The Zune part

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I have never seen zune, not yet because I am not living in US.

Can you use zune to play downloaded media files like mp3, flac, divx, xvid ...?

I meant, stuff you have downloaded and stored in sd card.

The Zune HD itself doesn't have an SD card, only internal storage, but yes, it plays lots of various formats.

# Audio support:
* CBR and VBR audio, up to 48 kHz sample rate
o WMA Standard up to 384 kbps (DRM protected files can be played only if purchased from the Zune Marketplace)
o WMA Pro stereo up to 768 kbps
o WMA Lossless stereo up to 768 kbps
o Unprotected AAC-LC (.mp4/.m4a/.m4b) up to 320 kbps
o MP3 up to 320 kbps

# Video support:[9]
* DVD resolution and frame rate, up to 10 Mbps bit rate, CBR or VBR for:
o H.264, Baseline Profile up to Level 3.1 + B-frames support [9]
o WMV Main and Simple Profile, Advanced profile up to Level 2.

Also, there's an update planned for later this spring to support MPEG video including XviD.

can you put downloaded media files into its internal storage and play them?

or you must get the media files from zune marketplace?

Originally Posted by gogol

can you put downloaded media files into its internal storage and play them?

or you must get the media files from zune marketplace?

No, you can put them in internal storage. Also, the zune doesn't play flac...

You can sync your own files via the Zune desktop client, you don't have to buy stuff from them, although there's a service called Zune Pass where you can listen to music and download a certain number of titles per month.

The syncing is not as fascist as on the iPhone where the damned thing renames files, but still isn't as easy as copying files to the device (the way I do it currently with my HD2) - there's no access to ZHD's file system AFAIK. It's an ultimate annoyance I have with my wife's iPhone and I certainly hope this won't happen to WP7.

Originally Posted by vangrieg

You can sync your own files via the Zune desktop client, you don't have to buy stuff from them, although there's a service called Zune Pass where you can listen to music and download a certain number of titles per month.

The syncing is not as fascist as on the iPhone where the damned thing renames files, but still isn't as easy as copying files to the device (the way I do it currently with my HD2) - there's no access to ZHD's file system AFAIK. It's an ultimate annoyance I have with my wife's iPhone and I certainly hope this won't happen to WP7.

There is a reg tweak that can enable File Explorer view of the Zune on the PC. Look it up

Yes, you can put whatever you want on there (as long as it's a supported format). The only way to get it on is to use the Zune desktop software which is Windows only at the moment

Originally Posted by vangrieg

You can sync your own files via the Zune desktop client, you don't have to buy stuff from them, although there's a service called Zune Pass where you can listen to music and download a certain number of titles per month.

The syncing is not as fascist as on the iPhone where the damned thing renames files, but still isn't as easy as copying files to the device (the way I do it currently with my HD2) - there's no access to ZHD's file system AFAIK. It's an ultimate annoyance I have with my wife's iPhone and I certainly hope this won't happen to WP7.

Zune Pass allows for unlimited downloads per month but they are all DRMed and will cease to work if you cancel the subscription. In addition, you get 10 non-DRMed files per month that you get to keep. This option is $14.99/month. What's really cool is you can download music right from your device over WiFi (and over 3G on WP7). Since it has a built in FM radio, it can use the radio ID tags to download songs you like instantly.

The other option is to pay per track. They use the idiotic Microsoft Points that Xbox Live uses and it's 79 points per song (about $.98).

All of the non-DRM music in the store is regular ol' MP3.

the Zune devices are just like iPods they don't allow external card support. It uses the same exact media formats as iTunes. It supports the following media formats:

• mp3
• wma
• wmv
• mp4
• m4a
• m4b
• m4v
• mov
• jpeg

But Zunes are REALLY good. I've had iPods and I owned a Zune 30GB and 120GB and I think the Zunes are Way better than any mp3 Apple offers excluding the iPod Touch. Where iPods have a click wheel that only operates in one direction, the Zunes have scroll pads like a laptop that has gestures that operate in 4 directions. You should check out a demo on youtube. iTunes does have more content than Zune Marketplace, but the gap is narrowing quickly. The Zune biggest point is the Zune Pass, which allows Unlimited DRM-Music downloads for only $15 a month and gives you 10 free drm-less song free every month. If you don't like that, then you can download individual albums and songs or do what I do. Remove the DRM from the Zune Pass subscription. If you dont' want to buy from Zune, you can still download from Amazon or even Itunes and configure you folders to where ever your music and videos folder are at. That's what I did in the beginning.


Here's comparison pics of the iPod Classic and Zune 120GB.

Thanks guys, I got the idea how it works.

I am not a music guy, so I almost never intentionally play music on my phone.

And I don't own any dedicated mp3 player device.

I do own iPod shuffle (got it for free from promotion), but I left it in a drawer (I forgot where it is now) because it was quite confusing to install and I hate iTunes. I was trying to copy my mp3 and could not figure it out.

Most probably I will use the Zune part to play recorded videos from the WP7S phone device. I hope Microsoft would expand its video/audio codec later.