Creative Zen 8 GB Portable Media Player (Black)
by Creative
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Category: Network Media Player
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: CreativeBrand: Creative Labs
Edition: Electronics
Audio: English (Original Language); French (Original Language)
Format: CD
Platform: Windows
Model: 70PF216000111
Color: Black
Publisher: Creative
Studio: Creative
Music Label: Creative
Product features:
- Enjoy all your media on a device that's about the width of a credit card
- Watch 64 hours of videos, enjoy up to 2,000 of your favorite songs or share hundreds of photos with your friends
- 2.5-inch TFT color display with 320 x 240-pixel resolution and support for up to 16.7 million colors
- Clock and alarm function, volume restriction, eight equalizer settings, and a USB hard drive mode, SDHC support
- Weighs 2.1 ounces and measures 3.26 x 2.16 x .44 inches (W x H x D)
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Creative Zen 8 GB Portable Media Player (Black)
Customer Review: Best Bang for the Buck
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had my Zen 8 GB for two months now and am very happy with it. When I ordered my Zen I also ordered the clear plastic case thru Amazon from Eforcity for less than $4 and the Creative EP-630 earbuds, also thru Amazon, from CG Discounts for less than $20 including shipping. I haven't used the earbuds that came with the Zen so I can't rate them but the EP-630's are very good.
I believe that a screen protector and case are a must have for the Zen. While the $4 case from Eforcity is of good quality and fit well, it contacted the Zen screen in a small area and that produced an interference pattern that was a distraction when watching video. Judging from other people's reviews it's a hit or miss proposition with any plastic case, including Creative's. After that experience I ordered a screen protector and the Tuff-Luv Twin Skin silicone case thru Amazon from i-nique. The Tuff-Luv is pricey at $17 but it fits well, looks good, doesn't attract dust, and allows access to all the controls including the reset hole, microphone, and SD card without removal. The screen protector was easy to apply. I used a can of dust-off to get any dust off the screen before application. I should mention that the belt clip for the Eforcity case broke the first time I used it and the Tuff-Luv skin is advertised as having a belt clip but in reality it's actually just a small d-shaped carabiner like clip. When I'm not wearing a shirt that has a pocket to put the Zen into, I use a neck strap with a quick release clip that came with a USB flash drive. That way I'm able to wear the Zen around my neck and under my shirt which keeps it out of the way yet still easily accessible.
Other reviews have mentioned complaints with a variety of issues regarding the Zen but none of them have been a problem for me. The control buttons have just the right amount of tactile feedback to let you know you've activated them while resisting any unintended actions. The on/off switch also has a position to lock the buttons but I haven't had the need to use it. The back of the Zen is not plastic, it's metal covered with a textured matte paint finish.
Regarding Creative's Zen Media Explorer and Creative Video Converter software, I had no issues either installing or using both applications. Though I do suggest downloading the most current versions from the Creative web site instead of using the versions on the included CD. The Zen Media Explorer uses an interface very similar to Windows Explorer and I found it simple to use. The Creative Video Converter will convert files without having the Zen attached via the USB cable as long as you check the appropriate options in two of the dialog boxes. Some people have remarked that video conversion is slow, but that's just the nature of it. Every video conversion app I've used takes awhile to run. For files I want to convert at high quality I use the Creative Video Converter. For .flv files from YouTube and DVD's I use a command line converter that was referenced on the Creative web forum for the Zen. The command line converter encodes to .avi at 128kbps while the Creative converter encodes to .wmv at much higher bit rates, up to around 500kbps. The command line applet will encode DVD's as several 80MB .avi files, each about 20 min of playing time. They do not play sequentially so each file must be selected one at a time. I am able to play video files and DVD files from the SD card with no problems. I purchased two Transcend 8 GB SDHC Class 6 flash cards thru Amazon for $16 each. Class 6 flash cards offer the highest transfer rates currently available for SD flash media. A cheap Kingston Dolica 2 GB SD card did not have a high enough transfer rate for video but worked fine with MP3 audio. While the SD cards do not integrate with the internal memory of the Zen that isn't an issue for me. I use the SD cards for larger files such as podcasts and video. Using a media card reader I can conveniently drag and drop files on the SD card without having to attach the Zen to my PC. Some people have complained about the length of the included USB cable for the Zen. At less than 5" long it is very short but that hasn't been a problem for me either, in use it's actually been a benefit. Since it is a standard USB 2.0 A to Mini-B cable you can always get a longer length.
While the Zen supports a wide variety of formats most videos will still have to be converted to the appropriate size and bitrate. Photos can be transferred to the Zen as 640 x 480 jpg's, which is larger than the Zen's screen resolution. The Zen has an easy to use photo-zoom feature that can enlarge a section of the photo. It is also easy to change the default wallpaper to any photo using upper right button which functions in context to the mode selected. The microphone function of the Zen works well though recording sessions are limited to around 10 min. per clip. During recording the Zen screen displays two bars that indicate the recording levels, though with a single mic you will not get stereo sound. The default folder for microphone recordings is listed in Music > Albums > Recordings. The Zen is very feature rich and allows quite a lot of customization including menu layouts. I find the menu access and controls to be simple and intuitive, though they did take some getting used to at first. It's very easy and fast to navigate through albums, artists, and genres quickly using the alpha scroll feature that appears on the far right side of the screen when you select any of those options in the main Music menu as well as in the Video menu and the Memory Card menu.
With Firefox 3 and various extensions such as Download Helper, and the Better YouTube Greasemonkey scripts authored by Gina Trapani of Lifehacker, I'm able to download YouTube videos and many other videos as MP4's, which offer better quality than the standard .flv files. Lifehacker also has a guide to their "Top 10 Free Video Rippers, Encoders, and Converters" and their "Hive Five - Five Best Media Converters" (both PC and Mac) which give many free options for converting and encoding video. I have been able to convert for the Zen whatever I attempted to using either the Creative Video Converter, or one of the free converters. There are obvious limitations regarding DRM protected content so some files/formats may not convert or play on the Zen.
The battery life for the Zen has been fine. I don't know just how long it lasts but I have no complaints. I did have to reset the Zen a couple of times when I tried to delete too many files from it's internal memory using the Zen Media Explorer app. As long as I select just a couple of files at a time, it works without locking up the Zen. The only other problem I've had is with WMP-10. For some reason it insists on syncing the Zen's clock to a different time zone that what I'm using for my system. An easy work around is to just not use the option to sync the time with WMP-10. I should also mention that before you sync your music library with WMP-10, it's a good idea to make sure your tracks are tagged properly. This makes it much easier to find particular albums, artists, genres, and playlists on your Zen. Otherwise they will be listed under the <Unkwown> category in each listing. If your music library in WMP-10 includes album art, the image will be displayed by the Zen when playing the relevant tracks.
The standard warranty for the Zen is 90 days labor and 1 year for parts. Additionally, there are a couple of options for purchasing extended warranties. The Creative Care Protection Plan is available through Creative's website. It must be purchased within the first 90 days of ownership. As of Jan. 1, 2009 the price is $35. It gives 2 years for both parts and labor. Coverage also applies to the original included accessories as well as the battery (with caveats).
A "2-Year Replacement Plan for Electronics Products $100 to $124.99", offered by NEW Customer Service Companies Inc. is available through Amazon for about $22 but it only kicks in when the manufacturers warranty expires. With this plan, if you require warranty service for your Zen after the first 90 days, you will be paying for labor costs for an additional 9 month window until the 1 year Creative warranty ends.
Overall I think the Zen offers a lot of capabilities at a reasonable price. It may not satisfy everyone but I'm very happy I bought it instead of an iPod or some other media player. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Zen to just about anyone. One drawback for Mac users is that I don't believe Creative's software is offered in a Mac compatible version. Though there are workarounds, I don't have a Mac so I can't comment on their effectiveness.
Description of Creative Zen 8 GB Portable Media Player (Black)
This credit card-sized ZEN has a stunning 2.5" color screen and is perfect for music, videos and photos. Enjoy up to 4,000 MP31, WMA or AAC songs, watch up to 60 hours2 of videos and share hundreds of photos with your friends. Even expand your portable music, video or photo collection by adding additional content through the convenient SD memory slot.Amazon.com Product Description Bring your media with you wherever you roam with the Creative Zen 8GB player. Watch 32 hours of videos, enjoy up to 2,000 of your favorite songs or share hundreds of photos with your friends. And do it all on a device that's about the width of a credit card.
 A razor sharp 2.5-inch display makes your photos and videos come to life. See the Zen in detail. |
 Small size. Big features. All in the palm of your hand. View larger. |
 Add even more storage capacity via the SD card slot. View larger. |
The Zen sports a 2.5-inch TFT color display with 320 x 240-pixel resolution and support for up to 16.7 million colors. This razor sharp display is packaged in a device that weighs just 2.1 ounces and measures 3.26 x 2.16 x .44 inches (W x H x D). The internal battery powers the Zen for up to 25 hours of continuous audio playback and up to five hours of continuous video playback. Use the Zen's SD slot to expand your portable media library with music, photos and videos stored on your SD card. There's also a handy built-in microphone for capturing notes on the go.
Features
Load up up your favorite songs, as well as your album art, and get going with the Zen. The device supports iTunes Plus tracks from the iTunes store and MP3 and WMA tracks. Subscription and pay-per-download music services are supported, as well. Discover, save, and play millions of songs when subscribing to services such as Yahoo Music Unlimited and Napster To Go. You can even tune into your favorite stations with the Zen's FM radio. The radio allows you to save up to 34 presets.
The Zen has you covered when it comes to video, too. The device supports MJPEG, WMV9 and--with transcoding--MPEG1 and 2, MPEG4-SP, DivX 4 and 5, and XviD. Enjoy purchased or rented movies and TV shows from online services such as Amazon Unbox and Walmart.com. Watch home videos. Even load your Tivo To Go movies and TV shows onto your Zen.
Additional features include a clock and alarm function, volume restriction, eight equalizer settings, and a USB hard drive mode, which allows you to drag and drop files directly to and from your Zen. The Zen can also function as a handy organizer, allowing you to synchronize with Microsoft Outlook and display your contacts, calendar, and tasks.
What's in the Box
Zen player, earphones, USB 2.0 cable, installation CD, and quick start guide.
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| A slick user interface makes it a snap to enjoy your media. | |||
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