, then note the time, the type of files played (bitrate), and contact our technical support. The battery seems to be fully charged since the battery icon shows ‘full’ but the CHG indicator LED does not blink.   The battery icon does not indicate the level of charge while it is charging. The flashing lightning just indicates it is charging. If your indicator LED is not blinking, it means that your battery is not fully charged. You must wait until the green "CHG" light blinks to be sure the battery is fully charged. This could take up to 8 hours using the supplied USB cable. Note: Charging time will increase if you use the device during the recharge. How can I increase the battery life of my ARCHOS?   There are different ways to increase your battery life: • Shut down your device completely when you do not plan on using your device for a while (keep the button held down until you see the shutting down message). • Change the settings on the ARCHOS (see Power Settings in the full manual). Tap on Tools > Settings > Power. Then set the parameters to lower values so that your device will consume less power. • Set the screen brightness to a lower level (Tools > Settings > Screen > LCD Backlight) • Purchase the Battery Dock (additional accessory). For more info, go to our accessories page of our Website. How long can the battery last on a full charge?   Battery life lasts up to: - 12 hours when you play music, - 4 hours when you play videos. The battery life also depends on the size and the encoding quality of your files as well. Advice to increase your battery life: • Shut down your device completely when you do not plan on using your device for a while (keep the button held down until you see the shutting down message). • Change the settings on the ARCHOS (see Power Settings in our full manual). Tap on Tools > Settings > Power. Then set the parameters to lower values so that your device will consume less power. • Set the screen brightness to a lower level (Tools > Settings > Screen > LCD Backlight). • Purchase the Battery Dock (additional accessory). For more info, go to our accessories page of our Website. Troubleshooting The following message is displayed on my ARCHOS device: “Error code 203”.   This can happen if you are connected to a Macintosh computer. To fix this: 1. Download the following third party software: “Clean UP Smb mess”.You can find and download this application for free on the Internet. 2. Once the software is installed, connect your ARCHOS to your computer. Drag and drop the ARCHOS icon onto this application icon. The application will fix the problem. Once finished, disconnect your ARCHOS device. After connecting my ARCHOS to my computer, there are new files and folders with gibberish that I never created.   It is possible that your device’s hard drive structure (FAT) has been corrupted. This could have been due to a shutdown (due to low battery power for example) while writing to the ARCHOS from your computer. To fix this, use the 'Repair and Formatting' tools feature of the device (Tools > Settings > Customer Assistance). Select "Repair and Formatting", then choose "Clear temporary system files and cache". I defined a code to access the demo display mode but I forgot it and cannot exit the demo mode anymore. What should I do?   You cannot exit the demo mode without the code you created. Contact our Technical Support via the help form on the website and give your 'Product key' (Tools > Settings > Firmware and Plug-ins). The demo mode included in the device is designed to be used at retailers ONLY. Do not use it as it merely searches for two short video demonstrations to play in a loop for store displays. The ARCHOS cannot be turned on. What should I do?   1. You must hold down on the power button for a few seconds to start up the device. 2. Try charging the battery as it may be completed discharged. See Charging the battery in the full manual. Connect the ARCHOS to a computer, which must be ON or have constant power to its USB ports. 3. If the CHG LED indicator will not turn on when plugged into a computer, let the device charge anyway for a few hours (this should be long enough to at least have the device’s 'On' indicator light turn on). Let it continue charging until the CHG light blinks, indicating a full charge. 4. If after a few hours the light does not turn on, reset the ARCHOS: use the end of a paper clip and insert it into the RESET hole underneath the device (see the illustration in our full manual). You will feel a small button depression. Now reconnect it to the computer to charge. If your device still does not operate after charging it and resetting it, you should contact our Technical Support. I tried resetting my ARCHOS but it still has the same problems (it freezes, some songs and videos files don’t play properly, there are problems with the WiFi connection, etc.).   First, make sure you have the most recent update firmware running on your device as this may be the source of your problem. See Updating the firmware in the full manual. If you have the latest firmware installed on your device and still have problems, it could be that the information on the hard drive of your ARCHOS may have been corrupted and should be corrected or formatted by using the system recovery option. For more info, see the System Recovery section in the full manual. To carry out a system recovery, proceed as follows: 1. Shut down the device (if it is not turned off) and turn it on. 2. When the screen turns on, immediately press and hold the Volume + button until the Recovery mode starts (white screen). 3. Start by selecting "Repair Disk" and follow the instructions displayed on the screen. 4. If repairing the disk did not work, you can restart the device and go into recovery mode again and select the formatting option. ATTENTION: Note that formatting will erase all data on your ARCHOS device. If your device can be connected to a PC and be recognized, then we recommend you to back up all data stored on your ARCHOS onto your computer. If you still cannot correctly use your ARCHOS after trying a system recovery, you should contact our Technical Support. When I turn my ARCHOS on, it sometimes freezes and I have to reset it every time. What should I do?   Use the 'Repair and Formatting Tools' function (Tools > Settings > Customer Assistance). Tap on "Repair and Formatting Tools" and then on "Clear temporary system files and cache". If trying this did not solve the problem or if you cannot access the Repair and Formatting Tools, try a system recovery to repair or format your disk. For more info, see the System Recovery section in the full manual. To carry out a system recovery, proceed as follows: 1. Shut down the device (if it is not turned off) and turn it on. 2. When the screen turns on, immediately press and hold the Volume + button until the Recovery mode starts (white screen). 3. Start by selecting "Repair Disk" and follow the instructions displayed on the screen. 4. If repairing the disk did not work, you can restart the device and go into recovery mode again and select "Format Disk". ATTENTION: Note that formatting will erase all data on your ARCHOS device. If your device can be connected to a PC and be recognized, then we recommend you to back up all data stored on your ARCHOS onto your computer. When I switch on my ARCHOS, the following message is displayed: "Would you like to recover your system"?   You are on the recovery mode screen. It means that your hard drive has been corrupted and must be repaired or formatted. With this system recovery mode, you will have to select between “Repair Disk” or “Format Disk”. 1.Start by selecting “Repair Disk” and follow the instructions displayed on the screen. 2. If repairing the disk did not work, you can restart the device and go into recovery mode again and select “Format Disk”. ATTENTION: Note that formatting will erase all data on your ARCHOS device. If your device can be connected to a PC and be recognized, then we recommend you to back up all data stored on your ARCHOS onto your computer. If you still cannot restart your ARCHOS after trying a system recovery, you should contact our Technical Support. My touch screen is not responding as expected.   Tap on Tools > Settings > Screen, and select "Touch-Screen Calibration". Follow the instructions on the screen. If this does not work or if you cannot access the touchscreen settings, you can force the touchscreen calibration by using the ‘System Recovery’ feature. For more info, see the System Recovery section in the full manual. To carry out a system recovery, proceed as follows: 1. Shut down the device (if it is not turned off) and turn it on. 2. When the screen turns on, immediately press and hold the Volume + button until the Recovery mode starts (white screen). 3. Press the VOL- button to access “Force Touchscreen Calibration” and select it by pressing the ON/OFF button. Then follow the instructions displayed on the screen. If your touch screen still does not respond correctly, this means that it may be damaged. Contact our Technical support on the website Support form. My ARCHOS screen has frozen and it does not respond.   Reset your ARCHOS: 1. Start by pressing and holding the power button for 15 seconds. This will force a shutdown. Now turn it on normally. 2. If this did not work, use the end of a paper clip and insert it into the RESET hole underneath the device (see the illustration in the full manual). You will feel a small button depression. Now turn on your ARCHOS. My LCD screen has a dead pixel. How do I get this repaired?   A device can be repaired under the guaranty as per the pixel policy stated in the PDF manual found on your device: “ARCHOS guarantees that this device’s screen will have no more than 3 defective pixel…if the screen on your product has four or more defective pixels, ARCHOS will repair or replace your product at its cost.” A screen replacement is possible outside of the warranty at the customer’s expense. After connecting my ARCHOS to my computer, there are new files and folders with strange names that I never created.   It is possible that your device’s hard drive structure (FAT) has been corrupted. This could have been due to a shutdown (due to low battery power for example) while writing to the ARCHOS from your computer. To fix this, use the Repair and Formatting tools feature of the device (Tools > Settings > Customer Assistance). Select "Repair and Formatting" Tools, then choose "Clear temporary system files and cache". I have deleted some files on my ARCHOS, but the disk space continues to be shown as occupied. How can I free this disk space definitively?   It may be that your device is storing the trashed folders and files on it. This would only happen in the USB Hard Drive mode. To fix this: 1. Connect your ARCHOS to your computer. 2. Right-click on the trash icon in Windows and select "Properties". You can manage the trash for external devices. Windows may be storing trashed files in a folder on the ARCHOS. 3. You can also free up space by deleting the sample demo video, music, or photo content that comes with the device. DVR Station & DVR Snap-on How can I schedule TV recordings?   There are two ways to schedule recordings: • With the TV Program Guide 1. Download the ARCHOS TV Program Guide: - Directly on your ARCHOS if it is connected to a WiFi network (TV > TV Program Guide), - With the ARCHOSLink software if you don't have a WiFi connection. 2. Select the TV show you want to record on the TV Program Guide. 3. Place the ARCHOS onto the DVR Station. It will turn your TV box tuner on and record your TV show at the appropriate time. • With the manual scheduler: 1. Select the TV recorder (TV > TV Scheduler). 2. Manually enter the recording time. I have downloaded and synchronized the TV guide to my ARCHOS but when I select the TV Program Guide, the screen shows “No TV Program Guide information available".   First make sure you that your clock and date are correctly set. If you still cannot see your TV guide, and you are sure it has been copied by ARCHOSLink to your device, try the following: 1. Make sure that you have Windows Media Player 10 or higher on your computer. 2. Set your device to Hard Drive mode (Tools > Settings > Storage > USB mode). 3. Connect your ARCHOS to your PC and open up the folder “System” of the device. 4. Delete the file “epglist.dat” in the folder “EPG”. 5. Reconnect to your PC and run ArchosLink. Select the “Update TV Program Guide” and click on the button “Download”. I tried to set my Infrared Emitter but I could not find my tuner brand in the available list. How can I get the DVR Station to control my cable box, satellite receiver, etc.?   Proceed as follows: 1. Make sure you are running the latest version of the firmware (see Updating the firmware dans notre manuel complet). As there are constantly new video products being added to the market, there may be some devices that are not listed. 2.Try using all of the codes for a particular brand, there are typically more than three or four for any given brand (ex: When setting the code, 2/4 means that your trying code group 2 of 4 available code groups). If your brand is not listed, then try to find out if that brand is actually manufactured by another company whose brand is on the list. The codes for that brand would then be compatible with your device. Can I record a TV show and watch another channel at the same time?   Only if the TV box has 2 tuners or if you have 2 video sources. I cannot register my DVR Station on my customer account.   Since the DVR Station is an accessory, it is not registered as a stand alone product. You just need to subscribe to the TV Program Guide. Go to your customer account. Click on "Manage Products" and next to "TV Program Guide", click on the link labeled “More” to subscribe to the TV Program Guide. When I select the “TV scheduler”, it says “Activate the TV Program Guide online” although I have already registered my device online.   Plug your device into your powered DVR Station and then remove it after 20 seconds. This will ‘reminds’ the ARCHOS that you have a DVR station and can make video recordings. I cannot download and synchronize the TV Program Guide through ARCHOSLink.   The ARCHOS 5 & 7 do not use the ARCHOSLink software for downloading the TV Program Guide. Your ARCHOS 5 or ARCHOS 7 must have a WiFi connection to the Internet to download the TV Program guide. I bought my DVR Station outside of Europe and I cannot install it with the supplied cables.   The connection cables delivered are different for the North American and European products. You do not have the scart connector required to set up the DVR Station in Europe as it is only supplied in European packages. If you want to use the DVR Station in Europe, you will need to purchase a scart adapter to use with the North American cables supplied. ARCHOS does not make for sale separately the special scart cables supplied in the European packages. When I plug the DVR Snap-on to my ARCHOS, a message says, "Wrong module type." What do I do?   Remove the module, shut off the ARCHOS, clip the module back onto the ARCHOS and then restart the ARCHOS. If you still get the message then the module most likely needs to be replaced. Contact our technical support to start the process to get it replaced under your guaranty. You may be requested to send back your ARCHOS as well as this may be the source of the problem.