Ask Dave (A Microsoft Employee)

[Olley]

Dave,

Thanks for your answers so far. Tell the rest of the Zune team for me that I'm incredibly impressed with the Music app. Brings back memories of LP covers and inserts, although I'm enjoy how much more dynamic digital devices can be. Sony did fine with their music app, but left the touchscreen Walkman's photo app unfinished, and video support crippled by resolution and codec limits. I sure hope the Photo and Video app teams went as wild their respective apps as the Music app folks did.

On a side note, my Cowon S9 just got a firmware update that seems to have perfected gapless playback on all formats it can play, including MP3s. As such, I'm very much enjoying Eric Clapton's unplugged album off my S9 right now. Any chance the same album will play back gapless on the Zune HD I'm sure to get?

[CrowdAds]

[medion]

Originally Posted by clubdirthill

What model Tegra in the the Zune HD. I'm hearing its the 650. Is this true?

Nvidia confirmed earlier today that it's a 650, clocked at 800mhz.

[Moki]

Looks more exciting all the time Dave!

Does the marketplace offer gift Zune passes for like 3-6 months? Thinking of getting some for my kids.

Maybe MS could do the equivalent of the taste test Coke and Pepsi did years ago: Have a hidden iPod and Zune each playing the same music hooked up to some decent earphones and let members of the public vote which one sounds better.

Also, it might be a laugh to drop off a truckload of adult diapers at Apple headquarters on release date.

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by medion

I'm also very curious about your statement that cars are going towards wi-fi. Know any models offhand that support this today or within the next few months? Actually, does Ford SYNC currently support this? It's my understanding that it does not.

This does dampen my desire for a Zune HD, but we'll see, using a cord and aux input won't kill me.

I can't talk about car companies whose vehicles haven't been released that have wifi (and there's a BUNCH of those), but you're starting to see Audi and the other European manufacturers support wifi/DLNA in the car. I know there are US and Asian models coming out this year with wifi features too.

Cheers, Dave.

[kenedy81]

I think what Dave cannot talk about is Apps. I doubt that MS would commission a Tegra just to run a browser and such. Apps are coming I'm staying patient. Checkout the following article from Seattle Times. (Shoutout to Zune Boards)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...g_seattle.html

[Moki]

A couple more questions Dave:

How far in advance of the release date do the specs have to be finalized?

How much time does it take to do the initial production run and how large will that be?

Thanks

[CheeToS]

Will the Zune HD be preflashed with the main firmware, or will it be necessary to plug it in to download it? (I won't mention why I'm asking this).

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by Moki

How far in advance of the release date do the specs have to be finalized?

How much time does it take to do the initial production run and how large will that be?

Hardware specs have to be finalized months ago, software specs also months ago - although work can (in theory) continue right up until the day before the firmware is released. Of course that isn't how it actually works, but conceptually that is feasible.

I can't say too much about production runs and quantities since that is proprietary info. When you say how long does it take to do a production run - do you mean how long does it take to make a device from a box of components to finished product?

If you're asking whether the factory is turned on, a bunch of devices are made, and then it is turned off... well, a successful product would require the factory to remain on...

Originally Posted by CheeToS

Will the Zune HD be preflashed with the main firmware, or will it be necessary to plug it in to download it? (I won't mention why I'm asking this).

It will have an initial firmware release that was finalized some time ago, and then (as with previous device releases) an update will be available when you get the device home and plug it in.

Cheers, Dave.

[rebirthsoul]

I posted this in another thread but I want to post it here as well.

Was the hardware, up to what has been released to public, able to support the divx codec. The reason I'm asking is that divx is becoming more and more popular. Evidence that I believe hold true is the fact. For example, the Xbox 360 team released divx support back in 07(or 08). Also many dvd players has been or is going to come out with divx support. (saw about 4 different models out of 6 at Costco with divx support)

If you can't answer it with reference to the zuneHD, then perhaps can you answer it as your opinion on whether the nvidia chip can help "any" PMP achieve such results.

[Moki]

I can't say too much about production runs and quantities since that is proprietary info. When you say how long does it take to do a production run - do you mean how long does it take to make a device from a box of components to finished product?

Is assembly of the components done robotically? or manually?

It sounds like there's already a large stock of them boxed up in their packaging and sitting in warehouses somewhere waiting for their shipping orders.

What have you done so far to get retailers and dealers excited about the Zune HD?

Thanks!

[Pante]

Hi Dave

Just 2 things that i think alot of ppl is thinking of..

How is the sound in the new Zune ? alot of us is look at the new Sony X1000/X1050 and the Zune HD for a new player, we all know that Sony have really great sound but what about Zune HD ?

Last thing , lack of DivX/XviD support on Zune HD ? How can that be ? Xbox 360 and the Windows 7 does have support for it , so why not Zune HD ?

Thanks alot once more for your time and help.

[Chocolate Truffle]

I was going to get either Sony or Samsung high-end, but I've changed my mind recently and I'm really looking forward to Zune HD.

I also have a question about sound quality. I've used Samsung and Sony players all my life and I would like your opinion on its SQ compared to those units.

[lossendae]

Hello Dave,

I've just checked specs for the upcoming Zune HD.

The device seems promising and a lot of people expect the device to be a real competitor against the ipod and is fabulous AppStore.

But i've to tell you that I'm a little bit disapointed, why big companies with possible large market share like Apple or Microsoft limit their codec support?
Why in 2009, a brand new multimedia high hand device with outstanding specs still unable to playback DIVX, FLAC, MPC or OGG?

I really hope that those codecs will be supported in upcoming firmware release.

It's not a matter of large support by the crowd who will most likely use mp3's, it's for drawing a clear line against the ipod.

On this website for example, most of the praised players supports a large panel of codecs. I'm pretty sure that Cowon, Samsung or Sansa know that there are not many people using FLAC or equals, but they do support them.

When i first heard of the Zune HD, i was hoping that MS will take some of "ideas" behind the ipod and draw a clear line with it by supporting the crowd AND the passionate (geeks) people.
I was looking forward a device with an AppStore like, great sound and large codec support.

For what i can see, the Zune will be voluntary limited and will go in the same case than the ipod. We will probably see a new bunch of website : anythingbutzuneandipod, anythingbutartificiallylimitedplayers...

Humor aside, please Dave, just let me hope that the Zune will evolve in the future on codec support (Video and Audio).
Is that impossible?

Geeks will always be limited to half assed devices, because devices that extend usage are artificially limited. I can't understand why...

I don't know if the following question has been asked:

- Will the Zune HD capable to work without the Zune software (Linux and OSX for example)?
- Will we be able to customise the Zune with personal theme?
- Will we be able to control WMC with the Zune (like a remote controller)?

I know that you can't disclose yet a lot of things. i hope that that the Zune will be able to install a lot of things on the Zune, like the upcoming firefox portable or Opera, like a remote controller App, like twitter App, etc... and that the store policy will not be as opaque as the AppStore.

[h1a8]

Dave is this a scam or is it legitimate?


here

[CheeToS]

Originally Posted by h1a8

Dave is this a scam or is it legitimate?


here

There is no way he can tell you the answer to that. It says it will be shipped on September 15th, which is the official release date. It's perfectly possible that person preordered a Zune HD (or more) in order to sell them on eBay.

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by h1a8

Dave is this a scam or is it legitimate?


here

Well, it could be - they're selling you a device that they've (presumably) pre-ordered, since they say it will ship after September 15th.

But... they have the screen dimension wrong, they wrongly claim the device can output HDMI directly, the ad is full of spelling errors, and undoubtedly you'll pay more than if you just pre-ordered it directly.

Cheers, Dave.

[lossendae]

Hello Dave,

Are you going to give me an answer or just ignore my long post?

Just for me to know if i have to come back read the topic or just take off to another subject.

[Chocolate Truffle]

Few questions:

Warranty: Is it 3 years as Best Buy rumor states?

Unicode: When you browse in the artist section for example, in English, it goes from A-Z, but would it show Korean or Japanese, or for that matter any other language in order?

[DaveMac-MS]

For the record lossendae - while I appreciate your questions, I don't appreciate being called out for not answering your questions within 24 hours of your posting them. This is a CRAZY BUSY time for our team right now, I'm doing things like flying overnight between cities to maximize my time on the ground etc... and so I can't commit to being as responsive as perhaps I'd like. Again - love the enthusiasm, but please don't be upset if I can't respond immediately.

Originally Posted by lossendae

Humor aside, please Dave, just let me hope that the Zune will evolve in the future on codec support (Video and Audio).
Is that impossible?

So I've heard this message loud and clear - folks want DivX support. Perhaps other codecs too. I honestly don't know why we made the codec support decisions that we have - I'm trying to get educated on that now. I know that more codecs == greater cost to implement, but I'm sure that wasn't the reason. Unless there was something random (like DivX is associated with pirated content and content owners wouldn't license us content for the Marketplace if we supported it) then I don't see why it wouldn't be possible to add codecs in a future update. We've done it before.

However, I'm just surmising here. Let me research and get back to the group.

Originally Posted by lossendae

Geeks will always be limited to half assed devices, because devices that extend usage are artificially limited. I can't understand why...

That one's easy. "Geeks" are a tiny fraction of the market. "Geeks" are the overwhelming majority on any forum dedicated to MP3 players, but are the overwhelming minority of the market. Devices which are developed for a mass market are always going to support mass market features first and foremost. What you call "artificially limited", Apple & Microsoft call "easy to use and support 95% of use cases". Every dollar spent building "geek" features is a dollar not spent on basic functionality - you only spend on the additional stuff once you've got the basics covered, and covered well.

That isn't to say we won't get there, but we're not even 3 years old yet. To come this far in such a short time is an achievement I'm personally very proud of.

Originally Posted by lossendae

- Will the Zune HD capable to work without the Zune software (Linux and OSX for example)?
- Will we be able to customise the Zune with personal theme?
- Will we be able to control WMC with the Zune (like a remote controller)?

No, the Zune HD will require Zune software to operate.

Zune's have historically been customizable - you should expect that to continue.

No comment on WMC, sorry.

Cheers, Dave.

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by strangesweet

Unicode: When you browse in the artist section for example, in English, it goes from A-Z, but would it show Korean or Japanese, or for that matter any other language in order?

Actually, I don't own any Asian music, so I can't comment on the unicode support or how it works alongside western alphabet content. If someone can point me to free & legal content with unicode metadata, I'll try it out.

Cheers, Dave.