View Full Version : For owners of the A2...
Can somebody put up some pictures of the A2 playing a video file. I've seen many pics of the screen but none of them show video being played.
I've also read that videos don't look as good as the AV500. Is there a really big difference in video quality versus the av500?
Thanx.
misticaudio
10-31-2005, 18:53
Follow this link and you'll see a "video review" of the A2 including the unit playing video.
http://www.pmpmaniac.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=2
Thanks. That video quality is beautiful. It's hard to believe that the av500 can possibly look better than that.
IronMonkey
10-31-2005, 20:19
Trust me, it doesnt =)
misticaudio
10-31-2005, 22:18
Thanks. That video quality is beautiful. It's hard to believe that the av500 can possibly look better than that.
The quality of the video is beautiful... The screen on the A2 ROCKS! But... the screen on the AV500 is simply brighter and more vibrant, doesn't mean it's better just posesses those qualities over the A2.
i have a question for u guys : can it play videos with AC-3 ACM or PCM audio or just mp3?
Thanks
misticaudio
10-31-2005, 22:29
i have a question for u guys : can it play videos with AC-3 ACM or PCM audio or just mp3?
Thanks
The A2 supports AC3 in all its glory, the AV500 does not...
Thanks mistic.
Now I'm even more excited about this little sucker!
variozin
10-31-2005, 23:25
why does the videos sounds weaker then audio files on my A2 ?:confused:
misticaudio
10-31-2005, 23:42
why does the videos sounds weaker then audio files on my A2 ?:confused:Could be that the original encoding of the sound portion of the video file was lower and not as "hot" as you would have liked.
johnny33
11-01-2005, 00:58
why does the videos sounds weaker then audio files on my A2 ?:confused:
i concur with misticaudio's comments above. :bigthumbs
The DVD that I recorded with X5 sounds considerably weaker when being played in A2, but when the same DVD file having been recorded directly by the A2, then being played back with A2, the sound quality comes back out as vibrant & crispy as it can get, with no crackling quality even when volume turned highest up
And A2 has got stereo output too.. :winker:
mintcheerios
11-01-2005, 02:19
The more I hear about the A2, the more it makes me want to get one. I don't think I can wait for the v43 any longer.
johnny33
11-01-2005, 03:09
Now I'm even more excited about this little sucker!
yeap, we all should be excited with this little sucker: Besides watchin' Lost, Amercian Top models, & Desperate Housewives while on my way to works daily, I read chapters of literature or gadget articles (havin' been scanned & words recognized by OCR software & saved as text docs in A2) while listening to my favorite MP3 on my way back home at the evening.
And the battery indicator not even moves a step lower (4 steps of indicator upon fully charged), after my watching 1 hour video + 1 hour MP3 & txt reading...
What's a wonderful life :bigsmile:
variozin
11-01-2005, 05:09
Johnny33
how do you record DVD on to A2 ? do u mean u put video output of the dvd player into A2 through "AV in" and record ?
misticaudio
11-01-2005, 05:10
yeap, we all should be excited with this little sucker: Besides watchin' Lost, Amercian Top models, & Desperate Housewives while on my way to works daily, I read chapters of literature or gadget articles (havin' been scanned & words recognized by OCR software & saved as text docs in A2) while listening to my favorite MP3 on my way back home at the evening.
And the battery indicator not even moves a step lower (4 steps of indicator upon fully charged), after my watching 1 hour video + 1 hour MP3 & txt reading...
What's a wonderful life :bigsmile:
As noted in our review over at PMP Maniac
http://www.pmpmaniac.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=45
With high quality encodes at 890kbps - 1100kbps we were able to acheive 7hrs. 35mins. of battery life or 3.5 full length movies on a single charge. Very Nice!
johnny33
11-01-2005, 07:55
Johnny33
how do you record DVD on to A2 ? do u mean u put video output of the dvd player into A2 through "AV in" and record ?
You already have got the answer yourself, variozin.:thumbsup:
Alternatively, you can plug in AV out of your VCR or TV tuner to records TV programs of Lost, Amercian Top Models, Desperate housewives too.
A2 has a timer function by which you can set the recording time of the start & end of any ONE (only one) of your favorite TV program.
I cant wait to watch the lotr trilogy on this thing where ever I go :bigsmile:
johnny33
11-01-2005, 20:18
I cant wait to watch the lotr trilogy on this thing where ever I go :bigsmile:
Lord of Ring Trilogy, Stars Wars Trilogy, & what have we here..... :bigsmile: :bigsmile:
variozin
11-01-2005, 23:01
misticaudio,
So how can I boost up the sound level in those video files ?
Would be nice if the A2 can do scheduled recording like the Archos.
When recording video using the A2, is there a limitation on the file size? I undertand that the Archos will automatically break the recording down into files of 2GB because of the limitation with FAT.
Thanks
johnny33
11-02-2005, 00:25
Would be nice if the A2 can do scheduled recording like the Archos.
A2 can do scheduled recording -- but only ONE schedule per recording session, while Archos can do multi-scheduling.
johnny33
11-02-2005, 00:30
When recording video using the A2, is there a limitation on the file size? I undertand that the Archos will automatically break the recording down into files of 2GB because of the limitation with FAT.
Thanks
Seems like A2 manual also telliing us about this 2GB limitation because of FAT size. But in actuality after I record 2 or 2.5 hour of DVD by A2, the resulting ASF file still turns out fine because the ASF isnt larger than 2G for a 2-hour movie.
Wonder if A2 records Lord of the Ring 9-hour Trilogy -- would it break the FAT barrier :winker:
I heard that the A2 has a screen protector over the LCD. Can it be removed?
johnny33
11-02-2005, 00:44
I heard that the A2 has a screen protector over the LCD. Can it be removed?
Yes it can be removed....I'm gonna get another better one like the Exim or A.R.M Kit screen protector for my A2 too :bigsmile:
is the A.R.M Kit screen protector clearer than the one that comes with the A2,
because I'm also thinking about buying that.
johnny33
11-02-2005, 01:12
is the A.R.M Kit screen protector clearer than the one that comes with the A2,
because I'm also thinking about buying that.
The older batch of A2's came with a flimsy & crappy screen protector covered on it, but last night I checked out the newer batch, the protector seems having been improved -- stronger & brighter & more transparent.
More to do with personal taste, but A.R.M. definitely better but it costs at least USD15-16 apiece...Perhaps you can decide after you buy your A2.
summerblink
11-02-2005, 08:33
A2 can do scheduled recording -- but only ONE schedule per recording session, while Archos can do multi-scheduling.
i wonder if this could be improved upon by a firmware upgrade . . . ?
Really hard to decide between the A2 and AV530
A2
- Longer battery life
- Better video format support
- Better carrying case
- Better sound
AV530
- Better display
- IR Remote control
- Multiple scheduled recording
- Basic video editing
mallrat68
11-02-2005, 13:10
add to that list,
A2
- subtitle support
- self contained connections (no need for the little flying saucer with ports like the AV500)
- text reader
AV530
- better recording quality, and more recording options
- removable battery
and from what I read about the screen of the A2, the AV500 is only fractionally brighter, but the A2 has better colour support...
also does anyone know anything about the remote for the A2?... image of it here....
http://www.cowonamerica.com/images/products/a2/a2_26.jpg
but then its not listed in the contents...
http://www.cowonamerica.com/products/cowon/a2/package.html
IronMonkey
11-02-2005, 15:05
Well it dont come with it in the box.
Also, how much is AV530?
Its an accesory that you can purchase....
add to that list,
A2
- subtitle support
- self contained connections (no need for the little flying saucer with ports like the AV500)
- text reader
AV530
- better recording quality, and more recording options
- removable battery
and from what I read about the screen of the A2, the AV500 is only fractionally brighter, but the A2 has better colour support...
also does anyone know anything about the remote for the A2?... image of it here....
http://www.cowonamerica.com/images/products/a2/a2_26.jpg
but then its not listed in the contents...
http://www.cowonamerica.com/products/cowon/a2/package.html
The the screen of the AV500 is only fractionally better, then the choice would be a lot easier....
BTW, how do you compare the recording quality of the two? The Archos gives a better picture?
johnny33
11-02-2005, 21:11
Guess already established myself as a fanboy of A2, though I dont think so myself.
But always wonder why you guys having this vex over which to choose from -- AV500 or A2 ?
If you're looking for the best Video Player+Recorder in the market so far -- go for the AV500, because admittedly its screen is better than A2 with multi-scheduling capacity built in. Moreover, its recording quality is at higher league than the A2 --A2 can only record top bitrate at 1M bps while AV500 can at 2.5Mbps. (PMP manaic reviewed that ....AV500 screen is absolutely amazing....but the A2's screen is no slouch either & very nice...)
Bitrate over 1.5M bps is at par with DVD quality so of course AV500 wins out hands down in this question, but if you play your video files primiarily in a PMP like the AV500 or A2, you wont notice the difference there.
However, if you're looking for a PMP which excels in some of its functionalities such as the superb MP3 sound quality, and have a text reading function & possess longer battery power, A2 is it. I dont say no more of A2 otherwise I become a crony of A2.
Hope you guys wouldnt be torn between AV500 & A2 no more....
IronMonkey
11-02-2005, 21:18
Why is multi-scheduling so important, I doubt that's a highly used feature.
i would not buy the Archos AV500 because
a) it does not support DivX 3.11 (i have tons of Simpsons encoded that way)
b) it does not supoprt subtitles
IronMonkey
11-03-2005, 02:45
1. Does the 530 support it?
Yes subtitles ARE A MUST.
mallrat68
11-03-2005, 02:57
In answer to Chuirs questions, i'm pretty sure johnny33 answered it better than I could....
as for multi-scheduling, its the same as things like subtitle support, it just depends what you watch, and what primary functions you're going to use it for, I know for example there's a lot of people that would like to record shows when they're unable to watch them and catch up on them at a later time, for these people the AV500 comes out on top....
for people like me subtitle support is really crucial, and so is battery life....
I travel a lot so I need the bigger battery life for airplanes, and I watch a lot of anime and foreign films...., whereas I don't have a great need for the recording function at the momment
:blah:
so as with anything you just have to sum up the pros and cons and see which player is the best fit for what you want....
as i've said, I don't own either player yet, i'm leaning towards buying an A2 for the reasons stated above, but there are enough reviews and forum threads around for everyone to make-up there own minds...
IronMonkey
11-03-2005, 16:01
Couldnt have said it better =D
I wouldnt be able to watch kung fu hustle without subtitles! And that we just cannot have
Yasakani
11-04-2005, 02:07
But couldn't you encode the video so that it would have the subtitles within the picture? Or would it be a lot of extra work?
Coz your gonna have to convert the file if its from a DVD anyway. And if you're recording using the AVin, it would be in analog, so couldn't you just turn on the subtitles before recording, so that it would be recorded with the picture.
Like with Anime I download, they all already have the subtitles on the video. I'm sure that if you load that file onto the AV500, you'd be able to see it.
IronMonkey
11-04-2005, 18:02
But couldn't you encode the video so that it would have the subtitles within the picture? Or would it be a lot of extra work?
ITS ALOT OF WORK lol, subs are so much easier just to have then embed them into file.
johnny33
11-04-2005, 21:12
That's right: Just simply plug in the AV-In of A2 & then start recording from your VCR or DVD unit, including the subtitles of course. so Puzzled too why all there's so much extra work for the subtitle...
mallrat68
11-05-2005, 05:06
well apparantly the recording on the A2 isn't as hot as it could be, also recording straight from a dvd/tv would work but I don't know how clear they would be if you record them as .asf
the way subtitles are held with most divx/xvid/etc files are as a seperate file normally a .srt or a .sub file, these are normally named the same and kept in the same folder as the movie, and a player that supports subs will automatically play them with the movie. the subs are generated by the player and are adjustable (atleast I know they are on the A2, you can adjust size and colour etc) none of that you would be able to do if the subs are burnt into the video file...
I watch a lot of subtitled movies, and anime, so re-encoding my movies with the subtitles burnt in is a job i'm not prepared to undertake, its just a hassle... you can do it... its just a pain..
johnny33
11-05-2005, 07:03
well apparantly the recording on the A2 isn't as hot as it could be, also recording straight from a dvd/tv would work but I don't know how clear they would be if you record them as .asf
....................
Well, I'd testify the asf movies being recorded & played in the A2's 4-inch screen are clear & pleasant enough to watch, but of course when the same asf movies being played in my desktop computer screen they arent acceptable quality-wise.
As I said above: A2's recording quality is at a lower league than its common peer Archos AV500 -- i.e A2 can only record top bitrate at 1M bps while AV500 can record at top bitrate 2.5Mbps. (any recording bitrate over 1.5M bps is at par with DVD quality or better).
Currently there's unsync & drop-frame problem at the A2's "640x480 1M bps" recording so A2 owners could have problem-free recording only at the "382x284 800k bps" bitrate.
When more & more A2's being available out now, I think there're more & more A2 owners testifying to the A2's asf playing quality.
I aint into much about the subtitle function of A2 so cannot comment much about that either...:hi:
variozin
11-05-2005, 07:50
Johnny33,
how did you figure out all the functions of A2. Do you have user manual in english ? or any other language that you understand well. I have only Korean which I dont understand.
johnny33
11-05-2005, 08:03
I had someone buy A2 for me from HK which also came with the Korean manual then, but at same time the HK reseller got a chinese-language manual enclosed in another CD-Rom which I could ask my chinese friend for help whenever I didnt understand.
The interface of A2 is intuitive enough, if I can say so, and only some subtle points that I didnt understand to have to have my chinese friend do some translation for me.
Just bought the A2. I think the installation CD has an English version of the user manual. Too simple to be of any use though.
variozin
11-05-2005, 21:44
Dear Chuir,
My CD dont have any english manual . Where did you buy your A2 ? I desperately need one in english.
can you play a song while browsing through the A2 player?
mallrat68
11-06-2005, 03:31
can you play a song while browsing through the A2 player?
check the thread about the last firmware release, I think you can't do it, they fixed it so you can listen to radio and do other things, but listening to mp3s and browsing the player is still a bug that needs to be worked out....
:woh:
fedrique
11-06-2005, 19:51
Just got the A2 Yesterday:bigthumbs
Didn't play with it much, but really impressed about the video quality.
Can somebody from HK tell me where can I get a quality screen protector?
thz
johnny33
11-06-2005, 19:59
................
Can somebody from HK tell me where can I get a quality screen protector?
originally written by hongkongie:
----
If you agree A2's LCD screen is the most important part of this babe, you'd try to find the most transparent, the strongest, or the most durable Screen Protector for it. The original screen protector that comes with A2 is just NOT transparent enough & is just too soft for my liking there. I decided to dump it & find a replacement
jurassic5 suggests Exim ----> http://www.pda-now.com/screenprotector.php
but I cannot find the 16x9 size for A2 in the market, so had to give up Exim.
Done some research & a review marking 5 brands of screen protectors respectively, based on ease of attaching to screen, higher or lower transparency, ease of cleansing , strongness, reflectivity, angle of viewing, & level of water-proofness. Markings:
1) A.R.M. Kit =23
2) Momax =30
3) MonStor =24
4) Moshi Moshi =25
5) Screen Mask =24
6) Taku =20
I finally chose A.R.M Kit (Screen Protector for SONY -PSP) because it's got the highest mark in "Transparency" which is what I count as most important for my A2. The result with A.R.M Kit is great, enhancing the potential of the A2 screen & its colors
http://www.armstation.com/armkit/content.php?cat_id=16
For you info, Momax & Screen Mask got the 2 lowest markings in "Transparency" for their screen protectors. And A.R.M Kit is the most expensive -- USD16-18 apiece, while the other brands selling USD5-10 apiece.
======
++
johnny33
11-06-2005, 20:29
check the thread about the last firmware release, I think you can't do it, they fixed it so you can listen to radio and do other things, but listening to mp3s and browsing the player is still a bug that needs to be worked out....
:woh:
I think mallrat68 meant "A2's inability to browse photos while MP3 listening" (hope future firmware fixes that), but you can still execute the other functions of the A2 such as text reading & file browsing.
A2 supports on-the-fly browsing, meaning you neednt exit current application with that applicantion still running on the background, while browsing of files running on the front.
fedrique
11-06-2005, 21:58
I'd read that thread but actually I wanna know which shop can I get those or I have to order from the internet
thz
johnny33
11-06-2005, 22:14
I'd read that thread but actually I wanna know which shop can I get those or I have to order from the internet
if you're situated in hongkong, the screen protectors are available in nearly every major gadget malls there. I had my hongkong friend buy a A.R.M kit screen protector for me & had it sent to me.
If you go for the A.R.M kit, make sure you get the SONY PSP version so that it can cover the A2 screen just fit (some says the A.R.M kit a bit too narrower on the side for the A2 screen but I think it's just rightly fit). Some others say the Exim may be better but I couldnt hv found it.
The A.R.M kit protector is prone to finger-print marks on it when being touched, but its transparency effect is the best among the other brands, i think.
Cheers, mate :hi:
fedrique
11-07-2005, 04:35
ok, I'll go search for one tonight.
EnTer 711
11-07-2005, 11:38
so your saying that the best format is ASF as far as quality?
genocide
11-07-2005, 21:28
guys some question from me too.
when we wanan trasnfer tvideo/songs/photo,must we use the prog that came with it or i can just copy paste like x5??
johnny33
11-07-2005, 22:52
Confirm: just copy & paste files to A2, like what you do to X5.
Your ID scares me, Man
genocide
11-08-2005, 06:45
wah...tats awesome then,guess i can consider of selling my zen vision now for this baby :D
I bought the A2 from Broadway in HK. The CD does come with the English manual, but you have to install it to get the PDF file.
I also bought the ARM screen protector from Winsor House for HK$100. The PSP version fits the A2 very well. They also have the EXIM one, selling for about the same price.
fedrique
11-08-2005, 20:08
It seems that the A2 family is growing up quick. I finally get the Exim one besides A.R.M.
Fedrique,
Are you able to tune to the radio stations in HK? I have tried many times but still couldn't get it to work.
In fact, I am in Australia right now, and could not tune to any station as well.
Thanks
fedrique
11-08-2005, 23:58
Did u plug your earphone while tuning? U need the earphone to act as the antenna for radio
variozin
11-09-2005, 00:27
I bought the A2 from Broadway in HK. The CD does come with the English manual, but you have to install it to get the PDF file.
I also bought the ARM screen protector from Winsor House for HK$100. The PSP version fits the A2 very well. They also have the EXIM one, selling for about the same price.
Oh I am eager to know..did you get the Korean A2 or Chinese. I bought it in korea and when i inserted the CD it opened everything in Korean the manual is also in korean.
Oh I am eager to know..did you get the Korean A2 or Chinese. I bought it in korea and when i inserted the CD it opened everything in Korean the manual is also in korean.
I guess that's the Chinese version. The CD comes with the English manual. But as I said b4, the manual does not tell you much. I can send it to you but I am traveling right now. Maybe others can help.
Cheers
variozin
11-12-2005, 20:18
I guess that's the Chinese version. The CD comes with the English manual. But as I said b4, the manual does not tell you much. I can send it to you but I am traveling right now. Maybe others can help.
Cheers
Hi Chuir ,
I hope your trip is good..:coolio: ..and thanks for offering ur help. If possible please send me the english manual of A2 on this email ID "saurabh@lge.com"
thanks
Variozin,
More than happy to do it, but I won't be back for another week. Perhaps others can help...
Cheers
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