Buying new creative mp3 pla

hi everyone,i am thinking to buy a new creative mp3 player. i m considering whether i should buy zen neeon 2 or zen v plus.can anyone here give me some comments? which model is better? the sound and so on...thanks...

I'd say go for the Zen V Plus. It generally gets better feedback when compared to the Neeon 2. By personal experience, I can say that it's (the V) amazing. Nice and fullly featured, sweet screen and excellent sound quality. The extras make it worth having it as well. Just make sure you go for 4GB. or 2 gigs isn't enough, at least not for me. Some people have had some problems with getting it to work, but I managed to, by rolling back to WMP0 then reinstalling . If you are going to get the V,?I suggest you use Beta 2 of , because the full version won't recognize mine if it's docked for a long time (charging, etc.). Hope this helped, and I hope you enjoy whichever player you plan on getting.

Similar Messages

  • Scared To Buy A Creative Mp3 Pla

    I'm planning on buying a Zen V Plus (4GB or 8GB), but I'm afraid that the product might die on me within months and not years. While browsing this forum, I've read so many problems regarding various zen mp3 products, and I'm simply afraid to part with my well-earned cash. I'm more tempted to go with the 8GB Zen V+, but it's so expensi've(?59.99).
    My Creative Zen Micro (purchased for ?49.99) has recently developed the infamous headphone jack problem, I had my zen for about a year before this problem. Also the player freezes too much.
    In my opinon Creative owe it to fans to produce products that are durable and last more than a year. Imagine paying so much for a product and it is unusable after a year.
    I need convincing to buy another Creative Product (zen v plus).

    I've got a Zen Micro over 2 years old, used daily, no problems.
    I replaced the battery a little while ago, as the original was getting towards the end of its life. It took maybe 7 seconds and no tools to do.
    If I'd bought an iPod instead, getting the battery changed would either require sending it back to Apple, paying shipping plus their replacement cost.
    They don't necessarily send your iPod back Chances are very high that you get someone else's refurbished one. Oh your music? You'd better have backed it all up, because it's <i>gone</i>.
    The other iPod alternati've is sending away for a battery kit and taking it apart myself and hoping that I don't wreck it by breaking some tiny wire.
    Both of those options cost more than a replacement battery from Creative, once you factor shipping, not to mention with my Zen I was listening to music again within seconds, no waiting for shipping and refurbishment.

  • Why can't i buy a creative mp3 player in a normal retail sto

    i find it really rather disturbing that creative mp3 players are not more widely available in normal retail stores. i li've in one of the top 0 major metropolitan cities in the USA and i go into my local best buy and all they have is a 5GB micro, a 20GB xtra, and a 20GB(?) touch. why is that all they have? if i want a MUVO, i'm screwed. meanwhile that same best buy has every style, size, and color of all the ipod crap and a million accessories (bleh) but NOTHING for creative. the only micro they have is the black one, and only in the 5GB size. i go to another place like Staples, and they have the muvo TX, no micros.
    I go next door the the compusa, they've got a full lineup of all the ypod crap, nothing from creative.
    i find it really irritating when one wants to say, buy a player for a friend and cannot find what they are looking for. makes it real easy to buy the freaking ypods. ugh.

    steveski wrote:
    hey blood, you're completely missing my point... I KNOW i can order them online at a million places.
    the poster that said they don't want to compete with prices, that's insane. there would be NO STORES anywhere if stores were really afraid of that. internet prices are lower for EVERYTHING.
    my point is i guess, why don't stores stock more stuff from creative (other then soundblaster stuff)? the answer to my own question is probably that creative stuff does not sell as well as ipod stuff.
    the reason i say this is a friend of mine was heading out of town and was interesting in getting an mp3 player for the trip so i suggested he might look into the new creative MIX thingy but we everywhere we looked they had nothing, so the dolt ended up getting an ipod shuffle. oh well. we lost another one due to players just not being in the stores. sad!
    I bought my zen micro from a retail store.. In canada. In holland in the one electronics store they have the touch,3 colors of micro, 2 muvo players, and a Xtra. They only had the ipod mini...

  • Help on recommending a Creative mp3 pla

    Hello.
    I don?t know too much about these things but I?m hoping someone would help. Thanks. =)
    Basically I am after a Creative mp3 player that meets the following:
    - Budget of spending ?75 (if slightly above may consider)
    - FM radio and record radio
    - Line in function (so for example if something was on MTV I could record music off it via a jack going from the TV headphone socket directly to the mp3 player)
    - lit up LCD display
    - 40gb space
    - purely for music storage and playback, not bothered about video playback or anything else just music. Added bonus if it includes that anyhow =P
    - Plays wide range of music formats such as wav, ogg, asf etc
    - fast music transfer (most likely usb2.0)
    The above features is the main important things that need including and ALL of them. I?m trying not to go off topic on Creative products but what I have my eyes on right now is the MPIO HD300 for around ?70, although I?ve not heard entirely positi've customer feedbacks about them?.. Still the MPIO HD300 sounds very good as it has the functions I am looking for and slightly more. But if there?s something better in the Creative department within my spending I?ll be sure to go for that!
    I could just cut that babble and say I need someone to recommend me a Creative player that?s better than or along the same lines as the MPIO HD300 (40gb) and within ?75.
    See I could just buy that MPIOHD300 as it has everything I need, but I need to buy it as a gift for someone and they are asking for a Creative player bah! Why can't buying stuff be simple argghhhh.
    Please help me out people. Sorry for the babbling, need to make sure I get it right.
    THANKS! =)

    Vision M looks VERRRY nice, unfortunately it hasn't got what I want from what I've read such as 'line in' (or does it's?), doesn't support as many audio formats.
    Just minor issues but I do need them to be included.
    30gb would have been ok if it had the required features I was after. I was just watching the flash demo of the vision M. Just out of curiosity can you record as much radio as you want from it until the memory is full? Or are you limited to a certain amount of time you can record from radio?
    Also I wonder why a lot of mp3 players don't have the 'line-in' function. I'm sure just about everyone would make use of it. It just doesn't seem to be a standard feature which is a bit crazy.
    Zen V Plus would have just about been ok but it's limited to 4gb in space. I had a look this morning through the products doesn't look like any other Creative players fit the match.
    Looks like the gift won't be a Creative.
    Ahhhh well. I'll have to see what other brand players are knocking about. I'm assuming I can't get help on that here but that's cool.
    Thanks for helping =)

  • Apartment Bookshelf Stereo Solution with Creative mp3 Pla

    I'm looking for a recommendation for an at-home speaker setup for the Creative mp3 players.
    We li've in a small apartment with a small living room, so we do not need that much power. We just want to have a convenient way to play our mp3s and listen to the radio.
    The ideal setup would be a small unit of speakers (or separate speakers) with a drop-in dock for the mp3 player. A remote could be used to adjust volume, go to the next track, or turn power on and off. FM radio reception would also be nice. It MUST provide power to the mp3 player so the mp3 player is not running on batteries. I've seen all kinds of products that do this with iPods, but we already have (and enjoy) our Creative products.
    Of course I can just connect one of our mp3 players to a bookshelf stereo. This is not a terrible solution as long as I have the A/C power cord close by. No remote and no easy dock, but it works... I already do this in our bedroom using the little bookshelf stereo we have.
    The big downside to this is that I have read in the manual for some Creative mp3 players that you shouldn't leave them plugged in an charging all the time. That's a bit of a problem if we want to leave it connected to the stereo most of the time, and don't want to worry about having to recharge it.
    We have older mp3 players like the Jukebox 3 and the Zen Xtra. I've seen the portable docking device for the Zen Micro, but no way do we want an mp3 player with such a tiny hard dri've. We need at least 20GB.
    How about connecting a Zen Vision M, or an older Zen/Jukebox to something like the I-Trigue L3800, or to one of those iPod devices like the Klipsch iGroove? The I-Trigue with the Creative Wireless Remote I200 is one option, but is it safe to leave the mp3 player plugged into AC power all the time?
    I've also considered a WiFi stereo component that can pull songs off the computer, but with that the computer always has to stay on. When we have a house maybe I'll build a media computer/server that stays running all the time, but for now we just want a very basic setup for our apartment.
    I wouldn't mind upgrading my mp3 player, so I'm pretty close to just purchasing a 30GB iPod and one of the many drop-in solutions for playing your iPod tunes in the living room. Too bad Creative doesn't offer such an accessory for the large-capacity Zen mp3 players.
    Sean

    Hmmm... I am now finding some intriguing accessories... like the Cambridge Pladock that can play and charge Zen players. A little pricey for what probably isn't the best-sound, but all those iPod solutions from Klipsch and Bose are pricey as well.
    Looks like the Zen Vision M docking station might be a good solution. Does anyone have one of these that they just leave connected to the stereo and/or tv and AC power? How do you like it's I guess this might be more versatile than the Playdock.
    Not quite as slick as the many iPod solutions out there, but I like the Creative mp3 players we already have, and the Vision M looks like an awfully nice updgrade from my Jukebox 3 (which has been a little buggy since a recent drop to the pavement). In addition to using it to listen to our mp3s over external speakers, it would be nice to use it for watching video on the tv as well.Message Edited by sean000 on 08-2-2006 02:55 PMMessage Edited by sean000 on 08-2-2006 03:3 PM

  • Zen Vision M - I am never buying another Creative MP3 Product aga

    For years I bought their MP3 players because it's obvivous it has the better sound quality, but the **bleep**ty support, endless firmware issues and crappy software just makes me want to take a sledge hammer to the **bleep**. Its obvivous that both the Apple IPOD and the ZEN Vision M has issues. But it does not appear that either company seems interested in fixing the problems. IPOD - Crappy Sound.ZEN Vision M - Crappy software and crappy firmware.
    Maybe Creative should get together with Apple and make a great sounding visually pleasing IPOD. Until then my MP3 days are over, but it was great while it lasted.Message Edited by Dane on 04-07-20070:30 PM
    Message Edited by Dane on 04-07-20070:3 PM
    Message Edited by Dane on 04-07-20070:3 PM

    So I gotta say... I have to agree a bit! I had so many problems with my Zen vision:m and felt that the ipod was just a stupid option. I then desided to try and li've with it and make the best of having such a adapting machine... I now have made my own ecosystem with Urge and windows media player! It works great and I have just been up on the Customer service intill they gave me good service. I am now doing great and wish that creative would make more updates... but I will li've!

  • Best Creative Mp3 pla

    Hi
    I would like to know which is the best creative flash memory mp3 player(around GB).
    jesin

    I'd say go for the Zen V Plus. It generally gets better feedback when compared to the Neeon 2. By personal experience, I can say that it's (the V) amazing. Nice and fullly featured, sweet screen and excellent sound quality. The extras make it worth having it as well. Just make sure you go for 4GB. or 2 gigs isn't enough, at least not for me. Some people have had some problems with getting it to work, but I managed to, by rolling back to WMP0 then reinstalling . If you are going to get the V,?I suggest you use Beta 2 of , because the full version won't recognize mine if it's docked for a long time (charging, etc.). Hope this helped, and I hope you enjoy whichever player you plan on getting.

  • New Creative mp3 player: Nee

    Read the article here, i guess at this point its confirmed that it exists:
    http://www.dapreview.net/comment.php?comment.news.288
    but my question is this: why make such a thing, if they already have zen micros? i mean whats the point of making another 6gb capacity player? I think they need to make a revamped version of the zen touch.

    Search the message board for this. Most people agree that it is a fake, for mostly the same reasons you listed.

  • Creative MP3 players still RELIABLE??? (headphone jack/software) USERS OF NEW PRODUCT NEED

    after BOTH of my zen micro has headphone jack problem and the error filled software for the zen micro, i doubt about it's reliability, i want to ask the people who use creative's new players (mp3/photo/video) to tell me what they experienced. because i never like Apple, but they are much more durable to use. They can withstand so much physical dmg and works perfectly, on the other hand, the smallest vibration/movement caused the zen micro headphone jack's metal pieces to go out of place(have no contact on the male connector for headphones)
    please tell me ur experiences of the newer Creative mp3/video players

    i've owned 3 creative and i only had problems with the zen xtra and thats one of their older players, with the zen micro and vision m i havent had any problems including the headphone jack, and i put my players through some rough times so i think their improvin upon the quality/durability overall

  • Ipods suck : Considering buying a Creative Zen 32gb, I have some SD questions

    ? My? 20gig ipod died......again. I never realised how bad ipods are . They are WHITE DEATH
    So i'm looking for a replacement. I used to have a Vision M 30gb? but trying to find a new one? is impossible and they are VERY expensi've as they are so rare
    I looked at the Newer creative mp3 players but from the reviews they seem to have a few flaws i dont like plus very expensi've .
    So i've settled on the Creative Zen 32. I tend to carry around a lot of audio so i am considering adding on a SD card
    I'm selecting one that has the right compatibility?but I wanted to ask is it possible? to creative playlists for mp3 on the SD card
    Having the mp3's organised and not a jumbled mess is what i'm worried about .
    Has this been fixed?
    p.s. I tried searching but when you search for 'creative zen' you get every other version of the zen as well

    Zens are great durable mp3-players, so it's a good choice. But so are iPods. A friend of mine has the same iPod he had 5 years ago. You are saying you are having problems with your iPod. Maybe it's just bad luck, but it might happen that you will be dissapointed again with a Zen.
    I have a screen protector and a protection case my zen, I never put it in my pants pocket, unless I really have no other choice. My Zen broke after 2 months (it didn't connect anymore), but those things can happen. mp3-players are fragile, but the Zen is the best player I have experienced (and that are a lot of players, with my destruction rate ).

  • New creative produc

    Does anyone know, or has heard of any new Creative MP3 players comming out? Im waiting for the Ipod Nano killer : /...Samsung has already come out with one, come on creative.

    Interesting, though getting info like this is much harder then it should be! I dont understand why they dont come forword with atleast a release date. It seems that the chip makes sense for a coloured flash player. Might mean Creative's nano killer will have some video feature, or just a killer screen.
    These company's are full of you know what. It benefits to release info, you think apple doesnt know already what your doing? What is there to hide, all this does it make loyal customers want to go for the worthy competition.Message Edited by apocalyps0 on 06-08-2006 08:20 PM

  • Buying New MP3 Pla

    I plan to buy a new MP3 player. I have been reading post on problems that people are having. I am concerned that I?will not have these types of problems. First my computer OS is XP home, service package 3 with WMP . On my old MP3 I could download books and open them?using WMP and transfer to my MP3 without any problems. This was before I had to reformat my hard dri've and reinstall windows. So?WMP 0?is not on my hard dri've and I cannot roll back to it. My question is will my new?Creative MP3 install and work on my system?without all of the problems I have been reading about?

    I'd say go for the Zen V Plus. It generally gets better feedback when compared to the Neeon 2. By personal experience, I can say that it's (the V) amazing. Nice and fullly featured, sweet screen and excellent sound quality. The extras make it worth having it as well. Just make sure you go for 4GB. or 2 gigs isn't enough, at least not for me. Some people have had some problems with getting it to work, but I managed to, by rolling back to WMP0 then reinstalling . If you are going to get the V,?I suggest you use Beta 2 of , because the full version won't recognize mine if it's docked for a long time (charging, etc.). Hope this helped, and I hope you enjoy whichever player you plan on getting.

  • Helpful hints for new Creative Zen MP3 2/4/8/16/32 GB (flash) Users On

    Summary of helpful hints (from this forum and me) for new Creative Zen MP3 2/4/8/6/32 GB (flash) Users Only!
    Rev..
    Date: 4/28/2008
    Author: ZenAndy
    Creative terminology:
    MP3 Player Recovery Tool - A program that resolves the majority of player problems quickly.
    One click is all it takes to update your player to the latest available firmware, and to give your player a clean bill of health.
    Link: http://www.creative.com/products/mp3...me.asp region=
    Note: You can also go to "Creative" "Support" "downloads" choose your MP3 Player type to obtain the latest firmware and software releases.
    Note: On your Zen you can look under "System" & "Information" and then compare the firmware download
    releases OR you can have the "MP3 Player Recovery Tool" (above) do it for you automatically.
    Note: Creative Zen 4/8/6 GB "MP3 Recovery Tool" DOES NOT stop on a firmware comparison match.
    Note: All firmware releases/revisons for the 4/8/6 GB Zen also works (is the same as) for the 2 GB & 32 GB Zen.
    Recovery Mode - If you experience one or more of the following symptoms, it is recommended that you boot the player into its unique Recovery Mode, and then clean up, format or reload the firmware.
    . The player is not detected in Creative MediaSource or Windows Media Player
    2. The battery does not last as expected
    3. Your computer stops responding during file transfers
    4. There is a power outage during file transfers
    5. There is an error about firmware
    6. LCD displays a "Firmware Problem" message
    7. Your player is not responding.
    8. The player is performing erratically.
    Getting Started
    . Load your Creative Zen software from CD FIRST and BEFORE plugging the Zen MP3 player, using the short cable, into the PC USB port to charge it.
    2. Try charging the Zen MP3 player directly from the USB port on the PC. If not, make sure the USB Hub you are using is adequately powered to provide full charging current to the Zen player. Also, try to have the Zen MP3 player as the only USB device, if possible, on the USB hub.
    Some/most Creative Zen flash MP3 Music players come "fully discharged" so, in the mean time, just read the manuals.
    FULLY charge the Zen MP3 player for several hours (~4.0 hrs max) until the battery symbol is NOT flashing AND the battery symbol/icon has a small plug/key symbol in the middle.
    After the first full charge - additional charging is much quicker about 2 /4 hours. (From 0% empty to full)
    3. Go to Creative/Support/Downloads and check for the latest software releases for the Creative Zen. Then check on your Zen MP3 player under System/Information for your firmware revision. Make sure you have the latest software downloaded on your PC and firmware on your Zen MP3 player. < Latest revision [.2.0] 28Feb08>
    OR
    You can run MP3 Player Recovery Tool - see above.
    4. In some cases you might have to do the Recovery Mode "paper clip reset" to get the Zen MP3 flash player started.
    See the Zen User's Guide FAQ. The paper clip reset hole is on the bottom edge below the music pause/run switch.
    (Not the slotted mic hole on the top edge of the player near the earphone jack and SD card slot!!!)
    5. My preference is to have the player shutdown/off before inserting and removing the earphone/headphone plug.
    Recovery Mode Using The Paper Clip OR
    Alternati've Method For Recovery Mode Without The Paper Clip.
    Why use it's
    If you experience one or more of the following symptoms:
    . The player is not detected in Creative MediaSource or Windows Media Player
    2. The battery does not last as expected
    3. Your computer stops responding during file transfers
    4. There is a power outage during file transfers
    5. There is an error about firmware
    6. LCD displays a "Firmware Problem" message
    7. Your player is not responding.
    8. The player is performing erratically.
    Save a copy of your player's content, if possible, before cleaning up the memory!
    Recovery Mode Using The Paper Clip Reset Method
    #. Turn off player if not already turned off
    #2. Press/hold play/pause button. If you accidentally release
    the button, start this reset procedure over again.
    #3. Gently push the end of a metal paper clip into the reset hole on
    the botton edge below the play/pause switch.
    (Do not use the slotted mic hole at the top edge near the earphone jack)
    #4. Slide the on/off/lock switch towards the on position - slide it to the botton hold
    until the display lights up and then release.
    #5. The recovery mode screen appears and four menu items are shown - see below
    <Alternati've Method For Recovery Mode Without The Paper Clip>
    #. Turn off player if not already turned off
    #2. Press/hold play/pause button. If you accidentally release
    the button, start this reset procedure over again.
    #3. Slide the on/off/lock switch towards the on position - slide it to the botton hold
    until the display lights up and then release. Be patient and wait!
    #4. The recovery mode screen appears and four menu items are shown:
    < Clean Up> - cleans, rebuilds and reorganizes your player's memory and restores it to optimal efficiency.
    When the cleanup is complete, select Reboot. Your player restarts and starts rebuilding its music library.
    Note: Your player's firmware is reset to default settings after your player's memory is cleaned up.
    Note: This procedure the hide/show password is reset.
    <2 Format All>- Warning - Formatting your player erases all content on your player's memory and resets your player's firmware to default settings. If possible, back up all data on your player before proceeding.
    Also, you can do this from the PC see Zen User's Guide. FAQ
    <3 Reload Firmware> - Caution !!!! Selecting Reload Firmware erases your player's firmware.
    DO NOT select Reload Firmware unless you have downloaded a newer firmware version for your player, or have been advised to do so by Creative Customer Support.
    Note: My advice when loading/replacing firmware is to connect directly
    to the PC USB port without using a USB hub.
    <4 Reboot> Restarts the player just like the "on/off/lock switch" when switched ON.
    Note: Having NO battery energy/charge/juice this procedure will not work.
    Lithium-Ion Polymer Battery Hints
    Ref:
    http://www.omnica.com/omniview_electronics2.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_ion_battery
    . Allow the battery to completely discharge from time-to-time then recharge it fully.
    2. Lithium-Ion batteries loses about 5%- 0% capacity per month.
    3. Lithium-Ion polymer batteries have about 300-500 discharge/charge cycles.
    4. A half full battery indication (50% @ /2 the battery color) used up about 24 hrs worth of battery. Below 50% the indication goes fairly fast to the max of 30 hrs. Note: The battery level indication seems non-linear through out its range.
    5. Battery is Empty~0% - warning screen will appear on LCD and player might shutdown.
    6. Battery is Full- 00% with battery symbol NOT flashing AND plug/key symbol in the center of the battery.
    7. It takes about 2 /4 hours to charge the battery from empty to full.
    8. It takes about 4 hours max to charge a "New" Zen player shipped from the factory.
    9. There is a battery manufactuer's failure rate, which is normal ~ % or less, in which the Lithium-Ion Polymer battery refuses to charge. Creative, ships the Zen MP3 players with some or no charge so there is very small probability that you could have one. I call it the "Deep Six Discharge Battery" Contact/call Creative for replacement.
    Documentation
    There are several pieces of documentation you might need to read to fully understand and use your Creative Zen MP3 flash player to its fullest capabilities.
    #. Zen Users Guide "English" - For Zen MP3 Player - download from Creative/Support/Product documentation
    #2. Zen Quick Users Guide /Front/Back - download from Creative/Support/Product documentation
    #3. Sync Manager (Creative Zen) Click on sync symbol on PC task bar then help
    #4. Creative Zen Media Explorer - Just look under the main help menu
    #5. Windows Media Player <if used>(Microsoft)Use the help files with this program.
    General Tips to increase/decrease the playing time on your Creative Zen flash player.
    <Creative Battery Spec: 5 Hrs. Video & "UP TO" 30 Hrs. Audio/Songs>
    Please do the following:
    . Volume control lower/higher - higher volume settings will decrease playing times. This is logical. More output "volume power" decreases the battery juice.
    2. Audio Settings: EQ, Smart Vol, & Bass Boost will effect your playing time but I believe they are not critical as the Volume & Bit Rates(28 kbsp and others) / File Format (MP3,WMA) & Lock Switch.
    3. Bit Rates & File Formats Do Matter. Bit Rates and File formats will increase/decrease your playing time.
    Per Catherina-CL
    "WMA files will use up more power than MP3 files, and higher bitrates more so than standard ones (like 28kbps MP3). Best thing to do is rip an album in 28kbps MP3 and leave it playing in a loop on a normal volume level. See how long the battery lasts then."
    Please Note: The main difference between MP3 and WMA is the compression. According to Microsoft a 64KBPS WMA file is the same quality 28KBPS MP3. This is of course up to a person's preference but you may find you can get better compression out of WMA.
    4. FULLY CHARGE your Zen. This means the battery symbol is NOT flashing AND there is a plug/key symbol embedded within the battery symbol. The battery is 00% FULL under BOTH conditions. Having just the battery symbol all green will not do it.
    From the link:
    http://www.omnica.com/omniview_electronics2.htm
    Regarding lithium-ion shelf life, one of our engineers recently met with a battery-house representati've. It has come to their attention that repeated charging and re-charging of a less than fully discharged Li-ion cell affects the battery "gas gauge" included with many devices. Over a number of cycles there is a resultant loss in accuracy. Frequently, the indicated remaining charge has little relationship to the actual amount of life left in the cell! Fortunately, according to the battery expert, the gauge will reset itself if the battery is allowed to completely discharge from time-to-time.
    5. Having different types of earphones/headphones will increase or decrease the playing time by how much "electronic load" the earphones/headphones create on the Zen player. There are some power hungry earphones/headphones out there.
    The 6 ohm earbuds conserves battery power more than the 32 ohm earbuds supplied by Creative. (About 0% more)
    6. Always, always lock your Zen player while playing music. This cuts off the power drain from the color 2.5" LCD and blank the LCD screen. After all, you can't read the LCD screen if it is in your shirt pocket and playing music!
    7. Make sure you have the latest firmware upgrades in order to get the best of your Creative Zen Flash MP3 Player.
    Troubleshooting
    Your Creative Zen is extremely complex.
    Check this link to peek inside player http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archi...isassembly.php
    Also, this link:
    http://arstechnica.com/journals/hard...ssor-behind-it
    There could be a million things that could go wrong with your player so you will not be the FIRST or LAST to have a problem. Keep in mind, there are many, many others that have the Zen with no problems whatsoever. Things happen, but Creative is there to help.
    Dropping a Zen or any other player might/will/possibly ruin the player for good!!!
    Since this player is solid-state (no moving parts e.g. mini-disk dri've) then the only thing that will keep it from running for years is the non-user replaceable Lithium-Ion battery. I will concentrate on some troubleshooting tips which are battery related but I hope you have already the latest firmware downloaded and installed on your player
    Battery - Lithium-Ion Polymer
    #. Battery won't charge "out of the box" new player.
    A. First, read above "Getting Started"
    B. Next, try a different USB mini cable.
    C. Next, there is a battery manufactuer's failure rate < %, in which the Lithium-Ion Polymer battery refuses to charge.
    Creative, ships the Zen MP3 players with no charge so there is very small probability thatyou could have one.
    I call it the "Deep Six Discharge Battery" Call / Contact Creative.
    #2. Battery won't charge properly after using the player for some time.
    A. When you plug in your player into the USB port via mini USB patch cable, the connection resets the player to the "docked screen" with the battery level gas guage , in the right hand corner.
    Sometimes this action does not reset the player properly but there is no indication to you that the player is charging.
    Just disconnect/connect the USB cable again.
    B. Sometimes, the Zen player gets confused and you have to do a Recovery Mode "paper clip reset" which forces the player into a "special menu screen" to clean-up the player and to reset the player which allows showing the "docked screen" while charging the unit. See Zen User's Guide for explicit instruction und FAQ.
    C. Since the Zens came out late in 2007, the maximum of 300-500 charge/discharge should not apply YETbut users beware, as with any other Lithium-Ion Polymer battery it will not charge fully "like new"because of a " fixed shelf life" (2-3 yrs) OR too many charge/discharge cycles. A battery replacement is in order.
    Methods of charging the Creative Zen MP3
    . The short mini-standard USB cable provided by Creative from the factory. Plugs into a PC USB port.
    2. Uni'versal Power Adapter (Creative) plugs into the wall. Works "anywhere in the world"
    Note: Different countries have different wall AC voltages and hertz requirements. This has adapters for different countries/locations wall outlets and a uni'versal power supply for all voltage and hertz requirements.
    Note: This is a heavy duty high/fast charging wall outlet charging adapter. (2400 ma)
    3. Auto/Vehicle 2 VDC charger (Creative) or other compatible vehicle 2 VDC to USB charger.
    4. EARHUGGER IPOD POWER POD - MP3-8370 (White compact module)
    http://www.earhugger.com/powerPod.html
    http://www.amazon.com/Earhugger-MP3-.../dp/B000QTTKSS
    This compact module will solve all the following travel modes and conditions:
    . Camping, hiking or outdoor travel - no PC or noAC or maybe no auto/car.
    2. Airplane travel - no PC or no AC or no auto/car.
    3. Train/subway travel - no PC or no auto/car
    4. Car travel - no PC or no AC
    5. Foot travel - no PC or no AC or no auto/car
    It uses 4 ways to charge the Zen:
    . Retractable mini-standard USB cord for PC charging. <--- does not communicate with PC! - only for charging
    2. Retractable mini USB cord for auto/vehicle charging (Fused)
    3. Retractable mini USB cord for wall 0-20 VAC 50/60Hz charging. (non-international use plug style)
    4. 9 VDC battery terminal for using standard alkaline 9 VDC or high ma Lithium 9 VDC to charge the Zen via
    mini USB cable. Note:You might need several alkaline batteries to charge the internal 550 ma hr Zen battery!
    Great for remote destinations.
    5. Rechargeable portable battery packs.
    Black & Decker has several "Power To Go"models CPI0B-C & CPI20XB (not for international use because of 20 AC 60Hz only charging wall wart)
    Note: There are other brands that also do this method of charging.
    http://www.blackanddecker.com/Produc...Path=4033.4040
    You charge this portable NiMH battery pack from the AC wall outlet so you can carry with you on trips to charge the Zen.
    6. Mobile phone chargers. Some have a mini-USB plug for charging the phone but it could be used to charge the Zen BUT BEWARE IT COULD RUIN THE ZEN IF IT IS NOT COMPATIBLE! The output should have a voltage of 5 VDC +- 5% (4.75-5.25 VDC) ON THE PROPER MINI-USB PINS and a charging current at least 200 ma to 2400 ma. See this forum for the recommend phone phone chargers to use with the Zen.
    Note: You are charging an internal Lithium-ion polymer 550 mahr battery in the Zen so the lower the charging current the longer it takes to charge.
    Note: You will find that charging the Zen from the wall charger is much faster than the "current limited" charging on the standard PC USB port.
    Note: For diagnostic purposes and emergency charging of the Zen it is wise to have an external (non-PC) charging device for your Zen.
    Note: Only the battery charging symbol shows up on the Zen when using an external charger.
    Scratches
    All plastic screens will scratch, doesn't matter which type you have.
    For minor scratches you could use the Novus three part cleaner, polish and scratch remover system. Do not use the #3 coarse abrasi've in this system! Be extremely careful in using this product !!!! Please check the web.
    OR
    Low abrasi've toothpase <--- some say this works
    OR
    CD scratch remover/repair kit <---- have not tried this.
    The Zen (Flash) MP3 glass LCD screen is covered by the overlay plastic you see on the front. Worst case, you can have only the outer shell repaired and replaced by Creative.
    To prevent scratches in the first place:
    Use the Zen cloth bag which comes with the unit (sometimes ) to prevent scratches.
    OR
    Buy the Zen clear plastic case (Clear Case #70AB2600002). Sold by Creative.< I use this>
    OR
    Buy an clear plastic overlay. (Screen protector #70AB2600003) which goes over the LCD protector screen for protection. Sold by Creative.
    OR
    Also, you can cut up a "generic" PDA screen protector to fit the Zen.
    OR
    Obtain a "digital camera lcd screen protector" from a camera store or internet
    OR
    "Invisible shield" -The best protection money can buy
    http://www.zagg.com/invisibleshield/...ns-shields.php
    How to destroy your Zen - WHAT NOT TO DO
    . Leave it in the auto/car/vehicle - the vehicle inside heats up 20-35 F higher than the outside temperature.
    2. Leave it outside in freezing temperature 0C 32F. The LCD will freeze/discolor/absorb water.
    Note: It is remotely possible it could recover when warm-up at room temperature.
    Note: Just keep the Zen near your body heat when outside in freezing temperatures.
    3. Dropping it might cause the LCD screen to crack or loosen up the internal connections to the electronics or short out the internal electronics.
    Note: Use a protecti've case to cushion the blow from dropping the Zen.
    4. Dropping or submerging or getting the Zen wet in water might short out the electronics and battery.
    You could prevent destruction by immediately shaking the Zen vigorously in open air to dry it out.
    5. Sitting on it could flex the electronics and short or open circuits which would cause a defecti've/faulty Zen.
    <A bit of humor ... There is No Santa Claus, Easter Bunny or Tooth fairy and Creative does NOT give away money. If you destroy or damage your Zen you will pay not Creative>
    How can you tell if your Zen is defecti've/faulty
    . A "white screen" or a "totally blank black screen" shows up on the Zen LCD.
    2. You cannot force the Zen into the special "Recovery Mode" menu screen.
    3. The Zen refuses to "take a charge"(To charge up the internal Lithium-Ion Polymer battery)
    4. The Zen LCD is cracked or distorted due to dropping or handling abuse.
    5. The Zen clock does not keep accurate time (within 2 mins max per month)
    Contact Creative if any of the above faults occur - the Zen is bad and nothing you can do will fix it!
    WSOD "White Screen of Death"
    The "White Screen of Death" is really caused by a hardware problem. You see, the internal Freescale/SigmaTel STMP3700 MP3 processor has to write to the LCD. If this operation is prevented by internal electronic opens or shorts, bad STMP3700, locked-up firmware, bad LCD or any other electronic component failure then the CPU might/will halt and refuse to write to the LCD which will be reflected in a "white screen of death" I cannot cover all the causes of the "white screen of death" but rest assured Creative should pick these problems up in their quality control manufacturing process with a 99% success rate. Problems do show up after the manufacturing process but Creative has warranty protection for this other % fault rate. (Which is normal in electronics manufacturing)
    Media Content
    Listening to the built-in music on the Zen is OK but after a while your question now becomes "What else can I do with my Zen "
    Note: The "How to" instructions for adding Media content can be found in the Zen documentation.
    Terminology:
    Album: Collection of tracks or songs under one "album" title.
    Artist: Track or song artist
    DRM: Digital rights management - copy protection scheme - Zen cannot use music with this music protection scheme. (itunes) (But "itunes plus" will work)
    Genres: Type or kind of music
    <The following genres are defined in ID3v>
    Blues,Classic Rock,Country,Dance,Disco,Funk,Grunge,Hip-Hop,Jazz,Metal,New Age,Oldies,Other,Pop,
    R&B,Rap,Reggae,Rock,Techno,Industrial,Alternati've ,Ska,Death Metal,Pranks,Soundtrack,Euro-Techno,
    Ambient,Trip-Hop,Vocal,Jazz+Funk,Fusion,Trance,Classical,Instru mental,Acid,House,Game,Sound Clip,
    Gospel,Noise,AlternRock,Bass,Soul,Punk,Space,Medit ati've,Instrumental Pop,Instrumental Rock,
    Ethnic,Gothic,Darkwave,Techno-Industrial,Electronic,Pop-Folk,Eurodance,Dream,Southern Rock,
    Comedy,Cult,Gangsta,Top 40,Christian Rap,Pop/Funk,Jungle,Nati've American,Cabaret,New Wave,
    Psychadelic,Rave,Showtunes,Trailer,Lo-Fi,Tribal,Acid Punk,Acid Jazz,Polka,Retro,Musical,Rock & Roll,
    Hard Rock
    <The following genres are Winamp extensions>
    Folk,Folk-Rock,National Folk,Swing,Fast Fusion,Bebob,Latin,Revival,Celtic,Bluegrass,Avantg arde,
    Gothic Rock,Progressi've Rock,Psychedelic Rock,Symphonic Rock,Slow Rock,Big Band,Chorus,
    Easy Listening,Acoustic,Humour,Speech,Chanson,Opera,Cha mber Music,Sonata,Symphony,
    Booty Bass,Primus,Porn Groove,Satire,Slow Jam,Club,Tango,Samba,Folklore,Ballad,Power Ballad,
    Rhythmic Soul,Freestyle,Duet,Punk Rock,Drum Solo,A capella,Euro-House,Dance Hall
    <A bit of humor: I think the above Genres lists are missing two - "elevator music" & Crying and Whining e.g. Country Western>
    ID3 Tags: Internal file information associated with an Mp3 or wav audio file. This format contains
    Track number, Album name/title, Genre, Artist and Song Title which can be sorted and indexed by
    the Zen device.
    IPTV: Is a system where a digital television service is deli'vered using Internet Protocol over a network infrastructure, which may include deli'very by a broadband connection. http://zencast.com/
    JPEG: Is a commonly used method of compression for photographic images.
    This is the only photo format used by the Zen.
    MP3 and WMA music tracks: Music format used by the Zen.
    Note: Having the wrong bit rates will drain the Zen battery faster. (See above)
    MP3: Is a digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression.
    Non-protected AAC: Files are regular AAC files without any DRM: they can be converted to other formats (like MP3) and can be played on an unlimited amount of devices and burned an unlimitd amount of times. They have no restrictions.
    Podcast: Is a series of digital-media files which are distributed over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on portable media players and computers. http://zencast.com/
    Protected AAC: Files are AAC audio files that contain DRM (Digital Rights Management), most often music purchased from the iTunes store. The Creative Zen cannot use these files.
    Note: "Itunes Plus Store" have songs without DRM which the Zen can use.
    Ripping CDs: Copying tracks from an audio CD on a PC and downloading tracks to the Zen.
    Note: Use the Creative Zen Media Explorer for ripping audio CD is one method.
    Song Title: Name of song or track
    Track Number: Numerical number of track of CD album.
    Track: General name for song or song title.
    Unprotected AAC format: Music format used by the Zen
    WMA:Is an audio data compression technology developed by Microsoft. The name can be used to refer to its audio file format or its audio codecs.
    WAV: (or WAVE), short for Waveform audio format, is a Microsoft and IBM audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on PCs.
    Note: The Zen's built-in microphone produces this audio file format.
    Zen Audio Format:MP3, WMA, WAV, non-protected AAC (.m4a), Audible (2, 3, 4)
    Zen Media Content: Video, Music, Audio, Photos/Images transferred/dowloaded into the Zen
    Zen Photo Format:JPEG
    Note: You can copy/drag/paste JPEG photos from your PC to your Zen for viewing.
    Note: You can import photos & view photos from the SD card.
    Zencast Organizer: Seamlessly integrates ZENcast media files with Creative portable media players and/or your computer
    Zen Video Format:MJPEG, WMV9 and (with transcoding - MPED4-SP, DivX 4/5 and XviD)
    Warning - In some countries (including the US) its illegal to do:
    Copying audio DVD & DVDs
    Defeating DRM MP3 Music (Digital Rights Management)
    Intercepting/copying (non purchased) music.
    Downloading music/songs from an illegal or "free" rouge website.
    General Media Content links:
    http://pro-music.org/Content/GetMusi...lineStores.php
    Note: Check to see if your music files/tracks contains ID3 tags.
    Note: ZEN also supports iTunes Plus tracks from the iTunes store,
    Note: The following media content is only a small fraction of means and ways
    of collecting/dowloading media content to the Zen.
    Media Content from Creative Website(s)
    Note: The Media Content can be found under "Fill your Zen" on the bottom of the Creative Zen product page.
    http://zencast.com/
    ZENcast is the ultimate source for free IPTV channels, video blogs and podcasts on the Internet. It provides quick and easy access to a wide range of interesting and entertaining video and audio content online.
    http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/cre...seBVCookie=Yes
    Audible.com - Audible.comis the Internet s leading audio provider of bestselling audio books, comedy programs and today s most relevant magazines and newspapers
    http://creative.vongo.com/
    VONGO is the video download service that gives you instant access to over 2500 hit movie and video selections from Starz .
    Watch movies whenever, wherever on your ZEN. A great entertainment venue for watching movies while on the road or on the go.
    http://www.napster.com/creative/
    Transfer unlimited music to your ZEN without paying per song.
    With Napster To Go you can:
    Choose from over 5 million songs, plus new releases every week
    Play music instantly from any internet-connected computer
    Find old favorites and discover new music by exploring playlists, radio, Billboard charts and more
    Create a library of your favorite music and build custom playlists.
    http://www.emusic.com/ZEN
    Choose from over ,500,000 songs
    Burn unlimited CDs
    Compatible with every MP3 player
    No confusing restrictions-Own your music!
    http://www.lala.com/frontend/action/...=user:2672@223
    Why pay 99per song when you can get the whole album for $At lala.com, you can trade your used CDs for new music.
    .8 million titles available for trade. CD quality guaranteed.
    Every CD you receive is yours to keep - no restrictions.
    Pay only $ per CD received. No monthly fees or commitments. Sign up is FREE.
    http://www.amazon.com/b/ &node=62663
    Buy or Rent Movies Online
    Watch DVD-quality video downloads on your PC or ZEN
    Conveniently download from your PC at work to your PC at home
    Discover thousands of TV shows & movies available for download
    I started this thread in April 08 to help other new Creative Zen MP3 (Flash) users. If there are common threads that are posted from new users then I try to make a section to inform other new users in solving their similar problems. I cannot believe that this thread was viewed over 0,000 times! Thank you for your "viewing" support.
    Please note: This thread is constantly changing so check back for any new helpful hints, problem solving, troubleshooting and practical solutions for the Creative Zen.
    "The Creative ZenR O C K S"
    Zenandy
    Message Edited by Zenandy on 08--2008 08:26 AM

    Hi,
    I'm from germany so no 'best buy' but I think I will lock around sleeve/bag for a different product with same measures. Any tip?
    The clear plastic case is not what I want. I would like to use the player without such protections. I just want a sleeve to protect the player while its in my jacket/pants.
    Btw, i have bought this version: Creative Zen (maybe european version?). I also doesn't seem to have your mentioned sleeve. I also couldn't find it on the website.
    Anyway, thank you,
    Chris

  • New MP3 Pla

    I've been researching prices for MP3 Players. Thanks to Cat I decided to buy myself a new MP3 player, but I'm not sure what one I want. I don't have a large amount of music, but I want the space to hold more then 40-50 from my 256 MB TX FM but I don't know exactly what one.
    I looked up the Zen Nano or Zen Nano Plus, looked at their prices and figured they were pretty good in CAN dollars, little less without taxes then what I payed for my 256 on eBay, with about the space I want, but I haven't found any reveiws. If anyone has any reveiws on it, lemme know.
    Again, Thanks in Advance
    Kaez

    For reviews go to amazon.com and do a search for your player. Lots of comments from a lot of people who have actually purchased the player.
    Another place for reviews is pcworld.com
    I just ordered a new Creative Zen Nano Plus GB in pink for $69.99US (no shipping, no tax) from amazon.com. If you are ordering from amazon, make sure your player is coming from them, not a third party seller. This way you will have a warranty. Keep your receipt.
    Best wishes,
    luvmyrescuedogs
    Message Edited by luvmyrescuedogs on 06-09-2006 0:0 AM

  • Hi everyone, I have LR 5 that I purchased with a serial number and about a week ago I got the message about a new update, I want to get LR 6 but not the creative cloud, last time from LR4 to LR5 there was just an update without buying the creative cloud,

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