Archos Jukebox Studio 20 Pirep

Guest Discussion
1

With about a month of use after Santa brought me an Archos 20 Jukebox, it’s time to share my experience, which has been…

FANTASTIC!!

A couple of salient points:

1)While this is nowhere to be found in the instructions or web site, the “on” button needs to be held on for 5 seconds to turn the unit on. Otherwise, it looks like the unit isn’t working, when in fact it is.

2)Very easy to file CD’s. While they make a 6GB “recordable” version for the same price, converting CD’s to MP3 format on a PC is easy and quick, rendering the recordable feature versus 14 extra gigs an easy decision.

3)Volume in my plane is okay, other than for head-banging. That said, I’d recommend Max&Mike’s device for times when loud music is warranted. (For example, Born to Be Wild after you nail the approach.)

4)Not withstanding the delay which is supposed to prevent skipping, it seems that the very minimal normal vibration in my SR20 sometimes brings about “disc error” message. Keeping it in its shock-absorbing case totally prevents this problem.

5)20GB, if anything, is too much capacity. The 6GB unit (on sale this week at Best Buy for $179) is probably more than sufficient. I also use the unit to back up my home computer files.

6)Cost of my unit was $349 regular price, less $50 sale price, less $50 rebate, for a net price of $249.

7)One surprise - I had planned to load the unit and keep it on the plane. I’ve found it to be so handy to have all the CD’s I own in one place, I use it in my office, car, home, etc.

As adult toys go (and my wife would give testimony that I’m a world-class expert on the subject) it just doesn’t get any better.

Back to Steppenwolf.

Andy

2

Well, you don’t know what… we can see, why don’t you 'FLY with me little girl…on a ‘magic carpet ride’!..Close your eyes girl…let the sun take you away!

3

Andy, I have the 6GB jukebox, and have never seen a “disk error” message, even using it in many different environments. You might have a bad disk - it would be worth calling Archos about it.

The only problem I’ve got with the 6GB jukebox is that after about 8 months of regular use the batteries are shot - they are 1200mAh NiMh which I have not been able to get locally. I had expected to get more life than that out of them.

Some more neat things to do with it; I bought a cheap set of stereo speakers with sub-woofer - Altec Lansing - and put them under my bed - plug in the Jukebox and you have the ideal setup for music to drift off to sleep by - or to accompany somewhat more aerobic activity. The quality is excellent.

Christmas Day was spent here in Oz on the beach - the aforementioned speakers, plus the jukebox, plus the UPS backup from my computer provided a totally portable, self-powered hifi with 120 CDs on tap, to accompany the BBQ seafood Xmas dinner.

Definitely a Good Toy to have.

4

Thank you all for your comments on the Archos, I just bought the Jukebox RECORDER 20 and already have half of my CD collection on it. This one also records MP3’s so it could be useful as a cockpit voice recorder…

And the good news, it IS JAA compliant, because not fitted in the panel.

Jaap

5

I have purchased rechargeable batteries from Avionics West. Not sure about a charger for those funny outlets you use
Try http://avionicswest.com/batteries.htm

Bob

6

In reply to:

The only problem I’ve got with the 6GB jukebox is that after about 8 months of regular use the batteries are shot…

Clyde,

I made a power supply wire for my Archos – the “charger” that comes with it is a straight 9v DC supply (regulated, but it’s not a real charger). So my cord simply plugs into one of the “Ship’s power” jacks meant for the noise cancelling headsets. The Archos runs quite happily on it, and the battery is always on charge when I’m flying. It’s not the best way to run NiCd, but it’s OK for NiMH batteries. Anyway, as long as the thing works when I’m flying, who cares?

[The plug for the tiny power receptacle on the Archos was tough to find, but that was the only challenge].

Mike.

7

So d’ya wanna let me in on the secret? Where do you get the plugs???

8

Ah, I have just realized (after seeing the photo) that I misread your post - I already have the power plug for the Archos, I thought you were talking about the plug to go to the ship’s power jack in the Cirrus! Where do you get those (and what kind of beast are they anyway?)

9

In reply to:

So d’ya wanna let me in on the secret? Where do you get the plugs???

LOL! Actually, at first I “sacrificed” a connector from one of those multi-voltage-multi-polarity-multi-connector DC supplies (available at Radio Shack). I’ve since found that Radio Shack sells those plugs separately.

  • Mike.
10

In reply to:

So d’ya wanna let me in on the secret? Where do you get the plugs???

Clyde,

So you’ll know it when you see it…

  • Mike.

11

Radio shack sells a cigarette lighter receptical adapter that uses a plug that fits into the Archos. Works like a charm.

Andy

12

In reply to:

I thought you were talking about the plug to go to the ship’s power jack in the Cirrus! Where do you get those (and what kind of beast are they anyway?)

The connector is a http://www.switchcraft.com/products/JACK-146.HTML>Switchcraft, to mate with the [Switchcraft L722A jack installed in the SR2x.

Mike.](http://www.switchcraft.com/products/JACK-120.HTML)

13

For those of you contemplating use of Apple’s iPod,Dr. Bott web site. They have a very complete iPod “connection kit” as well as a http://www.drbott.com/prod/action.lasso?-database=Products&-layout=all&-response=detail.html&-recordID=33819&-searchcigarette lighter adapter for the iPod (which has a FireWire connection for data and power).

14

Ah, so it’s just another variant on the coax DC power plug? Albeit with a threaded locking ring, though I guess that is not essential to power the Archos. Shouldn’t be too hard to find a match then.

15

In reply to:

Ah, so it’s just another variant on the coax DC power plug? Albeit with a threaded locking ring, though I guess that is not essential to power the Archos. Shouldn’t be too hard to find a match then.

Yup… that’s about right.

  • Mike.
16

For what its worth, the recorder 20 supposedly has much better audio than the studio 20, plus it is USB 2.0.

Paul

17

I recently replaced my Jukebox 6000 (the original) with a Recorder 20, and I honestly can’t detect any difference in the audio quality - both, to my ears, are CD quality. The Recorder 20 has three times the disk space, a higher-rez display (unfortunately harder to read without my glasses, too!), a better user interface (more buttons) and a digital output that I can plug directly into my home stereo. Also seems to have better battery life.

Incidentally, the USB2.0 feature is only useful if you have a USB2.0 interface to plug into - currently I don’t, but am acquiring a USB2.0 PC card for my laptop. Transferring 20GB over USB1.0 is painfully slow.

One tip for Archos users - the supplied AC adaptor is nominally rated at 9V, but actually puts out more like 15V (unloaded at least). I found the Jukebox 6000 got very warm when plugged into the power, and the original set of batteries only lasted about 6 months. When I got the Recorder 20 I replaced the AC adaptor with a regulated supply (actually an old Nokia phone charger) - now I find the Archos gets only slightly warm when charging. I hope to see better battery life as a result - heat and batteries are not good friends.