Comments for Zune Touch

Comment on Zune AC Adapter v2 by Sky

Sky — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:15:06 +0000

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

Power to the People, May 19, 2008

Sky (New York) -

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This review is from: Zune AC Adapter v2 (Electronics)

I actually just bought my second version 2 Zune AC Adapter...I'll keep one in my car, and the other I'll keep in the house. The one for the car I'll use when I head to the shore and other places (like airline trips) that might not have available USB connections.

Sure, Zune sells a car charger that I'd like to have, but as of this writing it is ridiculously priced at like at over 60 bucks, and I'm not plugging some knock-off into my car lighter only to risk blowing out the car's fuses. The Zune AC adapter is cheap, and even cheaper with some of Amazon's trusted (95% plus, multiple positive ratings) third party sellers (which is where I got both of mine). (For what it's worth, the 60 dollar v2 Zune Car Pack also will connect and let you broadcast your Zune music through your FM car stero, so that may actually be worth it for you if you can't connect your Zune to your car stereo via a high quality Cable).

A full charge with the AC adapter takes just an hour or less. The prongs are retractable, which is good because I had similar AC adapters that I've traveled with that have broken off.

The only real gripe I have is the greediness of Microsoft and Zune not including a sync cable with the AC adapter that is required to connect the adapter to the Zune. Of course I have the cable that came with the device, but it would have been nice to have a dedicated cable for the adapter. I'd have even preferred an adapter with the power cable permanently attached to the adapter.

Now, you might be asking why I would need to keep a Zune AC adapter in the house with so many capable USB connections available these days. Good question! If you're plugging your Zune into your computer for the first time and the Zune software doesn't seem to be recognizing your Zune, this will be especially interesting for you. Is all you see on the Zune screen a battery image with a lightening bolt in the center of the screen (in other words the battery image is not where it belongs in the lower right hand corner of the device home screen)? Then the AC adapter could be your fix.

Recently I bought my second Zune for my son, and the computer with all his songs is an older (like circa 2002) Gateway...apparently with lower power standard USB ports. If your computer is like mine, it might even tell you when you plug in the Zune for the first time that "the device will function better if you connect it to a high speed USB port" (...or the message says something like that anyway). I initially thought nothing of this message until I realized that these low powered ports weren't initially charging my second Zune.

So I connected the Zune to the AC adapter, let it fully charge, then reconnected to the computer. The Zune software immediately recognized the Zune this time, and I was syncing and listening to music in minutes (I still get that message about "functioning better with higher speed USB ports).

So, overall, the Zune AC adapter is a very worthy investment for me and a very good little add on to any Zune.

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Comment on Zune AC Adapter v2 by Johnny Wang

Johnny Wang — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:52:00 +0000

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

Works perfectly, February 7, 2008

Johnny Wang (New Jersey, USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Zune AC Adapter v2 (Electronics)

The adapter works just fine. I find it convenient since it frees up a USB port on my computer. If you use your USB ports alot and aren't constantly syncing stuff to your Zune, this is a handy way to charge it. Also, you can charge it overnight without having to leave your computer on. The folding prong is also great. It fits in my backpack nicely without me having to worry about it damaging anything or itself. I would definitely recommend getting this. Also, if you happen to have any other devices that can charge from a USB port, this device will charge them as well since all the voltages are the same.

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Comment on Zune AC Adapter v2 by Erick Engel

Erick Engel — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 20:31:06 +0000

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

Works but needs additional hardware, December 7, 2007

Erick Engel (Poway, CA United States) -

This review is from: Zune AC Adapter v2 (Electronics)

Hello, I bought this cable to use at my office to charge my Zune at work. I planned on using my sync cable while at home.

Unfortunately, what you see in the picture is what you get. There is no end to plug into the Zune. It's just the AC portion. You must use a sync cable to plug into this adapter.

For $30, I think everything needed should be in the box.

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Comment on Zune Home AV Pack v2 by Kriston Rehberg

Kriston Rehberg — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 20:32:16 +0000

32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

Works with the Zune HD, December 1, 2009

Kriston Rehberg (Fairfax, VA USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Zune Home AV Pack v2 (Electronics)

I have a Zune HD and I'm shocked by the horribly overpriced docks. I am happy to report that this dock works perfectly with the Zune HD. I use it for charging and sync'ing my Zune HD. Note this is the same as the Zune Dock Pack with two differences: this comes with the remote control and the composite video and audio cable. Naturally it does not have HDMI but it does have component video output so if you use your Zune HD for HDTV, and I don't think anyone seriously does, then you're not going to want this.

Now that the Zune HD is out I'm getting these older Zune docs for pennies on the dollar so I can have a dock at all the places I use my Zune HD.

Note that the Zune HD does wiggle a bit, but you can remedy that by not caring, or putting some felt pads on the dock adapter insert.

The AC adapter is a block with a folding plug and a USB jack. It works with nearly any USB-charged device, including LG cell phones, so this purchase is a real *steal* just to get the excellent AC adapter and the special composite video and audio cable.

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Comment on Zune Home AV Pack v2 by psychomuse

psychomuse — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:52:12 +0000

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

A pricey but essential Zune accessory, April 3, 2008

psychomuse -

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This review is from: Zune Home AV Pack v2 (Electronics)

Like everything these days, this costs way too much. It should, in fact, have been included with the Zune. It adds so much value to it.

It is a very well-made product. The AV cables are nice and thick. They appear sturdy and resistant to kinks. Believe me, there are some really scrawny AV cables out there. These look like Monster cables. The dock fits all models of Zune with removable trays that accomodate the different sizes. My Zune 2 sits in it like a baby in a car seat. Very secure with no connection problems.

The power charger works without getting in your way. Plug the device in and whenever you dock your Zune, it will stay fully juiced up for your next journey.

The remote, while not fancy, is really great. It duplicates all of the Zune's controls minus the touch-sensitivity. You click and hold to scroll instead. It works so well, I don't miss the squircle at all. Most surprising, it works from across my living room without fail. I like the remote so much, I'm going to try using it when my Zune is connected to the car kit.

All materials are high-quality and I suspect they will last as long as the Zune. The AV kit works perfectly and I believe it is an essential part of the Zune. I almost took a star off for the high price, but it's such a great product and enhancement that it really is deserving of all five stars.

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Comment on Zune Home AV Pack v2 by Chad386

Chad386 — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:47:44 +0000

191 of 192 people found the following review helpful:

Zune home a/v pack v2 works with 120 gb, great component output video, December 3, 2008

Chad386 -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Zune Home AV Pack v2 (Electronics)

The version 2 home a/v pack is definitely the way to go if you have an 80gb or 120 gb zune. (Keep in mind that currently, only the 80 and 120 gb zune can output video via component cabling.) Something none of the other reviews have touched on is the fact that this model is the one that contains component out jacks on the back of the zune dock. You can, therefore, use any component cable (not supplied) for DVD quality output of movies, etc.

I can attest that the output looks absolutely fantastic on a 50 inch HD widescreen set. My wife could not see any difference in it and our high end upscaling DVD player. Of course, a lot depends on how you encode the video and the quality of the source. But assuming you get that right, you will be very pleased with the look of the video. (720 x 576 resolution with component) Also, the menu system itself doesn't look all that hot. But a nicely encoded video will sure treat your eyes once you fire it up. you have lots of choices now on encoding since the Zune 3 firmware supports .wmv, mpeg-4, and h.264 video files.

I have put about 10 movies on so far for our 2 year old to watch on an upcoming trip. Now, the audio output is strictly stereo; but I don't think that's much to complain about since what hotel or guest room is going to have you a surround speaker system set up.

Another reviewer has also stated that this kit does not work with the Zune 120 gb. He is very wrong. It states right on the front of the box that the kit works with all zunes. (and lists it specifically as well) The way they do this is by including various "faceplates" for the different zunes. I was worried about this initially, but they conform very nicely and you can't even really tell they are removable once they're in. It comes with a 4g/8gb labelled plate, a 30 gb labelled plate, and an 80 gb labelled plate. The 80 gb plate is the one to use for the 120. It fits perfectly. I've had no issues docking this thing at all; so don't quite understand the other comments regarding that.

Remote works very well with decent range. If you have an 80 or 120 gb zune and are looking to have an easy way to watch dvd quality movies on a TV while travelling, this kit is perfect for you.

UPDATE 12/10/08: I just got back from a trip where I got to put the kit to use. Everyone thought I was playing the movies from a DVD. The Zune functionality was also great seeing as how I was showing slideshows of a recent trip complete with music. When listening to music, the Zune puts up the album art that it scavenges from the online database; very cool. Couple things to point out.

1. The composite video out can't hold a candle to the component out. Spend a little extra to get a nice set of short, component cables. Also, the Zune sync software includes an option in settings to optimize video for TV output. Make sure this is enabled. It takes a little longer to sync video this way, but well worth the time.

2. If you are having an issue with volume through your tv when watching movies, make sure your actual zune unit volume is turned all the way up. Since the kit uses the headphone jack on the zune, volume is 1st dependent on how high you have the zune volume set. If your zune vol. is turned way down, you can max out your TV's volume and still only get a trickle of sound. So, in essence, you have 2 volumes to deal with: TV volume and Zune volume. May seem obvious to some, but it is easy to overlook when doing all the other connections while your 2 year old is yelling to see "Snow White."

3. If you don't see any picture on the TV after cabling the component jacks, there is a little switch on the back of the Zune dock that must be pushed toward the component jacks. Also, the black plate that hides the component jacks will not go back on the Zune dock until the switch is pushed back into its default composite position.

So overall, the Zune and home kit v2 performed wonderfully. I can re-emphasize the importance of this kit for any Zune owner.

UPDATE 1/10/09: Clarification on video output capability of Zunes. All currently available Zunes have video playback functionality on the Zune screen itself (4,8,16,30,80,120). Only the 30, 80, and 120 Zune can output video to a TV. Note, however, that the Zune30 is no longer manufactured. Also, if you are buying this kit for a Zune30, the Zune30 does NOT support component output; it supports composite only output(yellow plug). You need the Zune80 or Zune120 to use the component (HD) functionality. Just wanted to add this in since when I bought my Zune, I found this information very hard to come by on the interwebs.

UPDATE 9/20/09: Zune HD has launched and has its own dock. It's currently pretty pricey, but will drop just like the old dock did with a little time. For what it's worth, the new dock is... Read more

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Comment on Zune Sync Cable Reviews by Enigmadave

Enigmadave — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:40:38 +0000

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

it does what it is supposed to do!, September 27, 2010

Enigmadave -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Zune Sync Cable (Electronics)

The cable works in connecting my Zune player into the USB port of my computer.

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Comment on Zune Sync Cable Reviews by nm

nm — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 07:18:16 +0000

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

not as shown - not original manufacturer, September 10, 2010

nm -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Zune Sync Cable (Electronics)

I ordered it thinking it was an original manufacturer cable as it is pictured - it is not. When I attempted to return, I got no response. If you want an original cable don't buy here, if you want an off brand, then purchase. Just don't expect to get your money back.

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Comment on Zune Sync Cable Reviews by Brian G. Ashburn

Brian G. Ashburn — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 06:51:53 +0000

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

Misleading, December 29, 2009

Brian G. Ashburn (Spokane, WA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Zune Sync Cable (Electronics)

I bought three of these cables thinking that I was getting a authentic Zune Sync cable from Microsoft at a cheaper price. That is not the case. The cable you receive is not the one in the picture. The actual cable is from a company in China called "GT Max". It comes in a very cheaply made plastic baggy, the tops of the cables are not easily identified with the white USB or Zune logo as on a real cable and also does not come with the protective caps shown in the picture.

So that is my main gripe that what you get is not what is shown.
As for the actual quality of the product, it seems to work as it should, but feeling it you can really tell that the quality is not the same as OEM.

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Comment on Zune HD 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) by T. Nield

T. Nield — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 07:45:45 +0000

524 of 563 people found the following review helpful:

Has come a long way since the "brick" Zune, September 15, 2009

T. Nield -

This review is from: Zune HD 16 GB Video MP3 Player (Black) (Electronics)

Zune was the laughing stock a couple of years ago when Microsoft released the "brick" 1st-gen Zune. A joke went around about Microsoft's pathetic attempt to enter the "iPod market." So a year passed, and Zune remained a joke in the consumer electronics world and had to endure the jeers and torment of the Apple crowd. When the 2nd Gen Zunes came out, the Zune brand slowly started to see redemption. The Zune 80gb was deemed the first decent competitor to the iPod, but the brand was still in recovery from its hazing.

But for the first time, Microsoft has developed a Zune player that can finally use the words "downright sexy" to describe it. The Zune brand image is building up quickly with the release of the Zune HD, XBOX Live integration, and much-needed marketing.

With the rapid rise of the iPod Touch and iPhone, it's no surprise Microsoft came up with a touchscreen portable media player of its own. However, this is not a copy of the iPod touch at all. Sure the Zune HD features a touchscreen, accelerometer, app support, a strong web browser and other features that made the iPod Touch so popular.

However, the Zune HD has what the iPod Touch lacks, such as...

-ZunePass (Download all the music you want for $15/month, keep 10 songs per month DRM-Free)
-720p HDMI output
-An aesthetically nice software (Zune 4.0 interface is very pretty to look at, not a dull spreadsheet like iTunes)
-An aesthetically nice device OS (Artist pictures and info float around while playing a song, it's cool)
-OLED screen (brighter, more vibrant than LCD)
-Free HD radio
-Radio "tagging" (If you like a song you hear on the radio, "tag" it to add it to your cart for download)
-A feature called "Smart DJ" that functions identically to the online radio service "Pandora" but has no limitations on skips and allows you to rate/download songs you like. Requires a ZunePass though.
-XBOX Live integration
-An advanced nVidia Tegra Chip (A couple of graphically-intense 3D games are coming out this fall, like Burnout: Ferrari Edition)
-On-demand music (play music online with your Zune HD, don't need to download it to your hard drive)

Again, the Zune HD is just simply amazing. With the Nvidia Tegra chip and highly capable processor, the potential for this device is endless. The Zune HD is supposed to be a portable gaming platform to compete head-to-head with the Nintendo DS and PSP brands. I'm excited to see Burnout: Ferrari Edition on it this fall. I'm also looking forward to see more apps as well.

Could this device take significant market share from Apple's iPod Touch? With the right marketing to increase public awareness of this product, yes it definitely can. Every large monopolizing entity like Kmart, GM, and even Apple will dominate a market completely for some period of time. However, times change and something better always comes along. Is this Zune HD the better alternative to the iPod? With some more releases in the app store and updates, it clearly will be. The question is will Apple change and copy the Zune's features including the Zune Pass? I don't know, we'll see. The Zune Pass will clearly become the new standard of digital music services and the $1-per-song marketplace model will not be competitive much longer.

***UPDATE***

I've been getting a lot of comments on my review saying that the Zune's HD radio does not compensate for the lack of online radio services found on the iPod Touch (such as Pandora). I believe I already said in my review that with some more app development the Zune HD will be a strong competitor to the iPod Touch. However, who in the world needs Pandora if you have a Zune Pass? Your Zune will learn your musical tastes and give you recommendations. You can download/stream all the music you want without limits. But if you like Pandora, I suggest playing with the Zune's "Smart DJ". It will create a streaming playlist of songs based on your overall musical tastes or play specifically based on a certain artist.

I also forgot to add the Zune HD does not have an external speaker. If that's a super-important feature to you, the iPod Touch may suit you for now. However you can always get headphone couplers or battery-powered mini-speakers to remedy this.

***UPDATE***

The new apps on the Zune released this fall include some amazing 3D games. They look just as good (if not better) than what you would find on a PSP or Nintendo DS. Among these games are Van's Sk8, Burnout: Ferrari Edition, Audiosurf Tilt, and many others. Twitter has been released as well and Facebook should follow soon. I have no complaints about the Zune after owning it for a few months. I'm convinced the Zune brand provides the best music experience service ever created.

***UPDATE*** October 2010

It's been a... Read more

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