What do you want to know about the Zen X-Fi?

[flatten the skyline]

Originally Posted by BobbyRS

I'm expecting 64GB DAP's much sooner than a few years from now.
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You're right, as soon as I bought a smaller one! It's always like that I'm afraid.

I also fear that the Creative Fanbase isn't as big and active as the apple one. There are so many ipod hacks and mods out there...

[CrowdAds]

[shadow]

Originally Posted by flatten the skyline

If you are otherwise satisfied with your ZVM, replacement Batteries go for a song on eBay. Just find someone to help you with replacing. (I replaced my ipod screen by myself, and I'm a geologist, so anyone with skilled hands can do it.

I'd wait too to get a 64GB Flash based DAP in a few years, but since my ipod is toast as far as I see it I can't.

The thing that's the worst on my ZVM is the screen. Right when I got it I ripped off what I can only now assume was some kind of screen protector in an act of idiocy, thinking I was supposed to take it off. Bad move by me.
Also, I'm going on vacation in just over a week (long car trip) and I want a fresh player to play around with.

Just an FYI for everyone; the 16 GB version has dropped from $200 to $184 on amazon.com. I'm assuming these players haven't sold well in it's short life span.

[The DarkSide]

The Zen 32gb is now $249.99US on the Creative USA website - the X-Fi effect is in FULL effect as of now. This should force a change (again) in the flash based player market: hopefully lower prices coupled with larger capacity's across the board. I'd LOVE a Sony 32gb player myself. Though, the X-Fi isn't such a bad choice IMO. I do like the direction pad on the Zen better though.

[BobbyRS]

Originally Posted by flatten the skyline

You're right, as soon as I bought a smaller one! It's always like that I'm afraid.

Yeah, that's usually how it goes.

Originally Posted by shadow

The thing that's the worst on my ZVM is the screen. Right when I got it I ripped off what I can only now assume was some kind of screen protector in an act of idiocy, thinking I was supposed to take it off. Bad move by me.

Oh wow, that sucks. Why didn't you just put another one on? They are pretty inexpensive.

Originally Posted by nywytboy68

I do like the direction pad on the Zen better though.

Yeah, I do as well nywytboy68.

[shadow]

Originally Posted by BobbyRS

Oh wow, that sucks. Why didn't you just put another one on? They are pretty inexpensive.

Sadly, the damage has been done. It's especially noticeable if you have a white background or watch a movie with lots of white in it (i.e. hockey highlights).

But i ordered a 16gb x-fi, and it'll be here tommorow. Hopefully I'll like it...

[flatten the skyline]

Originally Posted by shadow

But i ordered a 16gb x-fi, and it'll be here tommorow. Hopefully I'll like it...

I guess I'll never understand people that buy less than maximum storage capcity models... My music collection alone is about 60GB (including thousands of songs I've never heard before I know) and if I would want Videos with that it'd be a major pain to sort through this mess. Plus, for some reason, I always think that mabe someone at a party would like to listen to a certain song, that at an unpredictable moment someone needs the whole Final fantasy X soundtrack (4CDs), or that at some point it could save my life to carry the whole Blind guardian Discography with me. Makes it really hard to decide...

[shadow]

Originally Posted by flatten the skyline

I guess I'll never understand people that buy less than maximum storage capcity models... My music collection alone is about 60GB (including thousands of songs I've never heard before I know) and if I would want Videos with that it'd be a major pain to sort through this mess. Plus, for some reason, I always think that mabe someone at a party would like to listen to a certain song, that at an unpredictable moment someone needs the whole Final fantasy X soundtrack (4CDs), or that at some point it could save my life to carry the whole Blind guardian Discography with me. Makes it really hard to decide...

Personally for me, I'm pretty picky with my music. But the real reason I bought only the 16 GB version in this case is I'm skeptical about this player, and the 32 GB version was $100 more.

[mgmg]

I could never understand people who buy 120GB music players. Maybe for videos, sure, but really, 40,000 songs or something? I can barely name 100, I don't listen to more than 50 different songs a month.

About the X-Fi

So what's going on with the chat? Right now, you can use the Creative Chat servers, right?

- Do you import contacts from MSN / Yahoo, or can you only talk to people registered with Creative?
- If so, what's behind this statement from Creative.com? "Stay connected with friends on Yahoo Messenger or Windows Live Messenger on your wireless MP3 player". Is that coming with an update in firmware or something?

[Lawrence]

Originally Posted by flatten the skyline

I also fear that the Creative Fanbase isn't as big and active as the apple one.

The creative fanbase decreases with each new player

Originally Posted by mgmg

what's behind this statement from Creative.com? "Stay connected with friends on Yahoo Messenger or Windows Live Messenger on your wireless MP3 player". Is that coming with an update in firmware or something?

I wondered the same thing. False advertisement?

[shadocyc]

Hi, don't know if this is the place to ask this but, is there any way to turn off the speakers so that they don't turn on automatically every time you remove the headphones. This is the single problem I have that prevents me from getting it, I wouldn't want to be listening to music during a class just to have the headphones unplug and startle everyone.

[shadow]

Originally Posted by shadocyc

Hi, don't know if this is the place to ask this but, is there any way to turn off the speakers so that they don't turn on automatically every time you remove the headphones. This is the single problem I have that prevents me from getting it, I wouldn't want to be listening to music during a class just to have the headphones unplug and startle everyone.

From what I can tell, no. But honestly, the headphones don't come out easily, and you can't really hear the audio using the speakers unless the volume is all the way up.

[shadocyc]

Thanks for the reply. I saw on a video that there was an option to turn off the speaker on the audio menu. Does anyone know what the "turn off speaker" option does then? Does it just turn off the speaker when you are using it?

[shadow]

Originally Posted by shadocyc

Thanks for the reply. I saw on a video that there was an option to turn off the speaker on the audio menu. Does anyone know what the "turn off speaker" option does then? Does it just turn off the speaker when you are using it?

Yeah, it turns the speaker off. Then, when you plug your headphones in, audio will stream through them no problems. However, once you take your headphones out, the speaker will automatically be on again.

[scytheavatar]

Originally Posted by mgmg

I could never understand people who buy 120GB music players. Maybe for videos, sure, but really, 40,000 songs or something? I can barely name 100, I don't listen to more than 50 different songs a month.

Some people like to store all their songs in their mp3 players and play their old favorites when they feel like doing so. And some like to play loseless mp3s that take up a lot of space.

[HipHopScribe]

Enzo, has the firmware update made the X-fi enhancements any better?

[salami]

I have 2000 songs on my player. I listen to it from time to time.If I don't listen to it I leave it there some months later I go back and listen again .Personally i listen to more than 50 songs per month

[EnzoTen]

Originally Posted by HipHopScribe

Enzo, has the firmware update made the X-fi enhancements any better?

Not much at a quick listen, but i will audition it a little closer tonight and update the review.

[no9]

My only sticking point is the lack of functions on the SD card. Could they, if they only had a brain, firmware features like bookmarks on the SD. I've read that integration is a hardware issue not firmware.

[yellowhedgerow]

Hi all, I've been thinking of purchasing a zen x-fi... my current player (samsung k3) cuts of the first second of the next song if i've skiped to it, has anyone had any instances of the xi-fi doing this? .... also whats the quality of the voice recording like on the x-fi? i'd like to be able to use it to record band rehearsals (just for reference, doesnt have to be studio quality or anything - basically as long as its clear) as well as lectures and stuff. tia!

[Amy]

I got the 32 GB Zen X-FI to hold 8 GB of music, 3 GB of podcasts, and 16+ GB of audio books from Audible. I'll throw a couple of videos on there too. It's a replacement for my 30 GB ZVM. The 16 GB would really have been too small for me.

Also, a work-around for the speaker would be to use the shortcut key to toggle speaker on/off. Bit of a kludge, though. personally, I like having the speaker. And shadow was right, when the volume is down on the speakers, it's very quiet. And it remembers a new speaker volume if you turn it off before putting the headphones back in. But if you change the volume, then put the headphones back in before turning it off, it will not be at the new volume when you take the headphones out again. (I just experimented for you. )