A Few Bits of Random Info for non-Zune HD Owners

[Jason Dunn]

<p>There's not much to this post, but a few bits of info that I wanted to share:</p><ul><li>When it comes to apps, it's going to be Zune HD only. Moving forward all apps and games will be only for the Zune HD, not any previous models.</li><li>Older devices will be able to play back rental movies from the Zune Marketplace, but not download-to-own movies. I'm not sure if this goes back all the way to the Zune 30 devices - I'll have to test that.</li><li>Obviously, without the Tegra chip, older devices won't be able to play back HD content.</li><li>The Quickplay UI will not be present on older devices</li></ul>

[snap]

Is there a 3.2 software for the original Zune player? I installed the new PC software but it says my Zune is up-to-date on 3.1 (50).

[SoundMix]

Is there a 3.2 software for the original Zune player? I installed the new PC software but it says my Zune is up-to-date on 3.1 (50).

I updated an 80GB Zune. You can update the Zune firmware to 3.2 by connecting your Zune to the Version 4.0 software. It takes awhile so be patient. The software will see that the firmware needs to be upgraded. I did this earlier today. Not sure about the 30GB model.

Paul

[paschott]

My 30 also shows a 3.1 version. I've seen this reported elsewhere as well so it seems that this would be the latest/greatest for now. I suppose I should actually start saving up for one of these HD units. I like the way they look.

[seedoubleyou]

:mad:

I updated my device (Zune80) first thing this morning and there's no apparent change to its layout/design/operation.

Now whether they've fixed any known issues, no idea....nor is there any non-up-the-collective-ZuneHD-rectum documentation regarding the fact...

I can't believe the press (like Zune Thoughts, Engadget, etc.) isn't more in tune to the amount of people upset that loyal legacy (18 months is legacy?!) Zune owners are left with nothing after the update.... Even just simple feature requests we've been looking for. I personally could care less about things I get if I buy a DRM..er..I mean Zune pass or HD Radio.

I think this is serious fail on M$' part, and perhaps a true indication of when the greed of senior management and marketing departments gets in the way of common sense and overall customer satisfaction.

[stlbud]

:mad:...I can't believe the press (like Zune Thoughts, Engadget, etc.) isn't more in tune to the amount of people upset that loyal legacy (18 months is legacy?!) Zune owners are left with nothing after the update...I think this is serious fail on M$' part...

I'm disappointed as well. There was a lot of hype in the weeks leading up to the release of Zune HD, about how Microsoft supported older models of Zune. There were expectations in the blogs that we would all benefit from the upgrade. In the end we're no better off than if we had iPods.

My biggest disappointment is the Apps. Microsoft threw us a bone when they released a handful of games and a developer's kit for Zune apps. Then virtually nothing - specially from Microsoft. Now with the promise of an App. store, we get nothing.

[seedoubleyou]

My biggest disappointment is the Apps. Microsoft threw us a bone when they released a handful of games and a developer's kit for Zune apps. Then virtually nothing - specially from Microsoft. Now with the promise of an App. store, we get nothing.

The fact that they disclosed next to no information at all is just dirty pool as well...

I felt like a kid expecting a new bike under the Xmas tree, only to find out that I got an ugly knit sweater instead.

No mention of bug fixes (D-pad becomes inoperable), tech tweaks, nothing...

But boy did they pump out the almost desperately shiny press on the HD....

bad, bad, desperate marketing...

As I posted in the Zune forums this morning (SeeEssDoubleYou is my tag) ... they least they can do now is release the SDK or API to the development community like they did with the games and WindowsMobile and let the open community tweak the 'old' devices the way the abandoned users want it...

i'm having a blast with my LG Incite running a custom cooked WinMo 6.5 ROM and the ability to communicate directly with the 'chefs' who makes the custom ROMs for us...

[rck]

Is there a 3.2 software for the original Zune player? I installed the new PC software but it says my Zune is up-to-date on 3.1 (50).

I have Zune 30 as well. I thought the 3.2 update was not for the Zune 30 since I initially did not get the option to update. However, after a few syncs with the 4.0 software, I went back to Settings for the Device in the 4.0 software, and it did show an optional update 3.2 firmware under Player Update. After a quick update (less than a few minutes), the device now shows it has 3.2 firmware.

Does anyone know what was included in 3.2 firmware update?

[seedoubleyou]

I have Zune 30 as well. I thought the 3.2 update was not for the Zune 30 since I initially did not get the option to update. However, after a few syncs with the 4.0 software, I went back to Settings for the Device in the 4.0 software, and it did show an optional update 3.2 firmware under Player Update. After a quick update (less than a few minutes), the device now shows it has 3.2 firmware.

Does anyone know what was included in 3.2 firmware update?


AFAIK , NOTHING... that's the point of most of my gripes at least... My 80 looks no different after the update than it did before. And again, there's no tech notes or anything in the formal press release regarding bug fixes... Once again, we'd get better disclosure and support from the open source development community if M$ would just unwad their panties a bit...

[rck]

There's not much to this post, but a few bits of info that I wanted to share:

When it comes to apps, it's going to be Zune HD only. Moving forward all apps and games will be only for the Zune HD, not any previous models.
Older devices will be able to play back rental movies from the Zune Marketplace, but not download-to-own movies. I'm not sure if this goes back all the way to the Zune 30 devices - I'll have to test that.
Obviously, without the Tegra chip, older devices won't be able to play back HD content.
The Quickplay UI will not be present on older devices


Currently, the MarketPlace has some HD TV shows for no charge (the pilots for Psych and 30 Rock). So, I wanted to see what would happen if I downloaded an HD version of a program from the MarketPlace and sync'd it to my Zune 30.

Well, I was surprised when I selected the downloaded HD Video from my Collection, and saw there was an option to sync to my Zune 30. I was even more surprised that it sync'd right away without any conversion. I took a look at Zune download directory and 2 versions of the program were downloaded. For the 1 hour Psych, there is a 3 GB HD WMV file (1280x720) and a 600 MB portable SD WMV file (320x180).

I have not tried a movie yet. It is interesting that you can rent a movie but not download-to-own on the older Zunes as Jason mentions. Does this mean that on the download-to-own version you only get the HD version but on the rental you get both HD and SD versions? Has anyone tried yet any versions (SD vs. HD and rent vs. own) of the Markeplace movies and tried to sync on the older Zunes (especially the Zune 30)?

[malbert69]

I think you have the 2nd bullet backwards. "Legacy" Zunes can play download-to-own video content but cannot play rented videos.

[David Tucker]

AFAIK , NOTHING... that's the point of most of my gripes at least... My 80 looks no different after the update than it did before. And again, there's no tech notes or anything in the formal press release regarding bug fixes... Once again, we'd get better disclosure and support from the open source development community if M$ would just unwad their panties a bit...

I'm curious...what exactly were you hoping this update would even do? I'm sure the update was mostly to allow it to operate with the new desktop software.

[seedoubleyou]

Well, I was hoping it would include some of the features we've (the 'legacy' Zune community) have been asking to be added, or in some cases re-added to the firmware.

As I posted on the Zune forums, I only use the Zune bloat desktop software for device management since its a redundant and non-integrated piece of software running on my Windows Media Center PC. I have better things to spend $15/month on than DRM-infested music that stops being mine if I ever decide to cancel my subscription, so I don't take advantage of the marketplace, and I take advantage of Netflix in Windows Media Center for any video needs, so anything beyond sync capabilities in the PC-based software is useless to me.

Therefore, what I personally was looking for was device improvements, not neglect. Most of which many many people were looking for. Crossfade options, unicode font support, device-specific playlist management, and i'm sure there's more.

Again, the fact that anything I've read beyond kool-aid marketing bloat hasn't said anything about fixes or issues addressed.

[David Tucker]

Well, some of those things would have certainly been welcome but I really am not sure why you'd pick a Zune over a lot of the other players out there. You had to have known from the outset that most of your demands would never be met. :confused:

[seedoubleyou]

a. I got a real good deal on the Zune80 when I got it ($65 from Dell because I had a gift card)

b. I pretty much refuse to buy Apple hardware due to fanboy mentality and its fanaticism for nothing..

[jdmichal]

Therefore, what I personally was looking for was device improvements, not neglect. Most of which many many people were looking for. Crossfade options, unicode font support, device-specific playlist management, and i'm sure there's more.

AFAIC no music lover would actually want crossfade. If an album was meant to crossfade, it would have been produced with crossfade. Otherwise, crossfade messes up pretty much every other song transition effect that a producer would use.

And device-specific playlist management... I'm not really sure what you mean by this. If you mean, playlists that only sync with one device, I'm 100% sure you can manage that by setting the sync groups appropriately.

Basically, your requests are all a bunch of low-value items, with questionable payout. Unicode support for song information is the only one with any standing, and I myself am surprized they haven't fixed it yet, considering that from what I've read it's basically dropping the correct fonts onto the device. The only downside is that the fonts go from 130kB to 40MB.

[stlbud]

AFAIC no music lover would actually want crossfade. If an album was meant to crossfade, it would have been produced with crossfade. ...

I have "Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd. This album was produced with crossfade and Zune does a miserable job of playing through the transitions. There is a distinct and abrupt pause between tracks in both Zune and the desktop software.

...Unicode support for song information is the only one with any standing, and I myself am surprized they haven't fixed it yet, considering that from what I've read it's basically dropping the correct fonts onto the device. The only downside is that the fonts go from 130kB to 40MB.

You'd think this was a simple task considering it is already part of Windows CE. Pity they didn't implement it. I have some Japanese tracks that would look better than the random characters that appear.

I would have also liked better position control in a Podcast. As it is you can only jump 15 minutes or more back and forth. Pretty useless if you just missed what they said a few seconds back.

[SoundMix]

I would have also liked better position control in a Podcast. As it is you can only jump 15 minutes or more back and forth. Pretty useless if you just missed what they said a few seconds back.

On the older Zunes you can do this by holding down the pad in the direction you want to go. If you click it you will get the 15min jump.

Paul

[SoundMix]

AFAIC no music lover would actually want crossfade. If an album was meant to crossfade, it would have been produced with crossfade. Otherwise, crossfade messes up pretty much every other song transition effect that a producer would use.

I think he meant gapless playback when he said crossfade. Gapless playback is a must have when playing concept albums, where the songs flow into one another. The Zune does not have gapless playback but it still is fairly fast at changing tracks compared to some.

Paul

[SoundMix]

I'm curious...what exactly were you hoping this update would even do? I'm sure the update was mostly to allow it to operate with the new desktop software.

Actually, the Zune will operate fine without the firmware update and the v4 desktop software installed. I've got two Zunes, one with, one without, and cannot detect a difference. You are given a choice, upgrade or not.