Oct 9 Podcast #394: Zune HD
All of us have a need to take our content on the road for one reason or another. There are plenty of devices that can do that for you. Anything from an iPod or a laptop to a portable media center. You can choose the ultra portability of an iPod but you'll give up video quality. If you want HD quality you can use a laptop or portable media center but those are a bit bigger and more difficult to drag around with you. Today we are taking a look at the ZuneHD. With the Zune you can have ultra portability and HD video quality in one nice looking package.
Listen to the show
Today's Show:
News:
- Warner also seeks Redbox lawsuit dismissal
- First HDTV From 1958 Doesn't Have HDMI Inputs, Unfortunately
- SNL Kagan Expects HDTV Sales to Rebound in Late 2009 and Continue Strong into 2010
- DIRECTV HD Customers Now Have Access to Popular Interactive Weather Features and On-Demand Content from The Weather Channel HD
- RealNetworks will appeal to sell DVD copying software
- AT&T CruiseCast Stops Activations
Other:
Zune HD
All of us have a need to take our content on the road for one reason or another. There are plenty of devices that can do that for you. Anything from an iPod or a laptop to a portable media center. You can choose the ultra portability of an iPod but you'll give up video quality. If you want HD quality you can use a laptop or portable media center but those are a bit bigger and more difficult to drag around with you. Today we are taking a look at the ZuneHD. With the Zune you can have ultra portability and HD video quality in one nice looking package.
Features:
- Display: 3.3-inch OLED color touch screen display, 16:9 aspect ratio, 480 x 272 pixel resolution
- Audio Output: Analog, Optical digital Toslink S/PDIF (requires additional dock)
- Video Output: HDMI (requires additional dock) or Composite (requires additional dock)
- Radio: FM and HD radio
- Supported File Types: MP3, WMA, MP4, M4A, M4B, JPG, WMV, DVR-MS4 (no AVI support)
- Capacity: 32 GB
- Wireless Connectivity: 802.11b/g compatible (for syncing and internet browsing)
- Size: 52.7 mm x 102.1 mm x 8.9 mm (w x h x d)
- Weight: 2.6 ounces (74 grams)
- Battery Life: Music, up to 33 hours (wireless off); video, up to 8.5 hours.
Setup:
The Zune HD needs the Zune software installed on a PC to sync media, install apps, and purchase music and videos from the Zune Marketplace. Currently this software is not available for Apple products. Connecting the Zune HD AV dock is simple. Just connect the included HDMI cable to the TV or Receiver, plug in the power cable, and place the Zune in the dock. If your TV or receiver does not support HDMI you can use composite cables and optical audio. But to get 720p, the HDMI cable must be used. The ZuneHD supports FM and FM HD Radio. The dock has a wired antenna to increase reception of FM / HD Radio stations.
Once you select the desired video output in the Zune settings you’re ready to go. You can sit back on the couch and use the included remote to watch HD videos, listen to HD radio, listen to your own music collection, or look at photos.
Use:
As a portable media player the Zune HD is great. Music added to it’s library is also accompanied by photos, bios of the artist, and recommendations of similar artists for sale at the Zune Marketplace. The interface is simple and stylish, but the 3.3 inch display steals the show. The OLED screen is very bright, colorful, and sharp but also shows true blacks for great contrast. Looking at the screen from an angle renders no shadows or color dullness. The only knock against the screen is the size. While only .2 inches shorter than the iPod on the diagonal, the ZuneHD is narrower than the iPod which yielded a noticeably smaller viewing screen.
What sets the Zune HD apart from other portable media players it the ability to output High Definition via the Zune HD AV dock. In the dock, the interface is very similar to its normal operation, with the exception of no internet browsing. The HD video displayed by the small portable device is simply gorgeous without any stutters or lags. However, the 5.1 digital is no supported, it’s only Digital Prologic.
The Zune Marketplace:
First off, the Zune Marketplace does not use “real money” you must use Microsoft points to purchase anything. Currently, the average price for one hundred points is currently $1.25. Here’s a quick rundown of the points versus price purchases for standard items in the Zune Marketplace.
One song
79 points = $0.99
Entire albums
1000 points = $12.50
800 points = $10
TV show
160 points = $2 - Standard Definition
240 points = $3 – High Definition
Movies rentals (rent for 14 days or 24 hours after first play)
240 points = $3 - Standard Definition
360 points = $4.50 – High Definition
Overall the store has lots of audio content, and podcast support. They have a lot of TV shows for download, however the only major network that seams to be supporting it is NBC, there is very little from CBS, FOX, and none from ABC. As far as movies go, they have less than 500 movies available for rental. But TV and movie support is a new feature for the Zune Marketplace, and we’re sure it will keep growing (if they want to be successful). The Zune marketplace also has a few free Zune applications for download, but nowhere near the amount of the iTunes store. An hour of HD content is about 2 GB, so downloading a full movie takes some time. However, you can view it on your PC while it finishes downloading.
Other Features:
The Zune software supports the Xbox 360, and to our surprise all content in the Zune library (this includes videos, podcasts, music, and pictures) are streamable from the PC to an Xbox 360. HD videos purchased from the Zune Marketplace are also streamed in HD with full 5.1 surround sound (a feature the Zune HD does not have).
The web browser is nice. It seams to be a step or two above the browser included in Windows Mobile devices. However, it does not support Flash.
Conclusion:
The Zune HD is a powerful portable media device. It has a beautiful OLED screen, small form factor, smooth touch screen menus, and wonderful 720p output to a TV. However, for Microsoft to steal some iPod users, more apps and video content need to be available in the Zune Marketplace. The Zune HD has solid hardware that is almost as sexy as the iPod. What would make this device perfect for a home theater would be Hulu and Netfilx support. Microsoft has also stated that they will release games for the Zune HD, since Xbox Live and the Zune Marketplace already seam to be linked the possibility of it being a good portable gaming device are great. The Zune HD is a solid device. With future updates it may take a run at the iPod's dominance in the market.
Zune HD 32 GB Video MP3 Player
Reader Comments (13)
Hi,
Thanks for your great podcast. Concerning the Zune, the ads say it will output HDMI to your TV. But, from your report, it sounds like it will not do this unless a special dock is also purchased. Will the Zune output HDMI to a HD TV without the dock?
Hi Peter,
You need the dock to watch HD on your TV.
Ara
Braden's rant was uncalled for regarding the "junk" in the iPhone app store. Junk is a matter of opinion and one person's junk is another person's treasure. It's all about the opportunity to have to choice to make this decision as a user. So, rather than a stronger filter as Braden suggests, I think Apple should loosen their control of the store. I think Apple has a right to control apps in terms of security, privacy, and appropriateness but they shouldn't decide what is junk and what is not.
Brandon's "rant" was right on... It's junk until you know what it is or what it does. With the volume that the iPod has, somebody should produce an app to manage/find apps. There are good ones there but come on is it worth the searching? Most people that have more than a couple apps buy them and use them for a day or two and then never use them again. Junk? Maybe not but useless, sure until you find one that fits your needs.
OK enough on that side topic. One thing I thought you guys would mention being HT and HD guys is that the Zune HD has a perfect 16:9 aspect ratio for video playback on the device. That is the reason the screen is a bit smaller, other devices are mostly 16:10 which distorts the picture since they use the full screen. Call me a perfectionist but I prefer 16:9 displays for watching movies that were made for 16:9. Just a point I thought you guys should know and have pointed out.
Love the show, keep up the great work
Another great show guys, really enjoy listening to you two every Friday night on my ipod after a long week. You two set the weekend up brilliantly. Thanks for the heads up on the new season US shows, we are getting quite a few of them showing immediately here in the UK (Flash Forward) for example and NCIS L.A. starts late October on Sky 1 over here. Any news on if or when the Zune HD will be available in the UK?
HDTV still only available via satellite/cable over here at the moment. Keep up the good work, looking forward to more great shows over the coming weeks.
Until the Zune is available outside of the USA/Canada I wouldn't qualify it as a released competitive product for iPods and Archos-jukeboxes and other portable media-players out there. ;)
I mean ... seriously.
The Zune is in its what ? 3rd generation ?
What's stopping Microsoft ?
Two big things stick out from your Zune review.
1. The fact that Microsoft is not using "real money" means you will often find those point cards on sale. Currently Toys R Us are offering the cards on a buy 2 get 1 free basis. So you can get $60 worth of cards for $40. You can also routinely find the cards for $5 off.
2. The Zune pass seems to be one of the large features you forgot to mention in your review. For $14.99 a month you get an unlimited access to download songs. Plus, you get to keep 10 of those songs a month for "free". Those songs would be DRM free. It is a great way to try out new music or save on the hassle on converting your old CDs.
http://zuneinsider.com/archive/2008/11/20/the-new-zune-pass-your-questions-answered.aspx
Another great show guys...the discussion about the remote automated garage door got my wife a bit spun up. We are often leaving the house...wondering if we closed the door or not...it's an early morning, half asleep thing.
As for iPhone apps...My wife has a Blackberry and I finally broke down and got an iPhone. Yes, there are a lot of useless apps on the iPhone, but also. There are some really really cool ones that are way better than ones available on the blackberry. I think much like anything in the internet age, you have to do a little research, use your friends and guinea pigs, etc. She got the Blackberry because it works better as a business tool. I got the iPhone because it interfaces better with some equipment I have and it's a better toy. Point is, often where there is volume, there is a lot of junk, but also there is often more and better cream.
Thanks again guys!
Chris
I agree with Larry that the Zune Pass is something you really missed in your review. Especially when comparing it with an iPod, the Zune Pass is a significant value over Apple's current options. For the cost of a CD a month, you can listen to 99% of the music on the marketplace as much as you wish, and you still get to choose 10 songs a month to own. I would recommend that you try out the Zune Pass for a month or two and provide an update on your impressions. The only drawback I've found is that the Zune Marketplace doesn't have as much content as iTunes, but it is more than enough to keep me happy!
Also, the "Smart DJ" features become significantly more valuable with the Zune Pass. It basically allows you to have Pandora with no internet connection.
Thanks for the review, and for your show!
Lyle
Hi HT Guys,
Love your show. And I especially enjoyed your Zune HD review. So much so, that I felt compelled to comment.
Braden, don't hate.
When I heard your rant on Apple's App Store, My first thought was maybe you needed more fiber in your diet. So you don't find most of the apps in the App Store useful. Fine. Don't download them. It's a free country. But to say to your audience that most of the apps are garbage, makes you sound rather elitist. While most folks may agree that apps like "iFart" & "Baby Shaker" have no socially-redeeming qualities, those same people would probably agree that apps like "Phone Flicks" and "Pandora" (to name a few) are really useful, convenient, and just downright fun. So WHY do you find most apps in the App Store garbage?
I felt compelled to comment on the previous show, AVRant, on how much I enjoyed the show and the exposure to new content until I subscribed to, and listened to, an AVRant rant cast. Sorry guys but my time is too precious to be taken up by two guys channeling their inner 12-year old. Your show, on the contrary, has historically been the opposite. Clear, concise and content driven, I have been enjoying your show from its early days.
That is until this show.
The ZuneHD has been receiving a lot of hype from various other sources and I was looking forward to the HT Guys review. I expected a long and through review as Ara had mentioned on a prior podcast that he was going to spend a couple of weeks with the ZuneHD before posting his review.
I was sadly disappointed. After getting bogged down with the early part of the show, I fast forwarded to the review. I was rewarded by a short, bullet pointed list of features followed by a long rant about having too many choices at the iTunes app store. What has this got to do with the ZuneHD? Taking a page from the AVRant playbook, Braden has sold himself and the show short. I had to listen very carefully to discern any real content or subjective conclusion from the review of the ZuneHD.
You guys need to seriously think about what your trying to market in this attention economy. You can build on the great product you have established or you can take a page from conservative talk radio. If that's your choice you can count me and probably others out.
I agree with Larry and Lyle regarding the Zune Pass. I think of it as "Netflicks" for music. For anyone who is interested in multiple genres of music, it has no equal. For one subscription ($ 15/ month), you can load up 3 Zune players (potentially 120 GB each) and 3 computers, so with terrabyes of storage, one can conceivably download or stream the entire Zune Marketplace on 6 different devices. It is the music "cloud" we've been waiting for since Napster.
Imaging if MS could get Netflicks to allow downloading movies to Zune HD's, I think that would give iTunes some serious competition.
Bradens rant regarding the iPhone apps really cracked me up. It sounded exactly like the classic Mac vs PC "discussion" from 20-30 years ago. Back then, of course, it was an advantage to the PC world that there were hundreds or thousands more apps available for the PC than the Mac. Now accordingly Braden it is a drawback. My (Mac-centric) response back then was always something like, "I only need one good flight sim not 18 lousy ones".
Of course there are plenty of useless (to you and me) apps on the iPhone but the key is that there are lots of choices so you are bound to be able to find some app that you like and want to use.
(In light of full disclosure, I don't own an iPhone, iPod Touch or a Zune so my comments are purely speculative)