Video: Hands on with Archos TV+

Posted by Chris Smith on Thu 7 Feb 2008

After reporting its arrival on Monday, we hopped into bed with Apple TV's chief nemesis and got down and dirty with Archos TV+ at the official UK launch.

It made a lovely bedfellow, we must say. As you'll see from our video, you're able to download the latest movie releases, well before iTunes movie rentals launches in the UK. One-nil Archos.

You can surf the web wirelessly on your widescreen telly, thanks to the nifty palm-sized remote control, which boasts a mouse and a full qwerty keyboard.

There's also a full electronic programme guide (EPG), enabling you to record directly from your set-top-box, and in turn transfer to your television to your media player. Nice.

The TV+ has a neat interface to play all of your music, watch your favourite shows and host all of your pics on a choice of 80GB or 250GB boxes.

Of course there's the basic old streamer making those somewhat dubious torrent files you've downloaded viewable on the telly.

Sadly, the TV+ does not support HD content. Could this prove a fatal oversight akin to Steve McLaren leaving Beckham out of his first England squad? With Apple TV supporting beautiful Hi-Def that certainly levels things up at 1-1 for now. Apple still have the advantage, but Archos look ready for a spot of giantkilling