MaximumPC 2007 04

68 MAXIMUMPC april 2007

reviews Tes Ted. Reviewed. veRdic Tized

D

oghouse Electronics’s RoverTv sits up and begs comparison to the Archos

604, which we named the best digital media player of 2006. But we found

this dog just a bit mangy.

It’s not that the device is buggy or doesn’t perform as advertised; it’s just

that we think the Archos 604—which we found to be selling for around $315

online—is significantly better. The RoverTv Wide Screen sells for $350 and has

a slightly smaller screen—4 inches, versus the 604’s 4.3-inch display; both

deliver the same resolution: 480x272 pixels. Doghouse would be quick to inform

you of the need to add Archos’s $100 DVR Station to the 604 to match the

RoverTv’s video-recording capabilities, but the difference in storage capacity

more than makes up for the price difference between the two units.

You see, the RoverTv relies solely on MMC or SD flash-memory cards for

storage and comes with a 2GB SD card; the Archos 604 features a built-in 30GB

hard drive. If you’re not interested in recording TV programs at all, the 604 actually

costs $35 less than the RoverTv—but we’ll assume this is a feature you want.

The recording process is straightforward, but the device itself is dog-

gone dumb. You plug one end of a proprietary A/V cable into the RoverTv and

RCA plugs at the other end into the A/V outputs on your TV, set-top box, or DVD

player. The RoverTv doesn’t have any of the features we’ve come to expect

from a DVR—it can’t power-up an external tuner, change channels, distinguish

between new episodes and repeats, or even record more than one event at a

time—it simply starts and stops recording at whatever times you designate.

Oddly enough, it has only a 24-hour clock, so if you want to record Desperate

Housewives, you’ll need to convert 10 PM to 22:00 hours.

The RoverTv Wide Screen’s bright display delivered good performance

with both photos and video, but its user interface is as rudimentary as can be.

The photo directory, for example, can’t even display thumbnails. We

love mutts, but this one’s just too

damned dumb.

—Michael Brown

Doghouse Electronics

RoverTv Wide Screen

Leave this puppy at the pound

The roverTv wide Screen is outfitted with an odd-size head-

phone jack—you’ll need to use the provided adapter if you don’t

like the earbuds that come with it.

4

rover tv wide screen

$350, http://www.rovertv.com

T

he Belkin SportCommand iPod remote is designed for individuals who

engage in activities that pose substantial risk to life and limb but wish

to keep their iPods safe while doing so. The device’s flexible cloth control-

ler attaches to your clothing and sends signals to a 4.5-inch RF receiver that

connects to your iPod, allowing you to tuck your iPod away inside your coat or

backpack to protect it from the elements. Of course, you still have to run a wire

for your headphones.

The remote’s large, water-resistant buttons are easy to use and respon-

sive—even if you are wearing gloves. The unit can withstand a fair amount of

abuse; after a week of use, the SportCommand came out looking pretty good, even

after we washed some mud off of it. The controller covers just the basics: power,

play/pause, previous or next track, and volume (you can’t switch playlists), but

when exercising, we’re not necessarily concerned with navigating a full interface.

The included neoprene and Velcro strap is best suited for use with ski

gear. It even stayed secure on our coat, with no slippage or shifting, but the

strap isn’t particularly comfortable when worn with lighter clothing. We defi-

nitely appreciated the inclusion of a sturdy carabiner, which we used when we

went on a long run.

The SportCommand’s promised range of 50 feet was easily met, and

we had no problem connecting to our iPod through coats or backpacks;

however, without wireless headphones, it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to test

the limits of the unit’s range.

We’re pleased with the SportCommand’s performance, but it’s a little spendy

for a remote. One potential issue is that the device’s lower operating-temperature

limit is -10 C, which means you could run into some trouble on the slopes; how-

ever, we didn’t encounter any problems in our tests. The device’s construction is

solid, though some minor fraying occurred along the remote’s seams

and detaching the battery cover

required a bit of surgery.

—ToM edwardS

Belkin SportCommand

Wireless iPod Controller

A remote for the extreme side of life

The

Sportcommand’s

fabric remote is

both durable and

responsive.

7

belkin sportcommand

$80, http://www.belkin.com

2.75"

4 "

4.25"

2.75

"