Zune HD getting Xvid, Smart DJ, ever more appealing
By Tim Stevens 
posted January 12th 2010 9:24AM
posted January 12th 2010 9:24AM
posted January 12th 2010 9:24AM
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just another reason ive never been happier with my hd
(not relevant... but i just got promotion at the job! and with that a brand new kick ass laptop! why does that matter? im no longer stuck with shitty IE anymore cuz i can install whatever the hell I want. I can finally comment at the job again :D good times......)
@skyblaze
Congrats! Let the good times roll.
@skyblaze
awesome, ever heard of Genius Playlists on iTunes?
@skyblaze WHOOHOOO finally someone other than archos put xvid on a player.. Im sold I want one of these.. no I NEED one of these.
@Wesscoast Actually I have, but I heard it was crap compared to Zune's Mixview which doesn't even make actual playlists.
@skyblaze Love my Zune HD and Zune Pass. It's one of the best purchases I ever made and I was very hesitant about it because I wasn't really unhappy with my iPod Touch at all. I use the Zune every single day now and SmartDJ will be a great addition. Zune HD is a much better MP3 player than iPod Touch in my opinion
I like the Zune service so much that if they integrate it really well into Windows Mobile 7 I will probably switch from my Palm Pre back to a Windows Phone. And I really like my Pre a lot, I think Palm's got the best mobile OS by far right. Still, having a phone compatible with Zune Pass and Zune Marketplace would win me over, especially if MS finally brings Windows Mobile into the 21st century.
@skyblaze
Can we, HDD based Zunes, have more reasons to be happier?
Dear Microsoft, please toss in a GSM/CDMA radio into these things. That would be really super. Thanks!
@grumpyOldMan
Agreed. Great avatar too, btw.
@grumpyOldMan
get off my lawn!
@nicholiservia
I kind of think Microsoft is mirroring Apple's approach with their iPod and iPhone. Getting it out there, getting it right and then turning it into a phone. That's my opinion at least.
@nicholiservia
the reason why microsoft wont make a phone is that it will bring down windows mobile. its same like why microsoft wont make a laptop or desktop. on otherhand, mp3 players or gaming consoles dont ask for operating system. so its ok to make a hardware like this.
@nicholiservia They do it because they believe in their partner space. If they came out with a phone they would be alienating Samsung, LG, HTC and other phone makers. Whether it is the right approach or not is another story.
@grumpyOldMan Agree, WM7 will be Zune HD + Phone + Xbox Live. A good thing for devs is that its all going to be Silverlight + XNA.
@tdogdfw
which is why i don't agree with google coming out with a phone
that's just poor business....especially when the phone isn't really cutting edge
@tdogdfw "they believe in their partner space". Really? How's that working out for Toshiba, SanDisk, and all the other PlaysForSure licensees?
Rest assured if Microsoft thinks its entry to the mobile phone market would be successful and profitable, partners be damned, they would do it.
@OldNewOne Think what you want, but you don't see them making computers or phones for that very reason.
@grumpyOldMan - Can't wait to see this feature hopefully integrated into the next gen of WM. If they can get the Zune features and somehow toss in some solid Xbox gaming functionality (although that'll be tricky without making the hardware themselves) they could find themselves a hit.
@skyblaze
ROFL
my neighbor is almost identical clint eastwoods character, and my family is just like the koreans in that movie haha
(im assuming youre talkin about Gran Torino)
@mr703 The best thing about Google coming out with a phone is that it has an unmodified version of Android. All other android phones with the exception of the Droid seem to ruin the OS. HTC with Sense UI and AT&T with any Android phone they release. Its to bad the droid is so ugly.
So this means that we'll be able to throw Xvid AVIs onto the Zune HD with no conversion tools required?
Now I'm REALLY craving a higher capacity Zune HD.
@edicius
yep, i think this is going to push me over the edge to get one
i've been waiting for avi and xvid support since day 1. Always shocked me how the xbox can handle a ton of video formats, but that didn't translate over to the HD
@edicius
I'm kinda surprised MS finally added Xvid support. I always thought they don't support it because of some corporate deals with the movie industry (since Xvid is popular "on the internet"). I'm pretty sure this is the reason behind the lack of support in Apple devices.
Now I'm waiting for FLAC and OGG as well...
@Endadget I cant see them supporting FLAC on the device due to the file size, however it would be great if the software could play them, and convert them to MP3 for the player.
@BigPete
File size? They support HD videos, which take way more space. You can store plenty of FLAC albums on a Zune, if you wish so.
It's not about file size, at all. They don't support FLAC even in WMP on Windows.
@edicius
How about MKV?
@Endadget The Xbox 360 supports Xvid, why not the Zune? And Win 7 even has native support.
@tiago MKV is just too much to hope for. And the shame of it all is that I have yet to find a consistently reliable converter for my MKV files. Sure, it'll convert them to MP4s, but MP4s that won't play on my Zune. Unless there's just some setting in Handbrake that I'm missing, I've just given up on it.
@edicius Try this, http://xenonmkv.ev98.net/ it is what I use to convert MKVs to play on my 360, so it might work for Zunes too.
@edicius To convert to MP4s that play on my Zune HD, I normally use the settings in Handbrake for converting to the iPod touch. My MP4s from it come out fine.
@edicius A Cowon S9 will do that.
@edicius The only real issue with converting mkv's to work is that while the video stream should be compatible a lot of the time you can't get away with not re-encoding the audio to get it to work, since many MKV's don't use AAC audio.
Smart DJ is good stuff!!
Now if only they will go ahead and release a 64GB version I will be happy and jump on the Zune HD....would have thought to hear something about that at CES but oh well
@Chris DPSN AggieCEO XBLThe Aggi
Seconded. I'd be fine downgrading my storage capacity from 80GB to 64GB, but 80GB to 32GB is just too steep a drop for me right now.
@edicius I'm the same way, I had the Zune30 and later bought a Zune80, the ZuneHD plays HD video it should have came with at LEAST 64GBs at launch. lol
Nice to see Microsoft providing new features to the ZuneHD. I just really wish they would actually advertise the thing. They also REALLY need to make this available internationally.
@BigPete
You know about it...why not buy it? I've never understood people who base their purchases on if other people are aware of the product. It's not like you need some people to vouch for Microsoft as if you'd never heard of them.
@Tes
I already own it. It's just in my best interest to have as many people using it as possible since I use the social features heavily.
@BigPete
I don't know...I understand with games where you want as many people to choose from to compete against...but with the "social" features on the Zune (which I must add, I've not used since my Zune80 broke a couple of years back, so correct me if I'm wrong) seem more useful with people you know...who you could recommend the Zune to yourself
@Tes
I don't have any RL friends who own a Zune, so I use the social by going to Zune.net and search for bands I like. I then follow users who also like those bands, so I can see what other stuff they listen to. I've discovered some really great music this way.
@BigPete
I really think MS is using the Zune as a testing ground. They haven't released it outside of the US, but they keep updating the features. This way, they get to use real consumer feedback while not having to deal with distribution cost and whatnot.
Bring the Zune HD to the UK!
@SpeedySurfer
Seconded. I like the emphasis towards the social, sharing side of music - the Zune software was also quite nice to use.
@SpeedySurfer couldn't agree more. The Zune HD will never take off at all until it goes international. Heck, it's not even here in Canada yet.
Oh well. Maybe MS is waiting until MWC to announce both WM7 (same codebase as Zune HD), and international Zune releases?
@Alan Strangis: Hopefully. It completely baffles me as to why they haven't already started selling it internationally. It'd be a great competitor for the ipod.
@SpeedySurfer Just bring it to whole Europe!
A small step in the right direction. I just wish Microsoft would do more to promote the Zune brand. Even though it's been out since like last September (?), I have not once seen a commercial for the Zune HD. Heck I haven't seen a Zune tv ad since the 30GB was released.
I already love mine ... Best Purchase last year and i made a lot : ) The Software and Zune pass alone makes it amazing
AWesome...now all we need is MKV container support and x264 video support and this would be the perfect media player.
Ok good start with the apps... Now wheres the rest of them?