Zune HD specs fill in the blanks on video format support, battery life and more - Update: now with more, better!
By Richard Lawler 
posted August 13th 2009 3:28PM
posted August 13th 2009 3:28PM
Update: Microsoft has hit us with the corrected & updated spec list with a slight change to battery and charge specs: 33 hours of life playing music with no wireless, up to 8.5 hours of video. 3 hours to charge from PC, 2 hours via AC adapter. Hopefully that's long enough to cover your one man rave in the woods far away from A/C outlets. Check the PDF for yourself, but beware, as Microsoft has informed us one typo remains, as the Zune HD can hold up to 22 / 48 hours (16GB / 32GB) of video optimized for the device, no matter what the official sheet says.
Video support:
Windows Media Video (WMV) (.wmv) – Main and Simple Profile, CBR or VBR, up to 10.0 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). Advanced Profile up to L2, 1280x720 up to 30 frames per second, CBR or VBR, up to 14.0 Mbps peak video bitrate. Zune software will transcode HD WMV files above stated capabilities at device sync.
MPEG-4 (MP4/M4V) (.mp4) Part 2 video[4] – Simple Profile up to 4.0 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). Zune software will transcode HD MPEG-4 files at device sync.
H.264 video[4] – Baseline Profile + bframes, up to 10 Mbps peak video bit rate; 720 pixels x 480 pixels up to 30 frames per second (or 720 pixels x 576 pixels up to 25 frames per second). 1280x720 up to 30 frames per second, up to Level 3.1 and 14.0 Mbps peak video bitrate. Zune software will transcode HD WMV files above stated capabilities at device sync.
I can't think of any PMP out there that has a removable battery and I'm not sure the normal joe would even care if the zune did. I'm not saying a removable battery wouldn't be a nice addition but it doesn't seem like a big deal for a PMP.
Will the old zunes be upgradable to the new zune hd firmware?.
Exact firmware? No... Get some of the basic features that would be compatible with the older hardware? More than likely.
What about flash!!!! Does it play flash in browser! That will be the tell all feature of "TEGRA"!!! If ZUNE is going to make it they have to have flash support!!!
It won't be available at launch but there have been rumblings that it will support it by the end of 2009.
http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/news/2009/08/nvidia-tegra-is-ready-for-its-close-up-with-zune-hd-launch.ars
Ok you can now say that I officially do not want this thing. Look at the PDF file ( http://stadium.weblogsinc.com/engadget/files/Zunespecs_0813.pdf ) and all the way down at the bottom there is a note [5] Stating:
Standard definition TV recordings from Windows Media Center. HDTV and protected recordings not supported. Must be running Zune Software 4.0 on Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate, or Windows 7.
HD Radio™ and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.
What the F- Microsoft. I spend over $1000 to have the privilege to record an HDTV show to not be able to put it in my ZUNE FREAKING HD!!!!!!!!!!!! F UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!
Still, putting a 720p or 1080p recording on a device with a 480p screen seems a little pointless, right? I mean, If you spent north of $1000 on media center equipment, I would assume that you have your htpc rigged to you hdtv anyway. Right?
Just saying...
In reply to my first response.
I think I can definitely see where this approach is problematic. It seems as though you can't put HDTV recordings on it at all (and it won't just scale them down). This, imho, is simply ridiculous. Boo, Microsoft.
That's pretty weak, but not unexpected. Unlike audio, video DRM isn't going away anytime soon. MS made that deal with the networks and that's that. I'm running a Win 7 HTPC myself and I like Media Center a lot. It's just one more limitation that leads to more kludge. My Mac's more limited, but eyeTV made moving video to an iPod rather painless.
So, I'm totally buying one if those screws on the back allow for user-replaceable battery goodness. And it would also be neat to have voice control, just to piss off the apple fanboys.
I suggest you show up early to the Best Buy Zune HD return line, it'll be a long one.
On second thought, it's the Zune we're talking about, only Zune fanboyz will be standing in line. It'll be a short line.
So, FoxKenji, can you explain to me the superiority of apple products when all but one of the apple products that I've bought have died of manufacturer defect or ridiculously short battery life within or close to one year? Or how every person that I know with an original Zune bought them when they came out in 2006 and they're still going strong? I've heard good things about the zune and wanted something that wouldn't die in a year. I've given Apple a(n expensive) chance and now I'm giving the zune a shot. Go cut yourself, fanboy.
@foxKenji
Holy crap dude, your so annoying. if you hate zune so much just leave. nobody likes you
@foxkenji
holy crap dude, you are so annoying. if you hate zune so much, then stop posting here. NOBODY LIKES YOU OR LISTENS TO YOU.
also, that screen must be INCREDIBLY efficient, since the Video battery life:Audio battery life ratio is awesome on this thing.
I doubt the battery life stats from MS. It should be much longer than the quoted battery life.
Nvidia says on their website: Exceptional Battery Life
One charge. Days of entertainment. Get unbeatable battery life with the Zune HD.
Educate thyself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5sEIf5-FJs&feature=channel_page
This is where all the "days of use" started. If I hooked my PMP to a laptop battery, I'd expect days of listening too. The nVidia page talking about days of use is iffy at best. If you consider more than one day (which is 24 hours) day"S" then yes, it gets more than one, but not 2, so it's techincally more than a day, so day"S."
The Zune only weighs 73g and is 8.9mm thick, so the battery must be tiny and very low capacity. One site I saw mentioned it was about 730 mAH, which is very low, but still with the Tegra chip and OLED screen, battery life should be better than that mentioned or else it would be disappointing, as it will not be very good when using it for wifi internet + audio + video.
The Ipod Touch has a 900mAH battery that Apple claims gets 36hours audio or 6hours video, so Zune HD has to be better than that to compete with the updated Touch that is coming in the future.
I already know all about Nvidia Tegra and most other smartphone and computing technology and news thanks, no education necessary.
Wow people who went crazy over the zune HD specs from the first post most be feeling really stupid to find out that is actually 33 hours of audio and 8.5 of videos.
meh....as a ZUne30 user who just listens to music, I'm not too terrible impressed. I'd rather just see a good firmware update for older zunes that supports UNICODE.
holy crap it comes in blue!!!
Any word on a 64GB+ version? My music collection alone is larger than 32GB and they expect you to squeeze HD video onto it as well? Aside from the capacity I'd get one on launch.
does amazon.com ship to canada?
No way there will be a line anywhere. No one cares dude.
Dealbreaker has to be No divx support at all. What the hell, almost all the crap I download is xvid or divx codec.
Sorry but the Creative Zii is more impressive with HDMI connectivity on the unit and not through a dock,
Zii EGG supports playback at full 1080p over HDMI out.
Thats nasty!
I'm pretty fond of my iPod's and their accessories, but that iTunes is the biggest piece of hamster chode I've ever seen. I can't wait to uninstall it. Unfortunitaly, I have to sell my Bose Dock that love!
Unfortunately it is missing Bluetooth. What the hell were they thinking? With the success of wireless headphones out there, why wouldn't they incorporate a technology they themselves created?!
Funny, nowhere in the wikipedia article on BlueTooth does it mention that Microsoft had anything to do with the creation of BlueTooth:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth
It does however say this:
"The Bluetooth specification was developed in 1994 by Jaap Haartsen and Sven Mattisson, who were working for Ericsson Mobile Platforms in Lund, Sweden.[10] The specification is based on frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology.
The specifications were formalized by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). The SIG was formally announced on May 20, 1998. Today it has a membership of over 11,000 companies worldwide. It was established by Ericsson, IBM, Intel, Toshiba, and Nokia, and later joined by many other companies."
The more you know, because knowledge is power, yada yada yada
I just hate when people say that Microsoft invented something that they had nothing to do with. My Dad thought Bill Gates invented the internet. I just about died when he said that.
Smaller screen, no bluetooth, and no accelerometer. HD is a nice feature, but I can use my 360 for that right? For a personal device this still fails for me. I'll probably end up getting a new Ipod touch when they come out.
There is an accelerometer.
With the ipod touch the screen is not 16:9. That means your HD videos will either be cropped or have black bars. This will not happen on the new Zunes.
Does anyone know if you can load up a Zune on the Mac with Doubletwist? Oh fck it, all my music is sugar coated in Apple iTunes DRM...
Isn't is strange that under the capacity section on the pdf it reports that both the 16GB and 32GB version of the ZuneHD can handle only 25,000 photos?
The amount of music and video varies between the two devices but not the amount of photos.....
Maybe another typo???
@Devin Brown. I would normally lump you into the "i hate everything micro$hit makes" apple fanboy group. However, since you have posted so many times arguing against the zune hd and its oled screen and tegra gpu, i would have to say you are more the jealous type who will be forced to live a miserable life pining over the zune while forcing yourself to not ask your mommy to buy you one just to stick to your twisted ideals. honestly, is it really that bad if somebody actually makes a product that does a couple things better than your precious ipods? if anything, you should be excited since the zune hd will probably push apple into improving the ipod touch. competition is good for the market. of course, devin, you wont realize this until you are out of grade school.
release an 60 or 80 gb version... now!!!
Is anyone else disappointed that it looks like the 32gb model only comes with a silver back? I'm sick of the ugly back of my clumsy shaped ipod touch. I wanted a black one :(
The interface on this thing is soooo much classier than the cartoony crap on the touch.
You'll be able to buy a Zune Originals after Sept. 15, which can be red, green, blue, silver or black.
Zune originals allow you to add a 4 lines of custom text for free, or 2 lines of text plus some laser etched art for $10.
In short you can get a $32 GB black.
I wonder whether the Zune 80 and 120 will have a firmware update including a browser?
If I have an iPod Touch right now, I would sell it for a Zune HD.
As it stands, this thing is mine once it hits retail.
Definitely a buy. But im wondering if during the music playback they tested with the screen-show thing or not? Though with 35 i'm guessing without.
And for those of you who are complaining about the battery life being too short how the hell do you listen to music for 35 hrs non-stop? And if you do, I really suggest you go talk to a doctor and get that Sleep apnea checked out.
Also Is it just me or should the 32GB been the one that was black and the 16 the silver?
I want the 32 but I really want the black. Argh....
Because of itunes, I think I will stick with apple. I'm not going to buy the same videos on zune that i have with my ipod touch. zune hd looks nice and all but i will wait to see what the new ipod touch offers.
Still no Unicode Support! Had to cancel my preorder.
No .avi with DivX/Xvid support? WTF microsoft, surely you know your demographics profile is made up of pirates.
Hmmm... I generally consider myself too professional to be influenced by product marketing or presentation. Nevertheless, I can appreciate a good design as much as the next man, and I find myself forced to admit that Zune HD is the best-looking portable media player I've ever seen.
Please forgive this momentary lapse, but this new piece of hardware is compact and sexy; especially in silver. It's a masterpiece -- it's beautiful. It's a new toy. I want one!
http://www.timacheson.com/Blog/2009/aug/zune_hd_portable_media_player_launch_date_announced
I'm all for competition, but this Zune build-up reminds me of the hype for the Blackberry Storm. Last I heard they were selling those buy one get one free.
Remember, the iPod Touch is getting updated right before this launches and that device already has a firmly entrenched app store.
Do you guys know if it will work with Windows XP?
Must be running Zune Software 4.0 on Windows Vista Home Premium or Windows Vista Ultimate, or Windows 7. This is the what the fine print says at the store.microsoft. So are we getting a Zune software update before the September release?
this is a device i am VERY tempted to purchase. While I would definitely choose this over an ipod touch, i currently own an iphone. i love it but it does not provide the PMP experience i would wish for. mostly due to the fact that zune pass allows me to get more music with my current financial state than itunes, and has more space than my iphone (which i need for media). so even with a lack of apps i would be alright as i aim to buy the zune HD for its exceptional capability as a media player, instead of its capability as a well rounded mobile device like the the ipod touch or iphone.
Can anybody tell me something about the compatibility of WMA with DRM9? I need this for the German Music Service Napster (we can rent or by music there)...
Thanks
I won't believe 720p output until it is confirmed by Microsoft. Did you notice that on Microsoft's online sales page, they only updated the battery life of Zune HD, video specs still do not show 1280x720.