Ask Dave (A Microsoft Employee)

[oppizzippo]

Originally Posted by Maxis

I would highly suggest you buy a decent pair of entry to mid level In ear monitors such as phonak audeo, Shure, sleek Audio, Ultimate Ears (My personal favorite) or Sensheisers rather than buying Zune premiums; especially if you are a little bit more than a casual listener of music. Conversely, If you don't actively audition your music and simply want something that sounds better than average then no probs get the premiums.

Just a little advice

Cheers

Thanks for the advice, I'm wanting some "nice looking" cheep headphones to listen to when I'm out and about when I don't need awesome sound quality because I'll be listening to podcasts. I only listen to music at home hooked up to my nice speakers. I plan to pick up a pair of Sleek Audio for listening at home and on plane/bus/train rides that I want good sound isolation and comfort.

Cory

[CrowdAds]

[DaveMac-MS]

Happy Labour Day weekend to those in the US...

Originally Posted by Machiventa

Did Dave ever comment if the Zune HD will output non-HD content via the headphone jack with an A/V cable?

No, there is no video out of the headphone jack with the Zune HD. There is HDMI and composite video available via the dock.

Originally Posted by Leroy Bad

Forgive me if this has been answered before, but how do the background images on the Now Playing Screen work? Do I get to add them myself by or does the Zune Software find what is appropriate for me?

These images are sent down automatically when you sync your content with the device.

Cheers, Dave.

[lossendae]

Hello Dave,

Is Microsoft going to forbid some applications that duplicate functionality or extend too much the ZuneHD? Like the heavy censure on the App Store?

[alexiznumber1]

hey i currently have a P2. And whenever i connect to an aux (mainly the cars) its sound quality is terrible. Does naybody know how to fix this? And will the Zune HD have this problem?

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by lossendae

Is Microsoft going to forbid some applications that duplicate functionality or extend too much the ZuneHD? Like the heavy censure on the App Store?

Microsoft has made no announcements about application support on the device, so anything you've read there is just speculation or rumour - sorry.

Originally Posted by alexiznumber1

hey i currently have a P2. And whenever i connect to an aux (mainly the cars) its sound quality is terrible. Does naybody know how to fix this? And will the Zune HD have this problem?

I connect my HD via the AUX port in my fiancee's car and it sounds just great. However, if you're getting great sound out of your P2 via headphones, but lousy via the AUX port - then it is the port, not your device IMHO.

Cheers, Dave.

[Leroy Bad]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

I connect my HD via the AUX port in my fiancee's car and it sounds just great. However, if you're getting great sound out of your P2 via headphones, but lousy via the AUX port - then it is the port, not your device IMHO.

Cheers, Dave.

To add to that, make sure any EQ or sound processing is disabled in your P2 when using a AUX port as well. I find that EQs don't sound that great when connected to an AUX port of a car/stereo that has its own sound processing.

[Leroy Bad]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

These images are sent down automatically when you sync your content with the device.

Cheers, Dave.

So I must have an internet connection for this option?

[Ricardo Dawkins]

So I must have an internet connection for this option?

without internet, how do you plan to update the software?

[Leroy Bad]

Well upgrades mostly likely wouldn't happen that often. And I do often sync when I'm away from internet access.

Besides, I just want to know what level of control I have over my music and Zune HD.

[Olley]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

Microsoft has made no announcements about application support on the device, so anything you've read there is just speculation or rumour - sorry. Cheers, Dave.

Ah, Speculations and Rumor! Two of my favorite friends. We thrive on those in the absence of an actual product to evaluate.

Are you having any fun this labor-day weekend, Dave? Did MS gve everyone the day off or are you still slaving over details preparing for the launch?

September is warming up as THE tech month of this year. Just as MS and Apple confirm that memory expansion in their devices is a no-no, Sansa adds a microSD/slotRadio slot to it's Clip (the +) and Samsung puts a microSD slot in it's 3.3" OLED M1.

You've mentioned in the past that Sansa's motivation for memory slots in it's players follows the fact that they produce memory cards. I personally like the concept of keeping subserts of my collection on seperate cards and swapping them out as the occasion arises. Do you get ANY sense of a desire for media card support from the people you encounter, Dave?

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by Leroy Bad

Well upgrades mostly likely wouldn't happen that often. And I do often sync when I'm away from internet access.

Besides, I just want to know what level of control I have over my music and Zune HD.

So you can sync without requiring an internet connection of course. When you are connected, you'll get all the additional goodness that a cloud connection offers - things like the artwork you've identified. However, if you're not connected (or you are and no such artwork exists), nothing breaks - you just get a more basic experience.

This stuff is all icing, not the cake. Well, it's pretty darned cool IMO, but fundamentally a basic sync experience is always available - connectivity or no.

Originally Posted by Olley

Ah, Speculations and Rumor! Two of my favorite friends. We thrive on those in the absence of an actual product to evaluate.

Ain't THAT the truth...

Originally Posted by Olley

Are you having any fun this labor-day weekend, Dave? Did MS gve everyone the day off or are you still slaving over details preparing for the launch?

So I'm not sure how many of us HAD to come into the office. I'm in, but I did get out to see Dave Matthews Band on Saturday night. I don't have to be here, but have a ton to do - so am taking advantage of some quiet time to be productive.

Originally Posted by Olley

Just as MS and Apple confirm that memory expansion in their devices is a no-no, Sansa adds a microSD/slotRadio slot to it's Clip (the +) and Samsung puts a microSD slot in it's 3.3" OLED M1.

You've mentioned in the past that Sansa's motivation for memory slots in it's players follows the fact that they produce memory cards. I personally like the concept of keeping subserts of my collection on seperate cards and swapping them out as the occasion arises. Do you get ANY sense of a desire for media card support from the people you encounter, Dave?

Well, to be clear - I've just said it doesn't make sense for the majority of people who aren't so technical as to carry around multiple memory expansion cards. I forget how long ago - maybe a year or so - I saw data showing the average size of a media library on a PMP was almost 4GB. That data also showed the average size of a self-identified "power user" library was almost 7GB. Now, that's likely increased in the 12mo or so since I saw that data, and the more ready availability of video will also impact it - but the clear message is that overwhelmingly, users have much less content than any of us on this forum do...

So, unless you don't make a device whose capacity can accommodate 80+% of the target market's media libraries OR you are in the media card/flash storage business, there's not much reason to invest in that space. Note that Samsung too is a flash memory vendor.

Cheers, Dave.

[Laqueum]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

These images are sent down automatically when you sync your content with the device.

Cheers, Dave.

Hey there, Dave. Made an account just to ask you two small questions because I've been itching to know for a long while now.

First, how exactly does the Zune PC software know when to apply the background image on the now playing screen? I ask because even if everything is tagged properly it rarely pops up. Usually it'll only work for one or two albums within an artist collection (sometimes even just for one or two songs... very annoying!). I'd also like to know if there is some way to control this on my side. I'd love to add in my own images to the mix.

Another thing, if I can't add in my own images and/or get the software to properly apply the images will the Zune 4.0 software be more robust in this aspect?

-Thanks!

[Thrashingshrimp]

Hey Dave, I have a question that goes along with Laqueum's. Is there a way to entirely turn off the the now playing background image? If so, what would it look like (and can you add your own custom image)?

[clubdirthill]

Do you care to say why you (By "you" I mean the marketing team.) have been so tight lipped about app support, despite the clear evidence of such a thing (at least being in the pipeline) from the Best Buy event, numerous reports of a preloaded Burnout Paradise Zune trailer, comments from Microsoft reps saying it will have it (See Engadget's Zune HD hands-on), etc. Apple? Incomplete details? Those seem likely. Meh, we'll find out soon enough!

[Chocolate Truffle]

Saw Zune 4.0 preview shots and it looks really nice. I like the feature where you can edit entire album's ID3tag all at once instead of going by file to file.

Some questions........

Do you know the max album art size? I might start early and optimize the size while I have some time..

So can you buy black 32GB after September 15 besides MS store (ex: Best Buy)?

And I asked this several times but is the warranty really going to be 3 yrs as rumored?

How is accessories going to be? I'm really looking forward to purchase a high quality leather case..

[Ricardo Dawkins]

Do you know the max album art size? I might start early and optimize the size while I have some time..

I have embedded album artworks as JPGs in my mp3s files for my Zune as big as 2MB... album artworks show fine in my Zune 80.

And I asked this several times but is the warranty really going to be 3 yrs as rumored?

1 year is the standard MS warranty. Stores like Best Buy has their own warranty system.

[Chocolate Truffle]

Originally Posted by Ricardo Dawkins

I have embedded album artworks as JPGs in my mp3s files for my Zune as big as 2MB... album artworks show fine in my Zune 80.


1 year is the standard MS warranty. Stores like Best Buy has their own warranty system.

Sorry for mis-wording, I suppose. I was asking what is the maximum size of album art in terms of pixel.. like 500x500 or 272x272. I know most album sizes will show on mp3 player, but I wanted to know the exact size so it loads up fast. My P2 had max of 272x272 so my current albumarts are all in 272x272. Obviously, if Zune HD supports bigger album art than P2, it wouldn't show as nicely on Zune.

[alexiznumber1]

Originally Posted by Leroy Bad

To add to that, make sure any EQ or sound processing is disabled in your P2 when using a AUX port as well. I find that EQs don't sound that great when connected to an AUX port of a car/stereo that has its own sound processing.

But how do u disable it on the P2??

[Olley]

Originally Posted by alexiznumber1

But how do u disable it on the P2??

You pick "normal" in the EQ (DNSe) settings.

[Laqueum]

After taking another look at how to get artist pictures to show up in the now playing screen I think I found the key I was missing... turns out, not only does your collection have to be properly tagged but all the tracks must be "properly timed".

With that said, I have yet another question and a request for you, Dave. Can you find the person that thought it was necessary to must have song play time in sync with what's in the market place and hit them with a rolled up newspaper?

Honestly, that is not fair. People do rip their music from various sources that don't always give the exact track length... and I honestly don't think there's an easy way to "correct" such an issue on the users end. Really, the only requirements should be artist and album name, my opinion of course.

-Thanks