Connect Your Zune, The 1.3 Firmware is Ready

[Jason Dunn]

That's right, the new 1.3 firmware is now available for your Zune: connect your Zune to your PC and it should automatically detect there's a new firmware being offered and offer to install it for you. What's fixed/improved in this firmware version? Here's what Cesar Menendez over at the Zune Insider had to say about it:<br /><ul> <li><em>&quot;We&rsquo;re fixing the skipping problem that some users were experiencing &ndash; that is, content acquired from Zune Marketplace will no longer skip when played on the device. </em></li> <li><em>Improved device and software reliability, when it comes to device detection, and improved sync'ing. </em></li> <li><em>We&rsquo;ve made some changes to the FM Tuner so it no longer drains the battery when in sleep mode.&quot;</em></li></ul>I'll take the device reliability improvements when synching, but the other two haven't affected me so far so it's not a big benefit to me For people plagued with the skipping issue though, this firmware should fix the issue - I'm very curious to see if completely eliminates the problem, so install it and report back.<br /><br />If for some reason your Zune doesn't automatically detect the new firmware, in the Zune software you can right-click on your device name (over on the left-hand column) and force it to check for new firmware. I don't have the ability to update my Zune at the moment, so I can't test this firmware update, but if you do please report back with any general impressions or problems you've had with it.

[LPD]

I installed version 1.3 with no problems.

[gasusan2006]

me too...no problems
http://forums.thoughtsmedia.com/showthread.php?p=3306#post3306

Susan

[Alber1690]

My Zune thinks its updated every time I check for updates. I'm getting really annoyed because although it doesn't have much that would help me (I never had skipping problems) I still want it. Anybody having the same problem?

[Damion Chaplin]

Installation successful. No problems, no changes. :(

Maybe the next one will be one to get excited about...

[Alber1690]

I finally was able to install it but on a different computer.

[Jason Dunn]

My Zune thinks its updated every time I check for updates. I'm getting really annoyed because although it doesn't have much that would help me

Have you tried rebooting your Zune? It might help. Maybe. :confused:

[Alber1690]

Have you tried rebooting your Zune? It might help. Maybe. :confused:

Yep, I think that's what made it work when I tried it on my other computer. Thanks.

[Aaron Roma]

Updated to 1.3 last night. No problems so far, but nothing to get excited about yet either. I'm curiuos as to if this fixed the skipping problem people were having.

[Jason Dunn]

So is there anyone that was having the skipping problem and after this firmware update it went away completely? Anyone?

[eufreka]

So is there anyone that was having the skipping problem and after this firmware update it went away completely? Anyone?

I can preliminarily state that the skipping appears to be resolved...but that is based on fairly limited runtime so far.

However, as a side comment on the firmware update:

It surely didn't work properly for me...

It ran through the first half I guess...anyway the update was auto-announced when I connected my zune...so I clicked through to start it...at one point the update rebooted the zune device...which promptly failed to reconnect properly.

The little "USB device detected" popup appeared when the zune device attempted to reconnect...however, it reported that the installation failed...and even though the zune eventually displayed its typical "Connected" screen...it never actually reconnected with the zune desktop software (I let it sit for half an hour).

Eventually, I had to kill the "not responding" zune desktop process (and yes, I let it error report to MS). Once I restarted the desktop software and reconnected the zune it appeared to complete the update process (which apparently involved ANOTHER device reset).

Once all that was done...the firmware update screen reported that the device had been updated.

So...on to the problem(s):

Once the zune was reconnected and uptodate...it misreports its contents within the desktop software: Songs that appear in the library AND that appear on the device are NOT listed under the device screen of the desktop software. This appears to affect more than half of all the content.

Triggering a device sync (as well as downloading new content from the marketplace and syncing it) all works properly, however the "missing" data never appears under the device in the desktop software even though newly downloaded songs do. (Be clear, the content IS on the device, and plays...and the desktop software correctly reports the actual disk consumption...it just doesn't list half the contents on the desktop software screen.)

So, I guess I will live with that oddity until something crashes it all again...and then I will probably have to redownload all 4500-plus tracks again...

The other oddity is that on the drive in this morning, while listening to a newly downloaded album (post-firmware update), the zune spontaneously PAUSED itself between tracks (about halfway through the album) even though the keylock was activated. So of course, that makes me wonder if they corrected the skipping issue by building in some type of auto-pause between tracks (which would indicate future issue in implementing gapless playback) and now it will be doing this spontaneously from time to time. I will have to put some hours on the device to see what is really going on...

Yes, I know I am thinking the worst (and I regret that), but I cannot help it at this point.

We'll see.

[MarxMarvelous]

So...on to the problem(s):

Did you update the Zune desktop software as well? I updated the desktop software to 1.3 through Microsoft Update and then did the firmware update, and everything went fine. Of course that could have nothing to do with your problem...

[patrickem]

I have had the skipping problem from day one and it has progressively gotten worse. The Zune would skip for the first 30 seconds or more of each song and would become unresponsive when trying to switch songs or control volume or go back to the main menu, it would catch up after about a minute of being left alone. After the update last night, which went flawlessly, I have ran the Zune all day with no skipping or control lag issues. Colour me happy.

[eufreka]

Did you update the Zune desktop software as well? I updated the desktop software to 1.3 through Microsoft Update and then did the firmware update, and everything went fine. Of course that could have nothing to do with your problem...

Interesting...it didn't say anything about a desktop update....

Was that part a secret?

All I did was click okay to the update prompt that automatically came up...

[Jason Dunn]

Interesting...it didn't say anything about a desktop update....Was that part a secret?

It depends if you have Windows Update or Microsoft Update, XP or Vista. On Vista, it told me about the 1.3 update. I'll front-page post this as well since not everyone got a heads up it seems.

[eufreka]

It depends if you have Windows Update or Microsoft Update, XP or Vista. On Vista, it told me about the 1.3 update. I'll front-page post this as well since not everyone got a heads up it seems.

I think you should. I just connected in to that machine and did a manual update check and it did find it. So chances are that the desktop should be updated BEFORE you connect your zune...

[doug.nelson]

I had a bad problem with skipping, even with the display brightness turned way up. After the update, I do not have any more problems. However, I have noticed a bit of delay before the first track of an album starts to play, but once it starts, the user interface does not freeze up. The initial pause I can live with.

I did have to reboot my device to get the update to load on the device. Other than that, it worked great.