Ask Dave (A Microsoft Employee)

[Briankealing]

Essentially, if you want to walk and increase volume...
1. Shove hand in pocket
2. Press button
3. Slide down (since the zune's earphone plug is on the bottom)

You can slide left and right to switch tracks.

[CrowdAds]

[vice]

Dave, is there a chance that Microsoft will update their codec support on the Zune HD?
Flac-wise




EDIT: btw I meant, is it on a big chalkboard with other ideas that are on the "to do list" or is it just a simple no?

[JKK Photography]

Dave, first, thanks for being so helpful. After being an Apple iPod user for so long, it feels great to know that someone from Microsoft listens, and takes the time to respond. Anyways, here is my biggest annoyance with the Zune Desktop Software (and therefore the Zune HD):

Digital copies of movies, from Bluray discs. I don't understand why the Zune can't play them, as iTunes, and Windows Media Player will. I'm sure its a DRM issue, but if WMP can play it, why can't the Zune Software and the Zune HD?

Thanks for your time! Hopefully this will be fixed soon... I want to watch Star Trek on a nice OLED screen.

[gigijen22]

Hi Dave, I use Media Center on Windows 7 to record tv shows in HD, and I want to get a player to sync nicely with Media Center so I can add my tv shows and watch them on the go. Sound quality is also important because I will also use it for music. What would you suggest? (In addition to the Zune) And what type of conversion will be necessary? I mean exactly what will I have to do, and how long will it take for a typical show?

I used to use Media Center back before the digital switch with a Creative Zen Vision W but the device longer works. There was an incident with my little kids and a bottle of shampoo or something. :-) It was awesome, just sync with WMP and drag and drop which shows I wanted. Easy as pie! That is all I want! But now everything is so complicated!

According to the Zune HD Tech Specs, only Standard definition TV recordings from Windows Media Center will transcode at time of sync. HDTV and protected recordings not supported. Must be running Zune Software 4.0 on Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, or Windows 7.

Now who is actually recording in standard definition? Come on Microsoft! I mean really! Sorry for the little rant, Dave. Thanks for helping us out.

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by vice

Dave, is there a chance that Microsoft will update their codec support on the Zune HD?
Flac-wise

EDIT: btw I meant, is it on a big chalkboard with other ideas that are on the "to do list" or is it just a simple no?

Now, I can't (and won't) tell you what we're planning in the future. But if you're asking "could it be a maybe, or is it a no"? Then I can tell you that it isn't an outright "no".

Originally Posted by JKK Photography

Digital copies of movies, from Bluray discs. I don't understand why the Zune can't play them, as iTunes, and Windows Media Player will. I'm sure its a DRM issue, but if WMP can play it, why can't the Zune Software and the Zune HD?

I actually have no good answer for you on this. I've asked folks in the team to get back to me on this. We use the same DRM as Windows Media Player (but have connectivity and sourcing restrictions inside the Zune PC client). When I have news, I'll share it...

Originally Posted by gigijen22

According to the Zune HD Tech Specs, only Standard definition TV recordings from Windows Media Center will transcode at time of sync. HDTV and protected recordings not supported. Must be running Zune Software 4.0 on Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, or Windows 7.

Now who is actually recording in standard definition? Come on Microsoft! I mean really! Sorry for the little rant, Dave. Thanks for helping us out.

As far as I know, this has nothing to do with MS. I _believe_ the restriction to SD content is from the content owners, not us. I don't know why we'd artificially want to reduce the quality of the experience unless a higher power was enforcing that...

Cheers, Dave.

[vice]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

Now, I can't (and won't) tell you what we're planning in the future. But if you're asking "could it be a maybe, or is it a no"? Then I can tell you that it isn't an outright "no".



Cheers, Dave.

No I was not asking about your super secret plans , just if it is a maybe or a no. Thanks for answering me.

[nanohead]

Dave,

Thanks so much for your contribution here. I have read the entire (really did) thread, and have some questions and comments.

We just gave 3 Zune HDs to our teenage daughters. The device's hardware and software is simply amazing, just beautiful.

However (a big but), the Zune desktop software is painful and not at all necessary IMHO. Our kids were reared on Microsoft software, have no fear of technology, but they were/are stunned to see that you needed yet another media player.

I understand the point you made about the Zune team making the decision to make an integrated environment for the product, but with basic functionality available like MTP/MSC as well as lots of great media players out there (including Windows Media Player), yet another one was probably a waste of resources (IMHO ). Amusingly, it also sounds aweful, which is something that at least an equalizer plug in might help (there may be one, but hours of searching has yielded no results). I cannot take it seriously as a media player if it sounds so bad.

Also, the forcing of the Zune marketplace to the top level of the Zune software is a massive turnoff. As the bizdev guy, one might suggest () that getting folks to write plugins for other Media Players might be well worth it and appear in sharp contrast to the Apple guys who ringfence the entire experience (painfully I might add)

What is most unsatisfying, which is coming from someone who tamed Windows Vista and is very satisfied with it, is that there is ZERO configurability to the Zune software on the desktop.

It might be that they get used to it, but I doubt it. In the short time they've had the players, they figured out that you WMP playlists at least move easily into Zune desktop. The Zune sw may just be relegated to sync software only and nothing else.

To your point about resources being prioritized for features such as codecs, apps etc, IMHO the Zune software was somewhat of a miscalculation and consumer of resources that could have made the Zune stand for the same openness that Microsoft products such as Windows, WMP etc has come to stand for.

Just my 2 cents.... but I would not be surprised if at least 2 of the 3 Zune HDs get returned to Amazon within the week. Just the process of setting up a Zune account made 2 of my kids insane, especially as it went in circles for more than a half an hour and would not authenticate them in. Sad actually, as the device itself is a tour de force...

[hamm3r]

Originally Posted by Cruleworld

You can control the player from your pocket.

Bought the player...love it.

For the record, the Zune HD _DOES_ have inline remote support.

I purchased the dual connect remote and it works brilliantly.

http://www.zunemax.com/zune-accessories/

[DaveMac-MS]

Originally Posted by nanohead

We just gave 3 Zune HDs to our teenage daughters. The device's hardware and software is simply amazing, just beautiful.

<snip>

Just my 2 cents.... but I would not be surprised if at least 2 of the 3 Zune HDs get returned to Amazon within the week. Just the process of setting up a Zune account made 2 of my kids insane, especially as it went in circles for more than a half an hour and would not authenticate them in. Sad actually, as the device itself is a tour de force...

Just curious to know what you ended up doing here - how many of the 3 devices did you return? Your feedback on the software, while valuable of course, runs contrary to my own experience and that of many of us on this forum. I certainly believe the software to be vastly superior to iTunes. But, to each his/her own.

Thanks! Dave.

[p0ke37]

Just to reply to the above, I love the Zune software and I believe it is far superior to iTunes. However, it WOULD be nice to have MTP/MSC support as well because my main computer is a linux machine and I only use my brothers Windows desktop to manage my Zune HD.

And so, my two (extended) questions in this post are:
1.Will there ever be MTP/MSC support?
2.What is Microsoft's plan for apps on the Zune? Will third-party apps be allowed? How about at least an email client (which would probably convince more people to switch to the HD.)

[msmuffin]

Hi Dave
I'm new to ABI but have a question - I heard a rumour that the connector on one of the Microsoft Zunes is the same as the Philips GoGear HDD6320 and wondered if you might be able to clarify it.
One of the reasons I am interested is I have been having very little luck trying to find a docking station for the HDD6320 and nobody seems to know (including Philips themselves) if there is an adapter available to convert the iPod connector to a GoGear.
Is there a special part number or code for the connector on the Zune, and is it possible for me to find out which ones are compatible with the GoGear?

Any help would be gladly received, even an "I don't know"!

thanks

Wendy

[Zune It]

Hey Dave, do you think we will ever be able to download videos using the Zunes themselves? I would love this feature

[Jacob]

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

I certainly believe the software to be vastly superior to iTunes.

While I do not mind the software, just being better that iTunes isn't saying much.

[Jacob]

Originally Posted by Zune It

Hey Dave, do you think we will ever be able to download videos using the Zunes themselves? I would love this feature

I'm guessing not with today's technology. It would require you to be online for 30-60 mins, so it's not really an on-the-go thing.

[JWynnL]

Originally Posted by Jacob

I'm guessing not with today's technology. It would require you to be online for 30-60 mins, so it's not really an on-the-go thing.

But maybe it could be like on the computer when you log off it resumes downloading when you are back online.

[TouchMYwienus]

Have you ever had a ipod?

[ultrauber]

Thought I would revive this thread, I found it interesting

Originally Posted by DaveMac-MS

I did get out to see Dave Matthews Band on Saturday night.

I know this is old and I don't want to be a stalker but...are you a DMB fan too? I've spent like at least 50% of my time on ABI trying to find other fans, and this is a new revelation. But what's cooler is that that saturday would've been n2 at the gorge, and I was there! Awesomeness!

anyways I suppose I should ask a question...is miscrosoft planning to bring back other zunes in addition to the hd? (or is this taboo?)

[elcolombianoboi]

Dear Dave,

Just got a zune pass though it was about time seen as I had a zune hd since it came out. its only been a few hours since i got it but i cant stream any music on my device or on the web site. it makes having smart dj on the device pointless it just skips over any song that it has to stream because its not in my collection. all i get is a very vague error message. I called up support and they had no idea how to fix it. someone needs to get on that.

[hamm3r]

Dave, will they ever fix the dual connect remote in a firmware update? Since we can consistently get it to work properly by rebooting the device with the dual connect connected but keeping the headphones disconnected? http://anythingbutipod.com/forum/sho...t=dual+connect

[Flyordie]

Hello there Dave!

I sent over a quick question to the askzune inbox, that may probably be skipped over. However, for the sake of redundancy here is my question here-

What process does the artist information on Zune have to go through to get approved?

What I mean is this- there are hundreds of thousands of bands out there and not all of them have been "discovered". I know there is an application out there where the users can add their own artist pics, bio ect... but wouldn't it be nice to know how the process works behind closed doors?