Creative Zen Xtra 30GB
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- unknown
Looking for anyone who has one of these mp3 players.
I've just bought one and waiting on it in the mail.Just want to know how you like it, bought it kind of quick because I'm leaving for a trip Thursday but wanted one for a while.
And notice how nowhere have I said anything about ipods. I could care less. :D
- err0
iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod iPod
sorry.
- goygoygoy0
I've the zen extra 60BG, and all I can say : it's very good, got a a panel of functions, soft is good, screen is big and also well done, battery is changeable, carrying case also well done. One bad point: headphones aren't extremly confortable. Battery life is very good (like 6/8 hours depending use). OK it's not as well designed as ipod. but it's price make the difference. I'm very happy with it.
- Kernit0
can it be used with a mac? i've been looking at it since i saw it came in a 30 gig version for 200 quid. much better value than the iplod.
- unknown0
better value .. dont sync with your system on plug in, USB not firewire, no address book, no calendar, cant be used as an external hard drive, no accessory support from other vendors and software makers, larger, akward menu system ....
yeah go for it dude.
- Kernit0
well, calendar, address book and accessory support don't interest me as much as the ability to fit as much music on the device as possible for a reasonable price. as for firewire, i believe they do a firewire version.
i just wanted to know if anyone else uses it on a mac. so what stops it being used as an external hard drive?
- goygoygoy0
don't know if it works on mac. I use it on usb 2 and it's really quick, like a bit less than 1sec a song. transfert is done one a simple clik. I really don't understand why people here consider this product like a shit simply cos Mac products one better and more expensive. It's not an Ipod, ok, but it's not the price of an Ipod. bmw is not a shity car simply because porsche products faster, better and better looking car.
- goygoygoy0
it doesn't work as an an external disk if you don't have the program installed. ok, thats the bad point.
- Kernit0
i'm guessing you can't just format it?
- goygoygoy0
what for? don't know.
- unknown0
radiosilent:
Three things: I've got all that crap on my cell phone.
It CAN be used as external storage.
"Awkward menu system??"
in what terms?
I've never used an ipod, or any mp3 player, so I've got nothing to base a comparison on-so how would it be awkward.
- unknown0
then you should buy it. Again go for it. I am not hating because it isn't an ipod. I just think that ipod's are and will continue to be better supported by third party developers. That alone is a great benefit. I haven't heard anything about it being able to be used as an external drive but maybe it can- I dont really know. One of the pleasure of the ipod besides the music is the fact I have a whole operating system loaded on it, I can boot from the damn thing on any mac computer, and can transfer all my files to it by dragging and dropping. And whether you need that function, or the others that come with the ipod like address, instant file syncing, calendar,on demand playlist ...etc. These options along with its ease of use, community product support, and yes even design (although I would consider that the last reason the ipod is worth it) to me justify the difference in price. If you dont feel that way- cool- get this thing than and rock out bro.
- gabriel_pc0
radiosilent, seriously, read up on something before you rage on it:
- unknown0
I am not raging on anything. I told what I prefer- what the fuck do I care what anyone else buys. And why waste time rading up on somehting I have absolutely no interest in. I say, buy it- what the hell else do you want- me to buy it for you? Sorry- I'll wait until Walmart makes there version for 40.00 before I give them as gifts to PC people.
- gabriel_pc0
So why post such an uneducated response if you have absolutely no interest in it?
- unknown0
I posted I rather the ipod and dont know much about Creative except a few things I heard... what did I post that was off all that? Whetther man- buy it- it's larger and thus better- rock it loud and proud- I will continue with my over priced popualr player that wins hearts and minds-
- gabriel_pc0
actually, you posted this "better value .. dont sync with your system on plug in, USB not firewire, no address book, no calendar, cant be used as an external hard drive, no accessory support from other vendors and software makers, larger, akward menu system .... "
Don't see the phrase "I heard.." anywhere in there. Thanks.
- unknown0
...meanwhile, in Chicago:
I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I get the damned thing before I leave for a trip Thursday. Need it Wednesday to load it up.
- gabriel_pc0
I actually have the 60gig on the way to my place now. I played around with it at a Best Buy and it works fine. The portable HD feature is actually really simple, works directly with windows explorer so it's not like you have to learn a whole new system.
- unknown0
I was hoping the external storage feature would allow me to plug it direct to my digital 8-track recorder. It stores on Compact Flash and transfers w/USB to computer.
I'm taking a guitar and my 8-track to work on songs while on vacation. Would be nice to store everything on there.
- unknown0
1) You cannot drag'n'drop music onto it. Although USB2.0, it doesn't show as a drive, it shows as a portable device. You have to use Creative's "MediaSource" software or WMP "Copy to Device". This is horribly clunky, and unforgivable these days. But with two ways to get music onto it, shouldn't be too much of a problem, right? Wrong.
(2) WMP "Copy to Device" wants to re-encode down to 128kbps, thus losing quality. (Encodes of encodes are doubly bad; better off ripping at 128kbps in the first place.) MediaSource will transfer any bitrate without re-encoding, however it will only transfer things that are in its own music library. The big gotcha -- you cannot add things to MusicSource library if they have non-ASCII characters, ie, anything not on an American typewriter. This means if you have a library of foreign music (much of mine has titles in Cyrillic) you cannot add them to MediaSource, and therefore you cannot transfer them to the device.
These days, when your CDs and tracks can be instantly titled by CDDB or WMP9, and a 2.0+ ghz computer can rip songs in a matter of seconds allowing you to rip a CD every couple minutes, who wants to spend weeks and weeks retitling CDs just so a xenophobic MusicMatch can import them?
By definition, if you want a 60GB portable music player, you have thousands of CDs and tens of thousands of songs. No, renaming them won't kill you, but it'd be months before you'd finally get to listen to your music...
I talked to Creative Labs about this. The answer: "Perhaps you may wish to download some english songs and play it[sic]. Hope that solves your issue."
There's no good reason to manufacture a media player that cannot have music simply drag'n'dropped onto it through the normal Windows XP (or Mac OSX) interface. There's even less reason to manufacture a media player that cannot have foreign titled music transferred to it.
It's just dumb, and I'm returning this one. Too bad, because it's an otherwise nice device (even if you can't find a "stop" button, only "pause").
Thats what a fellow cheap is better freind said.... again BUY IT BUY IT BUY IT -