Zen Xtra - low bitrate MP3s sound terri

I download a lot of mp3 speeches, lectures, etc. - i.e., all spoken word stuff (as opposed to music). Many of these files are fairly low bitrate (6KBS) in order to minimize space and make the downloads go faster.
These low bitrate mp3s play/sound fine when I play them on my computer (remember, we're talking spoken word, not music - I know 6KBS is too low for music to sound good). But, while they sound ok when played on my computer (in Windows Media Player), they sound like crap when I play them on my Zen Xtra (really slow and slurred speech, etc.)
The problem is not my car cassette adaptor since the same thing happens when I use headphones.
Is there anything I can do? I've never upgrade the firmware - might that help?
Or, would re-encoding these at a higher bitrate help - recognizing that I don't have anything better to start with than the 6KBS file I started with?

JimG90 wrote:
Thanks for the good and prompt response. If I may follow up?
I never installed CMS - did it come with my Zen Xtra? To install it now, do I need either to buy it or to find my original CD (which may be hard) or can I download and install it free from the support website as a Zen Xtra owner?
I do have Windows Media Player and MusicMatch Jukebox Deluxe - will either of those do what CMS does?
CMS would have come with the player on the installation CD but you can download it from the website. When you install it you need to install the drivers first, then connect your player so that when CMS installs it will see that you have a device that entitles you to load the program. Then load the Zen Xtra plugin for CMS.
You can convert the files with WMP when you sync the files to your player - in the Sync settings there is a quality tab and you can choose to convert the files before transferring. I think it will only convert to WMAs though. If you have Copy Protect switched on in the WMP settings then the files will have DRM applied.
PB

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The lowest bitrate the supported converter handles is 32kb
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However, I did have an application which allows me to?save a track to 6kbps mp3 mono with an audio sample rate of kbps and it not only worked on the Zen but it is surprising sounds very good through my EP-630 earphone.
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You won't believe but I had the same problem just couple of days ago with the same player (but 40 gigs). I was confused just like you, so I tried to format the disk again (while connected to PC) and reloaded the OS. Then a message appeared like 'Now you can update your firmware' or something like that, so I ran the firmware from PC, and no message about a battery level appeared, and the firmware was updated correctly. Try it, and let me know if it's OK! Good luck!

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Apologies up front if this is covered in another thread. If so, please post a link.
I want to replace MP3s in my iTunes library with newly encoded 320 KBPS MP3s. I also want to keep each track's play counts and playlist links in tact but with the new higher bit rate MP3s. Is there a simple way to do this? Maybe a 3rd party app or script?
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Message was edited by: unitard
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Thanks for the tip. It works. Choosing "Import CD" prompts you with a dialog to replace previously imported tracks. To rip a CD I had always used "Create MP3 Version" from the 'Advanced' menu and was never prompted with the replace dialog.

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Come on creative....Sort this problem out before I finally head for the nearest ipod store.

Hi,
Make sure you have the Playsforsure firmware on the Zen Xtra player.
This article may also help.

Zen Xtra Wont W

Today I let my friend listen to my Zen Xtra 40 GB MP3 player and he said "he didnt listen to it all day." at the end of the day he called me and told me it didnt work so he gave it back to me and now when i turn it on it says creative and than goes to the eax screen stays there for about idk for about a minute or two and than from there it goes to rescue mode...can somebody please help me out?

Sounds like the hard disk is failing to talk to the player. You can try the advice here in the Zen FAQ at Nomadness.net at your OWN RISK.
If this doesn't help, or you don't wish to try it and you are under warranty, then contact Creative Support.

Zen Xtra Nomad Jukebox suddenly not recognized by Windows XP Netbook

I'm desperately struggling to get my Creative Zen Xtra Nomad Jukebox MP3 player (version .03.02) to be recognized by my computer. (My background is I'm about 4 hours south of my home, temporarily helping my exwife who is slowly dyiing of cancer... [URL"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA67hNO3H4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA67hNO3H4[/url] I have two laptops with me, one with XP (and the other rarely used here with Vista.) My main computer, a Dell Desktop running XP, is back at home with most everything else as I live out of a suitcase and do the best I can.... 'nuf said for my situation)
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My incorrect guess at the time was that something internal to the mp3 player was broken and though I was lucky that it still worked as a player without any issues, I just had no way to access the 30Gb of books & lectures. Nor would the Creative Media Source work with it, as it felt that the player was not even hooked up to the computer. So,I bought a new 'used' identical model on ebay, except that the seller had upgraded the firmware and the harddrive. Once I got the new player, it's too, would not be recognized by my MSI netbook. (though it works on the laptop I have running vista).
Last week I gratefully went home for one day to check my mail and attend to a few matters, and upon hooking my original MP3 player to my main desktop, my original MP3 player immedately docked to my computer and was working as it always had?
Now, atleast, I knew the MP3. player was working and functionally intact, and the challenge was completely computer software issues on my netbook, possibly due to some service pack upgrade or the sort.
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I have never turned to a tech support board before, but I'm very much in need of assistance right now. Please, if you think you can guide me, I would appreciate it.
~Stuart

Thanks for the reply. I sure wish I had a better understanding of this. I will request one more piece of invaluable knowledge from you! My old zen & windows xp computer hum in awesome performance again. Unfortunately, since I thought my old zen was broken, I'm now with this new beast, with the updated firmware 2.0.03. From what I previously read on Boards and Forum pages, this device shouldn't be connected to my XP computer while I'm still using my OLD zen with old firmware. As you mention in the above note, I connect this 'new' Zen to my Vista computer, & it immedately goes into docking mode. I tried loading the newest firmware available for my device (though it doesn't list vista as compatable), and of course, when the mediasource version 3.30.2 loads, it doesn't have a clue that my zen is connected. Only WMP version seems to pay attention, which may not be that bad. But once I was up & running in WMP, I couldn''t seem to create playlists and or even clearly get it to load the Audio Lectures that I have onto it. So, Wise, All Knowing CREATIVE Wizard, any suggestions what I do? Delete WMP? I will hope never to bother you again, once this is solved!!!
But I am tremendously grateful for the assistance. I only spent about an hour in WMP accomplishing nothing, before I realized I should just turn to you, admit my defeat, and hope for insight and practical advice!!!!!
Thanks!!!
~Stuart

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stahly

Have you tried a disk cleanup? To run a Disk Cleanup you need to access the Rescue Mode. To access the Rescue Mode hold down the play button and KEEP it held down, press the tiny reset switch once, and KEEP the play button held down until the player boots into the Rescue Mode. Choose Disk Cleanup from the menu. Note: Disk cleanup should not remove your tracks. It searches through the disk for files and rebuilds the index, and can be useful for correcting any strange behaviour.
Did you leave the player with a flat battery for several weeks or more? (Seems unlikely as the player is only 5 months old, but just to check)
You can try connecting the player to the mains adapter, then turn the wall switch on and off a few times to see if this "kick starts" the battery into life.
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I own a Zen Xtra 30 GB MP3 player, and right off the bat, I admit I upgraded the ifrmware without removing the old firmware.
Ever since doing this, my player has been slow on connecting via USB. I rebooted into rescue mode, removed the OS, and reinstalled the latest firmware upgrade (.20.08 I believe).
My Zen Xtra still takes forever to connect via USB, and that's even if it does connect at all.
Any ideas where I should go on this one...

dc08 wrote:No thanks to anyone on here trying to help me out or anything...
Do you realize that we don't actually work for Creative and, therefore, don't owe you anything?
If you get help then you should see it as a bonus and be grateful - not expect help and moan when you don't get it.
I had the same problem on my Open Uni'versity forum in the UK - other students expected help from everybody else on the course and then gave us a slagging when we didn't give it!
I'll now duck back under my stone and wait for the incomings....
PB

Charging my Creative Zen Xtra 40 gig by

Is it possible to charge my player by using the usb cord. I thought I saw somewhere that you could but now I cant find it.
Geoff

You can, but not with the out-of-the-box cable, and not through the data port. And it's only enough power to charge, not to run it while charging.
If you solder the power leads from a USB cable to the right size of adaptor plug, you can. USB uses the right voltage and it provides anough amperage to charge. If you try to do anything that makes the hard disk spin, you'll draw too much current and the USB port will shut off (either until you unplug the device or until you reboot the computer, depending on the port).
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Zen Xtra MP3 Quality Cha

I have a Zen Xtra 40gb. I use the MediaSource software to rip CDs to my computer and the Zen Xtra.
I rip the CDs to MP3s at 00% quality and variable bitrate. My Xtra has about 6500 tracks on it with less than gb left in memory.
I would like to keep the files saved on my PC to stay at the highest quality as a backup to my CD library. If I clear my Zen, is there a way to retransfer the files at a lower quality to save memory and get more tracks on it's
Thanks for any help you can provide.

SSR wrote:
PeeBee wrote:
Why pay for something when WMP can do it for free?
Perhaps because it has more functionality, as already stated. Can WMP convert from Ogg or other lossless formats? Can WMP convert to formats other than WMA?
In the "fine print" for MediaSource's conversion note that it's only when converting WAV tracks.
WMP can convert to MP3, but it either doesn't use the LAME codec or makes it confusing to download, so I usually stick with dbPowerAmp or Audiograbber (both freeware, to my knowledge) if I'm ripping to MP3.

Anyone use MediaMonkey for file transfers with their Zen (Xtra)? For changing bitrat

I'm looking for some software that will reduce the bitrates of my songs as they are transferred from my Vista computer to my Zen Xtra, i.e., I store my music files on my computer in WMA lossless format, and I want them copied onto my device at 28kb
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MediaMonkey looks like it will do this. Does Windows Media Player?
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Hiya all,
Just to let you know, that this has happened again, 2nd time within 4 months of owning it, I cannot add or remove data from the data partition, I can listen to the MP3's fine, but can't do jack with the data partition, does anyone know of anything that can resolve this since the last time I reported the problem? I've double checked that I've got the most up todate firmware and software. It's a bit pants if you can't use the Zen Xtra for what it's designed for!
Flegg

Jukebox Zen Xtra sound prob

Hi, I've had my Nomad Jukebox Zen Xtra for more than 2 years and have had little problems with it. However, now I cannot get any sound out of the left speaker of any type of speaker/earphones I plug into the audiojack. This is not a speaker/earphone problem, they work with any audio equipment. I can get sound out of both left and right speakers/phones if I plug the jack only 80% into the audiojack. But if I plug the jack all the way into the player, only the right speaker/phone works. Any suggestions as to how to fix this problem?

Hello There,
I am experiencing the exact same problem - "Device not connected, even though I can see the device as a virtual dri've on my XP SP2 PC. I have contacted creative tech support and followed their instructions to the letter with no success.
Creative tech support instructed me to try the following:
MaKe sure that my antivirus software, firewall and spy ware is turned off. Their thinking was that some services are effect the connection between the MP3 device and USB port.</LI>
Also I tried booting my XP PC in safe mode, ensuring the most of the services were turned off .. i.e. firewall, virus protection, etc. Still can not get the device to connect.</LI>
align=center>The Error message on the Device itself (Zen Xtra display) reads as follows:Firmware error on reboot -- error message simply states "firmware problem" then goes to Rescue Mode v.3 - Boot v.4, HW v0.0.displays following 4 options: Clean Up2: Format all3: Reload OS4: RebootTried all four options and still getting same error message.
I am going to try and load the original firmware that came with Zen Xtra, if that works I will try to upgrade the firmware to the latest release.
Later tonight I will get a chance to attempt these actions. I will post my results later.
Message Edited by marcula on 0-24-2006 07:02 AM

Outside of Warranty on Zen Xtra with no sound

I am the owner of a Zen Xtra 30 GB that I purchased in Dec 03, meaning I'm outside the window for the warranty, and the player seems to be working fine--there's just no sound coming through the speakers. I've checked the headphones and they seem to work fine everywhere else. Does anyone have an idea of how much this will cost to fix or am I sitting on a paper weight. Are there any other uses for this thing now if I don't get it fixed or should I pitch it's
Thanks in advance

sorry for the confusion. the hedphones work fine on my laptop, PC, old walkman, etc. they just don't work on the player. the headphones that came with the zen = the same thing. the player seems to be operating fine, there is just no sound on the headphones when playing. thanks.
thanks to ut-king as well. i'm not so sure about my low level welding skills and may find out how much creative will change to fix.

Zen Xtra - low bitrate MP3s sound terri

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