Archos AV320 - Video Recorder - Digital AV User manual

EnglishLanguageUserGuide
ARCHOS VIDEO AV300 SERIES
USB 2.0 Hard Disk / MP3 Player / MP3 Recorder / JPEG Viewer / MPEG4 Personal Video Player
User Guide for ARCHOS VIDEO AV320 & AV340 version 2.0 (p/n 102 253)
Please visit our web site to download the most recent manual and software for this product
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Table of Contents
1Ports, Buttons, and Connections...................................................................................... 8
2First Time Usage............................................................................................................... 9
2.1 Plugging in the AC Adapter.............................................................................................9
2.2 Turning on the AV300 .....................................................................................................9
2.3 Shutting off the AV300 and Battery saving features.......................................................10
2.4 Changing the Language....................................................................................................10
2.5 Charging the Batteries......................................................................................................10
2.6 Caring for the AV300.......................................................................................................11
2.7 Update your AV300 software .......................................................................................... 11
2.8 Hardware Reset ................................................................................................................ 11
3Playing MP3 music..........................................................................................................12
3.1 Playing through your HiFi system ...................................................................................13
3.2 ID3 Tags ........................................................................................................................13
3.3 Changing the sound settings ............................................................................................14
3.4 Changing the PlayMode................................................................................................... 15
3.5 Playlist Creation and Running .........................................................................................16
Playing a Playlist ........................................................................................................16
Creating a Playlist.......................................................................................................17
Saving a Playlist.........................................................................................................17
3.6 Adding songs to a Playlist while listening to Music........................................................18
3.7 Creating and Using Playlists with MusicMatch™........................................................... 18
3.8 Using a Playlist from iTunes™........................................................................................19
4Using the Browser............................................................................................................20
4.1 Navigating the Directory Structure.................................................................................. 20
4.2 File and Folder Operations...............................................................................................21
File Operations...........................................................................................................21
Folder Operations.......................................................................................................21
Copying and Moving Files and Folders.......................................................................22
4.3 Using the Virtual Keyboard.............................................................................................23
5Connecting/Disconnecting the AV300............................................................................24
5.1 Connecting the AV300..................................................................................................... 24
Windows®98SE .........................................................................................................25
5.2 Disconnecting the AV300 from your Computer..............................................................27
Windows®...............................................................................................................27
Macintosh®...............................................................................................................28
6Recording MP3 Music.....................................................................................................29
Microphone ...............................................................................................................30
External Microphone...................................................................................................30
Analog Line-In ............................................................................................................30
Digital Input (SPDIF)...................................................................................................30
Incremental Recording................................................................................................30
6.1 Bit Rate Table & Sample Rates........................................................................................31

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7Settings .................................................................................................................32
7.1 Sound Settings..................................................................................................................32
7.2 Play Mode and Play Order Settings.................................................................................32
7.3 Clock Settings................................................................................................................... 32
7.4 Display Settings................................................................................................................33
7.5 Power Settings..................................................................................................................34
7.6 System Settings ................................................................................................................ 35
7.7 Updating the AV300 Firmware Operating System (OS).................................................36
Download the CJBM.AJZ file......................................................................................37
Read the History.txt File.............................................................................................37
Copy to AV300 root and Update.................................................................................37
8Playing MPEG4 Video Files............................................................................................38
9Creating MPEG4 Video Files .........................................................................................39
How to create an MPEG4 video file............................................................................39
PC Tools ...............................................................................................................39
Macintosh Users.........................................................................................................40
9.1 Installing the PC Software ...............................................................................................40
DivX™ Codec.............................................................................................................40
Virtual Dub™..............................................................................................................41
MPG4 Translator........................................................................................................41
MP3 Sound Codec .....................................................................................................42
9.2 Using MPEG4 Translator.................................................................................................43
Select Source & Destination Files ..............................................................................43
Change Settings.........................................................................................................43
Target & Priority..........................................................................................................44
Start ...............................................................................................................44
10 Viewing Photos.................................................................................................................45
10.1 Viewing Photos ................................................................................................................45
Magnifying Photos......................................................................................................45
Multiple Photo View....................................................................................................46
10.2 Viewing a slideshow ........................................................................................................46
11 Using MusicMatch™ software........................................................................................47
12 Optional Add-ons.............................................................................................................49
13 Technical Support............................................................................................................50
14 Troubleshooting...............................................................................................................52
14.1 USB Connection issues....................................................................................................52
14.2 Charging and Power issues ..............................................................................................53
14.3 AV300 locks up (freezes operation) or Stops..................................................................53
14.4 The Computer locks-up (freezes operation) or Stops...................................................... 53
14.5 File issues, corrupted data, formatting, and partitioning .................................................54
Windows®98SE & ME Running Scan-Disk (Error Checking) ......................................55
Windows®XP & 2000 Running Check Disk Utility (ChkDsk) .......................................55
14.6 Video Playback, Recording, Re-encoding....................................................................... 56
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Warranty and Limited Liability
This product is sold with a limited warranty and specific remedies are available to the original purchaser in the
event the product fails to conform to the limited warranty. Manufacturer’s liability may be further limited in
accordance with its sales contract.
In general, the manufacturer shall not be responsible for product damages caused by natural disasters, fire, static
discharge, misuse, abuse, neglect, improper handling or installation, unauthorized repair, alteration or accident. In
no event shall the manufacturer be liable for loss of data stored on disk media.
MANUFACTURER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES. EVEN IF INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF IN ADVANCE.
ARCHOS licensor(s) makes no warranties, express or implied, including, without limitation, the implied
warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, regarding the licensed materials.
ARCHOS’s licensor(s) does not warrant, guarantee or make any representations regarding the use or the
results of the use of the licensed materials in terms of its correctness, accuracy, reliability, correctness or
otherwise. The entire risk as to the results and performance of the licensed materials is assumed by you. The
exclusion of implied warranties is not permitted by some jurisdictions. The above exclusion may not apply to
you.
In no event will ARCHOS’s licensor(s), and their directors, officers, employees or agents
(collectively ARCHOS’ licensor) be liable to you for any consequential, incidental or indirect
damages (including damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business
information, and the like) arising out of the use of inability to use the licensed materials even if
ARCHOS’ licensor has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some jurisdiction
do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the
above limitations may not apply to you.
Please see your sales contract for a complete statement of warranty rights, remedies and limitation of liability.
Furthermore, warranty does not apply to:
1. Damages or problems resulting from misuse, abuse, accident, alteration or incorrect electrical current
or voltage.
2. Anyproduct tampered-with or damaged warranty seal or serial number label.
3. Anyproduct without a warranty or serial number label.
4. Batteries and any consumable items delivered with or in the equipment.
Warnings and Safety Instructions
CAUTION
To prevent risks of electric shock, this unit must only be opened by qualified service personnel.
Power off and disconnect the power supply cable before opening the unit.
WARNING
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.
Use of this product is for personal use only. Copying CDs or loading music, video, or picture files for sale or other
business purposes is or may be a violation of copyright law. Copyrighted materials, works of art, and/or
presentations may require authorization to be fully or partially recorded. Please be aware of all such applicable
laws concerning the recording and use of such for your country and jurisdiction.

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FCC Warning Statement
FCC Compliance
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on,
the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
• Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Note: During file transfer or in the PC mode, if the End User Terminal (EUT) or computer suddenly freezes or does
not respond, it may be due to the electrostatic phenomenon. Please follow the procedures below to recover the
operation:
Unplug the USB cable from the End User Terminal (EUT)
Close the software application in the computer (or re-boot the computer if necessary)
Re-connect the USB cable to the End User Terminal (EUT)
In case of Electrostatic Discharge, the AV300 may lose function. Just power off and on in order to restore.
CAUTION : Modifications not authorized by the manufacturer may void users authority to operate this device.
FCC Part 15 - Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference;
2. This device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Copyright Notice
Copyright ARCHOS © 2003 All rights reserved.
This document may not, in whole or part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any
electronic medium or machine-readable form without prior consent, in writing, from ARCHOS. All brands and
products names are registered trademarks and the property of their respective owners. Specifications are subject
to change without notification. Errors and omissions accepted. Images and illustrations may not always match
contents. Copyright ®ARCHOS. All rights reserved.
Disclaimer of warranty: to the extent allowed by applicable law, representations and warranties of non-infringement of
copyrights or other intellectual property rights resulting from the use of the product under conditions other than as here above
specified, are hereby excluded.
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Dear Customer,
ARCHOS thanks you for your choice of this exciting AV300 product. Never before has one been
able to carry with him or her so much information, be it MP3 music, MP4 videos or JPEG
pictures, and be able to enjoy these without a computer. We are sure that your AV300 will give
you years of listening and viewing enjoyment. Of course you can always use it as a regular
portable hard drive too.
This guide will explain to you the functions of the AV300. Our engineers have packed this product
with many functions and capabilities. The better you know how to use it, the more enjoyment you
will get from it. Remember, with the AV300, you can…
• Play MPEG-4 movies to a television or video projector
• View JPEG images
• Listen to MP3 files
• Use it as a voice recorder
• Record MP3 music directly from your hi-fi without a computer
• Store MP3, MP4, JPEG or any type of data file
• Create music Playlists
• View JPEG slide shows
• Add a variety of options such as the 3.3 Megapixel Digital Camera, the Digital Video
Recorder, the FM radio/remote control, or one of the memory card readers.
We hope you receive years of enjoyment from your AV300 product. Don’t forget to check our
web site (www.archos.com category software), as we periodically update the Archos Video
AV300 internal operating software (OS) to offer new features and bug fixes.
Wishing you the best Video, Music, and Photo experience,
The ARCHOS TEAM

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Technical Specifications
ARCHOS VIDEO AV320 & AV340
Storage Capacity Model AV320: 20GB AV340: 40GB
Computer Interface High Speed USB 2.0 (compatible USB 1.1) Optional FireWire cable
Image Playback JPG and BMP(4, 8, 24 bit) images, any size
Audio Playback Stereo MP3 decoding 30-320 kb/s. CBR & VBR
Audio Recording Stereo MP3 encoding 30-160kb/s. VBR
Video Playback Up to 640x304 @ 30 frames/sec (NTSC) or up to 640x368 @ 25
frames/sec (PAL) [Up to 640 x 480 resolution at lower frame rates]
MPEG-4 Simple Profile compliant .AVI format (DivX™* 4.0 & 5.0 &
XviD) MP3 stereo sound tracks, near DVD picture quality.
Screen 3.8 inch color LCD (QVGA) 320x240 pixels 262 thousand colors
Television Video output on AV out connector to PAL (EU) or NTSC (US)
televisions
Playback Autonomy Up to 10 hours** on MP3, up to 3 ½** hours video on built-in screen
Scalability Free Operating System updates downloadable from ARCHOS web site
Expansion Port Mini-centronics 50 pin. For optional modules: Remote FM Radio,
Firewire interface cable, DVR (Digital Video Recorder), AVCam 300
digital camera and camcorder, Memory card readers.
AV Connections Audio line in & microphone in (also doubles as SPDIF in/out)
AV out: for headphones, line out, and for audio/video out with AV
cable
Power Internal rechargable Lithium-Ion batteries. External charger/adapter
Physical Dimensions 112 x 82 x 31 mm (4.4 x 3.2 x 1.2 inches); 350g (12.5 oz)
Temperature Range 5 °C to 35 °C running ; -20 °C to 45 °C storage
System
Requirements
PC:Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP Pentium II 266MHz with 64MB ram
Mac: OS 9.2 or X (10.2.4), iMac, G3 or higher
*DivX is a trademark of DivXNetworks, Inc. **Depending on usage (stop/start/writing)
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1 Ports, Buttons, and Connections
Built-in microphone
Line & external microphone audio input
Headphone & AV output
CHG: AC adapter is connected
ON: Unit is on
HDD: Hard Disk being accessed
Expansion Port
Remove rubber cap to
reveal Mini-Centronics
port for add-ons such as
Camera, FM Remote
control, Digital Video
Recorder, Firewire
interface, etc.
TFT Screen
320 x 240 pixels
(QVGA)
Functions Display & Buttons
These three function buttons actuate the
associated functions displayed on the bottom of
the screen.
Play/Pause/Enter/On
Play the currently selected
item, pause, and play again.
Long press, turns on the
AV300. Long press to switch
between external and built-in
video.
Stop/Esc/Off
Stop currently playing file.
Escape from current
operation. Long press to shut
off.
Joystick
Move, select or Adjust Left,
right, up, or down
A. Headphone AV out: Television output (use ARCHOS
AV cable), audio stereo, and headphone jack.
B. Audio In: Audio Stereo Analog Line-in & microphone in &
Audio Stereo SPDIF Digital In/out
C. Built-in Microphone: Be sure you set the recording
settings to microphone.
D. USB 2.0 port Insert USB cable mini
jack here and attach other end to computer
USB port. (USB 1.1 compatible).
E. DC In: To power the unit and charge the internal
batteries with the external AC adapter/charger. Use
ONLY an Archos adapter.
F. Factory diagnostic: This is a special port
reserved for factory diagnostics. You should not
attempt to use this port.
!
"

9
2 First Time Usage
Please understand that this device has a CPU, hard drive, and
Operating System (OS) and thus it is more like a computer
than like a DVD player, VCR, or television. If you are not
familiar with using a computer, it would be particularly useful
to take the time to read through all sections of this manual.
2.1 Plugging in the AC Adapter
• Use only the included ARCHOS charger/adapter.
• Before using for the first time, charge the batteries for a full four hours.
• You may use the Archos Video AV300 after the first half hour of charging, but this will
increase the necessary charging time.
2.2 Turning on the AV300
• Hold the PLAY/ON button !for four seconds. The center red indicator light will go on,
be patient, it will take about 8 seconds for the operating system will boot up.
• If the unit shuts off after holding the ON button for several seconds, plug in the Archos
adapter/charger to make sure the batteries get charged.
• If you accidentally hold the PLAY/ON button on, once it has already started, you will
send the screen image to the video out port and the screen will go blank. Hold the
PLAY/ON button again for 3 seconds to switch back to the built-in screen.
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2.3 Shutting off the AV300 and Battery saving features
To shut off the unit, press and hold the STOP/ESC/OFF button "for 3 seconds.
In the Power menu [Setup
!
!!
! Power] there is an auto shutdown parameter. It is factory
set to 2 minutes. Thus, if your AV300 is idle for 2 minutes, it will shut off. This setting
can be changed from one to nine minutes or to ‘never’ shut down automatically.
In the Power menu [Setup
!
!!
! Power] there is an auto screen-off parameter to save
battery power (the lighting of the screen consumes a lot of the battery power). It is
factory set to 30 seconds. That is, if there are no buttons pressed, the screen will shut
off in order to save battery life. To bring the screen back to life, just click once on any button. This
setting can be changed from 10 seconds to 110 seconds or to ‘never’ shut off the screen.
2.4 Changing the Language
The AV320 interface can be set to English (default), French, or German.
• To change the language, move the joystick to Setup and then click PLAY/ENTER !.
• Then move with the joystick to System and click PLAY/ENTER !.
• Using the joystick move down to highlight ‘Language’
• Now move the joystick to the Right or Left to choose the desired language.
• Choose French, German, or English.
• The language displayed will change immediately.
• Click on the STOP/ESC button "to exit this screen
2.5 Charging the Batteries
Use ONLY an Archos charger/adapter that is specified for the AV300. Other chargers or adapters
may damage the AV300. The green CHG indicator lights up to indicate that the external adapter is
connected. The batteries will charge automatically when the AC adapter/charger is plugged in.
This light will stay on even when the batteries are fully charged. You should charge the AV300 for
four hours (without use) or six hours (using it while charging) to get a full charge. Once charged,
you can get up to 10 hours* of MP3 music playback time and up to 3 ½ hours* of AVI video
playback time (on the built-in screen) from the batteries. The AV300 is made with integrated
batteries which are designed to last for the life of the AV300. This means that you will not have to
change them. If, in the exceptional case, the batteries need changing, this should only be done by
an Archos technician.
* depending on how much manipulation the user does while the AV is playing

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2.6 Caring for the AV300
The Archos Video AV300 is an electronic product that needs to be treated with more care than
typical consumer electronic products.
• Do not subject it to shock.
• Do not subject it to heat. Be careful that the surface it is on, is a flat clear surface.
Placing the AV300 on a pillow, blanket, or carpet will restrict the necessary ventilation
that it needs. This increase in operating temperature may cause damage to the device.
• Keep the AV300 away from water and excessively humid areas.
• Keep the AV300 away from high electromagnetic fields.
• Keep any connected cords to the AV300 neatly arranged. This light product could fall if
a cord is accidentally pulled by a child.
• Keep it plugged into the AC adapter/charge when it is connected to your computer.
2.7 Update your AV300 software
Please check the ARCHOS website (www.archos.com) then click on Download / Software to see
if a more recent version of the Operating System (OS) is available. The most recent version will
include newer features and bug fixes. This can be freely downloaded. Your current OS version can
be found under Setup
! System ! Firmware Version. See the section of this manual entitled
“Updating the AV300 Operating System” for instructions on how to do the updating.
2.8 Hardware Reset
In the case that your AV300 freezes operation (due to electrostatic phenomena for example), you
can actuate a hardware reset by holding down on the STOP/ESC button "for 10 seconds. In
normal operation, the STOP/ESC button "will shut down the AV300 after being held down for 3
seconds.
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3 Playing MP3 music
When you click on this icon in the main screen, you will be sent directly to the
Music folder. This is a filtered access to browse the Music directory. That is, you
will only see audio files types that are playable on the AV300. All other file types
that may exist in this directory will be filtered from view. Use the Joystick to
highlight one of the factory installed music selections and then Click on PLAY !. If you hear
nothing at first, make sure you have adjusted the volume control on the headphone cord.
*If the MP3 file contains these ID3 tag data
What the Icons indicate
Play Status Play Order Play Mode
Stopped (no icon) Play once See section 3.4
Playing a track Repeat playing
Current track is
paused
Shuffle (Random)
track selection
Recording a track
Current Directory Play Order Play Mode: One Directory Status: Playing Volume (maximum:31)
Artist* or parent folder
Album* or current folder
Song title* or file name
VU Meter
Relative location in the track
Song elapsed time
Song time remaining
Song Length
Battery level (Charging)
Time of Day
File format and rec info
*APIC Album picture
Joystick action indicator
Left: previous track/rew
Right: next track/fast fwd
Up: increase Volume
Down: decrease Volume
Go to setup options Show current Playlist Browse the hard drive for other tracks

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3.1 Playing through your HiFi system
On your HiFi there are two RCA type connectors that are labeled Aux in, CD in, or Line-in.
Typically they are color coded white and red for left and right stereo channels respectively.
Connect the white and red leads of the supplied AV cable to these connectors. Do
not connect the yellow lead. Connect the other end to Audio Out on the top of the
AV300.
On the front of your stereo, select the corresponding auxiliary input or CD input that you plugged
into on the back of your HiFi system. Press Play and then adjust the AV300 volume (Joystick
Up/Down) in order to supply your stereo system with a signal that is neither too weak nor too
strong. If the sound is distorted, you will need to reduce the AV300’s volume.
If you have a stereo system that has a digital SPDIF in connection (standard, not optical) you can
connect the included AV cable to the AUDIO IN / SPDIF jack on the top of the AV300 and then
connect the yellow connector to your stereo’s SPDIF in jack.
3.2 ID3 Tags
ID3 Tags are information about the recording which is located inside of an MP3 music file. When
someone creates an MP3 music file, he or she has the option of adding information to it. This
information can include, among other things, the name of the artist (Wes Burden), the album name
(Brave New World), the title of the song (Mirror), and a small image of
the album cover (only jpeg images not progressive jpeg) . If these data
are present, the AV300 will display them on the screen when it plays the
file. If they are not present, then the AV300 will display in order, the
name of the parent folder, the name of the current folder, and then the name of the file.
As of the writing of this manual, there are two versions of ID3 tags that are firmly established
standards, ID3 version 1 and ID3 version 2. Your AV300 can read either version of tags, and
display the information. If both sets of tags have information, the data from the ID3 version 2 tag
will be displayed. Other tag information may include composer, year, genre of music, etc. These
other tag data are not currently used by the AV300. If you would like to add ID3 tag data such as
an album cover graphic or change the current tags in a current MP3 file, you can use the supplied
MusicMatch™ program to do so.
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3.3 Changing the sound settings
If you would like to customize the sound quality, you can adjust the Bass, Treble, and other audio
settings to suit your particular taste.
• Click on STOP/ESC "to return to the main AV300 menu.
• Move the joystick to highlight Setup and click on PLAY !.
• Move the joystick in the Setup screen to highlight Sound.
• Click PLAY !. The Sound settings screen will appear.
• Use Left and Right to change a parameter’s value. If music is currently playing, you
will hear the sound change as you adjust values.
• Use Up and Down on the joystick to select a different parameter.
• Click on STOP/ESC "when finished.
The Sound Parameters
Parameter Description
Volume 32 levels of volume (0-31).
Bass 10 levels. Decreases or Increases the low frequencies.
Treble 10 levels. Decreases or Increases the high frequencies.
Loudness 10 levels. Increases the low mid frequencies
Balance 10 levels. Favors the right or left channel of the Stereo signal
Bass Boost 10 levels. Increases the very low frequencies
Pitch 15 levels. Decreases or Increases the music playback speed.
Reset button Readjusts all settings to a flat frequency response

15
3.4 Changing the PlayMode
If you would like the AV300 to play through an entire folder of songs, set it to choose
songs at random (shuffle), or any of the other playing options, you can set these
parameters in the PlayMode settings.
• Click on STOP/ESC "to return to the AV300 main menu.
• Move joystick to highlight Setup and click on PLAY !.
• Move the joystick in the Setup screen to highlight PlayMode.
• Highlight one of the five PlayModes and click on PLAY !to check that option.
• With the Repeat & Shuffle setting, choose if the
songs are to be played in order, repeated or shuffled.
• The Bookmark, if set to ON will give you the option
to mark your place in a video or music file, and return
to it next time your turn on your AV300. While
playing a video, for example, click on pause !and
then on Stop ". The AV300 will ask you if you
would like to set a book mark. Next time you turn on
the AV300, you will be asked if you would like to continue playing from your
bookmark.
• Picture Pause sets the amount of time paused between pictures in the slideshow
mode.
Play Mode
AV300 is currently playing from a Playlist
Folder: Play all tracks in the current directory
All: Play all tracks on AV300
Single: Play a single track then stop
Queue: User can queue the next track to be played †
Scan: AV300 plays first 15 seconds of each track††
16
†Queue Mode: While the current song is playing, click on Navigate, find the next song you want to play, then
click Play. This is your queued song. You can only queue one song at a time. See the Playlist section to
prepare multiple songs to play. Once the current track is finished playing, your queued track will be played. If
you do not queue another track at this time, the AV300 will play the next song in the directory.
††Scan Mode: Each track in the directory is played for 15 seconds. This allows a quick sample of each song. If
you want to play the whole song, click on the Play button during those first 15 seconds. The AV300 will then
revert to single directory mode and play the rest of the songs in the directory without scanning.
3.5 Playlist Creation and Running
Playing a Playlist
A Playlist is a list of songs that the AV300 will automatically play one after
the other. The AV300 can load one Playlist at a time into its internal
memory. You can create new Playlists, add or delete songs from a Playlist, or
Save a Playlist as a file (file type .m3u) to be used another time. There is no
limit to the number of Playlists you can save on the AV300 hard drive.
Playlists are indicated by a special list icon (circled icon to the left). To play a Playlist, you simply
scroll to the Playlist, such as ‘Jazz Music’ shown to the left, and click on Play. The list of songs
will be loaded into the internal memory of the AV300 and then be displayed in a separate browser
window.
Important: Once you save a Playlist it is important that you do not move the actual MP3 files as
the Playlist searches in the original file location. If you need to move your MP3 files to a different
folder, you'll have to recreate your Playlist.
Click on PLAY/ON !and the songs will be played
in the order shown. To shuffle the music entries in
a random order, you can click on Playlist, then
choose Shuffle. You can open a Playlist file
(Playlistname.m3u) on your computer with a text
editor such as Notepad, and you will see that it is merely a list of files to be played along with the
hard disk path to find them. If you delete a Playlist from your AV300, you are only deleting the
list and not the music itself.
Example of the contents of the .m3u Playlist file
‘Jazz Music’.

17
Creating a Playlist
To create a Playlist, you start by adding songs to the empty Playlist. When you turn on the AV300,
the Playlist is empty. You can verify that it is empty by taking a look at the current contents of the
Playlist. To do this, first click on the main menu
Music icon. Move the joystick to the right and the
Playlist Browser window will appear (the double
browser feature). You will then see the contents
of your current Playlist. Push the joystick to the
left and the left window will become active. You
can jump back and forth between these two
windows by pushing the joystick to the left or
right. In the left window, search for the songs you
would like to add to your Playlist. Once found,
click on the center function button, Add, and the highlighted song will be added to the Playlist.
Continue searching and adding songs in this manner until you are satisfied. A Playlist has a
maximum of 5000 songs that can be added. We recommend that you save your Playlists.
Saving a Playlist
It is recommended that each time you create a
Playlist, you save it to a separate folder called
Playlists. These lists take very little space on your
hard drive and if well named, give you easy access
to your favorite songs. Go to the Playlist by
selecting Music from the main menu and then push
the joystick to the right. You will then see the list
of songs in the current Playlist. Click the top
function button then choose Save. You will then be
able to give the Playlist file a name. To use the
virtual keyboard, see section 4.3 Using the Virtual Keyboard.
Move – Allows you to change the place in the list of a given song. Just click on Move and then
use the joystick to move the song up or down the list.
Delete – Will delete the song from the Playlist. It will not delete the actual song itself from your
hard drive, just from the current Playlist.
18
3.6 Adding songs to a Playlist while listening to Music
This can only be done if you have entered your music folder via the Music filter and not by the
general browser. To add the song you are listening to or any other song to the current Playlist, do
the following:
• Click on Playlist. The Playlist will open.
• Push the joystick to the left to go to the hard drive browser.
• Select song or folder of songs to add, then click button for Add.
• Click ESC "twice to return to the playing screen.
3.7 Creating and Using Playlists with MusicMatch™
You can use the included MusicMatch™ program to create
Playlists that you can then save to your AV300. ATTENTION:
Before creating a Playlist, make sure you are choosing mp3
files from your AV300 and not mp3 music files from your
computer’s hard disk! If you created your Playlists from MP3
files that are on the AV300, then you can simply transfer these
Playlists to the AV300. That is, the AV300 must have been connected to the computer and the
files in your Playlist must be files that are on the AV300’s hard drive. If you copy a Playlist which
requests MP3 files from your computer’s hard drive, C: for example, then the AV300 naturally
will not have that file locally on its hard drive to play. Connect your AV300 to your computer and
make your Playlists from files on the AV300 with MusicMatch™. Save your Playlist. Next, copy
(or drag and drop) the .m3u Playlist files to your AV300 using Windows™ Explorer. You will
find all your MusicMatch™ saved Playlists in the directory
C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\Playlist\Default\
Copy the desired Playlist or Playlists from this directory to a your directory of choice on the
AV300 (we suggest the folder “Playlists”). Once the AV300 is disconnected from the computer,
locate the Playlist file and click on PLAY !to see it. Click once again on PLAY !to start
playing it.

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3.8 Using a Playlist from iTunes™
For Macintosh users who would like to create iTunes™ Playlists on the AV300, a special plug-in
has been developed. You will find it on the included CD-ROM in a folder called iTunes™ plug-in.
In this folder you will find a plug-in for Mac OS 9.x and another one for Mac OS 10.x. You will
also find a .JPG image illustrating where you need to copy the plug-in to. Once this is done,
iTunes™ will recognize the AV300 as a ‘Device’. When you create your Playlists with iTunes, it
will now save these Playlists to the root directory of your AV300. Disconnect the AV300 from
your computer and then simply click Play on the Playlist that iTunes™ has created for you.
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4 Using the Browser
The browser is used to navigate the file system on the AV300. The file system is
FAT32, the same type of file system that is found on Windows®based computers.
That is, it is a hierarchical system which includes folders and subfolders. Because
you will be putting hundreds of files on your AV300, it is STRONGLY ADVISED
that keep a neat and orderly file structure. Otherwise, you will be spending time searching for files
and not listening or watching them. We suggest that on the first level of your file structure, you
include the folders: Data, Music, Playlists, Photo, Video, and Voice.
The folders Music, Photo, and Video
are special folders in that the icons on
the main screen lead to these folders
and then places you directly in that
folder. If it is not there, you will be placed at the root level (highest level) of the directory
hierarchy.
4.1 Navigating the Directory Structure
Just below the top status bar, you can see the path
to the directory you are currently viewing.
To navigate the directory structure you will use:
ENTER !Open the highlighted folder (directory) or Play the highlighted file.
ESC/STOP "Go back to the main startup menu
Go to the parent directory (go back up one level)
Move the cursor up and down to the previous or next file or folder.

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4.2 File and Folder Operations
Depending on where you are in the directory system, you will have the option to manipulate files
and folders.
File Operations Folder Operations
Info: Show file information such as song length, video length, photo size, number of kilobytes
used of hard drive space, date file was made, etc.
Delete: Delete the file permanently from the AV300. (Before it is deleted, the AV300 will ask
“Do you really want to delete this file? Yes/No.” For folder, it will delete the entire contents of the
folder. It will ask “Do you really want to delete folder X and all files therein? Yes/No.”
Rename: Change the name of the file or folder to something new. You will be sent to the virtual
keyboard (see the next section 4.3) to enter the new file or folder name.
Create: Create a new folder in the current level of the directory. You will be sent to the virtual
keyboard (see the next section 4.3) to enter the new folder name. There is a limit of 1000 files per
folder.
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Copying and Moving Files and Folders
By using the unique Archos double browser system, you can copy or move files from one location
in the file structure to another (caution: there is a limit of 1000 files per folder maximum). You
simply move the joystick to the right, and a second browser window will open. The double
browser can be used in:
Photo View: Left browser is a plugged-in memory card and right browser the AV300 hard drive.
Music View: Left browser is the AV300 hard drive and right browser the music Playlist.
Browser View: Two browser windows to browse two different parts of the AV300 hard drive.
In the Browser mode, you can jump between the two windows using the left and right of the
joystick. Where the cursor is highlighting a file or folder, that window is the source for the copy.
The destination folder will be the other window. For example, we want to copy the file Project
X.doc from the HD/Data/Files from Work folder to the HD/Data/Backed up Files folder. We
must start from the main screen Browser mode.
1) Locate the file to copy. 2) Push the joystick to the right to open a new
browser window.
3) Push the joystick to the right again to
move over to the right browser and find
the desired destination folder.
4) Move back to the left browser, highlight the
file to copy, and select copy from the file menu.
The file will be copied to the folder in the right
browser. Entire folders can also be copied or
moved in this same manner.

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4.3 Using the Virtual Keyboard
It is recommended that you create folders and rename files or folders from your computer when it
is connected to the AV300. The computer keyboard is much easier. Often times, however, you are
not near your computer and you must enter the text directly with the AV300. For this, the virtual
keyboard screen will appear.
The new text that you are typing in. Cursor.
Confirmation to use the entered text. Backspace button
Each key has an upper
case and lower case
character. Currently in
lower case mode.
Press ENTER !
to enter the
highlighted key.
Change keyboard
between upper case and
lower case
Note: If you are renaming a file, it will keep its previous extension type ex: songX.mp3. You will
only be able to change the songX name, not the .mp3 extension.
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5 Connecting/Disconnecting the AV300
Note that when the AV300 is connected to a computer, it will use more energy than usual. Your
battery power will be consumed at a higher rate than normal. If the AV300 looses power while
connected to your computer you could damage it and/or loose data. Thus, you should always use
the AC adapter when connected to your computer. Be careful to understand the disconnection
procedure also since disconnecting incorrectly can lead to data loss or computer/AV300 freeze up.
The AV300 is not compatible with Windows®NT, Windows®95, or Windows®98 (first edition).
While connected as a hard disk to your computer, the AV300 buttons are blocked and are no
longer functional.
5.1 Connecting the AV300
1) Use the power adapter to prevent the AV300 from shutting off due to low
power. (This could cause damage to the contents of the hard drive if not done.)
2) Plug the USB cable into your running computer.
3) Turn on the AV300 – wait until it completely boots up.
4) Plug the other end of cable into your now running AV300.
Macintosh™ OS 9.X
You must update your operating system to a minimum of version 9.2.
Once done, you will not need any special drivers or extensions. You
simply plug the AV300 into your Macintosh as listed above, and within
a few seconds, the AV300 will be recognized as a mass storage device
and mount on the desktop. You can now use the Hard drive called
JUKEBOX like any other hard drive.
Macintosh™ OS X
We highly recommend that you update to Macintosh OS 10.2.4 or later. If you have Mac OS X
before the 10.2 upgrade, you will find that version 10.1 will mount the AV300 as a hard drive on
your desktop, but ONLY after a very long wait, up to 10 minutes. Version 10.0 of OS X does not
have the ability to properly recognize a mass storage device such as the AV300.

25
Macintosh™ OS X (10.2 Jaguar and newer)
If you have OS 10.2, you must update to version 10.2.4 or newer. This
is a free update from Apple®Computer. You will not require any
special installation of software drivers or extensions. You simply plug
the AV300 into your Macintosh as listed above, and within a few
seconds, the AV300 will be recognized as a mass storage device and
mount on the desktop. You can now use the Hard drive called
JUKEBOX like any other hard drive.
Windows™ ME, 2000, XP (Home/professional)
When connected, the AV300 will be recognized as a
Mass Storage Device and mount automatically within
a few seconds of being connected. Do not use the
drivers on the CD-ROM, those are for Windows98SE.
You will see a new drive letter, such as E: in My
Computer called JUKEBOX. You can now use the
Hard drive called JUKEBOX like any other hard drive.
Simply access it using Windows™ Explorer to drag
and drop files to and from the AV300’s hard disk. If it
is not automatically recognized, please refer to the
troubleshooting section at the back of this manual.
Windows®98SE
When you first plug an AV300 into a computer running Window™ 98SE, it will recognize the
hardware and ask to have drivers installed. Carefully follow the instructions below. After
installation of the drivers, you will be able to drag and drops file between your computer and the
AV300 using Windows®Explorer. Be careful also to understand the correct disconnection
procedure in section 5.2. Incorrect disconnection can cause your computer to freeze or you may
loose data.
26
1. Windows 98SE has recognized a new piece
of hardware (the AV300) and starts its wizard.
Click on Next.
2. Click on the button Search for the best
driver. Open up the CD tray on your
computer and insert the included Archos
CD-ROM and then close the tray. Now click
on Next.
3. Uncheck all of the checked boxes, and then
check the box Specify a location. Type in the
drive letter of your CD player (usually D: or E:)
followed by \Drivers. Click on Next and
Windows will then load the correct drivers.
4. Windows will now copy from the CD to
your computer’s hard drive, all the files it
needs to make the USB connection
operational. Click on Next to tell Windows
to install the driver.
5. Windows will indicate when it has
finished copying the drivers. Click on
Finish. Do not unplug the AV300 from the
computer yet.
Once finished, you should restart your
computer. Upon restart, it will automatically
recognize the connected device (the
AV300). It will be seen as another drive in
Windows®Explorer.

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5.2 Disconnecting the AV300 from your Computer
WARNING: You must properly remove (unmount) your AV300 from the computer
before disconnecting the USB cable to avoid loss of data or freezing the computer
and/or the AV300.
DO NOT SIMPLY PULL OUT THE USB CABLE AT ANY TIME!
Windows®
To safely unmount the AV300 hard drive, click on the system tray remove icon (green arrow as
shown below) and follow the instructions. Wait until you get a message saying that you can safely
unplug the device before disconnecting the USB cable. Attention: The operating system will not
allow you to safely disconnect the Multimedia AV300 if you have an open file from it in a running
application. You will have to close all open AV300 files in any running application. Sometimes,
even when files are closed in an application, you will have to shut down the application. Using the
green disconnect arrow in the system tray will then allow you to safely disconnect the AV300.
1. The safe remove icon is in the system tray next to clock.
Windows®XP Windows®98SE Windows®2000 & Windows®ME
2. Click on the icon to Eject (unmount) AV300 from computer and select the ‘Safely remove’
message.
Windows®XP Windows®98SE
3. There will be a message indicating that it is now safe to disconnect the AV300. You can now go
ahead and unplug the USB cable from the AV300.
Windows®XP Windows®98SE
Note: Hitachi_DK23DA-20 only indicates the type of hard disk used inside of the AV300.
28
Macintosh®
Drag the AV300 hard drive icon towards the trashcan, the trashcan will
become a big arrow as shown in the screen shot to the left (Mac OS 9.x
will still retain the trashcan icon. This is OK, don’t worry.) Drop the hard
drive icon onto the arrow (or trashcan). The hard disk icon will disappear
from the desktop. You can now safely unplug the USB cable from your
AV300 and computer.

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6 Recording MP3 Music
With the AV 300 series, you do not need a computer to create MP3 music files. It is capable of
recording from the built-in microphone, an external dynamic microphone, an analog line source (
from a HiFi system, Boombox, CD Player, etc.), or from a digital SPDIF audio source. Before the
actual recording begins, there is a pre-recording screen which will allow you to adjust your
recording settings before the actual recording begins.
1. From the home screen, select
AudioCorder then click on ENTER/GO !.
2. In the pre-recording screen, adjust the
recording level* by nudging the joystick to the
right or left. Click on the bottom function
button to start recording. Attention, first time
recording you should adjust your Settings.
3. You can click on Settings to reveal the
recording parameters screen as shown
above. Be sure to set the correct Source.
You will hear silence during recording and
playback if the incorrect source is chosen.
4. Once you have clicked on the Start button,
you can pause the recording by clicking the
same function button (now labelled Pause), or
stop the recording by clicking on the STOP "
button.
* You should try some test recordings before deciding on which recording level gives the best sound quality.
Don’t be tricked by the volume of the headphones which can be adjusted by moving the joystick up and down.
30
Microphone
The built-in microphone is located on the top of the AV300 unit next to the audio input jack. Make
sure that you have selected Microphone as the input source in the pre-recording Settings screen.
External Microphone
If you would like to use your own external microphone, you can do so by choosing this setting.
For best results, the external microphone should be a dynamic microphone with an impedance of
300 ohms. Make sure that you have selected External Mic as the input source in the pre-recording
Settings screen. This method is preferable over the built-in microphone as the built-in one can pick
up the noise of the internal hard drive.
Analog Line-In
You can record from any line-level audio source to the Line-in jack on the top side of the AV300.
Use the included stereo cable (Red/Right and White/Left) to connect to your Hifi system, home
CD player, etc. Do not connect the yellow connector to anything. To record from a source such as
a portable CD player, you will need to buy a cable with mini-jack (3.5mm) male connectors on
both sides. Be careful that the source audio is supplying a line level and not an amplified signal
(usually turning down the volume on the player will work). An amplified signal will make for a
terribly distorted recording. Make sure that you have selected Analog Line-In as the input source
in the pre-recording Setup screen. You can also use a high quality pre-amplified microphone, such
as the one Archos sells as an option.
Digital Input (SPDIF)
The digital input is for SPDIF enabled audio devices. The AV300 runs the wire based protocol
(not optical). To record or play via the SPDIF digital audio connection, you will use the cable
delivered with the Jukebox. Place it in the LINE-IN jack. The yellow RCA connector works as
both the IN and the OUT. You will have to swap this from the SPDIF IN and OUT on your SPDIF
enabled audio system as needed.
Incremental Recording
While recording, you will notice the center function button labeled Next. This allows you to create
incremental recordings. That is, the current recording stops and a new recording instantly begins.
The next recording has an additional number appended to its name. Thus if you create multiple
incremental recordings, you might, for example, have files names of REC0000_01, REC0000_02,
etc. This is good for recording old cassettes and old vinyl records. You can click on the Next
button during the blank space between each song. That way, each song of the vinyl disk or audio
cassette will be one single MP3 file.

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6.1 Bit Rate Table & Sample Rates
Average bit rates for Recording Quality Parameter* Available Sampling
Rates
Line-in (44.1 Khz Stereo
Music) Microphone (22.05 Khz voice) 48 kHz
Setting 0 78 kb/s 39 kb/s 44.1 kHz
Setting 1 81 kb/s 41 kb/s 32 kHz
Setting 2 87 kb/s 43 kb/s 24 kHz
Setting 3 95 kb/s 47 kb/s** 22.05 kHz
Setting 4 117 kb/s 60 kb/s 16 kHz
Setting 5 144 kb/s** 77 kb/s
Setting 6 165 kb/s 107 kb/s
Setting 7 166 kb/s 131 kb/s
* These figures are averages because the Jukebox Multimedia
uses Variable Bit Rate (VBR) recording. Depending on the type of
music or voice you record, the actual bit rates will vary slightly.
** Suggested Settings
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7 Settings
7.1 Sound Settings
Used to adjust the bass, treble, bass boost, loudness, balance, etc. See section 3.3
7.2 Play Mode and Play Order Settings
Use to determine which songs get played and in what order. See section 3.4
7.3 Clock Settings
The AV300 has an internal real time clock. The time of day
is shown on the top right of the screen in either 24 hour or
12 hour display mode. To set it, go to Setup then select Clock.
Choose parameter Choose Value for
highlighted parameter
When finished setting the parameters, move down to the Set button, then click on the ENTER/GO
button !. The clock time and date are now set. Click on the STOP/ESC button "to go back to
the main settings menu.

33
7.4 Display Settings
These settings regulate how and where the screen image is displayed.
Parameter Description
Language The Jukebox Multimedia can be set to English (default), French, or
German.
TV Standard NTSC (USA), PAL (Europe). In order to view images or videos on an
external television, select one option to send the video signal compatible
with your country’s television system. Countries other than European or
American will use one of these two systems.
Video Output Internal LCD or External TV. To display via the built-in LCD screen or
to view the display via an external television. Use the included
combination audio/video cable to connect the AV300 to a television.
Holding the ON button for three seconds will also alternate between these
two options. Be sure your television is selecting the correct external input.
Video X Pos. -15 to 15. To displace images or videos on the television screen to the left
or right.
Video Y Pos. -15 to 15. To displace images or videos on the television screen up or
down.
LCD Brightness 0, 1, 2. The 3 brightness levels for the built-in LCD screen.
34
7.5 Power Settings
These settings will help you to save battery power.
You can set the AV300 to conserve power for both modes of operation (when it is running off the
battery, or when it is connected to the AC charger/adapter (DC-Power operation).
Parameter Description
Power Off 1-9, Never. Values 1 – 9 represent the number of minutes of user inactivity
(no buttons pressed) before the AV300 shuts off. During the playback of
MP3 and AVI files, this setting takes effect only after the files are finished
playing.
Backlight Off 1-11, Never. These values represent 10 – 110 seconds of user inactivity
(no buttons pressed) before the AV300 turns off the screen to conserve
power. During the playback of AVI files, this setting only takes effect once
the file is finished playing.
Hard drive 1-11, Never. These values represent 10-110 seconds from the time of the
last file access before the AV300 tells the internal hard drive to stop
turning. The longer this time is set, the more often the hard disk is turning
and the quicker the response time when accessing files. However, as it is
set longer, it will quickly consume your battery. Caution: This setting
should only be changed by experienced users.
A typical use of these settings is to set the power off, screen off, and Hard drive to low values
when used in battery mode. When the power adapter is plugged in, you do not need to conserve
energy and thus keeping the Power on and the Backlight on makes using the AV300 more
agreeable. Increasing the Hard drive value beyond the default may actually discharge the battery
even when the Charger/adapter is plugged in. Note also that your unit will run hotter when the
backlight and hard drive are on for long periods of time.

35
7.6 System Settings
The System settings allow you control over the low level parameters.
The list below explains each of the settings.
Parameter Description
Show all files Off (default), On. If Off, the Jukebox will only display the file names of
file types, with their corresponding icons, that it knows how to play. If set
to On, the Jukebox will display the names of ALL the files on the hard
drive (using a ? icon for unknown types), even if they cannot be viewed or
played, such as .tif or .pdf for example. This setting is important when the
Jukebox is used with the memory card reader add-ons. Setting it to ON will
allow the Jukebox to transfer all the files from the card media regardless of
file type. If set to OFF, it will only read file types that the AV300 is
capable of playing.
Middle Joystick Off (default), On. When set to On, pressing straight down on the joystick
while it is in the center position will give the same results as pressing the
ENTER/GO !button.
DSP Frequency Standard, Overclock (yellow), Overclock (red). This setting controls the
speed of the internal Digital Signal Processor which displays video images.
The Standard frequency is fine for most all applications and is guaranteed
to be a stable operating environment. If you have a large video image
640x368 or larger for example, increasing the DSP speed to overclock
yellow or overclock red could increase the smoothness of the playback and
help reduce any visual compression artifacts. Overclocking, as with PCs in
general, is not guaranteed to always work and could in some instances
hang a video or overheat the DSP and force a thermal power off condition.
The majority of users need only to use the Standard setting.
Remote Control See instructions in the DVR 100 user manual
Update Firmware Used to update the Jukebox Multimedia to a new version of the Operating
System. See section 4.5 below on how to do this.
Firmware Version Displays the current version of the Operating System (OS).
Hard Disk Displays amount of free space and used space.
Hard Disk Serial no. Displays the serial number of the internal hard drive.
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7.7 Updating the AV300 Firmware Operating System (OS)
Archos periodically updates the Operating System (OS) and makes it available for free download
on the ARCHOS web site (www.archos.com). Updates to the Operating System include new
features, feature improvements, and bug fixes. You should check to make sure that you are
running the most recent version of the OS. Each time the AV300 starts up, the OS version is
displayed on the screen (example: OS Version 1.1) on the bottom right. You will find the most
recent version of the OS and its version number at our web site under the category Software.

37
Download the CJBM.AJZ file
When you click on the link to download the new OS
file( the file name is CJBM.AJZ ), your browser may
warn you that the contents of the download may harm
your computer. This is because the Windows®system
does not know what a .AJZ file is. Be assured that
Archos has made every effort to ensure that the file
does not contain viruses. Click on the option Save to
download this file to a convenient place, such as My
Documents, in order to later copy this file to your
AV300. If your AV300 is connected to your PC, you can even save it directly to the AV300.
Read the History.txt File
You will also find next to the firmware download, a text file (Firmware History.txt) which details
the list of changes from the previous version of the OS.
Copy to AV300 root and Update
When updating your Operating System, you must keep the AC charger/adapter plugged into the
AV300 so that it will not shut down due to low batteries while you are performing the update.
Connect your AV300 to your computer (see chapter 5), and then copy the CJBM.AJZ file to the
root directory of the AV300. The root directory is the top most level of the directory hierarchy.
Just drag this .AJZ file onto the AV300 Hard drive in your file manager and it will place it in the
top most directory. If there is already an older version of the CJBM.AJZ file on your AV300,
Windows® will ask if you want to overwrite the current file. Click on Yes. Once this file is
copied, safely disconnect the AV300 from the computer (see chapter 5).
Next, go to the system parameters and then scroll down to Update
Firmware and click on it. The AV300 will search for the .AJZ file and
will ask you to click Yes, to start the update. Follow the on-screen
instructions. When completed, the AV300 will restart itself and you will see the new OS version
displayed on the bottom right of the screen.
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8 Playing MPEG4 Video Files
The AV300 series can play video files of sizes up to 640 by 368 pixels in European
standard. The AV300 will not directly play files of type .mov, .mpg, .mpeg, nor .avi files
created with codecs other than XviD and DivX™. If you have some of these other file
types that you would like to view on your AV300, you must use the software on the included CD
to re-encode them into the proper XviD or DivX™ MP4 with an MP3 sound stream. See chapter 9
for more details.
Like a music file, you simply select the file from
the Browser mode and then click on PLAY/GO !.
To send the video signal out to a television, first
connect the supplied A/V cable to your television’s
auxiliary inputs. The yellow lead of the cable is the
video signal, the Red for Right stereo and White
for left stereo. Switch your television to auxiliary
video input (often found just below channel 1 –
sometimes called L1 or L2). Press and hold the
Play button for three seconds. The built-in AV320
screen will go blank and a video signal will be sent out to the television. If you don’t see a clear
image, you may have to set your AV320 to your local television standard.
You will have to stop your video and go to the Display Settings in the
Setup menu. Click on Display, then select NTSC for North American
televisions or PAL for European televisions. Press and hold the ON
button !for 4 seconds to switch back to viewing on the built-in screen.
While viewing a video file, you can:
• Use the Play/Go button to pause/unpause the video
• Use the Joystick Up/Down to control the volume
• Use the Joystick Right/Left to fast forward or fast rewind through the video
• Click a function button to display time information about the currently running video.

39
9 Creating MPEG4 Video Files
How to create an MPEG4 video file
Please understand that video re-encoding is not always a simple one button process. Video
segments that come from your digital camcorder or which are freely available on the Internet are
encoded in many different ways. If not already in the proper MPEG4 Simple Profile format,
transforming these videos into this format readable by the AV300 requires use of the below
mentioned software tools. This is due to the relatively new nature of the ISO (International
Standards Organization) MPEG4 video format. Unlike its predecessors MPEG1 and MPEG2,
there are a number of levels in this format and thus not all MPEG4 video files will work on all
MPEG4 players, and older MPEG1 and MPEG2 files must be re-encoded into this format.
Although you may have a bit of a learning curve in the initial re-encoding of video files, once you
have the process down, it is just a matter of letting your PC or Mac go to work and create video
files for playing on your AV300.
Another, much simpler method to create MPEG4 videos, is to use the
Archos DVR 100 optional add-on as shown to the left. It is a device
that clicks into the expansion port of the AV300 and allows you to
record a video source just like a video cassette recorder (VCR) by
connecting a cable between your video source (TV/VCR) and the
AV300. This method does not require any re-encoding or that you
install the above mentioned software. See the instructions that come with the DVR 100 for an
explanation on how to connect it and make recordings with it.
ATTENTION: You should also take care to understand the copyright laws
for your country and/or jurisdiction. Commercially produced video materials
are typically copyright protected and your legal right to copy such material
may be limited or restricted. Please see a law professional if you are unsure.
PC Tools
The AV320 is delivered with a CD-ROM that includes two PC based programs that allow you to
create MP4 Simple Profile .AVI video files. They are the MP4 Translator and Virtual Dub™. The
MP4 Translator will call the Virtual Dub program and give it the correct parameters to encode
your video from its original format, .avi or .mpg (mpeg 1), and then encode it into a DivX™ based
MP4 .AVI file. The file will be up to 640x368 pixels in resolution in order to be played back
40
properly. Only MP4 files encoded with DivX™ or XviD can be played on the AV300. If the
DivX™ codec is not on the included CD-ROM, please visit the web site of DivXNetworks, Inc
(www.divx.com) to download version 4.0 or 5.0 of this codec. This is a free codec. This will
allow your PC to create DivX™ type videos which play on your AV300. You will also need an
MP3 audio codec (available freely on the Internet) in order to create the proper sound track for the
movie.
Macintosh Users
Until recently, the Macintosh user community did not have any tools to create DivX™ simple
profile MPEG4 video files. There is now a free tool available at the DivX™Networks web site
which will allow you to create DivX™ simple profile files with your Macintosh that are playable
on the AV300. Attention: As of the writing of this manual, the MP3 encoder (which is necessary if
the original file is not encoded with an MP3 CBR sound track) is not free. There is a small charge
for this.
9.1 Installing the PC Software
If your video file is not an MPEG4 Simple Profile .avi file of the proper size, you will need to re-
encode it using the following utilities. For the AV300, you will need to create an AVI file that is
MPEG4 Simple Profile with a resolution of 640x480 (depending on frame rate) or smaller and a
sound track that is stereo MP3.
Please install the programs in the following order.
DivX™ Codec
This software will install the DivX™ Compression/Decompression onto your PC. You should shut
off any anti-virus programs when installing this or other codec software. This is not a program that
is run by itself. Rather, it installs background software which allows your computer to do high
quality video compression. This is the MPEG4 compressed video type that the AV300 knows how
to play. You can find this codec software, as well as an application that allows you to play DivX™
videos on your PC, at the web site www.divx.com. There are three versions of the software found
at their web site. You can choose the basic “free” version. This will give you the codec that you
will need. For Macintosh users, DivX™ re-encoding software is just in its infancy. Currently
DivXnetworks has released only a QuickTime™ decoder component, not an encoder.