Manage updates with the Download AppCreative Zen Vision (30GB, Black)
Manufacturer: Creative Part number: 70PF115100000
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Creative Zen Vision, a dazzling but occasionally frustrating personal media player, handles video and music with aplomb, all for a tantalizingly low price.
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CNET editors' review
Creative Zen Vision (30GB, Black) price range: $225.99
- Reviewed by: Rick Broida
- Edited by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on: 10/03/2005
The good: Gorgeous high-resolution screen; beautiful, compact design; excellent interface; plays and records FM radio; supports TiVo To Go and limited movie downloads; syncs with Outlook; removable battery; CompactFlash slot; reasonably priced.
The bad: Limited viewing angle; no line-in audio or video recording; doesn't display album art; can't schedule radio recordings; no kickstand; no easy way to watch DVDs; TiVo To Go requires file conversion and third-party MPEG-2 decoder; incomplete documentation; subpar, audio-only battery life.
The bottom line: The Creative Zen Vision, a dazzling but occasionally frustrating personal media player, handles video and music with aplomb, all for a tantalizingly low price.
User reviews
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You Want This Device
by The Mish on December 25, 2005
Pros: Unsurpassed build quality and feature set. Best-in-class screen. Excellent video performance and superb photo displays.
Cons: Sound quality very good, but probably not class-leading. Color saturation could be better for some content. Reflective screen surface requires viewing adjustments in bright light.
Summary: For those of you, like me, who have been struggling to make a PMP purchase decision, this Zen Vision review's for you.
I've read all the hype, studied ...Summary: For those of you, like me, who have been struggling to make a PMP purchase decision, this Zen Vision review's for you.
I've read all the hype, studied the formal product reviews and the user reviews. And I've listened closely to the complaints. But the Vision has so much going for it on paper, I had to see it for myself.
Well, I ordered one (from B&H, a solid on-line retailer) and got the package on Friday. And having just spent the weekend with it, perhaps an account of my first-hand experience will be useful to others.
Let me start with the physical esthetics. Hands down, this is the best-designed product in the PMP category, and it's the first I've seen that looks good in a head-to-head comparison with the iPod Video. I mean, real good. All the reviewers have noted the great build quality, but they don't convey how beautiful it actually looks and feels. The white magnesium case has a soft pearlescent finish, and the blue backlit controls really create a warm gadget. I've held all of them in my hands --a few Archos, the Samsung, the Epson, iRivers, even the new Nokia wireless tablet. None of them comes close to this beauty. Perfect 10.
Now for the screen. This is where I suspect most would-be buyers have major concerns based on user feedback. We all read about interference patterns, narrow viewing angles, difficulty with adjustments. I certainly was concerned.
All of these comments are not without basis. But they need to be taken in perspective: except for the Epson, there's no other screen like the Vision's. Detail is amazing, and overall graphics quality is superb. The iPod? Not even close when the source content is 640X480 MPG4.
But the screen's not perfect. It is highly reflective. When viewing dark material, and you happen to brightly lit, it will be a challenge to manage your reflection to avoid wash-out. That said, reflections are much less of an issue when viewing photos than when viewing videos. Photos are much brighter than video.
As to the viewing angle, the screen delivers on the personal in personal media player. A slight shift to the left or right wipes out the image. There's a bit more latitude in the vertical plane. The bottom line is that the device is not intended for group viewing. But there are comfortable viewing angles for a single user. And I think the best results will come from slight angular adjustments in response to different image attributes.
I've come to conclude that the screen viewing angle limitations are not the result of Creative's decision to buy cheap components. There's nothing cheap about the device, and it doesn't make much sense to go cheap on a display in a product where the display quality is the major selling point. Instead, in my unscientific opinion, I think it's related to the transreflective nature of the display.
Which is a nice touch, by the way, because you can easily see the screen when not backlit in just about any lighting. You don't want to view video or photos this way, but when listening to music it avoids the need to fire up the backlight to see what's happening.
The display also suffers a bit from Creative's failure to include a color saturation control in the firmware. As bright as the photos are, at least the ones I transferred to the device (taken by a Canon Digital Rebel XT, no less) tend to look undersatured. Creative's demo photos don't have the same problem. They've probably been tuned for the display, but the point is, they look great -- well-saturated and balanced. So the screen is plainly capable of doing a better job of displaying photos. A simple saturation tweak would cure the problem. Most viewers will be blown away by the crispness of the photos, and they won't notice the under-saturation.
Do these screen issues take something away from the Vision? Yes, they do. I give the screen an 8. But they aren't serious enough to turn thumbs down on the device. All things considered, there's just nothing else on the market comparable right now. Next week, of course, who knows?
Otherwise, my experience with the player has been very positive. I spent most of the weekend experimenting with different ways of transfering content to the Vision. Zen Vision Media Explorer makes it a snap to import photos. Photos should be scaled down to 640X native display resolution (Picasa makes this easy) so the pixels map to the display.
Video Vault (the updated on-line version) does an excellent job converting video to 640X480 MPG4 for transfer to the player. I used it without cracking the user guide for a ripped DVD, for captured home video, and for TV shows recorded by XP MCE2005. All worked perfectly.
The 640X480 res MPG4 option in Video Vault makes a big difference in the quality of the video. MCE2005 syncs quickly and nicely with the Vision, but it outputs only in 320X240 WMA format, with lower bandwidth as well as resolution. THe files are smaller, but quality is what counts here.
Music sounds good to me, but at the very end of certain songs, as the song finally fades out, I can hear very faint electronic artifacts. I find that the EQ settings affect this. Let's face it, though. If you're a music purist, you probably shouldn't be looking at the Vision.
The FM tuner works well, but it's a bit finicky with static in weak-reception areas. Compact flash functionality is intended to support file transfers as an adjunct to photography, not for photo-browsing. Again, it works perfectly well. Transfers are a bit slow with large (>5MB) files.
So there you have it: the definitive Vision review. I think most buyers will love this device and can feel comfortable owning the first really high-quality video PMP on the market. There will certainly be others, and perhaps their quality will surpass the Vision. But I can recommend it as worth owning now.
Hope this helps you decide.22 out of 23 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Zen Vision #1 for multimedia
by _Ender on August 6, 2005
Pros: 1. packed with features 2. very good price 3. design
Cons: on the fly video recording is missing but, again, at such price it is a wonder gadget
Summary: What happened to music is happening to video, right now. You can store and carry loads of it. And you do not have to convert your whole collection, as this ...
Summary: What happened to music is happening to video, right now. You can store and carry loads of it. And you do not have to convert your whole collection, as this toy reads DivX4&5 and Xvid, and these are the most popular formats. There is no device - but PC - that can read all the formats. But if you do not want to carry laptop: this is the way to go.
Plus: it has Compact Flash reader to upload on the fly pics from camera.
Plus: it looks magnificent.
I really like it.11 out of 16 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Beware of the Zen Vision Screen
by dz7en on June 21, 2006
Pros: Bright Screen, Intuitive Interface
Cons: In-Built Speakers Quite Weak, Buttons Quite Stiff
Summary: Overall, I like this gadget. The screen is bright enough and apart from some .avi files, the rest of the video files played seamlessly. Audio quality is good when using ...
Summary: Overall, I like this gadget. The screen is bright enough and apart from some .avi files, the rest of the video files played seamlessly. Audio quality is good when using earphones. My major gripe is the screen. I used this baby for around 9 days then one day while I was on the way to work and had the urge to watch an episode of my favourite anime, I noticed a black blotch on the right hand side of the screen.
I had kept the Zen Vision in its box on my bookshelf and was sparingly used prior to that. So I made my way to the Creative HQ to get it fixed.
However, after analyzing the screen the Customer Service staff told me that the damage was not covered under the warranty and the cause of the blotch is due to putting a sharp object on top of the Zen Vision.
That thing was a SGD$699 investment and is still brand new. Why would I want to put something hard or sharp on top of it?
The staff, a lady, did mentioned to me that if it was returned within 7 days of the purchase date, it would have been replaced. Well, I'm stumped and stupified.
Well, here's the frustrating part of it all. I figured I wasn't gonna live with the blotch so I enquired how much would the charges be should I wanted it to be repaired at my cost.
Her answer -> THE SCREEN CAN'T BE REPAIRED SINCE IT IS ATTACHED TO THE HARDWARE INSIDE THE DEVICE.
Now, why would Creative create a device that can't be repaired?
What's the point of having the warranty if at their own assumption and discretion that I had put a heavy and sharp object and thus nullfying the warranty?
Right now I have a pristine Creative Zen Vision,a SGD$699 investment nicely tuck in its box. I tried to use that gadget again but everytime I switch it ON, it reminded me of the fact that the screen can't be repaired. I'm disgusted. Something with such a beautiful screen and yet so flawed.
I owned a SONY PSP, 3rd Gen IPOD and even had purchase a Creative Jukebox before.
This is by far the most painful investment I ever had.
So beware, be very aware of that SCREEN....
Just don't get the screen accidentally or purposely damaged.... You just might not be able to appreciate the screen anymore after that since it CAN'T BE REPAIRED.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Three month review
by frog on March 1, 2006
Pros: screen is extremely clear, easy to use, great sound
Cons: a slightly larger hard drive would have been nice
Summary: I have owned the Zen Vision for three months now so here is my review.
Audio: It sounds great. People complain about the ear buds that come with it and ...Summary: I have owned the Zen Vision for three months now so here is my review.
Audio: It sounds great. People complain about the ear buds that come with it and they are crap but that is to be expected. There is not an mp3 player out there that comes with decent ear buds. It is powerful enough to power my Grados. Very easy to search and navigate. Creative has an update that now shows album art. You can adjust the equalization to anything you want.
Photos: The screen is extremely sharp. Very clear. Yes, the viewing angle is basically limited to one person but if you are wanting to show a large group of people hook it up to a tv. The compact flash card reader is nice. I was able to download RAW files from my Canon Rebel but you can't view them. Now I don't have to carry a laptop with me.
Videos: I'll admit that the video player was not the big reason why I bought this but I am impressed with the videos. They are very sharp. I know that others here have given more in depth reviews of the video functions. I have not had a problem with uploading any videos to it.
Etc: The battery life for listening to audio only was 9 hours after three months of heavy use. I haven't done a video only test yet so I can't give you a time for it. It is extremely easy to upload/download stuff to it. I can just plug it in with a usb and add or copy anything I want without having to use any special software. It would occasionally lock up on me but after the last software update from Creative I have not had a problem with that. It is very solid and feels well built.
Overall: I am very happy with it and would recommend it to anyone. A larger hard drive would have been nice.Updated
The newest firmware update corrects the screen angle viewing problem!4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Get something better for $400.... Video ipod is a better choice even after buying all the other crap
by Jonfri04 on January 4, 2006
Pros: High Res Screen , Decent Sound,
Cons: Slow Interface, Screen is from a palm so it looks best only when the whole interface is turned vertical.... Oh yeah ...IT FREEZES CONSISTANTLY....
Summary: The Creative Zen vision has a varity of constant problems that I encounter.
1. The music mangagement seems to be very slow, when browsing though songs. When browsing and pressing ...Summary: The Creative Zen vision has a varity of constant problems that I encounter.
1. The music mangagement seems to be very slow, when browsing though songs. When browsing and pressing the scroll button rapidly, the vision will freeze, and lock up. (Removing the battery is the only remedy) 2. When viewing photos, transferd from a camera, the vision will freeze, also when scrolling though lots of photos.
3. When playing music, the vision freezes when pressing play or pause too many times, advanceing to next track too many times. The Random tracks.... really is not random at all, as the same track can be heard in one sitting, as well as a majority or only one artist. When playing video the vision has many problems, due to specific codec support, and bitrate resoulution capibilities that are not found any where in documentation. This seems to be a (hit and miss)issue. When playing a video, and pausing or playing the Vision will lock up, and freeze, as well as scrolling (FF and REW). The Connection between the USB and the computer seems to work sometimes, and sometimes it wont recognize it.
These problems cannnot only be seen on my device. One has to only check the disscussion forums on your website. There are hundreds of comments posted about the very same issues I have mentioned. A promised firmware update by the end of december 2005 never happend. Saddly the things mentioned above, keep me from enjoying the Creative Zen Vision.6 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I'm impressed so far...
by at7427 on June 14, 2005
Pros: VGA (640x480) screen, size, built in CF reader (good)
Cons: CF reader (bad - no SD, Mem Stick, etc)
Summary: This is definitely the next-gen of personal video players. The size is smaller while increasing the screen and resolution. It’s also important to note the other video formats are ...
Summary: This is definitely the next-gen of personal video players. The size is smaller while increasing the screen and resolution. It’s also important to note the other video formats are supported other than divx.
Still, I have to wait and see what the current champs of the PVP market do. Archos has been awful quiet. Too quiet for their own good in my opinion. If the next AV400 (supposed model number is AV402) has similar specs but with video recording capability and USB host support then we’ll have to see.4 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Cool gadget, but fussy screen
by elzar88 on October 11, 2005
Pros: Sharp screen, nice form factor
Cons: Very limited screen angle, cumbersome process for videos
Summary: I ordered the Zen Vision directly from Creative, after trying from Cambridge Soundworks. I wanted to have it sooner, and Creative was able to ship it to me sooner than ...
Summary: I ordered the Zen Vision directly from Creative, after trying from Cambridge Soundworks. I wanted to have it sooner, and Creative was able to ship it to me sooner than CSW can. When I first turned the ZV on, the first thing I noticed is 1 dead pixel! I couldn't believe the luck I had. But, I thought I could overlook that if the device impressed.
I first browsed through the photos and videos preloaded on the ZV, and was blown away by the sharpness and the vibrant colors. Great screen, but you had to be at just the right angle. But, even when viewed at the right angle, the black areas in the photos seems to be a bit reflective, making the picture look kind of weird.
After browsing through all the preloaded photos, I tried the videos. Load times were acceptable, although not super quick. I noticed a bit of a flicker when viewing videos, which was adding to my tendency of returning the device. Video was smooth, but I only viewed the two that were preloaded.
After browsing through all of Creative's preloaded material, I decided to install the software. I found out that without the software, I couldn't get my laptop to recognize the device. I was hoping that it would at least recognize a removable hard drive, so I could also use it as a portable hard drive to share files/photos.
I couldn't get the Creative software to install at first, due to some issues with quicktime. I posted this on the discussion forum on Creative's website, and got a relatively quick response to the problem. Some conflict with quicktime, and I had to rename a quicktime file to get the Creative software to install.
After the install, putting photos onto the ZV was pretty easy, but videos were more difficult. I had wanted to put some clips from my dvd collection onto the ZV, but I think it takes a more tech saavy person to do it. I couldn't get the ripped dvd files into the right format for the ZV, and gave up after about an hour of trying. I didn't try any home movies or recorded tv.
Overall, I was very impressed with the screen resolution, but the viewing angle offset that somewhat. Also, I was hoping it'd be easier to put content on, and being less tech saavy, I was unsuccessful in loading videos onto the ZV. Combined with the one dead pixel, I decided to return the ZV, and wait for the next gen PVPs.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Top of the line, swamps the competition.
by Atomisk on December 6, 2005
Pros: The vast amount of features the baby has.
Cons: only 30 gigs, and cant record from the tv
Summary: This product has so much to offer, i was so happy to find it. Originally i was looking at the archos av500 but than i noticed the bad support it ...
Summary: This product has so much to offer, i was so happy to find it. Originally i was looking at the archos av500 but than i noticed the bad support it offered on media formats and the crappy screen resolution. I even looked into the Ipod video and was dissapoited by the battery life, only 2.5.
The Zen vision can handle the most popular video formats along with MP3 and WMA's. It has a removable battery and a standard battery life of 4.5hrs Video and 13hrs music. They even offer a better battery that gives 9hrs of video and 26 music. it just clips in where the other battery WOULD go. The player is really low profile and has a sleek design in 2 colors. The sound is so awsome, much better than any apple mp3.
I only ever saw one other ch as this. It was called the Vilvi P1. It was just as good if not better with more colors. only prob was it was from korea and hasnt made its way here yet. I have done my research, and with that i have completly fallen in love with the zen. This is the best alternative to having a portable dvd player or a cd player. Plus the price isnt too bad either.
-Andrew3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This player does it all
by hubert9999 on April 12, 2006
Pros: Excellent display, Ample storage, Good Sound,FMradio
Cons: Pouch, Battery life of 13 hrs for me is average
Summary: Let's start with the reason i bought the product. Primarily for storing pictures when I am on vacation. You may say there are more bulk storage devices out there ...
Summary: Let's start with the reason i bought the product. Primarily for storing pictures when I am on vacation. You may say there are more bulk storage devices out there for about the same price with more storage capacity. But I always carry a discman(with mp3) with me. And thought by buying this why not buy something that does it all. The Zen vision certainly complies with this.
Transferring pictures from the Compactflash is fast and easy. So it fullfils my primary objective.
With 30GB of storage I can easily store 5 to 10 GB of music and leave enough space to store my pics. 5 to 10 GB of music is days of playback without repeating a song.
The controls on the player you need to get used to but after a couple of days it is easy to use. Manual is not really good but it is is not really required.
The software coming with the player is easy to use at least for the basic thing like transferring media, setting up playlist and so on.
From all the devices I have seen this screen is the best. Razor sharp and nice colors. the only con is the angle you need to look right at the player. So looking wiht more than 2 people can be a pain.
Battery life is so so. Compared to the reviews of other players this player suppose to be reasonable. That says a lot about the other players. The battery life is as specified but 13 hrs for listining to music is short. I tend to spent more hours that that travelling.
BE AWARE for the ones who buy the white player. All player come with a black pouch. Inside this pouch there is a piece of leather feeling cloth attached which I think is for cleaning the screen. I still did not figure this out. But this piece of cloth will stain the white player. It will leave with a black marking on the back and it is very difficult to remove. Black colored players will not experience this I assume.Updated
Earphones are uncomfortable. The sound is OK but my advice buy another earphone2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Looks great
by boomer25_09 on July 8, 2005
Pros: plays videos, mp3, 20GB, removable battery
Cons: No FM radio (so far)
Summary: Most likely in response to Apple's iPod (which now has a standard color screen/photo capabilities), Creative has a great design for their lastest creation. For 20 Gb, hopefully ...
Summary: Most likely in response to Apple's iPod (which now has a standard color screen/photo capabilities), Creative has a great design for their lastest creation. For 20 Gb, hopefully will be in the $300-355 range. Hope to see it in stores soon.
Updated
I watched the first look video again, and indeed i did see that on the main menu theres an FM Radio option, making my rating a 9.3 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Creative
- Part number: 70PF115100000
- Description: Zen Vision's 30GB multimedia center is bound to impress anyone who wants to carry all their digital entertainment files - tens of thousands of photos, up to 120 hours of videos, and 15,000 songs - everywhere. Zen Vision is not only lightweight and slim, beneath its classy magnesium casing are features that will fulfill all your digital entertainment needs.
General
- Device Type Portable media center
- Key Features Digital photo viewer ,
Voice recorder ,
Memory card reader ,
Digital audio player ,
Digital video player ,
FM tuner - Width 4.9 in
- Depth 0.8 in
- Height 2.9 in
- Weight 8.4 oz
- Color Black
- PC Interfaces USB
Display
- Display Type LCD 3.7 in - Color
- Display Form Factor Built-in
Memory / Storage
- Flash Memory Cards Supported CompactFlash Card type I ,
CompactFlash Card type II - HDD Capacity 30 GB
- HDD Form Factor Built-in
Digital Audio
- Supported audio formats MP3 ,
WMA ,
Protected WMA (DRM) - Response bandwidth 20 - 20000 Hz
- Signal-to-noise ratio 97 dB
- Playback modes Playlist
- Audio output Built-in speaker
Still Images
- Supported Still Images Formats JPEG
Video
- Video Playback Formats DivX 5.0 ,
DivX 4.0 ,
MPEG-2 ,
MPEG-4 SP ,
WMV ,
Motion JPEG ,
XviD ,
MPEG-1 - Video Playback Modes Play
Connectivity
- Connections USB,
Composite video output,
Audio line-out - Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm Battery
- Rechargeable Battery Rechargeable
- Battery Enclosure Type Internal
- Included Qty 1
- Technology Lithium ion
- Battery Life Details MP3 playback - up to 13 hour(s),
Video playback - up to 4.5 hour(s) System Requirements
- Operating System MS Windows XP
- Peripheral(s) CD-ROM
- System Requirements Details Windows XP - Pentium II - 350 MHz - RAM 64 MB - HD 170 MB
Miscellaneous
- Included Accessories USB cable , Power adapter,
AV cable,
Carrying case,
AC adapter,
Stereo headphones
Product series
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Creative Zen Vision (30GB, Black)
Manufacturer: Creative
Specs: Portable media center,
LCD 3.7 in - Color,
MP3,
WMA,
Protected WMA (DRM),
DivX 5.0,
DivX 4.0,
MPEG-2,
MPEG-4 SP,
WMV,
Motion JPEG,
XviD,
MPEG-1,
4.9 in x 0.8 in x 2.9 in,
8.4 oz -
Creative Zen Vision (30GB, White)
Manufacturer: Creative
Specs: Portable media center,
LCD 3.7 in - Color,
MP3,
WMA,
Protected WMA (DRM),
DivX 5.0,
DivX 4.0,
MPEG-2,
MPEG-4 SP,
WMV,
Motion JPEG,
XviD,
MPEG-1,
4.9 in x 0.8 in x 2.9 in,
8.4 oz
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Creative products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Creative
- Address:
1901 McCarthy Blvd. Milpitas, CA 95035, Milpitas, CA 95035 - Phone: 800-998-1000
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