CNET Editor's rating: 8.0 out of 10
Reviewed by
Rick Broida
Review date: 01/26/06
Release date: 12/08/05
The good: Available in five colors, the Creative Zen Vision:M has an incredible screen, a simple interface, excellent video battery life, an FM tuner and recorder, and a voice recorder. It features a customizable Shortcut button, and it supports a wide range of online music stores and subscription services, as well as video formats. It has excellent audio and video quality.
The bad: The Creative Zen Vision:M has no iTunes-like video content--yet. Some will find the touch-pad controller frustrating. The black model scratches easily. The documentation is skimpy. You must use an adapter for transfers and power, meaning that occasionally you need two cables and the adapter. A dock and an A/V-out cable are not included. Finally, the Zen Vision:M isn't as elegant as an iPod.
The bottom line: The dazzling, DRM-friendly Creative Zen Vision:M gives the iPod a run for the money as the current high-capacity WMA champ.
Editor's note: A new, less bulky version of the Zen Vision:M 60GB will be available soon in the U.S. market. It will reportedly have the same weight and dimensions (4.1 inches by 2.4 inches by .7 inch) and weight (5.7 ounces) as the current 30GB version of the Zen Vision:M player. We will update this review as soon as the new player is released, but in the meantime, consider waiting to purchase a new 60GB Zen Vision:M.
Although we had fond feelings for Creative's Zen Vision, the portable video player (PVP) with the dazzling VGA screen, Apple's video-capable iPod quickly stole our hearts away. Now Creative has wooed us again with the Zen Vision:M, a decidedly iPod-like device with a better screen, more features, and even more choices of colors. Music fans will find it particularly appealing, as it plays nice with most online stores and subscription services. Admittedly, Apple still has the edge in video content; Creative has yet to land any content providers for TV shows or movies, though video podcasts now stand ready, courtesy of Creative's new ZenCast service. But we're willing to bet it won't be long before you can download Battlestar Galactica or Kung Fu Hustle for on-the-go viewing. Also, video subscription is coming, with Starz Vongo leading the way. And you'll be able to watch longer thanks to the Vision:M's four-hour battery life--a major improvement over the iPod's two hours. Watch out, Apple: Creative's latest is no mere pretender to the PVP throne.
Intro:
The Creative Zen Vision: M is a 30 GB, large capacity player.Compared to other large capacity MP3 players on the market, it is midpriced at around $245.
Noteworthy Features:
Has a 97 dB signal-to-noise ratio.This is more favorable than the average MP3 player on the market today, but is to be expected for a MP3 player of this price.(Signal-to-noise ratio is a measure of the strength of the audio signal in comparison to that of the background noise.A lower signal-to-noise ratio means that the device produces more hiss and static, while a higher number (closer to 100) means clear-sounding audio.)
Weaker Features:
Has a 5.7 oz weight.This is not out of line with the product's price, but is heavier than the average MP3 player on the market today.
Suitability:
A large capacity MP3 player, suited for bringing an entire music library with you.Comes with equalizer presets to easily tailor your listening experience.According to the manufacturer this player will last approximately 14 hour(s) between charges; your run-time will vary based on use and power management configuration.Comes with a 1 year warranty, which is standard in the industry.
Value:
In general, this MP3 player's features seem a bit weak for its price, compared to most other MP3 players.
Suggestions:
If you don't totally love the headphones that came with your MP3 player, you might find aftermarket headphones that better suit your style.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Excellent Player
This is the best player I have ever owned, I previously owned a 4th gen Ipod and although I must ...
This is the best player I have ever owned, I previously owned a 4th gen Ipod and although I must admit the Ipod wheel was very easy to use, to get a player which is compatible with subscription services and can display video in a much more robust fashion than the ipod video, I feel I have gotten the most bang for my buck. I hooked this player up with rhapsody to go and I am having a blast. The only things I do not love about the player are the stiff buttons, how sometimes the system will lag for 5 seconds when you go to view photos, since they are stored in a different fashion than on the ipod and how it is a little more complicated than the ipod user interface, but I feel in time it will allow me to use the player in the most effective fashion possible. These three reasons made me rate it as a 9 instead of a 10, but this is an excellent device and not to mention it looks awesome! Also, the Ipod is much more slimmer and sleek then the zen, but the zen also packs under the hood an fm tuner and the ability to play back 4 hrs of video 2x the amount of the ipod, which makes you realize that if you watch one video, such as a full-length movie, you are out of juice for the day if you are away from an outlet. Yes, you may never use the fm tuner, but I'd have to say, it's nice to know it's there and to have a bit of extra juice to listen to music after watching a movie, such as on a long flight!
Updated If you are reading this review, you are either here to bash an excellent product because you love apple products, or you are here unsure of which product to buy, The 5th Generation Ipod, or the Creative Zen Vision M. In terms of features and usability this product is far superior to the ipod video. The screen is more robust in terms of displaying richer colors. I must admit, I enjoy how simple and easy the apple interface is combined with its touchwheel and bundled software package for I previously owned a 4th Gen Ipod and have tested the Ipod Video, but if you subscribe to rhapsody to go or another subscription service, this allows you to get your money's worth out of the player. The touchpad is very responsive, the system is beautiful, the audio quality is excellent, the video playback is beautiful, although as with any video playing at 30fps (frames per second), the equivalent of the ipod, you can notice some artifacts at a distance on a video that displays a far away shot of a person ie in the ocean in a boat. If you think of this also happening on a small television, the result would be the same. The battery life is 4 hours long for video, twice the length of the ipod video, this comes in handy for long trips away from the outlet, you can watch a movie, and have time to listen to a few albums as well! This player also has an FM tuner, which may come in handy someday, although I may never use it, it's nice to know it's there!
Bottom Line: Cons: Not as easy to use as the ipod video Thicker than ipod video Firmer buttons than ipod video Inability to display the ITune's video format 5 second loading time to view photos Bizzare adapter which must be plugged into the bottom of the player, similar to the ipod connector. Previous zen products had the usb port on the actual player, but they did this to allow video out to a television set and you can also charge through it as well, therefore it is a small price to pay for a highly functional little adapter. Pros: Compatibility with subscription services Diverse format support: DivX? 4 & 55, XviD5, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG4-SP, WMV9 and Motion-JPEG Excellent Video Playback Does Not Scratch FM Radio Long Battery Life Beautiful Device
10 out of 10 - Perfect Amazing Screen and DivX support make this way better than the iPod Video
An absolutly amazing screen, which has to be seen to believe. It can show almost 3 times the amount of ...
An absolutly amazing screen, which has to be seen to believe. It can show almost 3 times the amount of colors an iPod video can, and yet, it still gets better battery life for both video and audio.
DivX support allows this player to hold 200 hours of good quality video, compared to the iPod's 80 hours. The video playback has virtually no delay stopping, and seeking and very little of one while starting a video.
Audio playback is crisp and clear as it should be, and the included headphones are good, but not as stylish as the iPod ones. It even has a customizable EQ, and bass boost.
The internal themes allow you to make the Vision:M look how you like. There are 6 diffent color options for you to choose from.
Overall this is a fantastic MP3 player from a fantastic company, and it is actually iPod who copied off from Creative in the beginning. The easy layout of the OS was developed by creative way back in 2000 before the iPod was probably even though about.
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Worth every penny
I've had my iriver flash player for well over three and a half years, and the 256mb cap was ...
I've had my iriver flash player for well over three and a half years, and the 256mb cap was just too small for my stuff. I decided go all out, and get an mp3 player that I could easily use the next four years of my life, college. Something with a lot of space, something that supported a lot of different files, and something that looked really, really cool.
The Creative Zen Vision caught my eye when I first heard about it at CES. I had been looking at the iPod video, but this little beast drew me away with it's radio, and support for all these different formats. WMA, DivX, it's got you covered. Practically any video you have on your computer will play of the Zen Vision M, and if it can't, the software can convert it. It's more universal than the iPod, it doesn't force you to use their software or their format.
Physical: The Creative Zen Vision M is a really, really goodlooking player. I have the black face, it just looks so sleek. The clicky buttons sit flush in the face of the player,with the touchpad in the center. The plastic is very glossy and opague, but no matter which color you choose, the back is the same shiny pearl white, giving the player a two tone. The top has the hold/power slider and headphone jack, the side has a pinhole microphone, and the bottom is the dock connector. It's pretty simple. The player feels pretty sturdy, but I'm not gonna drop it anytime soon just in case. It's very comfortable to hold and use with one hand.
Screen: The screen is, honestly, one of the most colorful, sharp and high quality LCDs I've seen. The pictures and video's you're seeing of the player can't do it justice, you need to see it in person to appreciate it. Even in the menu, the colors just jump off the screen. Every video and picture I've put on it are vivid and sharp. The contrast, color, and brightness are great. It really blows anything else out of the water.
Sound quality: It sounds clean. It goes loud. It's one of the best sounding players I've heard, and I've heard a lot. I was happy even before I found the equalizer! If they don't have one that suits you, go in and mess with it yourself until you hit the sweet spot.
Video Quality: The TV shows, music videos and clips of everything look as good as they did on my computer. If you have this out around people, they're gonna want to watch. There aren't dropped frames, no skipping, it's flawless.
Battery: While I don't see myself ever watching four hours of video, it's nice to know I can. Maybe if I'm on an airplane, or the passenger of a long car ride, I could load a few movies and kick back. I'm more an audio guy. 14 hours? Nice. I'd never use it for 14 straight hours, so it's also nice to know it'll never run out on me.
Bad Things: The black player is especially prone to scratches, just because of the color. NOT big honking stratches, but the little hairline ones you see if you hold it to the right light. As long as you don't put it in your pocket with your car keys, you'll be fine. If you're that worried, buy a case or screen protector. I havn't, but I treat it good. No scratches. Worst I get is fingerprints on the buttons, which I can just wipe off with a shirt. Secondly, don't loose the little thingy that plugs into the base of the player. Only through that can you charge it, sync it or play it through a TV. The reason they did it was if Creative had included these three ports (USB 2.0, DC IN and A/V out) on the player itself, it would have made it bigger.
Overall, I couldn't be happier with my new mp3 player. I wouldn't trade it for anything else on the market, and if I were you, I wouldn't hesitate to order it right now.
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by not_jon (see profile) -
February 5, 2006
9 out of 10 - Spectacular Gotta set the record straight
This is a great all around player but first I have to address some complaints that have been posted by ...
This is a great all around player but first I have to address some complaints that have been posted by people who are biased or just didn't bother to get to know the player. 1) I have read several complaints about people who just didn't understand the button layout. READ THE MANUAL that is what it is for. Anyone who is into digital photography knows: More buttons = easier access to options. The less buttons = more contextual menus and more clicking around. One of the buttons can be configured as a shortcut to what ever you would like (awesome). Another button is the same as right clicking the mouse, you can access media info, bookmark, add to list, etc. etc. I think this player has just the right amount of buttons! 2) "the touch pad is too sensitive!" Well if you bothered to setup your Vision M correctly you will see the TOUCHPAD SENSITIVITY option. You have 3 different sensitivity settings to choose from. 3) "The screen is not better than the ipod". That is just not true! See for your self at http://www.everythingusb.com/creative_zen_vision:m_30gb.html Big big big difference. 4) I put down the size of the player as a draw back because I think for some people it will be. I am a male and have large hands, for me it is perfect. I don't like itsy bitsy things that feel fragile in my hand, but I know this is a matter of opinion.
On to the rest. The player comes with software that sets up quick and easy. Within minutes I had all my music and a whole season of my favorite show on the player. There are 2 options of software to use; I like the Media Explorer because it is just too easy to use. MP3 play back is amazing and the supplied headphones are much better than average. The player takes only about 2 sec to start playing media (even really long play lists) which is about average. I read some where that it adds a sec or 2 in between tracks but if it does, it is not perceptible at all. The player plays every video I have put on it so far: mpeg, divx, xvid, avi. There is no buffer interruptions like mentioned in some reviews. I couldn't find anything wrong with the way this thing plays movies at all in fact. Beautiful! The screen blows you away and you don't need to resize your vids. That means, unlike ipod, when you connect your player to a TV with the add on cable, it will be a beautiful full size file. I don't want to repeat what other people have written so here are some things that I don't think too many people mentioned. 1) Adjustable menus. You decide what you want on the main menu by checking and unchecking boxes. 2) Smart volume. All media plays at the same level. 3)Password protected folders and hide/show protected folders. 4) Up to 16GB removable drive setup. Setup your player as a mini hard drive. 5) Browse music by artist, genre, album, track or let the DJ play the album of the day. 6) Photos do not need to be resized to show on the screen but it will take a few seconds to display large formats. Zoom option in the photos section. 7) Charges in 2.5 hours
This is a great all around player. I love apple and own a MAC but I didn't want a player that does 1 thing, no matter how well it does it. For me, I want the whole media package. The size is worth the extra battery life during video. I am only giving it a 9 because it doesn't bring anything new in the way of design.
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by Doneright (see profile) -
April 1, 2006
8 out of 10 - Excellent In depth look at the vision M (kids review)
Ipod Killer: First off I would like to say that the people that say the Ipod is better are ignorent ...
Ipod Killer: First off I would like to say that the people that say the Ipod is better are ignorent to the truth. My brother has an Ipod video I have a vision. The screen is better the scroll wheel of the Ipod is way more difficult and hurts thumb after a while. Ever since the Ipod became popular I have hated it. Because of this I've this I've been looking for the best Ipod killer avalible. I came across this right when it came out and after researhing it for a while I bought it.
Screen: The screen is amazing. It has 262 thousand color four times that of the Ipod. Compared to the Ipod it seems like you have an HDTV in the palm of your hand. It is also very bright and can be adjusted to 10 diffrent brightnesses.
Storage: as for storage it is the same as the 30GB Ipod so unless you'll use more than that it is more than enough. As for me I have 1364 songs, 236 photos, and 41 videos which include, 4 full length movies. Even with all that I still have 20 gigs left.
Zencasts: The equevlent of podcasts, I don't use theese much, but the are some pretty good ones. It comes with an application that is pretty sraight forward, but it can get frusturating trying to get the the right thing to download.
Features: The vision M has a cornicopia of features. It has a shortcut button that can take you to, any menu, start/ stop recording, random play all, album of the day, Volume, Switch view( only while playing), or add to selected. It also comes with a calander, clock, 6 themes , the ability to make on the fly playlists, 16 language options, custom equilizer, bass boost, 6 play modes, contact list, task list, ability to choose your own backround, and allows you to set aside a certain amount of space to serve as a removable disk drive.
FM Radio and Microphone: It has a built in radio, complete with 32 presets. It also allows you to record the station your listening to. The microphone is o.k. but dosen't work well unless it's close to the source. There isn't a whole lot of distortion as long as the sound is loud.
Audio: Along with the basic means of organization, album, artist, etc... it also has, random play all, album of the day, top 20 favorites, and 20 least favorite.
Video: The video playback is amazing, much better than the Ipods.
Photos: It comes with many pre-installed many photos, you can also set a photo as a background and adjust it to four color settings, warm, cool, gray, and sepia.
Size: Although it is a bit thicker than the 30 gig Ipod, it has a very solid feel. Some people might think it is a little heavy, but it feels good to me. It is not to thick and feels good in your pocket.
Accessories: Included are a USB cabe, a charger, a converter to attach the USB cable to the player, a bundle of software, and a pouch that acts as a case. Altough the buttons are not accessable when it's in the case I like it any way. Creative also offers another case that is much better.
Zen Media Explorer: This is an application that comes with the vision. It is an all in one application that can add music, photos, convert video, unlike Itunes, manage your contacts, and manage your calander.
Cons: The only thing I like about the Ipod is the video service and it makes me mad that Creative dosen't have somthing like that. Another thing is that some of the buttons are stiff and you have to press them in the center to get them to work.
My final thoughts: If you want one of the best MP3 players with video on the market, or if you really hate Ipods like me this is perfect for you. The navigation is easy, and vast amount of features is great. I hope this review was helpful.
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by herndonboy (see profile) -
June 5, 2006
9 out of 10 - Spectacular I returned my iPod for this
I would give this a 9.9 but this system does not allow it. The negatives are so minor in ...
I would give this a 9.9 but this system does not allow it. The negatives are so minor in comparison to all the positives of this product.
This is an exciting, versatile and customizable gadget that sets a new standard for mp3 players.
I'm new to the mp3 player scene and last month finally got my first player to join the crowd: a video 30 GB iPod. Well, the crowd is not always on top of things because after some research to see if I made the right choice prior to my 30 day return, I bought the Zen Vision: M. One of these had to go back.
The iPod went back.
For one thing the sound and video quality of the Zen is vastly superior. Don't believe me? Just try it. Listen to your favorite song on an Ipod and then the Zen. Boost the volume. The Zen will produce a rich, deep bass with a surround sound feel to it. The iPod will buzz with distortion.
As to the video, not only is it superior in quality but it plays a wide variety of formats (mpeg1, wmv, avi, mpeg2, etc.) without a problem.
And best of all, you are not restricted to one computer for transferring files or to one vendor (iTunes) for buying songs. The Zen has an open source feel to it and you can easily use it as a jump drive, freely copying files from different computers. The music files you download to a Zen are not hidden but easily accessible, unlike the iPod. And if I'm going to pay all that money for a 30+ GB hard drive I want it to do more than just play mp3 files.
I really like the radio and sometimes listen to it on long train rides to work. Very easy to record radio shows or songs. Just hold down the play button and voila, you have a wav file you can easily transfer to your computer and edit if you want. Ditto recordings of meetings at work, which I've done. The voice recorder comes in handy.
I found myself easily bored with the iPod because it was so limited. A little too sleek and sterile for my taste.
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by tanjy (see profile) -
March 3, 2006
8 out of 10 - Excellent Does it all
I bought this player to replace my iaudio x5. If I didn't have a lot of videos, I wouldn'...
I bought this player to replace my iaudio x5. If I didn't have a lot of videos, I wouldn't of gotten it at all. Personally the big advantages of the creative zen vision m over the x5 is the id3 tag system, a big screen and the better video support (and yes I do realize the x5 has ogg and flac audio support and all the enhancement goodness).
Creative has got the music portion down like they have done in previous Creative players. The vision m will manage/sort your music by ID3 tags into sections such as artists, albums, genre, etc. It still has features such as random play all, custom and preset EQ, bass boost, on-the-go playlists, voice/fm recording, etc. I found some features to be convenient/useful. The vision m can customize menus and hide the menu items you don't want to see. On certain screens such as the album list and artist list, you can quickly scroll to any letter via the vertical alphabet menu on the right side of the screen. When saving playlists, you can use the onscreen qwerty keyboard to type in playlist names. The player offers you several color themes to choose from and also lets you display a wallpaper of your choice (at certain levels of brightness and color modes applied to the wallpaper as well). Also you can delete files and albums.
The downside to this system is that it sorts your music by ID3 tags. Not only does this affect the vision m, it affects all players that manages music by ID3 tags. It is important that your music is tagged correctly so it will be sorted into the correct albums and genres you want. If you have a lot of single songs it might be a good idea to change their album tags to "various" or "singles". The player does do USB mass storage but not for music. You can use the space to store files and documents but won't be seen by the player itself.
To help you manage and tag your music, this player comes with good decent software. It is not necessary to install any software at all since the vision m supports MTP or music transfer protocol (which is recognized by windows as a music device) that will enable you to use certain programs to sync/transfer music such as windows media player. I highly recommend installing the software anyway. It is nonintrusive and gets the job done. It integrates itself into explorer which allows you to access all the main functions you can do with the software. It also allows you to drag and drop files all in an explorer environment. Some other software that I didn't see when I had my zen micro is a video convertor for converting any video that can't play on the vision m and a tagger program to tag your music and also convert asian characters to the proper format.
Getting back to the player, the photo and video functions dips its feet into PMP territory. Photos are arranged in the folders of your choice and can be viewed in thumbnail format. Loading the thumbnails is decent and not as slow as the x5. You can zoom in and scroll using the controls, rate the picture, view EXIF details, set as wallpaper and start slideshows... while you're listening to music! Something the x5 couldn't do. As for video it is better compared to the x5 but not 100% better. I have to admit I am surprised by what it can do in the video department. One of my main reasons for buying the vision m is for its ability to play divx and xvid videos without any conversion from PC to player. Usually I have to convert videos so it wouldn't skip on my x5. Out of all the videos I have tried 90% of my videos have successfully transferred and played on the vision m without conversion (one of them was AC3, one was badly encoded). If you plan to create your own videos, you should avoid AC3 audio encoding since it doesn't support it... yet. The video quality is good. Videos resized by the player might show signs of slight antialias and over satuation as said by some people but I haven't really noticed any. The player will also remember where you last left off on the last video you viewed.
On to the player itself, there are more flaws than good. The vision m is a bit thick but it doesn't bother me and it's better than holding paper like some other players. The vision m screen scratches easily and I have been treating it fairly well. Not shown in the cnet video or pictures, the screen stays on but dimmed while playing and lights back up when you touch the controls (probably to see what you're listening to without touching the controls to turn the screen back on). You can turn it completely off by switching the player to hold. The controls is a love/hate thing with most people and I admire tactile controls over touchpads. There are two things I don't like about the controls. The left and right border controls of the touchpad is something different but if I have my player in my pocket I don't want to accidentally trigger the touchpad while hitting previous and next. I have to either take it out or consciously feel my way carefully. The second dislike is controls being on the lower part of the player. I have to slide the player higher in the palm of my hand and stretch my thumb to the lower buttons and at the same time holding it in such a way so it doesn't tilt/slip out of my hand. Placing all the buttons on the lower front prevents holding the entire player in my hand. Another love/hate thing with the vision m is that the battery is not replaceable. Finally, one of the things that bothered me the most is the required dongle to charge/sync the player. This wasn't true when I had my zen micro. I don't mind proprietary connection but having to deal with an extra physical accessory is bothersome especially when some of their previous players didn't have the dongle. The vision m didn't come with a dock and I didn't expect them to provide one. I find it strange that they didn't stock up on them. None of the online stores I checked have them and for the past two weeks, it has been out of stock on the Creative site.
Overall I think this is a very good player and can satisfy most people in what they want in a player whether it be music, video and/or photos (if you can get past the required dongle and get yourself a case/screen protector).
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by mysticalpha (see profile) -
January 31, 2006
14 out of 15 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect Incredible player, best screen on the market
I have three iPods and have had many mp3 players, dating from the original Nomad from Creative, and I must ...
I have three iPods and have had many mp3 players, dating from the original Nomad from Creative, and I must say that this is the best player I have ever owned. There is almost nothing to fault in it.
So for you iPod owners or shoppers, let's cut to the chase: what makes the iPod better? -iPod's wheel is easier to use than the touch strip. It's true. It's not that the Vision:M's solution to navigation is hard, it's just not quite as good as Apple's. Specifically, to move 30 minutes forward on an podcast on an iPod is much easier than on the Vision:M/ -the iPod is thinner. But the battery is much less for video (about the same for audio). -the iPod is cooler, I suppose, to the masses, though I can't imaging anyone seeing the Vision:M and not being impressed. Sooner or later there will be a backlash against the iPods from the trend setters ... there always is, and when that happens the Vision:M will be right there for them to latch onto. -iTunes' is great software and integrates perfectly with the iPod. This is probably why no one can unseat Apple. Napster, Rhapsody or Yahoo are getting closer, but no one has matched Apple yet for simplicity. I use my iPod for podcasts because it works. I plug it in and all goes well. Creative is half way there, but doesn't have it yet with ZenCast Center. Too many missing podcasts and a much weaker interface.
Now, though many reviews have covered it, what makes the Vision:M better. -the screen. No comparison. Anyone who sees the iPod next to the Vision:M will immediatly see the difference. The screen is breathtaking. -FM radio. Apple charges $50 more for FM. Amazing. -voice recording. I couldn't care less, but it's there. -DRM10 Janus support. This is why I don't use my iPod as my main player. I have ripped my CDs, but I want to listen to new music. There is no way I am paying 99 cents a track at iTunes to see if I like the music when I can get it for "free," or so it feels, for $6.99 a month from Yahoo, or even $14.99 a month from Napster. I am amazed that the public hasn't latched onto the subscription model. Once this happens, and it WILL happen one day, no matter what Steve Jobs says, when Apple starts renting movies and then moves the rental model to music. Of course, once they do it, the advantage is again lost. So there is a window of opportunity for everyone but Apple to promote the subscription model before Apple introduces it and the press goes wild. If I were Creative, I would take out nice large ads showing the cost comparison between filling up an iPod with 100 new songs and subscribing to them via DRM10. This is where Apple wins every time: they are brilliant in marketing, and everyone else seems incompetant. -as of a couple of days ago, Creative finally lowered the cost to match the iPod. Smart move. The cost differential vanishes and it's apples to apples, so to speak, in the comparision.
In summary, this is a great player. Better than any iPod you can buy, better than any other player on the market. Don't hesitate to get it.
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by bobpenn (see profile) -
March 8, 2006
11 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
10 out of 10 - Perfect I got an Ipod Video for X-mas...guess what I returned it for :-)
Like I said, I got a video Ipod for Christmas. I started thinking about how much it was going to ...
Like I said, I got a video Ipod for Christmas. I started thinking about how much it was going to cost me to buy all of the napster music I have on my PC so I could use it on my Ipod. After my massive heart attack (LOL) I decided to look for an alternative. THIS THING ROCKS. Coupled with Napster and Tivo to Go, it is a portable entertainment dynamo. By the way, Tivo to go does not work with Ipod, and the upcoming Tivo Ipod service will cost extra. The navigation touch pad is ten times better than the circular Ipod nav pad. I don't know how anyone could even think about getting an Ipod with the knowledge that this player is on the market.
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by malf47d (see profile) -
January 25, 2006
10 out of 10 - Perfect Perfect for pc users
When I originally went to Best Buy to purchase the Creative Zen Vision, I was seduced and beckoned by yet ...
When I originally went to Best Buy to purchase the Creative Zen Vision, I was seduced and beckoned by yet another popular video mp3 player called the Ipod 60 GB. For $100 more and 30 more gigs, what's not to love? So I bought the Ipod, and the Zen that would have been mine, dimmed it bright pixel laden screen at my departure.
Upon getting home with my fabulous new Ipod, I did not realize the error of my fickle "no brand loyalist" attitude by purchasing what so many people call the "American Icon" of portable media players. For within two hours of trying to set up the Ipod and not understanding why I couldn't put any of my WMV, Mpeg movies, or any other videos on Itunes, let alone the player, did I understand my dilema. Apple doesn't want the videos that are on your hardrive or dvds to be burned to their little gem, they want you to subscribe and purchase all of that vaunted "Apple Ipod Accessories that everyone in the universe MUST HAVE or your mp3 player sucks" software and movies. I couldn't convert a single video file without some error happening (no sound, took over 15 minutes for a 40 meg file to convert, etc.), or I simply lost my patience. One shouldn't have to take vacation time from work just to update their player! Needless to say, I cleared the Itunes library, repacked the player, and in the morning headed back to Best Buy.
The Zen that was to be mine flashed at my return and upon arriving home and setting up the software, plug and play heaven awaited. (Heavenly inspiration sounds)
The aforementioned is to illustrate just how wonderful the Creative Zen Vision is! Within 5 minutes of hooking up the player after installing software, I was watching mpeg videos that Itunes snubbed. Brilliant color, great sound through the earbuds, not tingy or echoey. Within 2 hours, I had all of my videos, had selected which music files to put on my player (Itunes just scans your harddrive and dumps it all in; maybe I'm not in the mood for Coldplay on my player right now, let me decide!). Putting music on the player was similar to my Iriver Music manager program, but even easier (learn something Itunes). All of my movie files went on within minutes. So far the player has accomodated all but two AVI files of no major importance, but could be converted without the headache I experienced with Itunes. I cannot stress how easy it is to put video files on the player in comparison to Ipod. I am ready for my long plane flight tomorrow!
The only negative, if there is one is the scroll bar is very sensitive, but is quickly learned.
Radio tuner works well, what Ipod doesn't have one? Oh yeah. Another reason I like this player.
Overall, if you have alot of video and movie files on your computer already, this the player to get. Otherwise, enjoy purchasing Quicktime Pro, and alot of Apple Itunes movies.
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by triker13 (see profile) -
July 19, 2006
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