News, Analysis, and Opinion on Microsoft Digital Media Technologies
I sold my 80GB and bougth an 80GB Zune. So far the wife and I like it. The screen is great, wonderful for viewing pictures and movies. The new SW is ok, not as bad as I had read, but could use some improvements / better orginization under the Video section where the MCE TV shows fall.
I noticed that with the new firmware, they no longer organize the TV shows as they did with the old firmware.
You used to see a top level list of the show names and you could click on one to see all of the episodes of a given show. However now they seem to be all jumbled together.
Otherwise I love the firmware.
So Chris, how do you like the Zune?
I'm going to write a review after I get to play with it for a while.
Nice purchase Chris. I just received my Zune 80 Original. I love it.
Call me old school, but I appreciate the inclusion of an FM tuner.
Chris, are you using the Zune Pass for unlimited music selections? I wonder if Apple will announce something similar this week.
No ZunePass. I'd rather own my music for life. My guess is Microsoft will get bored with ZunePass just like they did with MSN Music. Plus, ZunePass DRM doesn't work in Media Center (AFAIK).
When you say ZunePass DRM doesn't work in Media Center do you mean ZunePass music doesn't work in Media Center? or do you mean ZunePass DRM has no effect under Media Center and the file is fully playable?
Meaning the music doesn't work in Media Center.
Since Media Center's backend playback app is Media Player, and since Media Player can't playback Zune DRM'ed content, Media Center is dead in the water to the Zune.
I thought WMP could play Zune DRM tracks. It's true that Zune can't play PlaysForSure, but the reverse is not true as far as I know.
Some users on TGB were commenting about this. It appears it does play in Media Player/Media Center, but before it will you have to get the license for the content using the Zune software. ZunePass content will ask to get the license at least once a month (to see if you are still paying), so once a month you would have to go though and play every song in the Zune software before it would work in Media Center/Media Player.
I'm trying to figure out if the 2nd gen. Zune plays xvid files. Does anyone know?
Chris Gets a Zune; Hell Freezes Over - Chris Lanier's Blog